TV sports reporter and radio show host Mike Max talking about the Vikings’ popularity: “The Twins can take over for awhile but as soon as the Vikings start up: Boom! Everything changes. You can just feel it in people. Their conversations change. So they’re (the Vikings) the king and always will be. …”
Interest in the Vikings is intense but many fans choose to follow the team through the media instead of attending games. To encourage ticket sales the Vikings are advertising free parking and a $20 concession coupon through Valpak, a direct mail advertiser. The offer is for regular season games against Miami, Detroit, Arizona and Buffalo.
The Vikings and USA Football are ready to help Minneapolis area youth football coaches prepare better for the coming season. USA Football’s Minneapolis Coaching School presented by the Vikings will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Saturday at Winter Park. The clinic will address coaching philosophy, the teaching of fundamentals, concussion awareness and education, proper equipment fitting, and communicating with parents, players and other coaches. Registration for the event is $40 and includes instruction from high school coaches, plus lunch and a USA Football Certificate of Completion. Youth coaches can register at www.usafootball.com.
Are you kidding? Sporting News magazine has the Gophers ranked No. 98 among 120 major college football teams while Middle Tennessee State, Minnesota’s season opening opponent, is rated No. 43.
When BCS schools like Minnesota and Southern California play each other the visiting team receives $400,000, according to Marc Ryan, associate athletic director at Minnesota. The Gophers host the Trojans here on September 18 and then play in Los Angeles next year.
Former NBA and world championship coach Bill Fitch talking about recently traded Timberwolves star Al Jefferson: “I’ve always thought Jefferson was a better player than he’s shown so far.”
Kevin Noreen, Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball who recently committed to West Virginia, plans to major in business and complete a master’s degree in four years. He earned a perfect score on the English portion of his ACT college entrance exam.
Noreen said basketball legend Jerry West’s son, Jonnie, finished his undergraduate degree in two years at West Virginia.
Twin Cities Live host John Hanson of KSTP TV is a 1994 grad of Apple Valley High School and a passionate sports follower. Hanson, who sometimes fills in for Joe Schmit as Ch. 5 sports anchor, has been a Texas Rangers fan since 1983 when the Twins traded Gary Ward, his favorite player, to the Arlington-based ball club.
Former Pioneer Press sportswriter Gregg Wong is a volunteer for the St. Paul Urban Tennis program that teaches kids tennis and life skills. Wong reported on various sports for the newspaper including tennis, golf, hockey and baseball.
St. Thomas seniors Nikki Arola and Alison Wright, and St. Olaf senior John Schantzen, have been selected as recipients of the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. They are among 58 spring sports scholarship winners, each receiving $7,500 scholarships.