Author: David Shama

Chad Greenway recently told Sports Headliners he is recovered from the knee injury that caused him to miss his entire rookie season.  Asked about his availability for practices even before July training camp he said, “I am ready right now.”   

Greenway said he hasn’t been told whether he will play inside or outside linebacker, or if he will be a starter.  “I will just go out there and do my best, whether it is starting or whatever it is,” he said.   “I expect to have an opportunity to start. I think that would be a capability of mine and I hope that will happen.” 

Greenway was asked about the qualities that impress him in a defensive coordinator prior to the announcement last week that Leslie Frazier will replace Mike Tomlin who accepted the Pittsburgh Steelers head coaching position.  “Somebody who is emotional,” Greenway answered. “Somebody who will get into it and loves the guys he’s coaching.  Somebody who knows what he’s talking about and (has) been there before.” 

Was it a sad day when news came Tomlin was moving on?  “It was but he’s moving on in his career and that’s great for him and his family,” Greenway said. “Everybody is excited for him. . .but we’ll keep rolling. If we keep the same guys here and hopefully keep the same defense we should be pretty good.”

What impressed Greenway about Tomlin?  “He coached with emotion,” Greenway said. “He coached like he was a player and I think that really helped him a lot.  He was smart enough to be able to make changes during a game. …” Greenway also praised Tomlin for listening to others. 

Greenway was the Vikings’ No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, the 17^th player selected.  Even without Greenway the draft class showed promise with five of the team’s six rookies having one or more starts (cornerback Cedric Griffin, offensive tackle Ryan Cook, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, defensive end Ray Edwards and safety Greg Blue).

Earlier this week the Gophers had about 1,800 tickets available for Sunday’s game against Ohio State (noon start).  This will be Minnesota’s only game against Ohio State in 2007.

Timberwolves guard Rashad McCants asked about his limited minutes and progress now that he’s playing again following his severe knee injury: “There’s not a lot that I can put on the table as far as a timeline but I know that I am getting better everyday, knocking some of this rust off in a game by game situation.  I feel more comfortable on the floor.  It’s just a matter of time now.” 

McCants plans to “kick back and relax and get my body back” over the upcoming NBA All-Star game break.  He “probably” will go to Las Vegas to support teammates Kevin Garnett and Randy Foye who will be participating in all-star activities. 

Honors earned by Vikings players during the past season included Associated Press All-Pro First Team defensive tackle Kevin Williams; Pro Bowl defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, center Matt Birk and guard Steve Hutchinson;  NFL Alumni Best At Their Position, Hutchinson;  NFL.com All-Interview Team, Birk and Hutchinson; Sports Illustrated Dr. Z’s All-Pro Team, Pat Williams; Sports Illustrated Peter King’s All-Pro Team, Kevin Williams and Hutchinson; USA Today Larry Weisman’s All-Joe Team, running back Chester Taylor, Pat Williams and cornerback Antoine Winfield.

The top 10  candidates for the 23rd Annual Mr. Hockey Award are: Jordy Christian (Moorhead), Mike Dorr (Roseville), Tyler Johnson (Cloquet), Nick Larson (Hill-Murray), John Lee (Moorhead), Aaron Marvin (Warroad), Taylor Matson (Academy of Holy Angels), Ryan McDonagh (Cretin-Derham Hall), Matt Reber (Edina) and Patrick White (Grand Rapids).  The Mr. Hockey Award is given to the outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state and is selected by a panel of NHL Scouts, Division I college coaches and selected media.  The award will be presented on Sunday, March 11 at a banquet in RiverCentre that will include other hockey award presentations. For ticket information, call (651) 735-2184.

With the NBA All-Star break coming up this weekend it’s expected that Detroit coach Flip Saunders will be back in town to visit his family.   He is also expected to be introduced at the Gopher-Ohio State basketball game on Sunday along with others associated with the Big Ten champion 1982 Minnesota team.  Saunders was an assistant coach on the team and the University is recognizing the 25^th anniversary of that group. 

While in town will Saunders meet with Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi about the Gopher basketball job?  Hard to say but I doubt the timing and circumstances are right for the meeting.  Remember, it’s difficult to keep such meetings secretive and Saunders is under contract with the Pistons.  (He has two years remaining after this season.)   

Saunders is under pressure to not appear like he’s on his way out as Detroit’s coach. A basketball source told me that in 2005 then Pistons coach Larry Brown made it known he might have interest in the presidency of the Cleveland Cavs.  That reportedly angered Pistons owner Bill Davidson and even though Detroit made it to the NBA finals it was long before decided that Brown would not be kept on as coach for the next season. 

Neither the Gophers nor Saunders have to negotiate the Minnesota job in February.  More likely talks will begin later.  No one knowledgeable I talk with disagrees that Saunders is the Gophers’ first choice and most think he could be interested in the job. 

In the meantime, other names the Gophers should consider are former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery and Washington State’s Tony Bennett. 

Montgomery was at Stanford for 18 seasons and is the school’s most successful coach ever.  His teams enjoyed top 10 rankings, won four Pacific 10 Conference championships and participated in the NCAA tournament 12 times.  His winning percentage of .702 is based on 393 wins, 167 losses. 

Bennett (not to be confused with the 80-year-old music icon) is in his first season with Washington State, a school that is more often a burial ground for ambitious coaches rather than a launching pad. Bennett, 37, has the Cougars ranked 10^th in the Associated Press national poll with a 21-4 record. 

He has ties to the Midwest having played at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and grown up under his dad, coaching legend Dick Bennett who revived a long dead basketball program at UW-Madison before finishing his career at Washington State.  Known for his integrity and character, the 37-year-old Bennett once was an assistant coach at Wisconsin where he recruited Devin Harris (now starring with the NBA’S Dallas Mavericks) and Alando Tucker, one of the nation’s top players at Wisconsin this season.