Tonight (Friday) the Minnesota Thunder plays its first home game in the renovated National Sports Center stadium against Carolina. The track at the NSC stadium field has been removed so the playing surface is closer to the grandstand, and other enhancements have been made too, according to the team’s Web site. The Thunder is winless in its last eight games, dating back to May 31. It won’t be surprising if there are personnel changes before the season ends in September. The Thunder, with 16 points, are near the bottom of the USL standings, only two points ahead of last place Rochester. Thunder goalie Nicolas Platter ranks third in the USL in total saves with 54.
The Timberwolves are in the most major roster reconstruction period in franchise history. The era began last year with the trading of Kevin Garnett and probably continues for awhile as the franchise uses salary cap room to add a big name player or two. The Wolves are also likely to have multiple first round draft choices in coming years.
Coach Tim Brewster said his players, including freshmen, report for pre-season practice on August 2. The Gophers, like other college teams, are allowed 29 days of practice prior to their first game (August 30 at home against Northern Illinois).
Although the Gophers’ August practices will be on campus, Brewster said in the future he hopes to take the team back to St. John’s University in Collegeville. Describing it as a “perfect training camp,” the Gophers had early practices there last year. Summer school will still be in session this year when the Gophers begin practice, preventing a camp at St. John’s.
Turn on the applause soundtrack for the Pac 10 Conference schools whose non-conference football schedules are the most attractive in the country. Pac 10 schools play nine conference games (are you listening Big Ten?) and avoid the no-name non-conference schools that fill the schedules of teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference. In 2008 Pac 10 teams are playing schools like Brigham Young, Boise State, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU and Virginia. There’s hardly a cupcake in the Pac 10 pantry.
Former Gopher coach Jerry Noyce, who won three Big Ten Conference titles in the 1980s, was among those who attended the 34th annual Baseline Club fundraiser for the men’s tennis program Wednesday night. The club started in 1978 and has been vital to Gopher tennis success over the years. Noyce was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men’s Hall of Fame in May and local tennis legend David Wheaton, whom Noyce tutored, was his presenter.