A local group will visit Indianapolis today to make a final pitch to the NCAA to have Minneapolis and the Metrodome selected to host the Final Four in 2014, 2015 or 2016. Minneapolis is one of 10 cities being considered, according to Dennis Alfton, director of operations for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.
Look for Smith to use a lot of players early in the nonconference schedule as he figures out who his best players are. He played all 11 of his available players nine minutes or more against Northern State. Junior forward Damian Johnson and senior center Jonathan Williams didn’t play last week because of injuries.
“I am not a big guy (on) who starts, but who finishes,” Smith said. “…So I really don’t have a timetable (for a starting lineup, key reserves). The sooner, the better. I don’t have a deadline.”
The Gophers’ other junior college transfer, guard Devron Bostick, came to Minnesota after being recognized as the national Division I Junior College Athletic Association player of the year. He averaged 18.2 points per game last season while playing for Southwestern Illinois Community College, but against Northern State missed all five of his field goal attempts and in two exhibition games has five points. Smith said Bostick hasn’t played confidently yet.
The November 10 issue of Sporting News picks the Gophers to finish fourth in the Big Ten Conference behind Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin.
College basketball’s early signing date starts Wednesday and continues through November 19. For their class of 2009 the Gophers reportedly have verbal commitments from Royce White of Hopkins, Rodney Williams of Cooper, Justin Cobbs of Torrance, California and Trevor Mbwake, a junior college transfer who played high school basketball in Minnesota. The class will be favorably ranked nationally. That will give the Gophers consecutive nationally rated classes, and so the 2010 class is likely to have lower profile players who can fill roles.
The same issue of Sporting News listed the 10 best moves by Tampa Bay executive Andrew Friedman in building the Rays into American League champions. The No. 2 move was the trade with the Twins that brought pitcher Matt Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett to Tampa Bay, and “traded away a clubhouse distraction in controversial outfielder Delmon Young,” according to the magazine.
That trade was made under the leadership of Bill Smith, a year ago the Twins’ new general manager. The much talked about trade that brought Young here, plus the Twins need to improve their roster, puts Smith on the spot during this off-season.
Although he hit .135 in his last 10 games and the Twins lost their playoff tie-breaker to the White Sox, don’t be surprised if Justin Morneau wins the American League Most Valuable Player award to be announced soon.
The Timberwolves’ defense was poor last week in losses to San Antonio and Sacramento, giving up 250 points . Despite his talent, 6-2 San Antonio point guard Tony Parker shouldn’t score 55 points. Why didn’t the Wolves, as TV analyst Jim Petersen asked during the game, double team Parker and make him give up the ball? Against Sacramento, lacking both effort and size, the Wolves allowed a parade of lay-ups and in-close baskets, apparently unwilling or unable to close down the lane. To put more length and bulk in the front court, the Wolves should try a front line of 7 foot Jason Collins at center, and Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, both listed at 6-10, at forwards.
A Vikings source didn’t hesitate when asked last week who former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre would be rooting for in yesterday’s Packer game here. The immediate response was “us.”
Bloomington native Lane Kiffin, the former Oakland coach and USC assistant, is having his name mentioned among candidates for the coaching vacancies at Washington and Tennessee.
Pro sports teams are going to be impacted by the recession. Various news stories involving slumping ticket sales, reduced payrolls, loans and possibly even relocations may develop.