NBA teams are allowed to place corporate names on their practice uniforms and the Timberwolves have added this to their sales offerings. Team business executive Chris Wright said the Wolves will offer a package that not only includes their practice jerseys, but also other practice site signage.
The Minnesota Lynx and other WNBA teams are allowed to place corporate names on both game and practice jerseys. Wright, who is also involved with the Lynx, said separate sponsors for the two local pro teams makes the most sense because of differing demographics. He said 82 percent of Lynx fans are female, with about 63 percent of Wolves patrons being male.
WCCO Radio Sports Huddle host Dave Mona read Wednesday’s Sports Headliners story about the “devastating” changeup of Twins pitching prospect Deolis Guerra. Mona then emailed with an anecdote about his high school pitching days at Roosevelt. Several years after graduating from Roosevelt he encountered an umpire who recalled Mona’s pitching skills. “I remember it very well,” the umpire said, “because for the first two innings I thought you had one of the best changeups I’d ever seen in a high school pitcher…until I figured out it was your fast ball.”
The Wild’s Brent Burns is at Hockey Canada’s National Men’s Team orientation camp in Calgary. Burns is one of only 16 defensemen trying for a spot on Canada’s Olympic roster.
Former Minnesota North Star Mike Modano, 39, is hoping to make the U.S. Olympic team. The Olympic team’s general manager is Edina native and Toronto general manager Brian Burke. The winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver next February.
New Jersey forward and Faribault native Zach Parise took batting practice from Twins manager Ron Gardenhire on Tuesday.
Former Minnesota North Star Gord Dineen was recently named an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Canterbury Park’s summer race season ends Sunday with the 16th Minnesota Festival of Champions, a day of racing dedicated to horses bred in Minnesota. Post time on Sunday is 1:30 pm.