Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi talking about extending coach Tim Brewster’s contract: “I have no timeline on it. We will look forward to working with coach and keeping him here.”
The Insight Bowl will be televised in Minneapolis-St. Paul on the NFL Network only but in the Des Moines area the ABC affiliate will also telecast the game, according to the Des Moines Register. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091221/SPORTS020602/91221024/Insight-Bowl-will-be-shown-on-WOI-in-Central-Iowa
The Gophers have a bye in their schedule next fall (between the November 13 Illinois game and November 27 Iowa game) after not having a break this season. Brewster told Sports Headliners he believes a break in the 12 game schedule is a “must” for the well being of players.
Maturi said suspended freshman basketball forward Royce White is “still part of the athletic family” and his expectation is that White will be attending classes in January. “I suspect he will still be enrolled,” Maturi said.
Maturi also said it might be likely that suspended forward Trevor Mbakwe will redshirt this season because Mbakwe’s legal issue in Florida could be unresolved until after the season.
Former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher predicts a fourth place finish for the Gophers in the Big Ten Conference behind Purdue, Michigan State and probably Ohio State (if star Evan Turner returns soon). He likes the Gophers depth and defense but a so-so nonconference record of 9-3 might mean Minnesota has to win 10 conference games to make the NCAA tournament. The Gophers won their Big Ten opener last night at home against Penn State, 75-70.
Dutcher said San Diego State, where son Brian is an assistant coach, has won nine consecutive overtime games.
Former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire comes here with his New Jersey team for the first and only time this season on Saturday night. The Devils are expected to practice on Friday at St. Thomas Academy but the workout isn’t open to the public. Lemaire is friends with Wild radio color commentator Tom Reid and the coach is likely to make a stop at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub while in St. Paul. Former Wild forward Brian Rolston has 13 goals in 36 games for the Devils.
Friday’s game at Fenway Park in Boston will be the NHL’s third Winter Classic. There were 300,000 ticket requests for the outdoor game between the Bruins and Philadelphia, according to the December 28 issue of Sports Illustrated. National telecasts of the classic have been popular and the Wild are lining up with other franchises to receive the NHL’s blessing to host a future game.
The Wild are looking at a potential outdoor game at TCF Bank Stadium or Target Field. “This is the premiere hockey market in the U.S.,” said Wild executive Bill Robertson. “We have made the inquiry and are working on next steps.”
The Rangers, according to Sports Illustrated, are the favorite to host a game in 2011 at Yankee Stadium. Washington and Alex Ovechkin would be the opponents.
The NHL may schedule multiple regular season league opening games in Europe next fall and the Wild could be on the list of participating teams. Finland might be the site of two games involving the Wild. The team has Finnish natives in goalie Niklas Backstrom, and forwards Mikko Koivu and Antti Miettinen.