Tonight (Friday) the Minnesota Thunder plays its first home game in the renovated National Sports Center stadium against Carolina.  The track at the NSC stadium field has been removed so the playing surface is closer to the grandstand, and other enhancements have been made too, according to the team’s Web site. The Thunder is winless in its last eight games, dating back to May 31.  It won’t be surprising if there are personnel changes before the season ends in September.  The Thunder, with 16 points, are near the bottom of the USL standings, only two points ahead of last place Rochester. Thunder goalie Nicolas Platter ranks third in the USL in total saves with 54.

The Timberwolves are in the most major roster reconstruction period in franchise history.  The era began last year with the trading of Kevin Garnett and probably continues for awhile as the franchise uses salary cap room to add a big name player or two.  The Wolves are also likely to have multiple first round draft choices in coming years.

Coach Tim Brewster said his players, including freshmen, report for pre-season practice on August 2.  The Gophers, like other college teams, are allowed 29 days of practice prior to their first game (August 30 at home against Northern Illinois).

Although the Gophers’ August practices will be on campus, Brewster said in the future he hopes to take the team back to St. John’s University in Collegeville.  Describing it as a “perfect training camp,” the Gophers had early practices there last year.  Summer school will still be in session this year when the Gophers begin practice, preventing a camp at St. John’s.

Turn on the applause soundtrack for the Pac 10 Conference schools whose non-conference football schedules are the most attractive in the country.  Pac 10 schools play nine conference games (are you listening Big Ten?) and avoid the no-name non-conference schools that fill the schedules of teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference.  In 2008 Pac 10 teams are playing schools like Brigham Young, Boise State, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU and Virginia.  There’s hardly a cupcake in the Pac 10 pantry.

Former Gopher coach Jerry Noyce, who won three Big Ten Conference titles in the 1980s, was among those who attended the 34^th annual Baseline Club fundraiser for the men’s tennis program Wednesday night.  The club started in 1978 and has been vital to Gopher tennis success over the years.  Noyce was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men’s Hall of Fame in May and local tennis legend David Wheaton, whom Noyce tutored, was his presenter.

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Jerry Burns, who coached teams that generated Super Bowl predictions, will be “tickled” if the 2008 Vikings make the playoffs.  That was his response when told famed pro football writer Paul Zimmerman is picking the Vikings, who were 8-8 last season and missed the playoffs, to win the next Super Bowl.

Burns, the Vikings’ head coach from 1986-1991, said he respects Zimmerman, known to generations of Sports Illustrated readers as Dr. Z.  “It’s hard for me to go out on a limb to that extent (winning the Super Bowl),” Burns told Sports Headliners.  “I think they’ve unquestionably improved their defense. …And offensively they’re very good with (Adrian) Peterson.  I look for them to go some place around 8, 9, 7 (wins), and I would say I would be tickled right now if they were 10 and 6. Because if they were 10 and 6, I think they’d be a playoff team.

“So much of it depends on the continued development of Tarvaris Jackson, the quarterback. …If Jackson continues to develop, if the defense plays well and they’re injury free I think they could have a very successful season.

“I like Brad Childress very much as a football coach.  Very much as a person.  I wish him nothing but the best, but I don’t want to go out on a limb to the extent that they’re going to win the Super Bowl, or be in the Super Bowl.”

Dr. Z wrote a column on SI.com last month headlined:  “Dare I Pick Minnesota to Win It all?”  While Dallas is a popular choice, Dr. Z is intrigued by the Vikings’ efficiency at running the ball and stopping the run.  Best in the league at both last year, he writes.

Dr. Z liked the Vikings’ defense last year but he wouldn’t be suggesting the Vikings will win their first Super Bowl in history if not for signing free agents Jared Allen (defensive end), Madieu Williams (safety) and Charlie Gordon (cornerback).  He describes Peterson as the NFL’s “flashiest” runner last season and the left side of the offensive line as “arguably the best” in the league at run-blocking.

His column provides attention to Jackson, the third year quarterback.  Count Dr. Z as a Vikings believer who thinks Jackson, his coach and team can travel the playoff road all the way to the end.

Burns coached his 1987 team (8-7 during the regular season) to within one win of the Super Bowl.  His 1988 group finished 11-5, and then went 1-1 in the playoffs.  The 1989 team, with Herschel Walker inspiring Super Bowl hype, was 10-6 and lost its one playoff game.

Burns, 81, said Super Bowl talk didn’t impact his team.  “It didn’t affect us negatively or positively in any way that I can put a finger on,” he said.

Burns was an assistant under head coach Bud Grant on all four Vikings teams that went to the Super Bowl between 1970 and 1977.    He said it’s “very, very difficult” to make the Super Bowl and win it.  That’s why Dr. Z implies in his column it’s a guess as to who will be Super Bowl champs each year.  New Orleans, which finished 7-9 and didn’t make the playoffs, was his pick last year.

Best to take all of this with a wink.

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Three college football magazines now on the newsstands predict the Gophers will again be Big Ten Conference bottom feeders.  The Gophers, who finished in last place in 2007 with a 0-8 record, will stay in the same spot in 2008, according to both Sporting News College Football ’08 and Athlon Sports Big Ten Preview.  Lindy’s Big Ten 2008 Preview predicts the Gophers will finish 10^th in the standings, ahead of last place Northwestern.

The publications believe the Gophers, 1-11 overall last season, will be improved in 2008 and beyond.  Sporting News, for example, suggests the team “will win at least two games it isn’t supposed to.”   All three magazines rated Minnesota’s 2008 recruiting class the third best in the Big Ten, an indication better years are ahead for the Gophers.

Lindy’s included Gopher quarterback MarQueis Gray, from Indianapolis, among its “top 20 incoming Big 10 recruits.”  In regard to national recruiting, the publication ranked the top 10 schools at each position.  The Gophers received a No. 7 ranking in the athlete category and a No. 10 in the defensive back listings.

There isn’t much hype about individual Gophers for the coming season.  Senior punter Justin Kucek, who averaged 42.7 yards per punt last season, is on Athlon’s all-Big Ten second team.  Kucek is also on the prospective winners’ list for the Ray Guy award as the nation’s best punter.  Athlon included Gopher receiver Eric Decker on its all-Big Ten third team.

James Laurinaitis, the former Wayzata star who will be a senior at Ohio State, is Lindy’s pick for Big Ten MVP.  The award winning linebacker could go first in next year’s NFL draft, according to the magazine.

The Buckeyes rate at the top among favorites to play in the national championship game.  Ohio State, a school that has been to two consecutive national title games, is the dominant team in the Big Ten, according to the publications.  Lindy’s ranks Ohio State No. 3 in its pre-season national ratings while Sporting News and Athlon have the Buckeyes at No. 2.  Illinois (No. 10 Sporting News) and Wisconsin (No. 11 Lindy’s) are best of the rest in the conference.

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