Author: David Shama

The next Gopher football recruiting class will be “one of the best in school history.” Coach Tim Brewster, who according to NCAA rules can’t talk specifically about recruits at this time, said at his weekly news conference yesterday that the response by prospective players to Minnesota is outstanding.  The Gophers have 16 verbal commitments for 2008, including three players rated four out of five stars, according to rivals.com.

The players with the four star rating are wide receivers Brandon Green of Chicago and Vincent  Hill of New Berlin, New York, and linebacker Sam Maresh of Champlin, Minnesota.  The Gophers, of course, will continue to recruit beyond the 16 players until signing day next winter.  While Brewster has generated a lot of attention with his spread offense, he made it clear yesterday the Gophers will emphasize defensive recruits and that the way to championships is built with great defensive players.

Brewster said yesterday he “loves to recruit” and he’s assembled much of the staff in his image.  Asked what elements are appealing to recruits so far, Brewster launched into praise of the present and future facilities at the University including the new TCF Bank Stadium scheduled to open in 2009.  He identified the stadium as the only such completely new facility built in the last “50 to 60 years” on a college campus.  “We’re re-connecting with our past history and tradition and getting back on campus,” he said.

Brewster also spoke about the academic opportunities at the University and the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. “The Twin Cities is one of the amazing sells in the Big Ten,” he said.  “We’re not out in the middle of the corn field. We’re in a beautiful city environment here with so many things to offer. There are 20 Fortune 500 companies here within a 20 mile radius of this University. That’s better than any college in America. …”

With the Gophers 1-7 and lacking talent and depth at various positions, there are opportunities for new players to play soon.  Brewster called that factor a “tremendous selling point.”

If Brewster and his staff come up with a top 25 rated recruiting class it will be the first within memory at Minnesota.  It won’t hurt the rankings that people like Brewster including media who specialize in recruiting information.

Although Colorado has been the hottest team in baseball, Twins president Dave St. Peter is picking Boston to win the World Series that opens tonight in Boston.  “It’s hard to pick against Colorado (but) I am an American League guy at heart,” he said.  “Boston in six. …”

St. Peter said the “Red Sox have more pitching depth and the bullpen is stronger.”  He pointed out the Red Sox won 96 games (tied with Cleveland for the most in the majors). Also, many observers think the American League is better than the National League where the Rockies won 90 games. The Rockies closed the regular season winning three straight, then won seven in a row in the National League playoffs.

Enthusiasm is mile high in Denver, an outstanding sports town participating in its first World Series.  St. Peter likened the scene to that of the 1987 Twins who were a surprise World Series team just like the Rockies and captivated this area after the World Series hadn’t been played here since 1965.

Although St. Peter wouldn’t talk about specific dates, he said the Twins have had discussions and will continue to regarding signing outfielder Torii Hunter to a new contract.  “The Twins are in regular communications” concerning the Hunter negotiations, he added.

There’s been speculation that future free agent pitchers can’t command the same record amount of Barry Zito’s deal with San Francisco last off-season (reportedly has the potential of over $140 million).  St. Peter said “pitching is in such short supply” and so valuable that free agents will continue to be well compensated, even if the dollars are less than Zito.

Johan Santana will be a free agent after the 2008 season.  Some suggest that the Twins are better served spending their limited budget on quality everyday players rather than a pitcher, even a great one like Santana who has won two Cy Young awards.  St. Peter said the Twins evaluate “each situation” differently and don’t have a philosophy of preferring position players over pitchers, or vice versa.

Next Tuesday, October 30, the Twins will update the Hennepin County Board with progress on the downtown ballpark and show new images of the facility that opens in 2010.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said University basketball coach Tubby Smith could have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2008.  “Right now I think he’s at No. 5 or No. 6,” Brewster said.

Brewster’s depth chart yesterday had three true freshmen in starting positions in the defensive backfield, cornerbacks Ryan Collado and Kyle Theret, and free safety Curtis Thomas.  Theret, 5-11, 185, “has a heart as big as his body,” Brewster said.

Jeff Sagarin’s college football rankings have North Dakota State ranked No. 50, Wisconsin 55 and Minnesota 100.

Sporting News ranked the NFL’s coaches in a recent issue and placed the Vikings’ Brad Childress at No. 28.  Not surprisingly, the No. 1 and 2 coaches were New England’s Bill Belichick and Indianapolis’ Tony Dungy.  A sidebar about coaches on the spot placed former Viking assistant Scott Linehan, now head coach of St. Louis, first and Childress second.

The Vikings had to call a timeout before a field goal attempt in Sunday’s Dallas game when lineman Ryan Cook forgot to go on the field.  Childress said Cook can’t make that error and “must have lost his head.”  The field goal was blocked and returned by the Cowboys for a touchdown.

Childress said he and his former boss in Philadelphia, Andy Reid, talk on a regular basis but probably won’t this week as the Vikings prepare for the Eagles to play at the Metrodome on Sunday.

The Timberwovles’ new marketing and advertising campaign is called “See What They Can Do.”  Part of the campaign features four TV ads focusing on the team’s new mentor and spiritual leader Archibald “Sweetwater” Jones, a 3-foot-11 inch ABA and NBA journeyman from the 1970s, who has been described as part Julius Erving, part Barry White and part Yoda. Jones provides his existential wisdom with the young Timberwolves in the commercials including sharing his insights and giving a pep talk on the importance of team to several of the more youthful Wolves, and helping point guard Randy Foye better “focus his mind” for the fourth quarter.

The Wild are at Calgary tonight in the first game between the two teams this season.  The Wild won three times in eight games last season, with two of Minnesota’s victories in shootouts.  The first place Wild have a five point lead over the second place Flames and Colorado in the Northwest Division.

The Wild has recalled right wing Cal Clutterbuck from the Houston Aeros of the AHL.  Clutterbuck, 19, had three points including a power play goal, a plus-one rating and 11 shots on goal in five games with Houston this season.

Augsburg junior wide receiver Royce Winford set a new Augsburg and MIAC single-game record for receptions, catching 20 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns as his team defeated Carleton 38-16 on Saturday. Winford was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week.  The 20-reception total is the most for any NCAA football player this season, regardless of division. The total is tied for the third-most in NCAA Division III history. Bethel University senior safety Brandon Carr  was named Defensive Player of the Week for his two interceptions and a key pass break-up that helped his team defeat St. Olaf, 35-14. St. Olaf senior punter/kicker Paul Fortman punted four times for a 53-yard average, including a pair of 60-yarders.  He was named Special Teams Player of the Week for the ninth time in his career.

Linebacker Duy Huynh of Concordia-St. Paul is the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week.  He had a last minute interception to help Concordia hold off Upper Iowa 20-17 last Saturday.  He had eight tackles and had 3.5 of Concordia’s 14 tackles for loss in the game. The defense held T.C. Hicks, the fifth-leading rusher in NCAA Division II, to 52 yards on 25 carries.