David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on October 17, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Here are Sports Headliners’ weekly rankings of Big Ten Football teams: Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota.

Former Gophers football coach Lou Holtz wrote the introduction for Harvey Mackay’s new book, The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World. Mackay, the well-known author, Minneapolis businessman and former Gophers golfer, is autographing copies of the book on Tuesday, November 1 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 801 Nicollet Mall.

Congratulations to football coach Carl Lemke of St. Croix Lutheran for earning his 250^th win on Friday night. Lemke has a career record of 250-121-0 in his 39^th year as a head coach.

John Gagliardi, the legendary Saint John’s coach who has been in Collegeville since 1953, has seen his Johnnies lose three consecutive games for the first time since 1983. Saint John’s, 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the MIAC, had a bye last Saturday but plays at Gustavus next Saturday.

Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith considers forwards Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe, along with center Ralph Sampson III, to be starters but the two guard positions are undecided as his team begins fall practices.

Reserve forward Maurice Walker had surgery on his right knee in January and will not be allowed to have contact in practice for awhile. The 6-10 Walker said his weight has dropped from about 320 pounds last season to under 300 by making better food choices and not eating late at night.

Both Walker and former Gophers guard Devoe Joseph grew up near each other in Ontario, Canada. Walker said he and Joseph, now at Oregon, talk regularly. “He’s pretty much like family,” Walker said.

Former Gophers center Spencer Tollackson manages Bill St. Mane Sporting Goods in south Minneapolis and does outside sales for the company. Tollackson will again provide color commentary on Gophers radio broadcasts.

The Twins have sent catcher Rene Rivera, infielder Matt Tolbert and outfielder Jason Repko to their Triple A Rochester farm team, an indication management knows it must rebuild Minnesota’s bench.

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ESPN Filming Segment on U Legend

Posted on October 14, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Gophers football and basketball notes:

An ESPN producer was in Minnesota this week working on a story about 1941 Gophers Heisman Trophy winner Bruce Smith, according to Bruce Krinke. The story will be an eight minute segment that will air beginning on November 6 as part of the network’s “Outside the Lines” programming.

“Outside the Lines,” hosted by Bob Ley, is producing segments like the Smith story that ties together sports and Veterans Day on November 11, according to Krinke who is a Smith family friend and was instrumental in giving a bust of the deceased Gophers football hero to the University last month. Smith was presented with the Heisman only two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and he later served in the U.S. Navy.

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill told Sports Headliners on Wednesday that he has been “seizure free” for awhile. “I don’t know the exact time, but it’s been 10 days anyway,” he said.

The progress has come with effective control of his medications and having the “right amount of sleep” as he settles into a routine. “We feel very comfortable where we’re at,” Kill said. “I just gotta take care of myself and make sure I do all the things they (doctors) tell me.”

It’s almost one year ago (October 17, 2010) that athletic director Joel Maturi announced the dismissal of Gophers football coach Tim Brewster. “You know, Minnesota can and should be competitive in the Big Ten,” Maturi said at the news conference announcing the change.

Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith raved about incoming freshmen players Joe Coleman and Andre Hollins yesterday at media day. Smith, now in his 39^th year of coaching, praised the two for their work ethics and maturity. “I don’t think maybe we’ve ever recruited two better people in my career,” he said.

Hollins will be in competition with sophomore Maverick Ahanmisi and junior college transfer Julian Welch for the starting point guard position. Coleman could push junior small forward Rodney Williams for the starting job.

Smith said an announcement on his contract extension could come soon. He also said there’s nothing to report on funding for a new practice facility.

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Worth Noting

Posted on October 14, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen leads the NFL in sacks through five games. Allen, 29, might be having his best season in the pros. An outdoorsman, he has three dogs, Bonnie, Clyde and Rocco.

Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell has made 66 of his last 74 field goal attempts going back to the start of the 2009 season.

Tight end Kyle Rudolph, who looks like one of the NFL’s most promising rookies, is only 21 and doesn’t turn 22 until November 9.

After the Bears play the Vikings on Sunday night in Chicago, the team travels to London for a regular season game against Tampa Bay.

Chicago’s Devin Hester ranks with the elite NFL kickoff and punt returners past and present. Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer was asked if kicker Chris Kluwe might punt toward the sideline on Sunday. “I will let you know that we are going to change our game plan a little bit from what we’ve been doing. We’re going to have to do that, he’s that good. …”

Pro football authority Bob Lurtsema thought the Vikings should draft former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton. Instead, the Cincinnati Bengals took Dalton on the first round and he is 20^th in the NFL in passing yards and has a 78.7 passer rating.

Sign of the times: the Vikings are selling two-game ticket packages that include the Packers game here on Sunday, October 23. The Gophers are selling three-game ticket packages in both hockey and basketball.

Minneapolis native and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald tied Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning as the third “nicest player in football” in a NFL players poll, according to the September 26 issue of Sports Illustrated. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was No. 2 while Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu ─ Joe Mauer’s TV commercial shampoo buddy ─ was No. 1.

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