Author: David Shama

Four Anoka County Commissioner seats will be determined in next week’s elections.  A majority of commissioners in the past have been supportive of a sales tax increase to help fund a new Minnesota Vikings stadium in Blaine.  Scott LeDoux, the former pro boxer and a commissioner not up for re-election, predicts that after the election the stadium will still have support of the board. 

“I am more concerned about downtown,” he said.  “All the money is downtown.” 

LeDoux is concerned about reports that Viking owner Zygi Wilf will make a deal to play in a new stadium downtown (tear down the Metrodome, build on or near the site).  Money talks, whether it’s in business or politics, and many leaders, he said, prefer to keep the team in Minneapolis including for their own self interests.   

Such a decision would be consistent with what LeDoux said has been the trend of metro area economic development including infrastructure.  “I really believe the northern suburbs have been abused and neglected for the last 50 years,” he said. 

Wilf has increasingly shown interest in a downtown stadium and land development there.  “He’s leveraging Anoka versus Minneapolis,” LeDoux said.  “It’s all part of business.  That’s what business people do.” 

LeDoux remains optimistic the Blaine site will win out and he said Anoka County is negotiating weekly with the Vikings to reach an agreement on a stadium project deal.  He said whether an agreement with Minneapolis can offer Wilf enough land to satisfy him will have to be determined.   

Wilf’s Blaine proposal to build retail space, restaurants, office space, a water park and other development along with the stadium to spur economic activity excites LeDoux and a lot of other people in Anoka County.  He said the “billion dollar” project would produce $20 million in property taxes per year for the county.   

Regarding the downtown stadium, the question no one seems to have a definitive answer for is how to finance it.  With Hennepin County already financing the new Twins stadium using a sales tax increase, some other metro or state financing will be needed if the stadium is built in Minneapolis.   

Ultimately, leadership from the governor’s office will be important.  On a televised debate on KSTP earlier in the week Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty said, “The Vikings don’t even know where they are going to play yet.  Zygi Wilf, the owner, is looking at all of his options. We don’t even know what the proposal is.  I support a referendum.  I wish they would have had it on the Twins bill. I didn’t want to lose the Twins so I signed the Twins bill.  As Mr. (Mike) Hatch has said he would have done as well.” 

Independent party candidate Peter Hutchinson said during the debate he doesn’t “support public subsidies for businesses in general.”  The DFL’s Mike Hatch told the Elk River Star News earlier in the campaign he would need a “whole lot” of convincing to support state involvement for a Vikings stadium.

Look no further than Indiana, Minnesota’s homecoming opponent Saturday, to see the latest examples of time-honored winning elements in college football.   Start with the Indiana quarterback, and then look at the head coach and the emotional state of the team. 

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis, not even a starter earlier in the season, has won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors two of the last three weeks while leading his team to two victories.  He passed for five touchdowns and ran for one last week against Michigan State.  In the Iowa game he threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Hoosiers beat a top 15 team for the first time in nearly 20 years.  Among his skills is the ability to escape defenders and turn a losing play into a winner. 

A team with a quarterback who is a big play maker can create confidence in his teammates.  Offensive and defensive players know their chances of winning are enhanced by a productive quarterback.  Their efforts are less likely to be wasted if the quarterback is a playmaker like Lewis. 

College football is a game of emotion and the Hoosiers have plenty of incentive.  Indiana second year coach Terry Hoeppner has had brain surgery twice  (tumor, then scar tissue removed) in less than 12 months including in September.  The Hoosiers have enthusiasm to perform for their coach.   

Then, too, with five wins, Indiana needs just one more victory to be bowl eligible for the first time since 1993.   The Hoosiers are 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten Conference.   

Star receiver James Hardy, a sophomore, talked about Indiana’s emotions at a news conference earlier this week.  “Everyone has the same goal,” he said. “We’re trying to get to a bowl game, especially with our head coach and leader going through what he’s been through. … We just want to go out there and work hard for him, and for ourselves and our families. We want to go to a bowl game, and we’re not satisfied until we get there. I want to send these guys (the seniors) off the right way. I know it’ll be something they can show their kids.”

Mark Parrish has a pleasant problem.  As a native son returning this season to play for the Minnesota Wild, the 29-year-old Parrish has lots of family and friends in the metro area.  Too many demands on his time could obviously be a distraction from the goal of helping the Wild go deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.   

“It is kind of a catch 22 having all your friends and family here because it is just that many more possibilities for a distraction,” he said.  “My friends and family have been great so far.  They haven’t bothered me at all. …They have been really good realizing I have a job to do. This is my career. …They have been supportive and staying out of my hair and it’s been fantastic.” 

What if eventually there are too many requests for Parrish’s time?  He and wife Nicholle, his parents and in-laws have talked about that a lot. “They are going to be the bad guys for me, more or less, if it does come up,” Parrish said.  “If it does come up it’s just something you have to be up front and honest and say, ‘hey, look, sorry I can’t do that’. …Just ask them to stop, I guess.” 

With a pleasant personality and a Minnesota hockey legacy that includes playing on two state championship teams at Bloomington Jefferson, Parrish is often sought by the media or for promotional appearances such as signing autographs at grocery stores.  Still, Parrish is relishing and enjoying the first opportunity in his NHL career (he’s played with three other teams) to live during the season in his real home, not an adopted residence.   

Being in a home environment can lessen distractions, Parrish said, and that comfort level can affect a player’s confidence and on-ice performance.  “I feel every player should get a chance to play in their home town at least once because it is pretty amazing,” said Parrish who lives in Plymouth.