Steve and Dorothy Erban’s Creative Charters based in Stillwater is featuring a first ever river trip with Gopher football coach Tim Brewster and staff.  The public is invited on a two-day cruise, July 22 and 23, on the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers.  More at www.creativecharter.com.

At 5 a.m. today the Big Ten Network began 24 consecutive hours of Gopher sports programming. The day features some of Minnesota’s best performances in 2007-08, including the miracle finish against Indiana in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinals, the men’s ice hockey team’s victory against Wisconsin, the conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, the Big Ten Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships and the volleyball team’s win at Ohio State.

The Twins improved to 9-3 versus National League teams this season after winning three straight games against Arizona over the weekend.  The Twins are 115-88 all-time in interleague play.  Minnesota has now won six straight games and eight of its last nine.

Second baseman Alexi Casilla has either scored a run or driven in a run in 25 of his 35 games with the Twins this season. He has 20 runs scored and 27 RBI.

The Vikings’ Jared Allen, an avid outdoorsman, was featured on the cover of the June 16 issue of Sporting News.  The headline: “What we learned when we went bear hunting with the baddest defensive lineman in the NFL.”

The same issue had a feature on former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett and how he guards his off-court life.  The article said his wife recently had a baby but Boston reporters don’t know if it’s a boy or girl.

The Wolves have the third pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft.  Dating back to 1998, here are the players who were chosen third during the first round:  Raef LaFrentz, Baron Davis, Darius Miles, Pau Gasol, Mike Dunleavy, Carmelo Anthony, Ben Gordon, Deron Williams, Adam Morrison and Al Horford.

In preparation for the draft the Wolves, who also have two second round picks, will be working out Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless, Indiana guard Eric Gordon and Oklahoma center Longar Longar at Target Center today.  Longar is the former Rochester John Marshall player originally from the Sudan.

A faltering economy, including worrisome inflation, could make the effort more difficult to gain legislative approval for a new Vikings’ stadium.  Before construction prices began rising more aggressively in recent months, the projected cost of a retractable roof facility on the present Metrodome site was estimated at near $1 billion.

And even at that figure there was considerable caution among public leaders.  Now building costs such as steel and cement are moving upward along with oil.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission is partnering with the Vikings in advocating for a new stadium to be used for a variety of commercial and community purposes.  MSFC executive director Bill Lester told Sports Headliners “he wouldn’t even hazard a guess” right now about a projected change in stadium cost.  (About $250 million of the funding has been expected to come from the Vikings and NFL, but no public funding option such as a portion of the state sales tax has been offered.)

Stadium proponents have been saying for awhile that every year of delay in authorizing a facility means increased costs.  This year, however, has seen an inflationary acceleration.  Lester said, for example, that when earlier planning and cost projections were made for the stadium, oil was at $75 a barrel.  Today it’s about $135.  There’s also talk of steel going up by 25 percent this fall.  “None of this is good news,” Lester said.

A renovated Metrodome at perhaps half the cost of a new stadium might generate more support now but Lester doesn’t think the Vikings are willing to accept that direction.  “The Vikings won’t extend the use agreement (with the commission) in a renovated dome and have said so,” Lester said.

MSFC chair Roy Terwilliger agrees and said increasing construction costs could mean excluding some things in a new stadium, but not making a decision for a renovated dome.  He said it will be “awhile” before the commission and the Vikings have a revised cost for a new stadium.

The team’s agreement to play in the dome expires in three years.  Even before the economy began dramatically faltering, it was clear that the legislature would be divided over the importance and priority of funding for a new stadium.  The issue has been put off year after year but now is headed toward an apparent show down session in 2009.

“I believe next year the legislature does have to address this because the use agreement ends in 2011,” Terwilliger said. “If we don’t do something soon, it makes it more difficult to convince the NFL we’re serious about solving the need and (also) costs are going up.”

The Minnesota Wild might take the first goalie in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday. Assistant general manager Tommy Thompson told a media gathering recently that the Wild, who have the 24^th pick in the first round, will be able to choose from several players they will be “excited about,” including goalies.

Thompson said there are three goalies that interest the Wild but declined to identity them.  He indicated the Wild will either choose a goalie, or take a defenseman.  He said he’s never seen so many quality defensemen as there are in this year’s draft.  Overall, he described the 2008 draft as “deep,” although not as extraordinary as the 2003 draft.

The top rated goalies in the draft, according to the NHL’s Central Scouting online rankings, are Jacob Markstrom of Sweden and Harri Sateri of Finland, and North Americans Thomas McCollum of Amherst, New York and Chet Pickard of Winnipeg.  “What happens with the goalies (in the draft) is interesting,” Thompson said.  “Unless there’s a goalie who is picked…in the top five, often there’s no goalies picked, no goalies picked, no goalies picked, and then when one goes, bang, bang.  Three of the next five picks are goalies. …”

Thompson said he didn’t think any goalies will be chosen in the top five on Saturday, perhaps not the top 10.  “…They could all be gone, or they could all be there when we’re picking,” he added.

The Wild’s pick at 24 is the lowest first round position in club history.  With only four overall picks because of trades, the franchise has the fewest draft choices ever.

Team president Doug Risebrough said deals between NHL franchises that allow teams to move up or down in the draft typically aren’t made until draft day.  He also said the Wild will bring their draft choices, along with other prospects in the organization, to town for a camp from July 8-14.

The top ranked player in the draft is Steven Stamkos, according to www.nhlentrydraft2008.com.  He is a center from Markham, Ontario.  Thompson said Tampa Bay is expected to take him No. 1 and said Stamkos is a player with skill and work ethic, someone he will “enjoy watching for the next 15 to 20 years.”