Sports Illustrated named all-decade teams in its December 28 issue and several athletes with local ties are on the lists.  Four Vikings made the NFL offensive and defensive teams, running back Adrian Peterson, offensive tackle Steve Hutchinson, defensive tackle Kevin Williams and cornerback Antoine Winfield.  On the baseball team are Twins catcher Joe Mauer and two former Twins, designated hitter David Ortiz and pitcher Johan Santana.  Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald, who played at Pittsburgh, is a wide receiver on the college football offense while former Outland Trophy winner Greg Eslinger of the Gophers is the center.  Hutchinson, who played collegiately at Michigan, is an offensive tackle on the team.  Former Wolf Kevin Garnett, a power forward, is on the NBA second team.

In the same issue, Vikings practice squad running back Ian Johnson is featured.  It was almost three years ago that Johnson, playing for Boise State, proposed marriage to girl friend Chrissy Popadicks on national TV following the end of the Fiesta Bowl.  They now live in a suburban Minneapolis apartment now and she works for Victoria’s Secret at the Mall of America, according to the article.

How will the relationship between Vikings coach Brad Childress and quarterback Brett Favre evolve?  Writer Steve Wyche speculates about that subject at https://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d815396ce&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true.

Minnetonka High School’s Beau Allen, perhaps the best prep defensive tackle in the state, committed to Wisconsin last week but the Gophers might have a better player coming this way in Princeton, New Jersey tackle Sean Ferguson.  He’s a Rivals.com three star player and is 6-6, 303 pounds, according to the Website.

The Gophers basketball team lost three consecutive nonconference games on the road against quality opposition in late November and early December.  Since then the team has defeated five (ah, um) less imposing teams but the Gophers have impressed, winning each game by 30 or more points.  But reality returns with the opening of the Big Ten Conference schedule tomorrow night in Williams Arena against Penn State.

A 3-1 start to the conference schedule seems doable with potential wins versus Penn State, at Iowa on Saturday and January 9 back home against Ohio State.  A road game on January 5 against undefeated and top five nationally ranked Purdue looks like a loss.

Evan Turner, who might be the Big Ten’s best player, has been sidelined since early December with a back injury, but could make his return against the Gophers, according to the Columbus Dispatch, https://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/12/19/osu_mbk_12-19.ART_ART_12-19-09_C1_2UG208K.html?sid=101.

The Gophers have five players averaging eight points or better per game, Ralph Sampson III, 8.4, Devoe Joseph, 9.8, Damian Johnson, 10.8, Lawrence Westbrook, 10.9 and Blake Hoffarber, 12.9.

Tomorrow night the Gophers will have a reunion of the 1989-90 Elite Eight NCAA tournament team, and commemorative pennants will be given to fans, according to a promotional email from the athletic department.

As of Saturday, tickets were still available for the Penn State game.  Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.gophersports.com/ or by calling 1-800-UGOPHER weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Congratulations to Minneapolis Community and Technical Community College coach Jay Pivec who has been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  https://www.njcaa.org/newsArticle.cfm?articleId=9972.

The Wild rank fourth in NHL home attendance, second among American franchises, according to a report posted yesterday by ESPN.com.            https://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance/_/sort/homePct.

Five Minnesotans were named to the U.S. National Junior Team: Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka), Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie), Mike Lee (Roseau), Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake) and Derek Stepan (Hastings).

Xcel Energy Center is hosting a 15 day run of hockey with the Wild, Schwan Cup high school tournament and the Qwest Tour featuring the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Comments Welcome

Dear Santa Claus:

My letter isn’t important compared to the ones you receive from those who really have problems.  Don’t rush to put my requests at the top of your pile when others are writing about family that is seriously ill and homes where nobody has a job.

I am in the sports business and we receive a lot of “gifts” year round with the games we see and athletes we meet.  Santa, if your resources are limited this year, pay no attention to this.  Take care of the little boy or girl who isn’t sure if they will have presents this Christmas, or the family worrying about someone serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.

But if you have a little time for the trivial, please think about helping our town with this sports list.

Could you send Brett Favre a protective suit?  We’ve really taken a liking to the old guy and don’t want to see him injured before the Vikings (might, perhaps) go to the Super Bowl.

Please send two other NFL franchises to Los Angeles so the Vikings don’t relocate there.  Wasn’t it enough that those beach bums took the Minneapolis Lakers from us years ago?

Could you let Jared Allen set the single game NFL record for sacks?  The old calf roper is real quotable and makes the journalism business a lot easier.

Comments Welcome

On the subject of journalism, please try to give all the crabby sportswriters and talk show hosts everything they want for Christmas.  I doubt it will help much, but just maybe their spirits will brighten.

A typical day time high in Minneapolis during April is almost 60 degrees.  Please give us at least 50 degrees and no precipitation during the first week of games at Target Field.

Oh, and all Joe Mauer needs for Christmas is a $150 million contract under his tree.  You know that naughty and nice criteria? Well, Joe is the Poster Boy for Minnesota nice sports guys.

Santa, please ask the baseball Hall of Fame selection committee to punch the “admission” tickets for Bert Blyleven and Jack Morris.  Way up at the North Pole you probably heard me groan earlier this year when Jim Rice was inducted.  Help us with Blyleven and Morris.

Could you talk to the Twins or WCCO Radio about playing some old TV or radio tapes of broadcaster Halsey Hall?  Generations don’t even know who he is but Halsey’s baseball storytelling and humor are timeless.  Halsey hasn’t been a Twins broadcaster since the 1970s but we still miss him.  If you get a chance to listen, Santa, he will make your big belly shake from laughter.

Let everyone who can sing or hum “We’re Gonna Win Twins” enjoy at least one visit to Fort Myers to watch the Twins in spring training.  The spring training atmosphere is unlike anything else in sports, plus the Fort Myers area including nearby Sanibel Island is special.

Give us a long, cold winter so kids and adults can enjoy the magic of pond hockey.  (Let me visualize that scene while walking the beaches in south Florida or the Caribbean).

Comments Welcome