With University of Minnesota football recruiting being noticed nationally and locally, coach Tim Brewster is excited about announcing his 2008 class on Wednesday, February 6.  Although NCAA rules prohibit Brewster from talking about specific individuals who have verbally committed to signing National Letters of Intent, he can speak collectively about a group rated No. 26 in the country by rivals.com and might be even better.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with this recruiting class,” Brewster told Sports Headliners.  “It will (help) re-establish the Gophers as one of the elite teams in college football.”

The athletic department is sponsoring a “Signing Day ’Sota Social” on February 6 at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex on campus beginning at 5 p.m. with Brewster previewing the 2008 class at 6:30 p.m.  (Tickets are $10, and include food and beverages. Fans must register for tickets through the Goal Line Club at www.goallineclub.com by February 5.)

Brewster has been traveling like a man without a home during December and January. “It’s incredible where I’ve been,” he said.  The Gopher coach has been visiting homes of all the players who have verbally committed to the Gophers, plus he’s been working on the 2009 recruiting class.

Last week he was in Atlanta, Houston and Cleveland.  On Saturday he was headed to California, and Philadelphia was on his short-term itinerary, too.

The Gophers’ recruiting class is expected to have at least six players with four star ratings, according to rivals.com.  The overall class is ranked fourth nationally among Big Ten teams after Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois.

Minnesota’s 2008 recruiting class may be the school’s best since 1964 when a group that included future NFL standouts John Williams and Charlie Sanders came to Minneapolis.  That class was the core of the 1967 Big Ten title team, the school’s last conference champion.

Brewster has already announced the signings of junior college players to National Letters of Intent.  Included in that group are three defensive players.  Those players, along with high school defensive players who have verbally committed, are expected to give the Gophers an improved defense over last year when Minnesota ranked last among Big Ten teams during conference play giving up almost 500 yards per game.

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Before the Twins open their new ballpark in 2010, it’s likely that baseball will already have been played in the downtown facility.  Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners that college baseball teams could help test out the new park prior to the first major league game.

Near the close of spring training some teams leave Florida or Arizona early to play final exhibition games.  This year the Giants and Athletics will play in the Bay Area, and the Angels and Padres will also play exhibition games in California.  The Royals will play in Milwaukee.  St. Peter said for now the Twins like their model of staying in Florida right through spring training. The Florida weather is more reliable than other places, plus the Twins benefit from sold out crowds at spring training headquarters in Fort Myers, he said.

Prep basketball expert Ken Lien’s latest rankings of the state’s top 10 boys’ teams are: Hopkins, Osseo, Minnetonka, Shakopee, Stillwater, Wayzata, Cretin-Derham Hall, Crosby-Ironton, St. Cloud Tech and Tartan. Lien, chair of the Mr. Basketball program, compiles his top 10 based on who he considers the best teams regardless of school enrollment size.

From the braggadocios, look how great I am department comes this scene following the Celtics-Wolves game Friday night:  Kevin Garnett grabbing his jersey, thrusting it toward the crowd as if to say, “Look at me and what I did!”

The annual Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic is scheduled for March 27-29 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park and the Bierman facility on the University campus.  Speakers will include head coaches Tim Brewster of the Gophers and John Gagliardi of Saint John’s. The clinic is a partnership between the Gophers and the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association.  More information is available at www.mnfootballcoaches.com

A friend reported that former Gustavus Adolphus star Eric Butorac and his dad Tim watched from James Blake’s box seats at the Australian Open last week when Blake lost a quarterfinals match to Roger Federer.  Eric and partner Kevin Ullyet lost in the third round of doubles at the open.

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Minnesota Twins president Dave St. Peter was asked on Wednesday about the chances now of trading two-time Cy Young award winning pitcher Johan Santana.  “I am not an odds maker,” St. Peter answered with a smile.  Rated in a recent issue of the Sporting News as the American League’s best pitcher, Santana has been rumored as headed to any of several teams since last fall.

“We don’t think we have a deal that behooves trading the best pitcher in the game,” St. Peter said.  However, the Twins executive said the situation “could change in five minutes.”

In a recent Sporting News article the publication rated the American and National League’s top pitchers.  The top five in the American League were: Santana, Roy Halladay of Toronto, Josh Beckett of Boston, C.C. Sabathia of Cleveland and John Lackey of Los Angeles.

Santana confuses batters with his fast ball and changeup.  He has won 70 games during the last four seasons. Sports Headliners believes Santana will be traded to the New York Mets before the season begins on March 31 at the Metrodome.  The guess here is the Mets will make a good offer, plus shipping Santana to the National League’s offers a secondary benefit of not having to face him during the regular season.

Meanwhile, St. Peter and other front office executives are excited about the franchise’s annual TwinsFest for fans tonight through Sunday at the Metrodome.  More than 60 current and former Twins are expected to attend including Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau who will be appearing all three days.  Alumni will include Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew.

On display will be a three-dimensional model of the new ballpark. The 5-foot by 5-foot model represents the most detailed depiction of what the new 40,000 seat ballpark will look like when it opens in 2010.

Attractions include tours of the Twins’ clubhouse, national anthem tryouts, baseball cards and collectibles, kids-only player Q & A sessions, player photo stations, a baseball skills area, youth baseball clinics as well as live and silent auctions. TwinsFest hours are tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

TwinsFest is an annual fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund. Since its inception in 1989, the event has raised more than $3.6 million for programs and organizations supported by the fund.  St. Peter said he hopes this year’s event, expected to draw 25,000 to 30,000 fans, will produce over $300,000 for the fund from admissions and other revenues.  Past and present players donate their time to attend with no one receiving an appearance fee, he said.

Last year’s TwinsFest drew a record 35,000 attendance, the best not only for the Twins but any baseball team that stages a winter promotional event for fans, St. Peter said.  Atlanta and St. Louis also draw large crowds, more than 20,000, he added.

The Twins exceeded 10,000 season tickets last season for only the second time in franchise history.  St. Peter expects a renewal rate of more than 90 percent and the franchise has already sold about 750 new season tickets.

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