Author: David Shama

Gophers football historians have been pondering the Big Ten Network’s omission of Paul Giel from the list of the top 50 icons in conference history.  This is an amazing error considering Giel’s credentials.

Giel was a two-time All-American running back for the Gophers in 1952 and 1953.  He was also the first ever two-time Big Ten Most Valuable Player.  In 1953 he was UPI’s College Player of the Year and AP’s back of the year.  He was also runner-up to Johnny Lattner of Notre Dame in the 1953 Heisman Trophy balloting.  Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice named Giel to his first team all-time college team, according to Gophers sports authority Dave Mona.

But the Giel legend doesn’t stop there.  He was an All-American pitcher for the Gophers and signed a large bonus contract with baseball’s New York Giants after leaving Minnesota.  In 1971 he returned to his alma mater as athletic director.

Do those 50 Big Ten icons that the Big Ten Network has been devoting 30 minute specials to all have better resumes than Giel?  Are you serious?

And here’s one more item about the Big Ten: the Gophers annual conference basketball schedule.  Every season starting with 2007-08 the Gophers have played Michigan State, the league’s premier program, during the first five games. Twice the Gophers have opened the conference schedule against the Spartans and this season played Michigan State in the second game.  Three of the last four years the first game between the two programs was in East Lansing.

This season the Gophers are playing arguably the Big Ten’s most difficult early season schedule.  In the first five games Minnesota plays four nationally ranked teams, travelling to Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State, with a home game against Purdue.

Last year the Gophers were scheduled against Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan State in their first five games, the three best teams in the league.  Of course, two of the three were on the road.

Tubby Smith’s Gophers, 1-2 in the Big Ten and 11-3 overall, have played teams with national reputations and defeated North Carolina and West Virginia, but lost to Virginia, Wisconsin and Michigan State.  Sunday in Columbus Minnesota probably faces its biggest “load” so far against No. 2 ranked Ohio State.

The Buckeyes are 15-0 and off to their best start in 20 years.  A group of veterans, plus sensational freshman center-forward Jared Sullinger, have Ohio State close to a No.1 national ranking.  Sullinger has already been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week seven times.

The Gophers are ranked No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll but haven’t impressed since winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in November with victories over Western Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia.  The Gophers rallied in the second half to defeat Indiana at home on Tuesday night, winning 67-63.  Minnesota entered that game winning by an average of 6.4 points per game, second smallest margin in the conference.

Gophers senior point guard Al Nolen said the team’s win over Indiana will help against Ohio State.  “I think getting a win like this after coming off two tough road  losses to two good teams (will) really help our confidence,” he said.  “And I think going in there as an underdog will really help us out.  Kinda take a little bit of pressure off from us and be able to go out there and try to upset them.  I am just ready to go and play a good Ohio State team.”

The Gophers haven’t sold out a game yet this season including Tuesday night’s Big Ten home opener when announced attendance was 12,727.  Minnesota is averaging 12,011 in 14,625 seat Williams Arena.  More surprising is that despite their success, the Buckeyes have no sellouts, either, and are averaging 12,827.

Encouraging reminder about the youthful 9-27 Timberwolves: starting forwards Michael Beasley and Kevin Love, and starting guard Wes Johnson would all be college seniors if they had decided not to leave their schools early for the NBA.  Reserve point guard Jonny Flynn could be a senior at Syracuse.

The Wolves could claim progress next week if they beat the Spurs, the team with the best record in the NBA at 29-6.  The two teams play Sunday night in San Antonio and Tuesday evening at Target Center.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien provided his early season rankings of the best prep boys teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A.  His top five in big school 4A are Hopkins, Osseo, Lakeville South, Eastview and Eden Prairie.  St. Paul Johnson is No. 1 in 3A followed by DeLaSalle, Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Columbia Heights and Minneapolis Washburn.

The top five in 2A are Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Caledonia, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Perham and Montevideo.  Minnesota Transitions is No. 1 in 1A followed by Sebeka, MACCRAY, Maranatha Christian and Ellsworth.

Local basketball fan John Bell Wilson reports that over 400 youth players participated in a Timberwolves-Lynx holiday clinic last week at Target Center that included instructors Jonny Flynn, Wes Johnson, Lindsay Whalen and Jim Petersen.

Twins hall of famers Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew congratulated Bert Blyleven on his long awaited election to the Hall of Fame.  News of the election came Wednesday.

“This is a great day for baseball in general and Twins fans in particular,” Carew said. “Bert’s election to the Hall of Fame is well deserved and long overdue.  Bert was as fierce a competitor as I ever faced on the mound.  I look forward to being in Cooperstown in July and welcoming Bert Blyleven to the most exclusive club in the world.”

“I am thrilled that Bert will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” Killebrew said.  “I could not be happier if it was my own son. I played in the first game Bert pitched for the Minnesota Twins in 1970.  He’s been a credit to the Twins organization and all of baseball. I wish it wouldn’t have taken so long but now that he is in, it’s wonderful.”

The Hockey News dated January 17, 2011 ranks Wild owner Craig Leipold No. 42 in its listing of “100 People of Power & Influence.”  The article said Leipold has “the ear” of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and will play a “key role” in collective bargaining agreement talks.

Highly publicized Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones will wait at least another three weeks to resume playing.  His mother, Debbie Jones, told Sports Headliners that earlier this week her son was informed by a doctor that his lacerated kidney needs additional time to heal.

The Apple Valley ninth grader, among the most talked about prep athletes in the state after a breakout varsity season in 2009-2010, was injured in the Eagles first game of the season on December 7.  He was hopeful about receiving clearance to play this week.  A busy team schedule includes a game Friday night against Lakeville South and the Eagles play Iowa’s Linn-Mar Lions in the last game of the Timberwolves Shootout on Saturday night at Target Center.

Jones can work on conditioning and shooting during the next few weeks but will avoid contact, according to his mother who said she and her son will look at his abbreviated season as a life lesson.  “Definitely ups and downs, unfortunately,” she said.  “He was so looking forward to having a great season and now it’s just shortened a little bit. …”

Jones, 14, has received national attention after impressing with his scoring, playmaking and court intelligence not only last season with the Eagles, but in AAU summer basketball.  He’s already received a scholarship offer from the University of Iowa.

His mother said her son likes all the Big Ten teams including Minnesota and Michigan State.  “I don’t know if one sticks out over the other,” she said.

She also said Tyus knows college prospect Marcus Paige, a highly rated junior guard from Linn-Mar High School (Marion, Iowa). “They played against each other in the summer,” she said.  “He was really looking forward to matching up and playing, but it’s just one of those setbacks that you gotta work hard now and come back from.”

At 14 and in ninth grade there would seem to be another Timberwolves Shootout in his future.