Author: David Shama

The public is welcome at a book signing for Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne from 4 to 7 p.m. October 1 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.  Showers, who once worked in sales for the North Stars, said writing the book has “been a dream” and that many former North Stars players are expected to attend the kickoff book signing.  Legendary North Stars broadcaster Al Shaver, who wrote the foreword, will also be at the event.  The North Stars, who moved to Dallas in 1993, came into existence as an NHL expansion franchise and played their first season in 1967.

The Vikings want a win in Kansas City on Sunday to improve their record to 2-1 before Green Bay comes to Minneapolis on September 30.  The Chiefs, 0-2, play in San Diego on September 30 for their third road game in four starts.  Viking coach Brad Childress acknowledged that Arrowhead Stadium is a difficult place to play and game day temps may be in the upper 80’s (warmer at field level).  The Chiefs have an NFL best 102-34 (.750) record at Arrowhead since 1990.

Coach Tim Brewster said that despite the Gophers’ 1-2 record, recruits remain receptive and he’s optimistic about success.

A local source said he doesn’t expect the Big Ten TV Network to finalize its agreements with the various cable companies until this winter.  Many Minnesotans and others in the Midwest can’t view Big Ten Conference football games because the network and cable companies have been unable to reach agreements.

The Gopher-Ohio State game in the Metrodome will start at 7 p.m. on September 29 and be televised on ESPN2.

Gopher coach Tubby Smith is impressing people with his basketball teaching.

Twins pitcher Johan Santana recently purchased a home in a Minneapolis suburb.

The MIAC will celebrate its 25^th anniversary of women’s athletics during the 2007-2008 academic year. Commemorative events will take place on MIAC campuses. The MIAC website (www.miac-online.org) will have information about past MIAC and NCAA national champions, a timeline of major events, as well as feature stories on individuals. The conference sponsors women’s championships in 11 different sports. The MIAC has had 11 NCAA women’s national team championships and 85 individual student-athletes who have been NCAA champions.

In a secondary that needs more experience and ability, Gopher strong safety Dom Barber is easy to identify as the best player.  The Gophers have given up 431 passing yards per game in three games and rank 118^th in the country in pass defense among major schools.  Pass defense is the team’s biggest weakness but coach Tim Brewster admires Barber and told Sports Headliners that the former Wayzata High School athlete (he lettered in hockey, baseball and football) is the best pro prospect among his seniors.

“He’s got all the attributes you look for in a safety,” Brewster said. “Very physical guy.  He’s got speed.  He can cover half the field.  He can cover a tight end.  He’s a blitzer.  I think Dom Barber is a real good pro prospect.”

Other seniors who Brewster said are “going to have an opportunity” to possibly make it in the pros are center Tony Brinkhaus, left offensive tackle Steve Shidell, fullback Justin Valentine and wide receiver Ernie Wheelwright.  Not surprisingly, all are offensive players except for Barber who is part of a defense that has yielded 36.3 points to three mediocre teams.

Asked to identify a player in addition to Barber that might have the best opportunity to make the pros, Brewster said perhaps Valentine.  “I think Justin Valentine has a chance because true fullbacks are really hard to find, and I think Justin Valentine can be considered a true fullback,” Brewster said.

Valentine had a more prominent role with the Gophers (primarily as a blocker) in his first three seasons before the team went to the spread formation that uses one running back, not two. Coming into this season Valentine had played in 36 games with the Gophers and had seven starts.  He entered the season with 183 career rushing yards on 59 carries.  So far in three games he has one rushing attempt and two pass receptions.

Barber, the younger brother of former Gopher and Dallas Cowboy running back Marion Barber III, was selected as an honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference player by the media last season.  He had three interceptions in conference games, one in non-conference games.

Barber was credited with a strong effort against Purdue’s explosive wide receiver Dorien Bryant last season (six catches, 59 yards).  Bryant, a first team all-Big Ten Conference pick by the media last year, is in town Saturday night for an 8 p.m. game against the Gophers.  Purdue is 15^th in the country in passing offense and sixth in total offense.

It’s easy to be positive about teams before their seasons begin but there is a legitimate sense of optimism about the Minnesota Wild.  There’s a consensus that this is one of the NHL’s better teams and season seven could be the best in franchise history.

The Wild’s identity for defense is established.  The Wild gave up just 184 goals last season and for the last four years has been among the top four defensive teams in the NHL.  An early exit in the playoffs against Anaheim after almost winning the Northwest Division of the Western Conference was a downer but the disappointment was eased some when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup.

Sports Headliners asked former Minnesota North Stars president Lou Nanne about the Wild.  “I think they’re in the top quarter of teams in the national league (NHL) and they’re fun to watch,” Nanne said. “They’re an exciting team to watch because of (Marian) Gaborik and (Pavol) Demitra and (Brian) Rolston, and (Pierre-Marc) Bouchard is a very creative guy and fun to watch.  But they’ve still got room to move up. There’s a lot of good teams in the national league so they’ve got some competition.”

That competition probably includes Detroit, Nashville, Anaheim, San Jose, Dallas and Vancouver, all teams from the Western Conference that had more points than Minnesota last season.  The Wild’s Gaborik leads the group of forwards Nanne mentioned and Gaborik’s health will have fans nervous after missing 34 games last season with a strained groin.  The Wild were 33-9-6 with him in the lineup.

What must the Wild do to improve?  “The Wild got to do a couple things,” Nanne said.  “One, they need a little more production out of the center ice position.  They got a lot last year but they need a little more depth, and they’re trying to do that with (Eric) Belanger (a free agent acquisition).  And (second) they got to tighten up defensively, (have) a good physical defenseman to go along with what they’ve got. They’re going to be a good team. …”

Wild general manager Doug Risebrough is “excited” about the coming season and said the team’s training camp roster includes more size than in the past, the result of a strategy to become bigger. Defensemen on the roster include John Scott, 6-8, 247, Andre Lakos, 6-6, 230 and Kurtis Foster, 6-5, 235.

Risebrough is expecting the “most competitive” training camp in team history as veteran and young players try to earn places on the final roster.  Part of the plan for success, too, is the coaching staff led by Jacques Lemaire, the franchise’s only head coach in its history.  “We believe our coaching staff is the best in the league,” Risebrough said.

The Wild opened their pre-season schedule last night at home, losing 6-1 to Detroit.