Author: David Shama

If not Saunders, could the next coach be Reggie Theus?  His name is drawing speculation on a short list that includes Tony Bennett and former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery.  Pressed for a guess as to who the next coach will be, a source said, “Reggie Theus.” 

Theus played 13 seasons in the NBA.  He’s one of several players in league history to score over 19,000 points and have more than 6,000 assists. 

Theus, 49, ended his NBA career in 1991.  Articulate and good looking, Theus appeared on Saturday morning TV’s “Hang Time,” portraying coach Bill Fuller.

Later Theus decided on a coaching career and joined Rick Pitino’s Louisville staff.  He quickly made a reputation for himself as an outstanding recruiter. 

Two years ago former Minnesota Athletic Director McKinley Boston had a basketball program with a 6-24 record at New Mexico State.  As the Aggies’ athletic director he decided to hire Theus after interviewing him and receiving a strong endorsement from Pitino.  “Rick shared with me that he thought he had great upside,” Boston told Sports Headliners during an interview earlier this week. 

Theus has given Boston no reason to regret his decision. Theus’s first team was 16-14 and this season the record is 22-8, including 11-5 in the Western Athletic Conference, a second place finish. 

Boston said Theus has a “five-year roll over” contract and his compensation package is in the $350,000 to $450,000 range.  Other schools are expressing interest in Theus, but Boston said, “I think I would lose him quicker to the NBA than I will to the collegiate programs.” 

The contract stipulates that if Theus leaves the Aggies during the next three years he must pay a penalty clause.  “It’s definitely six figures,” Boston said.  “It’s significant.” 

Boston also said Minnesota hasn’t contacted him to ask permission to talk with Theus, nor has his coach mentioned a contact.  Boston acknowledged, though, it’s commonplace for coaching candidates to be contacted directly by search firms or agents. 

Would Boston be surprised to see Theus at Minnesota?  “Yes, I would be,” he answered. “Just based on conversations that we have had I never got the impression that’s an area, a location (of interest), or that he would be interested in recruiting to.  But who knows?  People change their minds.” 

At Minnesota Theus could earn at least three times his compensation at New Mexico State.  He would also coach in the more prestigious Big Ten Conference but Boston said Theus believes he can win a national championship with the Aggies and that his coach’s next stop is likely the NBA.

Although it hasn’t been announced, look for Johan Santana to be the Twins season opening game pitcher on Monday, April 2.  Santana, twice a Cy Young award winner, will be making only the second opening game start of his career. 

The guess is the Twins will come up with the extra money needed to help Hennepin County pay for acquisition of the land for the new ballpark near Target Center.  An alternate land site will not be pursued. 

Target Center announced this week it will be the site of a boxing card featuring an IBA America’s heavyweight title fight on Friday, April 6, the third boxing promotion at the building in the last several months.   The Xcel Energy Center, with a card headlined by St. Paul’s Jason Litzau, will host boxing on April 25.

“There’s a boxing war going on,” said Rob Leer of Leer Communications, publicist for the Target Center event.  “Xcel is tired of seeing St. Paul boxers fighting in Minneapolis.”  Xcel Energy Center general manager Jack Larson said, “I don’t think there’s a boxing war going on.  I think both buildings are trying to build up boxing.” 

Lou Nanne is providing analysis on telecasts of the state hockey tournament for the 43^rd year.  He has four grandsons, ranging in age from 11-16, who want him to continue in future years with the possibility one or more will be playing while grandpa is in the TV booth. 

Nanne said a strong Minnesota Wild run in the playoffs will depend on the goal tending and defense.  He’s been pleasantly “surprised” by the play of rookie goal tender Niklas Backstrom. 

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said players came to him this winter and said they wanted to adopt the following motto for the 2007 season: “We will make history again.” Minnesota’s football resume includes 18 Big Ten Conference championships and six national championships. 

The Gophers began spring football practice on March 1, the earliest start anyone can remember.  The annual spring game, open to the public, is Saturday, April 7 at the Metrodome.

Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners on Sunday he hasn’t signed his contract as University of Minnesota football coach, but agreement is “imminent.”  He said there’s some “dotting of the i’s and crossing of the t’s” required but he expects the contract to be finalized within 30 days.  The agreement will not include an escape clause allowing Brewster to leave the University for another school such as Texas.  His ambitions for the Gophers include some day winning a national championship.

Brewster has been working as the Gophers new coach since January 17.  It’s not unusual for a coach to work initially without a contract.  Former coach Glen Mason hadn’t signed his contract in the fall of 1997, his first season as Gopher coach. 

Brewster is expected to sign a five year, $1 million contract.  The absence of an escape clause was discussed on Sunday with the 46-year-old Brewster who became a head coach after many years of being an assistant in the NFL and for college teams.  While he is months away from coaching his first Gopher game, Brewster has brought optimism and expectations to the program not seen here since Lou Holtz was resurrecting Minnesota football in the 1980s.  Those afflicted with paranoia, or just good memories, recall Holtz had a clause in his Minnesota contract allowing him to leave for Notre Dame.

So let’s assume that during the next few years Brewster has his Gophers challenging for a Big Ten Conference title and playing in New Year’s Day bowl games.  And let’s assume his former boss at Texas, 55-year-old Mack Brown, decided to retire.  Would Brewster gallop off for cowboy country or other places where talent is plentiful and college football is a religion?

“This (coaching the Gophers) is a dream come true for me,” Brewster said. “The University of Minnesota meets all the needs that I have, all the goals that I had to be a head coach at a tremendous state university in the Big Ten.   So I look to have a long, long stay at the University of Minnesota.

“I would love to put down roots here with my family.  It’s a wonderful place. … Most importantly are the people. The people I have met here at Minnesota have been just phenomenal to me and my family.”

But wouldn’t a place like Texas, where Brewster helped recruit players who led the Longhorns to the national championship, be tempting?  “My focus and attention is reclaiming the status (18 conference titles, six national championships) here at the University of Minnesota with the football program,” he said.  “I’ve got my hands full with this job and I am just totally excited about this opportunity.  To be honest with you, I have no thought or consideration whatsoever of thinking about another (place).  I’ve got a big, big job to do.  I want to win a national championship here at the U.  I believe we can and that’s going to take some time.  I am committed to that time. …”