Author: David Shama

Michigan State football coach John L. Smith’s Big Ten Conference career record in his fourth and last season is 12-18.  During the same period Gopher coach Glen Mason’s record is 13-17.   

The Wild play in Los Angeles Saturday night trying for a third win this season against the Kings.  Goalie Manny Fernandez is 2-0 against the Kings with a 1.00 goals against average and has stopped 69 of 71 shots. 

Roy Smalley, Twins TV analyst, said it will be a challenge to find the player but he hopes the team can add a right handed power hitting designated batter for next season.  That need is based on the assumption the team will keep right handed hitting Nick Punto (only one home run last season) at third base, a position where teams often have power hitters.   

KARE 11 sportscaster Randy Shaver, who watches countless hours of high school football video and coaches eighth grade football at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, said Cretin-Derham Hall junior wide receiver Michael Floyd already ranks with the state’s best ever prep players including Joe Mauer.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s high school team is in the state playoffs and Shaver will be covering the team including his son, Ryan, for KARE 11.  In 24 years of reporting on the state playoffs, that’s a first for Randy. 

Rob Leer, former KSTP TV sportscaster, owns Leer Communication and Consultants, an Edina based company offering a variety of marketing and publicity services.  Leer is directing media relations for the “Boxing Is Back” card at Target Center on November 17.  Matt Vanda and Anthony Bonsante will headline bouts as part of the first boxing show since Minnesota reinstated the sport.  

Wally Shaver, Gopher hockey play-by-play announcer on WCCO Radio, said his father Al and mom Shirley, both 79, are in good health and living on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.  Al was the play-by-play radio voice of the Minnesota North Stars for all 26 seasons here.  Wally is in his sixth season covering the Gophers. 

Brian Buchanan, 33, the former Twin who played with the St. Paul Saints last summer, will join the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in the Japanese Pacific League in 2007.  He becomes the first Saints player ever to agree to play in Japan.   He is the 83rd player to move from St. Paul to a major league organization and the first to go to Japan where the major league minimum salary is $300,000 (Buchanan specifics not announced).  His manager will be Sadaharu Oh who hit 868 home runs and batted .301 in a 22-year career in Japan. 

In voting by MIAC coaches, the following schools are pre-season choices to become conference champions:  St. Thomas, men’s basketball, Concordia, women’s basketball, St. Thomas, men’s hockey, and Gustavaus, women’s hockey.  

Brett Favre, 37, the old “gunslinger” who just won’t retire to catch the fastest train to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the guy who is public enemy No. 1 to passionate Vikings fans, comes with his (somewhat) rejuvenated Green Bay Packers to the Metrodome on Sunday.  Favre, by the way, is a bit rejuvenated himself having quarterbacked the Packers, 4 wins, 12 losses last season and 1-4 to start this season, to two wins in Green Bay’s last three game. 

Favre had played three straight games without throwing an interception until last Sunday when he was intercepted twice in a 24-10 loss to Buffalo. Still, he has thrown four touchdown passes in his last three games as the Packers improved their record to 3-5.   

In the past there’s been talk, including from loyalists in Green Bay, that Favre should retire or be traded. But he is full of football life.  Heck, in the Packers’ home game against Arizona on October 29 he attempted a not-so successful “Lambeau Leap” into the stands to celebrate his first rushing touchdown in a few years.   

This is the stuff of legends and Favre is adding to a legacy that includes three straight seasons as the NFL’s most valuable player.  He’s always played with passion and been hell-bent to succeed even when facing physical and emotional challenges.  He was, by the way, once recognized by a national magazine as the toughest guy in America. 

Viking place kicker Ryan Longwell, who played nine seasons with Favre in Green Bay, talked recently about his former teammate.  He said Favre has a childlike enthusiasm to play football and he may continue on for multiple seasons. “He just loves the game so much,” Longwell said.   

Longwell hasn’t seen any decrease in the “velocity” of Favre’s passes.  “When he gets time to throw the ball, he can pick apart everybody,” Longwell said. 

Favre lives in a “fish bowl” in Green Bay, Longwell said, and because of the public attention Favre generates he can’t go out to dinner or the movies.  Longwell remembered attending a movie with his friend where Favre had to enter the theater after the lights went off. “He’s larger than life over there,” Longwell said. 

In a different way, Favre is pretty big stuff over here, too.  Awhile back Sports Illustrated wrote that Favre was considered sports enemy No. 1  by Minnesota fans. 

Over the years Longwell has been “amazed” at the accuracy and velocity of Favre’s passes. He said the the 16-year veteran can still make throws that separate him from other quarterbacks.  Talk to Longwell, though, and you learn quickly he admires Favre as a person and enjoys his company.  Both are three to four handicappers and played golf together during their Packer days. 

“If you can’t get along with Brett, you probably have got some issues,” Longwell said.

The Timberwolves opened their season at home last Wednesday night.  Now they are nearing the end of a four game trip playing in Los Angeles against the Lakers tonight.  The travels began with back to back nights in Denver and Portland (a win, then a loss, with both games decided late in the fourth quarter).  Last night another loss, this one in Sacramento.  Four games in five nights are unusual and only a five game road trip later in the schedule appears more challenging. 

“It’s going to be fun getting out there and playing back to backs every other day, and it gives us a chance to see where we’re at,” said Wolves guard Ricky Davis before the road trip started. 

Ending the schedule in Los Angeles should be fun.  A lot of players enjoy the glamour of Los Angeles including the who’s who scene at the Staples Center where somebody like Jack Nicholson may offer a sarcastic comment now and then.   

The Lakers, 3-1, could be the surprise of the league and before the season began looked like a team that might block the Wolves from earning the sixth, seventh or eighth spot in the Western Conference.  The Lakers won their first three games, including two wins without super star Kobe Bryant who led the NBA scoring last season and is Charles Barkley’s pick to win the league’s MVP award.  Wolves’ guard Troy Hudson said Bryant is “probably the best one-on-one player in the entire league.”   

The Lakers, 45-37  last season and a first round loser to Phoenix in the playoffs, have been led by versatile forward Lamar Odom, averaging 23.8  points per game and making 67  percent of his three point shots.  Hudson admires Odom’s skills that include handling the ball and passing like a point guard.  “He definitely compares with the better players in the league,” Hudson said. 

Odom and Bryant are the stars but the team has improved players such as forward Luke Walton and 19-year-old center Andrew Bynum who are making a difference.  The Lakers have been playing with unity and enthusiasm, not too surprising since coach Phil Jackson is a passionate teacher of team play. 

The Lakers, who play 15 of their first 20 games at home, will want to get another home court victory against the Wolves.  Minnesota, 9-32 on the road last season, hopes to end with a somewhat successful but trying road trip.