Brad Johnson has a career NFL completion percentage of 61.9%, ranking behind Steve Young at 64.3%, Peyton Manning at 63.9% and Joe Montana at 63.2%. Johnson has completed at least 60% of his passes for 10 consecutive seasons. After helping Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl in 2003, Johnson appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Johnson’s brother-in-law is University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt.
Rookie pitching sensation Francisco Liriano likes the Twins organization and the city. “I will do whatever it takes to stay here my whole career,” he said.
Twins trivia: Torrii Hunter was the last Twins player to hit an inside -the -park home run (July 26, 2001 at Oakland).
Former Green Bay and Gopher running back Darrell Thompson talking about the 2006 Packer outlook: “I think the Packers are going to be better. … Those linebackers they have signed are outstanding. (Abdul) Hodge and (A.J.) Hawk are fabulous linebackers. … I think they could win eight or nine games.”
Gopher quarterback Tony Mortensen talking about former Hutchinson High School teammate Lydon Murtha competing for a starting offensive tackle spot at Nebraska: “They want him to put his head on straight and be the man. They’re going to give him a shot at it and hopefully it will work out for him.”
University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi, 61, jogs three to five miles daily.
Bill Kuross, one of the state’s all-time great tennis players and former football coach at Minneapolis Washburn, made a hole-in-one recently when his 150-yard six-iron shot went in the cup on the fly while playing No. 16 at Island View Golf Club in Waconia. He is the former tennis pro at Minikahda Club and started the Minikahda Tennis Invitational that for 34 years attracted outstanding pros including a young Andre Agassi to Minneapolis.