Minnesota Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell said a project to build an athletic center at his alma mater, the University of California, is being slowed up because of demonstrations to preserve three trees. Protestors have chained themselves to the trees, he said.
Vikings’ linebacker Chad Greenway missed all of last season with a knee injury, making this somewhat a rookie season. Greenway said he’s probably his own “harshest critic” and that at times he’s played like a rookie. Although he hasn’t made a lot of “splash plays and sacks,” he thinks he’s improving each week and has been equally effective playing the pass and rush. “I think for the most part I have played pretty well,” he said.
Timberwolves assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg told Sports Headliners he has been chosen by Iowa State, his alma mater, as one of the school’s top 10 basketball players of all time. He will be honored at a ceremony in February.
Hoiberg, 35, has been wearing a pacemaker for about two years. He feels good and even scrimmaged with the Wolves in September when an extra player was needed. The pacemaker will be replaced in seven years.
Although the Wolves chose not to exercise an option on guard-forward Gerald Green’s contract, the organization remains intrigued by his potential. Green, 21, will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. His career numbers for the previous two seasons in the NBA include an average of 8.9 points per game. Hoiberg said Green “jumps higher than anyone I’ve ever seen” and refers to the former Boston Celtic as “freakishly athletic.” Green needs to better understand “concepts” of what the Wolves are trying to accomplish, Hoiberg said.
Gophers coach Tubby Smith said he liked the play of point guards Al Nolen, Lawrence McKenzie and Kevin Payton after the opening exhibition game last week. Nolen, a freshman from Patrick Henry High School, is the quickest of the three. The Gophers play Southwest Minnesota State tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in a second and final exhibition game. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
A seventh place finish in the Big Ten Conference is a popular prediction for Smith’s first Gophers team.
North Dakota had three of the first four players listed last week on CSTV.com’s Hobey Baker watch list. The top four were Kevin Porter, Michigan senior forward; Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, North Dakota senior goalie; T.J. Oshie, North Dakota junior forward; and Ryan Duncan, North Dakota junior forward. No Gophers were listed in the 10 player listing.
Forward Brian Rolston is the Wild’s team captain for the month of November. Mikko Koivu and Nick Schultz are alternate captains. The Wild rotates its team captaincy on a monthly basis based on the player who has shown the greatest leadership qualities.
The Wild’s Marion Gaborik said on WCCO Radio yesterday he thinks the Northwest Division is the best in the NHL. The Wild are in first place with 18 points, two more than second place Colorado. Gaborik scored five points in two games last week and was honored today by the NHL as one of its players of the week.
The MIAC pre-season coaches’ polls resulted in the following winter sports favorites: Bethel, men’s hockey; Gustavus, women’s hockey; Bethel, men’s basketball; and Saint Benedict, women’s basketball.