Author: David Shama

The Gophers start practice next month and assistant coach Saul Smith told Sports Headliners the team could be one of the deepest in the country.  He also said the Gophers are a team without “stars” and need improvement from last year’s players, and he expects Minnesota to compete for a Big Ten title.

The Gophers return nine players from last year’s team: Devron Bostick, Paul Carter, Blake Hoffarber, Colton Iverson, Damian Johnson, Devoe Joseph, Al Nolen, Ralph Sampson III and Lawrence Westbrook. Travis Busch, who had another season of eligibility, didn’t return but the Gophers added junior college transfer Trevor Mbwake, and freshmen Royce White and Rodney Williams, all prospective contributors in 2009-10 and beyond.

The Gophers finished behind six other teams in the Big Ten last season with a 9-9 conference record and 22-11 overall.  If they are to measure up to some preseason ratings that have them among the top 25 teams in the country, the Gophers will need to be better than last year but don’t expect them to do it with a star system.

Instead, look for head coach Tubby Smith to often use 10 players, maybe more at times.  The Gophers emphasize defense, sometimes full court.  Maximum effort is insisted upon.  Offensively, the Gophers are often searching for the right combination of players and matchups.

Among the deepest teams in the Big Ten for next season?  “We’re going to put you out there…and whoever gets the job done is going to play more,” Saul Smith said. “But we give everybody opportunities here.  If you want to say that’s depth, then yeah, I think we’re right there, top two, top three deepest teams, if not in the Big Ten, in the country. And we’re going to try to utilize that, absolutely.”

Westbrook (12.6) was the only Gopher to average in double figures last season.  The next closest were Johnson at 9.8 and Nolen, 6.5.  No stars?

“Not in our eyes as coaches,” Saul said.  “We expect leadership.  That’s what we’re looking for. We want our seniors to have a chance to be those leaders and that should be their objective.  If it’s not a senior that wants to lead, then so be it. This leadership is not scoring the most points.  Leadership is making sure everybody is on time for a 6 a.m. workout, being the first guy.  These are things we expect.  These are guys we’re going to have to count on down the stretch.  I think our guys realize that and get it, but we’ll see. We hope they do.”

The Gopher seniors will be Bostick, Johnson and Westbrook.  The junior class consists of Carter, Hoffarber, Mbwake and Nolen.

A visitor suggested to Smith that the Gophers had a good season last year even though most (if not all) of the players could have played better, with no one certainly experiencing a career season.

The players have a “whole lot of room to improve,” according to Saul.  “They need to understand that none of them were all conference players,” he said.

Smith’s father won a national championship at Kentucky and had successful teams at Georgia and Tulsa.  Those teams were characterized more by team play than star power.  It will be no different at Minnesota where the coaching staff is trying to win with both numbers and ability in the team concept.

In two seasons at Minnesota Tubby and his staff have gone from 8-10 in the conference and 20-14 overall to last year’s success that included the program making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.  “We expect a lot more as a staff, as a program,” Saul said. “We know our fans do, and that’s what it’s about.  Providing a good product and trying to bring Big Ten titles here. That’s our objective. That’s why we came here and that’s what our plan is this year.”

Terry Bradshaw joined Fran Tarkenton in criticizing Brett Favre’s approach about his on again, off again decisions to play football.  USA Today Sports Weekly reported that Bradshaw said on Fox that he would be “glad when he’s retired because I’m fed up with it.”  In that same September 16-22 issue the publication quoted CBS’ Dan Marino as saying that if the Vikings don’t make the Super Bowl Favre will have a new team next season: “The (coaching) staff will get fired, and Brett will probably play in Tampa.”

Vikings coach Brad Childress on whether there are a specific number of passing attempts per game he wants Favre limited to: “You know different games are different ways. If all the sudden you get behind you may have the best intentions in the world that you’re going to run the football and you have to pick up that pitch count.  In a 60 play game, 20 to 30 throws would be great, with about 20 to 30 completions.”

Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald Jr. has caught touchdown passes in eight consecutive games for the Cardinals.  Larry’s father attends all of his games and will be in Arizona for Sunday night’s nationally televised game between the Colts and Cardinals.

The Gophers play at Northwestern starting at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Big Ten Network) and here’s a personnel update on Minnesota players; cornerback Marcus Sherels who has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle will return; safety Mike Rallis won’t need surgery but has a broken leg and is out for the season; running back Kevin Whaley who has yet to carry the ball has a turf toe injury.

Brewster after being asked how often he expects to use freshman quarterback MarQueis Gray in upcoming games.  “I don’t know that we put a number on it.  It’s strictly situational.  You know, where we think the situation is right for him to get in the game and help us, we’ll use him.”

St. Thomas senior cornerback Jeffrey Hilliard and Bethel senior Reid Velo are two of 22 players from all levels of college football named to the American Football Coaches Association Allstate Good Works team. The awards, which recognize outstanding campus and community service, began in 1992 for Division I players and in 1998 for players at other levels.  The MIAC’s 22 all-time recipients are third among all  conferences behind the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12.  St. Thomas now leads all college football programs with 12 honorees — one in each season since Division III players were eligible.

Hilliard’s older brother Andrew was honored in 2002. The Hilliards are among five sets of brothers to win the award, a group that includes UST’s John and Greg Kaiser, and Paul and Patrick Sommerstad, plus Eli and Peyton Manning.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said on his KSTP Radio Sunday show that rookie catcher Jose Morales doesn’t have enough foot speed to be a third baseman, although he did play the position in the minor leagues.  Morales has impressed with the bat, hitting .354 in 96 at-bats.

Gardenhire also said the Twins will be more pro active next season in trying to help first baseman Justin Morneau stay healthy.  Because of a back problem, Morneau hasn’t played since September 12 is out for the season.

Sports Illustrated speculated in its September 14 issue that Ricky Rubio might play in Spain until 2012.  If he waits that long after being drafted in June by the Wolves, he can negotiate a contract that’s not bound by the NBA’s first three years pay scale for rookies.

The Timberwolves open practice next week in Mankato and owner Glen Taylor will host the players at a dinner in his home.

Michael Jordan was inducted into the basketball hall of fame earlier this month but his acceptance speech was no winner, according to national columnist Rick Reilly, https://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4477759

The 2009-10 U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team, featuring five Minnesotans (Natalie Darwitz-Eagan, Rachael Drazan-Orono, Angie Keseley-St. Louis Park, Gigi Marvin-Warroad and Jenny Potter-Edina), will open its Qwest Tour at Xcel Energy Center against the WCHA Women’s All-Stars tonight.  A crowd of 7,000 to 8,000 is expected, according to a spokesperson.

Rosemount native Tom Preissing will be out four to six weeks for the Colorado Avalanche following surgery on his right knee.

Golf magazine has Hazeltine National Golf Club and Interlachen Country Club at No. 63 and 66 respectively in its listing of top 100 American courses.  The local courses were ranked 77 and 72 in 2007, the last rankings by the magazine.

A couple of years ago Don Swanson asked me to speak to a luncheon group that he was involved with.  I almost turned him down because it’s a toss up as to what bothers me more: public speaking or having a car accident.

I accepted the invitation and I am grateful for that decision.  I knew “Swannie” for 30 years and he did far more for me than I ever did for him.  He used to emcee the prep all-star football game banquet in the early 1980s and never asked for compensation.  Years later he okayed a consultant’s role that contributed to my income.

In recent years Swannie was supportive of my Web column.  He took an interest in the column and what I was doing even though he didn’t have a computer.  Swannie’s friend Jim Dotseth printed out the columns for him.

I was reminded of all this on Monday at Swannie’s funeral.  I listened to his close friend Ron Stolski eulogize him.  Stolski told a large gathering of friends and family at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church how Swannie, a former educator and coach in the Minneapolis public schools, gave to others.  He listened to people, helped and encouraged them. “It was never about him,” Stolski said.

Reverend Paul Youngdahl reminded the audience that Swannie was a Minneapolis guy with a capital M.  He was born in Minneapolis, attended South High and made much of his reputation at Patrick Henry where he was the football coach and athletic director.  He regularly attended church at Mount Olivet in south Minneapolis and in recent years mentored city high school football coaches and players.

Each spring he helped organize a coaching clinic for prep coaches in the state whose roster of speakers has included the likes of Brian Billick and Tim Brewster.  The clinic is promoted by the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association, an organization that Swannie was helping when I met him, and he was still assisting in his final years.

Condolences to Swannie’s family including wife Barb, their children and grandchildren. Rev. Youngdahl talked about the importance of the grandkids on Monday.  He was reminded that grandpa Swannie even took an unusual challenge once and ate a minnow.

Swannie was pleased, too, about his Swedish heritage and being a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College.  “He called me ‘Pollock’,” Stolski said.  “I am half Swedish.  I have never been prouder.”

The last time Stolski saw Swannie was on Saturday, September 12.  Swannie was weak from his fight with cancer, almost unable to speak, and would pass away within a few days.  Swannie asked Stolski, the head football coach at Brainerd High School, about the result of the game the night before.

“We lost,”Stolski said.

“Win the rest of them,” Swannie replied.

Always teaching and encouraging.  Right to the end.

Thanks, coach, for your integrity, caring and devotion to football and beyond.  You were, as Stolski said to Swannie’s friends and family on Monday, a “keeper of the game.”