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.”

The Wall Street honchos say past results are no promise of future performances, but if previous games in 2010 between the White Sox and Twins are indicators of what will happen this week in Chicago then get ready to break out the Maalox.

The Central Division leading White Sox are one-half game ahead of the Twins as the two teams prepare for a three-game series that opens tomorrow night at U.S. Cellular Field.  The last time the Twins were in Chicago was April 9-11 when they won two of three in a series where each game was decided by a run.

The series was a precursor to a 2010 rivalry that’s being defined by a simple word to describe each game and also the division standings: Close.

At home in May the Twins lost to Chicago, 5-2, but won the next game 3-2.   At Target Field last month the Twins lost 8-7 to the White Sox, then won games by scores of 7-4, 3-2 and 7-6.  For the season that’s seven of nine games decided by one run.

By now even your stock broker gets the idea.  The drama could continue during the three-game series in Chicago this week, then at Target Field August 17-19 and back at U.S. Cellular September 14-16.

The Twins are 17-7 since the All-Star break.  That performance has been accomplished despite the absence of starters and major contributors Justin Morneau (last game July 7) and Orlando Hudson (returned yesterday after being out since July 24).

How have they done it? A favorable schedule against some softies, surprising contributions from subs, and, oh yes, at times pretty solid pitching.  Reliable starting pitching and a quality bullpen win games.  No headline making news with that item.

Pitching wins close games and division titles.  (Past performance does indicate future results).

Vice president of marketing Patrick Klinger said the Twins have sold out all but one home game this season.  Ticket availability for games in August is “very limited” even with standing-room-only sales.  “August is tough,” Klinger said. “Frankly a lot of families are trying to get in before the kids go back to school.”

Klinger said the Twins capped season tickets at about 25,000 but demand indicates the club could have sold a few thousand more.  The decision to put a ceiling on 25,000 ensures that more customers who can’t afford season tickets will attend games, he said.

While hundreds of names are on a waiting list for future season tickets, Klinger said the club hasn’t decided to go beyond the 25,000 mark in 2011.  It’s a decision that could be made in the next few weeks.

With a winning team and state-of-the-art Minneapolis ballpark, the Twins might be more popular than at any time in their 50 seasons history.  Klinger said Friday that TV ratings on Fox Sports North are up 26.4 percent over last year.

Football conflict: the Vikings play Denver at home on Thursday, September 2 in a game televised locally on KARE 11.  That same evening the Gophers will be on ESPNU in their nonconference opening game at Middle Tennessee State.

Presumably the Vikings will see rookie Denver quarterback Tim Tebow and former Gophers wide receiver Eric Decker.  The Gophers will play a Middle Tennessee State team that won its bowl game last December against Southern Mississippi and has an athletic quarterback in Dwight Dasher, smaller but similar to Minnesota’s MarQueis Gray.  The Blue Raiders are an early betting favorite in the game.

Vikings rookie running back Toby Gerhart comes from an athletic family.  He has a brother who is an offensive lineman at Arizona State, and triplet sisters who are college softball players.