The Wolves’ Al Jefferson, listed at 6-10 but maybe shorter, prompts talk that he’s too small to be an NBA center. Jefferson, who averaged 21 points and 11.1 rebounds last season, has heard similar conversation about Kevin Love, speculation that he’s too short (listed at 6-10 but smaller) to play power forward.
Jefferson dismisses such talk saying you “can’t worry about what people say.” So Love can play against power forwards? “Most definitely” Jefferson told Sports Headliners last week. “No doubt in my mind he can.”
Jefferson, 23, is an admirer of the 20-year-old first round draft choice. “For a rookie, I have to say Love is a very smart guy,” Jefferson said. “The only thing that he’s going to have to do, is just like every rookie has to do, is to learn the game and get used to how things go here in the NBA. …He passes the ball. He rebounds well and he can score when it’s time for him to score. I just think he’s a very smart guy.”
At UCLA Love averaged 10.6 rebounds per game and dazzled observers with his outlet passing. In four games with the Wolves and in limited paying time, he’s averaging 6.3 rebounds in about 23 minutes per game. Jefferson referred to Love as a “rebounding machine.”
Don Meyer, the coach of the Northern State team that played the Gophers in an exhibition loss last night, was head basketball coach at Hamline for three seasons starting in 1972. Meyer had his lower left leg amputated recently because of a car accident.
Early draft preview: A recent issue of Sporting News magazine projects a 2009 mock NFL draft that has the Vikings picking at No. 16, choosing Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith.
Talk about a close rivalry: the Vikings and Packers are 25-25 in games played here. Green Bay leads the series that began in 1961 by four games, 49-45-1. On Sunday at the Metrodome the Vikings try to end a five game losing streak against the Packers.
The Vikings have improved their point production. In the last four games they’re averaging 27.8 points, compared with 17.8 during the first four games.
Packer coach Mike McCarthy and Viking coach Brad Childress are both in their third seasons. McCarthy is 26 and 16 with Green Bay, while Childress is 18-22 with the Vikings.
Rookie defensive tackle Letroy Guilon, drafted on the fifth round out of Florida State, is the youngest Viking at 21. He has yet to play this season.
Former Gopher golfer and now best selling New York Times author Harvey Mackay has a weekly newspaper column that is syndicated and also is sent via e-mail to approximately 25,000 readers.
The Wild are at Vancouver tomorrow night for a game against a Canucks team whose roster includes defenseman Willie Mitchell and wing Pavol Demitra. Mitchell, who was with the Wild for parts of five seasons until 2006, has played in all 13 Vancouver games and has six assists. Demitra, who has two goals and one assist in six games, won’t play tomorrow night because of a rib injury. He played with the Wild the last two seasons and scored 118 points.
Veteran MIAC observer Dave Wright wrote to say he’s “never seen” a finish like last Saturday’s men’s hockey game between St. Thomas and St. Scholastica. He reported that St. Thomas, leading 2-1, had a penalty with about two minutes to play. St. Scholastica pulled its goalie and tied the game with 1:13 remaining. Then St. Scholastica scored again with 1:01 left and had a 3-2 lead. St. Thomas responded by pulling its goalie and the Tommies scored with 33 seconds remaining in the third period. The game ended in overtime at 3-3.
Leading the 18-player all-MIAC volleyball team is St. Thomas senior middle blocker Katie McCaffrey who was named the conference’s Player of the Year after leading the league in hitting percentage, kills, and blocks. Gustavus senior libero Emily Klein was named Defensive Player of the Year, the third time she has won the award. Concordia outside hitter Jenna Green was honored as Rookie of the Year. St. Thomas head coach Thanh Pham received the MIAC Coach of the Year award after the Tommies went 11-0 in conference play for the second consecutive season and earned the No. 1 seed in the MIAC Playoffs. Selections were made by conference coaches.