It was 40 years ago last month that O.J. Simpson and his USC team drew a crowd of 60,820 to the old Memorial Stadium where the Gophers lost to the Trojans, 29-20, in one of the classic college football games ever played here. Simpson, who won the 1968 Heisman, was sentenced to prison last week on robbery charges, 13 years to the day that he was acquitted in the murder trial of wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman.
The Gophers defeated Indiana 16-7 last Saturday, although before the game the over and under was 59.5 points, according to the Star Tribune.
Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said that Duane Bennett, who was injured in the second game of the season, will receive a redshirt season. That means he will be a sophomore next year.
The Gopher offense consists primarily of freshmen and sophomores but the depth chart on defense last week showed eight juniors, two seniors and a sophomore on the first team.
Marian Gaborik becomes a free agent after next season and there’s speculation his next contract can put him toward the top among the NHL’s best paid players but at least one authority doesn’t even include the Minnesota Wild star among the league’s best 15 players. In a recent issue of the Sporting News Jay Feaster, former general manager of Tampa Bay, ranked Gaborik No. 17 in a listing of top 50 players. Washington’s Alex Overchkin was No. 1, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby No. 2 and Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom No. 3.
Twins management must be serious about trying Michael Cuddyer at third base in spring training next year. The team’s official Web site lists him as an infielder on the 25-man roster. A source told Sports Headliners that when Cuddyer was interviewed awhile ago on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle he didn’t sound enthused about third base, a position he has played in both the major and minor leagues before becoming a regular right fielder.
Look for the Twins to re-sign free agent Nick Punto, one of baseball’s most versatile utility infielders. Punto responded well to hitting toward the bottom of the batting order, finishing with a .284 average after hitting .210 in 2007.