Author: David Shama

In a performance worthy of Bobby Jackson, the Gophers’ Lawrence Westbrook scored the team’s final 10 points during the last two minutes in a come from behind 51-46 win over Wisconsin on Wednesday night at Williams Arena.  Jackson, a small guard like Westbrook, routinely led his 1997 Big Ten championship team in scoring, and almost always in late game heroics.  Westbrook does it all much less frequently but on a team without an offensive leader and high scoring guard, he’s the best alternative. The Gophers need a win over Michigan at Williams Arena to continue a possible move toward the NCAA tournament and another 15 point game by Westbrook probably will be vital.

Among the attendees at Wednesday night’s game were Wisconsin fan and pro golfer Andy North, the Wolves’ Kevin Love and Cretin-Derham Hall junior offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson who could be a consensus prep All-American next fall.

The Gophers’ athletic department has mailed a post season ticket request form to men’s basketball season ticket holders.  The form includes request options for both the NCAA and NIT tournaments, and needs to be submitted by today.

Count the NBA among businesses concerned about the economy.  The empty seats seen in league arenas on TV games is startling.  Ric Bucher writing in ESPN The Magazine reports that because of declining team revenues the NBA is projecting a luxury-tax level of $69 million for next season, a decline from the current number of about $71 million.  That means franchises will have less to spend on player salaries and may find themselves over the tax.

The Wolves, who have been losing money in recent seasons, will try to hold on to customers and increase attendees, rather than raise ticket pricing.  To their credit the Wolves announced ticket pricing for next season that includes these highlights: The average lower-level season ticket is 11.4% cheaper next season and upper level tickets 44.3% less expensive.  Over 75% of the available season ticket plans are priced at $35 or under, including more than half of the packages in the lower level.  Over 4,700 upper-level tickets are priced at $5.  Lose your job after buying season tickets?  The Wolves will provide a refund.

Former KFAN producer and talk show host Darren “Doogie” Wolfson is working for the MLB Network.

In his book Wins, Losses and Lessons, former college football coach Lou Holtz lists Harvey Mackay, the Minneapolis businessman and New York Times best selling author, as one of his three best friends.

Ashley Ellis-Milan, who finished 14^th among Big Ten players in scoring average and second on the Gophers, has a reputation for being a role model to children.  Ellis-Milan, who averaged 11.8 points per game, has been involved with volunteer activities and wants to become an elementary school teacher.  She and her teammates play their opening Big Ten tournament game tonight in Indianapolis against Iowa.

The Gopher women finished fourth in attendance among conference teams for all games.  The Gophers averaged 5,833 while Purdue was the leader at 8,971. Michigan State was second at 6,024, followed by Wisconsin, 5,980.

Right wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard leads the Wild with 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in the last 28 games.  Bouchard also leads the Wild with 18 points in 17 games since the All-Star Break in late January.

The Wild, who will end a six-game road trip at Anaheim on Sunday, could win a second Jennings Trophy (fewest goals against in the NHL).  The Wild has allowed 151 goals in 63 games, second to Boston with 148 goals against in 65 games.  The Wild won the Jennings Trophy in 2007, allowing 184 goals, seven fewer than Detroit.

Bethel senior Tim Madson and Hamline senior Tony Thrasher are two of the 10 finalists for the Jostens Trophy honoring the most outstanding men’s and women’s Division III basketball players of the year, according to an announcement from the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The award recognizes basketball ability, academic prowess and community service.

Think your e-mail inbox is crowded?  A local sports executive receives 2,000 e-mails per day.

Dustin Hoffman has the lead role in a new movie called “Last Chance Harvey,” the story of an aging bachelor pursuing a relationship.  This summer it looks like the Vikings have a quarterback who could star in the sequel, “Last Chance Tarvaris.”

Tarvaris Jackson, 25, is headed toward year four with the team, perhaps his last with the franchise.  He’s flirted with success but despite opportunities never became the team’s starter and 2009 is the last year of his contract.

Coach Brad Childress sent Jackson a message when the team acquired 30-year-old backup (usually) quarterback Sage Rosenfels from Houston.  The Childress edict: both players will compete for the starting quarterback job.  Even prior to acquiring Rosenfels, Childress intended for Jackson to compete with 37-year-old Gus Frerotte who started the most games (11) at quarterback for the Vikings last season.

Jackson and Rosenfels both need to produce better stats in 2009 than their career numbers.  Jackson has thrown 20 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions.  Rosenfels, 30 touchdowns, 29 interceptions.

Rosenfels will have a better defense and running game for support here than in Houston.  He said last week that having a dominant defense on his side can mean not forcing passes as he did last year in Houston.  In 2008 Rosenfels threw six touchdown passes and eight interceptions while playing in six games, starting five.

Frerotte, who has been released, was a stabilizing influence in the locker room, a source told Sports Headliners last fall.  That role could go to Rosenfels now helping to soothe any decision as to who the quarterback will be.

Rosenfels said he doesn’t know Jackson, but got along with other quarterbacks on previous teams during his NFL career and is willing to help Jackson if he can. “I do have some experience,” Rosenfels said.  “Eight years in the league.  I think both of us push(ing) each other, it will make each of us better and at the end of the day it will make this football team better.”

During the off-season and training camp Childress will watch the quarterbacks compete and evaluate.  He won’t predict how he will divide up playing time in the pre-season games.

Jackson is an exceptional scrambler and that’s one distinction in the skills packages between him and Rosenfels.  Childress was asked if there could be playing time for each quarterback in regular season games, even if it was minimal plays for one of them.  The coach wouldn’t predict, emphasizing the decision rests, too, on what the abilities are of the offensive team.

“We may want to do something like this desperately, but can we in fact do it?” Childress asked.  “Who are we?  That’s what you attempt to locate as you come out of training camp.”