We take a break from the myopic, emotional Vikings' chat to peek at Our Favoirte Basketball team, the Wolves and our beloved Team of 1707.

Newschoolers, here's the origin of Team of 1707. Can't remember the but we absolutely were awful and playing out the string. The New Orleans Hornets with CHRIS PAUL were in town and vying for WC supremecy. Cool player, cool team.

JUDD ZULGAD at the time wrote the Broadcast Sports column for the Strib and had a note on the Wolves and Fox Sports North. According to Zudd Julgad, at the peak of viewership there were 1,707 TV's tuned to the Wolves and CP3. In the entire state or measuring area. Shoot, that probably was FRED HOIBERG and his extended family just turning on TV's to keep the product relevant. Seriously, of all the TV's in the state, only 1,707 were watching this ratty team. Amazing but the term Team of 1707 was born because I was one of the losers watching. We stick together, this Team of 1707.

Things have changed a bit. We were fresh last year and a playoff team until injuries buzzkilled the bit. This year despite a bunch of hurt players we are boxing on, and this could be a very cool week for the Wolves -- the return of RICKY RUBIO from that ACL he blew at home against the Lakers. Let's not forget what it was like with the game-changer at the helm last year. It was vibrant, the team was making money and Team of 1707 didn't have to be embarrassed to watch every play of every game. Rubio undoubtedly will be rusty but will be worth the wait.

He's the heart and soul of Timberwolves' basketball and may be fans' most popular player on the team. He plays defense and jumps routes. He throws people open. He's dynamite off the dribble and makes people better. And he should be back this week!

So, what happens? I believe a preferred five of Ricky, SHVED, KIRILENKO, LOVE and PEK is a playoff team if it stays in tact. We'll worry about the bench later. Shved, however, I feel greatly will benefit with Ricky's return.

I was soft on his game when he debuted but have come around in a big way because the kid is fearless ansd not afriad to take chances. He's very aggressive offensively and will give us a quality ball handler at the two-guard spot. He and Ricky will be tough to defend on the perimeter and especially on the break.

But where I very much feel Shved will prosper is in the three-point game. He has hit 10 of his last 19 over the last four and will be open because of Rubio's penetration. He's a threat from three and is not afraid to hoist them up after a couple of misses. And he can shoot.

Shved turns 24 years old Sunday, the same day we play the St. Louis Rams. Wouldn't it be great if we won and stayed alive for the Wildcard and the birthday boy this week gets the return of Rubio, and the backcourt swagger starts to develop?

Kevin Love and Rubio obviously work well together. Ricky might put him on a MVP-like season one of these days. Kevin, though, is flat broke from three this year. He has hit just 11 of 64 from deep, and that's ain't going to get it done because he shoots a bunch of threes. He was 10 of 19 against Cleveland and hopefully snapped out of a slump because his shooting is off.