Want some advice in making your NCAA tournament choices?  Sports Headliners asked for insight from Jim Dutcher, former Gophers coach and Big Ten TV analyst.

Dutcher predicts No. 1 seeds Kansas and Syracuse will make the Final Four and be joined by No. 2 seeds West Virginia and Villanova.  Then Kansas will defeat Syracuse and West Virginia beats Villanova in the semi-finals.  The Jayhawks then win the national championship against the Mountaineers.

The Jayhawks, the nation’s No. 1 team in the polls, combine consistency with talent.  “They just seem to play at a constant level,” Dutcher said.

Dutcher’s advice to everyday bracketologists is do your homework before making tournament predictions.  On the to-do list is studying styles of play, how teams are playing as of late and who is injured.  Without research, Dutcher said, picking winners is a “crap shoot.”

Dutcher thinks Texas, ranked No. 1 earlier in the season, could be a tournament sleeper.  The Longhorns, who defeated coach Tubby Smith’s Gophers in the NCAA tournament last year, are a No. 8 seed in the East  but they’re talented.  “Texas could be dangerous,” Dutcher said. …

A Timberwolves spokesman said research with season ticket holders showed that patrons were concerned about the value received from their tickets.  A problem is single game purchasers receive aggressive discounts, but now the franchise has a campaign for 2010-2011 season tickets offering savings of up to 50 percent.

In the first two weeks of the “Run with the Pack” campaign, the Timberwolves have sold more new, lower-level season tickets, 625, than all of last year. (These are tickets for the full schedule, not partial plans). The campaign runs through March and is for both new season tickets and renewals.

Rest easy, Vikings fans.  The local NFL franchise will have approval by the state legislature for a new stadium by spring of 2011.

After years of following the issue of replacing the Metrodome with a new state-of-the-art pro football facility, and talking with sources, I am convinced Minnesota lawmakers will not say no to the Vikings.  While the possible cost of near $1 billion seems extravagant in this era of financial meltdown, I believe the controversial issue is more about politics than it is expense.

I watched when this area said no to better playing facilities for the Minneapolis Lakers and Minnesota North Stars.  Eventually both moved to other cities, but there’s no comparison between those franchises and the Vikings whose popularity among sports teams in the state goes beyond anything we’ve ever seen.  Local TV viewership of a Vikings game can reach 1 million or more households, with a huge percentage of televisions in this marketplace tuned in.  That’s a convincing indication of what the franchise means to people in the metropolitan area.  Statewide the Vikings have a huge following, too.  It’s a safe guess that following the team is important to between one-third and one-half of adult males ages 25-54 in the state.

For many Minnesotans seeing the Vikings move to another city would be similar to losing our state parks, or placing a ban on hunting and fishing.  It’s a cultural disaster if the Vikings franchise moves and high risk politics for legislators who will be held accountable.

It makes for entertaining drama when elected officials express caution and opposition to a new stadium.  Some will oppose a stadium no matter what the plan and timing but look for momentum on a bill to continue building between now and the end of the 2011 legislative session.  With 2010 being an election year for legislators and the Vikings’ lease at the Metrodome not expiring until the end of 2011, a stadium bill can be put off one more year.

A year from now things will turn serious and action will follow talk.  Some type of financing plan like lottery game revenues will be approved, and along with the Vikings’ contribution, be enough to fund a facility.  The stadium will have a retractable roof and attract other events beyond Vikings games that will benefit local and state economies.

The stadium will be a source of pride and keep the Vikings here for another 30 years or more.  People will wonder why it took so long to get this done and how the financing idea really didn’t seem that difficult (or painful).  Many of the politicians will congratulate themselves, and when it comes time for re-election the legislative stadium boosters will not lose an election because they voted for the stadium.

Heavy drama for an inevitable result.

With a choice between LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook to fill the role as the Vikings’ No. 2 running back, Dean Dalton said he “probably prefers” Tomlinson.  Dalton, the former Vikings running back coach who is now an NFL media analyst, was asked about Tomlinson and Westbrook because one of them could sign with the Vikings during the off-season and fill the role left by the departure of Chester Taylor to the Chicago Bears.

Taylor was a much admired backup for three seasons to All-Pro Adrian Peterson.  Taylor’s contributions included his pass blocking and receiving, two qualities that haven’t always been strengths of Peterson’s. Taylor was also an effective runner, even capable of breaking off long gains, and last year ran for 338 yards and had 389 yards in receptions.

Both Tomlinson and Westbrook have enjoyed productive NFL careers, establishing themselves among the best running backs of the past 10 years.  Westbrook, 30, played in Philadelphia while Vikings head coach Brad Childress was an assistant there so he’s familiar with the offensive system used here.

Westbrook has a history of head injuries.  “The thing that scares you about Westbrook of course is the concussion situation,” Dalton said. “He would be a natural fit in the system, but the injuries and the wear and tear on Westbrook make him a little less desirable than someone like LaDainian Tomlinson.”

Tomlinson, 30, isn’t the same player he was when he led the NFL in rushing during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.  Still, Dalton said Tomlinson has run for a lot of touchdowns (23) the last two seasons and he can still be effective.  Last year, for the first time in his nine year career in San Diego, he rushed for less than 1,000 yards (730).  Dalton estimates Tomlinson is “80 to 90 percent” of the player that he once was, and that he can no longer be a 25 carries per game running back.

“One of the things that people don’t realize about LaDainian Tomlinson, because he’s been such a good running back, is that he is a tremendous pass protector,” Dalton said.  “And that was quietly where Chester Taylor was so valuable to the Vikings’ offense.  He’s (Tomlinson) a tremendous…receiver out of the backfield (too).  You retain that when you bring in someone with the experience of LaDainian Tomlinson. …”

Dalton has scouted both Westbrook and Tomlinson since even before they came into the NFL. He said either would be assets in the locker room.

There’s another benefit to bringing in a player like Tomlinson, according to Dalton who said it sends the right message to quarterback Brett Favre who is trying to decide whether to retire or play again for a franchise serious about winning a Super Bowl.  “…It (signing Tomlinson) keeps the backfield exceptional and that locker room strong,” Dalton said. “So if he accepts that role and that offer, Minnesota should remain on the top tier as the team that has a chance to win it all.”