Author: David Shama

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton’s activities include coaching freshman and sophomore lacrosse at Eden Prairie High School.

Football coach Tim Brewster and several of his players will be at a news conference today (Wednesday) to unveil the Gophers’ new uniforms.

After Sunday’s game and going back to last season, Twins pitcher Scott Baker has 12 consecutive starts allowing three runs or less.  In those starts his record is 5-4, with a 3.42 ERA.  Baker, 2-0 this season with a 3.51 ERA, is perhaps the team’s best starter, although Livan Hernandez, 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA, has been effective, too.

Also on Sunday, Brendan Harris became just the third Twins player to hit a home run this season. It was the Twins’ 19^th game of the year. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that’s the furthest a team has gone in a season with just two players hitting a home run since 1984 when the Cleveland Indians took 23 games before a third player homered.

Among the interesting angles about the recently announced 2008 Big Ten/ACC Challenge is the Minnesota versus Virginia game and the Sampson family.  Incoming Gopher freshman Ralph Sampson III is expected to be a starter just like his dad was as a first year player for the Cavaliers before becoming an All-American. The Minnesota-Virginia game is December 2 at Williams Arena.  The feature game among the two conferences will be North Carolina-Michigan State from Ford Field in Detroit on December 2.   A lot of media think Purdue will be the Big Ten’s best team next season and the Boilermakers host Duke on December 2.

Don Shelby of WCCO TV will emcee the 34^th annual Mr. and Miss Basketball awards banquet on Sunday at the Minneapolis Marriott West in St. Louis Park.  The five boys’ finalists are Jared Berggren of Princeton (Wisconsin), Michael Floyd of Cretin-Derham Hall (Notre Dame); Cody Schilling of Ellsworth (Augustana in Sioux Falls); Jordan Taylor of Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Wisconsin); and Anthony Tucker of Minnetonka (Iowa).

The girls’ finalists are Courtney Boylan of Chaska (Michigan); Kiara Buford of St. Paul Central (Minnesota); Brianna Mastey of Becker (Minnesota); Brittnye McSparron of Eastview (Drake); and Kamille Wahlin of Crookston (Iowa).  The banquet begins at 5 p.m. and tickets are $30 each.  For more information, call Ken Lien, 952-653-4356.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced recently that six MIAC football student-athletes are part of the 2008 NFF Hampshire Honor Society comprised of college football players from all divisions who each maintained a 3.2 GPA or better. Augsburg’s Alan Mueller, Jason Weber, and John Welty, Gustavus’ Jared Sieling, Saint John’s John Cloeter, St. Olaf’s Matt Penz were recognized with the honor. A total of 441 football student-athletes from 227 schools in all NCAA and NAIA divisions were named to the Hampshire Honor Society, an increase of more than 25 percent from the inaugural class in 2007. To qualify, student-athletes must be a starter or significant substitute in their last year of eligibility, have a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade-point average (4.0 scale), and meet all NCAA-mandated progress towards degree requirements.

Presumably the Minnesota Wild didn’t leave Marian Gaborik in Denver yesterday.  The more irrational among Wild fans might have voted Gaborik off the team plane on Sunday after he produced just one point in the playoff series won by Colorado three games to two.  Thank the Lord sports is not a democracy.

Gaborik’s playoff production can only be described as a bust.  The 26-year-old forward, among the NHL’s fastest skaters, had made 2007-08 a career season, achieving personal records in goals, assists and points.  Yet an NHL source had told Sports Headliners prior to the series with the Avs that he thought goal scoring would be a problem.  Despite the productive play of Brian Rolston (two goals, four assists) and Mikko Koivu (four goals, one assist), it was.

The Wild scored 12 total goals in the series.  Without an effective Gaborik producing anywhere near his norm, the Wild did a lot of skating and attacking but not much goal scoring.  The Avs’ effort led by the efficient play of defensemen Kurt Sauer and Adam Foote controlled Gaborik, crowding him and minimizing his chances to score and set up teammates.

But this isn’t all about Gaborik who apparently lost confidence as the series developed.  Other Wild players might have put goals in the net, too.  A major reason why they didn’t was the spectacular play of Avs’ goalie Jose Theodore.  He not only stopped shot after shot, but often there was no rebound available for the Wild to go after.

This was the Wild’s second consecutive year in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Although the Wild lost in five games to Anaheim last year, Gaborik led the team in goals with three and tied for the lead in assists with four.  Also, the Wild wouldn’t have won the franchise’s first division title this season without Gaborik whose 83 points were way ahead of any teammate (Pierre-Marc Bouchard was second at 63).

His speed is spectacular, a gift that separates him from most other players, and at 26 he has the potential to improve.  That improvement can include more confidence and better playoff performances.  Franchise’s that aspire to championships don’t give up on their most talented players because some stretches go south instead of north.

Gaborik, who ranked seventh in NHL goal scoring this season, will be a free agent in another year.  Wild fans, even the irrational, better hope he’s sitting at the front of the team plane for a long time.

A bid for the Metrodome to host the NCAA Final Four in 2014, 2015 or 2016 will be submitted in early June to the NCAA, according to Bill Lester.  Those years are far enough away that Lester, executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, along with others representing the city of Minneapolis and University of Minnesota, are comfortable that either the Metrodome will still be in existence or a new Vikings stadium with a retractable roof will be available.

Although cities with newer facilities than the Metrodome have an edge on Minneapolis, Lester said the previous success of Final Fours hosted here is a plus for the local bid.  He said, too, the NCAA likes the light rail transportation expected to be in place in the years ahead, including the rail line linking Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Starting with next year in Detroit, the NCAA will only host Final Fours in venues that can seat 65,000 or more, Lester said.  Reconfiguration of seating will expand capacity from 35,000 or more in domes to almost twice that number.

Last year former Timberwolf Troy Hudson predicted that eighth seed Golden State would upset No. 1 Western Conference seed Dallas in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.  Sports Headliners asked Pioneer Press Timberwolves beat writer Rick Alonzo last week what team may surprise this spring.  He said eighth seed Denver could beat the Lakers, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Royce White, the former DeLaSalle basketball player who is expected to the Gophers’ No. 1 in-state recruit in next year’s senior class, remains close to Islanders’ coach Dave Thorson, according to a source.  White, who left DeLaSalle because of issues earlier this year, is expected to play next season at Hopkins.  White, about 6-foot-7, is an exceptional offensive player with a quick step to the basket and ability to draw fouls while also having an effective mid-range jump shot.

Tracy Austin, former No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world, makes appearances at local Lifetime Fitness clubs on May 4 and 5.

The Nashville Predators, once owned by new Wild owner Craig Leipold, could relocate to Kansas City where the city has a new building but no NHL or NBA team.   Although Oklahoma City has been mentioned as a future site for an NHL team, that’s probably not going to happen with the Seattle SuperSonics relocating there instead.

Francisco Liriano has walked 10 batters in his first two outings as he tries to establish himself as a Twins’ starter after missing all of last season because of arm surgery.  Liriano’s control problems are troublesome but not unexpected because of his long absence from pitching.  What’s encouraging is his seven strikeouts in a total of 9 and 2/3 innings so far.  His left arm is lively.