Look for Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman to answer the telephone if contacted about the Hoosiers’ coaching vacancy.  Indiana isn’t expected to contact coaching candidates to replace Sampson and interim coach Dan Dakich until after the Hoosiers finish post-season play in the NCAA tournament.

Wittman was a schoolboy star growing up in Indianapolis.  He played four seasons at Indiana where he was named the 1983 Big Ten Co-Player of the Year.  The Hoosiers won the 1981 national championship while he was there.  In 1996 he was named to the school’s silver anniversary team.

Saying it’s “my alma mater,” Wittman told Sports Headliners on Tuesday that if contacted by Indiana representatives he would try to provide suggestions.  He’s likely to listen to inquiries about his availability, too.

Wittman is a favorite of former Indiana coaching legend Bob Knight.  The two speak on a regular basis and there’s no doubt that many Indiana boosters want to see an IU alum take over as coach.  Wittman, who has been head coach here and several years ago with the Cleveland Cavs, has credentials that only a few Hoosier alums possess including Steve Alford at New Mexico, Mike Woodson with the Atlanta Hawks and Dakich who was an assistant to Sampson and Knight at IU, and also head coach at Bowling Green.

Meanwhile, Wittman will follow the CBS NCAA tournament selection show with interest on Sunday and not just to see where Indiana will be playing.  Son Ryan Wittman has made a big impression in two seasons at Cornell.  He was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season and now as a sophomore has made first team all conference. Cornell, Ivy League champs at a perfect 14-0 and 22-5 overall, will be in the NCAA tournament.

Ryan, who played at Eden Prairie and wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school, might have more than a few major college coaches second guessing themselves now.

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Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners the approximate capacity of the new ballpark opening in 2010 will be 40,000.  “We won’t know the exact capacity until after the ballpark opens,” he said.  “You won’t know until you get all the seats in and you do a seat count.  And obviously you have standing room, and you’ve got some clubs where there’s uncertainty on seats. …”

The Twins are airing a new TV commercial this week entitled “Park Center.” It features Twins reliever and Minnesota native Pat Neshek along with students from his former high school, Park Center High in Brooklyn Park. In the ad, he participates in a question and answer session with kids on a field trip for “Pat Neshek Day at the Dome,” but to his dismay, all of the questions are about a popular teammate.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Chad Henne, who was a four year starter at Michigan and impressive in post-season workouts, becomes a draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings who have a quarterback opening on the roster.

Admission will be free to the Gopher spring football game on Friday, April 25 in the Metrodome.  Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

New owner Dean Johnson, the St. Paul native who makes his home in Brussels, is expected to attend the Minnesota Thunder’s home opener on May 4 at Griffin Stadium in St. Paul against Rochester.  Johnson, 52, the majority owner who took over the team late last summer, attended St. Paul Johnson High School and made his money in European commercial real estate development.

Tickets are available for the opener, although team officials expect a sellout at 6,300 capacity Griffin Stadium.  Thunder executive Peter Johns said there are 155,000 youth soccer players in the state, 95,000 in the metro area.  Soccer is the No. 1 youth participant sport in the state, he added.

How much of a down season is this for Gopher hockey?  Minnesota, a seventh seed, plays on the road for an opening WCHA playoff game for the first time since the 1999-2000 season when the Gophers face Minnesota State Mankato in a three game series starting tonight (Friday).  The Mavericks, a fourth seed, have historically been dominated by the Gophers, 25-2-5.  The last Minnesota State win was in 2003 in Mankato.  The Gophers are 15-14-9 overall this season, the Mavericks 18-14-4.

Gopher freshman goaltender Alex Kangas has started 14 consecutive games. Since becoming the starter, Kangas has a 1.86 goals against average and .930 save percentage, plus a 4-4-6 record.  For the season, he ranks 10th nationally with a 2.13 goals against average and 12th with a .923 save percentage. Both numbers rank second among all freshmen goaltenders behind Colorado College’s Richard Bachman.

Former Gopher guard Jordan Nuness was named to the all-North Central Conference basketball team announced earlier this week.  He completed his three year career at UMD by setting a school career record (241) and a single season record (100) for three point baskets.  He was fifth in NCC scoring at 16.4 points per game.

Amanda Behnke and Katie LaViolette from Concordia St. Paul were named to the first team of the 2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball All-North Central Region team as selected by sports information directors.  Behkne, a 6-2 senior center, is first team for the second consecutive season while LaViolette, a 5-9 point guard, was second team a year ago.  The two helped Concordia, 28-2, to its best start ever this season, 18-0, establishing the school record for longest winning streak before winning NSIC regular season and tournament championships, becoming the first team in league history to repeat with both titles.

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Two years ago the Minnesota Vikings had the No. 17 pick in the first round of the college draft and also came up with three second round picks.  The Vikings have the 17^th pick this year, too, but don’t look for a repeat of 2006 when Minnesota chose cornerback Cedric Griffin, offensive lineman Ryan Cook and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson with its three second round picks.

A better guess as to what might happen in 2008 is the Vikings could trade down to have a later first round pick and add another second round choice.  Certainly the Vikings may run an ordinary draft where they simply keep their pick at No. 17 and the one second round choice.  But if the Vikings think they can help themselves more by drafting late in the first round and then early in the second, this speculation could be on target. Right now the Vikings have the 47^th pick in the second round.

What the Vikings will have to decide when it’s their turn to pick players is whether to choose based on value or need.  Value says take the best football player available, but the Vikings have needs at defensive end and wide receiver.

If the Vikings stay at No. 17, defensive end Derrick Harvey of Florida, a pass rushing specialist, might be the choice.  DeSean Jackson, a speedster from California, might be worth moving up to take early in the second round to help the wide receivers talent pool.  Devin Thomas of Michigan State or Early Doucett of LSU are other wide receivers who might be available when the Vikings pick at No. 47.

Since Zygi Wilf took over ownership in 2005, the Vikings have shown a willingness to make changes and take risks.  Their aggressiveness in the free agent market this off- season is one example.  Another was positioning themselves to draft Jackson and provide him opportunities to be a starting NFL quarterback.

With Brett Favre’s retirement, the NFC North is looking very ordinary.  The Vikings, no doubt, see an opportunity and that’s what makes the NFL draft next month intriguing from a local perspective.  Look for the Vikings to aggressively sort out their options, even on draft days, April 26 and 27.

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