The Timberwolves are at home tonight to play San Antonio and hoping to make their record 2-2.  The Wolves, who have lost two straight since winning their opening game against Sacramento, want to avoid the two wins, 12 losses start of last November.

“I expect the first month is going to be the key to having a great season,” center Al Jefferson told Sports Headliners. “ …It’s a tough month. … Make us or break us.  Last year we started out slow and we just never could get back. This year we want to start off good. …I think that could take us a long way.”

Jefferson made those remarks last week before the opening game with the Kings, knowing the November schedule included games with teams that are capable of advancing into the playoffs and having post-first round success.  Those teams include NBA champion Boston and title contender San Antonio, plus playoff ambitious Detroit, Portland, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

The Wolves are more talented than the team that was 4-26 at the end of December last year.  This is a group that likes one another, too.  “All guys on this team are close,” Jefferson said.  “Everybody gets along.  Everybody’s got the same thing on their mind, winning.  Having a better season than last year.  I am not saying we’re going to win a championship this year but I know we should do a lot better than we did last year.  We should win games we’re supposed to win.  A lot of games we lost last year we could have won. …”

It may take some lineup changes, or at least increased playing time to take the Wolves closer to their potential.  Rookie forward Kevin Love’s all-around game seems like it could spark the Wolves more if he were in the starting lineup, and also averaging more than 19.7 minutes per game.  Guard Rashad McCants, also coming off the bench, is the team’s second leading scorer to Jefferson but is only playing 23.7 minutes per game.

The team also needs better production from point guard Randy Foye.  He’s averaging 7.3 points per game and making 22 percent of his shots.  He’s averaging a team high five assists per game.  Foye needs to be a more creative and consistent playmaker.

Jefferson is leading the team in points and rebounds at 19.7 and 11.7.  He will need help tonight against the Spurs, a team that has won 10 of the last 11 games against the Wolves.  The Spurs won all four games last season with Manu Ginobili averaging 30.8 points per game.  Ginobili, though is recovering from left ankle surgery and won’t play until later this season.

Tyler Thigpen, who the Vikings picked on the seventh round of the 2007 draft and then released over a year ago, has started three games for Kansas City, including Sunday’s three point overtime loss to Tampa Bay.  The 24-year-old former Coastal Carolina quarterback has thrown five touchdown passes and four interceptions for the 1-7 Chiefs.

Vikings’ wide receiver Aundrae Allison was also a 2007 draft pick and is an admirer of Thigpen.  “I feel like the sky’s the limit for him because he has all the attributes to be a good quarterback,” Allison said.  “He throws the ball good.  He has touch.  He throws it hard when he needs to.  He’s accurate.  He’s not scared to throw some balls, and take chances to get it to receivers…to make plays on the ball.  He’s a good runner out of the pocket.  I feel like his speed is something that’s good and works in his favor, too. …”

Former Twins player Charlie Manuel, now manager of the world champion Phillies, received the biggest ovation at the team’s celebration event last Friday in Philadelphia, according to a Sports Headliners source who attended.

The Wild will hold a Fantasy Camp on Friday, February 6 at a cost of $795 per person. Men and women ages 21 or over with high school or college hockey experience may participate.  The camp will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. prior to the Wild-Nashville game.  Camp participants will watch both teams during their morning skates.  They will also participate in on-ice drills with former NHL players Brad Bombardir, Darby Hendrickson, Phil Housley and Shjon Podein, plus play in a game with NHL alums.  Other benefits include a dinner, two tickets to the Wild-Nashville game and a personalized Wild jersey.  The camp is limited to 32 campers.   Call 651-602-6000 for more information and to register.

The Wild will be at Colorado tomorrow night and Avalanche fans have to be pleased injured Marian Gaborik won’t be skating.  The Wild’s star forward has 31 points in 38 career games against Colorado.

Gaborik has missed all but two of the Wild’s games this season and that can’t be adding any appeal to teams interested in acquiring him in a trade before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next year.  Gaborik’s reputation for injuries may cause some caution, even though he’s only 26 and played in 77 games last season with career highs in goals and assists.

The Gopher hockey team, off to its best start since 2001-02, is ranked No. 4 in the country in the USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today and U.S. College Hockey Online/CBS College Sports polls.  Coach Don Lucia’s Gophers play fifth ranked New Hampshire at home on Friday and Saturday nights.  Colorado College is the No. 1 team in the country.

St. Thomas and Gustavus will be among the best men’s and women’s MIAC hockey schools, according to preseason coaches polls.   St. Thomas, Hamline, Gustavus, Bethel and St. Olaf are predicted to finish one through five in men’s hockey.  The women’s top five: Gustavus, St. Thomas, Concordia, Hamline and Bethel.

Vikings’ coach Brad Childress gave his football team a letter grade after Sunday’s 28-21 win over Houston on Sunday at the Metrodome, according to defensive end Ray Edwards.  The coach made sure the team knows it can earn a higher grade.

“We’re a C team right now because we’re average,” Edwards told Sports Headliners. “We’re 4-4. …So we’re just trying to keep working, keep working.  We’re trying to keep our grade up.”

The Vikings, though, avoided a tsunami of negativity with their third win in the last four games.  The last time the Vikings played at home they stumbled to a 12-10 win over lowly Detroit (now 0-8) while some fans chanted for Childress’ dismissal.  Then a loss two weeks ago in Chicago only added to the surly outlook of fans in Vikingland.

But yesterday the Vikings took an early 7-0 lead set up by a 55-yard Gus Frerotte pass to wide receiver Bernard Berrian and went on to play perhaps their best game of the season.  Heroes included Frerotte with three touchdown passes, Adrian Peterson with 139 yards rushing and a two-sack game by Jared Allen.

The Vikings are just one game back in the loss column from first place Chicago (5-3) in the NFC North.  They’re also tied for second in the division with Green Bay which comes to town next Sunday.

After the Packers, four of the next five games will be on the road.  The Vikings are 3-1 at home, 1-3 away.  As left tackle Bryant McKinnie said after the game yesterday, it’s a “dogfight” on the road.

In the weeks ahead the Vikings will have the opportunity to improve their grade mostly in “schoolhouses” other than their own.