Former Gophers assistant football coach Dick Larson said that Murray Warmath, 96, is the oldest living ex-Tennessee football player.  Warmath, the former Gophers national championship coach, was visited here by Johnny Majors and a film crew for a few hours last week.  Majors, the ex-Tennessee All-American and former coach, is helping the Vols’ athletic department with a film project archiving the school’s football program.

Twins pitcher Kevin Slowey, 10-2, has won 15 of his last 20 decisions dating back to August 8 of last year.  Slowey and Roy Halladay of Toronto are the only pitchers in the majors with 10 wins.

The Twins, who lost 4-1 to Houston yesterday, are 8-4 in interleague play this season.  Manager Ron Grardenhire’s team has an 18-5 record in interleague games dating back to June 17, 2008 versus Washington.  The franchise is 128-94 all-time in interleague play.

The Wolves, including new basketball boss David Kahn, were scheduled to work out USC’s DeMar DeRozan at Target Center this morning, but the session was cancelled because DeRozan is ill.  Listed at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, DeRozan averaged 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per game as a freshman last season.  His field goal percentage was 52.3 in his first and only season at USC.

The Wild has selected five Minnesota natives in previous NHL Entry Drafts: Kyle Medvec (Apple Valley; 2006), Chris Hickey (St. Paul; 2006), A.J. Thelen (Savage; 2004), Michael Erickson (Eden Prairie; 2002), and Jake Riddle (Minneapolis; 2001). Medvec and Hickey are still with the organization.  Medvec played last season with Vermont (Hockey East) while Hickey was at Wisconsin (WCHA).  The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be held Friday and Saturday.

Gustavus finished eighth out of 435 NCAA Division III schools in the recently announced final totals for the 2008-09 Directors’ Cup.  Gustavus’ 765 point total is the most ever for an MIAC school.  The Directors’ Cup, which is the only all-sports competition in intercollegiate athletics, is awarded to four-year institutions in the NCAA and NAIA with the best overall athletic programs.  In Division III, standings are based on national tournament finishes in 18 sports with points awarded based on the number of teams participating in each specific national championship.

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Gophers football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners he’s “excited” about the possibility of the Big Ten Conference adding a 12^th school, creating two six-team divisions and playing a league championship game in December.  He said it all could happen in the “not too distant future.”

These potential historic changes were discussed earlier this spring at a meeting of the conference’s football coaches.  While no vote was taken, nor policy statement developed, Brewster said he didn’t “sense any negativity” toward the possible changes that would include the Big Ten’s first membership change since about 20 years ago when Penn State became the 11^th conference school.

“It was discussed at length by our coaches at the most recent Big Ten meetings,” Brewster said.  “I don’t know that (conference commissioner) Jim (Delany) has stepped out and has a particular stance at this point but I know that it’s certainly been something that has been tossed around and discussed.  And I think as we look at things to help our conference that’s certainly got to be something that we entertain seriously.”

The Big 12 and the Southeastern Conference, both with 12 teams, have two divisions and play a league title game between the division champions.  Brewster thinks “other conferences” have moved ahead of the Big Ten with their December marketing exposure and playing time for their teams.

No doubt Brewster, who seemingly thinks about recruiting 24-7, likes the idea of high school prospects watching a Big Ten showcase game.  And then there’s bowl game preparation, too, nearer to the dates of those games. The Big Ten’s bowl record in 2008-09 was 1-6 with losses that included prestigious bowls like the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

“With our season ending the middle of November basically, there’s a long way (to bowl season),” Brewster said.  “You look at our bowl records and they haven’t been as positive.  You’d like to think that continuing to play into the month of December would certainly help us as we prepare to play a game in January.  And again particularly from an exposure standpoint there’s no way to put a price, a dollar value on a nationally televised Saturday evening Big Ten championship game.”

Adding a team from the population heavy East seems likely for when and if expansion comes.  Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Boston College have been mentioned but Brewster said “probably Rutgers makes the most sense.”  The school is only a short drive from New York City, has vastly improved its football program and has the strong academics the Big Ten likes.  “I am not stumping for Rutgers by any means but that market is certainly appealing,” Brewster said.

The Gophers would most likely be in a Western Division that included Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Northwestern.  The sixth school is the most difficult to speculate upon but whatever the mix is, it appeals to Brewster.  “I am fully in favor of a two-division conference with an eventual champion being crowned on the field,” he said.

Brewster also said he hasn’t seen the “true decision makers” (the commissioner and conference presidents) voice their position on conference expansion and a December title game.  He wouldn’t speculate as to whether the changes would be implemented within, say, five years.  “…I haven’t heard a president, nor have I heard the commissioner, come out with an exact stance on this issue,” he said.

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An NHL source told Sports Headliners on Tuesday he believes three Gophers will be chosen during the first round of the NHL draft on June 26.

The source, who has experience scouting and coaching in the NHL, requested anonymity while talking about Zach Budish, Nick Leddy and Jordan Schroeder.  Budish and Leddy will be freshmen with the Gophers this fall, and Schroeder a sophomore.

Schroeder led all college freshmen in scoring last season and there’s been speculation he will be the first of the three drafted but the source said it might be Budish.  “He might go in the top half of the first round,” the source said.

He is becoming more impressed with the former Edina High School forward who although not a classic skater is a “tough, nasty” player with leadership abilities.  “He’s getting a lot of scouting attention,” the source added.

He described Leddy, a defenseman who played for Eden Prairie, as an “electrifying” skater and also “very good with the puck.”  Although he’s only about 5-11, 180 pounds, the scout disagrees with those who think Leddy isn’t big enough for the NHL.

Schroeder, about 5-9, 180 pounds, isn’t a classic first round forward prospect and he often doesn’t dazzle scouts but the source said he has a “great shot” and his hockey IQ is as “high as I’ve ever seen” and compared it with Wayne Gretzky.  “The really impressive thing with him is that wherever he’s been, he’s been the best player on the team,” the source added.

None of the three Gophers is ready for the NHL and all probably will play with Minnesota next season. The source said Schroeder might be ready to play effectively in the minors but he, too, will benefit from college hockey.

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