The annual TwinsFest is scheduled for Friday, January 25 through Sunday, January 27 at the Metrodome. More than 50 current, former and future Twins players are expected to attend.  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. TwinsFest is an annual fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund. Since its inception in 1989, the event has raised more than $3.3 million for programs and organizations supported by the fund.

Brian Buscher, who left the Venezuelan League early for family reasons, hit .279 with two home runs in 12 games, according to the Twins Web site.  Buscher, who batted .244 with the Twins last season with two home runs and 10 RBI, didn’t solve the team’s need at third base in his rookie year.  Sports Illustrated suggested in a recent issue that the Twins acquire Colorado third baseman Garrett Atkins for minor league pitchers Anthony Swarzak and Eduardo Morian.

Viking linebacker Chad Greenway has interest in a post-playing career in broadcasting, perhaps as a color commentator on football games.  During the next off-season he may spend time with well-known football and baseball broadcaster Joe Buck.  Greenway, a communications major at Iowa, has been a guest this fall on a couple of Tuesdays with KFAN’s Paul Allen and Jeff Dubay.  Greenway said he may do some work with KFAN during the off-season.

When the Gophers open their new stadium in 2009, they will have two of the most attractive non-conference opponents in years, Air Force and California.  The best previous home non-conference schedule was 1997 when Iowa State and Houston came here.

Oakland coach and Bloomington native Lane Kiffin answering a question about his interest when he was a candidate for the Gophers’ football job last January and whether he’s pleased it didn’t work:  “Yeah, actually I am glad (to instead be Oakland’s head coach). … I was very interested (in the Minnesota job) and had spent a day in the interview process. …I think the University is a great place and I think it’s a great job and I’m sure they’ll turn it around and get back to winning. …I don’t think that Wisconsin and Iowa has anything on the University of Minnesota. …”

The guess here is that the Wild will start negotiations with all-star forward Brian Rolston in January.  His contract expires after this season.  The 34-year-old wing has seven goals and seven assists so far this season.  Earlier in the year he tied a career high for most assists in one game, three against Columbus.

The Gopher hockey team had a 2-1 lead after two periods Saturday against Alaska Anchorage but lost to end a three game winning streak.  It was only the 15th time the Gophers have lost a game when leading after two periods in 203 such games during nine seasons under coach Don Lucia (176-15-12).

Gopher men’s and women’s basketball coaches Tubby Smith and Pam Borton have radio shows on WCCO that can be heard locally on Mondays at 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Sports Illustrated’s college basketball preview ranked Indiana No. 8 and Michigan State No. 11.  No other Big Ten Conference teams made the top 20.  The Gophers weren’t included in the magazine’s prediction of the 65 teams who will make the NCAA tournament.

Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman talking about his team prior to Saturday night’s game against New Orleans:  “I love these guys.  They’re coachable.  They play hard.  They play for the most part together.  So we just gotta keep fighting.  The record isn’t where we would like it to be but you know what, it’s big picture where we’re trying to get.”

The Timberwolves organization will partner with the Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund to host over 150 people, including returning military members and their families, for a Thanksgiving meal tonight (Monday) in Minneapolis. The event will feature players and coaches serving a complete Thanksgiving meal and bussing tables for the guests, plus providing autographs and posing for photos.

Comments Welcome

The Timberwolves won their first game of the season Wednesday night after losing five straight. Only one loss was by more than eight points. With 10 new players who weren’t even on the roster last season, the franchise’s marketing campaign has been telling us to “See What They Can Do.”  Here are early impressions of both the team and several individuals.

The Wolves could have a couple more wins if they had shot more free throws or been better defensively.  Before Wednesday night’s 108-103 win over Sacramento, the Wolves had shot 92 free throws, while their opponents attempted 202.  Against the Kings, the Wolves had eight more free throw attempts than Sacramento.

A characteristic of the Wolves so far is that they don’t consistently stop other teams with their defense, including in the fourth quarter.  Matching basket for basket won’t produce wins without some key defensive plays.  The right players on the floor and fewer defensive lapses will help.

The development of rookie forward Corey Brewer, an energy guy with exceptional defensive skills, and the return of injured guard Randy Foye boosts the likelihood of the Wolves winning with some frequency.  When Brewer and center Theo Ratliff (he’s been an early season NBA leader in blocked shots) are in the lineup, the Wolves have two exceptional defenders, one who can guard on the perimeter, the other in charge of internal security.

Foye potentially solves two problems.  As a rookie last year, he was exceptional in the fourth quarter, scoring 48 percent of his points for the season during the final period and overtime.  The Wolves need a third reliable fourth quarter scoring alternative to join forward/center Al Jefferson and guard Rashad McCants. The return of Foye means he starts at point guard, replacing Marko Jaric and Sebastian Telfair, neither of whom has played like an NBA starter early in the season.

McCants, now in his third season, is producing  like an emerging star, averaging 18.6 points per game and making more than 50 percent of his field goals, including three pointers.  McCants, who had a career high 33 points Wednesday night, needs to sharpen up on defense and avoid unnecessary fouls that lessen his playing time.

Before the season it seemed a possibility that Foye, not a natural point guard, might play a lot of minutes at shooting guard, his more natural position, but the play of McCants has muted that notion.  At least for now.

With McCants, 23, either putting up jump shots near or far, or creatively driving to the basket, and with Jefferson, 22, tossing in six footers near the basket, the Wolves have developed an effective one-two scoring formula in early games.   Jefferson, 6-10, 265, is not only effective near the basket because of his size, he has extraordinary footwork.

The Wolves look organized offensively, defensively and in their collective heads.  Coach Randy Wittman has the team playing with energy, an absolute must for a young group trying to figure out who they are and how to play with one another.

The Wolves play Washington at home tonight (Friday) and New Orleans is at Target Center tomorrow night.

Comments Welcome

Minnesota football coach Tim Brewster looks at basketball’s early signing period (now through November 21) and advocates two signing periods for college football.  He has made that suggestion before his Big Ten Conference colleagues and believes an early signing period will relieve pressure on football recruits, just like it does in basketball. Brewster said it might make sense to have an early signing period in May when high school juniors could make commitments, and not have to wait until the following February as they do now.

What about Gopher recruiting for next year?  Brewster told Sports Headliners that he’s convinced his 2008 recruiting class will be impressive.  It will include some junior college players, but primarily high school athletes.

Regarding next season, Brewster predicts continued parity in the conference.  Going into tomorrow’s final games, every team in the Big Ten has at least one conference loss.  Asked about who might be the best teams, Brewster singled out with some hesitation Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan.

“I think we’re going to make a big jump,” he said.  “I think we’ll be tremendously improved.”

The Gophers, based on their depth chart for last weekend’s game at Iowa, will return eight starters on offense and eight on defense.  Tomorrow against Wisconsin at the Metrodome the roster will list 16 seniors who hope to avoid making history.  If the Gophers lose their 11^th game, it will be a school record.

Wisconsin has won 10 of the last 12 games against the Gophers.  Minnesota won in Minneapolis in 2003 but hasn’t defeated the Badgers in Madison since 1994.

Wisconsin, by the way, has a 25-1 record in Madison since the start of the 2004 season, the nation’s best home record.  The Badgers are working on 14 straight wins, the third longest home winning streak in school history.

At 10 p.m. tonight the Gophers will hold a pep rally at Williams Arena.  Admission to the Border Battle Pep Fest is free.  Much of the crowd is expected to come from fans who attended the men’s hockey game or women’s basketball game on campus.  Brewster and the team will be in attendance.

Comments Welcome