Although the Gophers have recently lost freshman Erik Johnson to St. Louis and also seem likely to lose  freshman Kyle Okposo and junior Alex Goligoski to the NHL before next season, the team still could be “special” in 2008, according to Glen Sonmor.  The former Gophers and North Stars coach suggests it’s usually beneficial for younger collegians to stay in school.  They can benefit from more playing time than rookies often earn in the NHL, plus more college experience and success can provide extra confidence once they reach the pro level. 

Sonmor, who follows the Gopher program closely as the team’s color commentator on WCCO Radio, thought all three players might have committed to the pros by now.  Goligoski, a defenseman, was a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2004. Okposo, a forward, was a first round pick of the New York Islanders last year. 

The Gophers were ranked No. 1 in college hockey much of last season, won the WCHA championship and almost made the Frozen Final Four.  Most of last season’s roster returns for coach Don Lucia.  “The Gophers will be very good anyway, but if both of those young men (Goligoski and Okposo) come back, they would really be ready for a great season,” Sonmor told Sports Headliners. 

The team winning the national championship isn’t necessarily the best.  The 2007 national champion Michigan State Spartans are an example.  A number of factors can come together to determine the champion and Minnesota figures to have a chance almost every year. 

“It’s a great program,” Sonmor said.  “They’ve got some outstanding young men coming in (to join the returnees).    All you can be is really one of the elite teams that has a chance to be in the regionals at the end.  Then get a good selection of opponents, avoid injuries and have your goal keeper playing really well, and then you’ve got a good chance.  The Gophers will definitely be one of those teams but with Goligoski and Okposo they’d be much more so. …” 

Sonmor said the Gophers could have the best goalie in the nation next season in sophomore Jeff Frazee.  “He will be one of the real key ingredients in the Gophers becoming an elite team with a good chance at the national championship,” Sonmor said.   

Sonmor likes Frazee’s ability to play to the competition and mentions his success not only with the Gophers but also in international games.  “I think he’s really coming into his own,” Sonmor said.

Rick Spielman, the Vikings vice president of player personnel, said yesterday he’s heard rumors that Miami may release quarterback Daunte Culpepper if Trent Green comes to the Dolphins in a trade with Kansas City. 

The NFL draft rates highest in interest with sports fans among all major spring weekend sporting events, according to the NFL Report publication (source: ESPN Sports Poll).   The draft (47.8 percent) led the Indy 500 (43.2), Kentucky Derby (40.1) and Preakness Stakes (29.5). 

The same publication noted the increase in viewers watching the draft on ESPN and ESPN2 since 2002.  Citing information from NFL and Nielsen Media Research, total viewers per year starting with 2002 were:  25.5 million, 29 million, 31.4 million, 34.4 million and 36.3 million. 

Michael Cuddyer, who only started nine of the Twins’ 24 games in April last year, talking about his status now as the regular right fielder:  “Last year I was on the bench and I didn’t really know what the future was going to hold for me.  This year is a little more stable and now I can just focus on helping the team win.” 

The height of basketball players is often exaggerated.  Wolves VP Kevin McHale was talking about the lack of big centers in the NBA and said Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire is 6-7 and a half.  On-line sources list him at 6-10. 

Maybe McHale will make an off-season trade with his former Celtics teammate Larry Bird, president of the Pacers. Pacer center Jermaine O’Neal could provide the Wolves with badly needed front court size, scoring and rebounding.   

The Wild may add toughness to the roster during the off-season but currently the organization doesn’t have an enforcer in the minors like Derek Boogaard, according to a team spokesman. 

There’s a new tennis blog that welcomes news and encourages opinion from recreational players here and elsewhere,  https://web.mac.com/msten.

Roy Terwilliger, chair of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, told Sports Headliners yesterday he hopes state legislation can be approved in 2008 to build a new Vikings stadium on the Metrodome site.  “I know it would be hoping for too much for this year,” he said.  “We’re going over the latter part of this week to the Senate Tax Committee and a week or two later we’ll go to the House Tax Committee.  I think that will get them starting the discussion but I would guess the 2008 session is when action should really be taken and if that happens then it can stay on track so you can have a facility in place for the 2012 Viking season.” 

Sticker shock hit some Minnesotans last week when the commission (its mission is to retain professional sports in this community) and the Vikings announced a near $1 billion price tag for a new football stadium with a retractable roof.  Although not specified yet by amount, the Vikings are expected to contribute to the funding.  

The commission, the Vikings, including owner Zygi Wilf, and state government leaders are taking a leadership position on the stadium as the clock ticks down to expiration of the team’s lease in the Metrodome after the 2011 season.  Terwilliger thinks Minnesotans and the state legislature will decide the Vikings are too valuable to lose after more information is provided and discussion takes place. 

“I think the community needs to have the discussion and I think once you do that you have a better understanding by leadership of what’s necessary to retain them,” he said.  “I think people would not want to lose the Vikings.  I think if you lose the Vikings… (you) go out and get another team and do the same thing and it would probably be more costly. … I don’t think the public wants to do that. …” 

Terwilliger said the strategy is to bring the plan for the stadium (also includes redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood) to the legislative leadership without specifics as to funding.  The city of Minneapolis is restricted by law from providing more than $10 million to build a stadium.  Hennepin County by itself will not fund the Viking facility because of its sales tax commitment for the new Twins stadium.   

It was suggested to Terwilliger that stadium proponents will consider funding sources such as metro or state sales tax revenues, car rental taxes, and sales or users taxes in and around the stadium area.  “It’s going to be a combination of one or some of those things,” he said.  “I hate to speculate on what it might be.  There are all kinds of examples of what has taken place (around the country to fund stadiums). …” 

Terwilliger said there may be some cost cutting to the final budget for the project but clearly the price announced last week will not change dramatically.  Part of that reality is the project includes millions for infrastructure and parking but it’s also because the Vikings insist on a new (not renovated Metrodome) stadium, and both the commission and team want a retractable roof. 

Terwilliger said the Vikings are at the bottom among NFL teams in revenues.  A remodeled dome won’t provide the fan enhancements, amenities and resulting revenues that a new stadium offers.  From the community perspective, he said, a large new facility with a roof continues the tradition set by the Metrodome of attracting a variety of events ranging from religious rallies to concerts to truck pulls to NCAA Final Fours to high school playoffs.  “The fact is that in 25 years, 77 million people have visited events of one kind or another whether it be a Super Bowl, or a Final Four, or World Series, or whatever,” Terwilliger said.