The Minnesota Wild opens its season next month with a new coach, 42-year-old Todd Richards.  He’s been a winner as a player and coach, and hopes to continue that experience with the Wild where he will be an NHL head coach for the first time. Although Richards is a Minnesota native and former second team All-American with the Gophers, his hockey career has taken him to other places and the public’s “learning curve” about him is just beginning.  Sports Headliners interviewed Richards last week, asking him both personal and hockey questions:

Best hockey advice: “Keep your head up when you’re coming across the middle.”

Favorite late night snack:  “When I came home after playing hockey games…I was big into Tombstone Pizzas.”

First hockey memory:  “I just remember skating outside (in Crystal)…and using the big steel cage nets with the fence in the back and lots of snow on the ice.”

What motivates me: “My competition level that I have.  That’s what’s always kept me motivated to try to be the best.  If there’s something out there that I haven’t mastered or I am not good at, I am very motivated to try to either acquire the skill or the talent of whatever it takes.”

All-time favorite song: “If I am allowed to pick two, I would probably say ‘Band on the Run’ and ‘Joy to the World’ just because of my getting the 45 (records) as a young kid and playing it on my little stereo.”

You can be certain the 2009 -2010 Wild will: “We’ll be prepared.  I’ve got a great staff here in Dave Barr, Bob Mason, Mike Ramsey and P.J. DeLuca, and we’ve got a great training staff.  I know that the guys will be prepared and ready to go.”

The best part of my job: “I get to be in hockey.  It’s a game.  I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, and it’s something that I love and I am still part of it.”

The most difficult thing as a coach: “There’s a lot of difficult things as a coach.  A lot of times there’s tough decisions that have to be made, and sometimes…certain situations happen where a guy doesn’t deserve the fate that he’s getting, but it’s just the set of circumstances that have come up.  It’s never an easy conversation.  It’s a difficult conversation because I used to sit in that chair across the desk from where I am sitting now.”

I can’t wait for:  “I can’t wait for the start of the year.  Game No. 1.”

Four historical figures I would love to spend a day with: “Obama.  I would love to sit and talk to him.  And I don’t want this to come across as a bad thing; I am fascinated by Adolph Hitler.  I am just amazed that he got a whole country, a population, to believe in his lunacy and his ridiculous thoughts.  Bobby Orr would be a great one, and…probably general (George) Patton.”

I get cranky when:  “When people don’t do, or live up to the things that they said they will do.”

I would pay money to watch:  “I would pay money to watch the Minnesota Wild play hockey.”

The next big thing in the NHL is:  “I have a couple ideas, but I can’t share them with you because I would be giving the competition my ideas.”

I am in bed and catching my beauty rest on most nights by: “Especially during hockey season it probably won’t be until midnight; 1 o’clock after games.”

My view on twitter is: “I don’t even know what twitter is.  Honest to God.  I know what I need to do on the computer and I stay in that realm.  I don’t get too far outside that.”

The media might be surprised that:  “That I have a sense of humor.”

My biggest concern about being confused with Todd Richards the snowboarder is: “That I can actually skate, or snowboard.  And I won’t be at the X Games.”

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The NFC North might be the NFL’s best division this season.  Renowned Sports Illustrated writer Peter King predicts the Bears, Vikings and Packers will make the playoffs, and the NFC North will be the only division in the NFL with three teams in post season.  He believes the Bears will win the division but writes in the magazine’s NFL preview issue that the “Vikings now have arguably the best roster, top to bottom, in the league—one good enough to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.”

King predicts the Bears will defeat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

With Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young and rookie Ian Johnson, the Vikings probably had the most talented group of running backs in training camp ever.  Johnson was cut over the weekend, then added to the eight-man practice squad.  He’s a slashing runner who can be effective.  Young was on the practice roster last year before making the team this year.

Former Gopher Mark Setterstrom is a reserve with the Rams, listed on the team’s Web site as the second team center.

The Twins Joe Nathan, who has never finished better than third in saves among American League relievers, is third this season, too, but only three behind leader Brian Fuentes of the Angels who has 39.

USA Today Sports Weekly chose Anthony Slama as the Twins representative for its listing of “every big-league team has its minor league hope.”  The 25-year-old relief pitcher has been impressive this season with stops in both AAA and AA.  Since being promoted to AAA Rochester he has struck out 19 in 15.2 innings.  At New Britain he struck out 93 in 65.1 innings.

Here’s the predicted order of finish in the MIAC preseason football coaches poll: Saint John’s, St. Thomas, Bethel, Concordia, St. Olaf, Gustavus, Carleton, Augsburg and Hamline.

Saint John’s led NCAA Division III schools in attendance last season, averaging 7,694 fans per game.  The Johnnies have been No. 1 in attendance 12 of the past 16 seasons, including the last eight.

The Gopher basketball newsletter reports that Devron Bostick spent part of the summer working out with NBA All-Star Caron Butler in their home town of Racine, Wisconsin.  “He showed me how my shot can be more consistent,” Bostick told the publication.  “I think it’s working.”

Bostick, who came to the Gophers last year after being a junior college All-American, averaged 4.0 points per game.  The team’s other junior college transfer, Paul Carter, averaged 5.3.  Collectively the Gophers only had one player, Lawrence Westbrook, who averaged in double figures (12.6).  Bostick and Carter could be major contributors to an improved Gopher offense next season.

Explorer and environmental activist Will Steger will be among the speakers at the Big Green Conference on October 15 at the Mall of America.  The event is being co-hosted by MOA and Larkin Hoffman.

Thank you to our new advertisers, Washburn-McReavy (see below) and TCF Bank (top of page).

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Bob Lurtsema played for the Vikings from 1971-1976 and remains a close observer of the team, attending practices and games.  He told Sports Headliners “you never heard me this excited before.”

Lurtsema all but gushed when asked about his optimism concerning the Vikings after watching them acquire quarterback Brett Favre and prepare for their season opener on September 13 at Cleveland with the Browns.  How does he calibrate his level of optimism?

“All I can say is wow! I am so excited.  I mean the highest rating possible for enthusiasm, I have that for Brett Favre.  The puzzle is put together.”

Describing the defense as “unbelievable,” Lurtsema said the arrival of Favre is a dramatic upgrade for the team’s offense.  No longer will defenses be able to crowd the line of scrimmage with a majority of its players, intent on stopping running back Adrian Peterson.

Lurtsema said Favre can read defenses and call plays so expertly he will be a mega difference maker for Peterson and the offense.  Lurtsema believes the boost to the passing game with Favre will result in Peterson gaining 2,000 or more yards this season.  He led the NFL in yards rushing last year with 1,760.

Favre will help, too, with his leadership including his passion to play football.  “He really wants to win and that attitude is contagious,” Lurtsema said.

Lurtsema respects NFC North title contenders Green Bay and Chicago, but believes in the Vikings.  “I think we’ll win it,” he said.  “It’s not going to be easy, but we have the stronger team.”

What will the season record be?  “The Vikings will win at least 12 games,” Lurtsema answered.  “I am very confident of that because there’s not a weakness on that team.”

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