Author: David Shama

John L. Smith wore a happy face earlier this week at his news conference but looked tired and stressed.  Who could blame Smith if he were depressed after being told last week by school officials he will not be the Michigan State football coach after this season? 

Smith began the news conference by talking individually about his 16 seniors who play their last game in Spartan Stadium on Saturday against Minnesota.  He smiled when he talked about one player who might be a “doctor some day” and help people in other countries.  He spoke of star quarterback Drew Stanton, already in graduate school, and described him as “someone anyone would be proud to have as a son.” 

What Smith didn’t want was to talk about himself.  “I feel great,” he said.  “Every day is a great day.  Today is the best day of my life and tomorrow is going to be even better.  You better keep smiling and we better keep moving on.” 

How the Spartans, with their 16 seniors, will play Saturday against the Gophers is one of the most intriguing questions of the Big Ten football season.  Michigan State is a team that looked like a national title contender early in the season.  The Spartans knocked Notre Dame all over the field before blowing the game in the fourth quarter.  The Spartans have never recovered, winning one Big Ten game and losing five including 46-21 to Indiana, a team the Gophers destroyed last Saturday, 63-26. 

Smith talks about “love” and “trust” and “grunting around” with his seniors.  He has been trying to help his players understand and get through the trauma of his firing.   Will love, trust and all the other emotions translate into an inspired performance by Michigan State?  Or will the Spartans continue to “sleep walk” through the season?  

And a good question, too, is what Gopher team will show up?  The one that scored the most Minnesota points in a Big Ten game since 1916?  Or the team that totaled 22 points in a three game stretch against Wisconsin, North Dakota State and Ohio State?   

Minnesota-Michigan State is a match up worthy of speculation by amateur and professional head doctors.

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.