By Jon Laging, Tribune sports columnist

This is being written as we draw closer to Halloween. Black magic is thick and if you’re reading this after Halloween, tatters of magic still hang in the air like toilet paper from trees.

Halloween seems to fit the Minnesota sports scene this year. The first time Dan Monson’s

basketball team makes an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. But magic can only carry you so far. Our Minnesota Twins were favored to appear in the World Series and heavily favored to win the Central Division. They did neither. The Chicago White Sox overcame a late season slump, won the pennant and the papers are screaming black magic as they won the second game of the World Series. Our Gopher football team out-magic’d Michigan, but the goblins got even with the Wisconsin game.

The Vikings went for a boat ride and were punished by the fates. They will be lucky to finish with a 500 season. There are few rational or logical answers as to what happened to the Vikings this year. Perhaps we should seek other explanations.

The other day I was watching that classic film from 1939, The Wizard of Oz and fell asleep. I awoke in the Land of Oz.

I asked the Wicked Witch of the West: &8220;What’s wrong with the Vikings?”

WWW: Is Minnesota near Kansas?”

“Yes, it is.”

WWW: “Well, that explains it then. By the way have you seen Dorothy? I’m going to get my pretty and her little dog too!”

Further down the yellow brick road I saw Dorothy.

“The Vikings?”

Dorothy: “I don’t know, but I’m off to see the Wizard of Oz to learn how to get back to Kansas. He knows everything. Come along if you like.”

We walked down the yellow brick road and came upon a Scarecrow.

“Scarecrow, what’s wrong with the Vikings?”

Scarecrow: “I don’t know, maybe they don’t have any brains, that’s my problem.”

“Come with us,” we said. “We’re off to see the Wizard of Oz. He knows everything.” “Maybe he can give you a brain.”

On the road we met the Tin man. I asked, &8220;what’s wrong with the Vikings?”

Tin man, “I don’t know, maybe they don’t have any heart. That’s my problem.” We said, “come with us we’re off to see the Wizard of Oz. He knows everything and maybe he can help you.”

“Next we saw a lion. We were afraid, but the lion was cowardly. I asked him, “what about the Vikings?”

Cowardly Lion: “Maybe they aren’t brave and give up easily. That’s my problem.”

“Come with us,” we said, “we’re going to see the Wizard of Oz. He knows everything and can help you.”

We arrived at Emerald City and were ushered in to see The Great, The Powerful, the All-knowing Wizard of Oz.

W of O: “Why do you stand before The Great Oz?” We explained. The Great Oz asked us to come into the Inner Sanctum.

He gave the Scarecrow a diploma stating he had graduated from a great university and was a brainy fellow. He gave the Tin man a valentine heart and told him he had already shown he had one. He gave the Cowardly Lion a medal for bravery, but reminded him that he had performed many brave acts.

“But, Great Oz,” I said. “What about the Minnesota Vikings?”

W of O: “Are you blind, Viking supporter? What did I give Dorothy’s friends? Like them, all the Vikings need to do is believe in themselves. They already have the Tin man’s heart, the Scarecrow’s brains and the Cowardly Lion’s bravery.” I said, “you mean, all they need to do is believe?” “That’s right,” said the Great Oz.

&8220;Thank you Great Oz, but how do I get back to Minnesota?”

“And Kansas?” asked Dorothy.

“Dorothy, click those red slippers together, and you can let the Viking supporter off in Minnesota” said the Great Oz. “It’s a lot closer to Oz anyway.”