Author: David Shama

Winning isn’t the only thing on Smith’s mind these days.  He wants a new practice facility adjacent to Williams Arena and won’t hesitate to ask for donors, starting with a lead donor.

“People are looking to give back and support the University,” Smith said.  “You go around this country, around this state, (and) people they love the U.  So the best way to show your love is to share.  I guess to share your wealth and people are doing that.”

Smith said Northwestern and Minnesota are the only Big Ten schools without practice facilities separate from their arena playing floors.  Practice facilities have become a recruiting tool in the college basketball arms race.  A new practice facility at Minnesota with amenities to impress recruits would provide a stunning contrast to drab Williams Arena, a facility that dates back to 1928 and one that recruits often see empty on non-game days.

Minnesota hasn’t made public what the cost of a new practice facility will be but last year Michigan approved such a facility for $23 million.   No formal plan has been announced by the Gophers regarding a facility.

On Friday night fans can have a first look at the Gophers.  Admission is free for “Tubby’s Tip Off” in Williams Arena with doors opening at 8:30 p.m. Team autographs are available from 9 to 9:30 p.m.  Other activities will include three point and dunk contests, and a scrimmage beginning at 11 p.m.

Gophers coach Tim Brewster said on WCCO Radio Sunday morning the goal for his 1-5 team is now to become bowl eligible.  That probably necessitates winning five of the remaining six games, although there’s been talk that because there are so many bowls and teams needed for them, a 5-7 record could qualify.  The Gophers’ remaining schedule includes No. 1 ranked Ohio State, and two top 15 teams, Michigan State and Iowa.  Brewster’s goal prompted a telephone caller during the radio show to question the coach’s thinking.

Ohio State moved up to No. 1 in the polls this week but the opinion here is the Buckeyes aren’t deserving.  Ohio State has an exceptional defense and quarterback in Terrelle Pryor, but otherwise the Buckeyes aren’t very special on offense.  Nebraska and Alabama are better teams, and maybe Oregon, Boise State and TCU, too.

Boise State and TCU have convinced a lot of observers that although they don’t come from BCS conferences, they have elite teams.  Last Saturday Boise State defeated Toledo, 57-14.  Earlier in the season the Rockets beat Purdue 31-20.  Also in late September Boise State defeated Oregon State, a team that beat highly ranked and previously undefeated Arizona last Saturday.  TCU has also defeated Pac 10 contender Oregon State and has a 35 point win over Baylor, another good BCS team.

A smart move would be for the Big 12 (going down to 10 teams next year) to pursue Boise State and TCU for membership. That would put both teams in a prestigious BCS conference and make it easier to get things settled on the field, instead of in arguments.

A guess is that the reason Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema directed his team to try a two point conversion when the Badgers led the Gophers 41-16 is that he wanted to score 50 points on Minnesota.  The conversion attempt failed and the final score last Saturday was 41-23.

Former Minnesota senate leader Dean Johnson told Sports Headliners that a winning Vikings team makes it easier for legislators to support a stadium but even a Super Bowl victory won’t guarantee a new facility.

The Vikings have tickets remaining for the December 5 and 12 home games against Buffalo and New York, according to an email from team marketing executive Steve LaCroix.  For other home games there are a “limited number” of ticket-pregame hospitality packages available, according to LaCroix.

The addition of wide receiver Randy Moss and anticipated return during the season of wide receiver Sidney Rice could make the Vikings receiving corps the NFL’s best. Opinion has been the Packers might have the best group.

Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, a veteran of nine previous NFL seasons, won’t predict that Moss, Rice and other Minnesota receivers will make the Vikings unit No. 1 but he addressed the possibility with Sports Headliners.  “There’s going to be some arguments to be made,” he said.  “Obviously we pride ourselves on the guys that we have in our locker room.  I don’t know (about the comparison with the Packers).  You still have to go out and put it on the field on Sundays.  When it gets to that point you can make the argument.”

Moss said he was more upset about being traded by the Vikings in 2004 than being traded last week by New England.  Leaving the Vikings, the team that had drafted him in 1998, “depressed” Moss.

Moss is known to have his moods including a sense of humor.  He referenced the Vikings infamous 2005 “Love Boat” scandal that took place after he was traded and left town.  “Yeah, I did have a few mix-ups here, but who didn’t?” Moss asked.  “What if I had been on that boat? There would have really been some problems, wouldn’t there?”

Former Twins relief pitcher Craig Breslow, now with the A’s, is No. 1 on the Sporting News Magazine’s list of 20 “smartest athletes.”  The September 27 issue reports that the former Yale student had a 3.5 GPA and was a biophysics and biochemistry major.  Former Vikings center Matt Birk, now with the Ravens, was an economics major at Harvard and ranked No. 6 on the brainiest list.

Because the Twins won seven more games this season than last and didn’t need an extra game to qualify for the playoffs it’s presumed that the 2010 team is better than the 2009.  But was it?

In 2009 Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel and Denard Span all had better seasons than in 2010.  Closer Joe Nathan, who was an All-Star in 2009, missed the entire 2010 season after Tommy John surgery.

Twins president Dave St. Peter said that, consistent with prior policy, the franchise won’t make public it’s player payroll budget for 2011.

He also said enhancements for Target Field may be announced in November.  Expansion of seating capacity will not be included.

As of Monday, tickets were still available for tomorrow night’s Wild home opener at Xcel Energy Center.  The Wild, celebrating its 10^th year of existence, will pay tribute to the franchise’s first team with a video and recognize former players from that club before the game starts against Edmonton.  Top 10 moments in franchise history will also be part of the celebration.

Former Gophers assistant coach for men’s tennis P.J. Priest will be the new boys’ coach at Prior Lake High next spring.

Sid Hartman is receiving a lot of recognition this year because of his 90^th birthday and many years in local sports journalism, but what many people don’t know is that he made his success without a college education.

Because of flooding by the Cannon River last month, Carleton athletics have been in an upheaval.  The football team, for example, played its homecoming game against Augsburg at Northfield High School.  This Saturday Carleton’s “home” game against St. Olaf will be moved to the Oles’ stadium.  https://apps.carleton.edu/athletics/flooding2010/

After last night’s second consecutive loss to the Yankees in the ALDS the Twins are 0-7 all-time in playoff games against New York in Minneapolis.  The two teams resume their five game series in New York tomorrow night with the Twins down 2-0 and past stats don’t offer much encouragement to Minnesota.

There have been 61 series when a big league team has fallen behind 0-2 in a five-game playoff series and only seven times has the team come back to win the series 3-2.

The Twins do not have a come-from-behind win in their last 22 postseason games.  They have lost their last 11 playoff games, with the last win on October 5, 2004 at the Yankees in the first game of the ALDS.

Twins right fielder Jason Kubel is now hitting .080 (2-for-25) with 12 strikeouts in seven career postseason games (all against the Yankees).

New York’s Mariano Rivera earned his 41^st career postseason save last night.  He has never allowed the Twins a run in the postseason and given up eight hits to them in 15.2 innings pitched.

Memories of Randy Moss and his first stop with the Vikings include his off field work for St. Joseph’s Home for Children in Minneapolis.  Even after leaving here for Oakland and New England, Moss said he continued to buy Vikings tickets for use by children served by St. Joseph’s.

Another memory is Lou Holtz’s famous quote that Moss was the “best high school football player” he ever saw.

The Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce Minnesota Wild Face-Off Luncheon starts at 10 a.m. today at Xcel Energy Center.  Fans can watch a live telecast of the Wild’s game against Carolina from Finland, plus tour the Wild locker room and Al Shaver press box.  Former Wild players will also be present.  For more information, visit www.saintpaulchamber.com or call 651-223-5000.

Prior to the Wild’s exhibition game against Ilves Tampere earlier this week the teams exchanged gifts. The Wild presented a signed State of Hockey flag to the Finnish squad and received a framed flag that displayed the Ilves crest.

Donated items from the second annual used hockey equipment drive will be distributed to hockey associations and individuals at Xcel Energy Center from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Carolina defenseman and Edina native Jamie McBain competed against the Wild for the first time yesterday when the two teams played in Helsinki.  Wild center Matt Cullen was a member of Carolina’s 2006 Stanley Cup championship team.

Recently signed Wild goalie Jose Theodore is one of only five goalies to ever win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. Theodore won the award in 2002 with Montreal.

The Gophers hockey team is picked to finish fifth in the WCHA by the coaches and sixth by the media.  The Gophers are ranked No. 14 in the USAToday/USA Hockey Magazine and the USCHO/CBS polls. The No. 15 position ends a 10-year streak of the Gophers being ranked in the top 10 to begin the season.

The Gophers open their regular season tonight and tomorrow night at home against Massachusetts.  Minnesota coach Don Lucia is healthy again after recovering from sarcoidosis.

Concordia of St. Paul graduate Mary Slinger and Gustavus grad Melissa Mackley are two of the nine finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.  Slinger, a former volleyball player, is one of three Division II finalists.  There are also three finalists each from Divisions I and III including Mackley, a former Gustavus hockey player. The winners will be announced on October 17.

The Gustavus Athletics Department has chosen nine individuals for induction into its Athletics Hall of Fame.  The  inductees are Erik Allen  (basketball), Pete Anderson (golf), Leigh Stocker Berger (volleyball), Heidi Rostberg Carlson (tennis), Erik Hendrikson (football and hockey), Duke Paluch (tennis), Paige Tierney (soccer), Angela White (track and field), and Evie Cieslar Erdman (benefactor).  The group will be honored at the Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet tomorrow night in Alumni Hall on campus.