This is a big week for Augsburg senior hockey forward Chris Johnson, and not just because his dad Mark Johnson is coaching the U.S. women’s team in the Winter Olympics to a possible gold medal.  Augsburg has an MIAC playoff game against St. Olaf on Friday and the winner plays No. 1 seeded Gustavus on Saturday.  In 25 games Johnson led Augsburg with 16 assists and was third in total points, 26.

Johnson’s grandfather, Bob Johnson, was born in Minneapolis, played for the Gophers and coached at Roosevelt High School before winning national championships at Wisconsin and coaching the 1976 men’s Olympic team.

Freshman point guard Bryant Allen, a wide receiver and punt returner on the football team, played in his third basketball game for the Gophers on Saturday night against Indiana, scoring three points in seven minutes.  Football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he will allow Allen to play basketball in future seasons if it doesn’t “detract” from football and Allen is making an impact.  Brewster told Allen during recruiting that he could play basketball at Minnesota.

Brewster said wide receiver Eric Decker continues his rehabilitation from last fall’s surgery on his left foot and expects him to be drafted by an NFL team in April.  Decker missed the last four games of the season, plus the Gophers bowl game.  Brewster said he’s talked to several NFL representatives who are “excited” about Decker.  He also said Decker would have been a “cinch” late first round or second round draft choice if not for the injury.

The Gophers begin spring football practice on March 23 and the spring game in TCF Bank Stadium will be April 24.  Brewster said his quarterback depth chart looks like this: Adam Weber, MarQueis Gray, Moses Alipate and Adam Lueck.  Tom Parish, from Hartland, Wisconsin, will join the team as a freshman in August.  “The future is very good at the position,” Brewster said.

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun will be the headline speaker at the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic March 25-27 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park and on the University of Minnesota campus.  The annual clinic will have over 35 speakers and 70 sessions.  More at www.mnfootballclinic.com.

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Those who revered Tiger Woods as a role model will hopefully now view celebrities differently. That’s a potential benefit from the sad soap opera surrounding the story of Woods’ infidelity and the suffering he caused his wife Elin and others.

Woods presented himself as a dedicated family person who was deserving of our applause on and off the golf course.  Those who fawned over him couldn’t limit their adoration to his extraordinary golfing abilities.  They bought into him as a total person, believing that he was a hero representing the best of values.

An appropriate perspective could look at Woods and any other celebrity like this: Enjoy and appreciate the gifted skills and performances, and admit you know very little about this person’s behavior and values.

The Woods image fooled people for a long time but that doesn’t make him unique from other celebrities past or present.  Celebrities, including athletes, engage in all kinds of behavior that is contrary to the values of their fans.  If you’re looking for heroes based on values and behavior search closer to home.  Try someone you know, like a dedicated teacher, a tireless volunteer, or courageous person with a terminal illness.

In his apology speech on Friday Woods admitted he used his stature to have affairs and cheat on his wife.  How many other celebrities who have done the same but never been exposed to such public scrutiny were watching Woods in his nationally televised confession?  I have no idea but a cynic might suggest the total is 50 times the number of children they have fathered out of wedlock.

The behavior of Woods is observed by not just adults, but also children who sometimes don’t have guidance in choosing role models.  Unfortunately, what the Woods story says to some kids is that when you’re young, rich and powerful you can mess around on your wife and enjoy various women.  Cheating and dishonesty won’t help a generation of young people already so troubled that high school graduation rates are under 50 percent in American cities.

Let’s hope a better life lies ahead for Woods and those who care about him.  He plans to continue in a rehabilitation program.  Maybe that’s right for him, perhaps not.  The rehab sounds good, makes us nod our heads and say, “Yup, that Tiger he’s really trying.”

But how do we know who the real Tiger is?  Let’s just stop pretending we do and watch him play golf when he comes back.  And when he does return it would be nice if he doesn’t curse on the course, throw his clubs and pout when some fan clicks his camera and breaks his concentration.  That kind of behavior we can observe and decide whether it’s acceptable.

Let’s not pretend to know what our celebrities do at home, in a hotel room, or in a corporate meeting.

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Former state senator Dean Johnson, a leader in Twins stadium legislation a few years ago, told Sports Headliners he doesn’t expect a Vikings stadium bill to be passed this year.  Tim Pawlenty won’t lead stadium legislation even though he isn’t running for re-election, according to Johnson who says the governor has other interests and priorities.  Johnson believes that with a new governor and legislators in 2011, and with the Vikings Metrodome lease expiring late next year, a stadium bill will be passed.  He predicted the facility likely will be funded from a mix of sources including perhaps a car rental tax.

Third baseman Joe Crede is still on the market as a free agent and probably approachable for a budget offer from the Twins.  At 31 and with a history of back problems, Crede is a “red flag” to many teams but the Twins need a third baseman and he hit 15 home runs for them in 333 at bats last year.

The Brewers were apparently willing to trade shortstop J.J. Hardy to the Twins because of their excitement over 23-year-old shortstop Alcides Escobar.  Hardy, 27, is a former All-Star, but the Brewers have an extraordinary prospect in Escobar who has been among the most impressive defensive middle infielders in the minors.

The February 10-16 issue of USA Today Sports Weekly lists Escobar No. 5 among 100 players who are “among the next wave of players heading into the major leagues” that can make the biggest impact in 2010.  The Twins didn’t have a player on the list.

The Twins are featured in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated as a successful example of a small market franchise.  Afflicted with limited payrolls, small market teams haven’t won a World Series in six years but the magazine reports the Twins are “brimming with optimism.”

Local sports writer and announcer Dave Wright has authored his first book and it’s titled: 162-0.  The book is about the greatest wins in Twins history and will be out in early March.

Power rankings of NFL teams for next season still regard the Vikings as a top 10, or even top five team, but division rival Green Bay is included, too.

 

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