Former Gopher Matt Spaeth, selected in December as the nation’s best college tight end, will be a third or fourth round pick in next week’s NFL draft, according to a former pro coach.  “He’s not going to be a first round pick,” the source said.  “He’s not a dynamic (tight end), not a real speed guy.  Solid (player) but not great.” 

Spaeth, winner of the John Mackey award in December, told Sports Headliners he “has no idea” where he will be drafted.  He doesn’t “read any of this Internet stuff, I don’t look at any of the articles in magazines. I don’t listen to anybody because you never know.”   

Spaeth said he feels “fortunate” to be a potential early round pick.  The first three rounds of the NFL draft are Saturday, April 28, with the additional rounds the next day.  

Spaeth is revered at the University.  He was a team leader who continued playing last season even with a severe shoulder injury. His blocking and pass catching helped the Gophers make a late season push to the Insight Bowl.  Well liked among coaches and players, Spaeth earned a degree in marketing in December and has interest in a sports marketing career. 

The shoulder injury is healed after slowing preparations earlier this year for the draft. The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Spaeth has had “visits” or workouts with four NFL teams.  One was the Vikings but he declined to name the others.  In preparation for the draft he’s been timed at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash.  “I was happy with a 4.8 considering I hadn’t worked out in a long time and I had four weeks to prepare to work out,” he said.   

Spaeth said the suggestion hasn’t been made but he wouldn’t be against moving to another position such as offensive tackle. “If I was on a team that wanted me to do it and needed me to do it, yeah, sure,” he said.    

With his ability to make difficult catches and block, Spaeth will draw attention in the draft and he’s not particular what team chooses him. “You know what, I will play for anybody that wants me,” he said. “I have no real preference.  Obviously the Vikings, being a hometown kid, that would be fun but really any team I will play for.” 

Spaeth was all-Big Ten both his junior and senior seasons.  He was selected as the Gophers’ Most Valuable Player last season.  He is Minnesota’s all-time leader among tight ends in career receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,293), surpassing former Gopher Ben Utecht in both categories. He also ranks ninth all-time in career receiving touchdowns with 12.

Vikings coach Brad Childress talking about explosive Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson being a difference maker for his struggling offense:  “He’ll be a great difference maker for anybody.  We’re going to get a good football player (drafting at No. 7).” 

Yesterday Childress read his favorite poem The Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole) at the downtown Minneapolis Public Library as part of National Poetry Month.  The poem speaks of each generation’s responsibilities to those who come after and Childress has been reading it since adolescence.  Although he’s a fan of the poem and finds it inspirational, he doesn’t write poetry or have any hobbies such as golf or boating.  

Media and Gopher fans will watch Tubby Smith in the months ahead to see how recruiting develops.  While at Kentucky, Smith had a verbal commitment from Saginaw, Michigan star Draymond Green.   Is Green’s coach, Lou Dawkins, who played for Smith at Tulsa, a candidate for an assistant coach’s job at Minnesota?      

The April 16 Sporting News listed its top 15 pre-season college football teams and ranked Wisconsin No. 6.  Other Big Ten Conference teams were No. 7 Michigan, No. 14 Penn State and No. 15 Ohio State.      

Wally’s Choice was injured in a workout recently, won’t be able to race this year and will have to wait until 2008 to break Blair’s Cove’s all-time record of $533,528 for Minnesota bred race horses.   The six-year-old race horse tore a tendon but is expected to make a full recovery and needs about $100,000 in additional winnings to break the record.  Owners include Wally McNeil, known to local sports fans as “Wally the Beerman.”  He has a promising two-year-old filly named Run Danya.   

Featherweights Jason Litzau of St. Paul and Aldo Valiterra of Mexico meet at Roy Wilkins Auditorium on Wednesday night in a televised fight on ESPN2.

NBA gossip volume would plunge without speculation Kevin Garnett will play elsewhere next season.  A rumored destination continues to be Los Angeles where the Lakers offer a trade package including 19-year-old center Andrew Bynum.   

The problem with the move Garnett idea is that invariably the proposed transaction involves unproven players and draft choices.  Why trade by far your best player, an NBA superstar, for the unknown?  Not to mention Garnett has high performance production left in his 30-year-old body and is basketball ticket selling ATTRACTION No. 1 in Minneapolis.

NBA trade history shows the teams receiving the superstars benefit, not the ones giving them up.  Two of the NBA’s most savvy deal makers, Jerry West and Red Auerbach, formed championship teams by exchanging good players for great ones. 

With the NBA season ending tonight, Garnett is on the verge of leading the league in rebounding for a fourth consecutive year.  He’s averaged almost 13 per game.  He’s totaled 22.4 points per game.  Both his rebound and season averages are similar to his best past numbers, an indication he still plays at a high level. 

Head coach Randy Wittman admires Garnett’s durability.  “Knock on wood, he’s been blessed with a pretty healthy career,” Wittman said.  “He’s logged a lot of minutes but he hasn’t had anything where he’s missed half a year, or he’s missed 25 games. …I think he’s got a lot left in the tank. …He improves every year.  He adds something to his game that makes him harder to play against.” 

Does Wittman think Garnett can play at a high level for a long time?  “Absolutely,” Wittman said.  “He’s shown nothing where I’ve looked at him and said, ‘Boy, he’s lost a little bit here, he’s lost a little bit there.’  Nothing.”

Garnett’s career numbers in total points, rebounds and assists are keeping company now with former NBA greats.  He is one of five players in league history to come up with 19,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists in his career. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain and Charles Barkley. Garnett’s totals are 19,041 points (20.5 per game), 10,542 rebounds (11.4 per game), and 4,146 assists (4.5 per game).  

What does it say about Garnett? “It’s amazing to be honest with you,” Wittman said. “No. 1 the consistency of doing it is incredible.  That’s why he’s the player he is.  All those things show you different things in a guy and his unselfishness.  His rebounding, leading the league again, that’s not an easy thing.  He plays the game the right way and it shows when you mention numbers like that.”