Author: David Shama

Timberwolves center Mark Blount became friends with 89- year-old Celtics legend Red Auerbach when he played in Boston.  Blount said he “loves Red” and is impressed with his memory.  “His mind is still sharp,” Blount said.  “He will remember every play.  He’ll remember what I did right; what I did wrong. He is still on top of his game.” 

Former Twins batting champion Tony Oliva on whether the team needs to add another power hitter for next season:  “We got plenty of hitting.” 

The Wild’s extension of Jacques Lemaire’s contract wasn’t surprising.  Although he is 61, Lemaire likes coaching and the Wild organization has let others concentrate on being the franchise’s public face to the public and media.   

Steve Hutchinson, who left the Seahawks as a free agent to sign with the Vikings this year, will be booed when he returns to Seattle for Sunday’s game but how often can you boo someone playing a low profile position like offensive tackle? 

Gopher football coach Glen Mason indicated on WCCO Radio Sunday that strong safety Dominic Jones likely will move to cornerback to replace Trumiane Banks who broke his arm against Wisconsin on Saturday.  Duran Cooley, a junior college transfer, will take Jones’ spot at strong safety. 

Don’t write Daunte Culpepper’s NFL “obituary” yet.  That’s the advice of a former NFL team executive who spoke earlier in the week about Culpepper and his situation in Miami.   

The ex-Viking quarterback certainly hasn’t had a honeymoon start in Miami.  Coming off of major knee rehabilitation and a trade to the Dolphins, Culpepper has shown limited mobility.  He has been sacked 21 times and also suffered a shoulder injury.   

It’s not even clear now if the former Pro Bowl quarterback will be the Dolphins starter.  Culpepper didn’t play last Sunday, much to the delight of some Dolphins fans who have been booing the man-child quarterback.  Culpepper, 6-4, 265, has been unimpressive statistically, throwing two touchdown passes and three interceptions in limited playing time. 

He won’t play next Sunday because he started a rehab program for his right knee and his return date is unknown.  Joey Harrington, a major disappointment during four seasons in Detroit, replaces Culpepper for the Dolphins who have a 1-4 record.  

All of this doesn’t mean Culpepper, 29, is ready for the old folks home.  The former NFL executive argues it can take two years for a player to recover from a major injury and return to normal performance.  “It sounds like he’s not 100% in terms of his ability and he’s going into a new system,” the source said.  

Culpepper is not only learning a new offense and playing for a “demanding” coach in Nick Saban, but he’s also working with a “struggling” offensive line, the source said.  “The offensive line is a weak leak,” he added.  

An indication of the ineffective line is the performance of running back Ronnie Brown.  He’s averaging 3.3 yards per carry after averaging 4.4 last season. 

How strange is it that both Culpepper and Randy Moss, neither of whom is yet 30 years old and once were the faces of the Vikings franchise, are playing for other teams and currently stalled out in team and individual glory?  “It is interesting, but that’s the modern day NFL (with salary cap and player movement),” the source said.

It won’t take long for the talk show hosts or critical columnists to start speculating about Dwane Casey’s job security if the 2006-2007 Timberwolves play like the 33-49 bunch of last season.  That was Casey’s first team as an NBA head coach and the Wolves’ failings included losing second half leads, some late in the fourth quarter.  The Wolves also lost 18 and won 11 in games decided by six points or less. 

If this season’s version of the Wolves stumbles in wins, losses and blown leads the Casey critics will surface and at least some will suggest assistant coach Randy Wittman be promoted to head coach.  Wittman, who was on previous Minnesota coaching staffs from 1994-1999 and 2001-2005, is back with the Wolves after Casey shook up his staff during the off season.   

Wittman is popular with local media and fans, and was head coach of the Cleveland Cavs for two seasons.  Before accepting the invitation to return here he and Casey discussed the possibility Wittman’s name could be included in coaching change speculation. 

“Dwane and I talked about that when he called me and asked if I had any interest in coming back,” Wittman said. “For me and for my career the best thing that could happen is we win 50 plus games (and) you make the playoffs. That means that maybe me coming back here helped in a certain manner.  That’s all you can focus on.  

“I told him if he is the least bit uncomfortable with that I would walk right out the door and have no hard feelings and completely understand that.  But No. 1 you (Casey) have to be comfortable with that and he said he extremely was. That’s all I am here for.  I am not here for anything else but to help Dwane become a better coach.” 

Ask Wittman about his role with the Wolves and he talks about the close losses the Wolves experienced last season.  “I want to help Dwane as much as I can in close situations (so) that he doesn’t feel the weight of the world is on him,” he answered. “That there is somebody that can give him a different perspective other than the one maybe he is thinking about. As a head coach that’s kind of what you are looking for. You have an idea of how you want to attack but you want to hear other people say, ‘What about this coach’? You might not ever think of that. That’s kind of what I hope to bring to him.”