Author: David Shama

Local writer Brit Robson, who has followed the Wolves for years, predicts the team will have 12 wins by the All-Star break in mid-February.

Timberwolves guard Randy Foye, who was born in New Jersey and played high school basketball there, has bought a home in that state.  He is renting a residence in Minneapolis.

Golden State plays the Wolves at Target Center tonight (Wednesday).  This is the first of four games with the Warriors this season and all games will be played between now and January 21.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners on Monday that the organization’s first preference remains to keep two-time Cy Young award winning pitcher Johan Santana.

St. Peter observed a stadium milestone on Monday when the first concrete for any of the flooring was poured on the mezzanine level of the new downtown ballpark. The stadium opens in 27 months and most of the design work is completed, although St. Peter said about 20 percent of the interior space is yet to be finalized (flooring, walls, art work etc.).

He was part of a group that recently visited the new Washington Nationals baseball stadium that opens this spring.  He said the exterior of the stadium almost has a federal building type look and the facility will have three levels of suites.

Seven Vikings have been selected for the 2008 Pro Bowl in Hawaii on February 10.  Vikings on the NFC roster playing against the AFC in the annual all-star game are running back Adrian Peterson, fullback Tony Richardson, guard Steve Hutchinson, center Matt Birk, defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, and safety Darren Sharper.  Peterson is the only rookie running back from the Vikings other than Chuck Foreman (1973) to be selected for the Pro Bowl and the first Minnesota rookie since Randy Moss (1998).  All of the Vikings chosen have played in three or more Pro Bowls except for Peterson and Pat Williams (two games).  Players are selected by a vote of coaches, players and fans.

Not that they wanted to, but Michigan administrators did the Gophers no favors by hiring Rich Rodriguez as the Wolverines new football coach.  Rodriguez is a talented coach and will make an underachieving Michigan program better.  He also coaches a spread offense similar to Minnesota’s and that could mean more recruiting competition for prize recruits.

Earlier this year Michigan hired away West Virginia’s basketball coach, John Beilein, as its new coach.  Now the Wolverines take Rodriguez.  Don’t mention the word Michigan in Morgantown for a few decades.

The Wild’s 2007-08 Puck Series, in conjunction with FSN North, will highlight the greatest goals scored by the Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The four puck series will feature Darby Hendrickson, Richard Park, Brian Rolston and Pierre-Marc Bouchard. The initial puck features Hendrickson scoring the Wild’s first-ever goal at Xcel on October 11, 2000 against the Philadelphia Flyers and will be given away to all fans on Saturday night.

Wild forward James Sheppard is scheduled to appear and sign autographs at Great Waters Brewing Company (426 St. Peter Street in downtown Saint Paul) on Friday from 5 to 6 p.m.

Players from Augsburg, Macalester, Saint John’s and Gustavus have been selected MIAC Athletes of the Week for men’s and women’s basketball and hockey based on performances last week. Augsburg senior center Femi Solaja earned his third double-double of the season with 19 points (on 9-of-11 shooting) and 10 rebounds as the Auggies defeated St. Scholastica, 84-72. Solaja’s double-double was the seventh in his last 12 games dating to last season. Macalester sophomore forward Alyssa Lunde finished with a game-high 21 points and also had six rebounds in a 60-57 overtime defeat at Wisconsin-River Falls. Saint John’s sophomore forward Gabriel Harren scored three consecutive goals in three minutes and 10 seconds during the first period to lead the Johnnies to a 5-1 win over Gustavus Adolphus.  Harren entered the game with five career goals in 27 previous games. Gustavus senior defender Laura Vannelli scored a power play goal at 8:55 of the second period to tie the score at 1-1 against Wisconsin-Superior. It was the Gusties’ lone goal in a 2-1 loss. Vannelli was playing in her first game after suffering a concussion two weeks ago that forced her to miss four games.

Tickets for the 2008 Big Ten Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships to be held at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse, March 1-2, are on sale. All-session tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online through www.gophersports.com, in person at the athletics ticket office in Mariucci Arena or by calling 1-800-846-7437 or 612-624-8080.

In what may only be described as caused by mystical forces, the Chicago Bears are playing the Vikings in Minneapolis tonight, 20 years after Mike Ditka brought national attention to the Metrodome by calling it the “Rollerdome.”  The Bears coach disdained the dome and suggested it was a good place for rollerblading.

When the Bears came to the “Rollerdome” on December 6, 1987 they were greeted by Vikings cheerleaders wearing rollerblades.  Later during Ditka’s reign as Bears coach he suggested the dome was a good place for livestock.  The Vikings responded by placing plastic farm animals on the sidelines at another Bears game in the Metrodome.

The fiery coach, who led the 1985 Bears to a Super Bowl win and was one of the NFL’s great tight ends in the 1960s, was an old fashioned football guy who thought football ought to be played outside, even if the temperatures were below freezing and the wind was howling.  Former Viking Bob Lurtsema, who played defensive end for the Vikings at the old Met Stadium from 1971-1976, understands the Ditka mentality.  “When you get a dome, you get really a softer type image of an NFL player,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners.

Lurtsema remembers the classic picture so many pro football fans recall, too, of former Green Bay Packer Ray Nitschke playing a late season game in Green Bay with steam coming out of his nostrils.  “That’s where it (football) should be played, outdoors,” Lurtsema said. “Home field advantage. …In (the) five years I was here, there were two games that were questionable (weather) for a player.

“Your adrenaline is going.  The weather doesn’t bother the players.  If the weather does bother the players, the players aren’t focused.  They haven’t got the commitment.  They’re going to have a bad game.  And that’s why (coach) Bud (Grant) wouldn’t tolerate anybody that complained about the weather.  Your adrenaline will carry you.  No gloves on the sidelines.  No heaters. …”

Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell wasn’t familiar with the Ditka tales but he told Sports Headliners he likes the dome.  “I think it’s a great place to play,” he said.  “The fans can get that place really loud, (and) make it a miserable place for visiting teams to come into. …”

Bottom line is players and coaches need to make an asset of their stadium, indoor or outdoor. “In this league you need your home stadium to be a huge advantage, whether you’re a cold weather team, whether you’re a dome team with noise,” Longwell said. “Whatever the scenario may be.  You need to play well there and you need your fans to be a factor there. …”

The Minnesota Wild hopes to have Mikko Koivu playing again by this weekend, according to a team source.  Koivu, who hasn’t played since November 16 because of a fractured left fibula, is arguably the Wild’s best player.

The 24-year-old native of Finland has scored five goals and has 11 assists.  His assists and points are fifth on the team despite playing fewer games than those ahead of him(three teammates have played in 32 games and Marion Gaborik who leads the Wild in goals and points has played in eight more games).

Last season, his second with the Wild, he set new career highs in goals, assists and points (20, 34 and 54).  He had a 33 point increase in points from the 2005-2006 season.  That was the second best jump in the NHL for players who had participated in at least 60 games.  Only Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis had a larger increase, 41 points.

Koivu was the sixth player chosen in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.  Tom Lynn, the Wild’s assistant general manager, noted in a recent e-mail to Sports Headliners that Minnesota was targeting Koivu in the draft and had camouflaged its interest by indicating a preference for a goalie.  What the Wild acquired was a skilled and competitive player who hasn’t disappointed.

“Mikko is a super-competitive guy who was once late for a bus with the Houston Aeros because he and his roommate, former Wild player Zbenyk Michalek, had been wrestling each other for 20 minutes for the right to exit the hotel room first,” Lynn wrote in his e-mail. “Mikko won. They barely made the bus.  He approaches games, practices, and life the same way.”

It was evident last season that Koivu is a pressure player for the Wild.  He tied for first in the NHL with eight shootout goals (8-for-15) and tied for second in the league with four game-deciding shootout goals.

Koivu has played in international competition for Finland, helping his teams to medal winning performances.  That is post-season type hockey and the experience can only help him and the Wild in future Stanley Cup playoffs.

Former Minnesota North Stars and Gopher coach Glen Sonmor, who scouts high school players for the Wild, is enthusiastic when he talks about Koivu,  “He’s their best player, other than Marion Gaborik,” Sonmor said.  “Mikko is remarkable.  He’s maybe the most complete player (on the team).  He has good offensive skills but you can depend on him defensively and with faceoffs. He goes to the net hard.  He gets you involved physically.  He has great hockey instincts.”

The Wild hopes to have Koivu return for Saturday night’s home game against Detroit.