Author: David Shama

Guard Randy Foye, the Wolves’ No. 1 draft choice, has been stirring talk since last summer that he will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award (voted on by media).  It’s a nice thought but neither Foye nor assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg is focusing on it. 

Foye admirers thought he was the best rookie among the players in the NBA’s Las Vegas summer league.  He won MVP honors averaging 24.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. 

In the pre-season his numbers have been different.  He averaged 7.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and less than 1 assist per game. 

Both Foye and Hoiberg talked about how much more Foye had the ball in summer games and how the games revolved around him.  Going back to college and high school, Foye has been a focal player on his teams.  “I’ve always been the guy who makes the big decisions on the floor,” Foye said. 

“In the summer all the plays ran through him,” Hoiberg said.  “Now that he’s in the regular season, it’s not going to happen his rookie year.  The team will play through Kevin Garnett, Mike James and Ricky Davis.  I think it’s been a little tough on him.  Probably for the first time in his life he’s not a featured player, but he’s handled it great.  He’s always asking for advice. …He’s going to be a special player in this league because of his willingness to learn.” 

Foye said winning the Rookie of the Year award would “mean a lot” to him but team success has more appeal.  Given a choice, he would rather the Wolves be in the playoffs than be Rookie of the Year.

Variables such as playing time will determine performance and numbers for rookies who will be in the mix for the award.  An outstanding rookie on a bad team is likely to play more minutes and build his stats.  “We’re trying to get back into the playoffs,” Hoiberg said. “He (Foye) will be a big part of that.  Let the awards take care of themselves.  He will play a major role on our team.”

Foye expects to be used both at point guard and shooting guard.  The coaches, he said, like his ability to “explode” to the hoop from the point guard position and his size (about 6-3, 207) as a big defender. 

While comparisons have been made between Foye and Miami star Dwayne Wade, Foye compares himself to former Timberwolf and Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups.  Like Billups, Foye said he is a leader who gets teammates involved, makes heady decisions and takes big shots. 

Who does he like among the Rookie of the Year candidates?  Boston’s Rajon Rondo, Memphis’ Rudy Gay and Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas.  Oh, and a guy in Minneapolis named Randy Foye.

Tight end Jim Kleinsasser is in his eighth season with the Vikings.  Except for Matt Birk,  he has more continuous service with the team than any player on the roster.  Last week he was asked to appraise the 2006 team and how good the season will be. 

“That’s something we’re trying to figure out ourselves,” he said. “We’ve got tons of talent, got a system in place, (it’s) just a matter of showing up on Sunday and taking care of business. That’s the biggest thing. Any day you can beat anybody and any day you can get beat by anybody. So you just have to come every week and hope things pan out.” 

Kleinsasser said with a new coaching staff and system the team is still trying to find its identity.  In the past, he said, the Vikings made a habit of “shooting themselves in the foot” by making mistakes.  Now the Vikings are making progress in not beating themselves, he added. 

Kleinsasser, 29, has only caught six passes this season but said his health is good.  He missed most of the 2004 season with a knee injury.  “I am all right,” he said.  “I am just getting old.  The body doesn’t jump back as quick at it used to.”

Asked to evaluate his play Kleinsasser said, “It’s doesn’t really matter what I think about anything.  It’s what the guys upstairs (coaches, front office) think.”

The Vikings have nine remaining opponents on their schedule.  Those teams have a combined record of 23 wins, 35 losses.  Eliminate the Bears’ 7-0 record and the Vikings’ opponents are 16 and 35. 

Why didn’t the Vikings draft former Gopher Laurence Maroney, a Rookie of the Year candidate with New England?  Just a guess but a home town player is so nearby the organization may see more of his faults than players elsewhere.

Maroney on his biggest adjustment to playing in the NFL:  “Reading defenses is about the hardest for me.  Just going out there and reading the defenses and seeing where everybody else is lined up.”

The Gophers announced an attendance of 62,845 for the North Dakota State game on October 21.   Until September 5, anyone who wanted to buy a ticket for that game also had to purchase a ticket to the Iowa game on November 18.  Athletic Director Joel Maturi e-mailed that about 4,500 of the two-game package tickets were sold. 

Ann Carroll, Fox Sports North reporter and anchor, is the sister of former KARE 11 sportscaster Steve Carroll.  Ann, a graduate of Edina High School, came to Minneapolis to work for FSN in July after spending four years in St. Louis.