Bears, Vikings meet for 2nd time in 3 weeks

MINNEAPOLIS | Finding a little extra intensity and edge usually isn't a problem when the Minnesota Vikings play the Bears.

Vikings in limbo and expansion not on NFL's radar

MINNEAPOLIS | The Vikings are embroiled in a fight for a new stadium that may jeopardize the franchise's 51-year tenure in Minnesota.

Condensed season challenging NBA players' bodies

After every Minnesota Timberwolves game, Anthony Tolliver can be found sitting in front of his locker with ice packs on his knees and wrist and a heavy wrap on his lower back.

Rose leads Bulls over Rubio, Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS | It seems like every time Ricky Rubio gets off the bench to enter a game, the Minnesota Timberwolves are facing a big deficit.

Colts win throws Luck sweepstakes up in air

MINNEAPOLIS | All that good luck the Indianapolis Colts have received on the field these last two weeks could leave them with no Luck at all when the NFL draft rolls around.

NBA season finally set to tip off on Christmas

Finally, the conversation changes.

Vikings look to establish No. 2 QB on Thursday

MINNEAPOLIS | Donovan McNabb was named the starter in Minnesota the minute the Vikings acquired him in a trade from Washington in July.

AP sources say Vikings get McNabb from Redskins

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. | Donovan McNabb's arrival in Minnesota has been a rumored scenario for at least five years, ever since Brad Childress left the Philadelphia Eagles to take over the Vikings in 2006.

NFL, locked-out players open Day 4 of talks

MINNEAPOLIS | NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that the league is planning to start the 2011 season on time, even as the lockout reached its 40th day with few signs of progress in court-ordered talks between the owners and players.

Rose, Bulls get back on track vs. Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS | Derrick Rose and Kevin Love have played against each other since their days in AAU ball, worked out together in a steamy Los Angeles gym over the summer, and became fast friends as they've emerged as the faces of their respective franchises.

Mbakwe, Williams lift Minnesota over Indiana men's basketball team

MINNEAPOLIS | Tom Crean didn't need a scouting report on Trevor Mbakwe.

Favre knocked out; Hester breaks record as Bears win NFC North

MINNEAPOLIS | Brett Favre was bundled up in a heavy gray coat by the time Devin Hester sped through the snow with his record-setting return.

Roof collapse moves Giants-Vikings game to Detroit

MINNEAPOLIS | Brett Favre is getting help from the Minnesota Vikings' medical staff, the athletic trainers and perhaps even the weather gods as he tries to keep his incredible consecutive starts record going.

Favre practices with the Vikings

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. | Brett Favre is back on the field with the Vikings.

Agent, coach: Favre will play if ankle is healthy

MANKATO, Minn. | Brett Favre's flip-flopping is at full throttle, the surest sign yet that training camp is under way in Minnesota.

Romo folds in blowout loss

MINNEAPOLIS | All those big-game demons that Tony Romo supposedly vanquished last week returned to haunt the Dallas Cowboys yet again.

Defensive TD sparks Illinois past Minnesota 35-32

MINNEAPOLIS | Terry Hawthorne was recruited to Illinois as one of the top prep receivers in the country. His heart is on offense, and he hopes to play there one day.

Illini, Gophers sort out puzzles on field

MINNEAPOLIS | The supposedly high-performance offenses at Illinois and Minnesota spent most of the first seven weeks of the season stuck in the shop, sputtering and struggling to get going.

Purdue fumbles away another football game

MINNEAPOLIS | Determined after a fellow senior's season ended because of a broken leg, Lee Campbell intercepted a pass and blocked a field goal to set up key touchdowns Saturday in Minnesota's 35-20 victory over mistake-prone Purdue.

Favre fined $10,000 for crack-back block on Merrillville grad Eugene Wilson

MINNEAPOLIS | Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was fined $10,000 by the NFL on Friday for his crack-back block on Houston defensive back and Merrillville grad Eugene Wilson in a preseason game.

Buehrle sets record, but Sox still can't beat Twins

MINNEAPOLIS | Still stewing after being beaten by a couple of bloop hits in the seventh inning of a start that began oh so perfectly, White Sox ace Mark Buehrle sounded nothing like a pitcher that had just delivered a record-setting performance.

Twins pound Buehrle, White Sox

MINNEAPOLIS | The only people more surprised by White Sox ace Mark Buehrle's clunker of an outing against Minnesota on Sunday were the Twins themselves.

Twins land former White Sox star Joe Crede

FORT MYERS, Fla. | Third baseman Joe Crede has agreed to a one-year deal with Minnesota, filling a major need on the left side of the Twins infield provided he can stay healthy.

Purdue looks Golden against Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS | The bumps and bruises are healing and the defense is as nasty as ever.

Northwestern must find way to beat Theret

MINNEAPOLIS | Give Kyle Theret some credit. When the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Minnesota safety goes looking for a fight on the football field, he's not just picking on guys his own size.

Vazquez flops again in Sox opener vs. Twins

MINNEAPOLIS | Javier Vazquez has been fighting the label of big-game flopper for his entire career.

Twins beat White Sox in game marred by fan unrest

MINNEAPOLIS | As Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire stormed off the field following his latest ejection, he punted his cap high over his head and back onto the turf.

White Sox suffer burden of Boof

MINNEAPOLIS | Boof Bonser picked up Minnesota's beleaguered starting rotation with the group's first win in 10 days to lead the Twins to a 3-1 victory over the White Sox on Tuesday night.

Bulls come up ugly in loss

MINNEAPOLIS | In an ugly offensive game, Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes gave the Minnesota Timberwolves more than enough.

Purdue 4-0 after beating Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS | After a sluggish first half, Curtis Painter was nearly flawless in the final two quarters to lift Purdue to a 45-31 victory over Minnesota on Saturday night.

White Sox, Buehrle top Twins, Santana

MINNEAPOLIS | Johan Santana's troubles with the long ball continue.

15-year-old takes streetbike freestyle by storm

SHAKOPEE, Minn. | Aaron Colton's voice still cracks when he gets excited and the 15-year-old can't yet drive a car without an adult sitting in the passenger seat.

Tubby hits ground running at Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS | When Tubby Smith left Kentucky for Minnesota in March, he traded basketball royalty for a program in ruin.

Morneau blasts Twins past Sox

MINNEAPOLIS | Justin Morneau is a soft-spoken, hockey-loving Canadian who shies away from the spotlight at every opportunity.

Mauer heads to DL with strained quad

MINNEAPOLIS | With their cleanup hitter and starting left fielder already sidelined with injuries, the Minnesota Twins took their biggest blow yet on Sunday.

Minnesota embraces Tubby Smith

MINNEAPOLIS | As Tubby Smith walked to the podium at Williams Arena, hundreds of Golden Gopher fans showered him with chants of "Tubby! Tubby!"

Timberwolves, Garnett snap Suns' streak

MINNEAPOLIS | The hard-driving Phoenix Suns finally hit a road block in Kevin Garnett.

Suns' winning streak ends at 17 games

MINNEAPOLIS | The hard-driving Phoenix Suns finally hit a road block in Kevin Garnett.

Minnesota rallies past Boilermakers

MINNEAPOLIS | Jamal Abu-Shamala scored 12 of his 14 points and drew two key charges in the second half to ignite Minnesota in a 65-59 victory over Purdue on Wednesday night.

It's Tarvaris Time in Minnesota

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. | When he drafted Tarvaris Jackson out of Alabama State in April, Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress called him "a piece of clay" that needed to be molded into a starting quarterback.

Minnesota's Monson quits

MINNEAPOLIS | Dan Monson resigned as the men's basketball coach at Minnesota on Thursday, one day after the Gophers' fifth straight defeat left them with their longest losing streak in more than 40 years.

Santana rocks White Sox

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL | WHITE SOX

Twins creep closer in wild card

MINNEAPOLIS | Torii Hunter homered for the first time since July 31 and the Minnesota Twins' bullpen limited Chicago to one hit over 3 2/3 scoreless innings in a 7-3 victory over the White Sox on Friday night.

Timberwolves agree to terms with PG James

PRO BASKETBALL

Twins, Radke spoil Lee's return

MINNEAPOLIS | Brad Radke looked all but finished in May. His breaking ball wasn't breaking and his fastball was lifeless, rendering a normally outstanding changeup moot.

No Boof-oon here as Twins beat Cubs

MINNEAPOLIS | Boof Bonser watched the rest of the Minnesota Twins' rotation put up some impressive numbers this month, and felt left out after two straight lackluster starts.

Twins turn triple play to end threat in 8th

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Triple play propels White Sox to series split with Twins

MINNEAPOLIS | After White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe finished off the majors' first triple play in more than a year, he still had one more throw to make.

Trio of homers gives life to White Sox

MINNEAPOLIS | After the Minnesota Twins wound up on the wrong end of a triple play and lost despite scoring seven runs in the first inning, manager Ron Gardenhire had one explanation.