Preps – Page 135 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on January 27, 2012January 27, 2012 by David Shama

It will be a “who’s who” of players at TwinsFest this weekend but long travel distances will keep pitcher Francisco Liriano (Dominican Republic) and infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka (Japan) away. The three-day event at the Metrodome begins today and continues through Sunday.

The Twins will issue wristbands in various colors to fans seeking autographs from catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau. Fans with the “winning color” will be able to obtain autographs from the popular twosome. Patrick Klinger, Twins marketing vice president, said the system will eliminate the long autograph lines for the two stars seen at past TwinsFest events.

Klinger said although single game tickets for next season go on sale February 25, the April 9 home opener against Albert Pujlos and the Angels won’t be included. Season ticket holders will be able to purchase extra tickets for the home opener and have priority for that game. Some tickets for purchase by the general public will be available through a random drawing, Klinger said. Details will be available at TwinsFest and the team website.

Mauer, Morneau, pitcher Carl Pavano and broadcaster Bert Blyleven will make TV commercials today. Klinger didn’t disclose details but said the commercials will be “typical Twins humor, offbeat and fun.”

Twins pitcher Glen Perkins will be on the Pro-Alumni & Legends team playing the Gophers starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 4 at the Metrodome. Third baseman Jack Hannahan from the Indians will also play in the game. Hall of Famer Paul Molitor will manage the alumni team.

Matt Birk recently told media outlets he’s undecided about retiring from the Ravens. The former Vikings center just finished his 14th season of pro football.

Birk is one of three finalists for the 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year award. The others are Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers and Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. The award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities and onfield excellence.

Rich Kallok, Birk’s coach at Cretin-Derham Hall, said the St. Paul native did volunteer work even when he was in high school. “All of our kids do community service of some sort,” Kallok said.

He said Birk played soccer as a ninth grader at St. Thomas Academy. Friends influenced Birk’s decision to transfer to Cretin-Derham Hall and Birk played defensive end and offensive tackle on the football team.

Progress on the football field has characterized Birk’s career in high school, at Harvard and in the NFL. “He’s improved a lot all the way through,” said Kallok. “He’s intelligent and a good athlete. There are no shortcuts with Matt.”

It was 20 years ago yesterday that Minneapolis hosted its only Super Bowl. Washington defeated Buffalo 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI on January 26, 1992.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association chose Mike Grant from Eden Prairie as Class 5A Coach of the Year. The other coach of the year winners are: Mike Rowe, ROCORI, Class 4A; Carl Lemke, St. Croix Lutheran, Class 3A; Brent Schroeder, Caledonia, Class 2A; Cory Larson, Dawson-Boyd, Class 1A; Andrew Fleischman, Edgerton/Ellsworth, Class 9M.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien yesterday provided his rankings of the best prep boys teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A. His top five in big school 4A are Eastview, Hopkins, Wayzata, Osseo and Lakeville North. Benilde-St. Margaret’s is No. 1 in 3A followed by Minneapolis Washburn, SpringLakePark, DeLaSalle and Blake. The top five in 2A are Perham, Braham, Redwood Valley, St. Peter and Watertown-Mayer. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa is No. 1 in 1A followed byBattle Lake, MACCRAY, Southwest Christian and Dawson-Boyd.

The 17-9-1 Gophers hockey team has lost seven of its games by one goal. Gophers sophomore Nick Bjugstad has 20 goals and 32 assists. He’s the first Minnesota player to have 20 or more goals and 30 or more assists since the 2008-09 season. The Gophers play at home against St. Cloud State (10-12-4) tonight and in St. Cloud tomorrow night.

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Worth Noting

Posted on January 25, 2012January 25, 2012 by David Shama

The Wolves’ Kevin Love is one of 20 finalists for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. The final 12-man roster will be announced later this year.

Timberwolves president Chris Wright told Sports Headliners the organization has been contacted by Chinese ad agencies wanting to buy advertising in Target Center for the February 10 game against Dallas. That game will be televised in China in about 19 different markets.

Former Hopkins and Gophers forward Royce White is impressing so much that a January 16 article in the Des Moines Register included comparisons to Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Jamal Mashburn. The 6-8, 270 pound White has scored, rebounded and passed his way on to a list of potential All-Americans in his first season playing for Iowa State.

The Gophers will AGAIN change the look of their football uniforms and helmets. Minnesota has been switching outfits and colors for about 50 years. Memorable outfits (pleasant or not) have included eras when the Gophers dressed like the USC Trojans, coach Cal Stoll’s all-gold teams, and coach Tim Brewster’s infamous white helmets and white uniforms creation.

Although TCF Bank Stadium was the site of a U2 concert last summer, don’t expect anything but football on campus in 2012. “This next year is going to be a tough year for anything additional to football games because of the construction of the light rail,” said Joel Maturi, Gophers athletic director. “It’s tough to get in and out of here as it is, almost impossible when they start ripping up this last section here. …”

Glen Mason admired Penn State’s Joe Paterno so much that Mason wore a coat and tie on the sidelines the first time he coached Minnesota against the legendary Nittany Lions coach.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association will hold its annual Hall of Fame Banquet on March 31 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. Going into the Hall of Fame are: Earl Bauman, St. Michael-Albertville; Paul Gasner, Totino-Grace; Dick Hanson, Burnsville; Steve Nunnink, Brainerd; Terry Ogorek; Kittson County Central; Tyrone Wacker, Jackson and Gaylord.

There will be eight winners of the Butch Nash Outstanding Assistant Coach Award: Joel Baugarten, ROCORI; Michael Boomer, Cook County; Rick Haley, Delano; Thomas Pink, Northome; Patrick Rieder, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton; Mark Ritter, Eden Prairie; Will Wackman, Spring Lake Park; Ralph Weber, Anoka.

Welcome to the 21^st century. NCAA Division III policy makers have voted to allow text messaging in recruiting. Texting will be regulated similarly to phone calls, e-mails and faxes. “This is very important for us,” said Brad Marshall, St. Catherine head women’s hockey coach. “As far as my sport goes, it seems like if you text a prospect, she’ll get back to you 45 seconds later. …”

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After 7 Titles, Grant Still ‘Fired Up’

Posted on January 23, 2012January 23, 2012 by David Shama

“I am still fired up about football.”

Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant made that statement earlier this month when he spoke at a C.O.R.E.S. luncheon. Grant is 54 and last November finished his 20^th season as Eagles coach by winning a seventh state championship.

And, no surprise, he wants to win some more.

C.O.R.E.S. is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans, although Grant suggested it means “crotchety, old, retired, educators.” He had fun talking to the group, many of whom he’s known for years, and they have been admirers of not only Mike but his famous father, legendary Vikings coach Bud Grant who had four Super Bowl teams.

There’s a lot of the father in the son including the Grant way of “not getting too high, not getting too low.” That doesn’t mean Mike isn’t passionate about football, though, and he’s looking forward to next season. “We get ready (following a state title), one day after,” he said.

Grant expects Champlin Park to “probably be the No. 1” team in the state next season among schools with large student enrollments. His Eagles will pay a visit to Champlin Park in a much anticipated pre-Labor Day game.

Champlin Park may deserve a preseason No. 1 ranking but the Eagles will be special, too. Grant expects 11 starters back from his 2011 Class 5A state championship team. Between 280 and 380 candidates will try out for the team and already about 120 are working in the weight room preparing for next season. “Our kids are committed,” Grant said.

Obviously there’s depth and talent at Eden Prairie High but that doesn’t mean the Eagles win every game. In 2010 Brainerd pulled a big upset over Eden Prairie in the playoffs and last fall during the regular season Wayzata beat the Eagles. Eden Prairie got the most important win against the Trojans, though, winning the state championship game.

“I think they were better than us,” Grant said. “They had better talent. If we played them 10 times, we might win one time.”

Grant’s teams emphasize fundamentals. In the last three seasons his starting quarterbacks have thrown zero interceptions. “We try not to do anything pretty,” he said.

The first fundamental Grant preaches is having the best players available for games. “We try not to get anyone hurt in practice,” he said.

Grant’s dad is still a passionate hunter and Mike is sometimes his companion. “He says ‘let’s go hunting’ and I just drop everything,” Mike said.

Bud is 84 now and his wife Pat died in 2009. But Bud has a girlfriend and he remains a true character, a guy who speaks his mind and enjoys his life.

Mike told C.O.R.E.S. members about how former Vikings owner Red McCombs arranged for his dad to shoot turkeys inTexas. At day’s end Bud’s hosts were nervous about how to entertain the famous coach, suggesting a nearby bar or a game of billiards. “You know what? I like quiet,” Bud said. And then, Mike recalled, his dad sat and read a newspaper for two hours.

The younger Grant said he’s approaching retirement, too, but doesn’t talk like a man who expects to quit coaching anytime soon. “Not unless the A.D. fires me,” Grant said.

The Activities Director at Eden Prairie High—just in case you didn’t know—is Mike Grant. Yup, that Mike Grant.

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