Author: David Shama

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.

The Washington Nationals’ stadium that opened earlier this year is the first major league ballpark to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating, according to Newsweek magazine.  The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating is something the Twins hope to earn with their new stadium, too, said team president Dave St. Peter.

There are many elements that can factor in, St. Peter said, from collecting rain water for the playing field to using stone quarry that is being transported to the new ballpark from less than one hour away, saving on fuel costs.  Even the already in existence parking facilities near the stadium are environmentally friendly because new spaces don’t have to be constructed.

Recycled material can earn rating points from LEED, too.  The Twins ballpark, for example, will use the old Minneapolis Lakers playing floor in a stadium sports bar.

St. Peter said the LEED standards are much easier to apply to office buildings than outdoor stadiums but the Twins are committed to making their new ballpark as energy and environmentally effective as possible.  More will be known as to what all those elements are as the stadium nears completion next year.

St. Peter also said the Twins have asked major league baseball to host the 2014 All-Star game in the new stadium.  In even numbered years an American League team hosts the game but the Twins would accept a break in tradition if they were chosen for 2015.  That date would mean the Twins hosted All-Star games after 20 and 30 year breaks since the first game here was in 1965 and the second in 1985.

A reader e-mailed to ask my opinion on the recent news that a billionaire will build a Los Angeles area football stadium ready for business in 2011 and is looking for an NFL team to relocate.  The Vikings’ Metrodome lease expires in 2011.  Here was my reply: “No one knows yet what’s going to happen but we do know that Jacksonville and New Orleans are smaller markets than Minneapolis-St. Paul. Their teams also don’t have the tradition and legacy of the Vikings. The NFL might be particularly comfortable with moving a team from Florida since that state has three franchises.  Those are positives for worried Vikings fans.  So, too, is the fact Vikings’ owner Zygi Wilf has said he won’t move the team, although there’s opinion he might eventually sell the franchise if he can’t get a new stadium here.  My guess is the Vikings won’t relocate to Los Angeles or anywhere else, but I wouldn’t bet either way.”

The Vikings don’t have enough ends to fill up a defensive two-deep depth chart.  If they can’t arrange a deal to bring Kansas City’s star defensive end Jared Allen here, then the Sports Headliners’ guess is the team’s first round draft choice will be used on a college defensive end but it could be an offensive tackle or cornerback.

The draft pick by coach Brad Childress and others in the organization will be based on the best player available so the Vikings could draft someone on Saturday who doesn’t play any of those positions.  Not just ability, bu