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.

John L. Smith wore a happy face earlier this week at his news conference but looked tired and stressed.  Who could blame Smith if he were depressed after being told last week by school officials he will not be the Michigan State football coach after this season? 

Smith began the news conference by talking individually about his 16 seniors who play their last game in Spartan Stadium on Saturday against Minnesota.  He smiled when he talked about one player who might be a “doctor some day” and help people in other countries.  He spoke of star quarterback Drew Stanton, already in graduate school, and described him as “someone anyone would be proud to have as a son.” 

What Smith didn’t want was to talk about himself.  “I feel great,” he said.  “Every day is a great day.  Today is the best day of my life and tomorrow is going to be even better.  You better keep smiling and we better keep moving on.” 

How the Spartans, with their 16 seniors, will play Saturday against the Gophers is one of the most intriguing questions of the Big Ten football season.  Michigan State is a team that looked like a national title contender early in the season.  The Spartans knocked Notre Dame all over the field before blowing the game in the fourth quarter.  The Spartans have never recovered, winning one Big Ten game and losing five including 46-21 to Indiana, a team the Gophers destroyed last Saturday, 63-26. 

Smith talks about “love” and “trust” and “grunting around” with his seniors.  He has been trying to help his players understand and get through the trauma of his firing.   Will love, trust and all the other emotions translate into an inspired performance by Michigan State?  Or will the Spartans continue to “sleep walk” through the season?  

And a good question, too, is what Gopher team will show up?  The one that scored the most Minnesota points in a Big Ten game since 1916?  Or the team that totaled 22 points in a three game stretch against Wisconsin, North Dakota State and Ohio State?   

Minnesota-Michigan State is a match up worthy of speculation by amateur and professional head doctors.