Author: David Shama

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.

Fred Hoiberg, recently named a Timberwolves assistant general manager, said the team receives inquiries about trading Kevin Garnett.  “He’s talked about a lot,” Hoiberg said. “People call and say, ‘is he available?’ And we say, ‘no,’ and we move on.” 

Rumors of a Garnett trade have increased this year as the team struggled on the court.  At 30 and with a mega contract, speculation the Wolves will trade their super star is understandable.  In theory such a trade might not immediately return the Wolves to the playoffs after a two year absence but would help to build a title contender with young players and draft choices. 

“He’s not going anywhere,” Hoiberg said.  “Hopefully, he will retire as a Timberwolf.  You just can’t get equal value back for a player like him.” 

It’s no secret Garnett was frustrated with the team’s disappointing 33-49 record last season.  Someone said he looked like a player “carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.”   

Now as the Wolves ready themselves for their season opening game Wednesday night at Target Center, Garnett is rejuvenated.  Hoiberg said Garnett “had a great summer” and he talked about how the Wolves’ leader brought teammates together in August to practice for three hours a day.  Then he would host the players for dinner at his house.  Garnett was working at building team unity. 

“He’s in great spirits,” Hoiberg said.  “Right now he has a smile on his face again.  He looks like he is having fun playing basketball again. …I really see a good year out of him.” 

A Wolves player for two seasons, Hoiberg, 34, announced his retirement earlier this year.  He has had heart problems and he will use a pacemaker for the rest of his life.  “I have a 100% heart block so every time my heart beats it’s because of my pacemaker,” he said.  He can live a normal life except he can’t lift weights (concern with his aorta.)

Mark Parrish, an eight year NHL veteran in his first season with the Minnesota Wild, compares his new team with the two past Stanley Cup champions, Tampa Bay and Carolina.  Parrish admired the team unity, skating and work ethic of the Lightning and Hurricane.  “I see so many similarities between those teams and this team,” Parrish said.  “It makes me real excited to imagine what this team can do.” 

No NHL team started better than the Wild, 8-1 after the first nine games.  The team made good on the opportunity to play its first five games at home, winning all five, then winning two of three games on its first road trip and returning home to win again on Wednesday night.  Still, Parrish knows with so much winning comes a challenge, too. 

“One of the biggest things, especially when things are going well early on when we seem to be getting all the (right) bounces, is (that) almost a complacency starts to set in,” Parrish said on Tuesday. “A confidence that we don’t have to go out there and play the same hard working game that we have been playing the last eight games.  It’s important to remember how we won those games.  Yea, we have some more skill than they have had (here) in the past, but it’s still (necessary to have) that determined defensive minded Wild hockey.  We have to keep that mindset through 82 games.” 

Parrish said coach Jacques Lemaire works at keeping the team focused.  Parrish, 29, also said as one of the “older guys” on the team he has a responsibility to keep teammates “on board” (focused).