Profootballtalk.com reported that Vikings’ vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman may not have been enthusiastic about restructuring the team’s quarterback roster by adding Brett Favre.  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/08/19/is-spielman-on-board-with-favre-acquisition/

Friday night’s preseason game was the debut of Favre, but on the street a ticket seller reported minimal interest.  He said $100 tickets were available for about half that price.

Outside the stadium a man was selling Favre Viking jerseys for $100 and said a nearby competitor was charging $175.

Favre, despite being in the NFL since 1991, admitted he was nervous before the game.  Why?  “That’s a good question,” Favre said on Friday night. “Maybe (only having) two-and-a-half days of practice. (It was) live bullets; no red jersey. Of course all of the attention has been focused on this. The guys have been great. I talked to numerous guys on the sideline tonight, as well as during the week. They all said, ‘we just want you to come in and be the leader you have always been.  Don’t feel like you have to do everything.’ And they are right. …”

First round draft choice Percy Harvin, who made his preseason debut on Friday night catching passes and returning kickoffs, was listed on the third team last week as a wide receiver.  Meanwhile, No. 2 draft choice Phil Loadholt, has started two games at right offensive tackle and looks like a for sure regular all season.

Nick Urban, a free agent guard from Winona State, played in the game and is trying to make the team.  He was signed earlier this year after a free agent tryout, but kept his job as a Target cashier out of loyalty to the company.

Depending on results in earlier tournament games, the Gophers could face Long Beach State and former coach Dan Monson in the 76 Classic in Anaheim during late November.

Ken Lien, the chair of the Mr. Basketball committee, considers Cretin-Derham Hall’s Seantrel Henderson one of the top 100 prep basketball seniors in the state.  Henderson’s college future is in football where he’s considered the No. 1 prospect in the country.  The 6-foot-8 Henderson plays center in basketball and tackle in football.

“Amazing” Joe Mauer, who has won two batting titles and is closing in on a third during his sixth season in the major leagues, has frequently prompted speculation that he could become baseball’s first .400 hitter since Ted Williams in 1941.  But what may be more likely is a Triple Crown.

Mauer, who never hit more than 13 home runs in a single season prior to this year, has become the Twins’ new “Pop Eye” with his muscle producing 25 home runs so far. The 25-year-old All-Star catcher missed the first month of the season and if he had 70 or more at-bats could be in pursuit of becoming major league baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since 1967.

Mauer has driven in 77 runs, ninth best in the American League but that number could be 90 or more if he had played in most of the team’s 121 games so far.  Boost his home runs by six and a Mauer total of 31 is tied for best in the A.L.  If Mauer was hitting even .360 (his average currently is .378) with 31 home runs and 93 RBI’s he would be first in batting average, tied for the home run lead and second in RBI’s. (The A.L. home run and RBI leaders respectively are Carlos Pena of Tampa Bay and Mark Teixeria of New York with 31 each, and Twins teammate Justin Morneau at 94).

The left-handed hitting Mauer probably won’t catch the home run and RBI leaders this season but it’s possible, perhaps even likely, he’ll one day be the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski.  Mauer’s power numbers should continue, perhaps improving with his ability to drive home runs to all fields including left field.

Lately Mauer has been excelling at the plate even by his standards. In his last 10 games he’s hitting .488.  During last week’s home series against Cleveland he had seven hits in 12 at bats and made a big impression on the Indians.  Twins manager Ron Gardenhire talked about Mauer last Sunday on his KSTP morning radio show.  “Their pitchers are saying this guy is amazing,” Gardenhire said.  “They’re trying everything.  They’re throwing all kinds of pitches up there, inside, outside, breaking balls, changeups.  He just keeps hitting ‘em all, and he’s also puting them in the seats, too. …”

A knowledgeable hockey source emailed Sports Headliners this week about the likelihood of Jordan Schroeder signing a contract with Vancouver and not playing for the Gophers next season, but Schroeder’s father said his son will return to school.

John Schroeder, who is a local business executive with Cambria, told Sports Headliners on Wednesday that Jordan informed Vancouver officials about three weeks ago he didn’t want to pursue contract negotiations.  “They did want to sign him and he elected to come back to the Gophers and school,” John said.

Jordan attended an evaluation camp for the Canucks earlier this summer and his father said club officials are “very high” on the 18-year-old Gophers’ forward who Vancouver took with the No. 22 pick in the first round of the June NHL Entry Draft.  Regarding the Gophers, John said his son “loves the team,” and the “camaraderie” with his teammates.

Schroeder, who was the leading freshman scorer in the country with 45 points last season, played on a Gophers team that was a disappointing 17-13-7 but could be a national title contender in 2010.  John said his son wants to improve his “shooting” and leadership with the Gophers next season.  Jordan also told his dad, “I am only young once and I want to enjoy the college relationships.”

A captain title is something Jordan wants as a member of the U.S. Junior National Team, his dad said.  Earlier this week he finished as the leading scorer (five goals, nine assists in six games) at the U.S. Junior Evaluation Camp.  He is a lock to be on the team, after making the roster the previous two years.  The team will be finalized in early December and begin competing later in the month at the World Junior Championships.

“He said he thought he played well and had lot of fun (at the camp),” John said.  “It was his first year as a leader,”

Jordan, who won’t be 19 until September 29, could have been a high school senior last year.  Instead he played for the Gophers and was chosen national newcomer of the year.  Looks like this fall he will be building on his resume here instead of Vancouver.