Peterson joins local writer and broadcaster Larry Fitzgerald for a guest appearance on Monday night at Outback Steakhouse in Inver Grove Heights.  More information on activities including Peterson’s appearance is available by calling 651-457-7688.

Sheppard is a free agent after this season and doesn’t know about his future with the Vikings.  “I have a lot of football left in me,” the 29-year-old said.  He believes he has “three or four great ones” left if he’s healthy.

Rookie guard Chris DeGeare had his first NFL start last Sunday in place of the injured Steve Hutchinson.  DeGeare said he played “pretty good” and that a false start penalty given to him should have been on left tackle Bryant McKinnie.  DeGeare said he won’t know until Sunday morning if he will start against the Giants.

Former Gophers cornerback Marcus Sherels, now on the Vikings practice squad, said he wants to add about 10 pounds of muscle next year and bring his weight to 180.  He’s not sure if the Vikings will bring him back next season and provide an opportunity to make the 53-man roster.

The Texas offensive staff has openings and it might not be surprising if former Gophers coach Tim Brewster rejoined his old Longhorns boss Mack Brown as an assistant coach.

Work ethic guy Cliff Lee would be a perfect fit in the attitude-conscious Twins organization but it would be a shock if the front office ever considered the kind of seven year big money deal the 32-year-old lefthander wants.

Last month the Twins added four players to their 40-man roster to protect them from being available to other clubs in yesterday’s Rule 5 Draft.  The four are first baseman Chris Parmelee, outfielders Joe Benson and Rene Tosoni and right-handed pitcher David Bromberg.  All but Tosoni are playing in the Arizona Fall League.  Parmelee, a former first round draft choice, is hitting .339 in 29 games with 13 RBI, according to stats on the Twins website.  Benson is hitting .236 in 17 games while Bromberg is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA.

Deolis Guerra, acquired from the Mets in the 2008 Johan Santana trade, has a 2.92 ERA and 2-1 record pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League.  Kyle Waldrop has a 1-0 record and 16.05 ERA in 10 games in the same league.

Tickets for TwinsFest went on sale Wednesday.  The three-day event will be held January 28-30 at the Metrodome with more than 60 current and former Twins players expected.  Tickets are available at Target Field, the team’s pro shops and at www.twinsbaseball.com.

New Gophers football coach Jerry Kill will receive $50,000 for winning a fifth Big Ten Conference game each season, according to information provided to Sports Headliners by the University of Minnesota.

Former coach Tim Brewster’s Big Ten Conference career record was 6-21 and athletic director Joel Maturi wants Kill to be rewarded for league wins.  Kill’s agreement with Minnesota provides for him to earn $25,000 for each additional Big Ten win beyond No. 5.

Kill’s five-year, $1.1 million agreement includes other incentives such as $150,000 for a Big Ten championship and $100,000 for a division title.  If Kill coaches the Gophers to the national championship game he receives $150,000 and another $50,000 for winning.

There are many incentives in his agreement including those that are based on academic performance by his players.  Although improbable, Kill could earn about $700,000 in a year that he qualified for all incentives including a national title.

If Kill decides to leave the Gophers for another school he must pay double his base salary of $500,000 to the University.  (He receives $600,000 in supplemental salary for radio-TV work and other duties to bring his total annual package without incentives to $1.1 million).

If the University terminates Kill without cause (no misconduct) he must be paid half of his total salary for the remaining years of the contract.  Kill said no one has to worry about asking him to leave if he doesn’t perform for the Gophers.  “I’ll tell ’em they need to get rid of me,” Kill said.  “That’s the truth.”

If Kill wins at Minnesota like his other head coaching stops, nobody will be using the four-letter fire word.  He has a 127-73 record in 17 seasons.  In three of his four coaching assignments he took over programs with losing records and turned in a winning record in three years or less.  He was the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year after a 12-2 season at Southern Illinois.

The former Northern Illinois coach has been operating almost without sleep the last several days while ending his commitment with the Huskies and spending time in Minneapolis.  Activities have included Monday’s news conference, a meeting with high school football coaching leaders, and calls to donors and Gophers legends Bud Grant, Tony Dungy and Bobby Bell.