It was a nice gesture of Brad Childress to participate in Matt Birk’s charity event at Minnetonka High School on Sunday. The two had some differences when Birk was the Vikings center and now he’s playing for Baltimore. Childress didn’t have to appear along with other celebrities at the event to benefit at-risk children.
Timberwolves’ alums Flip Saunders, Randy Wittman and Sam Cassell could be celebrating a lot of wins in Washington next season. Saunders as head coach, with Wittman and Cassell as assistants, will have a team that was 19-63 last year, but is expected to be among the most improved in the NBA next season.
Timberwovles’ president of basketball operations David Kahn told WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle show on Sunday that he was leaving this week for Spain and conversations with No. 1 draft choice Ricky Rubio and the management of Rubio’s Spanish team. Unless Rubio can buy out his contract in Spain he won’t be joining the Wolves any time soon. Kahn said Rubio, a 6-5 point guard, has “incredible charisma” on and off the court. “He’s our Brett Favre, maybe,” Kahn said.
Dylan Williams, 18, is not only one of the youngest jockeys to ride at Canterbury Park, he’s also unusually tall at 5-foot-10. Williams was featured on Fox 9 sports Saturday night.
Claiming Crown, an annual event that draws national horseracing attention, will be held at Canterbury on Saturday. There will be five races on dirt and two on turf with purses totaling $600,000.
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) will hold its 2009 Hall of Fame induction ceremony Friday, July 31, at the Best Western Kelly Inn in St. Paul. Being honored are Lee Ahlbrecht, Bemidji State University; Linda Larson, University of Minnesota Duluth; Dean Bowyer, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Frank Mosier, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Henry Schneider, Northern State University; Jeff Loots, Southwest Minnesota State University and David Ludy, Winona State University.