Author: David Shama

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.

The Twins and Joe Mauer haven’t reached agreement on a new contract but likely will prior to the start of spring training later this month, according to Jake Mauer.

“It’s very close,” Jake said.  “It will all be signed by the beginning of spring training. …That’s what they’re shooting for.”

Jake Mauer, Joe’s grandfather, spoke to Sports Headliners on Wednesday from Florida.  The two have a close relationship and spend time together during the winter in the Fort Myers area.

The older Mauer said Joe’s agent, Ron Shapiro, and Twins general manager Bill Smith spent two days last week in Minneapolis working on a new contract.  A 10 year deal is likely but specific compensation numbers aren’t settled, although $20 million per year is a possibility, according to Jake.

“That’s mind boggling,” Jake said.  “No one is worth that.  I don’t give a (blank)…nobody is worth that.  I don’t care who they are.  My God!”

The grandfather said Joe’s “heart and soul are with the Twins,” the only organization the 26-year-old all-world catcher has ever played for.  “But even if they cut Joe down to $15 million for 10 years he would sign with the Twins…I think.  Because Joe wants to stay in St. Paul, and he wants to start his thing (career) with the Twins and finish with the Twins.”

There’s no greed in his grandson, Jake said, and the Mauers know he could earn a richer contract by leaving the Twins after this season when he becomes a free agent.  Just like the Twins, the Boston Red Sox train in Fort Myers, and Jake said even he has become a celebrity in southwestern Florida this winter.

“I don’t know half the people here but they all come over and shake my hand,” he said.  “(People say) ‘I am from Boston.  We’re going to have Joe for 2011.  We’re gonna win the World Series.’ ”