Wolves 30-year-old forward Damien Wilkins, who has played on three NBA teams, was asked if all the losing has resulted in Rambis and the other coaches being tuned out by the players. “I haven’t seen that around here,” he said last week. “Not yet anyway, and I would be the first to speak about it if I did. …”
Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith receives a bonus of $100,000 for his team qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Smith can earn certain bonuses as part of the contract he received to come here and accept a lesser salary than he earned at Kentucky, according to Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi. Smith made $2.1 million at Kentucky and at Minnesota is earning more than $1.8 million in salary this year. If the Gophers had won Sunday’s Big Ten championship tournament game Smith would have earned another $100,000.
ESPN basketball expert Andy Katz likes the Gophers chances of advancing past Xavier on Friday. https://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=4996834
The NCAA men’s basketball field seems likely to be expanded to 96 teams next year so that the NCAA can make more TV money. Increasing the field from 65 to 96 means more games which translates into more advertising revenues. The result will be little suspense over which teams qualify and mediocre early round games, but in sports money and TV are usually first priority.
Maturi said his department hopes to complete fundraising for a new Siebert Field in time to start construction next year. The present field, which is useable, will be moved about 30 feet as part of the new stadium construction. Maturi said the present stands and amenities aren’t “very good,” so the team is playing all its home games except one at the Metrodome.
A first visit to Target Field for some fans will mean watching amateur baseball. The Gophers play Louisiana Tech in the first ever game in the facility on Saturday, March 27. Also, the high school state championship games on Saturday, June 19 will be in the new stadium. The Class A game will be played at noon, followed by Class AA at 3 p.m. and Class AAA at 6 p.m.
Twins pitcher Jesse Crain probably has the best fast ball of any relievers being discussed to fill Joe Nathan’s closer role but Crain needs to be more consistent than in the past.
Twins executives involved with the Target Field project will be both pleased and relieved when the stadium opens. Executives have been doing two jobs, their regular assignments and also work that has involved the planning, construction and initial operation of the new ballpark.
If it seems like there are a lot of baseball games on TV this spring, that’s because there are. The MLB Network is televising 78 games including 45 live. All 30 major league teams are scheduled to be on at least three times during spring training.
Don’t be surprised if the Vikings fill their need to replace No. 2 running back Chester Taylor through the draft. The Vikings pick at No. 30 in the first round and Toby Gerhart, who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, could be available. The scouting report is he blocks effectively, a key attribute needed to replace Taylor.
Minnesota State University, Mankato earned the top spot in the NSIC / U.S. Bank All-Sports Award competition following the winter sports season. Augustana College is second while Minnesota Duluth, the leader after the fall sports season, is third. The NSIC All-Sports Award is presented annually at the NSIC Hall of Fame Banquet in July. Minnesota State won the award last year.
St. Thomas junior center Rachel Booth and Gustavus Adolphus senior guard Bri Radtke have been named finalists for the State Farm Coaches’ Division III All-America Team, according to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Booth led the MIAC in blocks and rebounds and was also in the top five in points and field-goal percentage. She broke UST school records for blocked shots in a game (eight) and season (93). Radtke was named Conference Player of the Year by league coaches. She tied for the MIAC lead with 4.41 assists per game and was fifth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 1.76.