Former Viking Cris Carter in the November 10 Sporting News talking about Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald Jr. who is second in the NFL in receiving yards with 939 while playing for the Arizona Cardinals: “I can’t say I’ve ever seen anybody with better hands. …”
Carter said Fitzgerald’s hands are the equal of Keith Byars, Keith Jackson and Randy Moss.
Although Iowa is likely to lose running back Shonn Greene to the NFL as a junior eligible, the Hawkeyes could have another good team next season. In last week’s win over Purdue the Iowa offense had only four seniors in the starting lineup, and two on defense, according to the Big Ten Network broadcast of the game.
Gopher football fan Ken Lien jokes that no one will be doing the wave at Saturday’s Minnesota-Iowa game in the Metrodome. Last time Iowa was here a Hawkeye fan drowned.
Kevin Lynch, who is the new Wolves’ radio partner of Alan Horton on Timberwolves’ games, said he was interested in broadcast color work back in high school at Bloomington Jefferson and before he became a star guard for the Gophers. Lynch was the color man on Gopher basketball radio games from the fall of 200l through last season.
With a 6-0-4 overall record the Gopher hockey team is ranked No. 1 in both national men’s hockey polls, USA Today/USA Hockey magazine and U.S. College Hockey Online/CBS College Sports poll. It’s the first time since Jan. 22, 2007 the Gophers have been No. 1. Minnesota is one of three remaining undefeated Division I teams along with Air Force (10-0-0) and Cornell (2-0-2). The only other time since 1940 that the Gophers were undefeated through 10 games was in 2001-02 when they were 11-0-2 before losing. Minnesota has a two-game series at 10th-ranked Denver on Friday and Saturday.
Leading the 20-player all-MIAC soccer team is Carleton senior midfielder Paul Pedtke, the conference Player of the Year. He helped the Knights to the MIAC regular season and playoff titles. Carleton head coach Bob Carlson is Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Leading the 20-player women’s soccer team is St. Thomas junior forward Erin Sprangers who is the conference Player of the Year. Sprangers helped the Tommies to the MIAC title while leading the conference in goals, assists and points. Second year coach Sheila McGill of St. Thomas is the MIAC Coach of the Year.
All selections were made by MIAC coaches.