Caucus Day! Martin Buyout? Available Bigs.

First Order of Business:

Today is Super Tuesday, and that includes the Minnesota caucuses.  I believe they get underway at 7:00 pm CST, and balloting should take place right at the beginning.  You do not have to be a member of the party (either one) to caucus with them--you do not even need to be registered to vote at this time.  If you want to find out where the caucus is taking place in your precinct, you can go to this page on the Secretary of State's website.

Second Order of Business:

For soccer fans. Some amazing women are starting a website and print journal to cover soccer that will be 100% staffed by women.  They are calling their endeavor "Unusual Efforts" and are on the twitter machine @UnusualEfforts.  They are engaged in fundraising through Indiegogo, so if you are a) a soccer fan, b) a fan of soccer writing, and c) a believer that we desperately need more diverse voices in sports coverage, consider this an endorsement of their project and consider making a donation.

Third Order of Business:

The Wolves next four opponents are the Wizards (home tomorrow), Bucks, Nets, and Hornets. Those are some winnable games if the Wolves manage to play any semblance of defense.

Meanwhile, as of this writing there has been no announcement about a Kevin Martin buyout that has been rumored since the trade deadline. I'm a little hazy here, but I believe he has to be waived by today in order to be playoff eligible for another team.

Fourth Order of Business:

While Sam Mitchell is agitating for another big to add to the roster nothing seems to be happening quickly. Of course the Wolves are not going to get first choice, but adding someone to fill the currently empty roster spot vacated by Andre Miller seems like a good idea given the current dearth of healthy bigs on the roster.

Wolfson tweeted that a name under consideration is Chris Copeland, a stretch four who has played for the Knicks and the Pacers. He wouldn't be my first choice (probably Jarnell Stokes especially after Jason Thompson committed to the Raptors) because he has no defensive chops, but he's playable at the four and wouldn't be the worst guy to sign.

Elsewhere, in order to make room for Thompson, the Raptors have waived Anthony Bennett.  I wonder whether he'll ever play another NBA minute?  If he doesn't, it has to rank as the weakest career by a number one overall pick in...I don't know how long.  Perhaps not most disappointing (Greg Oden), but shortest and weakest.  Of course, he could resurface somewhere.

Fifth Order of Business, An Intermezzo:

Here's a funny story about a New York Mets player who bought a hog at a county fair during spring training in Florida. Unclear what's going to happen to said, animal, but seems likely to wind up on a spit at some point.

Sixth Order of Business:

Why do various outlets keep publishing nonsense comments from retired players about Stephen Curry? I'm not young anymore but have absolutely no desire to "back in my day" anybody.  Lots of stuff is different now, much of it better. Including the basketball.  And Steph Curry would have kicked your ass in the 60s or in the 80s just like he's doing now.

I guess that's enough to be getting on with for today.

Today in history

752 BC: Romulus, first King of Rome, defeats the Caeninenses following the Rape of the Sabine Women. 
86 BC: Sulla leads his Roman army into Athens deposing Ariston. 
1382: Maillotin uprising in France against taxation
1565: Portuguese found Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
1692: Sarah Goode, Tituba, and Sarah Osborne are arrested in Salem, MA on suspicion of witchcraft. 
1781: Continental Congress approves Articles of Confederation
1803: Ohio becomes 17th State
1845: James Tyler signs executive order annexing Republic of Texas
1864: Rebecca Lee becomes first black woman in U.S. to receive a medical degree
1867: Howard University chartered
1867: Nebraska becomes 37th State
1872: Yellowstone becomes world's first National Park
1909: First University School of Nursing founded at U of MN
1913: U.S. Federal Income Tax takes effect (16th Amendment)
1917: U.S. government releases text of Zimmerman telegram to public
1932: Charles Lindbergh Jr. kidnapped (found dead 2 months later)
1936: Hoover Dam is completed
1940: "Native Son" by Richard Wright is published
1941: Captain America appears in comics for first time
1945: Yalta Conference to plan post-war Europe ends
1946: Bank of England is nationalized
1953: Stalin suffers stroke, dies four days later
1961: President Kennedy established the Peace Corps

Today's musical birthday is Frederic Chopin, born in 1810 (d. 1849)

Have a great Tuesday. If you caucus, let us know how it goes.