Turkey of the Year -- Pat Reusse?

I love reading this annual bit by the Strib's Pat Reusse, but this year's leaves me confused.
Am I missing some Upper Midwest joke, or did Reusse really confuse Minnesota for UMD? I mean that's a pretty big fuckup if so -- and no one on the copy desk caught it?


The mood surrounding the Turkey Banquet is always festive, and it takes on a quality that is both giddy and heartwarming when there is a chance to reflect on a grand year in Minnesota sports.

Really, when has it been better for sports fans in this region than in the 12 months since the Turkeys were last awarded?

In December, the University of Minnesota did the Maroon and Gold proud by winning its second national football title in three years, defeating Delta State 20-17 on the hallowed turf of Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala.

In April, the University of Minnesota completed a fantastic exacta by defeating Michigan 3-2 in overtime to win the NCAA men's hockey championship, on what was almost home ice at the X in St. Paul.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/134431878.html

 

It looks like intentional jab directed towards the Gophers.

 

Exactly. Because it's the University of Minnesota Duluth. So a U of M school won the national title in football and hockey. I'll admit, I had to re-read it. But it was a jab at U of M-Twin Cities.

 

Absolutely. The Strib folks have been all over the Minnesota athletic department for the disaster that football and hockey have become.

 

Definitely Reusse's style of needling by embarrassing.

 

Yeah definitely intentional, though I had to think about it for a second. Liked that it was a slight upset and wasn't Mauer, who had to have been the betting favorite. It did sting to see John Gagliardi on there, but was probably necessary.

My parents grew up with Reusse in Fulda and they both have some awesome stories of him when he was a kid. In 9th grade, Fulda had a psychotic jv football coach. Complete asshole, dad said. One day he went on and on and on about arm tackling and how you should not do it. Get in front of the guy. First play after the lecture? Reusse arm tackles...and breaks his arm. He's rolling on the ground writhing in pain and the coach picks up the ball and fires it at Reusse, screaming at him "You stupid son of a bitch, that's what you get for arm tackling!" He then made everyone gather around and stare at the decimated Reusse as an example of what happens if you arm tackle.

Then, when I was a kid, there was something in the Fulda paper. It was like "25 years ago, Patrick Reusse broke his arm in football practice." Slow news day.

If you've read Reusse, you know his old man ran the funeral home in town. When mom was little, she was playing with Reusse's sister and Pat beckoned them into the house. He led them into a room with a naked body sprawled out on the table. Mom sprinted out, terrified, while Reusse cackled away.

 

A little sloppy, but I got the dig.