Author: David Shama

A year ago running backs Lamonte Edwards, Donnell Kirkwood and Devron Wright were among the most anticipated recruits in the Gophers’ class of 2010.  Last season Edwards redshirted, Krikwood played in four games gaining 127 yards, and Wright was a nonqualifier, not eligible even this spring to practice.  Gophers’ offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover told Sports Headliners that Edwards and Kirkwood have a “tremendous amount of potential,” and he expects Wright to be eligible this fall.

“Everybody says he (Wright) could very well be the best of all of them,” Limegrover said.

The annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game will be played for the first time at TCF Bank Stadium. The June 25 7 p.m. game will use a North-South format for the first time since 1980 when teams were organized into Metro and Outstate squads.  The North and South rosters will include players from the metro and outstate areas.

The North head coach will be Brainerd’s Ron Stolski, while Minnetonka’s Dave Nelson will coach the South.  Each coaching staff will include a former high school head coach and member of the association’s Hall of Fame, Dave Nigon (Totino-Grace) for the North and Mal Scanlan (Cretin-Derham Hall) for the South.

Gophers’ fundraiser Bob McNamara said $4 million has been raised for the new baseball stadium, but another $3 million is needed.

New Ulm native and former major leaguer Terry Steinbach is coaching baseball at Wayzata High School.

Pat Williams, at about 320 pounds, clogged up the line of scrimmage six seasons for the Vikings, but at 38 he isn’t mobile enough to be an attacking nose guard if that’s what the team’s coaches want.

Ross Bernstein, local author of nearly 50 books including works on Herb Brooks and Brett Favre, will be the speaker at the C.O.R.E.S. luncheon in Bloomington on Thursday, May 12.  C.O.R.E.S. members can make reservations by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.  C.O.R.E.S. is an acronym for coaches, officials, educators, reporters and sports fans.

Zach Parise, who has only played in three games for New Jersey this season because of injury, would boost box office interest and on ice production for the slumping Wild franchise.  The Minneapolis-born Parise, 26, scored 82 and 94 points in his previous two seasons with the Devils.  He has yet to settle on a contract extension with New Jersey and will become a restricted free agent soon.

Minnesota’s Tobias Wernet is the Big Ten Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week after helping the No. 24 ranked Gophers to wins against No. 22 Michigan and No. 53 Michigan State last weekend.

Connecticut 67, Butler 65.

That’s former Gophers’ coach Jim Dutcher’s prediction on tonight’s NCAA title game between the Huskies and Bulldogs.  Dutcher, who coached the Gophers to a Big Ten championship and in the NCAA tournament, is a passionate observer of college basketball and saw UConn play in person earlier in the tournament when the Huskies beat San Diego State in Anaheim.

Butler and Connecticut are physical defensive and rebounding teams.  The Bulldogs on Saturday had an eye-opening 48-32 edge in rebounds, including 16 offensive rebounds, while defeating VCU in their semifinal game.

“The key in the game (tonight) is who wins the rebounding battle, wins the game,” Dutcher said.

Connecticut junior guard Kemba Walker and swingman Jeremy Lamb, a freshman, are two players Dutcher thinks could make a big difference in the game.  Walker is the best player in the tournament and Lamb is a talented scorer.  “I am not sure Butler matches that,” Dutcher said.

The Bulldogs, who lost in the title game a year ago by two points, are the more experienced team including junior guard Shelvin Mack and senior forward Matt Howard, both important players this season and last.  Four of the Huskies’ top six players are freshmen.

In the what-might-have-been department, Butler’s best player last year was sophomore swingman Gordon Hayward who left for the NBA.  His presence tonight, Dutcher said, likely would give Butler the title.

Dutcher thinks UConn wins tonight but said “I wouldn’t mortgage the house on it.”

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is the fourth best player in baseball, according to Joe Posnanski from SI.com.  On his 32 player list he ranks Albert Pujols, Roy Halladay and Adrian Gonzalez ahead of Mauer.

The Twins’ outfield was scrutinized for its defensive performance by Sports Illustrated in the magazine’s baseball preview issue last week.  The publication reported that the Twins allowed the second highest total in the American League last season for doubles and triples.  Left fielder Delmon Young, center fielder Denard Span and right fielder Michael Cuddyer need to prove collectively they’re better than mediocre.

Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire said on Saturday that Francisco Liriano threw the ball the “best” he’s seen him during the left-hander’s final outing in spring training.  But Liriano became too excited in his regular season debut on Saturday against Toronto, started “overthrowing” and lost control of his pitches during a four hit, four run loss in just 4.1 innings.

Speculation about a funding model for a new Vikings’ stadium has the franchise perhaps contributing about one-third of the cost.  Local authority Tony Spadaforda has been studying stadiums, including financing issues, since 1996.  He wants to see a larger financial participation from the Vikings, and also is concerned the team could relocate if a stadium deal doesn’t materialize.

The annual Miller Lite Vikings Draft Party at Winter Park will be Thursday, April 28 during the first round of the NFL Draft.  General admission tickets went on sale Friday. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.vikings.com.

Timberwolves’ assistant coach Reggie Theus seems like a fit for the coaching vacancy at UNLV.  Theus played for the Rebels and had success as head coach at New Mexico State.

Colorado State might be the school that former Gopher Colton Iverson transfers to.

Rumors of Gophers’ coach Tubby Smith being offered the Missouri job prompted an unsupportive story by Mike DeArmond on the Kansas City Star’s blog.