Author: David Shama

If Vikings fans are discouraged by the team’s 1-2 start, linebacker Ben Leber has a suggestion: “Hang with us. We’re working everything out. We’ll get some more wins.”

Vikings players, perhaps most of them, prefer a bye week later in the season when they’re more in need of rest. “Unfortunately it’s in week four,” placekicker Ryan Longwell said. “That’s not the best draw.”

Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin, troubled in recent weeks by migraine headaches and his right hip, said: “…I get a week of rest and I should be perfectly fine when I comeback.”

Wide receiver Greg Lewis said there’s been nothing wrong with quarterback Brett Favre’s timing on his passes this season. The wide receivers have to receive opportunities and then make plays, he said.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on his KSTP Radio show Sunday that Michael Cuddyer, usually a right fielder who has been at third base, second base and first base this season, wants to play shortstop to complete his infield experience. Gardenhire said it could happen, if not this year, in the future.

Outfielder Joe Benson, named the Twins Minor League Player of the Year on Monday by the organization, only hit .252 this season but had 27 home runs in 459 at bats. Right-hander Kyle Gibson, named Pitcher of the Year in the organization, held batters to a .242 average in the minors. Before the season started Baseball America identified Gibson as the third best pitching prospect in the minor leagues. Benson and Gibson are both 22.

A basketball source told Sports Headliners that highly sought after Cedar Rapids guard Josh Oglesby will announce his college choice today as either Iowa, Minnesota or Arizona State.

Nebraska joins the Big Ten next year. If the Cornhuskers were in the league now the conference would have seven teams in the top 25 of the polls, more than any other league.

Nebraska’s resurgence in football had been led by head coach Bo Pelini, a defensive specialist. His brother, Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, was the 2004 defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Minnesota State Mankato, working for head coach Jeff Jamrog, a former Husker player and assistant coach now working in the Nebraska athletic department.

The countdown of the 50 Big Ten Icons is under 20 now and one of the remaining names to be announced is likely Dave Winfield, the former Gopher baseball All-American and starter on the 1972 Big Ten championship basketball team.

There could be a record MIAC crowd when No. 5 ranked St. Thomas plays at No. 18 Saint John’s on Saturday. The existing MIAC record of 13,103 was set at Saint John’s in 2003 when Johnnies coach John Gagliardi broke Eddie Robinson’s record for career wins.

It will be a home field advantage crowd for Saint John’s, with most in attendance pulling for the Johnnies. A St. Thomas spokesman estimated that even when the two teams play in St. Paul, about 40 percent of fans are Johnnies supporters.

This will be the first time ever that the Tommies will visit Saint John’s with a top five national ranking in the AFCA Division III poll. Four of the last nine games between the two teams have been decided by seven points or less. Saint John’s has long dominated the MIAC in football but since St. Thomas coach Glenn Caruso arrived in 2008 the Tommies have the best record among league teams at 22-5, one win better than Saint John’s at 21-5.

Talk that Brett Favre might quit if the Vikings season turned dismal was labeled “ridiculous” in the team’s locker room yesterday afternoon.

The Vikings won their first game of the season, moving the record to 1-2 with a 24-10 victory over Detroit.  In recent days media and fan speculation had a frustrated Favre calling it quits if the season was developing into a flop.

There’s been nothing magical about the 40-year-old quarterback’s Vikings experience so far this year.  His pass protection is sometimes absent and he’s been out of sync with receivers, obviously missing favorite target Sidney Rice who is injured.  He’s moving around on a troublesome left ankle and has thrown six interceptions in three games after having just seven throws picked off during that magical season of 2009.

“I think that’s a ridiculous assumption that a competitor like that would ever quit during the season,” linebacker Ben Leber said yesterday. “Glad to have a competitor like that on our team and be a leader on our offense.”

Watching close-ups of Favre yesterday showed how emotionally he’s committed to the Vikings and winning.  On a frustrating pass attempt, he might slam his hand to the turf in disappointment.  In the second half he had an angry yet supportive look on his face when he greeted Vikings defensive players leaving the field after a pushing and shove match with the Lions.

Vikings placekicker Ryan Longwell has been friends with Favre since their days several years ago playing in Green Bay for the Packers.  He said “you don’t even waste your time acknowledging” reports of an in-season Favre retirement.

Longwell understands the frustration with which Favre and other Vikings brought to the field yesterday prior to the game.  “Well, let’s not kid ourselves,” Longwell said. “0-2 is no fun for anybody whether you’re the kicker, the punter or the starting quarterback, or a 20 year vet.  I don’t know if people expected him to be doing cartwheels out there when you’re losing those two games. …His (Favre’s) excitement has been there all along.  It’s just more fun when you’re winning than it is when you’re losing.”

Longwell said Favre’s ankle is “holding together fine.”  The Vikings have a bye in the schedule and don’t play again until Monday, October 11 in game four of their 16 game schedule.  “…13 in a row coming back is going to be tough on everybody, especially him,” Longwell said.

Wide receiver and kickoff man Percy Harvin, troubled in the past by hip and headache problems, said after the game he was okay and felt no discomfort.

Vikings wide receiver Greg Camarillo had never returned punts until the Miami game a week ago Sunday.  The sure-handed Camarillo said his best time in the 40-yard dash was between 4.5 and 4.6.

Chris DeGeare, the Vikings’ rookie offensive tackle, not only works as a backup at both guard positions, but has been told to prepare at right tackle, too.

Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards is the legal guardian for nephew Dominic Edwards who has been playing for Chaska High School.  The young Edwards, 6-3, 210, is also a defensive end and being recruited by Akron, according to his uncle.

Former Vikings owner Billy Joe (Red) McCombs is worth $1.3 billion and ranks 308 on the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans.  https://www.forbes.com/

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on his KSTP Radio show yesterday it’s “hard to think about how we’re going to be able to get something done now”…but “we’re wide open” regarding a possible return by first baseman Justin Morneau.  Gardenhire said Morneau is expected to continue taking batting practice at Target Field and rehab from his concussion while the Twins are on the road this week.

The Twins would love to have a healthy Morneau back for the playoffs under any circumstances, perhaps particularly now that injuries are bothering and even sidelining some players.  “But I think the big concern is just make sure we have him ready for spring training,” Gardenhire said on the radio.

Francisco Liriano, who will pitch the first Twins playoff game, has lost his last two starts after not losing a game from July 9 thru September 14.

KARE 11 sportscaster Randy Shaver, a prep football enthusiast who watches tape on about 36 teams per week, estimates about 90 percent of metro teams run a spread offense at least occasionally if not full time.

“We are the team to beat,” Michael Beasley says during an interview on NBA.com. The Wolves 21-year-old forward amended his prediction on the spot when he said that was his ego talking and acknowledged the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are a better bet to win the 2011 NBA title, but certainly Beasley, 21, showed his swagger in his “we are the team to beat” statement. https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/video/2010/09/15/BeasSept15FINAlmov-1415893/index.html