Gophers linebacker Mike Rallis played at Edina High School and said his brother Nick, a junior safety at Edina, has verbally committed to Minnesota.
So, too, has Edina senior wide receiver Devin Crawford-Tufts. Mike Rallis said that although other schools are pursuing Crawford-Tufts he believes the verbal commitment is “solid.”
Gophers coach Tim Brewster predicts true freshman starting safety James Manuel will become one of the Big Ten’s best safeties. “I can’t be more pleased with the progress of James Manuel,” Brewster said.
Gophers placekicker Eric Ellestad, a senior from Armstrong, began attending every Minnesota game when he was five years old, according to Brewster.
Jim Thome is on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated with the headline: “Prairie Homer Companion: Jim Thome has the power to bring October magic to Minnesota.”
Manager Ron Gardenhire, who has won six division titles in nine seasons, will have even more leverage in contract negotiations if his Twins can advance to the American League Championship Series for the second time under his direction. Gardenhire’s contract expires after next season and his past salary has been published at $2.5 million by Cot’s Baseball Contracts, https://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/minnesota-twins_17.html.
In the regular season the Twins’ records against potential AL playoff rivals New York, Tampa Bay and Texas are 2-5, 3-5 and 7-3.
The Timberwolves, who open training camp in Mankato tomorrow, will hold media day today at Target Center. Life Time Fitness has become the first-ever naming rights partner for the Timberwolves practice facility. The Timberwolves and Lynx practice facility, located within Life Time Fitness Target Center, has been re-named the Life Time Fitness Training Center.
The training center naming rights deal is part of a new multi-year corporate partnership agreement between the Timberwolves and Life Time Fitness. Life Time Fitness will have its logo on the front of Timberwolves practice jerseys and other details of the agreement include signage, discounts on Wolves tickets for Life Time Fitness members, and championship recreation basketball games involving Life Time members will be played at the practice facility.
The 25th annual Roy Griak Invitational will be tomorrow at the Les Bolstad Golf Course. The cross country event is named after former Gophers track and cross country coach Roy Griak who will be 87 next month. Griak is now an administrative assistant for track and cross country. He will be at the course before daylight tomorrow helping to prepare for the event.
Legendary Romanian coach Bela Karolyi will meet with local gymnastics club leaders at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday. The St. Paul arena hosts USA Gymnastics’ annual national event – the Visa Championships – in August of next year.