Box Score of the Week (Final one of 2026)

Game 6 of the 1980 World Series - Kansas City Royals at Philadelphia Phillies.

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/25/2026

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I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve..........

We're down to single digit number of days until Election Day, so you can pretty much guess the theme of our shows from now until November 3. Today's edition of my radio show The Closer will air from 1:00 until 3 PM Central Time. 

At 1:30, Republican candidate for MN House Patty Bradway will be on to discuss her candidacy on MN House District 36B (White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights). 

At 2:00, GOP gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth will check in to discuss the latest in her campaign, specifically her opponent propping up the parents of dead kids in order to smear Demuth. 

In non-guest segments, I'll discuss a potential DFL civil war as well as a positive development for Republicans in the US Senate race out of Minnesota. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Still chasing ambulances after all these years

Despite having served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 20 years, Amy Klobuchar still has that bottom-feeding, ambulance-chasing attorney mindset etched deep in her soul. As such, she's propping up the parents of dead kids in an effort to augment her chances of being elected Governor of Minnesota in a little more than a week. 

Gun legislation has become a major point of tension in Minnesota's governor race as the parents of the girl killed in the Annunciation shooting campaign with Klobuchar.

At a campaign event for Klobuchar, Jackie Flavin and Mike Moyski said they had met with lawmakers after the Annunciation shooting to push for what they called meaningful gun control legislation after their 10-year-old daughter was killed.

Flavin and Moyski said Demuth told them she would not block a bill that would ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines from reaching a floor vote. They said that when a bill with those provisions passed the Senate and reached the House, Demuth declined to bring it up for a floor vote.

"And we did ask her if she could help support a vote or help let it go through, and she told that she wouldn't block it. But then as we know, she did," said Flavin.

"So I think she lied to us in our living room intentionally, I don't know, but then continued to lie as we called it out," said Moyski.

I certainly can't speak to what Demuth told these people in private. All I know is she has been consistent in publicly stating that anything involving gun bans is a nonstarter. That of course is the correct mindset given gun bans a) would have done nothing to stop the Annunciation shooting or any similar incidents in the future and b) are unconstitutional, resulting in a legal challenge where such bills likely would be shot down. And it's the MN taxpayers who get dinged for the legal costs of having to defend such legislation. The thing is, Klobee likely knows all this, but there's an election that needs winnin', dang it, so grieving parents get used as pawns in her little game. 

But hey, let's say for the sake of argument that Klobee is sincere about curbing "gun violence," especially instances where kids have been killed. Why, after the millisecond she announced her run for Gov, did she not go to, say, North Minneapolis and stand with the significant number of families who have had to bury loved ones killed with guns? I'm gonna guess that a fair number of residents in that area may be asking that same question, though I suspect it's being asked rhetorically. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXVI

 - In looking at the Republican candidates for the statewide races in Minnesota, it has struck me that this may be the highest quality group the party has put forth in well more than a decade. At the same time, I find myself lamenting the fact it may be all for naught given the anti-GOP vibe permeating this election cycle. 

All that said, I'm at least hopeful the top of the MNGOP ticket won't adversely affect down ballot legislative races. In fact, the latest shift in a certain US Senate race provides some.....dare I say.....optimism????

The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race toward Republicans on Tuesday, another sign that a contest Democrats once expected to win comfortably has become increasingly competitive in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Cook moved the race between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) and Republican Michele Tafoya, a former NFL broadcaster, from “Likely Democrat” to “Lean Democrat.”

The shift is an unwelcome development for Democrats, who are trying to regain control of the Senate but now face a competitive race in a state that has long been reliably blue in federal elections.

Minnesota has not elected a Republican to the Senate since Norm Coleman in 2002. This seat has been held by Democrats since Al Franken defeated Coleman in 2008, and in the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris carried Minnesota by more than four percentage points.

But Tafoya, a longtime television sports reporter making her first run for public office, has kept the race close. Recent polls have shown the contest tightening, with some putting the candidates within the margin of error.

How goofy is this election cycle nationally? There is a nonzero chance that the US Senate races in Minnesota and Michigan flip to Republicans while Texas goes blue.

I legitimately don't know how this will all shake out, and I kinda like it that way. 

-  Kudos to Congresswoman Angie Craig and MN State Sen. Ron Latz for standing up to their party's association with an unapologetic America hater. 

She will never do lunch in Kenwood again. https://t.co/PptrMPm01H

— Mitch "The Wałęsa Project" Berg 🇺🇸🇳🇴🇪🇪🇦🇷 (@mitchpberg) October 20, 2026

As Democrats, we are right to speak out when Republicans spread hateful rhetoric. We have the same responsibility when it comes from our own side. Hasan Piker’s record of hateful rhetoric is clear. Senator Omar Fateh and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should not lend him their platform. My full statement:

— Sen. Ron Latz (@RonLatzMN) October 20, 2026

As someone who is well right-of-center politically, it's tempting to sit back with the popcorn while elected officials of the opposite ideology make such an egregious error in judgement. But on the other hand, what if a plurality of Minnesotans actually don't care or, even worse, have a similar worldview to Piker? This is absolutely one instance where righties, independents and moderate Dems (to the extent there are even any moderates remaining) should be able to unify and call this for what it is. If not, Minnesota may well indeed be past the point of no return.  

- If you're an NFL fan, you've undoubtedly heard about the saga of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will miss the remainder of the 2026 season due to issues with blood clots. 

However, the revelation of what Hurts endured ahead of his team's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on October 11 was jarring. 

On the advice of doctors, Jalen Hurts was advised not to sleep before playing in London, due to the blood clot in his leg. Hurts was reportedly awake for 36 hours before the Week 5 game against the Jaguars. https://t.co/0J6D9yjbjw

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 19, 2026

Look, I'm not doctor (and I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night). However, it struck me as being medical malpractice to advise a guy to not sleep for 36 hours and then go out and play a football game. I get that Hurts is ultra competitive and will do anything to play. But aren't these medical professionals associated with NFL teams supposed to do what's best for the individual player's health as as opposed to elevating him to the absolute minimum condition to play an NFL game? Mind you, it's a game where the average player wakes up the next day feeling as though he'd been in an automobile accident. And this is only after Hurts and his teammates had to endure a 7-8 hour flight home to Philly from London, England. 

I'm guessing it's long past time for the NFL Players Association to step in and mitigate some of these issues before it, at minimum, ends a guy's career in an instant. Balking at an 18th regular season game as well as reigning in the transcontinental travel would be good places to start. 

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Submitted without comment

Watch this.

And then vote accordingly. 

🚨 BREAKING: Tad Jude just dropped the political ad of the cycle in Minnesota. You need to watch every second of this. It’s time to take our state back, Minnesota! https://t.co/jhqtzM3k86

— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) October 20, 2026

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Box Score of the Week (Postseason edition)

Game 2 of the 2006 World Series - St Louis Cardinals at Detroit Tigers. 

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At age 41 years and 346 days, Detroit's Kenny Rogers still holds the record for oldest starting pitcher to win a World Series game. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/18/2026

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Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right.............

Barely more than two weeks from Election Day, so a lot to get to on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour blitz starts at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, GOP candidate Sue Ek will be on to discuss her candidacy in MN House District 14B (northern St. Cloud). Sue had faced the incumbent DFLer for this seat in 2024, losing by a mere 191 votes, which amounted to less than a 1%  margin. 

At 1:30, GOP candidate Mary O'Neal will stop by to discuss her candidacy in MN House District 66B, which lies within the city of St. Paul (south of Larpenteur Ave and north of Pierce Butler Route, between Lexington Ave & Hwy 61). 

In the non-guest segments, we'll take a look back at this past week's U.S. Senate debate between MN Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan and her Republican challenger Michele Tafoya. 

And finally, gun control advocates conjure up exactly zero new talking points in reaction to the Bend, OR school shooting. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Gun control fails.....again

I've said it many times in this space: those who look to commit atrocities will do so in spite of any strict "gun control" laws. 

Three children, aged 5, 8 and 11, and one teacher were killed when a 16-year-old Bend, Oregon, resident entered an elementary school and started shooting, police said at a news conference Thursday evening.

The shooter, armed with a long gun, forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors, but it’s unclear how far he made it into the building, said Chief Mike Krantz of Bend Police Department.

A community member who saw the teenager entering Silver Rail Elementary School at about 1 p.m. followed him in before engaging him in gunfire, killing him before responding officers arrived, Krantz said.

As I alluded to in the first paragraph, a motivated gunman will do whatever is necessary to gun down others, until they're met with professional violence. And it would certainly appear the Bend, OR school shooter was bound and determined to kill others. 

 

The gun-toting young madman then tried to enter through the school’s front door but was blocked by two bystanders, including a dad of two little girls at the school who noticed the property breach while driving by on his way home for lunch, sources said.

The man opened fire on John with a concealed weapon he was carrying, thwarting the teen’s attempt to go in the front, sources said.

Refusing to give up, John ran around to the school’s back door and blew off its lock — which was designed to prevent such tragedies, sources said.

He entered the school and headed straight for his former special-needs classroom and opened fire, killing three students, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher, while also injuring a 7-year-old in a wheelchair and a 54-year-old teacher before being gunned down by the gun-toting dad who had spotted him out front.

The usual suspects like gun-grabbing orgs and prog politicians have engaged in their usual grandstanding on how if just one more "gun control" bill were passed, this tragedy could have been averted. Sure, they gloss over the fact that spree killers ignore such laws, but they press on with the assumption that the general public is ignorant of such things. 

Perhaps the biggest tell is the lack of balls-to-the-wall coverage by media outlets. Y'see, demagoguing a white guy shooting up a school is among their favorite pastimes. However, in this specific instance they know they can't exploit the tragedy without acknowledging one incontrovertible fact: there would have been many more fatalities had a law-abiding, conscientious gun owner not stepped in to stem the tide of violence. And since media outlets are some of the biggest deniers of the "good guy with a gun" mantra, giving an honest assessment of this incident would be the proverbial exploding cigar in their collective faces.

In the end, I'm beyond weary of having to defend myself and other law abiding gun owners from those who choose to exercise fascist control over our Constitutional rights. But that frustration pales in comparison to the utter heartbreak and devastation the loved ones of those killed are no doubt feeling in the aftermath of evil once again rearing its ugly head. And regardless of your position on guns, the love and support of survivors is where our immediate focus should be guided. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXV

 - Upon receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump, Republican US Senate candidate out of Minnesota Michele Tafoya put forth this statement. 

#MNPol: "I'm a pro-choice Republican, I'm not afraid to stand up to my party. When Trump is right, I'll work with him. When he's wrong, I'll stand up for Minnesota." Michele Tafoya is up with a new #MNSen ad. Future reservations: 🔴$1.1M 🔵$896K https://t.co/jUpPC11oIP

— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) October 10, 2026

Of course, there are a good number of staunch pro life Minnesotans who are offput by this message and thus will leave the US Senate portion of their ballot blank. But will that number be surpassed by Independents or moderate Dems who realize DFL candidate Peggy Flanagan is too much of a far left kook, thus would be willing to vote for Tafoya? No way to know for sure. 

I would be interested, however, in knowing how many of these pro life purists who vow to now vote in this Senate race actually cast a vote for Trump in any of his elections. After all, Tafoya's actual stance on abortion is indistinguishable from that of Trump's. 

- Trump made it official on Thursday: the execution of murderer Nidal Hasan will not be live streamed. 

🚨 JUST IN: President Trump CANCELS the livestreaming of the execution of Fort Hood terrorist Nidal Hasan, but announces that the immediate families of the victims can watch IN-PERSON if they choose The firing squad is still happening 47 even exposes OBAMA for failing to stop the shooting "I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device." "He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed." "That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose. They deserve to witness JUSTICE!" At the very least our enemies will know how he died but won't have video of it Hasan m*rdered over a dozen people at Fort Hood in 2009, while shouting "Allahu Akbar." He's waited 17 years on death row, and his execution date is set for December 3. It'll be the Army's first firing squad execution since 1945. Obama's administration called the attack "workplace violence" rather than terrorism. DISGUSTING The families waited nearly two decades for this.

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 15, 2026

This is the correct decision in that America ought not be using similar tactics of terrorist organizations who flaunt their power by executing enemies. Yes, I realize the difference is jihadist factions typically behead innocent people as opposed to those who commit atrocities on the level Hasan has. But still, live streaming such an event would appeal to far too many blood thirsty individuals who would become even more deranged after witnessing a live execution via firing squad. 

Kudos to Trump for having one of the few clear, concise moments of his presidency over the past year-plus. 

- Multiple things can be true: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) may well have committed immigration fraud upon entering America. The Monday raid of Omar's home by Federal authorities smacks of lawfare and an abuse of power by the Trump administration. 

Representative Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) says she will “not be silenced” after federal agents carried out an early-morning raid at her Washington-area home on Monday as part of a criminal fraud investigation into her immigration paperwork.

She decried the search as the ‘latest escalation’ in President Trump’s ‘intimidation’ campaign against his political adversaries.

The investigation into the Democratic lawmaker’s immigration paperwork is being led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the agency’s criminal investigations arm, with the Department of Justice assisting. The paperwork in question was filled out by Omar’s late father when she came to the country as a child, Fox News reported.

“Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed ​a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement ​action is part of an ongoing federal investigation,” a Department of Justice ⁠spokesperson said in a statement.

National Review legal analyst Andrew McCarthy believes Omar has committed fraud in the past, but this current investigation likely won't yield any punishment. 

 

(T)here have long been allegations that Omar committed marriage fraud by marrying her brother (on paper) to help him establish a legal basis to enter the United States. Omar has denied the allegations (not very convincingly, in my opinion). The current reporting indicates that Omar is under investigation in connection with the establishment of her own basis for admission and naturalization, not her brother’s immigration paperwork. Yet, even if we assume the brother’s status is part of the investigation, any criminal prosecution would almost certainly be time-barred. The marriage in question occurred in 2009 and ended in 2018. The statute of limitations for this kind of fraud is five years. And even if Omar violated tax law by filing joint returns with a different husband while she was technically still married to her brother (something that hasn’t been established), those returns (as Brittany reports) were filed over a decade ago. Again, the SOL has expired.

I hope there is some teeth this investigation not because I detest Omar as a person or politician, but that I loathe to believe Trump et al would give in to their worst impulses in a situation like this. And sadly, this will only perpetuate the "tit for tat" lawfare once the Democrats regain any meaningful power. 

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Box Score of the Week (Postseason edition)

Game 4 of the 1989 ALCS - Oakland A's at Toronto Blue Jays. 

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This game was best known for Oakland's Jose Canseco hitting a gargantuan home run into the fifth deck at Toronto's Skydome (now Rogers Centre).

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On assignment

I will be off the air today for my weekly radio show The Closer. However, the program is in good hands as long time friend of the broadcast NASCAR Kelly Gunderson will be taking the reins, 1-3 PM Central Time. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics Kelly plans on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Brief hiatus

I am back home after most of my past week being spent in South Carolina on a work trip. As such, blogging has been lighter than normal. And since I'll be off from my radio show this Sunday, I'll wait until next week to get back into the swing of things. 

Talk to y'all then.

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Box Score of the Week (Postseason edition)

Game 1 of the 1997 National League Division Series - San Francisco Giants at Florida Marlins. 

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Florida's Edgar Renteria wins the game with a walk-off single in the bottom on the ninth inning. At 22 years and 54 days, he is the youngest to ever accomplish that. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/4/2026

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I've had enough of scheming and messing around with jerks....

We're exactly 30 days from Election Day, so a lot to get to on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, Republican candidate for MN House Leslie Larson will be on to discuss her campaign in House District 32B (Lexington, eastern & southern portions of Blaine). 

At 1:30, Republican candidate for MN Attorney General Ron Schutz will check in to update us on his quest to unseat the deplorable Keith Ellison. 

In the non-guest segments, I'll talk about the scary shooting incident at Eden Prairie High School and how it reflects the fecklessness among certain elected officials. Also, per a certain Minneapolis City Councilman, driverless cars are (**checks notes**) murdering cats?????

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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The struggle to re-gain lost relevance is real

Some people want all the adulation of being a public figure without any of the downsides, which often includes virulent criticism. That was the plight of Jesse Ventura after he shocked the political world by being elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998. While he basked in the glow of his highly improbable victory while also enjoying high approval ratings early on in his gubernatorial term, the shine on his star wore off within in a year a two. And when that happened, gone was the lovable oaf, replaced by a thin-skinned bully. As legitimate criticism was conveyed by local media, it was met with hostility by ol' Jess, often turning typical press scrums into a war of words between a member of the executive branch of government and the press corps (sound familiar?).

Seeing how Donald Trump hijacked his formula of appealing to a disaffected electorate by providing a non-traditional candidacy for office, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for Ventura to want to have a medium to take on the current President. And sure enough, he allegedly offered a modest proposal to do so. 

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura apparently has his sights set on Washington, according to Garage Logic host Joe Soucheray, who said Ventura had an unusual proposal for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar to help him get there.

During a Sept. 24 episode of Garage Logic, Soucheray said Ventura told him he met twice with Klobuchar and made his proposal during their second meeting.

“Then he had a second meeting with Klobuchar and told Sen. Amy Klobuchar, ‘I will not run if you, prior to the election, say that if you win the governor’s race in Minnesota, you will name me as the senator to fill in your two remaining years,'” Soucheray said.

What I wanna know is how Ventura thought he could derail Klobuchar's bid to win this election. Was he going to make another third party run, one which could siphon off vote's from Klobee, thus putting her opponent Lisa Demuth in a more advantageous position? Or was he planning on running as a Dem in an attempt to thwart a clear path to the nomination? While that part isn't clear, I think it's utterly hilarious that this self-important jackass believes he's in a position to have that kind of impact on a gubernatorial race. 

If by some bizarre occurrence Ventura is appointed to the Senate, the idea he'd have even marginal impact in his desire to "take on Trump" shows that the head injuries he suffered as a professional wrestler are staring to manifest in clownish ways,

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXIV

- National Republicans are likely to get shellacked this election cycle. Given the party had a trifecta in D.C. (President, House and Senate) for 21 months, they'll be made to pay for the affordability crisis they ran on in the 2024 campaigns but seemed to make worse once elected. And while Democrats are rightly pointing out that gas prices are spinning out of control due to the direct actions of President Trump (i.e. waging war in Iran), have they indicated how they plan to mitigate the issue? No, they haven't, simply because they see high fuel prices as a feature, not a bug. 

Erick Erickson lays it out. 

Democrats want higher gas prices. They want smaller cars. They want you out of your car and into public transportation. You may be unhappy about gas prices, but remember Democrats want them even higher so that you are forced to give up your SUV. They want farmers driving battery powered combines too heavy for fields. They want truckers to drive battery powered 18-wheelers.

Gas prices will come down, but not if the Democrats get power back. Just remember that.

Another thing to remember: the government makes a significant amount of money in tax revenue on gasoline. They could literally slow the proverbial bleeding almost immediately. But they don't. Now ask yourself why. 

- A scary scene aboard a passenger flight in the Middle East skies. 

• Disaster averted: A pilot on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight has been arrested after he stabbed the other pilot in the cockpit during an apparent attempt to crash the plane, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

• Heroism on board: Despite being wounded, the attacked pilot — identified as Captain Smit Machchhar — fought back and “managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster,” Netanyahu told CNN. A passenger described how he put the alleged assailant in a chokehold before grabbing the plane’s controls to stabilize the flight. But it is unclear who ultimately landed the plane.

• Terrifying moments: The incident caused the aircraft to plummet 17,400 feet in less than two minutes, according to flight tracking data. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia and passengers have since returned safely to Israel. Flydubai has launched an investigation into the incident, an airline spokesperson said.

Let's call this what it is: an act of terrorism. Israeli citizens have lived under the threat of death for decades now, and even more so over the past three years. 

Here's what took place upon the flight making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. 

After FlyDubai emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, Saudi medical teams offered care to the 150 Israeli nationals on board.
Saudis should be proud of these teams. Arab tradition teaches that “rescue of the distressed” comes before anything else. This was a great time to show it. pic.twitter.com/tZAWQlQiHb

— Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) September 30, 2026

Has anyone pondered if this kind of relationship (i.e. the Saudis collaborating with Israelis) would have even been possible without the first Trump presidential term mediating the Abraham Accords? We can certainly bank on approximately zero media outlets broaching that possibility. 

- In late April 2024, the podcast Purple Daily hosted a Vikings watch party on the first night of the NFL draft. The excitement was palatable as the team was looking to draft a franchise QB, something which hadn't been done successfully since arguably 1999 when they drafted Daunte Culpepper. 

So when the Vikings made their selection that April evening in '24, the roof practically came off The Fillmore in Minneapolis. 

#Skol nation has been anticipating this for more than 16 months. pic.twitter.com/sGWo7aOOAX

— Brad Carlson (@Brad_Carlson) September 10, 2025

A mere 29 months later, the Vikings are, once again, back at square one. 

BREAKING: The #Vikings are trading QB JJ McCarthy to the #Giants for a 5th-round pick, per @JayGlazer. pic.twitter.com/p9yJ5BI5ev

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2026

This news didn't surprise me in the least given how McCarthy and head coach Kevin O'Connell have seemed to have developed a rift over the past year. However, I admit to being disgusted at this franchise's continued ineptitude at successfully developing a quarterback they acquire via the draft. 

Whenever the Vikings have jettisoned a player in the past, my hope was that player would bust so as not to make my favorite squad look bad. However, in this instance, it is my sincere desire that McCarthy has a long, productive career. The Vikings organization deserves to have this be the proverbial exploding cigar in the face. But if indeed it's determined that McCarthy is not even a serviceable NFL quarterback, this is still a blemish on O'Connell given this would turn out to be a wasted top 10 draft pick, a selection which the head coach was all in on. Yeah, I have no tolerance for those hellbent on throwing former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah under the bus for actually calling in the pick. No way did he usurp the so-called "quarterback whisperer."

Of course, O'Connell can redeem himself if he actually tailors an offense to the skill set of his current starting QB Kyler Murray, thus increasing his chances of succeeding. That, along with a top tier defense, would go a long way to helping the Vikes win their first playoff game since January 2020. But if they once again go one-and-done in the postseason or miss it altogether? I'm guessing KOC will, at minimum, be on double secret probation going into 2027. 

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Box Score of the Week

The Hall of Fame career of Justin Verlander concluded with his final appearance this past Saturday. 

Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers - September 26. 2026.

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In this game, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander faced Pirates batter Konnor Griffin. What was notable about this matchup is Griffin was born nine months after Verlander made his MLB debut. 

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