At the Indiana game former Gopher Trent Tucker will have his jersey retired and a banner honoring him will be placed on the west wall of Williams Arena along with four others previously recognized, Jim Brewer, Lou Hudson, Kevin McHale and Mychal Thompson. Another former Gopher, Whitey Skoog, will be similarly honored at the Northwestern game on February 22.
Maturi said the selection criteria for honoring players has changed to go beyond basketball prowess and now includes earning a bachelor’s degree and post graduation service in the community. Tucker was a standout on the Gophers’ 1982 Big Ten championship team, earning second team All-Big Ten honors and making an All-American team. Skoog was twice an All-American, 1950 and 1951.
Twins’ president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners there’s “no chance” that former infielder Michael Cuddyer will be asked to play third base in spring training later this month. St. Peter said Cuddyer is the “starting right fielder” and both Cuddyer and manager Ron Gardenhire want him in that position. Contrary to media opinion, St. Peter said the Twins don’t view third base as a problem. He said the multiple Twins who played third base last season combined for 91 RBI and played “great defense.”
St. Peter is expecting season ticket sales of 10,000 to 11,000 in the team’s final season in the Metrodome. A total of 17,000 to 18,000 are possible at Target Field in the future.
The Twins still have tickets available for all home spring training games but expect to sellout most or all of them. The first home game in Fort Myers is February 25 against Boston.
The Wolves’ Kevin Love is impressing with 16.9 percent of his rebounds being offensive boards. That’s the best in the NBA currently and the third highest for a rookie in league history.
The Wolves’ Mike Miller, who had been in a shooting slump, has made 17 of 23 shots in his last four games, 73.9 percent.
Former Vikings offensive coordinator and Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champion coach Brian Billick will be among the speakers at the Minnesota Football Clinic April 2-4 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. Others will include Marc Trestman, the former Gopher quarterback who won a Canadian Football League coach of the year award in 2008. More on the clinic at www.mshsca.org/football/mfcclinic/Schedule.htm