The Vikings choose No. 30 in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft that begins at 6:30 p.m. Minneapolis time. Rounds two and three start at 5 p.m. Friday. The draft resumes at 9 a.m. on Saturday with rounds four through seven. The time allocated for each selection during the first round is 10 minutes, with seven minutes in the second round. Teams have five minutes for each selection in the remaining rounds. ESPN and the NFL Network provide draft coverage.
Instead of hosting a first round draft event this year at Winter Park, the Vikings are participating in draft parties at 12 metro area locations. More at https://www.vikings.com/schedule/2010-vikings-draft-party.html.
Gophers football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners that senior safety Kim Royston had successful surgery Friday on his broken left leg. He expects Royston, who was injured during spring practice, to return “if not for the first game, certainly early in the season.” The Gophers open on the road September 2 at Middle Tennessee State. “His leadership will be missed,” Brewster said.
The Gophers’ spring game is Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium and offers free admission to fans. The game begins at 1:30 p.m.
Cory Joseph, the nationally sought prep point guard who is considering the Gophers, told the Dallas Morning News yesterday his college choice will be made in the “next week or two.” Don’t bet on him coming to Minnesota. https://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/04/top-hoop-recruit-joseph-explains-his-tho.html
Tom Lehman will make a presentation to the Edina Country Club membership on Monday, April 26 to finalize plans for renovation of the golf course. His design company will provide services for a major project that includes work on bunkers and greens, re-seeding fairways and a new irrigation system. The front and back nines will be reversed, although the yardage of about 6,860 will remain the same.
The extensive renovation begins this spring and the private suburban Minneapolis course will be closed to members at the end of May. Reciprocal agreements with more than a dozen other golf clubs, including Interlachen and Minikahda, will accommodate Edina members this spring and summer. Edina’s new course is tentatively scheduled to open in June of next year.
Edina was one of the few local private courses to gain members during the off-season, according to a golf industry source. He said the club’s initiation fee was reduced by more than $20,000 and the club added about 50 members.
Here’s a Target Field visitor’s tip: most fans enter the stadium at gates 29 and 34. That traffic adds congestion at concession stands near home plate and first base. Walk further away from those areas to find less crowded concession areas.
The Royals have won two of their last 12 games against the Twins after yesterday’s 10-5 victory at Target Field.
The Twins have won each of their first four series this season, a franchise record.
Michael Cuddyer of the Twins went hitless yesterday, only the second time that has happened in 13 games this season.