Let’s recap the news because there was a lot of it this past week, locally, statewide and around the globe.

Austin and Blooming Prairie high schools celebrated homecoming week, which led me to wonder if the toilet paper supply at area grocery stores dwindled over the past several days.

Dozens of trees and houses —even Austin High School — were toilet papered.

In Minnesota news, the Twins pulled off another miracle and won the American League Central Division. They now trail the Yankees 0-2, but the Metrodome awaits.

In international news, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a decision to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism, according to the Associated Press.

I respect both our president and the decision of the committee, but the prize seems a little premature.

In the future — perhaps the near future — President Obama may indeed demonstrate actions that are worthy of this prize. For now, however, it’s a bit like giving a gold medal to an Olympian the week before the race.

In other news, the Associated Press also reported that golf and rugby made the Olympic roster for 2016 and 2020.

Both were reinstated for the games after a vote this past week by the International Olympic Committee.

Tiger Woods has already pledged to play.

If Tiger does become an Olympian, I will be rooting for him, but I do think the Olympics were better when they were limited to amateurs.

Do you remember the Miracle on Ice?

It wouldn’t happen today.

The amateurs on that 1980 USA Olympic hockey team that defeated the Soviet Union would be replaced by professionals.

There would be no Eric Strobel on the ice, the forward from Rochester, or any of the other 12 Minnesotans who played on that team, including Buzz Schneider, Phil Verchota and John Harrington, who went to University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Golf should have been an Olympic sport decades ago, and Tiger should have been swinging his way past the competition as an amateur just like he does as a pro.

Yes, it’s fun to watch dream teams, but it also takes away some of the magic. It sets up a match between two superpowers instead an exciting face off between two unknowns.

So that’s what was in the news this past week.

Watch out for a shortage of toilet paper, go Twins and bring back amateur Olympians.