The list of names published with this column shows readers the power structures at the top of Minnesota’s largest sports organizations. It took Minneapolis becoming the epicenter of a national awakening on race for me to examine that list in a different context, to pay attention to whom I was looking at, which is embarrassing to admit.
In April, our sports section published organizational flowcharts for the professional sports franchises in the Twin Cities and the Gophers athletic department. I already knew most of it. As I scanned it then, I saw names and job titles of key decision-makers.