The Gophers lost Saturday’s game to Louisiana Tech 9-1.  Minnesota lost the three game weekend series winning only on Friday and the Gophers are 8-16 on the season.  They begin Big Ten Conference play at Purdue on Friday.

USA Today Sports Weekly’s March 24-30 issue selected an NFL best 53-man roster for the 2000’s and the list includes former Vikings Randy Moss and Matt Birk, plus four players with the team: Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Kevin Williams and Steve Hutchinson.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is friends with Tony Dungy and doesn’t expect him to coach again.  Dalton said Dungy is making speeches to various audiences, including prisoners, and is working on a series of books.  The former Super Bowl winning coach is expected back with NBC as an NFL analyst.

Dalton likes the skills of Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards and said he’s not someone the franchise wants to see sign with another team, particularly if defensive tackle Pat Williams retires.  Edwards is a restricted free agent.

Dalton expects the Vikings to draft for “value” rather than a specific need when they pick at No. 30 in next month’s NFL draft.

There’s plenty of anticipation about the announcement next month regarding the NFL’s complete schedule.  When all the details are known, a circle it date could be Thursday, September 9 with a schedule opening game in New Orleans between the Vikings and Saints.  It’s already known that the Super Bowl champion Saints will be home on that date.

The Gophers played five of the teams who made the NCAA Sweet 16–Butler, Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State and Xavier.  The Gophers, who lost their NCAA opening game to Xavier, defeated Butler last November in a nonconference game.  In Big Ten games the Gophers had 1-2 records against Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State.

It will be a surprise if highly rated Las Vegas prep guard Cory Joseph chooses the Gophers instead of Texas.

The Minnesota State High School League ruled Roosevelt High School ineligible for the 1961 boys state tournament because two players had participated in DeMolay basketball the previous summer.  Those two individuals went on to successful careers after high school and college.  Warren Scamp became a dentist, John Totushek a three-star Admiral.

Former Minneapolis city council president Denny Schulstad said via email three graduates of Roosevelt’s 1962 class achieved high rank in the military.  In addition to Totushek, Schulstad became an Air Force general and David Rataczak an Army National Guard general.  “The odds of that happening in any high school graduating class are about the same as Edgerton winning the state championship,” Schulstad wrote, making a comparison to the Flying Dutchmen’s surprising basketball title in 1960.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association Clinic last weekend, in partnership with the Gophers, hosted Air Force coach Troy Calhoun as the featured speaker.  Gophers coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he hopes one year to bring Texas coach Mack Brown to the clinic.

The Gophers opening game at Middle Tennessee State on Thursday, September 2 will be televised on ESPNU.

Speculation continues that baseball labor expert Donald Fehr will be the next boss of the NHL Players Association.

Jacques Lemaire, long known as one of hockey’s smartest coaches, has found new appreciation for his work in New Jersey where his Devils have the third most points  in the Eastern Conference, 93.  New Jersey’s final record will rival his best work in nine seasons with the Wild.

Timberwolves star Kevin Love will make the “Let’s Play Hockey!” call before the Wild’s game tonight against Los Angeles at Xcel Energy Center.

Former Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez, traded to Milwaukee during the off-season, is hitting .310 in spring training for the Brewers.  His other spring training averages have been .283 and .267.

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An NFL source told Sports Headliners that when Brett Favre says he doesn’t know if he will return to the Minnesota Vikings it’s “probably true.”  The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said several factors will influence the 40-year-old quarterback’s decision whether to play a second season for the Vikings.

Favre is a family man and must address his role as a husband and father.  The source, who knows Favre, said that a year ago when the record setting quarterback was debating whether to play or retire he had mixed messages from his family.  “Deanna (Favre’s wife) wanted him to quit,” the source said.  “His daughter (Breleigh) wanted him to play.”

Despite being punished physically and taking a few memorable hits that had Vikings fans gasping, the amazing Favre started all 16 regular season games and two playoff games, pushing his team to within a field goal of the Super Bowl.  “He is a wonder with all the punishment he can take,” the source said.

What motivates Favre to continue his career is mostly his love for football and the possibility he can play a lead role in taking the Vikings to a Super Bowl.  Favre and the rest of the football world know the Vikings have the talent to compete with the NFL’s best if he can continue playing at a high level.  The “crack” in that window of opportunity is small both for Favre, who turns 41 this fall, and also for other older Vikings.

Working in the Vikings’ favor, the source said, is that Favre and his family enjoyed living in suburban Minneapolis last fall.  Favre played area golf courses and hunted in the fall.  His wife was pleased that neighbors and the public respected her husband’s privacy.

Owner Zygi Wilf and coach Brad Childress have sent Favre public messages to take his time in making a decision about returning to the team.  Don’t expect an announcement soon.  The source agrees with common opinion that Favre mostly wants to “avoid” training camp.

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The Gophers football team began spring practice this week, the start of coach Tim Brewster’s fourth season.  The last two seasons the Gophers have been 7-6 and 6-7. Both years they played in the Insight Bowl where they lost to Kansas and Iowa State.  Brewster’s first year record was 1-11.

He understands the “urgency” of doing better, improving the record.  “We’ve gone to bowl games,” he said. “That’s been okay.  We want to take that next step.”

Most conversations with Brewster lead to discussion about a “great defense.”  He emphasizes that’s job No. 1 with his program and when the Gophers achieve that priority they might secure another Brewster goal, a Big Ten championship.

No one is saying 2010 will be a championship season but those close to the program are curious about whether Brewster’s defense will be the most athletic and perhaps best seen here during his four years.  The team’s spring game on April 24 (free admission and open to the public) will be an opportunity to watch junior defensive tackle Brandon Kirksey (maybe among the Big Ten’s best), defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman (high potential redshirt freshman) and junior linebacker Gary Tinsley who impressed in limited minutes last year.

They and others on defense will draw attention at the spring game but not like the quarterback competition between three year starter Adam Weber, sophomore MarQueis Gray and redshirt freshman Moses Alipate.  Whoever wins the job won’t have to be Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow.

“We’re not asking our quarterback to go win the game for us,” Brewster said.  “We’re asking our quarterback to make good decisions, run our offense and be a good game manager.”

The Gophers’ offense scored 29 points in the last three games of 2009.  Brewster said there won’t be any excuses made for the offense and he expects better results in 2010.  “…I certainly believe we will be (better) because we’ve got some guys on offense coming back that gives us a chance,” he said.

Those returnees include Weber and sophomore 6-4 wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight who has speed and the ability to jump.  Brewster said he’s challenged McKnight to become the offense’s “No. 1 receiver.”

If the offense is to improve, contributions will be needed from newcomers, too.  Brewster said 6-7, 240 pound junior college transfer tight end Tiree Eure has been “spectacular” during the winter conditioning program.

The University of Pittsburgh offense got a surge in productivity last season when freshman running back Dion Lewis broke school records and made All-American.        Brewster made reference to the Pitt star and wondered about his three incoming freshman running backs, Lamonte Edwards, Donnell Kirkwood and Devon Wright.  “It will be interesting to see whether or not one of those guys can come in and do the same thing for us,” Brewster said.

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