Author: David Shama

The Vikings chose 10 players in the NFL draft, the most since they selected 10 in 2000. The large number is important for an organization trying to create more competition for jobs, and with numerous personnel needs even at starting positions.

Among the most intriguing selections is Iowa defensive lineman Christian Ballard, drafted on the fourth round.  Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman said his organization considered Ballard a second round value.

The Big Ten Conference led the nation in men’s basketball attendance for the 35th consecutive season, averaging 12,826 fans per home game, according to NCAA figures. Seven Big Ten schools ranked in the top 25 in average attendance, while no other league had more than four.  Wisconsin was seventh nationally with an average of 17,230 fans per game.  Illinois was No. 10 (15,851), followed by No. 12 Indiana (15,259), No. 13 Ohio State (15,125) and No. 15 Michigan State (14,797).  Also among the top 25 were No. 17 Purdue (13,916) and No. 24 Minnesota (13,241).

Lynx players Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen and Candice Wiggins were named last week to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp roster, the most participants of any WNBA team.  The five players are expected to comprise nearly half of the Lynx’s 11 women season opening roster later this spring.  The USA training camp will be May 10-12 in Las Vegas.

Because of declining student enrollment, the Minneapolis North basketball team will participate next season in Class A, the smallest of Minnesota State High School League groupings for teams.  Class A includes charter schools and other schools such as the Academy for Sciences & Agriculture, Calvin Christian High School and Maranatha Christian Academy.

Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn, expected to start Wednesday in Chicago against the White Sox, is 1-4 with a 5.14 ERA.  In his last outing he gave up eight hits and five earned runs during 3.1 innings at home against Tampa Bay.

The Twins have to play seven of their next 11 games against East Division teams Boston and Toronto.  After Tampa Bay swept the Twins at home last week, Minnesota was 5-12 so far this season against teams from the East Division.

The NHL Coaches Association will hold its annual Coaching Clinic on June 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis.  Coaches from all hockey levels are welcome at the clinic where NHL coaches will lead group presentations and break-out sessions.  Registration for the clinic is available at www.wild.com/nhlca.

Who will start for the Vikings at quarterback in their season opening game in San Diego on September 11?

It won’t be Tarvaris Jackson and probably not Joe Webb.  Certainly not Rhett Bomar, the other quarterback on the team’s roster going into last night’s NFL draft.

Unless the franchise adds a journeyman quarterback, the starter in San Diego could be Christian Ponder.  In a quarterback heavy draft among the early selections, the Vikings used their No. 12 pick in the first round to select the 6-3, 227-pound Texas native and former Florida State player.

Rick Spielman, the Vikings’ personnel boss, told KFAN Radio the pick was not a “reach.”  He and coach Leslie Frazier may have hoped that any of the three quarterbacks who went before Ponder in the draft might have been available to them but they weren’t about to complain about their newest QB.

“He has some tremendous attributes at the quarterback position,” Frazier said on the radio.  “First of all he’s extremely intelligent.  He has a great arm.  He has a great feel for the passing game.  He’s one of those kids that other players kind of rally behind, and at that position, that is critical.”

For Ponder to be ready by September 11 seems like a lot to expect.  In the judgment of draft experts, none of the quarterbacks chosen last night, Ponder included, is ready to start in the NFL but the Vikings may have no choice if they can’t find a veteran to play in front of their young quarterbacks, Webb, 24, and Ponder, 23.

Certainly Jackson seems to be on his way out of town after the NFL settles its labor dispute with the players.  He’s had numerous opportunities to establish himself as the No. 1 quarterback here.  Bomar has been regarded as a deep reserve, an insurance policy added to the roster late last season.

Webb might not read defenses and make enough correct plays to stay ahead of Ponder.  He was a sixth round draft choice last year and he started two games for the quarterback desperate Vikings last season.  In college and so far in the NFL he’s had a mixed identity as a quarterback and wide receiver.  It wouldn’t be surprising if one day he’s back at wide receiver.

With perhaps the NFL’s best running back in Adrian Peterson, it seems certain that whether the quarterback is Ponder, Webb or a journeyman to be named, the job description will be “manager.”  Whoever the QB is, he will be asked to make good decisions, provide leadership and occasionally produce a timely pass.

The jersey of the Vikings’ starting quarterback on September 11 won’t say Savior, but the word Christian could be spelled out.

Dave Mona and Sid Hartman first teamed up for WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle show 30 years ago this coming Sunday. The program is the granddaddy of local radio sports talk shows and dates back to before May 3, 1981 when Hartman was interviewed on Sunday mornings by Chuck Lilligren.

Mona recalled with humor this week how his involvement started.  Back then he had a startup public relations business and had attended a seminar that explained the likelihood of small business failures.  He decided to prepare a Plan B to backup Plan A.

Mona, who had been a sports reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune, made an audition tape for WCCO in the spring of 1981, trying to raise his profile with the CBS station.  About two weeks later the station’s program director called and according to Mona said, “We might have something for you.”

Lilligren didn’t want to do the show anymore and so on about three days notice Mona was hired as a freelance host for the now famous program.  “I remember going down on that first Sunday and at 9:50 a.m. finding the door locked to the station,” Mona said.

Only 15 minutes from show time, Mona went next door to the Minneapolis Athletic Club and called the station.  He recalled that a voice answered the phone and said, “Who are you?”

Mona got inside the WCCO building, though, and then guessed about the studio he should report to.  He chose a place where he had made the audition tape.  “He (Hartman) doesn’t do the show from there,” someone said.

Mona moved to the show studio and encountered Hartman.  “Do you know how to turn the microphones on?” Hartman asked.

Sometimes short on optimism, Hartman had another message for Mona before they went on air.  “No offense to you, but I am going to ask them to cancel the show,” Hartman said.

Mona, though, proved to be an invaluable companion on the show that draws a regional audience and for years has been among the most popular programs on Minnesota radio.  He knows the local sports scene chapter and verse, and his interpersonal skills fit well with the station’s Good Neighbor approach.

Hartman and Mona long ago established a friendship and effective working relationship.  “He has come to appreciate I am not out to upstage him, or make him look bad,” Mona said.

Sometimes Mona is an artful arbitrator between Hartman and callers.  Hartman can be impatient with listeners like the time he heard enough complaining about Twins manager Ron Gardenhire from a Chisago City caller.  “How the hell do you know what Gardy is doing? You’re from Chicago,” Hartman said.

Other times Mona is an interpreter like the day Hartman pronounced there was no proof Barry Bonds used “stereos.”

The Bonds and Gardenhire tales are quoted from Mona’s 2008 book Beyond the Sports Huddle. It’s a must-read for fans of the show and an interesting chronicle of Mona’s youth and early journalism career.

In addition to the hosts’ sports knowledge and intriguing personalities, the show’s success has much to do with Hartman’s relationship with big names in sports.  “We get people on the air that nobody else can get on,” Mona said.  “Sid’s Rolodex is legendary.”

While Mona developed a very successful career in public relations, Hartman has covered sports for decades with the Star Tribune and on various WCCO Radio shows.  But certainly their profiles have been enhanced by the Sports Huddle and the relationship that came together so suddenly and unexpectedly 30 years ago.

“I’ve been a WCCO freelancer now for 29 years and 51 weeks,” Mona said.

Make it 30 on Sunday.