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You guys just love the controversy, don't you?
OK, OK, maybe I do as well.
After all, I was the one who asked Daily Delivery listeners for their questions about Minnesota sports (and more), which I answered on Thursday. You all simply replied.
I chose what I chose, and what I spent the most time on (by far) was a query about ranking the six Minnesota major pro head coaches in terms of how hot their coaching seat is — a slightly more polite euphemism for their job security.
It was a good question that I tried to use as not just an exercise in evaluating individual performances but also the state of all six teams. Listen to the podcast for a little more depth on each subject, but here is a breakdown of the rankings in terms of coolest seat (most job security) to hottest seat (least).
6: Cheryl Reeve, Lynx: They're 10-7 this season after an 0-4 start and her major acquisitions seem to be clicking. Oh, and she already has four WNBA titles to her credit. Reeve is the kind of coach who can dictate the terms of her own employment, not vice-versa.
5: Chris Finch, Timberwolves: He's only been on the job for half a season, he got off to a relatively good start in the second half of last year and he's Gersson Rosas' hand-picked coach. Finch figures to get an extended run to see if he can build a winner.
4: Dean Evason, Wild: He was a Jack Adams Coach of the Year finalist, so I can't imagine Evason is going anywhere for a while. But NHL jobs are volatile, which slots him in behind Reeve and Finch.
3: Rocco Baldelli, Twins: He was the AL Manager of the Year in 2019 and won another division title in 2020. For as much as this year has been a disaster, it's hard to imagine a change at the end of this year at least.
2: Adrian Heath, Minnesota United: Like Baldelli, he got his team into the postseason each of the last two seasons. But this is Year 5 for Heath, and if the Loons come up considerably short of their own lofty expectations, a change would be a possibility.
1: Mike Zimmer, Vikings: This is his eighth year, longer than any Minnesota pro coach except Reeve. He has three playoff appearances and two playoff victories in seven seasons. It's been up and down from year to year. If it's down again in 2021, his seat will be very hot.
