Former Twins left-hander Kyle Lohse, who won 14 games combined during the previous three seasons, is 13-4 with a .380 ERA for St. Louis. His 13 wins lead the staff.
Tom Mahoney, the former Fairmont High School football coach who died earlier this month, was a friendly, warm-hearted Irishman who was one of the winningest coaches in state prep history and a leader among his peers. “We called him the idea guy,” said Don Swanson, the former Patrick Henry coach. Both Swanson and Mahoney were leaders in the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association. “He could come up with something five days a week,” said Swanson who knew Mahoney for 50 years. Swanson gave Mahoney credit for developing the Butch Nash award that honors high school assistant coaches and helping to revive the Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game.
Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said he has no plans to switch former Cretin-Derham Hall quarterback John Nance to another position. He said Nance, a 6-4, 185-pound freshman, needs to add strength.
Brewster has a bed in his office so he can sleep over night during the demanding work days and nights of August as he prepares the Gophers for their opening game with Northern Illinois at home on August 30. He plans to sleep in his office until about a week before the first game.
Brewster is a high energy person, even for a coach. He jogs and also eats what he describes as a “boring” diet that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, minimizing red meats and desserts.
Jason LaFrenz, director of marketing and ticket sales for the Gophers, told Sports Headliners on Sunday that he expects season ticket sales (public, staff and students) to total about 39,000. He’s projecting another 4,000 will be sold prior to the Gophers moving into TCF Bank stadium next season. A 43,000 total means a sellout for the season in the 50,000 seat stadium because about 3,000 seats are committed to premium seating and another 3,000 are kept for fans of visiting teams.
LaFrenz said about 2,000 people attended last Sunday’s Gopher Nation Fan Fest that included autographs from Brewster and players. He also said 750 seats with unobstructed views are still available for Gopher basketball season tickets.