Author: David Shama

Single women might be sobbing from Minneapolis to Montreal but Justin Morneau is about to become a married man.  He marries girl friend Krista next month.

Morneau is the recipient of the Tip O’Neill Award given by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and awarded annually to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals. It is the second time in three years that Morneau has won the award.  O’Neill was a native of Ontario and acclaimed major league player in the 1800’s.  The former U.S. speaker of the House was named after the famed Canadian.

Forward Craig Smith has started each of the last four games for the Timberwolves and averaged 14.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.  He has also made 61.1 percent (22-of-36) of his shots.  The Wolves are 0-4 since Kevin McHale took over from Randy Wittman as coach and play in Sacramento tonight.

Apple Valley’s Varmah Sonie won the Mr. Football award announced yesterday afternoon at a banquet that recognized 10 finalists.  Sonie, a defensive back, wide receiver and kick returner, was Apple Valley’s most valuable player on defense, offense and special teams, according to Mr. Football committee member Jim Dotseth.  A three year member of the committee, Dotseth said the competition for the honor of being recognized as the state’s best prep player was the closest he’s seen.

Tim Murray, Murray’s restaurant owner, is already planning his annual summer major league baseball stops.  The itinerary calls for visits to new baseball stadiums in New York and Philadelphia.

Local author Ross Bernstein is excited about three new sports books available for holiday sales. “Sixty Years & Sixty Heroes” starts with 1948 and goes through 2008 featuring a memorable Minnesota event and a major contributor to the success.  “Slap Shot,” with forewords by Bob Costas and Gordie Howe, is the story of St. Paul’s Dave (Killer) Hanson, one of the infamous Hanson brothers from the movie “Slap Shot.”  “The Code” describes “unwritten rules” of baseball specific to subjects like performance enhancing drugs, stealing signs and brush-back pitches.  Learn more at www.bernsteinbooks.com

The Arizona Cardinals franchise is in the news this week because of Sunday’s game with the Vikings in Glendale.  To most Minnesotans the Cardinals connection is likely to be Denny Green or Larry Fitzgerald Jr.  Green was the Vikings coach from 1992-2001 and coached the Cardinals from 2004-2006, while Fitzgerald, the Minneapolis native, is in his fifth pro season with Arizona and is the NFL’s third leading receiver with 1,148 yards.

But not nearly so well known is that in 1959 when the Cardinals were based in Chicago, the team played two regular season games in Minnesota at Metropolitan Stadium.  Minneapolis leaders had convinced the Cardinals and the NFL to move two of Chicago’s home games here as part of an effort to bring pro football to this area.

A group that included former Minneapolis Lakers owner Max Winter was later given an NFL expansion that started play in 1961.  The state can consider itself fortunate that the Cardinals never moved here.  The franchise wasn’t successful financially or on the field back in the 1950s and this has been a troubled franchise much of the time since then.

For many years the Cardinals had to share the Chicago market with the more popular Bears.  In 1960 the franchise relocated to St. Louis.  By 1988 the Cardinals had moved to the Phoenix area where for years they played in Arizona State’s stadium before small crowds.  Owned by the Bidwell family, the Cardinals had a reputation for being tight with money and not making good football decisions.

Today’s Cardinals, 8-5 and in first place in the NFC West, aren’t your father’s, or your grandfather’s, Redbirds.  Arizona has clinched the division title and hopes for a franchise first, a trip to the Super Bowl.  Prior to this season the Cardinals hadn’t won a division title in more than 30 years and the franchise hasn’t been in the playoffs since 1998.

Now you know why local fans should be grateful that the Cardinals never made Minnesota home.

Larry Fitzgerald, the local media personality, has attended all but one of his son’s games this season and will be in Glendale on Sunday for the Vikings-Cardinals game. Larry wrote via e-mail to Sports Headliners about the relationship between his son and quarterback Kurt Warner.  “He’s a winner, a Super Bowl champion, two-time MVP. He and Larry Jr. are close friends. They are good for each other. That’s why the Cardinals are a playoff team.  Warner was here in Minneapolis last April 11th for the annual Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund Gala Fundraiser at r. Norman’s. I invited him and he came along with Vikings star Adrian Petersonbecause they knew how important Larry’s mom was to him.”

Warner, a 37-year-old quarterback, is second in the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yardage.  In the December 8 issue of Sporting News magazine John Elway ranks Warner as his No. 4 candidate for league MVP.  Brett Favre of the Jets is his No. 1.

The Cardinals are fourth in the NFL in yards per game and second in passing.  Arizona’s defense is 10^th in the league in yards given up per game, while the Vikings are eighth.

With a 100-yard rushing performance on Sunday, Peterson can move into a fifth place NFL all-time tie for the most 100-yard games during the first two seasons.  Peterson has 14 100-yard games and Ottis Anderson of the Cardinals (1979-80) ranks fifth with 15.

With 109 rushing yards Peterson will break the team record for the most rushing yards in a single season.  He has 1,413 through 13 games this year, and Robert Smith has the record of 1,521 yards set in 2000.

Vikings coach Brad Childress talking about quarterback Tarvaris Jackson who took over for the injured Gus Frerotte last Sunday: “He certainly played with confidence and was about his business.  He was precise in what he did.  You didn’t see a whole bunch of inaccuracy.  You didn’t see extra steps.  He knew exactly what he needed to do…and that is what you want.  We talked early about any indecision or things like that, that you have got to let those things go.  So I thought he did a great job in terms of his preparation and obviously getting it on the field.”

Childress talking about whether he envisioned defensive end Jared Allen’s personality and leadership:  “No, I don’t think you could possibly (have done so). You have to have a really vivid imagination.  I’m not talking about the sack portion. I’m talking about cut up in the locker room, personality, etcetera.”

Allen is tied for fourth in NFL sacks with John Abraham of Atlanta, 12.5 each.