Author: David Shama

With a 9-1 record, the Vikings are comfortably ahead in the NFC North Division title race but it’s the conference championship and home field advantage in the playoffs that matters most now.

Division rivals Green Bay and Chicago have records of 6-4 and 4-6.   Down at the other end of the Mississippi River, New Orleans has the only NFC undefeated team, the 10-0 Saints.

The Vikings’ goal needs to be finishing the 16 game regular season with a better record than the Saints.  Playing in the raucous Superdome against the Saints with the prize being a trip to the Super Bowl won’t be the Vikings’ first choice.  Making the Saints or another NFC team come here to the noisy Metrodome is the preferred situation for the Vikings.

The Saints and Vikings aren’t on each other’s regular season schedules. The Saints’ remaining six opponents are a combined 24-26, while the Vikings’ foes are 28-22.  If the Vikings and Saints finished the regular season with identical records, various tie breakers could be used to determine home field in a playoff game involving the teams.  Among those tie breaking procedures is strength of schedule.

Cruising to a division title for certain doesn’t mean going on cruise control.  During the remaining regular season schedule the Vikings will hope to play like they did yesterday in a dominant 35-9 win over Seattle at home.

Coach Brad Childress’ team impressed offensively and defensively.  Quarterback Brett Favre, completing 22 of 25 passes for four touchdowns, continued to show that despite the presence of all-world running back Adrian Peterson no one is more valuable to this team than their 40-year-old quarterback.  The defense held Seattle to 212 net yards.

And did you know that Favre’s one Super Bowl win came in the Superdome in 1997 against New England?

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners that athletic freshman quarterback MarQueis Gray will see increased playing time at wide receiver in the team’s yet to be determined bowl game next month.

Gray is also expected to play at quarterback in the game where he will remain a backup to Adam Weber.  “We’ll try to use him (Gray) to get more touches in the game,” Brewster said.

The 6-4, 222 pound Gray has shown ability to catch the ball.  Gray has four receptions for 21 yards and one touchdown this season.  As both a quarterback and receiver he’s also been a strong determined runner who given an opening, has the speed to make a long gain.

The Gophers receivers have struggled in recent games, a combination of their inexperience and the loss of the team’s best player, wide receiver Eric Decker who hasn’t played since the Ohio State game on October 24.  The offensive line, running backs and quarterbacks have all had their challenges of late including the last two games when the Gophers haven’t scored a touchdown by either running or passing.

Gray is learning the quarterback position but Brewster recognizes the contribution Gray can make at wide receiver, too.  Brewster said it’s accurate to describe Gray as a quarterback/wide receiver for the upcoming bowl game.  “He catches the ball extremely well,” Brewster said.

Gray has rushed 44 times for 243 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per carry, best among team ball carriers with more than two carries.   He’s thrown 13 passes for 51 yards and one touchdown.  Particularly as a runner, Gray may be given more opportunity to make plays in the bowl game.

The Gophers offense had only 201 yards in last Saturday’s 12-0 loss to Iowa.  Minnesota’s defense was as effective as the offense was ineffective, holding the Hawkeyes to 171 yards.   Brewster, finishing his third regular season as coach, said people told him the defensive performance ranks with the best by the Gophers in many years.

Brewster has the Gophers headed for their second consecutive bowl game and the valuable 15 days of extra practices that comes with it.  While a 6-6 record  is a target of criticism by many fans, the Gophers seem ahead of prominent programs like Michigan, Illinois and Colorado that have been starting over in recent years with new coaches.  The Gophers lost two games by three points each and Brewster has only had two full recruiting classes since becoming head coach.

Seattle’s defensive coordinator is Casey Bradley who is a Minnesota native and until 2005 was assistant head coach at North Dakota State.   Bradley, who prior to going to Seattle coached for Tampa Bay, is a 1984 graduate of Zumbrota High School.  He played college football at North Dakota State.

The Twins have set a franchise record season tickets goal of 20,000 for next year in the new ballpark, according to club executive Patrick Klinger. The franchise’s vice president of marketing told Sports Headliners that a combination of full and partial season ticket packages could add up to 20,000, an increase of about 8,000 over this past year.

A season ticket total of 20,000 will guarantee that about 50 percent of the 40,000 seats in Target Field will be sold for all 81 games.  The Twins expect high demand, too, for single game and group tickets.   “Our goal is to sellout every game,” Klinger said.

Season ticket prices range from $10 to $275 per game.  Single game prices haven’t been announced and tickets aren’t expected to go on sale until some time in March, according to Klinger.

Use of the new ballpark will go beyond baseball.  Klinger said concerts are likely in the stadium starting in 2011 and beyond.  Stadium facilities will be used for banquets, wedding receptions, holiday parties and business meetings.

The Sports Illustrated college basketball preview issue has a top 10 that includes No. 1 ranked Kansas, No. 2 Michigan State and No. 6 Purdue.  The Gophers are ranked No. 26 and described as the Big Ten’s “deepest team.”

The 10 finalists for the 2009 Mr. Football award are:  Beau Allen, Minnetonka; Joel Bauman, Kerkohoven-Murdock-Sunberg; Jacob Brusehaver, Hutchinson; John Crockett, Totino Grace; Seantrel Henderson, Cretin-Derham Hall; Ben Henson, Buffalo; Brandon Marquart, Champlin Park; Ryan Tri, Eden Valley-Watkins; Zach Vraa, Rosemount; and Zach Zenner, Eagan.  A winner will be announced at the Mr. Football banquet on Sunday, December 6 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park.  The award is sponsored by the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association.

While there have been media rumors in Canada that the Gophers Jordan Schroeder will leave the team, the sophomore forward is expected to finish the season here and not join Vancouver which holds his NHL draft rights.  Beyond this season, though, it’s uncertain where Schroeder will be playing.

Tickets are available for Eric Butorac’s Minnesota Tennis Challenge on Saturday, December 5 at the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center.  The schedule includes matches with outstanding players such as Butorac for an event that will raise funds to support youth tennis programming in Minnesota.

Three MIAC volleyball student-athletes have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III All-America teams.  St. Thomas junior setter Emily Foster and St. Olaf junior outside hitter Kim Smisek were both named to the first team. Saint Benedict senior setter Beth Hanson was a third team selection.