Author: David Shama

Don Lucia’s Gopher hockey roster is made up of all Minnesotans but that is based on need, he said.  In the past there have been players from outside the state and will be again.

The Timberwolves rank last in espn.com’s NBA power rankings.  The Spurs are No. 1 and Celtics No. 2.

Lou Nanne reports first week book sales of over 2,500 for Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne.  The former North Stars executive and player said he has 33 future book signings.  A portion of proceeds from the book will benefit USA Hockey and also the Glen Sonmor scholarship at the University of Minnesota. The book, with Nanne and local author Bob Showers, is a celebration of the Minnesota North Stars’ 40^th anniversary.

Sporting News describes Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia as a “big game pitcher,” and refers to his 5-1 record this past season against rivals Johan Santana of the Twins and Justin Verlander of the Tigers.

If the Cubs make it to the World Series, stubhub.com is offering tickets at Wrigley Field costing up to $75,000.

Interesting stats: among the storylines of tomorrow’s Minnesota-Indiana football game in Bloomington will be sacks.  The Hoosiers lead the country in total sacks with 27.  The Gophers have given up only three sacks in 209 passing attempts, ranking first in the Big Ten Conference and fifth nationally.  Since 2002 the Gophers have finished either first or second in the conference in fewest sacks allowed.

Adrian Peterson was recognized earlier this week by the NFL as the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September.  He leads the NFC with 383 rushing yards. Peterson has averaged 137.2 yards per game from scrimmage with 549 combined rushing and receiving yards. In four games he tied Chuck Foreman’s Viking rookie record for 100 yard rushing games (three).

Two Concordia College seniors have been chosen by the MIAC as its men’s and women’s soccer athletes of the week. Midfielder Matt Klein scored the game-winning goal in Concordia’s historic victory over Saint Mary’s on Saturday. Klein’s goal in the second half against the Cardinals helped the Cobbers end a 35-game conference winless streak – a streak that dated back to October 25, 2003 and totaled 3,200 playing minutes and 1,433 calendar days.   Forward Rachel Lewis scored both the game-winning goals in Concordia’s 2-1 win over St. Kate’s and 3-0 victory over Saint Mary’s last week. She has been a major factor in the team’s four-game conference winning streak that has helped the Cobbers to second place in the MIAC standings. Through games of last weekend Lewis had five goals for 10 points and was tied for the MIAC lead in game-winning goals.

It will be a surprise to many if Tarvaris Jackson doesn’t start at quarterback for the Vikings when they resume play on Sunday, October 14 in Chicago against the Bears.  The guess here, too, is that Jackson starts the rest of the schedule if he avoids injury.

Jackson made a favorable impression in the season’s first game, a 24-3 win over Atlanta, but not so positive in game two against Detroit when he threw four interceptions in a 20-17 road loss.  While Jackson has been recovering from his groin injury, Kelly Holcomb hasn’t done enough to win the quarterback job in losses to Kansas City and Green Bay when the offense produced just two touchdowns.  Holcomb was off target with passes and at times appeared slow to make his throws.

Jackson, 24, represents an investment by team management who made an effort to scout and choose him in the second round of the 2006 draft.  He also brings an  athleticism to the position that most pro quarterbacks don’t have.  Whether he can consistently play with poise, put more touch on his passes and make other improvements will have much to do with whether the Vikings can move toward a .500 or better season after their 1-3 start, plus create more box office interest in the team.

Encouraging is the improvement in athleticism the Vikings have made in their offensive personnel from last season.  Jackson is night and day compared with 39-year-old Brad Johnson.  While Chester Taylor remains in the plan at running back, coach Brad Childress is going to alternate him with explosive rookie touchdown maker Adrian Peterson, fifth in the NFL in rushing after four games.

Rookie wide receiver Sidney Rice made an athletic, leaping catch in the end zone for the Vikings’ only touchdown on Sunday against the Packers.  Gone from last season’s team are wide receivers Billy McMullen and Marcus Robinson.  Jim Kleinsasser has been replaced at tight end by Visanthe Shiancoe, a much more elusive runner.

While the Vikings continue to have more than half a million Minnesotans following them in the media each week, ticket sales are less than in the past when the franchise was selling out the Metrodome.  A source reported that the next home games, against Philadelphia on October 28 and San Diego on November 4, aren’t sold out. Without advance sellouts, the games will not be televised locally.

Local TV executives, advertisers and Viking officials had to be pleased with last Sunday’s season high TV rating.  With a border rival game and Brett Favre going for an NFL career record 421^st  touchdown pass, the game had a 37.9 rating in this market (compared with 28, 30.5 and 26.6 ratings for the first three games).  A rating point is a percentage of households watching a particular program.  More than half a million people followed the game on TV alone, not to mention other electronic and print media.

Kevin McHale told Sports Headliners recently that he doesn’t feel an “urge” to sign Al Jefferson to a new contract before the season starts but that a deal in October rather than later could be comforting to the Timberwolves’ star forward.  NBA policy allows negotiations this month but if a new contract isn’t agreed to then talks must stop until next summer.  Jefferson makes about $1.6 million, according to espn.com, and he is a restricted free agent after the 2007-2008 season.

On a team searching for leadership, on-court production and ticket sales, Jefferson, who is heading into his fourth NBA season, jumps to the head of the Timberwolves’ line. Conversation about the summer trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston for five players often starts with the 22-year-old Jefferson who has by far the most impressive NBA career numbers.  Last year was a coming of age season for the 6-foot-10, 265-pound Jefferson as he produced double figure averages in points (16) and rebounds (11).

McHale, vice president of basketball operations, had yet to speak with Jefferson’s agent about a new contract as of last week.  He has talked to Jefferson about leadership and what’s expected of him on the floor.

“I hope that we can agree to something and get something done,” McHale said.  “…We have right of first refusal next summer.  We can match any offers and stuff.  I don’t know (that) there’s an absolute urge.

“I would like to get something done for Al’s peace of mind, to be truthful. The numbers that you’re going to be talking are a lot of money and a ton of security for a young guy.  And sometimes with that security you can say, ‘Okay, I am going to be here’ and you can relax a little bit.  So I would like to get something done for Al’s sake.”

A power forward, Jefferson will play some center, according to McHale.  The Wolves, who like most NBA teams don’t have a dominant center, are likely to use Jefferson at center when other teams put a smaller lineup on the floor.  That’s not unlike how the Wolves adjusted when Garnett was here but a difference is that Jefferson favors a low post game.  Jefferson will “go to the hole” and try to make “lay-ups,” according to McHale.

Jefferson was seventh in the league in rebounding last season.  The Wolves were an average rebounding team and Jefferson will be counted on to help returning starting center Mark Blount who averaged 6.2 rebounds per game, 39^th best in the NBA. McHale described Blount’s season as “great” through the first 50 games but said “his productivity slid” in the last part of the season. Blount averaged a career high 12.3 points per game and shot over 50 percent from the floor for a fourth consecutive season.