What fans don't love to relive the good times of their favorite team? Likewise, in a twisted sort of way, what fans can really resist a self-pitying look back on some of those times that tested their allegiance? Those forgettable games, seasons, and plays that made the good times even better?The Good, the Bad, & the Uglypresents all the best moments and personalities in the history of the Minnesota Vikings. It also unmasks, but doesn't revel in, the bad, the regrettably awful and the unflinchingly ugly. In entertaining and unsparing fashion, this book sparkles with Vikings highlights, lowlights, wonderful and wacky memories, legends and goats, the famous and the infamous. You'll relive the Purple People Eaters, but also reminded of that 41-0 loss to the New York Giants in the 2000 NFC Championship (thought you had forgotten that, huh?).The Good, the Bad, & the Uglyincludes the best and worst Vikings teams and players of all time, the most clutch performances and performers, the biggest choke jobs and chokers, great comebacks and blown leads, plus overrated and underrated Vikings players and coaches. There are Vikings you loved for all the right reasons, and those you couldn't stand, sublime and embarrassing records, and trades, both savvy and savagely bad. Brawls and fights. Rivalries. Compelling photos. And much, much more. If you're a through-thick-and-thin Vikings fan,The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Minnesota Vikingsis especially for you. It will remind you of the good and great times and bring a knowing smile about some of those other times, when you proved to yourself just how loyal you are. For everyone else, this warts-and-all portrait of the Vikings will provide countless fond memories, goose bumps, and laughs.

Genuine fans take the best team moments with the less than great, and know that the games that are best forgotten make the good moments truly shine. This monumental book of the Minnesota Twins documents all the best moments and personalities in the history of the team, but also unmasks the regrettably awful and the unflinchingly ugly. In entertaining—and unsparing—fashion, this book sparkles with Twins highlights and lowlights, from wonderful and wacky memories to the famous and infamous. Such moments include the World Championships of 1987 and 1991 and the miraculous years when Bud Selig almost contracted the franchise, as well as the outrageous number of losses by Terry Felton and when manager Billy Martin punched out his starting pitcher in 1969. Whether providing fond memories, goose bumps, or laughs, this portrait of the team is sure to appeal to the fan who has been through it all.

Capturing the best and the worst moments in the history of some of America's favorite teams, this entertaining and informative series for sports fans includes information on the best and worst teams and players of all times, the greatest and worst moments in franchise history, dramatic comebacks and blown leads, overrated and underrated players and coaches, and more, all complemented by archival photographs.

Capturing the best and the worst moments in the history of some of America's favorite teams, this entertaining and informative series for sports fans includes information on the best and worst teams and players of all times, the greatest and worst moments in franchise history, dramatic comebacks and blown leads, overrated and underrated players and coaches, and more, all complemented by archival photographs.

Sid Hartman has been at the center of Minnesota sports for more than 60 years, getting the inside scoop from players, coaches, owners, and his many "close personal friends." This fascinating tell-all reveals Sid's life and career, from his days as a newspaper boy in Minneapolis and his first scoops as a cub reporter with the Minneapolis Tribune, to his place as a true Minnesota legend. From his controversial role as de facto general manager of the Minneapolis Lakers to his fight to save the Twins, Sid has been in the thick of the local sports scene at all levels. In these pages, sports fans will be privy to Sid's insight into hundreds of events and legendary figures, from Bud Grant and Bob Knight to Kirby Puckett and Kevin Garnett. As one of the most widely read and listened-to sports journalists in the Midwest for over half a century, Sid's impact has been felt by fans from all walks of life, including renowned figures such as Tom Brokaw and Walter Mondale, who called Sid "one of America's hardest-working, most widely read sportswriters." Join Sid and his cast of thousands, and enjoy their outrageous stories---and learn some Minnesota sports history in the process. This updated paperback edition includes Sid's reminiscences on the past decade of Minnesota sports, including the resurgent Twins, the rocky Vikings, and his always-beloved Gophers.

On July 7, 2009, Al Franken was sworn in as Minnesota's junior U.S. senator-eight months after Election Night. In the chill of November 2008, Republican incumbent Norm Coleman led by a slim 215 votes, a margin that triggered an automatic statewide recount of more than 2.9 million ballots. Minnesota's ensuing recount, and the contentious legal and public relations battle that would play out between the Franken and Coleman lawyers and staff, simultaneously fascinated and frustrated Minnesotans and the nation-all while a filibuster-proof Senate hung in the balance. This Is Not Florida is the behind-the-scenes saga of the largest, longest, and most expensive election recount in American history. Reporter Jay Weiner covered the entire recount process-for which he was honored with Minnesota's most prestigious journalism award-following every bizarre twist and turn and its many colorful personalities. Based on daily reporting as well as interviews with more than forty campaign staffers and other participants in the recount, This Is Not Florida dives into the motivations of key players in the drama, including the exploits of Franken's lead attorney Marc Elias, some of the mistakes made by Coleman advisers, and how the Franken team's devotion to data collection helped Franken win the recount by a mere 312 votes. In a fascinating, blow-by-blow account of the historic recount that captivated people nationwide, Jay Weiner gets inside campaign war rooms and judges' chambers and takes the reader from the uncertainties of Election Night 2008, through the controversial State Canvassing Board and a grueling eight-week trial, to an appeal to Minnesota's Supreme Court, and finally to Al Franken's long-awaited and emotional swearing-in. This Is Not Florida presents an important and unforgettable moment in political history that proved that it's never really over until it's actually over