Vikings running back Toby Gerhart likes to fish when he has recreational time.  He told Sports Headliners he has caught some “nice bass and northerns” at Eden Prairie’s Bryant Lake.

Vikings safety Husain Abdullah visits son Jalaal’s pre-kindergarten class on Tuesdays to read to him.

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

Rivals.com doesn’t include the Gophers when listing the top 50 2012 football recruiting classes.  Michigan, at No. 3, is the only Big Ten school in the top 10, while Penn State, No. 14, is the other Big Ten program in the top 20.  Among Big Ten schools, the Gophers ranked last.

Jackson Brett, son of baseball hall of famer George Brett, is a freshman football player at the University of St. Thomas.  The 6-2, 255-pound Kansas native is listed as a long snapper on the Tommies online roster.

The Internet has numerous stories about former Hopkins basketball star Kris Humphries being recruited by Kansas but rejected because Jayhawks players told coach Roy Williams they didn’t like him.  The subject of Humphries recruitment has come up because of a new book about Kansas basketball, Beyond the Phog.

The 12-city tennis Champions Series that includes Minneapolis this Friday night at Target Center started last week with stops in Fort Lauderdale, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.  Pete Sampras won in two of the three cities last week and leads the field of players with 900 points, according to the series website.  Seven tennis legends are competing in the series with the top three finishers sharing a bonus pool of $1 million.  The Minneapolis players will be Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.  Tickets starting at $35 are still available. www.championsseriestennis.com

Local broadcaster Eric Nelson is part of a group that already has nine radio affiliates using the services of Game Day Gold to receive sports coverage.  www.gamedaygold.com

“Is McNabb done?”

That was the TV headline on Fox’s national pregame show about 30 minutes before Donovan McNabb and the Vikings took the field last week to play the Bucs at Mall of America Field. The 34-year-old quarterback had been a lightning rod for criticism following the September 11 opening loss to the Chargers, throwing for only 39 yards.

The Profootballtalk website headlined this story: “McNabb a major disappointment in Vikings debut.”  The article said he “deserves most of the blame for the Vikings’ 24-17 loss to the Chargers.”

Because McNabb plays the most visible position on the team he’s obviously an easy target for media and fan criticism.  McNabb had better stats last Sunday, completing 18 of 30 passes for 228 passes, but he threw no touchdown passes and the Vikings lost another game, 24-20 to the Bucs.  That made him a subject for criticism by fans following the Vikings second consecutive regular season loss.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton, who now hosts an NFL show on Sirius XM, was asked if McNabb, a 13-year veteran with his third pro team, is still effective.  “Absolutely.  I think he’s got a lot of good football left in him,” Dalton said.

Dalton said McNabb is a “great athlete” but admitted that at McNabb’s age there is a surprising element about him.  “One thing I didn’t think he had was as much juice in his legs,” Dalton said.  “I knew he was a powerful thrower and a savvy quarterback.”

McNabb, who has rushed for 44 yards in two games, looked better last week passing, particularly in the first half, when the Vikings dominated possession time and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave had the Bucs off balance with his play selection.   No, McNabb isn’t an NFL elite quarterback anymore but has enough physical skills and experience to help the Vikings win games.

Yes, a more dynamic playmaker could consistently lift the team beyond what it’s otherwise capable of doing.  But McNabb can still make a lot of plays, and with two quarterbacks behind him on the roster with almost no NFL experience, he’s the best the Vikings have for now.

All-time Gophers career rushing yards leader Darrell Thompson likes Minnesota redshirt freshman running back Donnell Kirkwood “a lot” and told Sports Headliners the 5-10, 215 pound Delray Beach, Florida native is probably the school’s most physical runner since Marion Barber III.

Kirkwood made his 2011 running back debut last week against Miami (Ohio), gaining 55 yards on 13 carries.  His bullish running style is a welcome addition to a team that has struggled in short yardage situations, including near the goal line.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said Kirkwood “ran over a couple of safeties” in the Miami game.  “He’s a deliberate runner that doesn’t think about going around people,” Thompson said.  “He goes over them.”

Kirkwood played in four games last season but was granted a medical hardship waiver, meaning that starting this season he has four years of remaining eligibility.  He carried the ball 27 times for 112 yards last season.

In the Miami game Kirkwood had six more carries than Minnesota’s starting running back Duane Bennett, apparently an indication of the opportunity Kill and offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover want to provide Kirkwood.

Thompson, who provides color commentary on the Gophers radio network, said Kirkwood’s potential is “high” but like any inexperienced back it will take time for him to learn and mature.  Still, Thompson is intrigued about how Kirkwood can help the offense, including in those goal line situations with his power running.

“It’s a big deal to have a back you can give the ball to (near the goal line),” Thompson said.