Seldom has the life of a local media figure been remembered with such affection as that of Bill Carlson.  WCCO TV devoted about half of its 6 p.m. newscast on Saturday to Carlson, 73, who died last week from cancer.  He was remembered with fondness, too, on WCCO Radio during a program Saturday from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Yes, he was on the broadcast scene here since the 1950s and excelled as a news anchor and entertainment reporter.  But what people treasured was how he treated others with dignity and respect.

The Sports Show Spoof can be viewed on You Tube.  It’s a take-off on the local Sunday night TV program hosted by Mike Max with regulars Patrick Reusse, Dark Star and Sid Hartman.

First-year coach Tubby Smith will enjoy the biggest win of his brief Gopher career if Minnesota beats Indiana tonight (Wednesday) in Bloomington.  Not only are the Hoosiers, 13-3 in the Big Ten, better than the Gophers, 8-8, but Indiana figures to be focused after Sunday’s embarrassing 103-74 loss at Michigan State.  The Hoosiers are ranked 17th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll.

Based on past reputations, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire probably has more challenging personalities on his roster than in the past.  That category certainly includes outfielders Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez, and pitcher Livan Hernandez.

The MIAC Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships begin tomorrow and continue through Saturday at Saint John’s.  St. Thomas has won all 23 of the previous men’s indoor titles, and 20 of 23 women’s championships.  The Tommies are favored again.

The Minnesota Wild, the golden child of local sports franchises, has been roughed up this week following the acquisition of hockey bad boy Chris Simon, the 36-year-old wing whose on ice incidents have drawn multiple career suspensions.  While Simon’s incidents can be seen on TV highlights and YouTube videos, the trade earlier this week that brought him here from the New York Islanders for a sixth round draft choice has stirred more negative comment from fans and media than any move by the Wild within memory.

With more than 20 NHL deals made by league teams before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Wild followers were hopeful of adding a top tier player who could enhance the team’s playoff possibilities and end a losing streak that had reached four by Wednesday morning.  Despite speculation earlier this month that Peter Forsberg might come this way, he ended up in Colorado.

A star like Forsberg might have been too much to expect but Simon was a let down to fans for a couple of reasons.  First, with career statistics that include 18 goals in his last two full seasons they don’t expect his contributions to be high impact here.  Second, this isn’t a hockey community that embraces first degree hockey violence.

It might be extreme, but one passionate fan who called Sports Headliners asked: “How could they trade for this guy who maybe one of the worst individuals ever to play in the National Hockey League?”

Another fan e-mailed that “this guy is not the player he used to be, and you can count on him to put his team in a hole with committing stupid suspensions.”

President and general manager Doug Risebrough, according to the team’s Web site, believes that the 6-3, 232-pound Simon will give the Wild a physical presence needed around the net.  Risebrough said other teams in the Northwest Division have more size and adding Simon helps make up for that deficiency.

With an easier schedule just ahead and the playoffs not that far away the Wild have to hope for better scoring.  Once in the playoffs an extraordinary series of games by goalie Niklas Backstrom seems like the best formula for success.

The Wild, who are tied for first place in the Northwest Division, will set the scene for more complaining from the public and media than ever before if they finish the regular season and playoffs poorly.  This is a franchise that has been to the playoffs twice in five seasons but yet has maintained sellout crowds and a popular image with a few exciting players, slick arena and meticulous attention to marketing and customer relations. The golden child lost some glimmer this week, and the weeks, months and years ahead (will Marion Gaborik eventually be traded?) will be interesting.

Unless you’re a blindly loyal fan, or the Minnesota Twins sign your paycheck, chances are you have minimal hopes about the local team winning the World Series this year.  The National Sports Advisors Web site, for example, sets the Twins odds at 50/1 to win the series (www.nsawins.com).  The Boston Red Sox are 4/1 favorites, the most popular choice to become baseball’s champions (again).

Rebuilding season?  Developmental year?  Choose whatever term pleases your keyboard but expectations are understandably low for the Twins while they prepare for the season during spring training in Florida.  A poll of fans and media predicting the order of finish in the American League Central Division probably would look like this:  Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Minnesota and Kansas City.

The Twins have impact players to be sure.  Guys like reliever Joe Nathan, catcher Joe Mauer, first baseman Justin Morneau, and outfielders Delmon Young and Michael Cuddyer.  It’s just that trying to make sense of the starting pitching is like peering into a cosmic black hole.

The infield is unsettled, too, with third baseman Mike Lamb, shortstop Adam Everett and second baseman Brendan Harris needing to prove themselves.  It’s interesting, too, that high potential second baseman Alexi Castilla, the starter at season’s end last year, is apparently headed to the bench or the minor leagues.  Some how, too, you have to believe the versatile Nick Punto, who can play third, short, and second, will be part of manager Ron Gardenhire’s plans.

If the Mets trade had brought immediate, proven help, fans would have a little more bounce in their steps while they followed spring training.  The guess here is that eventually 18-year-old pitcher Deolis Guerra will be the prize player from the deal that sent Johan Santana to New York for four players.

In the meantime, the Twins will continue to draw comment for not improving themselves more in a deal for Santana, a two time Cy Young winner.  The second guessing could really be intense this summer in New York if Santana and the Mets are rolling, and the Yankees, who couldn’t pull off a deal with the Twins, are struggling.

Watch to see whether the Twins can sign Nathan to a contract extension.  If they don’t do it sometime soon and then the team isn’t competitive by late spring, a trade seems likely.  It might be that kind of season.