Monson resigns

University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Dan Monson resigned today just seven games into the season. While the move probably needed to be made, it gives me further proof that athletic director Joel Maturi is a sheepish leader. If you are prepared to remove Monson just seven games into this season, he probably should have been fired immediately after last year.

With the roster the Gophers have this season there was never really any hope that this team would make the NCAA tournament. Monson realized this and decided to get out while he could instead of being forced to die a slow death.

All sorts of names are being thrown out by the local media on who should replace Monson including Flip Saunders, Rick Majerus and Trent Tucker. Personally I don't think any of those three will be on the sidelines of Williams Arena come next fall. Saunders will ask for too much money, Majerus probably doesn't have the will to take over a struggling program like the Gophers and Tucker is flat out not ready to coach a Big Ten program. I'm guessing Maturi will pluck an up and coming coach from a mid-major conference like the Missouri Valley or the Mid Atlantic Conference.

Someone put out the fire

Controversey continues to swirl around Minneapolis Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek this week. Personally I think she should be fired and paid no compensation. Bleskachek - the first openly lesbian fire chief in the country - has had four civil suits filed against her by co-workers alleging that Bleskachek forced them to have sex with her or they wouldn't be promoted. Bleskachek came out today and stressed the fact that nothing has been proven yet. If there was only one or maybe even two co-workers crying foul against her, I would maybe listen to her. But four?! C'mon. Something happened, and Bleskachek shouldn't be allowed to waste any money of the tax payers.