The Winter Classic could come here just six months after the NHL Entry Draft that will be at Xcel Energy Center June 24 and 25.
The Wild have holiday home games tonight, Friday and Sunday against the Sharks, Predators and Coyotes. All three are likely sellouts although some tickets remained as of Monday.
The Gophers need to upgrade their nonconference basketball schedule. The list of teams isn’t a good enough value for season ticket holders and not a single 2010 nonconference game sold out at Williams Arena, while most, or all, Big Ten games will. Not only that, but the Gopher players often appeared disinterested with a group of opponents that included Eastern Kentucky, Akron and South Dakota State.
The Gophers played one team with a marquee name at home, Virginia. The nonconference home schedule should include at least three opponents who create anticipation and excitement. Coach Tubby Smith is a natural for games against Kentucky, the school where he coached championship teams before coming here, and also versus Louisville and coach Rick Pitino who was his mentor at Kentucky. And how about an annual rivalry game against Iowa State where former Timberwolves guard Fred Hoiberg is in his first season as Cyclones head coach?
The Wolves’ Kevin Love has 20 games (out of 32) this season where he’s had 15+ points and 15+ rebounds, more than anyone else in the NBA. He leads the league in rebounding at 15.5 rebounds per game.
Teammate Darko Milicic is averaging NBA career highs in points, 9.1, and blocks, 2.4.
The Wolves are at home both tonight against the Nuggets and on Saturday versus the Nets, then play their one and only game in Boston on Monday night against Kevin Garnett and the Celtics.
Lynx fans have reason to be interested in the Connecticut women’s basketball team beyond the Huskies’ record games winning streak. Two-time college player of the year Maya Moore is likely to be the No. 1 pick in the next WNBA draft and the Lynx own that draft choice.
Yesterday was the last day for fan voting in the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year balloting. Voting took place in four college football divisions including Division II where one of the five finalists is University of Minnesota Duluth national championship coach Bob Nielson. St. Thomas’ Glenn Caruso and Bethel’s Steve Johnson are two of the five finalists in Division III.
The winner in each division receives a Liberty Mutual Coach-of-the-Year trophy, plus $50,000 to donate to the charity of his choice and $20,000 to donate to his school’s alumni association. A selection committee of national media and members of the College Football Hall of Fame determines winners along with fan balloting. Winners will be announced on the Internet January 10. www.coachoftheyear.com.