The 31 days of August inspired (??) me to come up with 31 random things I believe that I believe:

1. Anyone complaining about this week’s heat must go directly to January.

2. This is the best month of the year for local sports fans who approach life with the glass is half full philosophy.  The Twins are contending for the playoffs, while the Vikings, Gophers, Wild and Timberwolves, who will all be playing soon, are undefeated. Ah, to dream!

3. Those who bubble with optimism are always looking for saviors and there are at least three on local radar right now:  Brett Favre, MarQueis Gray and Ricky Rubio.

4. Murray’s Restaurant has the best power lunch in town, a superb sirloin steak with awesome au gratins.

5. I’ve lost interest in baseball’s list of the all-time home run leaders.  With steroids associated with various players, how can you take the rankings seriously?

6. Don’t accept any bets that 32-year-old Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson, operating on a one-year contract, will return to the club next year.

7. The Twins are winning even though Delmon Young is their only everyday player having a career season.

8. Suggestion to manager Ron Gardenhire: late in games, send Jason Repko to left field to replace the glove-challenged Young.

9. At 35, Joe Nathan has to be fretting about how effectively he will recover from Tommy John surgery.

10. The economy must still be shaky if my phone rings off the hook with solicitation calls from nonprofits.

11. Good thing I didn’t have a brick nearby last Saturday night.  After looking at those awful throwback St. Paul Gophers jerseys the Twins were wearing, I would have heaved it at the TV screen.

12. I am trying to control frustration with my golf game, too.  I would type “sucks” in cap letters if my anger management techniques weren’t so effective.

13. Do the same people who believe in ancient alien visitations spend their weekends searching for Big Foot?

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14. Brett Favre, who avoids training camp each year, might be the smartest player in the NFL.

15. With or without Favre, and regardless of how the team plays on the field, the Vikings will receive legislative support for a new stadium next year.

16. Despite conjecture about building next to Target Field (demolish the county garbage facility) the new Vikings stadium, featuring a retractable roof, will be constructed on the Metrodome site.

17. The NFL, the golden child of American sports, has major issues to resolve with an expiring collective bargaining agreement and players who are opposed to expanding the regular season schedule from 16 to 18 games.

18. Hall of fame inductions will come yet for former Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter and Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven.

19. As long as Bud Grant, 83, is alive someone will be writing another story about his passion for fishing and hunting.

20. In 2012 Tim Pawlenty might be the GOP’s nominee for vice president.  Pawlenty will be the last Minnesota Republican governor for awhile.

21. The Vikings will beat New Orleans in their opening regular season game on September 9.  The big surprise, though, will come when the Gophers upset Southern California at TCF Bank Stadium on September 18.

22. After Nebraska joins the Big Ten Conference, look for the Cornhuskers to play either Wisconsin or Iowa in their final football game each season.

23. Penn State’s Joe Paterno, 83, will call it quits after this season.

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24. I still don’t understand how the Timberwolves could pick Jonny Flynn when Stephen Curry was available in the 2009 NBA draft, but basketball boss David Kahn has received too much criticism during his time here.  Give the man another year or two to rebuild a sorry roster.

25. College basketball needs fewer TV timeouts and also help from the NBA mandating that players can’t turn pro until they complete two years of college basketball.  Allow the elite players the option of going pro after high school.

26. A year from now the University will be charging more people for premium seating at Williams Arena and Mariucci Arena.  Budget concerns for 25 men’s and women’s sports are forcing the issue, but much better teams in football, basketball and hockey would produce much needed revenue, too.

27. The Gophers celebrate 50 years this fall since the school’s last national championship team in football.  Don’t count on another one during the next 50 years.

28. If you’re looking for an alternative daily sports update on radio, tune in 93X in the morning.

29. A sure sign of the apocalypse is Tiger Woods’ crumbling golf game.

30. How about a race with zebras next year at Canterbury Park as part of “Extreme Race Day” that already includes exhibition camel and ostrich races?

31. Early Christmas present suggestion for a certain Internet sports columnist: “Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon.”

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