Let’s take a trip down memory lane for a second.

It was October 2010 and I was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Minnesota. I remember sitting in my dorm room at Sanford Hall when news started to break that superstar receiver Randy Moss had been traded back to the Vikings. I couldn’t believe it.

I idolized Moss as a little kid growing up in the suburbs of Chicago and now I was going to get to witness his return as a college student living in the heart of the Twin Cities. I immediately called my mom and asked her to mail my No. 84 jersey. It arrived in time for me to rock it proudly when the Vikings played the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

The euphoria lasted less than a month.

As excited as everybody was in the immediate aftermath, Moss quickly wore out his welcome both on and off the field. He was ultimately placed on waivers by the Vikings and claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans.

The memories of that homecoming came flooding back last week when the Vikings reacquired veteran receiver Adam Thielen in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Not that there’s any reason to think history will repeat itself. Though there are some similarities on the surface, namely that Thielen was a former fan favorite like Moss was in his prime, everything is set up for it to work much better this time around.

The starting point is obvious when considering that Thielen is a proud Minnesotan at heart. How badly did he want to play for the Vikings? He reportedly took a $2 million pay cut to make it happen.

This isn’t just a former player returning to where he it all started. This is a local boy from Detroit Lakes coming home.

The raw emotion of that reality was on display last week at TCO Performance Center as Thielen smiled from ear to ear while chopping it up with reporters less than 24 hours after the trade was official.

His joy was apparent as he gushed about getting to finish his career with the Vikings. He vowed not to let it fade at any point moving forward.

The biggest reason this homecoming should go smoothly in the long run, however, is that Thielen can still contribute at a high level.

It’s why the Vikings had to pay such a premium to pry him away from the Panthers.

It’s pretty clear that head coach Kevin O’Connell believes Thielen will play a big role for the Vikings from the onset. The familiarity that Thielen has with O’Connell, having worked with him in the past, should help him hit the ground running.

Whether he’s lining up in the slot or playing on the outside, Thielen is still a savvy route runner with a very good hands, which should help make life easier young quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the early stages of his career.

That part of it matters more than anything else. This is much more than a heartwarming story. That shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle.

As I sat down to write this column, it was hard not to think about about the 18-year-old freshmen at the University of Minnesota, many of which were moving into their dorms last week when news started to break that Thielen had been traded back to the Vikings.

Maybe they idolized Thielen wherever they were growing up. Maybe they immediately called their mom and asked her to mail their No. 19 jersey. Maybe they are planning to rock it proudly when the Vikings play the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.

Here’s to hoping they get to wear theirs a little longer than I got to wear mine.

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By DAVE COLLINS

Lying in an intensive care unit hospital bed, 11-year-old Genevieve Bisek is comforted by the many handmade cards she has received from fellow classmates after Wednesday’s shooting at a Minneapolis church.

Some are decorated with beads, some with sparkling stars. All of them are taped to the walls of her room at the Hennepin County Medical Center, where she has been recovering. Her condition has been upgraded from critical to satisfactory.

“All of these handmade cards are just absolutely adorable and heartfelt,” Genevieve’s aunt, Wanda Stipek, told The Associated Press in a phone interview Saturday. “This is coming from other kids who also have their own trauma and yet are still reaching out and showing their love for her. She has these cards taped up on the walls in her room so that she can see this and be surrounded by that love.”

Genevieve was one of the 20 people who were shot during the attack at the Church of Annunciation, as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for a Mass. The shooter fired 116 rifle rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows, leaving two students dead and 18 people wounded, nearly all of them children. The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died by suicide.

At least seven people were still in the hospital on Saturday. A spokesperson for Hennepin County Medical Center said five children were being treated there, including four in satisfactory condition and one in critical condition, as well as one adult who was in serious condition. A spokesperson for Children’s Minnesota – Minneapolis Hospital said doctors there were treating one patient.

Genevieve, a sixth grader at the Catholic school who loves animals and playing outside, was conscious after the shooting, Stipek said. After authorities cleared the church from danger, she was gathered with other children to assess their injuries and was brought to the hospital in an ambulance with another wounded student, she said.

Medical staff sedated Genevieve until Thursday.

“Genevieve is a very sensitive and compassionate little girl,” Stipek said. “When she did wake up from her sedation after the event, the first thing that she wanted to talk about, she asked about the other children.”

Stipek said Genevieve told her mother, “I can’t say that I wish this wouldn’t have happened to me because I don’t want it to have happened to anyone else either.”

Stipek said Genevieve has not been told yet who died. She said one of the students killed, Fletcher Merkel, 8, was a neighbor and friend of the family.

The handmade cards and other outpourings of support from the community, including ribbons tied around trees in the neighborhood and donations made online, have helped the family cope with their trauma, Stipek said.

“I think sometimes that when something terrible like this happens, you think of the world as a scary and dangerous place full of bad people. But we are very moved by the goodness,” she said. “All of those things show the love and support, and all of it helps us know that there’s goodness out there. I think that’s part of the healing process. It’s important for us to remember that the world is still full of good people.”

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A Somali-American leader and Ramsey County sheriff civilian officer was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Friday afternoon and brought to Freeborn Adult Detention Center.

Omar Abdi Jamal, of Minneapolis, has lived in the U.S. for 20 years, according to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. He joined the sheriff’s office as a civilian Community Service Officer in 2020.

“Omar Jamal has played an integral role in helping us liaison with the Somali community in Minnesota, which has the largest population of Somalis in the country,” Steve Linders, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said in a statement. “He’s done a great job in that role.”

Jamal’s attorney said that a judge previously granted Jamal protection against deportation.

“Years ago, a U.S. immigration judge found that Mr. Jamal would face persecution if returned to Somalia and granted him protection from removal under U.S. law,” said attorney Abdiqani A. Jabane. “We are aware that ICE may now be exploring alternate removal options. However, Mr. Jamal is not a citizen of any other country, including Canada.”

Jabane said his office is “reviewing the basis for his detention and will pursue all appropriate legal avenues to protect his rights and ensure he is treated in accordance with the law. We urge ICE to act with transparency and fairness, and we ask the community to remain engaged and supportive during this time.”

Jamal has “spent decades advocating for public safety, interfaith cooperation, and stronger relationships between law enforcement and immigrant communities. He has worked closely with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office and is widely recognized for his leadership and community engagement,” Jabane said.

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DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — The pressure has ramped up for defending Southern 500 winner Chase Briscoe as the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs approach.

Then again, all playoff drivers feel things heating up at Darlington Raceway as the postseason begins.

A season ago, Briscoe was on the outside hoping to squeeze into the field of 16 as NASCAR came to Darlington for its final regular-season event. A late pass of three others pushed Briscoe to the front and gave soon-to-be-shuttered Stewart-Haas Racing a surprise chance at a Cup title.

Briscoe lasted through the second round, which he and his old SHR organization considered success. Now with Joe Gibbs Racing, Briscoe has been locked into the playoff grid for some time and carries increased expectations into Sunday night’s race.

“If you just make the round of 16 (at JGR), it’s not a successful season,” Briscoe said Saturday. “It’s kind of a failure.”

The round concludes at Gateway outside of St. Louis and Bristol the next two weeks before the playoff field is cut to 12.

Regular-season champion William Byron and Briscoe’s JGR teammate Denny Hamlin understand that the line between a long playoff run and early exit is razor thin.

Byron doesn’t see a track ahead where his No. 24 Chevrolet can’t be as fast as any of his competitors, starting at Darlington where he won the spring race in 2024. “So I think at the same time, though, you never know what everyone else is going to bring and how fast they’re going to be. So we’ve just got to keep working,” Byron said.

The race comes just days after a hearing on the legal fight over charters between NASCAR and the teams of 23XI Racing and Front Row Racing.

“What we shared was just talk among ourselves that doesn’t have anything to do with the case,” Byron said.

Hamlin won the pole for Sunday’s race after what he said were struggles in practice Saturday. “What drives me is the competition knowing that I can still go out and win races,” he said.

Hamlin, a four-time winner this season for Joe Gibbs, is also co-owner of 23XI with Michael Jordan and will balance his unofficial status as NASCAR’s best current driver without a title and his ownership duties helping team playoff drivers Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick advance.

“It’s just another chance to roll the dice,” said Hamlin, who is in the playoffs for the 19th time.

He believes his No. 11 JGR Toyota is as strong as ever, but he knows too well how bad luck, a caution at the wrong time or a mistake on pit road can thwart a championship. “Those are the small things that decide whether you move on in the playoffs or not,” he said.

At the start

Next to Hamlin for the Southern 500 is Briscoe, who qualified second. Playoff drivers took the top 10 spots for Sunday’s race, with Josh Berry third, followed by Reddick, Larson, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, Wallace, Austin Dillon and Austin Cindric.

Playoff Shane

Shane van Gisbergen won four times this year for Trackhouse Racing, tying Hamlin for most on the circuit. His victories have come on road courses in Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma and Watkins Glen. The Charlotte Roval is the only playoff race not run on an oval.

Gisbergen’s plan to improve? “Just time,” he said. “I don’t know anything different. It’s taken me a long time to learn the ovals, particularly because I haven’t done them before.”

Van Gisbergen finished 20th at Darlington this past April. He was 16th last week at Daytona, an improvement from February when he finished 33rd there.

The New Zealand racer accepts that many will write off his chances of a deep playoff run. He’s fine with that. “Hopefully, it will be nice to prove people wrong,” he said.

Odds and Ends

Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR champion, is the betting favorite for the Southern 500 at 4 1/2-to-1, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Tyler Reddick is next at 5 1/2-to-1 along with Hamlin, who is seeking his first NASCAR title; Ryan Blaney, last week’s winner at Daytona, and regular-season champion William Byron are next at 6-to-1. … Defending series champion Joey Logano looks to end an odd — over even — quirk with a fourth overall title. His three championships have come in even years (2018, 2022, 2024). “Just got to make it happen,” Logano said. “I don’t understand the whole even-odd things. I’d really like to break that cycle this year.” … Hamlin leads all current drivers with five Darlington victories. A sixth would give him the fourth-most in track history behind David Pearson (10), Dale Earnhardt (9) and Jeff Gordon (7).