Author: David Shama

Joe Montana talking about Brett Favre breaking Dan Marino’s record for most career NFL touchdowns:  “I honestly thought Danny’s records might never be broken.  What Brett has done is a tremendous accomplishment.  Congratulations you old fart!!!”

Terry Bradshaw also talking about Favre: “Brett Favre is the best I have ever seen.  And I’ve never said that about anybody.  He’s simply the best.  He’s got the strongest arm, athleticism, field presence, leadership, poise and tenaciousness.  He plays hurt, he’s fun, he’s infectious.  He has everything I want to see including the game-time decisions, the strengths, and all the ingredients.”

Timberwolves president Chris Wright said the team could probably sell 60,000 tickets for the one Boston Celtics-Kevin Garnett game here on February 8.  Wright expects that through full and partial season tickets the game will sellout in advance (no single game tickets available).  Tickets for single games go on sale Saturday, October 13.

Wright said security precautions by the NBA have been extensive for the team’s visit to Turkey, a nation that has had terrorist attacks. The Wolves are in Turkey this week for the early days of training camp, visiting a country that shares a border with Iraq.  NBA commissioner David Stern will attend the Timberwolves exhibition game against a Turkish team in Istanbul on Saturday and also on Wednesday, October 10 in London against the Boston.  Wolves owner Glen Taylor will be on the trip with his wife Becky.

Minnesota’s version of “Midnight Madness” will be “Tubby’s Tiipoff” beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, October 12 at Williams Arena. The event will celebrate the start of the Tubby Smith coaching era.  Activities will include a three-point slam dunk contest and scrimmage.  Admission is free and the building opens at 8:45 p.m.

A former Big Ten Conference assistant coach who asked for anonymity predicts the Gopher basketball team will finish among the top five schools in the Big Ten Conference.

Tom Sakal, captain of the 1967 Gopher Big Ten championship team, was in town last week for 40 year reunion activities and said all 22 starters earned college degrees.  Many of the players, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Charlie Sanders, played professional football.

Hockey fans can enjoy some memories today by attending a book signing for Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne from 4 to 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 801 Nicollet Mall.  Nanne and local author Bob Showers collaborated on the book that is a celebration of the Minnesota North Stars’ 40^th anniversary.  Among the North Stars celebrities expected to attend the book signing event are Al Shaver, Glen Sonmor, Brian Bellows, J.P. Parise, Brian Lawton, Pete LoPresti, Tim Young, and Don Beaupre. For more information on the 272-page coffee table size book visit www.northstarshistory.com.

What’s the Packer-Viking rivalry mean to the players and coaches?  “I hear (about) it all the time,” said Viking tight end Jim Kleinsasser.  “I just had my house built (finished last year) and one of the construction workers put ‘Packers rule…Favre rules’ on my insulation. So that’s the way it goes. …”

Ex-Packer Robert Ferguson, who joined the Vikings in August, said head coach Brad Childress talked to the team about the rivalry Wednesday morning.  “He wanted to inform the young guys about how big this is and how long it’s been going on,” Ferguson told Sports Headliners. “The only way you can do that is to put those numbers in front of them. …It’s important.”

The 3-0 Packers and the 1-2 Vikings meet at noon Sunday in the Metrodome.  It will be the 93^rd time the two franchises have played in a series that goes back to 1961.  Childress shared some of the history with the media earlier this week including the competitiveness of the series.  The record favors the Packers at 46-45-1.  In the last 10 regular season games, Childress said, both teams have scored 239 points. Nine of the last 13 division winners (NFC Central or NFC North) have been won by the Vikings or Packers.

Childress talked about the border rivalry, comparing it with the Gophers and Badgers.  Their college rivalry dates back to 1890.  “We can’t quite match that but it will feel the same as competing for Paul Bunyan’s axe,” Childress said.

While the players and coaches have to take a consistent business approach to every game, they’re certainly aware of the excitement that builds during Packer-Viking week (the Vikings are at Green Bay on November 11).  “The crowd’s a little more electric (for the Packer game),” said Viking place kicker Ryan Longwell.  “We just hope our fans show up wearing purple and scream their heads off on Sunday, and give us a huge home field advantage.”

The Vikings lost both games to the Packers last season and Green Bay will be favored to win Sunday. Yet in rivalry games played at home there are often surprise winners.  “This is a great rivalry,” Childress said.  “Good old fashioned black and blue division football. Our guys are looking forward to it.”

Longwell played nine seasons with the Packers and still knows some of the Green Bay players.  He said there will be good natured comments after the game initiated by him if the Vikings win, and a loss means just the opposite.  “I can give it to them just as well as I can take it,” he said.  “It’s not a one-way street on that thing.”

When Ohio State takes a kid from Minnesota the Buckeyes sure know what they’re doing.  Until two years ago no Minnesotan had played for the Bucks on scholarlship since the early 1930s when Sid Gillman, from Minneapolis North High School, was starring in Columbus.  An all-American end, Gillman became a pro football coaching legend but he wasn’t the football player that Wayzata High School’s James Laurinaitis is (all-American last season as a sophomore for the Buckeyes).

Laurinaitis comes home for tomorrow night’s game with the Gophers carrying a sizeable reputation and the potential to be remembered as one of the Big Ten’s most celebrated players ever. He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy last season that symbolizes the nation’s best defensive player.  As a junior this season he’s obviously a candidate for that award, plus the Bednarik Award (also recognizes the best defensive player) and the Butkus Award given to America’s best linebacker.  Laurinaitis could finish a four year career at Ohio State as a three time all-American, and multiple winner of the Nagurski, Bednarik and Butkus awards.

Gopher senior center Tony Brinkhaus recalled earlier this week that Laurinaitis originally said he would attend Minnesota, but changed his mind.  Although he hasn’t personally met Laurinaitis, he’s played against the 6-3, 244 linebacker in the Big Ten.  “He’s a very strong kid,” Brinkhaus said. “Not only is he strong but he can move and he can deliver a blow.  He’s got a reputation for being quite the hitter and he plays with a lot passion.”

Tim Brewster became the Gopher football coach last winter and has been on a crusade since day one to convince Minnesota’s best prep players to play for the U.  He was asked for an evaluation of Laurinaitis.

“You know what, to be quite honest with you, I’ve daydreamed about this kid just a little bit,” Brewster said.  “Here’s a kid who is a tremendous football player from Wayzata High School right here in town from Minneapolis and he is one of the best football players in America.  He certainly is one of the best linebackers in America. I would be lying to you if I didn’t tell you I didn’t daydream about him wearing maroon and gold. …”

Brewster said Laurinaitis is the “complete package” as a linebacker, praising his athleticism, ability to run down ball carriers, intercept passes and more.  “The thing I guess I like most about him is he looks like he loves to play,” Brewster said. “He plays the game with tremendous passion, energy, (and) excitement, and the other guys feed off him. …It’s evident when you turn on the (game) tape, Laurinaitis is one hell of a player.”