Golden Gophers – Page 398 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Indiana Offers Scholarship to Tyus Jones

Posted on May 21, 2012May 21, 2012 by David Shama

Indiana is the latest school to offer a college scholarship to Apple Valley High School sophomore Tyus Jones, according to his mother Debbie Jones.

She said the offer came about two weeks ago. Previous offers include Arizona, Baylor, Marquette, Minnesota, Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State.

Tyus is regarded by prep experts as the best point guard in the country for the class of 2014 but he might never make the cover of Sports Illustrated like his pal Jabari Parker. The Chicago forward is on last week’s cover, being promoted as the best high school player since LeBron James.

The article featured Parker’s faith as a Mormon. “He’s a great kid,” Debbie said.

In the magazine story Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel said Parker is a role model for kids in that city. “His character and seriousness of purpose are exceptional,” Emanuel said in S.I.

Jones and Parker have talked about attending college together but there are no commitments by either yet. Parker is a junior, one class ahead of Jones. Since it’s probable Parker will only play one season in college before entering the NBA, Jones might not be influenced much by Parker’s college choice.

Debbie said Tyus has been ill with a virus and unable to play basketball in recent weeks. He will attend the USA 17 and under team tryouts in Colorado Springs in mid-June. The USA team will compete in the world tournament in Lithuania from June 29 – July 8.

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Worth Noting

Posted on May 21, 2012May 21, 2012 by David Shama

Tom Lehman, Fred Couples and 18 more of the top 20 players on the Champions Tour will compete in the 3M Championship in Blaine July 30-August 5. Arnold Palmer will also participate. Lehman, the Minnesota native, tied for second in last year’s tournament behind champion Jay Haas.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill expects today or tomorrow to see the classroom grades of his players from last semester. Kill and his staff have worked with players to significantly improve academic performance but that’s no guarantee there won’t be disappointments. “It’s one day at a time,” he said.

Kill hopes his players, including the quarterbacks, will volunteer their time to workout during the off-season this spring and summer. It’s not mandatory, but quarterbacks MarQueis Gray, Max Shortell, Phillip Nelson and Mitch Leidner are likely to be throwing to Gophers receivers in the weeks ahead.

Nelson and Leidner are freshmen but Kill said no decision has been made on redshirting. “We’ll make those decisions after two-a-days end,” Kill said referring to scheduled practices in August.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said it’s “inevitable” college football will go to a national championship playoff. “It’s what the public wants,” he told Sports Headliners.

Gophers women’s basketball coach Pam Borton promoted Curtis Loyd to associate head coach. Loyd joined the staff as an assistant coach in 2010 and is credited with improving Minnesota’s defense. Last season the Gophers held opponents to a program record low field goal percentage of .375.

It will be 20 years ago this summer the Dream Team that included Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan competed in the 1992 basketball Olympics. The Timberwolves’ Christian Laettner was on that team.

The Wild will have an 18-community promotional trip that includes players and other celebrities. The trip begins June 25 and ends June 28. www.wild.com

Hamline is sending three men and three women to next weekend’s NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships in Claremont, California including senior Devin Monson who ranks among the five best performers nationally in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

Former Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek, born in Minneapolis, celebrates his 52^nd birthday today.

The Twins will see former teammate Orlando Hudson when they open a three-game series tomorrow night in Chicago against the White Sox. The second baseman was released by San Diego last week but signed with the White Sox. He’s playing with his fifth major league club in five years.

Major League Baseball just finished its first weekend of Interleague baseball this season. Next season, with Houston switching from the National League to the American, there will be Interleague play throughout the season.

The Twins, who won two of three Interleague games against the Brewers in Milwaukee Friday-Sunday, are 150-117 in Interleague competition, among the best records in baseball.

By the way, who was the last Twins pitcher to hit a home run?

Jim Kaat in 1972.

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Final Four Likely for New Stadium

Posted on May 18, 2012May 21, 2012 by David Shama

With approval for a new Vikings stadium now finally in place, media speculation has started about attracting a Super Bowl to Minneapolis but it might be even easier to bring the NCAA’s Final Four to town.

“I’ll be amazed if we don’t get it (a Final Four),” Bill Lester told Sports Headliners. He is executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission and was part of the group that helped bring Final Fours to the Metrodome in 1992 and 2001.

The Gophers have been the college host for past Final Fours. “We know how to put it on,” said Joel Maturi, Gophers athletic director. “This is a great city (to visit).”

Lester said the Final Four sites are determined through 2016 but beyond then Minneapolis could be in the mix with a bid. “They (the NCAA) like competing cities,” he said.

The NCAA chooses only Final Four sites that are state-of-the-art domed stadiums. The new Vikings stadium will have either a fixed or retractable roof, and Lester said the seating configuration for the Final Four will be about 74,000.

A Super Bowl was held at the Metrodome in 1992. Although the NFL is known to reward new facilities with a Super Bowl, the league has most often selected warm weather cities as the site for games and sometimes in older stadiums. Earlier this year Indianapolis with a new stadium was the Super Bowl site, and Lester believes there’s definitely a possibility Minneapolis could host another Super Bowl within the next 10 years.

Maturi said the Big Ten Conference will be open to considering the new Vikings stadium for the league’s championship football game. That game is committed to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the next four years, and Detroit has expressed interest in hosting the game at Ford Field, according to Maturi.

There’s been quiet talk about establishing an annual college football bowl game (“City of Lakes Bowl?”) in Minneapolis. Maturi acknowledged it could be a difficult sell to convince teams the city is a desirable destination in December but said this is an attractive area with lots to do.

Maturi believes a nonconference basketball game involving the Gophers and a national power might one day be booked for the new Vikings stadium. “I think it’s a natural,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, Lester said he’s already hearing from potential users of the new stadium that is projected to open in 2016. Contacts range from inline skating organizers to amateur baseball teams looking for a protective environment. Such contacts are providing input on the design of the new stadium.

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