Smith is a likeable guy, a gentleman.  He makes an effort to show kindness to people and that personality has resonated with Minnesotans.

His arrival here was embraced by fans who knew of his national championship at Kentucky and habit of having the Wildcats in the NCAA tournament.  He created a buzz but not a mania about Gophers basketball.  The program is relevant again in this town with sellouts for Big Ten games, but not for the nonconference.  Those games, with Smith’s approval, consist of opponents lacking box office appeal.

Smith’s annual compensation, with incentives, is in the $2 million range. That raises expectations about winning and filling up Williams Arena.  He’s an upgrade over previous coach Dan Monson, an opinion everyone other than the Monson family and close friends will agree on.  But can Smith raise the status of this program to near annual Big Ten title contender and create a warm place in the hearts of more local winter sports fans?

The next two seasons will likely provide the answer.  Depending on how the personnel finalizes, the Gophers could be formidable next season, or still going in reverse.  Let’s say Nolen becomes academically eligible, Mbakwe finally plays, and Williams and Sampson fulfill their potential.

If that happens, Smith gets his halo back.  That is if he’s still here.  The Tubby-to- another-school rumors won’t go away and the one with the most energy is Maryland.  Coach Gary Williams, who won a national title in 2002, has only one season above .500 in the ACC during the last six years.  Smith is a Maryland native with relatives and family back east.

If Smith leaves Minnesota but the Gophers talent mix emerges, then a new Minnesota coach might be wearing a halo.

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Unless Seantrel Henderson accepts a scholarship offer, the Gophers aren’t likely to move up much in the rankings that list the college football recruiting classes for 2010.  Rivals.com has the Gophers at No. 48 while Scout.com ranks Minnesota No. 66, the lowest of any Big Ten Conference school.

Henderson, the offensive tackle from Cretin-Derham Hall, has consistently been ranked among the top five prep prospects in the country by recruiting sources.  He told Sports Headliners about a week ago that he will choose Miami, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State or Southern California.  The opinion here is the Gophers are unlikely to be his final choice.

Rivals.com and Scout.com use a five star rating system.  Henderson, of course, is a five star and Rivals has two four star players on the list of Minnesota verbal commitments, offensive tackle Jimmy Gjere of Irondale and running back Lamonte Edwards from Woodbury.

While the Gophers rank low in the recruiting rankings, that doesn’t mean the class of 2010 won’t help Minnesota become a winning program.  There’s not a one-to-one correlation between the best recruiting classes in the country and who wins football games a few years later.

It’s something like the big shot who brags about having an expensive car to drive around town.  Some schmuck drives a junker but can still arrive at the same destinations as the big shot.

In Sports Illustrated’s preview of the top 10 football teams for next season the magazine (January 18 issue) ranks Boise State No. 2, Iowa No. 5 and Wisconsin No. 10.  Annual recruiting rankings seldom, if ever, have any of those programs in their top 20 listings.

The most hyped recruits often are big contributors to their college teams but other factors determine whether a program wins.  Lesser publicized players frequently become extraordinary, too.  Sometimes their college coaches find new positions for them that allow their talents to emerge, or players may develop late physically and emotionally.

Whether a school has winning teams is impacted too on how effectively the collective roster fits together.  Is the sum better than the parts?  A roster of good players that fill every need and get along with each other is a better bet to win than a team with a couple of stars, glaring needs in several positions and a grouchy locker room.

Gophers coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he expects to “add” a couple names to the verbal commitment list before Wednesday.  “We battle until the final whistle,” he said.

Under NCAA rules coaches can’t leave their campuses after midnight on Saturday for further recruiting.  Brewster was at the end of recruiting last Friday when he spoke with Sports Headliners.

“I am finishing up one of the wildest weeks I’ve ever had,” he said.  “I am exhausted.”

During five days Brewster’s destinations were Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Indianapolis, Miami, Atlanta (twice), St. Louis and Minneapolis.  All of that is just a blip in all the time and energy Brewster, his staff and other college coaches spend recruiting.  On Friday Brewster gave some hint about what he will detail on Wednesday at a news conference when he said about his 2010 recruits: “I feel really good about this class.”

For more on Rivals.com and Scout.com visit https://rivals100.rivals.com/teamrank.asp?Year=2010&Page=2&PosType=0&Sort=0

https://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=14&yr=2010

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Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners the club has sold 19,500 season tickets so far for its first year at Target Field.  The total may top 20,000 and far exceeds the previous franchise high of 11,000 for season tickets.  The season ticket total will place the Twins among the top 10 franchises in major league baseball, according to St. Peter.

St. Peter expects the Twins to be in the three million range for fan attendance in the new downtown stadium.  While not willing to offer specifics, he said the club isn’t budgeting to lose money in 2010.

With Target Field capacity at about 40,000, single season ticket buyers will need to be more proactive in purchasing tickets than in the past when the Twins played in the Metrodome with a larger capacity and the season ticket total was considerably less.  Group ticket sales are also completed in advance of game dates and will add to the reduced inventory available to single game buyers.

Demand for tickets for the team’s first regular season series at Target Field will far exceed availability so the club is promoting registration via a random drawing to provide selected fans the opportunity to purchase seats.  https://secure.mlb.com/min/ticketing/ticket_opp_form.jsp

Registration for the opening series ticket opportunity began on Friday and ends February 10, according to the team’s Website.  The initial Target Field series is April 12, 14 and 15 against Boston.

St. Peter had no comment on contract negotiations with Twins catcher Joe Mauer. Mauer and the Twins have a mutually strong interest in agreeing to a new contract that will keep him with the organization for several seasons.

However, concerns on both sides may increase if a deal isn’t completed prior to the start of the regular season in April.  Mauer becomes a free agent after the season and is able to then entertain other offers.  Also, players usually prefer not to be distracted with negotiations during the season.

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