"Twins Bloggers: Get to Know 'Em" presents: Darren "Doogie" Wolfson

Spring Training is right around the corner! Today's example: I was watching the Winter Olympics at a bar in downtown Manhattan, and one of the TVs had on the YES Network. It kept showing shots of Spring Training and bright, sunny Florida, and it was so exciting that I couldn't even focus on the Olympics. Anyway, to celebrate its imminent arrival, I'm going to be unleashing a slew of Twins Bloggers: Get to Know 'Em profiles this week (as it's been my offseason series and this is, kind of, the last week of the offseason).

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing Darren Wolfson. Darren is probably one of the better known sports personalities in the Twin Cities scene and is also one of the people behind some of the best local media coverage of our favorite local teams (via KSTP). In addition to his televised work, he's also one of the bloggers over at Star Tribune's Your Voices, where he provides us with his insights into our local sports world (and the Twins in particular!). So, enough from me...

Personal-

NAME: Darren Wolfson

WEBSITE: http://www.startribune.com/yourvoices/83726397.html?elr=KArks47cQiUdcOy_9cP3DiU47cQUU (Star Tribune Your Voices Blog)

BIRTHDAY: Jan. 20, 1980

HOMETOWN: Was born in Philadelphia, and have been in the Twin Cities since 1987. Currently reside in Golden Valley.

WHAT KEEPS YOU EMPLOYED OTHER THAN BLOGGING: KSTP-TV Sports Producer/Reporter; cbssports.com freelance writer; gopherhole.com writing; St. Paul Saints TV

FAVORITE COLOR: Green

FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza

FAVORITE MOVIE: Office Space/The Hangover

FAVORITE BOOK: no real favorite ... currently reading Bill Simmons' book on the NBA ... thoroughly enjoying

FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC: Anything but Country

FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH OTHER THAN BASEBALL: Basketball

FAVORITE SPORT TO PLAY: Basketball

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE VIKINGS/TIMBERWOLVES/WILD: Enjoy them all ... have to for my full-time job ... actually most passionate about Gophers basketball and football.

General Baseball-

WHAT MAKES BASEBALL SO GREAT TO YOU: Everything can be dissected. In football, we have no idea what truly is going on most of the time. That is not the case in baseball.

IF YOU HAD TO FOLLOW ANOTHER TEAM, WHICH AND WHY: Have been a subscriber to the DirecTV baseball package for seven years ... participate in fantasy leagues ... my best friend has a good gig with the Red Sox, so I pay a lot of attention to them.

BEST EXPERIENCE AT A BALLPARK OTHER THAN THE DOME: Bachelor party in the Wrigley Field bleachers this past August

OPINION ON INTERLEAGUE PLAY: Love it

OPINION ON THE UNBALANCED SCHEDULE: Don't love it ... instead of 18-games vs. KC, Cle., etc. would rather see 12 ... space out the remaining games vs. the East and West.

FAVORITE NON-TWINS PLAYER IN BASEBALL HISTORY: Mike Schmidt

MOST HATED NON-TWINS PLAYER IN BASEBALL HISTORY: Mark McGwire

DID YOU EVER PLAY BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, WHAT POSITION: Yes ... left-handed pitcher/First baseman

Twins Generic-

WHEN DID YOU BECOME A TWINS FAN AND WHY: 1987 ... moved here in Aug '87 as a 7-year old and instantly gravitated toward the Twins for obvious reasons

BEST EXPERIENCE AT A BALLPARK OTHER THAN THE DOME: Game 163

EVER BEEN TO TWINS FEST? HOW WAS IT: I have ... doesn't do anything for me, but I am jaded ... have been for 14 years working in this business.

EVER BEEN TO SPRING TRAINING? HOW WAS IT: I have ... love the loosey-goosey atmosphere ... guys are very approachable ... I have been 5 or 6 times, most recently last year for the MLB Network. Produced some of their 30 clubs in 30 days series.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CIRCLED BY BERT: NO, and never want to ... one of the dumbest bits in all of sports.

HAVE YOU EVER CAUGHT A FOUL BALL OR HOME RUN BALL AT THE DOME: At the Dome = NO ... elsewhere = YES

Twins Player Specific-

FAVORITE TWINS PLAYER IN HISTORY: Tony Batista ... kidding ... Kent Hrbek

FAVORITE CURRENT TWINS PLAYER: Denard Span

FAVORITE OBSCURE TWINS PLAYER: David Ortiz (people around the country forget that he played here).

ARE THERE (WERE THERE) ANY TWINS PLAYERS YOU DISLIKE: If I had to cover them everyday, many would irritate me, but overall for what I do = NO

FAVORITE EXPERIENCE MEETING A PLAYER, PLEASE DESCRIBE: Torii Hunter is a very good friend of a good friend of mine. We used to have dinner, the three of us, or sometimes a few others as well, after games occasionally.

CURRENT PLAYER YOU'D MOST LIKE TO WATCH A GAME WITH: Joe Nathan

YOU'D MOST LIKE TO GO TO A BAR WITH: Joe Mauer

YOU'D MOST LIKE TO BE STRANDED ON AN ISLAND WITH: Pat Neshek

YOU'D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Jim Thome

YOU'D WANT TO BE THE FRONT MAN OF YOUR NEW BAND: Joe Mauer (for the groupie hoochie)

YOU THINK SHOULD BE A MOVIE STAR: Michael Cuddyer

YOU'D ASK FOR HELP ON A SCIENCE LAB: Scott Baker

YOU'D LIKE TO START A BUSINESS WITH: Kevin Slowey

EXPECTATIONS OF TARGET FIELD: I took a tour in mid-November. It will be phenomenal.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TEAM NEXT YEAR: Not needing the last week of the reg. season to clinch a playoff spot. In other words, being able to set-up their postseason rotation heading into the ALDS.

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A huge thanks to Darren "Doogie" Wolfson for taking the time to help out in this series! Check him out over at the Star Tribune Your Voices page and be sure to look for his work on KSTP as well his other outlets!

This week is going to be jam-packed with great bloggers for you to get to know so be sure to keep stopping by. Tomorrow (Tuesday), Emily of Chatter From the Cheap Seats will be gracing us with her survey to introduce us to her new blog, so be sure to stop by for that!