Author: David Shama

Ron Gardenhire was named Twins manager in January of 2002 and since then has the fifth most wins among all major league managers with 622 (Joe Torre, 675, Mike Scioscia, 646, Tony LaRussa, 634 and Bobby Cox, 623). The Twins announced yesterday that Gardenhire, 51, was signed to a two-year contract extension through 2011.  His contract previously was through next year.

The Wild (9-4-1) play 10 of their next 11 games at the Xcel Energy Center, starting with tomorrow night’s game with Columbus.  Center Mikko Koivu didn’t have a point in last night’s win over Phoenix, the seventh such game this season. The Wild are 2-4-1 this year when Koivu doesn’t score, with the other win at Tampa Bay.  The Wild are 7-0-0 in games he has scored at least one point.  Minnesota is 19-4-3 all-time when Koivu has two or more points.

Don Zierden, the Minnesota Lynx coach, is the new color commentator on Gopher basketball.  He and play-by-play man Mike Grimm do their first game on WCCO tonight when the Gophers play Concordia-St. Paul at 8 p.m. in the NABC tournament at Williams Arena.   The game is the regular season opener for the Gophers, but an exhibition for Division II Concordia.  Other teams in the round robin tournament that runs through Sunday night are Division I Bowling Green (Saturday night versus Gophers) and Georgia State (Sunday evening against Minnesota).

Carleton is hoping for its first MIAC football championship since 1992 and only the second in school history when it hosts Saint John’s tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. at Laird Stadium in Northfield.  The winner earns the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.  Both teams are 7-2 overall and 5-2 in conference.

Saint John’s is after its MIAC-record 30th conference championship and 26th under head coach John Gagliardi.  He is 25-0 all-time against the Knights.  Carleton head coach Kurt Ramler was a star quarterback for the Johnnies and was also an assistant coach to Gagliardi.

KSTP TV’s High School Sports Wrap recently reported on 5-foot-3 junior running back  Kwaku Amoah of St. Michael-Albertville.  He’s rushed for over 1,106 yards this season, according to an e-mail from coach Earl Bauman.  Bauman wrote that the 185-pound Amoah, who is averaging 6.5 yards per carry, is from Accra, Ghana and has lived in America since third grade.  Bauman describes Amoah as a “super nice young man with a big smile.”  Amoah has never been in the Metrodome but that’s about to change. The Knights have advanced to the semi-finals in the Class AAAA playoffs and meet Mankato West at the Metrodome tomorrow.

Concordia-St. Paul’s volleyball team (30-1, 19-0 NSIC) ends it regular season Saturday afternoon, hosting St. Cloud State (7-20, 5-14 NSIC). Then on Sunday Concordia will receive details on the eight North Central Region teams making the NCAA tournament.  Information will be posted at 7 p.m. at www.ncaa.com.

The Golden Bears had six players named to the All-NSIC first team.  Maggie McNamara was named Offensive Player of the Year, Mary Slinger Defensive Player of the Year and Brady Starkey Coach of the Year.

Adrian Peterson has yet to finish his second season in pro football but former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton told Sports Headliners that Peterson is the “best runner in the National Football League.”

In 23 NFL games the 23-year-old running back has become the identity of the Vikings’ offense, a franchise player.  Peterson, who leads the league in rushing yards with 1,015, was Rookie of the Year last season and finished second among NFL runners in total yards despite missing two games.  Last Sunday his 29-yard touchdown run with about two minutes to play was the difference in a 28-27 win over Green Bay.

“He’s a special, special talent,” Dalton said. “A special player with the rare combination of speed, power and vision, as well as just an attitude when he plays the game.  He has a certain nastiness.  He runs with a little bit of violence to his game.  Finishes all his runs square, with power, and he runs through tackles that would bring regular National Football League backs down. …I hope he stays healthy because he sure is fun to watch play football.”

Dalton, who still lives here and attends Vikings games, said Peterson reminds him of legendary Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown, regarded by some historians as the best runner ever.  Brown was probably a stronger runner, Peterson likely faster, but both played with that nasty running style Dalton described.

Dalton was a running backs coach but never had a talent like Peterson in his years with the Vikings earlier this decade.  The prospect of coaching Peterson stirs passion in Dalton and he has an opinion on how best to use him.  “I would love to coach Peterson,” he said. “I would highly encourage my offensive coordinator and head coach to get (Peterson) more single back work because they’re (the Vikings) more productive when they have him in a single back and spread formation. …

“When they add that fullback in the mix right now it seems to congest things. They’re a lot more productive when they open it up with Adrian.  Get him the ball deeper in the backfield.  Let him find the creases.  And then I’d also do a little bit more man blocking than zone blocking. …He makes your scheme work no matter what it is.”

Coach Brad Childress has watched Peterson score seven of the offense’s 20 touchdowns this season.  He has learned to appreciate Peterson for multiple qualities including work ethic and attitude. “…He’s a great, great worker,” Childress said recently.  “He comes to work with a smile on his face everyday.  He’s not a diva.  He’s not a prima donna.  He gets right with it.  He’s a million mile an hour guy, whether we’re in a walk through or we’re practicing.”

Looks like he’s one-in-a-million, too.

The Gophers have lost two straight and the offense has produced just one touchdown in those games but coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners not to expect trick plays or other gimmicks when Minnesota plays Wisconsin in Madison on Saturday.  “It’s not about creativity, it’s about blocking and tackling,” Brewster said.

Quarterback Adam Weber has been sacked six times in the last two games.  He’s been under pressure many other times.  The “wrinkle” for Saturday needs to be protecting the quarterback, Brewster said.

The Gophers’ offense needs improved play from the offensive line and that includes better pass and run blocking, plus eliminating penalties.  A group of 10 interior offensive linemen who have played this year consists of four redshirt freshmen, two sophomores and four juniors.

The Gophers also have inexperienced offensive players at other positions including wide receiver and running back.  Brewster is emphasizing fundamentals with them and is looking forward to working with all his players at the extra practices that a post-season bowl game will provide.

He said the Gophers may recruit a junior college offensive tackle to help next year’s line.  Notre Dame transfer Matt Carfuel, who will either play tackle or guard as a redshirt junior, is also expected to help.

While the results of the last two weeks have been losses, the Gophers are 7-3 on the season and recently received verbal commitments from highly rated prospects including Washburn tight end Ra’Shede Hageman and junior college wide receiver Hayo Carpenter.  Hageman drew interest from some of the nation’s best programs including Ohio State, and Carpenter is reportedly among the top junior college players in the country.  And for the first time in a long while, it looks like the Gophers may get everyone of the top in-state prep players.

The Gophers have lost six straight at Wisconsin and the Badgers (5-5 overall, 2-5 in the Big Ten Conference) have won two of their last three games, but look for the Gophers to play an inspired game on Saturday.  Brewster said yesterday that wide receiver Eric Decker, who has 892 yards in receptions in 10 games, will not play on Saturday and will rest his high ankle sprain (right ankle).