This past Saturday's Powerball jackpot was estimated at just a shade over $180 million. Upon hearing this, I excitedly licked my chops and promptly forgot about buying a ticket. Then, en route to church Sunday morning, I saw the giant billboard that denoted the new, paltry $10 million prize. I was fully expecting the monies, like in previous Powerball payouts, to go to one of this country's many "hick" states which would then be spent on meth, store-bought moonshine and a new NASCAR racing team, but the Star Tribune and several television stations started reporting Sunday night that the buyer was actually from here! Wow, imagine the excitement.

Again I forgot about it, until today when the winners came forward. And after reading the story and seeing them on the news, I must say that I think they are the most deserving couple so far. An excerpt:

"I guess there was divine intervention," Paul Rosenau said. "This happened for a reason."

[...]

As for what they'll do with the money, Sue Rosenau has ideas of a trip to Hawaii while Paul Rosenau spoke of philanthropic plans, including giving money for research toward the disorder that took their granddaughter's life.

Good on you, guys.

In a loosely related story, Strib sports columnist Patrick Reusse took Minnesota sports fans to task for treating former Wild majority owner Bob Naegle like a deity while vilifying Twins owner (and 2008 Forbes Magazine Richest Man in Pro Sports) Carl Pohlad. Now I'm not a fan of either; Pohlad has pulled his share of dick moves on the Twins fan base (see 2001 contraction attempt) but he seems to be at least trying to make sonething happen now while also keeping the team in the black. My favorite part of the article though is in the comments, where illiterate and belligerent hockey fans try to defend their patron saint and then get collectively ripped to shreds by a guy called 'cartwa':

You can rip the Twins, Vikings, T-wolves, and gophers but you cant rip the Wild. It isnt fair. It is much like ripping on the kids on the short bus. Wild fans can barely read and logic is something they just dont understand. Expecting them to grasp reality would be way too much to ask. Keep in mind that these are the same fans that think mullets are cool and that wearing an oversized jersey with jeans and tennis shoes is styish. Wild fans think nothing of having their winter sport championship in June. Wild fans dont find anything odd about having teams in hockey hotbeads like Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Charlotte or Florida (twice). Wild fans actually wait in line to purchase $85.00 game tickets and then never complain when their team musters only a handful of shots. Wild fans are so loyal that the mere attempt to open their eyes generates 80 plus comments that are so creative, you question our public school system. My favorite is the post that simply says "Reusse, you are an idiot." Please Mr Reusse, please dont rip the Wild.

Thanks for the humorous yet astute characterization of Wild fans, my friend.

now playing on iPod: Josh Kelley "Travelin'"

[Photo courtesy roadsidenut and Flickr]

Labels: local, media, twins