The Vikings have a potential future leader in John Sullivan, the second year center who will try to replace the departed Matt Birk.

The Vikings’ Adrian Peterson can talk about adding more muscle but it doesn’t change the reality of short careers for running backs in the NFL.

If Brett Favre is healthy enough to resume his football career there seems little doubt he will play for the Vikings and also cause an uproar between fans of the Purple and Green Bay.  Some of this will be sophomoric ranting on both sides regardless of how Favre performs.  If Favre excels, Vikings morons will think they’re sticking it to the Packers.  Green Bay loyalists will respond that Favre is a traitor and much better when he played in Green Bay.  If Favre flops, immature cheese-heads will be laughing all the way to the nearest taverns while the Purple fans insist they can kick green and gold butts without No. 4.  Look for the border war to go nuclear.

Justin Morneau told Sports Headliners almost two years ago that Twins teammates liked one another so much they would be friends regardless of whether they played baseball together.  ESPN.com writer Tim Kurkjian wrote about the club’s character recently.  See his story and accompanying video of a Michael Cuddyer card trick. https://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=4149888

Three MIAC softball student-athletes have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III All-American team.  St. Thomas senior infielder Missy Bruggeman and St. Thomas junior infielder Alison Wright were first team selections while Gustavus senior infielder Rachael Click was second team.

St. Thomas won the 2008-09 MIAC Men’s and Women’s All-Sports Competitions. The traveling All-Sports trophy is awarded annually to the school that accumulates the best all-sports record during the MIAC academic year.  For the Tommie men, it is their 23rd overall All-Sports award, and for the St. Thomas women the 18th title in the 26-year history of the women’s award.  This is the second straight sweep of the men’s and women’s titles for St. Thomas.  See the rankings of all MIAC schools at https://www.miac-online.org/Sports/MIAC/2008/allsports0809.asp?nl=8

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Harrison Barnes, the Ames, Iowa No. 1 ranked small forward in the class of 2010, told Sports Headliners recently that the Gophers are of equal interest to him as the other 11 college basketball programs on his list of prospective schools.  Barnes is ranked No. 1 at his position by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.

Barnes, a 6-6 forward, recently narrowed his list of colleges to 12 including perennial basketball powers Kansas, Duke and Kentucky.  Minnesota is the only Big Ten school on the list.

Barnes said he’s “developed a relationship” with Gophers’ coach Tubby Smith.  He’s impressed with Smith’s accomplishments as head coach at Kentucky and Minnesota.  At Kentucky Smith had 10 consecutive NCAA tournament teams including a national champion.  He coached the Gophers to the NCAA tournament this past season, only his second at Minnesota where he inherited a losing program.

Smith’s personality is admired by Barnes.  “He’s very down to earth,” Barnes said.  “That’s what I like about him.”

Barnes is slender (about 205 pounds) but athletic, with impressive offensive ability that includes ball handling, driving, and shooting three pointers.  He averaged 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season in high school, according to Rivals.com.

Barnes is interested in business, so academics are important in making his college choice.  He wants to choose a program, too, that he believes can contend for a national championship.

Would Barnes consider leaving college early for the NBA?  “My plan is to go there (to his school) and get a degree, and if the opportunity to go pro arises, I will address that when it happens, but right now I am going there for four years,” he said.

Barnes, who was at Bloomington Jefferson High School last weekend for an AAU tournament, is friends with 2009 incoming Gophers recruits Royce White and Rodney Williams.  The three are similar heights, in the 6-5 to 6-7 range, but Barnes said a log-jam of talent wouldn’t deter a decision to choose the Gophers.  Good players “adapt,” according to Barnes.

He’s grown up in Iowa so cold weather is not new to him, or reason to be negative about Minneapolis.  “Not a problem at all,” he said.

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Trevor Mbwake said he had no part in speculation this spring that he would declare for the June NBA draft and never play for the Gophers.  Mbwake, a junior college transfer from Miami Dade, is expected to provide the Gophers with rebounding and a physical presence around the basket next season.

At about 6-8, 240 pounds, Mbwake averaged over 12 rebounds at Dade.  He was the conference player of the year and helped his team win the league championship.  He frequently was in double figures in rebounds and scoring, twice being named National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Week. The former Saint Bernard’s and Henry Sibley prep played for Marquette before transferring to Miami Dade.

NBA scouts will be curious to see how his rebounding and scoring develop with the Gophers.  Mbwake told Sports Headliners leaving the Gophers after next season is a possibility.

“It depends on how my season goes,” he said.  “Like coach Smith told me, if the opportunity ever came, that he has no problem with me leaving.  So however my season goes I’ll sit down at the end of the year with coach Smith and my family, and we’ll come up with the best decision for me.”

His decision to declare for the draft will be influenced, too, by how successful the Gophers are next season and prospects for the 2010-11 season.  He wants to be part of a Big Ten championship team and a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Mbwake, of course, will have to earn a position in the starting lineup to probably earn serious consideration by NBA scouts.  Smith hasn’t filled out his lineup card yet for next season and is famous for using a lot of his players.  Mbwake said he’s not concerned about starting.  “As long as we’re winning, I am happy,” he said.

Mbwake wants to see the Gophers restart their winning tradition and is impressed with how Smith has transformed a lowly program into one that’s nationally ranked for next season.  He likes the possibility the Gophers might become popular enough to sellout all of their games.

“That would be wonderful,” Mbwake said. “I love playing (in front of) big crowds.”

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