Recent content from Jim Souhan
Souhan: Biles' bravery in this time should mean more than gold
Athletes, no matter how mighty, do not owe us pain and self-destruction. Good for you, Simone Biles, for protecting yourself.
Ledecky strikes first Tokyo Olympics gold
U.S. swimming legend Katie Ledecky won the inaugural 1,500 freestyle.
Fourth-fastest again, Smith might have 'another gear' for 200 fly final
Lakeville star Regan Smith once again finished behind three world-class competitors in the 200-meter butterfly qualifying races. Will she have a surprise for them in Wednesday's final?
Souhan: Finding American power and global dreams at women's hoops
The Team USA victory had drama, and afterward the opposing coach shared his dreams.
Smith advances to semis in 200 butterfly with fourth-fastest time
The swimmer from Lakeville finished the first heat in the 200-meter butterfly in second place, which turned out to be the fourth fastest time overall.
Souhan: Being unbeatable is a myth, even for Ledecky
American swimming star Katie Ledecky was beaten by her Australian rival Ariarne Titmus in the 400 freestyle, but Ledecky has more miles to swim in the Tokyo Games and beyond.
Former Gopher Becker wins gold in 4x100 freestyle swimming relay
Bowe Becker, a Big Ten champion in freestyle sprint events, handled the third leg for the U.S., which swam the third fastest time in history.
Lakeville's Smith sets Olympic mark heading into 100 backstroke final
The Olympic record in the event fell four times during the preliminary heats and semifinals, with Regan Smith ending up with it ahead of the final.
Souhan: Lynx stars part of team in transition as U.S. women go for more gold
U.S. women's basketball features a team in transition and begins its quest for a seventh straight gold medal in a game that tips off late tonight (Twin Cities time).
Olympic Diary: The wait for the bus goes on and on, on and on, on and on
It's the Olympics, which means running for buses, hoping for buses, sitting on buses... That's not a complaint. It's a fact.
Olympics doctor from Minnesota urges elite athletes to get shots
About 100 of the more than 600 U.S. Olympic athletes are unvaccinated, adding to the challenge for Dr. Jonathan Finnoff,
Lakeville's Smith gets second-fastest 100 backstroke time in prelims
Regan Smith broke Canadian Kylie Masse's Olympic record time set in the heat before, only to have Australian Kaylee McKeown break Smith's record in the heat after that.
Souhan: U.S. women's soccer and men's hoops teams finding dominance challenged
Both teams, longtime gold medal favorites, have had to assess and regroup after surprising losses as Olympic competition starts to catch up
Olympics Diary: Attempting to overcome another language barrier
It is not immediately obvious what a Yurchenko Double Pike is.
Souhan: Olympic flame, yes, but Opening Ceremony was short on sparks
It's been a confusing week in Tokyo, and this ceremony didn't do much to change that. Athletes walked across the field and waved at empty stands. It's going to be a weird few weeks.
Souhan: Japan's pandemic policy is wring hands, then count the money
A cauldron of inconsistent rules and policies makes no sense. At the top of the list is letting unvaccinated athletes from all over the world into japan.
Olympic Diary: A version of Twitter to get behind
The social media in Japanese is guaranteed not to raise the blood pressure of an English-speaking journalist.
Souhan: In Tokyo, ready for illogic and earnestness from our hosts
The trip felt like being an extra in a really long shooting of one of the great ESPN commercials, where athletes and mascots wear their uniforms around the office and cafeteria.
Olympic Diary: After a 26-hour trip, the tiniest hotel room ever
Jim Souhan says he can change the channel on the TV while in the shower of his hotel room — without the remote.
On voyage for gold: From White Bear Lake to the Tokyo Games
Olympic sailor Lara Dallman-Weiss is grateful for broad support, but she had to push herself at every turn to get to this moment. "My goal is to be at the top of the podium," she says.
Souhan: A terrible idea? A thrilling ride? These Olympics probably will be both
I know two things: That I'm honored to be covering another Games, and that Olympics objectors in Japan are using sound logic.
Souhan: Wild wanted both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter gone
For the Wild to make this move, to ditch two still-valuable players while the team's stated intention is to win as much and as soon as possible, team management really got sick of these guys.
Souhan: Time for fans to finally appreciate greatness of Sylvia Fowles
Somehow, during her Lynx tenure and even now as she prepares to win another Olympic gold medal, Fowles is the least-appreciated great athlete in Minnesota history.
Souhan: LaTroy Hawkins was a near quitter, then world traveler, now a manager
The next time you want to give up, think about LaTroy Hawkins' grandfather.
Souhan: In Kayla McBride, Lynx landed a third star
So many things can go wrong in bringing in a veteran free agent. With Kayla McBride, so many things have gone right — especially lately.
Souhan: Shades of Pierzynski, Donaldson is an agitator and keeper
Third baseman Josh Donaldson injects life into the clubhouse, much like the former Twins catcher, and is swinging a hot bat to boot.
Souhan: Olympic pot ban is illogical or worse
Decision on swim caps raises a racism issue, and treatment of high-testosterone women is unfair.
Souhan: Another thing the Twins lack? Trade bait
If the Twins intend to win in 2022, there are only so many players they can part with this month.
Souhan: Vikings' move to keep Hunter stands as a low-key success
While Aaron Rodgers and the Packers continue to taunt each other with words and inactions, the Vikings aced the latest test of their management team.
Souhan: Fowles stands out on weekend of star turns by Minnesota athletes
You don't have to wait for the Olympics to see women's sports history. Sylvia Fowles vs. Phoenix stars Diana Taurasi and Britney Griner this week may top anything you'll see in Tokyo.
Souhan: Look at NBA history, then stop fretting about the Wolves
If you watch the 2021 NBA playoffs, and study NBA history, you see it's possible in the coming years the Timberwolves will be a dangerous playoff team with little chance of imminent relocation.
Souhan: Dramatic Twins win masks one of most disappointing seasons ever
The Twins averted a sweep, but improved their season record to only 25-37. How does this one rank among the team's most disappointing seasons?
Souhan: Is Rodgers vs. Hunter a battle that's gone forever?
For both Aaron Rodgers and Danielle Hunter, logic would dictate that they play this season with their current teams, but logic seems to be taking the summer off.
Souhan: Sign of growth, 'McBuckets' fits into Lynx 'championship culture'
Kayla McBride, the Lynx's top free-agent signing, arrived just in time to play in the regular-season opener, but not in time to know the plays.
Souhan: NFL's underhandedness goes on another ugly display in race norming case
The league's disrespect of Black players continues a long-standing practice.
Souhan: Twins fraying at corners with underachieving Sano, Donaldson
Sometimes, injury luck can decide a team's fate, and that appears to be the case with the 2021 Twins. That doesn't excuse the performances of several key players — two in particular.
Souhan: Lynx's Clarendon fits mold of a courageous, selfless WNBA
Layshia Clarendon, the first WNBA player to openly identify as transgender and non-binary (not identifying exclusively as a man or woman), took charge of the Lynx in Sunday's game despite never having played with them.
Souhan: Twins left with no other option than 'Ride Refsnyder'
The journeyman center fielder with a hot bat will get his shot with everyone else in front of him injured.
Souhan: With Parise still viable, Wild has to get ready to make nice
Wild veteran Zach Parise, when healthy, can still be one of this team's best players. It might be difficult, but all sides have to learn to coexist going forward.
Souhan: Overmatched Wild shows hope for future with 7-game series
The Wild's weaknesses were apparent in this series, but the Golden Knights were pushed to the brink
Souhan: What took the Wild so long to play Parise? Surely not his age.
The Wild chose the wrong time to make whatever point they were making by benching Zach Parise, who scored a big goal in the Game 5 victory.
Souhan: Let's count all the ways that Wild isn't measuring up to Vegas
Packaged for your convenience, here is everything you don't want to know about the Wild going into Game 5 in Las Vegas.
Souhan: His role ever shrinking with Wild, Parise summoned to fourth line
Zach Parise went from Wild franchise cornerstone to last-resort addition for Saturday's playoff game.
Souhan: Goalie Fleury beats Wild with one hand behind his back
What should concern the Wild is that Marc-Andre Fleury could frustrate Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala, the two skaters who make this Wild so dangerous.
Souhan: What to do about Rocco Baldelli? Here are some answers
Baldelli needs to adapt, but no responsible franchise would fire him. Certainly not a franchise that saw Twins legend Tom Kelly go from first-to-worst-to-first in five years.
Souhan: Wolves finally have the pieces in place to turn that corner at long last
The talent on the roster started looking like a cohesive unit over the final months under Chris Finch.
Souhan: Saints-Twins marriage one of convenience and complications
Randy Dobnak unwillingly and unwittingly provided a preview of life as a Class AAA team. The Saints will host rising stars — and big-leaguers mending injuries or mechanics.
Souhan: Fun-first Saints have new challenge as Twins affiliate
Can the Saints do the serious work of developing Class AAA prospects for a big-league team while honoring their longtime slogan, "Fun is Good"?
Souhan: Big-picture adjustments needed for Twins to rise up
After watching the Twins struggle through the first month of the season — and show signs of life this weekend — here's a list of things to consider.
Souhan: Look around, Minnesota, drafts can lead you places
There is an abundance of young talent in the Twin Cities that could lead teams to bigger and better things.
Souhan: If Rodgers leaves Packers, everything changes in NFC North
The Packers may have unintentionally sabotaged a championship-caliber team with their handling of Aaron Rodgers and drafting of Jordan Love.
Souhan: Vikings have easy draft task to tackle. Just make the right pick
This could be the magic draft that allows the Vikings to get value with the 14th pick, and have that value fix their biggest problem.
Souhan: Twins' awful stretch of baseball does not mean it's time to give up
Worry? Yes. Panic? No. This is a talented team that still has five months of games to play.
Souhan: Where can a guy get some NFL draft coverage?
There is no end to the NFL draft chatter before the first name is called.
Souhan: Buxton will be unlike any player in Twins history . . . with one big 'if'
Byron Buxton is coming back to Target Field as one of baseball's best players. And he just passed a big test in the midst of his team's struggles.
Souhan: U's Johnson must keep more of Minnesota's hoops talent at home
The Gophers might never keep all the Chets and Jalens. But if Ben Johnson doesn't find a way to keep the McKinleys and Dawsons, he'll follow his predecessors out the door.
Souhan: A-Rod buying an NBA fixer-upper (and a WNBA powerhouse)
A note to Alex Rodriguez: Your job will not be merely elevating the Timberwolves. Your job will be supporting the Lynx.
Souhan: 10 reasons why the Masters is still the world's best golf tournament
The course, the history, the risks and rewards — Augusta National and this special week in April are unbeatable.
Souhan: Hideki Matsuyama's Masters victory is a breakthrough for Japan
A golf-loving nation finally secured its first men's major championship, and at Augusta National no less.
Signs of greatness for Will Zalatoris — and an ominous sign, too
Runner-up finishers at the Masters have rarely gone on to a green jacket.
Souhan: Morning at the Masters
Augusta, Ga. — Good Sunday morning from Augusta National Golf Club. It's pretty close to perfect here right now (8:22 Central) - 64 degrees with…
Souhan: Matsuyama looks game for run at green jacket on Sunday
After shooting a 65 on Saturday, Hideki Matsuyama will have the weight of a nation on his shoulders Sunday at the Masters in the final round.
Final group on Masters Sunday 'all part of the process' for Schauffele
Xander Schauffele finished in a tie for second at the Masters in 2019, behind Tiger Woods, and has finished in the top 10 at a major seven times since 2017.
Promising golfers lurk below top 10 at Masters as rain threatens third round
The last pairing - Justin Rose and Will Zalatoris - doesn't tee off until 1:20 p.m. Central.
Souhan: The pack closes in on Justin Rose at the Masters
Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau are among those who made moves Friday at Augusta National.
Little-known Will Zalatoris surges up Masters leaderboard
The 24-year-old American is in a tie for second, continuing a rise up the golf ranks since last September.
Midday at the Masters: Justin Rose comes back to the pack
The first-round leader struggled on the front nine Friday, allowing some big names like Jordan Spieth and Tony Finau to gain ground.
Souhan: So-called favorites stray early at Masters, may not survive cut
Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy, among other big names, struggled Thursday and might not make it past Friday at Augusta.
Morning at the Masters: Will Rose keep the lead this time?
Justin Rose built quite a lead in the first round but has led after four first rounds at Augusta without winning.
Rose grabs the lead at the Masters with a 7-under 65
Justin Rose, back under the guidance of his swing coach, birdied seven of his last 10 holes after an eagle at No. 8.
Midday at the Masters: The greens are fast and tricky
The weather is ideal — mostly sunny, with temperatures creeping into the 80s. The biggest names go off late in the day.
Souhan: Seeking to overcome its history, Masters opens by honoring Lee Elder
Elder, 86, was the first Black player to participate in The Masters, in 1975, and his presence is the latest sign that Augusta National is trying to distance itself from its discriminatory past.
Souhan: DeChambeau and Mickelson? A great pairing for the Masters
Big-swinging Bryson DeChambeau and sage veteran Phil Mickelson got together Wednesday at Augusta. Their differences are obvious. Their similarities are more interesting.
Georgia voting law brings mixed reaction from those at the Masters
Some responses were muted, but Black golfer Cameron Champ voiced strong opposition.
Souhan: Spieth practicing patience to emerge from 4 years of struggles
After youthful success was followed by an extended slump, Jordan Spieth is back at the Masters with a win in hand and surrounded by familiar people.
