Author: David Shama

A vacationer made a first time stop at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth last week and came away reminiscing about an old friend, Herb Brooks.  The visit came a few days before the public opening of a new Brooks exhibit.  A Hall of Fame spokesperson said the exhibit was scheduled to open last Friday.

The new exhibit has “never seen before hockey artifacts,” according to www.ushockeyhall.com.  What we saw about Brooks during our visit included a video of the famous 1980 “Miracle on Ice” game and an HBO special documenting the people and events involved with the U.S. hockey team winning the gold medal that year.

To know Brooks was to understand his devotion to detail and will to win.  The HBO show told of how Brooks kept his team on the ice practicing in a darkened arena after a pre-Olympic game displeased him.

He was a master of hockey tactics, and an extraordinary head doctor.  He tore his team down in the months leading up to the Olympics but it was a different approach when the Americans prepared to play the Soviet Union team in the semi-final game of the Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.  The Soviets were recognized as the best hockey team in the world, pro or amateur, but Brooks told his team the Soviets were ripe for an upset.

In the hall of fame his famous quote made to the team prior to the game says in part: “This is your moment.  You’re meant to be here.”

I met Brooks when he was winning national championships with the Gophers in the 1970s.  Then I knew him when he worked for the North Stars and also Jostens. There were other stops for him including coaching the Rangers, Devils and Penguins.  Brooks thrived on challenges and was curious to try different things.  His name was even rumored to be a possibility for Minnesota governor.

On February 22 of next year it will be 30 years since the U.S., an improbable collection of amateurs, shocked the world beating the Soviets, 4-3, and later winning the gold medal game against Finland.  This was America’s first gold medal in hockey since 1960 and it all came against a backdrop of sagging American morale that included gas shortages, the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan and the taking of US. hostages by Iran. The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey glory is recognized by many as the greatest sports story of the 20^th century.

Brooks was killed six years ago this August in an auto accident.  Because of places like the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the extraordinary accomplishments of his career, he will long remain a Minnesota legend and among the true heroes of 20^th century American sports.

Former Gophers assistant football coach Dick Larson said that Murray Warmath, 96, is the oldest living ex-Tennessee football player.  Warmath, the former Gophers national championship coach, was visited here by Johnny Majors and a film crew for a few hours last week.  Majors, the ex-Tennessee All-American and former coach, is helping the Vols’ athletic department with a film project archiving the school’s football program.

Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey, 10-2, has won 15 of his last 20 decisions dating back to August 8 of last year.  Slowey and Roy Halladay of Toronto are the only pitchers in the majors with 10 wins.

The Twins, who lost 4-1 to Houston yesterday, are 8-4 in interleague play this season.  Manager Ron Grardenhire’s team has an 18-5 record in interleague games dating back to June 17, 2008 versus Washington.  The franchise is 128-94 all-time in interleague play.

The Wolves, including new basketball boss David Kahn, were scheduled to work out USC’s DeMar DeRozan at Target Center this morning, but the session was cancelled because DeRozan is ill.  Listed at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, DeRozan averaged 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game as a freshman last season.  His field goal percentage was 52.3 in his first and only season at USC.

The Wild has selected five Minnesota natives in previous NHL Entry Drafts: Kyle Medvec (Apple Valley; 2006), Chris Hickey (St. Paul; 2006), A.J. Thelen (Savage; 2004), Michael Erickson (Eden Prairie; 2002), and Jake Riddle (Minneapolis; 2001). Medvec and Hickey are still with the organization.  Medvec played last season with Vermont (Hockey East) while Hickey was at Wisconsin (WCHA).  The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be held Friday and Saturday.

Gustavus finished eighth out of 435 NCAA Division III schools in the recently announced final totals for the 2008-09 Directors’ Cup.  Gustavus’ 765 point total is the most ever for an MIAC school.  The Directors’ Cup, which is the only all-sports competition in intercollegiate athletics, is awarded to four-year institutions in the NCAA and NAIA with the best overall athletic programs.  In Division III, standings are based on national tournament finishes in 18 sports with points awarded based on the number of teams participating in each specific national championship.

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he’s “excited” about the possibility of the Big Ten Conference adding a 12^th school, creating two six-team divisions and playing a league championship game in December.  He said it all could happen in the “not too distant future.”

These potential historic changes were discussed earlier this spring at a meeting of the conference’s football coaches.  While no vote was taken, nor policy statement developed, Brewster said he didn’t “sense any negativity” toward the possible changes that would include the Big Ten’s first membership change since about 20 years ago when Penn State became the 11^th conference school.

“It was discussed at length by our coaches at the most recent Big Ten meetings,” Brewster said.  “I don’t know that (conference commissioner) Jim (Delany) has stepped out and has a particular stance at this point but I know that it’s certainly been something that has been tossed around and discussed.  And I think as we look at things to help our conference that’s certainly got to be something that we entertain seriously.”

The Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference, both with 12 teams, have two divisions and play a league title game between the division champions.  Brewster thinks “other conferences” have moved ahead of the Big Ten with their December marketing exposure and playing time for their teams.

No doubt Brewster, who seemingly thinks about recruiting 24-7, likes the idea of high school prospects watching a Big Ten showcase game.  And then there’s bowl game preparation, too, nearer to the dates of those games. The Big Ten’s bowl record in 2008-09 was 1-6 with losses that included prestigious bowls like the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

“With our season ending the middle of November basically, there’s a long way (to bowl season),” Brewster said.  “You look at our bowl records and they haven’t been as positive.  You’d like to think that continuing to play into the month of December would certainly help us as we prepare to play a game in January.  And again particularly from an exposure standpoint there’s no way to put a price, a dollar value on a nationally televised Saturday evening Big Ten championship game.”

Adding a team from the population heavy East seems likely for when and if expansion comes.  Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Boston College have been mentioned but Brewster said “probably Rutgers makes the most sense.”  The school is only a short drive from New York City, has vastly improved its football program and has the strong academics the Big Ten likes.  “I am not stumping for Rutgers by any means but that market is certainly appealing,” Brewster said.

The Gophers would most likely be in a Western Division that included Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Northwestern.  The sixth school is the most difficult to speculate upon but whatever the mix is, it appeals to Brewster.  “I am fully in favor of a two-division conference with an eventual champion being crowned on the field,” he said.

Brewster also said he hasn’t seen the “true decision makers” (the commissioner and conference presidents) voice their position on conference expansion and a December title game.  He wouldn’t speculate as to whether the changes would be implemented within, say, five years.  “…I haven’t heard a president, nor have I heard the commissioner, come out with an exact stance on this issue,” he said.