Reading the tea leaves: Look for Pat Williams and Kevin Williams to avoid missing any games because of suspension. There’s been talk about possible four-game suspensions for allegedly violating NFL steroid policy.
Vikings safety Darren Sharper, who started the season with 53 career interceptions, has none through 10 games including yesterday’s 19-13 loss to Tampa Bay.
Look for the Vikings stadium push to include a plan to use environmental friendly building materials.
Something which hasn’t been widely publicized is that eventual expansion of the new TCF Bank Stadium doesn’t have to jump from 50,000 to 80,000 capacity. Gopher associate athletic director Phil Esten said expansion could (at least initially) add 10,000 seats, not 30,000.
Although he’s a nominee for the honor, Gopher junior wide receiver Eric Decker, arguably the best pass catcher in school history, has no chance of winning the Biletnikoff Award given to the nation’s best receiver. The winner will be Texas Tech sophomore Michael Crabtree who was a finalist last season and has helped the Red Raiders to a No. 2 national ranking this fall. He leads all Division I receivers with 18 touchdown catches.
For the first time in memory Gopher basketball season ticket holders had the privilege/duty of attending three consecutive nights of home games when Minnesota hosted the NABC tournament in Williams Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. The Gophers defeated Division II Concordia, and Division I Bowling Green and Georgia State to start the regular season 3-0.
It’s popular “sport” to compare Kevin Love’s and O.J. Mayo’s stats early in their rookie seasons, then bash the Timberwolves for another bad personnel move. But judge last June’s draft in a year or two on the basis of who makes his team better. It’s all about winning and who can contribute best to the team goal. Through last week Love, playing power forward, was averaging 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Wolves. Mayo, the Memphis shooting guard, is averaging 21 points and 4.6 rebounds for his 3-7 team. The Wolves are 1-8.
Ron Gardenhire’s older brother Mike died unexpectedly earlier this year. Gardenhire, 51, is under a lot of stress managing the Twins. An observer has to wonder how much longer he wants to manage after he recently signed a contract extension that only goes through 2011.
It’s a possibility, according to local media sources, that Minneapolis-St. Paul will be a one newspaper ownership town within 18 months or less.