The 2008 U.S. Women’s Open coming to Interlachen Country Club has over $3 million in corporate sponsorship sales, plus advance ticket sales of about $220,000, according to Linda Mona, general co-chair for the tournament that will bring 156 of the best female golfers to town June 23-29.  Those sales figures surpass any previous U.S. Opens approximately four months out from the tournament, she said.

Mona said sellout status will be about 22,500 spectators per day at Interlachen.  So far the tournament is almost 50 percent sold out.  The public can obtain ticket and event information at www.2008uswomensopen.com, or by calling 800-241-OPEN.

Funnyman emcee and Gopher basketball public address announcer Dick Jonckowski whispers a joke or two to Tubby Smith prior to tip off at each home game.  Here’s Jonckowski telling the two stories he told Smith earlier this week: “Two kids in Hollywood are talking. One kid said, ‘my dad can beat up your dad.’  The other kid said, ‘my dad is your dad.’

“And the second one is a gentleman came up to me the other day and he said, ‘Dick, my wife’s an angel.’  I said, ‘you’re lucky—mine’s still alive.’ ”

Timberwolves guard/forward Gerald Green defends his title in the Sprite Slam Dunk competition tomorrow (Saturday) on TNT starting at 7 p.m.  Green had a perfect score in the finals last year on a windmill dunk, leaping a table to defeat defending champion Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks.  The dunk competition is part of NBA All-Star weekend in New Orleans.

When the Twins go on the road to play National League teams and can’t use the designated hitter, newly acquired pitcher Livan Hernandez could be more than your usual feeble hitting pitcher.  Hernandez previously spent his entire career in the National League where he has a .232 lifetime average with nine home runs and 73 RBI.  In 2001 he hit .296 in 33 games and 81 at-bats.

Since the beginning of the 2000 season, Hernandez pitched 1,837.2 innings and 32 complete games, the most in major league baseball. His 270 starts are tied with Tom Glavine for the second, trailing Greg Maddux, 275.

The next Minnesota Wild Hockey Unplugged event is Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Primetime Sports Bar, 14103 Irving Ave. in Burnsville. Fans can receive autographs from Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik.

The Minnesota Minutemen announced the following candidates for the 24^th Annual Mr. Hockey Award. Tyler Barnes (Burnsville High School), J. T. Brown (Rosemount High School), Cory Fienhage (Eastview High School), Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka High School), Joe Gleason (Edina High School), Justin Jokinen (Cloquet High School), Zack Lehrke (Park Rapids High School), Aaron Ness (Roseau High School), Drew Olson (Brainerd High School) and Jake Youso (International Falls High School).   The Mr. Hockey Award is given to the outstanding high school senior and is selected by a panel of NHL scouts, Division I coaches and media.

The Minutemen also announced earlier this week that Joe Phillippi of Hill-Murray High School has won The Frank Brimsek Award in recognition of the state’s top senior goaltender.

The MIAC led all NCAA Division III conferences in football attendance for the third straight season in 2007. The conference’s nine teams averaged 3,594 fans per game, 372 more per game than in 2006. In 49 home games, the MIAC total attendance was a Division III-best 176,129 fans.

For the seventh straight season Saint John’s was the Division III attendance leader. The Johnnies averaged a school-record 8,769 fans per game. Concordia College-Moorhead finished second in the nation behind Saint John’s with an average of 5,441 fans per game.

The Crown Royal Golf Show is expected to have over 100 golf exhibitors, plus special attractions including the $100,000 Putt Challenge.  The show will be at the Metrodome February 22-24.

Comments Welcome

Carlos Gomez had 18 stolen bases on June 9 and has added only three since then.  He has no stolen bases in his last 10 games but is hitting .379 during the period.

Clem Haskins, who was forced out of his job in 1999 as Gopher coach, has no plans to return to basketball, according to a recent espn.com story.  Dana O’Neil wrote about her visit to Kentucky to talk with Haskins who has lived on his farm near Campbellsville since leaving Minnesota. More at https://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=3510729&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos1

Jim Holden will be autographing copies of his new book, Tennis in the Northland, at three locations during the next nine days.  The former Northfield tennis coach has written a comprehensive history of boys’ high school tennis in Minnesota.  The 448 page book includes 180 photos and covers the great teams and players in state history.  It’s a fun read with coverage of interesting characters including a former prep tennis player who went on to write a book about Charles Manson, Helter Skelter.  Holden will autograph books at the Men’s Senior Clay Court Championships at Bearpath Country Club in Eden Prairie on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon.  On Saturday, August 16 he will be at the Sectional USTA League Tournament at the Baseline Tennis Center on the University of Minnesota campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.   https://www.jim-holden.com/

The Vikings’ opening preseason game against Seattle tonight (7 p.m. Metrodome) will be televised by Ch. 5.  The Vikings have finished their preseason schedules undefeated six times in franchise history.  The most recent year was 200l.

Minnesota-Seattle connections include Vikings left guard Steve Hutchinson who played five seasons with the Seahawks.  Seattle wide receiver Nate Burleson and safety Brian Russell each played three seasons for the Vikings.  Former Gopher wide receiver Logan Payne is on the Seattle roster.

The Vikings finished 8-8 last season and missed the playoffs.  Seattle was 10-6 and won the NFC West.

Sports Illustrated, in its recent fantasy football preview, rated the Vikings’ defense and special teams No. 3 in the NFL, behind No. 1 San Diego and No. 2 Chicago.

The Minnesota Thunder plays its seventh consecutive USL game at home on Sunday, starting at 5:05 p.m. at the Blaine Sports Center stadium against Seattle.  The Thunder has won twice during the previous six games and will go on the road for the first time since July 3 next Saturday (August 16) for a game at Rochester.

Comments Welcome

At first glance it may look like what’s on the line in Sunday’s Minnesota-Wisconsin basketball game at Williams Arena is positioning for post-season play.  Sure enough the Gophers, 13-6 and 3-4 in the Big Ten Conference, will be trying to strengthen their fragile record and NCAA hopes, while the Badgers, 17-3 and 7-1, are in the conference title chase and a solid bet to qualify for the NCAA tournament.  But there’s more “booty” involved on Sunday, particularly for the University of Minnesota whose basketball and football teams have long been losing ground in the border war.

Check this out: the football team is 2-8 in the last 10 meetings with the Badgers.  In basketball, Wisconsin has won four straight, taken four of the last five games and is 12-2 against Minnesota going back to 2000.

Historically, Minnesota leads the all-time football series against Wisconsin with a 59-50-8 record. In basketball the Gophers are 91-82 versus the Badgers.

But it’s not just on the field and court where in recent years Bucky has been knocking Goldy Gopher on the head.  The Badgers are enjoying more recruiting success in Minnesota than at any time in memory.  Wisconsin was 12-1 in football in 2006, led by starting quarterback John Stocco of Richfield.  Last fall’s Badgers included Minnesota contributors such as David Gilreath of New Hope who led the Big Ten in punt return average at 14 yards per game and placed 10^th in the conference in all purpose yards at 104.3 yards a game.  The Wisconsin 2008 recruiting class includes commitments from two of the most highly sought Minnesotans, defensive end Brendan Kelly of Eden Prairie and offensive lineman Joe Schafer of St. Paul.

The Badger basketball roster includes freshman center Jon Leuer of Orono and junior forward Kevin Gullikson of Stillwater. Leuer had 12 points at Duke and 25 at Michigan earlier this season. The 2008 Wisconsin recruiting class includes guard Jordan Taylor of Bloomington (Benilde St. Margaret’s) and Jared Berggren of Princeton.

The Gophers can win a small battle and make a statement with a win on Sunday.  The task means taking on a Badger team that is ranked No. 13 in national polls this week.   The Badgers are a balanced bunch with only three players scoring in double figures and none averaging over 14 points per game. Wisconsin averages 69.7 points per game and gives up only 54.5.

The Gophers seniors, center Spencer Tollackson, forward Dan Coleman and guard Lawrence McKenzie, need to play with consistency to lead the Gophers on Sunday.  But playing before an emotional crowd and with a chance to win for just the second time in their careers against the Badgers, there’s plenty of incentive.  Given the Badgers dominance in football and basketball, plus recruiting in-roads, make it a “booty-full”  incentive.

Comments Welcome