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La Velle's 3-2 Pitch: Three observations and two predictions on Sundays.
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The NFL, the league that blackballed Colin Kaepernick, mishandled domestic violence cases, has a team with a toxic workplace environment and lacks diversity in decision-making roles, could have even more of its Neanderthal behavior exposed.
Jon Gruden was forced to resign as Las Vegas Raiders coach in October after some of his past e-mail exchanges with an NFL executive were leaked. In them, he made racist, misogynistic and homophobic statements and also bashed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
These e-mails were among 650,000 examined by the league during its investigation into the workplace environment surrounding the Washington Football Team (since renamed the Commanders). The only e-mails leaked to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal last fall were those produced by Gruden as he communicated with Washington executive Dennis Allen? That didn't make sense.
Gruden didn't buy it, either. So he sued the league for releasing e-mails to selected media outlets that smeared his reputation and forced him to step down. The NFL recently tried to have the suit thrown out or, at least, have the case moved to arbitration, in which Goodell would have power as the sole arbiter.
But on May 25, a Nevada judge struck down the league's attempt to have the suit thrown out and ruled it must go to open court, and not arbitration.
The league is going to appeal. Because keeping things in arbitration — where it can control the environment — is part of the game to protect the Shield.
Keeping things out of open court — and away from the discovery process — is how the NFL kept delicate information in-house as it reached settlements with Kaepernick and the city of St. Louis when it lost the Rams.
The Gruden case, however, threatens to blow the NFL's cover. Because during the discovery process, the remaining 650,000 e-mails can be examined and used to prove their case. Those are 650,000 opportunities for more embarrassing or hair-raising revelations to come to light. Gruden's lawyers can also ask for text message exchanges, phone records and other types of correspondence as part of their diligence.
Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, who has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the league, probably will be very interested to see what Gruden's lawyers turn up if the case, indeed, lands in open court.
So sit back and prepare to be offended if the content of more e-mails is released. It would be ironic that the same revelations that cost Gruden his job could smear the NFL and put Goodell on the hot seat.
But this exposure, bringing more hate out of hiding, might be the quickest way for the league to change.
We build stadiums here
A new stadium push is a touchy subject. I get that. I read the reactions to my column on Wednesday, in which Timberwolves minority owner Alex Rodriguez told me a new arena could fit in their vision of being first class in everything.
I will have lived here for 25 years in September, and my experience is that, eventually, everyone gets a new facility.
It started with Xcel Energy Center for the expansion Wild and has included facilities for the Twins, Vikings, Gophers football and baseball, Saints and Minnesota United since then.
The Wolves won 46 games last season and look poised to be relevant for the next few years. Winning makes the ask easier. Rodriguez and partner Mark Lore will become majority owners in 2023, and you can see the writing on the wall. They will ask for, and get, a new gym without mentioning the words "Las Vegas" or "Seattle."
Choices hurt Twins
We now know which Twins have decided not to get vaccinated: Max Kepler, Emilo Pagan, Caleb Thielbar and Trevor Megill. With their decisions, they have chosen to let down their team, a team that is in a terrible slump and facing a tough schedule.
Last year, Kepler and Thielbar were on hand when the Twins endured an early-season COVID crisis, one of many reasons why they finished in last place in the division. Kepler tested positive himself, and he was not the same player the rest of the season. Yet his stance hasn't changed.
Regardless if the Twins are slumping or surging, these players positioned themselves to put the team at a competitive disadvantage. Good thing the Twins aren't in the AL East.
While this is troubling, I also have problems with Canada's requirement that visitors need to be vaccinated to enter the country. Just have travelers take a test.
... AND TWO PREDICTIONS ...
Twins over Yankees
The Yankees are one of baseball's best teams but are dealing with injuries to their bullpen. Look for Joe Ryan to return to the rotation later this week and help the Twins take two of three from New York.
Avalanche will hoist the Cup
Colorado will knock off an inferior Edmonton team, take down Tampa Bay and win its third Stanley Cup title.
