Author: David Shama

Carleton (3-1 MIAC, 5-1 overall) and St. Thomas (3-2 MIAC, 4-2 overall) play on the Tommies home field tomorrow in perhaps the conference’s game of the week.  Concordia also has a 3-1 conference record and five teams have two MIAC losses.  The conference champion or co-champion could finish with two defeats.  Both Carleton and St. Thomas experienced last minute losses last week and one will have an opportunity to strengthen its position in the title race (MIAC schedule ends November 15). Carleton features a passing offense led by senior quarterback Shane Henfling. St. Thomas offers a balance of run and pass using sophomore tailback Ben Wartman and freshman receiver Fritz Waldvogel.

Daktronics has been selected to design and build a multimillion dollar, integrated video, scoring and advertising display system at Target Field, the new Twins ballpark scheduled to open in 2010. The integrated system will include 50 digital LED displays, scoring and statistics systems, and fixed advertising panels.  The centerpiece of the system is a large, high definition display that will measure approximately 101 feet wide by 57 feet high, featuring Daktronics HD-X LED (light emitting diode) video technology.

Jim Dutcher told Sports Headliners that because of the team’s “awful” nonconference schedule, the Gophers won’t know how good they are until the Big Ten season.  Minnesota is playing a Charmin-like nonconference schedule but Dutcher, the former Gopher coach and TV analyst, thinks Tubby Smith’s second team might finish third or fourth in the so-so Big Ten.  While there’s been a lot of hype about the incoming players, Dutcher likes the Gopher “veterans.”

The Wolves will unveil a new court at their home and regular season opener on October 29 against Sacramento.  There will no longer be a parquet playing surface.

Wolves second-year forward Corey Brewer has been involved in the non-partisan “Respect My Vote” campaign that encourages low-income people ages 18-29 to vote on November 4.  He’s been featured on ESPN.com and Dime Magazine for his efforts.

Wolves forward Ryan Gomes has purchased a home in Chanhassen where he lives with his wife and new baby daughter.

Coach Don Lucia’s 2-0 Gophers play in Madison tonight and tomorrow evening against a Wisconsin team that is 0-4 for the first time in its modern hockey era that began in 1963-64.  All losses came against teams that are in the top four of this week’s national rankings.  Freshman forward Jake Gardiner from Minnetonka leads the Badgers with five points after producing five assists in his first four games.  The Badgers are 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the WCHA while the Gophers have played only twice, two league wins last weekend against St. Cloud State.

With John McCain unlikely to win the White House, his decision not to choose Tim Pawlenty as his running mate looks like a positive for the Minnesota governor.  A political insider said, though, that earlier this year Pawlenty had reason to believe he was the VP choice.

Pity party?? We can worry about the possible loss of soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Marian Gaborik and fret about the other stars from local teams who already left town, or we can take a deep breath and realize there’s still a lot of talent in these parts.  We’ve said adios to Johan Santana, Torii Hunter, Randy Moss and Kevin Garnett, but say hello to the following gentlemen:

Joe Mauer has won two American League batting titles in the last three years.  There are baseball people who say Mauer, 25, is the first player they’ll take if building a team.  Local radio host Dan Barreiro refers to the Twins’ catcher as “Baby Jesus.”  Just leave it at superstar.

Justin Morneau won the AL MVP award two seasons ago and was a contender this year.  Morneau has driven in 130, 111 and 129 runs the last three seasons and is a steady fielder at first base.  The power hungry Twins are nowhere without their star slugger who led the team in home runs with 23 and won baseball’s Home Run derby in July.

Watch the Metrodome crowd rise to its feet and holler when Joe Nathan is closing out another game for the Twins.  He has 219 saves during five seasons with the Twins and played a major role in the team winning two Central Division titles.  Fans love a sure thing and no star in this town is probably more consistent than the Twins’ No. 1 relief pitcher.

Already the most explosive running back in Vikings’ history, Adrian Peterson finished second in the NFL in rushing last season and is in the same spot so far this year.  The second year wonder from Oklahoma is one of those unique individuals who is a potential touchdown maker every time he touches the ball.  Peterson is on track to move from stardom to superstardom and possibly end his career with more than 14,000 rushing yards, placing him among the top pro rushers of all time.

There might be a better defensive tackle in the NFL than the Vikings’ Kevin Williams but he’s sure on the short list.  No way did the Vikings stay No. 1 against the run last year and and rank third this season without Williams.  The annual all-pro had four sacks in the Detroit game a week ago Sunday and has six for the year.

Gotta like new Vikings’ defensive end Jared Allen.  He led the NFL in sacks last year with Kansas City and arrived here with a can-do attitude.  He’s fun to watch on most every play, anticipating how fast he can arrive at the quarterback and use his 6-6 height and long reach to knock down the ball.  He has five sacks in seven games.

The Wild’s Gaborik is a skating and scoring delight.  Whether he’s here short term, or long, enjoy him now.  At 26, it seems like only injuries can stop his progress toward being remembered as one of the NHL’s greatest players in this era.  Last year he had career highs in games, goals, assists and points as the team’s star forward.

Mikko Koivuu, 25, is going to be here for awhile.  He accounted for five points on one goal and four assists in a game last week, a microcosm of his playmaking ability.  The Wild forward was given a leadership opportunity, too, when he was named team captain for October.

Basketball purists are already raving about the low post scoring of Timberwolves center Al Jefferson.  Although he’s only 23, few NBA players have had Jefferson’s assortment of moves and effectiveness near the basket.  He scored 21 points per game last season and averaged 11.1 rebounds, one of only four players in the league to average 20-10 or more.

Past failures have made the public skeptical about Gopher football but the facts are black and white regarding wide receiver Eric Decker.  He is tied for fourth in the country among Division I receivers in receptions with 59, and his 111.71 yards per game ranks fifth.  The Cold Spring, Minnesota junior is a cinch to be all-Big Ten, maybe all-American and remembered as one of the Gophers’ greatest receivers ever.

Adam Weber, a sophomore, has improved from last season in not only his understanding of the Gophers’ offense, but also as a passer and leader.  He’s thrown nine touchdown passes and only two interceptions in seven games (19 in 12 games last season).  Along with Decker, he’s a Gopher Mr. Indispensable and a star in the making.

The last fella to make our star power list is Blake Hoffarber.  Although he was a substitute last season as a Gopher basketball freshman, Hoffarber makes the list because of YouTube high school and Big Ten tournament game highlights when his miraculous shots made national news.  He’s only 20 but you have to call him Mr. Clutch and also admire his three point field goal percentage last season of .427, among the best in the Big Ten.

So there’s the list.  Stop worrying, dump the pity party, and enjoy.