Among other players in the Gophers’ incoming freshman class is Edina’s Zach Budish who was injured this year and didn’t play for the Hornets in the state tournament. An Edina High line of Budish, Marshall Everson and Anders Lee could have been remembered among the greatest in Minnesota prep history and helped produce a state championship. Some Gopher fans wish Minnesota had found a way to bring all three to the U.
The Wild, three points behind in the race for the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference, need a win against Calgary tomorrow night at Xcel Energy Center. Calgary is in fifth place in the potential playoff lineup and is 3-0-2 against the Wild this season. The Flames are 6-1-3 versus the Wild in the last 10 games. The Wild have five regular season games remaining.
The Hopkins boys basketball team drew a lot of attention for its talented players and winning the Class AAAA state championship and being nationally ranked among the best prep teams. Not mentioned often enough is the exceptional coaching staff headed by Ken Novak Jr. In the state semi-finals, a poorly coached team could have been confused and lost the game when St. Cloud Tech played stall-ball and trailed Hopkins by one point at halftime, 16-15. The Royals went on to win 55-36.
Long-time National Public Radio commentator and Sports Illustrated writer Frank Deford was in town earlier this week. He spoke to a breakfast group that included Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith and also was interviewed on air by Minnesota Public Radio’s Cathy Wurzer.
I believe a new state-approved metro area casino could be the funding source for a retractable roof Vikings stadium on the Metrodome site. With tax revenues seemingly off-limits in these economic times, a casino might be more acceptable to both the legislature and public. For sure, revenues would be targeted at needs such as transportation, or education, and not just the stadium.
Tony Spadafora, who for years has passionately studied the Vikings’ stadium dilemma, sent a letter titled “Zygi’s Pleasant Predicament” to more than 50 newspapers in the state. Among his thoughts were the following: “…Zygi Wilf is cash flow poor, but equity rich. He won’t be able to keep the Vikings ship afloat much longer without a new revenue generating stadium. If a stadium deal that’s good for the Vikings and good for Minnesota isn’t agreed upon soon, Mr. Wilf will cash-in by unloading the team next year. The new Vikings owner will probably move the franchise to Los Angeles or elsewhere after the 2011 season when the Vikings Metrodome lease expires. A $1 billion selling price will net Mr. Wilf a $400 million ‘windfall’ profit from franchise appreciation alone. …”
Former Gopher football star Billy Bye is a 2009 inductee in the National High School Hall of Fame. Bye, who won 21 letters in six sports at Thief River Falls High School and Anoka High School in the 1940s, will be one of 12 inducted into the hall of fame on July 1 in Chicago. The hall of fame is a project of the National Federation of State High School Associations.