Let’s be direct about the announcement to name the new baseball stadium Target Field.  The naming rights provide a bold face entry into the Minnesota Twins’ revenue budget.  It also furthers Target Corporation’s name and identity in its hometown.

However, I doubt that the Target Field name wins a popularity contest with Twins fans. A Star Tribune online poll on Monday was showing respondents disapproving 57 to 42 percent.

There’s no baseball connection to the name and Target Field isn’t exactly a charming nameplate either.  Awhile back this space suggested Wheaties Field.  Wheaties, the long time hometown product and breakfast of champions, has a special image and even sponsored Minneapolis Millers baseball years ago.

Instead, I suppose, we’ll hear the stadium referred to by some as “Discount Field.”  That’s not a feel good phrase but it’s an easy wisecrack from those who have described the nearby Target Center as the “Discount Center.”

An ongoing criticism of the Twins’ management is not spending enough money to acquire talent.  A potential coupon clipping reputation at Target Field will be new material for the cynics.

I will take the Target Field name over the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome nameplate.  The tribute to the former vice president of the United States is fine but Metrodome is part of the overdone tradition that included Metropolitan Stadium and the Metropolitan Sports Center.

Metro?  Clever, eh?

Give me a name like Memorial Stadium, the former home of Golden Gopher football that was a tribute to University students and workers who served in World War I.  The old Millers’ stadium, Nicollet Park, was spot on as well, although it could have been Wheaties Field.

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Florida Atlantic’s Rusty Smith is ranked the No. 11 quarterback in college football, according to the September 15 issue of Sporting News.  The Owls (1-2) play the Gophers (3-0) on Saturday at the Metrodome, Minnesota’s last non-conference game of the season.

In Miami last year the Owls, in only their seventh year of college football, surprised the Gophers in a high scoring 42-39 game.  Smith, then a sophomore, completed 27 of 44 passes and threw five touchdown passes.

The Gophers’ Adam Weber, then a redshirt freshman, was 31 of 47, with four touchdown passes but threw four interceptions in his first college road game. This season Weber has yet to throw an interception in three games while completing six touchdown passes.

Although coach Tim Brewster has said Weber will be among the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten Conference, Sporting News ranked seven QB’s from the league ahead of Weber, rated the No. 47 quarterback in America.  All seven of the quarterbacks ahead of him are juniors and seniors, having had more time to make their reputations.  (The top three quarterbacks listed are Pat White of West Virginia, Tim Tebow of Florida, and Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.)

Brewster was asked yesterday by Sports Headliners about Smith.  “You know, I think Rusty Smith is a heck of a quarterback,” he said. “…I think he deserves any accolades that he gets. …I am not into rating guys exactly.  All’s I know is this: I wouldn’t trade Adam for anybody in America right now.”

So far this season Smith, a 6-5 pocket passer known for his accuracy, has four touchdown passes while completing 44 of 99 passes with one interception and is averaging 240.3 yards passing per game.  Weber is 60 of 86 averaging 240 yards per game.  Smith, though, has faced the more difficult schedule playing Texas and Michigan State, along with UAB.  Weber has faced Northern Illinois, Bowling Green and Montana State.

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Brewster recalled on WCCO Radio Sunday that last year’s game with Florida Atlantic was delayed about 20 minutes until yard markers could be located.

Only two teams in the nation have fewer seniors than the Gophers with 11.

The Gophers are the nation’s No. 3 team in turnover margin, +2.67.

The Vikings’ John David Booty was on anybody’s short list of the nation’s best quarterbacks last year while at USC.  Now the Trojans are No. 1 in the nation with Mark Sanchez, the latest in a line of high performance USC quarterbacks that includes Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.

Booty said there’s a fraternity style relationship between the quarterbacks because of the USC experience where the highly successful Trojans play in the nation’s second largest city under the watch of a media that doesn’t have an NFL team to scrutinize.  Booty told Sports Headliners: “There are four or five of us who have experienced it…I think that’s what keeps us also close together.”

Just in care you’re wondering: official policy is there’s a two beer limit per customer at Vikings games this year.

The Vikings announced their 107^th consecutive sellout at last Sunday’s game against Indianapolis.

It’s a good guess that when former Timberwolf Marko Jaric goes to training camp this fall with Memphis he will receive a number of questions about his engagement to Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima.

The Wolves’ early season lineup could be: forwards Mike Miller and Ryan Gomes, center Al Jefferson, and guards Randy Foye and Sebastian Telfair.  Before Christmas rookie Kevin Love is a likely starter at forward with Gomes, while Miller switches to the backcourt with Foye, and Telfair comes off the bench.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who has 75 RBI, is within nine of his career high of 84.        Mauer, hitting .321, is six points behind in the American League batting race.  Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox is hitting .327.

Single-game Minnesota Wild tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office, and then at noon on the club’s web site (www.wild.com), and at all Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) locations, or by calling Ticketmaster at (651) 989-5151.  A limit of four tickets per game can be purchased per person.

Senior wide receiver and corner back Royce Winford caught two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and overtime in Augsburg’s 30-24, two-overtime win over No. 20-ranked Wartburg on Saturday.  He has been named the MIAC Offensive Player of the Week. Gustavus sophomore linebacker Paul Stommes is the Defensive Player of the Week for his performance, including 15 tackles in the Gusties’ 27-19 win over Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday.  St. Olaf senior Matt Nelson punted six times for a 46.5 yards average in the Oles’ 17-0 win over Pacific Lutheran to win Special Teams Player of the Week.  Players of the week are selected MIAC sports information directors.

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