As of this morning, there were approximately 3,600 tickets remaining for Sunday’s game at the Metrodome between the Vikings and Lions, according to an e-mail update from Steve LaCroix, Vikings vice president of sales and marketing.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf not only was visible on the sidelines yesterday at Giants Stadium but he’s been standing in the background at some of coach Brad Childress’ Monday news conferences this fall.

Assuming his minimal production continues (14 catches, about 200 yards), it’s easy to imagine third year wide receiver Troy Williamson not being with the Vikings next season. His statistics for kickoff returns are about 22 yards per return.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson likes pro basketball and attends Timberwolves games at Target Center.

Here’s my view on Johan Santana and the Twins:  management will never be better positioned than it is now to strike the best trade deal possible. First, the 28-year-old Santana is healthy.  Who knows whether he will have an arm or other injury in the near future?  Second, the nearer Santana comes to free agency (eligible after next season) the more other teams will fill their needs and the less likely the Twins can command a best deal.  They should be all ears right now on the trade front, while still trying to sign and retain him.

Former Gopher coach Lou Holtz was recalling the 1969 Kansas-Missouri football game last week on ESPN.  He said Kansas coach Pepper Rogers flashed Missouri coach Dan Devine the peace sign.  Devine returned half the gesture, Holtz reported.

Look for the Gophers for the first time in memory to have multiple recruits playing in the January 5 US Army All-American Bowl. The East versus West game annually includes some of the best prep players in the country playing in San Antonio.

Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith wouldn’t be specific as to when his formal contract with the University will be completed and signed other than to say “as soon as we can get it done.”  He said there no major disputed issues, that it’s simply wording being finalized in the contract.  The contract process is no different here than it’s been other places he has coached, Smith said.

All eight of the players who have signed National Letters of Intent with the Gophers hockey team have post-high school playing experience.  They are wing Mike Dorr, wing Jake Hansen, defenseman Sam Lofquist, defenseman Brandon Martell, center Taylor Matson, center Nico Sacchetti, defenseman Grant Scott and center Jordan Schroeder. “We have a good mix of size, speed and skill with this group,” Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. “This will ensure that we get the numbers back up to where we need them to be on our team. These kids have had the opportunity to play in the USHL and Ann Arbor (with the U.S. under-18 junior team), which should ease their transition to college hockey.

The seventh annual Schwan Cup holiday hockey tournament, December 26-28, will have 164 boys and girls teams participating at various facilities including the Xcel Energy Center.  Holy Angels, Hill-Murray and Centennial are among the highly ranked boys teams participating.  Blake and Warroad are included among the top girls teams.

The weekly TV listings publication in the Sunday Star Tribune has been discontinued to save on expenses, according to a local media source.

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Occasionally there’s a high school football game that stirs the interest of the masses.  Look no further than Friday night’s Class 5A state championship game between unbeatens Eden Prairie and Cretin-Derham Hall to find an example.

It’s the Minneapolis area versus St. Paul.  It’s a game with big names, from now almost legendary coach Mike Grant of Eden Prairie to USA Today All-American Michael Floyd of Cretin-Derham Hall.  Two rivals, with past games worth remembering, featuring several players that will play major college football, competing for a state title and offering contrasts in style.

Eden Prairie’s offense is a more methodical style while the Raiders often find the end zone before you can take the next bite of your hot dog.  KARE TV sportscaster Randy Shaver told Sports Headliners earlier this week that the Eagles are likely to focus on their methodical ways Friday, deliberately trying to keep the Raider offense on the sidelines for long periods.

Floyd, the pass catching wonder headed to Notre Dame next year, and quarterback John Nance and running back Shady Salamon (both future Gophers) are big play guys who have earned their “flashy” reputations.  Shaver said the Eagles haven’t seen the kind of speed that the Raiders possess and can’t duplicate it in practice as they prepare for Friday night’s game.  The game’s outcome, he believes, may turn not only on Eden Prairie’s effectiveness in keeping the Raiders playmakers on the sidelines, but also in forcing Nance out of the pocket, making him feel pressure.

Shaver, who has studied both teams including game tapes for two-plus hours, said Nance routinely has “all sorts of time” to throw, sometimes heaving it to Floyd who simply seems to run as far as he can before his quarterback throws a long pass.  Eden Prairie defensive players like star linemen Max Pryor and Willie Mobley will be chasing Nance and trying to contain the high scoring Raiders offense that produced 56 points in a semi-final win over Brainerd.

Shaver thinks the end result will be an Eden Prairie win, a close game perhaps with a final score of 27-24.  He believes the Eagles have a more balanced overall team, including a sophisticated offense, led by quarterback Ryan Grant that will have success controlling the ball.

Shaver chose seven players from Eden Prairie on his all metro offensive and defensive teams, the most ever from one school in 24 years of picking post-season all-stars.  Three Eagles made the defensive team and while the Raiders had three players on the offensive team, they had none on defense.

Ken Lien, another prep football expert who provided color commentary on Crystal Clear Sports Webcasts this fall, thinks Eden Prairie will win, too.  Even before the playoffs began he was describing Class5A as the “shampoo tournament,” referring to how the Raiders and Eagles are “head and shoulders” better than anyone else.

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Without intending to cause a Thanksgiving Day outbreak of upset tummies, dare we mention that the Green Bay Packers are on national TV tomorrow against the Detroit Lions?  The 9-1 Packers, the surprise team of the NFL season, are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the best record in the NFC.  Even those who bleed Viking purple may want to have a look at this game where the 6-4 Lions, in second place in the NFC North, try to tighten up a division race for themselves, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota (both 4-6).

The task for the Lions obviously won’t be easy going against a Packers team that is off to its best start since 1962, seven years before 38-year-old fountain of youth quarterback Brett Favre was born.  Vikings’ kicker Ryan Longwell played in Green Bay for nine years before coming here for the 2006 season.  He thinks the Packers are the best team in the NFC, better than the Cowboys. The two teams can settle some things on the field soon when the Packers play in Dallas a week from tomorrow night.

“You know, I think that the Packers defense is highly under rated,” Longwell told Sports Headliners last Thursday.  “Not many people know about them but I think they got two shutdown corners (Al Harris and Charles Woodson) that would match up really well against the Dallas offense. … Kampman (Aaron) is one of the most under-rated guys at d-line in this league. …I think that each offense (Dallas and Green Bay) is pretty even. …”

Longwell said that except for Terrell Owens of the Cowboys he thinks the Packers could “shut down” the other receivers.  “I don’t know that Dallas could shut down all of the Packers receivers, they’ve got a good group,” Longwell said.  “So I mean after seeing them both, I really feel like they’re the team (the Packers) to beat, especially if they could somehow get home field advantage, playing in the cold. Brett’s really good throwing the ball in the cold which is tough to do.”

Longwell was asked about a Packer match-up with the defending Super Bowl champs, the Indianapolis Colts, or undefeated New England Patriots, 10-0.  “I don’t even know,” he said.  “I think they (the Packer players) really bought into coach (Mike) McCarthy’s program and they have fun.  You can see they’re playing with more and more confidence every week. And you’ve seen Indy hiccup the last couple weeks and you don’t know how New England is going to go down the stretch.  They look pretty powerful.

“You know, Brett just seems to have this magic about him that I would never say never. I wouldn’t say they couldn’t beat either one of those teams for sure.”

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