This fall isn’t going down in sports history as the best of times for Minnesota fans.

After commemorating the 20-year anniversary of their last World Series championship, the Minnesota Twins ended the 2011 season within one loss of losing 100 games.

Two seasons removed from playing in the NFC Championship game, the Minnesota Vikings have lost their first four games in 2011 and are four games out of first place in the NFC North behind the only two teams that remain undefeated in the NFL.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have a new football coach, whose health problems are making more news than the team, but the same problem in recent years of losing more games than winning still remains.

So what’s there to like right now about Minnesota sports? Something that doesn’t get a lot of media attention, the WNBA, now features a Minnesota team, the Lynx, ahead 1-0 in the best-of-five championship series against the Atlanta Dream.

The WNBA has not had the limelight of the NBA, which may or may not play in 2011-12 depending upon whether the owners and players can reach a new contract, but right now is the only professional basketball game in town, so to speak.

The Lynx, now in the WNBA finals for the first time in franchise history, benefited from the acquisition of Maya Moore, whose stellar collegiate career at the University of Connecticut helped the perennial women’s basketball powerhouse win two national championships.

The NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, who haven’t had the track record of success like the Connecticut Huskies, either the women’s or men’s basketball program, may or may not play in 2011-12 after hiring longtime head coach Rick Adelman.

Whether or not the NBA players and owners have the wisdom of the NFL players and owners to reach a new contract and avoid turning off fans from a stoppage in play in a sport that already has less popularity than professional football, the Lynx can already be found on the court, at least until the WNBA finals are over.

While there may not be a lot to cheer about in the state this fall, the Lynx, who will be back in action for Game 2 tonight at 7 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, can be credited for taking the “bite” out of Minnesota sports seasons.

Boneske may be reached via e-mail at kevin@ifallsjournal.com