Author: David Shama

Rick Spielman, the Vikings vice president of player personnel, said yesterday he’s heard rumors that Miami may release quarterback Daunte Culpepper if Trent Green comes to the Dolphins in a trade with Kansas City. 

The NFL draft rates highest in interest with sports fans among all major spring weekend sporting events, according to the NFL Report publication (source: ESPN Sports Poll).   The draft (47.8 percent) led the Indy 500 (43.2), Kentucky Derby (40.1) and Preakness Stakes (29.5). 

The same publication noted the increase in viewers watching the draft on ESPN and ESPN2 since 2002.  Citing information from NFL and Nielsen Media Research, total viewers per year starting with 2002 were:  25.5 million, 29 million, 31.4 million, 34.4 million and 36.3 million. 

Michael Cuddyer, who only started nine of the Twins’ 24 games in April last year, talking about his status now as the regular right fielder:  “Last year I was on the bench and I didn’t really know what the future was going to hold for me.  This year is a little more stable and now I can just focus on helping the team win.” 

The height of basketball players is often exaggerated.  Wolves VP Kevin McHale was talking about the lack of big centers in the NBA and said Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire is 6-7 and a half.  On-line sources list him at 6-10. 

Maybe McHale will make an off-season trade with his former Celtics teammate Larry Bird, president of the Pacers. Pacer center Jermaine O’Neal could provide the Wolves with badly needed front court size, scoring and rebounding.   

The Wild may add toughness to the roster during the off-season but currently the organization doesn’t have an enforcer in the minors like Derek Boogaard, according to a team spokesman. 

There’s a new tennis blog that welcomes news and encourages opinion from recreational players here and elsewhere,  https://web.mac.com/msten.

Roy Terwilliger, chair of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, told Sports Headliners yesterday he hopes state legislation can be approved in 2008 to build a new Vikings stadium on the Metrodome site.  “I know it would be hoping for too much for this year,” he said.  “We’re going over the latter part of this week to the Senate Tax Committee and a week or two later we’ll go to the House Tax Committee.  I think that will get them starting the discussion but I would guess the 2008 session is when action should really be taken and if that happens then it can stay on track so you can have a facility in place for the 2012 Viking season.” 

Sticker shock hit some Minnesotans last week when the commission (its mission is to retain professional sports in this community) and the Vikings announced a near $1 billion price tag for a new football stadium with a retractable roof.  Although not specified yet by amount, the Vikings are expected to contribute to the funding.  

The commission, the Vikings, including owner Zygi Wilf, and state government leaders are taking a leadership position on the stadium as the clock ticks down to expiration of the team’s lease in the Metrodome after the 2011 season.  Terwilliger thinks Minnesotans and the state legislature will decide the Vikings are too valuable to lose after more information is provided and discussion takes place. 

“I think the community needs to have the discussion and I think once you do that you have a better understanding by leadership of what’s necessary to retain them,” he said.  “I think people would not want to lose the Vikings.  I think if you lose the Vikings… (you) go out and get another team and do the same thing and it would probably be more costly. … I don’t think the public wants to do that. …” 

Terwilliger said the strategy is to bring the plan for the stadium (also includes redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood) to the legislative leadership without specifics as to funding.  The city of Minneapolis is restricted by law from providing more than $10 million to build a stadium.  Hennepin County by itself will not fund the Viking facility because of its sales tax commitment for the new Twins stadium.   

It was suggested to Terwilliger that stadium proponents will consider funding sources such as metro or state sales tax revenues, car rental taxes, and sales or users taxes in and around the stadium area.  “It’s going to be a combination of one or some of those things,” he said.  “I hate to speculate on what it might be.  There are all kinds of examples of what has taken place (around the country to fund stadiums). …” 

Terwilliger said there may be some cost cutting to the final budget for the project but clearly the price announced last week will not change dramatically.  Part of that reality is the project includes millions for infrastructure and parking but it’s also because the Vikings insist on a new (not renovated Metrodome) stadium, and both the commission and team want a retractable roof. 

Terwilliger said the Vikings are at the bottom among NFL teams in revenues.  A remodeled dome won’t provide the fan enhancements, amenities and resulting revenues that a new stadium offers.  From the community perspective, he said, a large new facility with a roof continues the tradition set by the Metrodome of attracting a variety of events ranging from religious rallies to concerts to truck pulls to NCAA Final Fours to high school playoffs.  “The fact is that in 25 years, 77 million people have visited events of one kind or another whether it be a Super Bowl, or a Final Four, or World Series, or whatever,” Terwilliger said. 

Boof Bonser, scheduled to start tomorrow’s game against the Royals at the Metrodome, hasn’t looked like the pitcher who could become the team’s No. 2 starter behind Johan Santana.  Bonser’s record: 0-1, 6.53 ERA.  He’s given up the most home runs on the staff, seven. 

That’s a contrast to last September when his record for the month was 4-1, 2.63 ERA. He was named American League Rookie of the Month.   Bonser had a promising season with the Twins, twice being called up from AAA Rochester to help rescue a starting staff competing for the AL Central Division championship.  In his rookie season Bonser’s record was 7-6 with a 4.22 ERA.  

In preseason 2007 there was talk the 25-year-old Bonser might replace the injured Francisco Liriano as the team’s second best pitcher.  So far Bonser leads the staff in walks with nine in 20.2 innings and that’s a clue why the young right hander from Florida has struggled. 

“It’s just placement,”Bonser told Sports Headliners yesterday.  “Maybe (for example) rather than throwing the ball in the dirt, I am leaving it up.  That’s the biggest thing.  The pitching selection (variety) is there.  It’s just pretty much with my location right now.  It’s a little off.” 

Bonser was happy with his control last season, often locating the ball where he wanted it.  He said in his last start this season “everything was right where I wanted it to be.  It just didn’t work out in my favor.”  (In that game Bonser gave up only one walk in five innings at Kansas City).  

Bonser said even in spring training location of his pitches wasn’t optimal.  “I was getting away with it there,” he said.  “Now that the regular season is around I am not getting away with it.  …”  

Bonser has devoted a “little bit” more bullpen time between starts to work his way toward better placement.  As always, he talks with pitching coach Rick Anderson and studies video.  “I am not panicking,” he said. “It’ll get there.”