In recent espn.com power rankings for MLB, the NBA, NFL and NHL, the Twins are No. 30, the Wolves No. 22, the Vikings No. 31 and the Wild No. 25 in their respective listings. The NFL has 32 teams, the others 30 each.
The Vikings roster lists 11 rookies and nine other players who could be in their first NFL seasons if they make the 2012 team. The roster has 19 players beginning their second NFL seasons, six starting the third year and eight in the fourth. There are also six fifth year players, four sixth year, four seventh year, two eighth year, three ninth year and one player each heading into 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of NFL experience.
Vikings players are participating in their offseason conditioning program today, and on Friday the team opens its Rookie Minicamp.
The Gophers MarQueis Gray, a senior, may earn Big Ten post-season recognition this fall but he’s one of nine returning starting quarterbacks in the conference so he will have a lot of experienced competition.
Prep basketball authority Ken Lien, who is also the Mr. Basketball chair, emailed that Lakeview Christian Academy junior guard Anders Broman has received scholarship offers from several schools including Holy Cross and Ohio.
Royce White is preparing for the NBA draft in Ames, Iowa and still attending classes at Iowa State, according to his grandfather Frank White. The younger White is lifting weights, doing yoga and receiving instruction from Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, the former Timberwolves guard and executive.
Frank coordinates the Twins Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program that is part of Major League Baseball’s international RBI organization. White said Target Field will host the RBI’s World Series on Sunday, August 5 with boys’ championships being decided in ages 13-15 and 16-18. The latter championship will be televised on the MLB Network.
The ninth annual Harmon Killebrew Classic, a two-day event June 27-28, will benefit the Twins Community Fund and Miracle League of Minnesota. Former Killebrew teammates Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and Frank Quilici are involved. A dinner and auction will be held inside Target Field beginning at 6 p.m. on June 27. A celebrity golf tournament at the Legends Golf Club in Prior Lake will take place June 28. The public can find more information at www.harmonkillebrewfoundation.org.
Bill “Moose” Skowron, who played on the great Yankees teams of the Mickey Mantle era, died last week at age 81. He was a former resident of Austin, Minnesota.
The Timberwolves Luke Ridnour is one of six finalists for the NBA Sportsmanship Award. A vote by NBA players will determine which player they believe displays the best on-court sportsmanship.
Canterbury Park, whose live racing season opens on May 18, will be busy Saturday with Kentucky Derby wagering. Races from Churchill Downs begin at 9:30 a.m. Minneapolis time and lead up to the Derby at 5:24 p.m.