Dave Mona wrote a segment regarding football nicknames for the WCCO Radio Gopher football pre-game show.  Mona was looking for a topic prior to the Indiana game and was reviewing the Hoosier media guide. He saw the name Bob Hoernschemeyer but it didn’t look familiar.  Then he remembered Bob was also known as Hunchy Hoernschemeyer. 

Mona wondered whatever happened to football nicknames.  How about the Lonesome End, the Seven Blocks of Granite, the Four Horsemen, Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside? 

Years ago, Mona recalled, football offered up Alan the Horse Ameche, Norm Dutch Van Brocklin, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, Elroy Crazy Legs Hirsch, Howard Hopalong Cassady, Lou the Toe Groza, Joe the Jet Perry, Hugh the King McElhenny, Dick Night Train Lane, Elwell Doak Walker, Charlie Choo Choo Justice, Byron Whizzer White, Babe Parelli, Red the Galloping Ghost Grange and Floyd Breezy Reid.  From the Gophers came Bronko Nagurski, Leo the Lion Nomellini, Babe LeVoir, W.W. Pudge Heffelfinger, Pug Lund and two of my all–time favorites, Bob Snowshoe Schultz  and Smokey Joe Salem (Mona left  them off his list). 

Sports writers once drooled at the thought of hanging a nickname on a player.  If a writer didn’t come up with something, a relative or friend just might.  In the old days athletes and non-athletes, the famous and the ordinary, had nicknames.  Whether it’s political correctness, or lack of creativity, nicknames today are more unusual but the old timers will not be forgotten.

Tom Jurich, arguably the best athletic director in the country, played football at Northern Arizona when former Gopher quarterback and coach Joe Salem coached there.  Jurich, who became Louisville’s athletic director in 1997, has a contract through 2016.  He and Louisville were in the national spotlight last week when the No. 3 ranked Cardinals football team hosted Rutgers in probably the most prominent game in Big East Conference history.  Jurich hired Rick Pitino as basketball coach, Bobby Petrino as football coach, is talking about expanding the football stadium from 42,000 seats to over 63,000 and has been praised for his support of gender equity in the athletic department. 

It will be a special family and friends Thanksgiving weekend for the Larry Fitzgerald family.  Larry Sr. said when his son Larry Jr. comes to Minneapolis with his Arizona Cardinals teammates to play the Vikings on November 26 he expects 25 or more family and friends from Chicago to attend the game.  While his son grew up here and starred at Holy Angels, dad is from Chicago.  Larry Jr., a 2006 Pro Bowl selection after his second season in the NFL, is 23 years old, while rookie quarterback Matt Leinart is also 23.  “Matt’s a winner,” Larry Sr. said.  “He (Larry Jr.) is excited to grow up with him professionally and help change the (losing) culture of the Cardinals. “ 

Star Tribune writer Judd Zulgad, now on the Vikings beat, lived in Green Bay for two seasons (2003 and 2004) while covering the Packers for the Star Tribune.  The company paid for an apartment and Zulgad enjoyed the experience until the paper reassigned him to cover the Vikings.  “I got fat from all the beer and cheese,” Zulgad said. 

Center Pavol Demitra, goalie Manny Fernandez, right wing Marian Gaborik and center Brian Rolston have been named to the 2006-07 NHL all-star ballot. Players on the ballot were selected by the NHL’s hockey operations department. From November 15 through January 2 fans can vote for Eastern and Western Conference All-Star starters on-line at NHL.com. 

Vern Mikkelsen’s new book (“The Vern Mikkelsen Story,” Nodin Press) reports that the Detroit Gems franchise was purchased for $15,000.00 in 1947 and became the Minneapolis Lakers.  Mikkelsen, the power forward on four world championship teams in Minneapolis, turned down an offer to own 25% of the team from owner Bob Short. The offer was contingent on Mikkelsen relocating with the Lakers to Los Angeles.  Mikkelsen writes that over the years his wife Jean occasionally asked how much money that 25% would be worth.  According to Forbes.com, the franchise is valued at over $500 million but back in 1960 Mikkelsen didn’t think “basketball had much of a chance there” (southern California). 

Bethel’s Natalie Gartner, a junior defenseman, is the daughter of Mike Garnter who played 19 seasons in the NHL including one with the Minnesota North Stars.  Teammate Sandra Felten recently scored five goals in one game, a Division III record. 

Gold Country Stores is adding an eighth Goldy’s Locker Room location with the opening of a store in Rosedale Center on Friday, November 24.  Gold Country Vice President Troy Amundson said sales of Minnesota Wild and Gopher hockey products has been strong this fall.

After five games, including four on the road, the Timberwolves have made several impressions.  The usual starting lineup of guards Mike James, Trenton Hassell and Ricky Davis, forward Kevin Garnett, and center Mark Blount, will by season’s end leave the Timberwolves on the outside looking in at the NBA playoffs for a third consecutive season. 

Why is the unproductive Hassell in the lineup? Hassell’s reputation is that of a defensive specialist but his performance on defense hasn’t been noticeable and his offense is worse (6.2 per game average on 39% shooting). Davis has the skills and athleticism but his play frequently lacks passion and focus.  Blount is playing with more consistency than last season and at times blocks shots and always can uphold his profile as one of the league’s better shooting big men.  James has been inconsistent but has shown the competitiveness and shooting range that excited the Wolves when they signed him as a free agent last summer. Garnett remains one of the league’s top 10 players, a superstar not without faults but a superb all around player (seventh in the league in rebounding at 11.2, also averaging 22.4 points per game). 

Among the Wolves’ faults so far (last season, too) is playing without passion and urgency.  A malaise resulting in fewer rebounds and loose balls, and not attacking the basket for lay-ups and close in shots.  When the Wolves scrambled back from a 20 point deficit in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s game against the Lakers they finally had players on the floor with a promising blend of talent and attitude.  Rookies Randy Foye and Craig Smith, with James, Garnett and Marko Jaric produced a rally that had the Lakers working to game’s end before winning,  95-88.     

Foye and Smith have to play major minutes in future games, at least 30 minutes or more.  Foye needs to play point guard, a position providing the comfort of having the basketball more than any of his teammates.  He’s accustomed to having the ball and once he has it he will create plays for himself and teammates, providing the Wolves the penetrating point guard they have sought for some time. 

Smith is Mr. High Energy and Mr. Production so far.  Coming off the bench and playing about 16 minutes per game, he is making 62% of his shots and averaging 10.2 points per game.  He has superb court sense allowing him to find loose balls and rebounds.  Combined with his strong, stocky frame and soft shooting touch, the second round draft choice looks like the steal of the 2006 NBA draft.  He has provided the Wolves not only with badly needed rebounds but equally needed inside scoring (hello, wannabe long range bomber Eddie Griffin, the Wolves 6-10 back up forward/center).

Here’s one man’s revised lineup:  Foye, James and Davis at guard,  Garnett at forward, with Blount at center.  Then Smith as the first player off the bench, a sixth man commanding major minutes coming in for Davis or Blount.  And here’s another opinion: playoff team that’s lots of fun to watch.