Author: David Shama

A former NFL coach told Sports Headliners on Saturday he expects 40-year-old Vikings quarterback Brett Favre to return for another season in Minneapolis.

“With Favre I get the sense he probably will (return),” the source said.  “…He just can’t give it up (playing).  Here’s a guy to me who is addicted to the spotlight.”

Favre’s outstanding first season with the Vikings provides encouragement to the veteran quarterback to play another season, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.  “He had one of the best seasons in the National Football League in a long time and led the team to the NFC championship game,” the former NFL coach said.

On a team with more Pro Bowl selections than any other, Favre was the Vikings’ superstar.  Favre’s stats were among the most impressive of his career including his best regular season passer rating and he threw only seven interceptions in 16 games.  When he wasn’t passing the Vikings to victories, he was willing them to wins.  If Favre doesn’t return to the Vikings, his leadership will be badly missed.

He filled a void on a franchise that had nearly turned to “American Idol” in desperate search for a talented quarterback.  The results of Favre’s first season included a 12-4 regular season record, the team’s best showing since 1998.  The Vikings also reached the NFC title game for the first time since January 2001.

Favre, though, admitted his body, nearly 20 years older than some of his NFL peers, took a pummeling throughout the season and playoffs.  He reportedly was so beaten up after the NFC title loss to New Orleans he couldn’t play golf several days later.

But the same passion for football that motivated Favre to twice cancel retirement plans in recent years is likely to bring him back for at least another season and Super Bowl drive, according to some observers.

“The Vikings I am sure would love to have him back,” the Sports Headliners source said.  “Obviously he proved a lot of skeptics wrong with his play.  There’s no reason he can’t play as well (next season).”

Favre’s return doesn’t ensure a Super Bowl trip, though.  “I think they have a good team,” the source said.  “The chemistry seems to be in place, but in the National Football League rebuilding a whole team on a daily basis is not easy.”

The Vikings will draft No. 30 among 32 teams and will take defensive tackle Dan Williams of Tennessee, according to Don Banks of Sports Illustrated.  The Vikings will miss an opportunity to take Florida quarterback Tim Tebow who will be chosen at No. 26 by St. Louis.  https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/01/28/mock.draft.1/index.html.

Former Vikings defensive tackle John Randle, who was recently selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, not only was undrafted coming out of college but Tampa Bay wanted him to tryout as a linebacker.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Bobby Knight, already one of the best college basketball color commentators ever, would leave ESPN for the right coaching job.  That could include Minnesota if Tubby Smith were to leave the Gophers.

Last week the roster of racehorses at Gulfstream Park in Florida included a horse with a great name: Don’t Ask the Doc.  A symbolic bet, no doubt, for a person with a high deductible health insurance policy who wants to avoid seeing a physician.

Those with even a casual interest in tennis might check out the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue that features Brooklyn Decker, Andy Roddick’s wife.

Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport will headline an exhibition on Saturday, April 10 at Eden Prairie High School as part of the Tennis Festival of the North weekend.  www.tennisfestivalofthenorth.com.

For the first time in years, Gustavus isn’t the pre-season favorite to win the men’s conference tennis championship in a MIAC coaches poll .  Gustavus, champs every year since 1989, is picked second after Carleton.  In voting by women’s coaches Gustavus, champions each season since 1992, is first followed by Carleton.

The U.S. hockey team received a boost when Zach Parise, the Minneapolis native who has been injured, committed to playing in the Winter Olympics.  Canada will be in mourning if its hockey team doesn’t win the gold medal in Vancouver.

Former Timberwolf Chauncey Billups will be 35 when the Summer Olympics is held in 2012.  Billups, now with Denver, and the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, who will almost be 34 in 2012, are the two oldest players who have agreed to be on the 25 man U.S. preliminary Olympic roster.  Timberwolves Al Jefferson and Kevin Love are also on the roster.

With unemployment news a constant topic, the timing couldn’t be better for a new book by Minneapolis businessman and former Gopher golfer Harvey Mackay, Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door. https://www.harveymackay.com/.

Fox Sports North will telecast 120 Twins games including the two Target Field exhibition games on April 2 and 3 against St. Louis.

Outfielder Aaron Hicks of the Twins organization is No. 29 on major league baseball’s top 50 prospects list.  Atlanta prospect Jason Heyward, an outfielder, is rated No. 1.  https://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100127&content_id=7983130&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb.

Greg Gagne, the shortstop on two Twins World Series championship teams, has been selected by a committee for induction into the organization’s Hall of Fame on September 4 in a home game against Texas.  He becomes the 22^nd member of the Hall of Fame.  Former pitchers Jim Perry and Camilo Pascual were the next top vote getters but weren’t elected.  Former broadcaster Halsey Hall belongs in the Hall of Fame, too.

Joe Anderson, who once was a sidekick to Dan Barreiro on KFAN and is a former public relations director at Canterbury Park, is a talk show host on KSTP, replacing Matt Thomas who is working in Houston.