Here’s one man’s guess on the Vikings’ legislative pursuit of a new stadium.  It’s not likely to draw serious consideration until 2008 when the team is only three years away from its Metrodome lease expiring.  The Vikings will be free to move to another state then and so the pressure to address the stadium issue intensifies in 2008.

Kevin Garnett averaged 14.2 rebounds per game in February, his best rebounding month of the season.  He leads the NBA in rebounding at 12.8 per game.

Rookie Randy Foye has improved several of his stats since becoming a starter.  Here’s a look at his numbers as a regular with his previous stats in parentheses: 10.3 points per game (8.6), 3.7 rebounds (2.5), 5.1 assists (2.3), 39.7 field goal percentage (41.9), three point field goal percentage 46.2 (32.6).

The Wolves finished 0-5 on the road in February and have lost nine of their last 10 away from home.

Tickets for The Police reunion concert on July 3 at Xcel Energy Center go on sale Monday.  Jack Larson, Xcel general manager, said in other markets the show sold out in 15 minutes.  Tickets are on sale Saturday for the Kenny Chesney concert May 13.   Larson said that show is expected to sell out Saturday or soon thereafter.

The Metrodome will host first and second round NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in March of 2009.  That is the only year right now NCAA tournament games are scheduled here.

WCCO Radio Sports Huddle co-host Dave Mona is writing a book he hopes to have on the market before year end.  The book has chapters devoted to people like Sid Hartman, Calvin Griffith, Billy Martin and Halsey Hall. He has about 40 chapters completed already.

Andrew Brunette, the former Wild player now with Colorado, has tied his single season high for goals with 24.

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Does life begin at 30 in the NHL? 

Well, that’s almost the truth for goalie Niklas Backstrom of the Wild.  Backstrom, 29, signed with the Wild as a free agent last June, having played for several years in his native Finland.  Yesterday he was named by the NHL as its First Star for the week ending February 25 after producing a record of 3-0-0 with 1.62 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. 

Since replacing the injured Manny Fernandez, Backstrom’s record is 9-2-1.  He has improved his season record to 13-7-4.  He ranks third among NHL goaltenders in goal-against average (2.23) and save percentage (.923). 

“I’ve tried to enjoy every moment out there because you’ve been dreaming about playing here and I am not that young anymore,” Backstrom said yesterday.  “I am really thankful to have a chance to play here.  I just tell myself don’t think too much, have fun and these are the games you are going to remember when you retire.” 

Backstrom said “every kid back home who plays hockey dreams about playing over here.”  He wondered, though, if his opportunity would come.  He had thoughts that he “missed” his chance so he’s grateful for the opportunity now. 

Backstrom played the past four seasons with Karpat Oulu of the Finnish Elite League, including back-to-back championship seasons in 2003-04 and 2004-05.  He won 104 of the 177 games he played in the Finnish league, with a 104-36-37 record. He had 18 shutouts in four seasons with Karpat and never had a goals against average over 2.17. 

He had an outstanding final season in Finland, compiling a 32-9-10 record. He ranked first in the league with a career-low 1.68  goals against average and finished second with a .939 save percentage.

The Wild (35-23-5, 75 points) are second in the Northwest Division, two points behind first-place Vancouver. They begin a three-game road trip Wednesday against the Calgary Flames, who trail Minnesota by two points in the division.

Backstrom is 1-1 with a 1.86 goals against average versus Calgary this season. 

Fernandez has been out with a knee injury since January 30.  Although Fernandez was the team’s regular goalie, Backstrom won two games earlier in the season he didn’t start.  A Wild spokesman reported that Fernandez’s return date hasn’t been decided.

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General manager Terry Ryan is counting on some young pitchers to emerge in spring training and complete the pitching roster.  None of them has less experience than Kevin Slowey, the team’s second round draft choice in 2005.  Still, Slowey wouldn’t have received an invitation to the team’s major league camp if Ryan and others didn’t think it was possible that the 23-year-old right-hander will make the team. 

Last season Slowey pitched in the minors as a starter for both Fort Myers and New Britain.  With Fort Myers in High Single-A, he was 4-2 with a 1:01 ERA in 14 starts.  At Double-A New Britain the record was 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA.   His overall minor league numbers last year: 8-5, 1.88 ERA, 148.2 innings, 102 hits, 22 bases on balls, 151 strikeouts. His ERA was the best of any Twins minor leaguer.  He walked a batter only once about every seven innings. 

“He had one of those years statistically that really catches your eye,” Ryan said.  “He hasn’t been a professional that long but he’s certainly made rapid progress.”

Any conversation about the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Slowey is almost certain to include discussion about his control.  Ryan said he “pounds strikes” and that even as an amateur (the Twins drafted him out of Winthrop University in South Carolina) he was a “strike machine.”   

Talk to Ryan and you have the impression that Slowey, who only throws his fast ball at 88 to 90 miles per hour, has a confidence and maturity that is unusual for such an inexperienced player.   “You put him out there and he just has a mound presence,” Ryan said. “He’s confident.  He’s got enough pitches, he’s got enough stuff and he gets people out.  It’s maybe not lighting up a radar gun but he finds ways to get people out.  He knows how to sink the ball, and he knows how to pitch in and he knows how to put people away, and he certainly knows how to put the ball in play and pitch to contact.  … He’s a joy for a defensive club to play behind.” 

Ryan makes no prediction about whether Slowey will join the Twins in the majors this season but is clearly impressed with him.  “I don’t want to cut anybody short here,” Ryan said.  “If they have got an invitation to major leave spring training they ought to come in with the objective to try to make the club and that’s what Kevin ought to do.  Just because he might not be a household name or hasn’t appeared in the major leagues that doesn’t mean he couldn’t come in here and force the issue. ” 

While Slowey and other young pitchers will be followed with sharp interest, there’s another pitcher whose future really makes Twins fans hold their breaths.  Francisco Liriano, who was a phenomenal rookie last season with his gaudy 12-3 record and 2.16 ERA, had reconstructive elbow surgery last fall and will not pitch in 2007.  Ryan was asked for an update on Liriano. 

“There’s no reason he can’t be the same pitcher that he was this year when he was doing a tremendous job,” Ryan answered.  “He’s young and he’s strong.  Obviously this is a major surgery but people come back from these.  I would think he would fine starting in spring training in 2008.”

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