Offensive lineman Randall McDaniel, who played 12 seasons with the Vikings, has drawn lots of praise following the announcement of his inclusion in the 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Mike Alstott was a teammate in Tampa Bay for two seasons. “I was lucky enough to play with Randall his last few seasons here in Tampa,” Alstott said. “I knew he was a great player in Minnesota, but didn’t realize how much so until he got here. I remember seeing him do things I’d never seen a lineman do before physically. Just an unbelievable athlete. The thing about him is that he’s a better guy off the field. He’s a good man and I’m proud to have been his teammate.”
Percy Harvin, the University of Florida speedster who has declared for the NFL draft as a junior, could be the Vikings’ pick at No. 20 later this year. With the Vikings’ need for another explosive receiver to join Bernard Berrian, Harvin makes sense, if he’s still available.
The Gophers add to their football family legacy with the signing of Michael Carter to a national letter of intent, a player coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners has the “profile of a great cornerback.” The Florida native is a nephew of former Gopher All-American safety Tyrone Carter.
The Wisconsin hockey team started 0-6-1 including a loss and tie to the Gophers. Since then, the Badgers are 14-5-2 and come here to play Minnesota tonight and tomorrow night, featuring Jamie McBain who leads all college defensemen with 30 points. Wisconsin leads the nation in penalty killing at 90.4 percent and is the best in WCHA power play percentage and penalty kill.
Minnesota’s Ryan Stoa ranks fifth nationally in scoring at 1.30 points per game, while teammate Jordan Schroeder is eighth at 1.27.
Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom has a new career-high in shutouts for a season, six. He now has 11 shutouts in 75 career starts at Xcel Energy Center, tying a franchise record set by Dwayne Roloson.
When the Swarm play Colorado tomorrow night at Xcel, the first 5,000 fans will receive a commemorative fifth anniversary Swarm lacrosse ball.