Author: David Shama

Former Gopher Ben Coleman told Sports Headliners he has the local rights to operate an American Basketball Association franchise and plans for his team to begin play in 2010.

Coleman, who attended North High School and played one season for the Gophers and then transferred to Maryland, will hold a tryout for players on September 19 at a site to be determined.  Players selected will form a barnstorming team that will play games in various parts of the state against local amateur teams.  The games will help promote the new ABA franchise, according to Coleman who played pro basketball in the states and Europe, and is now a local businessman.

The players from the tryout may form part of the roster for next year’s team.  For certain, Coleman said, players on the 2010 roster will have Minnesota connections.

The team doesn’t have a name or a home, although Coleman said Blizzards is a potential nickname.  While a location at the old Minneapolis Central High School gym is a possibility, other metro area buildings, or even a facility in St. Cloud or Rochester, are being considered.

Minnesota had an ABA team based in St. Paul but that team, the Ripknees, is no longer in operation.  Coleman hopes to make his team more popular than the Ripknees and intends to emphasize community marketing, admiring the “model” of baseball’s St. Paul Saints.

According to its Web site, the ABA has 60 teams, plays a schedule from late fall through early spring and emphasizes high scoring basketball.  The site also said that 60 percent of its franchises are owned by African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and women.  Coleman, who is African-American, said he will be the new franchise’s owner.

The league plans to have 11 games on the VERSUS Network during the 2009-10 season, according to the Web site, https://abalive.com/headlines/index.html?article_id=241

Profootballtalk.com reported that Vikings’ vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman may not have been enthusiastic about restructuring the team’s quarterback roster by adding Brett Favre.  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/19/is-spielman-on-board-with-favre-acquisition/

Friday night’s preseason game was the debut of Favre, but on the street a ticket seller reported minimal interest.  He said $100 tickets were available for about half that price.

Outside the stadium a man was selling Favre Viking jerseys for $100 and said a nearby competitor was charging $175.

Favre, despite being in the NFL since 1991, admitted he was nervous before the game.  Why?  “That’s a good question,” Favre said on Friday night. “Maybe (only having) two-and-a-half days of practice. (It was) live bullets; no red jersey. Of course all of the attention has been focused on this. The guys have been great. I talked to numerous guys on the sideline tonight, as well as during the week. They all said, ‘we just want you to come in and be the leader you have always been.  Don’t feel like you have to do everything.’ And they are right. …”

First round draft choice Percy Harvin, who made his preseason debut on Friday night catching passes and returning kickoffs, was listed on the third team last week as a wide receiver.  Meanwhile, No. 2 draft choice Phil Loadholt, has started two games at right offensive tackle and looks like a for sure regular all season.

Nick Urban, a free agent guard from Winona State, played in the game and is trying to make the team.  He was signed earlier this year after a free agent tryout, but kept his job as a Target cashier out of loyalty to the company.

Depending on results in earlier tournament games, the Gophers could face Long Beach State and former coach Dan Monson in the 76 Classic in Anaheim during late November.

Ken Lien, the chair of the Mr. Basketball committee, considers Cretin-Derham Hall’s Seantrel Henderson one of the top 100 prep basketball seniors in the state.  Henderson’s college future is in football where he’s considered the No. 1 prospect in the country.  The 6-foot-8 Henderson plays center in basketball and tackle in football.

“Amazing” Joe Mauer, who has won two batting titles and is closing in on a third during his sixth season in the major leagues, has frequently prompted speculation that he could become baseball’s first .400 hitter since Ted Williams in 1941.  But what may be more likely is a Triple Crown.

Mauer, who never hit more than 13 home runs in a single season prior to this year, has become the Twins’ new “Pop Eye” with his muscle producing 25 home runs so far. The 25-year-old All-Star catcher missed the first month of the season and if he had 70 or more at-bats could be in pursuit of becoming major league baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since 1967.

Mauer has driven in 77 runs, ninth best in the American League but that number could be 90 or more if he had played in most of the team’s 121 games so far.  Boost his home runs by six and a Mauer total of 31 is tied for best in the A.L.  If Mauer was hitting even .360 (his average currently is .378) with 31 home runs and 93 RBI’s he would be first in batting average, tied for the home run lead and second in RBI’s. (The A.L. home run and RBI leaders respectively are Carlos Pena of Tampa Bay and Mark Teixeria of New York with 31 each, and Twins teammate Justin Morneau at 94).

The left-handed hitting Mauer probably won’t catch the home run and RBI leaders this season but it’s possible, perhaps even likely, he’ll one day be the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski.  Mauer’s power numbers should continue, perhaps improving with his ability to drive home runs to all fields including left field.

Lately Mauer has been excelling at the plate even by his standards. In his last 10 games he’s hitting .488.  During last week’s home series against Cleveland he had seven hits in 12 at bats and made a big impression on the Indians.  Twins manager Ron Gardenhire talked about Mauer last Sunday on his KSTP morning radio show.  “Their pitchers are saying this guy is amazing,” Gardenhire said.  “They’re trying everything.  They’re throwing all kinds of pitches up there, inside, outside, breaking balls, changeups.  He just keeps hitting ‘em all, and he’s also puting them in the seats, too. …”