The Timberwolves will host a free NBA Draft Party at Lifetime Fitness in Target Center tomorrow night beginning at 6 p.m. Fans can watch ESPN’s live draft coverage on television screens within Lifetime Fitness, and refreshments will be available.  Timberwolves broadcasters Tom Hanneman and Jim Petersen will host the party. Wolves basketball personnel will be making appearances throughout the night.

Gopher basketball public address announcer and emcee funny man Dick Jonckowski was on KFAN Monday with Paul Allen and Jeff Dubay.  Jonckowski recalled the first joke he told Gopher coach Tubby Smith last season.  It was about a guy who said: “My wife ran off with my best friend…and I miss him.”

Smith said three of his incoming recruits are enrolled in summer classes and working on strength training.  Already here are incoming freshmen Ralph Sampson III, Colton Iverson, and junior college transfer Devron Bostock who will have two years of eligibility.  Incoming freshman Devoe Joseph is trying to make the Canadian Olympic team and junior college transfer Paul Carter, who is working on academics, are not in Minneapolis yet.  Smith said he “loves” the confident attitude of Joseph who tells the coach he will be a starting guard.  Carter will have three years of eligibility. 

Jamal Abu-Shamala, who will be a senior, is a member of the Jordanian Olympic team this summer.  Shamala, Jonathan Williams and Travis Busch will be the Gophers’ only seniors next season.

Dave Mona, one of the local organizers of the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, said tickets remain for all days of the event.  Tickets are available at Cub Foods and Interlachen Country Club.

Mona said daily capacity is 22,500 at Interlachen.  He also said a U.S. Open total attendance record is expected.

Gregg Wong, the retired Pioneer Press sports writer, will be the Twins’ official scorer for 50 home games this season.  Sports author Stew Thornley will work the remaining games.

Twins general manager Bill Smith said on KSTP radio Sunday he expects injured infielders Matt Tolbert and Adam Everett to report around July 7 to the organization’s Fort Myers minor league team.  After rehabilitation, Smith hopes the two can rejoin the Twins in late July.

The Twins Web site is encouraging fans to vote Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to the All-Star game.  Mauer is now the leading vote recipient among American League catchers while Morneau is second to Kevin Youkilis of Boston for first basemen.

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While admitting 2007 was an “unbelievably painful season for all of us,” Gopher football coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners recently that “this program has a chance to be one of the elite programs in the nation.”

Brewster answered questions about himself and the program during an interview including how he sees his future at Minnesota. The Gophers, who were 1-11 last season, open their 2008 schedule in approximately 10 weeks at home against Northern Illinois on August 30.

The Gophers were perhaps the worst defensive team in major college football last season, giving up 36.7 points and 518.7 yards per game.  They won only a non-conference game against Miami of Ohio, 41-35 in overtime.  Yet the Gophers did lose four games by six points or less.

The 2007 Gophers used new systems offensively and defensively.  Brewster said “change can be difficult” and it was for the Gophers who had been 6-7 the season before under coach Glen Mason.

Last season didn’t surprise Brewster and it showed him negativity about Gopher football that endures in this state.  “There’s deep seated skepticism that we can’t win a championship,” Brewster said.

The Gophers haven’t won a Big Ten title since 1967.  They haven’t been to a New Year’s Day bowl game since 1962.  A lot of people, Brewster said, are “extremely skeptical” that the Gophers can play at a championship level.

That’s an in-state problem and challenge to Brewster not only with the public, but perhaps more importantly in convincing Minnesota’s best high school players to play for the Gophers.  The incoming freshman class is rated by national publications among the 20 best in the country, but it’s players from other states who have created the ranking, not Minnesotans.

Still, Brewster’s vision is in-state recruiting will improve, recruiting of players from elsewhere will continue to be highly successful, and the Gophers can become an elite program.  Brewster said, “I truly believe that can be accomplished (elite status). …Recruiting is the key to success.”

Brewster also said “there is no shortage of reasons” why recruits chose Minnesota earlier this year.  He said recruits are taken with how “beautiful” the city is, and the Gophers new TCF Bank Stadium opening next year will be the “finest on-campus stadium” in the country.  Those sell points and others, including the academic offerings and excellence of the University, gave Brewster and his recruiting-oriented assistant coaches a marketing kit that seems likely to send an ongoing line of talent to campus.

Talent will sustain coaching success and Brewster was asked about his commitment to Minnesota.  “I love the coaches who are able to put roots in the ground,” he said.  “Lots of coaches don’t sustain success.  I would love to build a championship level (here) and sustain it for a long period.”

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Brewster said he couldn’t be more “buoyed” by his recruiting class that includes several junior college players.   He also validated speculation that his defense will include several newcomers as starters for the coming season.  Names he mentioned included defensive tackle Jewhan Edwards, linebackers Simoni Lawrence and Rex Sharpe, and defensive backs Tramaine Brock and Traye Simmons. “These guys are going to be impact players,” Brewster said.

Brewster knows there will be no major improvement in the Gophers now or in the future without better defense.  It’s his priority.  “We have no chance to win a title without defense,” he said.

Defensive planning was to have included four-star recruit Sam Maresh of Champlin Park High School.  However, Maresh’s football future is uncertain now that he will have heart surgery.  Brewster said he asks Minnesotans for their prayers regarding Maresh and a healthy life, whether that includes football or not.  He said Maresh could have gone to school “anywhere in America” and his choosing Minnesota meant a lot to Brewster.  “I couldn’t love Sam Maresh more if he was my own son,”  Brewster said.

The Gophers’ offense often played at a high level last season, averaging 26.2 points and 407.5 yards per game.  Two of the most productive players, sophomore quarterback Adam Weber, and wide receiver Eric Decker, will be candidates for post-season honors and could be even better in 2008.  Among other offensive players mentioned by Brewster, redshirt freshman lineman Ryan Wynn of Maple Grove High School was described as one of the “most talented offensive linemen” he’s been around.

Last season was Brewster’s first as a head coach and he was asked what he might single out as a valuable lesson learned.  He answered that he “can’t be a reactionary” person.  With all that’s going on, with the varied demands of his job, he needs to consistently “take a deep breath” and be ready to thoughtfully respond on a daily basis.

Responses are easier, Brewster knows, when the Gophers are winning.

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