Jon Laging, Talking Sports

No, that’s not a misprint. The Minnesota Vikings are driving me up a wall. All the attention that is written about their drama grows wearisome. Moss is cut. Favre will play or he won’t play. Childress won’t start him. Childress will start him. Favre and Childress don’t get along and never have. Favre is too old, he should retire with dignity. No, he should go out battling ‘till the end. Childress should be fired. All the analysts pretty much agree on that. Only the stridency of each advocate varies.

College Gopher football is just as bad. Everyone knew the coach was through after the University of South Dakota game. Brewster was finally fired after leaving him slowly twisting in the wind for a few games.

I’m tired of the big time football scene. You high school football players; go to St Johns or St. Thomas or any other small college and be sure they provide good helmets.

How about the Minnesota Twins? Well, they haven’t been in any bar fights, love boats or sexting and seem to be good decent folks that win the majority of their games. I got to thinking wouldn’t it be great to spend a month and a half in Florida while they are there? We would escape half of February and all of March while the Twins hold Spring Training.

How to do it? There are a lot of oldsters working in Southeastern Florida to supplement their pensions and social security. Maybe I could join this group and watch the Twins get ready for a World Series berth with the addition of a dominating pitcher, a good right-handed bat and a healthy Justin Morneau. (Wishful thinking, but one never knows).

During my trip to the Twins’ Hammond Stadium I noticed that there were a large number of parking lot attendants, ticket takers and ushers. And they were all old! Say no more, I had my avenue to Florida sunshine and the Minnesota Twins.

I went to the Twins’ web site, clicked on job opportunities. I must have spent two or three hours searching and the only thing I could find was labeled interns for spring training. Not what I was looking for. I couldnt find a way to apply for a month and a half of seasonal work.

I called the Twins ticket office and they referred me to a mid-level executive who told me the Twins didn’t hire for spring training jobs, but the Fort Myers’ Miracles did and gave me the name and number of their general manager.

I called, talked to a secretary who told me the general manager was not in and I should come in December with my application. I asked her if she could send me an application? She could, but she had no idea what the pay scale was. But I didn’t give up and kept calling the Miracle and after several tries was connected with the boss. He stated that they had many returnees and many applications as the economy in Southeastern Florida was not good. I told him that I understood that, but what did the jobs pay? We got to talking about this year’s spring training, the tropical rain that fell on us during the Baltimore game and that we had stayed at Myakka River State Park. He said he had just returned from Myakka. We went on talking for a while and he asked me to send an application. I again asked him what the jobs paid. He quoted $7.25 to $7.75. That wouldn’t come close to supporting three people, much less the travel expense.

Oh well, it was an idea, not a good one, but an idea.