Author: David Shama

The Timberwolves-Celtics exhibition game from London will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster is hoping to celebrate his 47^th birthday on Saturday with a win over Northwestern in Evanston.

The Gopher defense has given up 224 points this season, an average of 37.3 points per game.  However, of the 224 points scored against Minnesota this season, 65 or 10.8 points per game have occurred following turnovers, with an additional seven points coming on kickoff coverage.

The Wild (2-0) ends its three game home stand Wednesday night against Edmonton (2-0). Minnesota won six of the eight meetings between the two clubs for a second straight season in 2006-07. Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom was 4-0-0 with two shutouts and a 0.50 goals against average in four starts last season against the Oilers.

Walt Jocketty, the Minneapolis native who parted ways with the St. Louis Cardinals last week, is expected to have multiple offers to get back into baseball when he’s ready.  Jocketty, general manager of the Cardinals, had differences with ownership but is highly respected in baseball.  He worked for the Cardinals for 13 years during which time the team won the 2006 World Series.

Former Twin David Ortiz, now with the Red Sox, is Sports Illustrated’s second choice for Most Valuable Player in the American League. New York’s Alex Rodriguez is the first choice.  Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel, who once played for the Twins, is the magazine’s third pick for Manager of the Year in the National League after Arizona’s Bob Melvin and Chicago’s Lou Pinella.

Colton Iverson, the power forward from Yankton, South Dakota who has verbally committed to the Gophers, is rated a three star player by rivals.com.  Jared Berggren, the center from Princeton, Minnesota who committed to Wisconsin, is a four star, according to rivals.  The web site also reports that sho

Tim Brewster wants to eventually be remembered as a national championship and hall of fame coach.  The Gopher coach talked to Sports Headliners earlier this week about his goals and determination.  Although his first head coaching job has started with a 1-4 record, including 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference, and despite critics who think he’s too positive and enthusiastic in his speech, Brewster said he won’t be modifying his public or private approach.

“I am always going to be me, that is a (glass) half full guy,” Brewster said. “A guy who is unbelievably excited about the opportunity he has.  And irregardless of what anybody thinks, I am going to believe every second of every day, that we’re going to make the Gophers special again.”

Brewster, 46, waited a long time to become a head coach on the collegiate or pro levels.  Following years of serving the Mack Browns, Marty Schottenheimers and Mike Shanahans, his intensity is in overload mode to prove himself.  “I am not interested in going to a bowl game,” Brewster said.  “I am interested in winning a national championship.  I am not interested in being a football coach.  I want to go down as one of the great coaches of all time.  That’s my mindset and it always will be.”

The interview focused on why and how Brewster became and remains so optimistic about life.  He said his outlook has always been upbeat and he talked about his divorced mother who raised two sons while creating a positive home environment.  Despite the divorce, Brewster’s father was part of his life, too, and a role model.  Al Brewster, who was on the sidelines last Saturday night watching his son coach against Ohio State, is now 70 years old but works six days a week in a shipping warehouse.  “Every time I feel sorry for myself I think about my dad who works 12 hours a day, six days a week,” Brewster said. “And he’s 70 years old and he’s had cancer.”

Brewster was asked about negative thoughts that may go through his mind.  “I am always thinking of not the problem but the solution,” he answered.  “We all have problems that are presented to us but a lot of people dwell on the problem itself and I don’t.  I am immediately thinking about the solution and how to fix it. …When in the face of the storm, in the face of adversity, I think about leadership. I think about (how) everybody is watching me to see how I am going to respond, to see how I am going to act. And they’re going to feed off me and so I always want to handle things the right way.  Particularly now in the position I am in.”

For Brewster, happiness is going to work every day.  “I love football,” he said.  “I loved playing (the) game and then the opportunity to get into coaching.  To me, my dream in life was to be a head football coach.  Everything I’ve ever done has been wrapped up with my goal and intention of being a head football coach. And then to be the head football coach at a place like the University of Minnesota, such a storied football program, such tremendous tradition and history (six national titles, 18 Big Ten championships).  I feel such a responsibility to the state of Minnesota and to all Minnesotans to make this place, make this program, special again.  I mean each and every day I am going to drive myself and drive our football team and those around me to make this a special program again. …”

The Gopher hockey team officially begins practice at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning and coach Don Lucia’s players will start working toward what they hope will be a third consecutive WCHA championship.  Junior goalie Jeff Frazee may be a difference maker in pursuing that objective.

Lucia said last season there were six senior goalies in the 12 team WCHA including Minnesota’s Kellen Briggs who shared time with Frazee.  Having a potential high impact returnee like Frazee is an asset for the Gophers who lack experience and depth among their defensemen.

Last season Frazee ranked first in the WCHA in winning percentage (.806), ninth in goals against average (2.35) and 11^th in save percentage (.903).  Former Gopher coach Glen Sonmor, now the color commentator on the team’s radio broadcasts, thinks Frazee could be among college hockey’s best goalies this season.

Earlier this week Lucia talked about his three goalies, Frazee, freshman Alex Kangas and senior Brent Solei.  “Jeff Frazee comes in as (the) No. 1 guy,” Lucia said.  “Alex Kangas had a very good junior career and Brett Solei has looked very good in practice.  He may be the hardest working guy we have on our team so I think this year he deserves an opportunity to at least get some time in there as well. …I don’t determine who plays, the goalies will. …

“I thought he (Frazee) had a very good year last year. …One of the things is you look at Jeff and his whole career…he usually plays best in the big games. ….He played very well for us and was the winning goalie in…the championship game of the WCHA Final Five. …I think we’ll be in very good hands there.”

The Gophers have been picked to finish second in the WCHA for 2007-08, according to the Grand Forks Herald’s annual preseason coaches’ poll. The Gophers received three of the 10 first-place votes while WCHA favorite North Dakota received the other votes.  North Dakota’s Ryan Duncan was named the Preseason WCHA Player of the Year, and Kyle Turris of Wisconsin was selected as the league’s Preseason Rookie of the Year. Minnesota sophomore Kyle Okposo also received a vote for WCHA Preseason Player of the Year.