Adrian Peterson told Fox-TV prior to its telecast of the Viking-Bear game that his goals are to rush for 1,800 yards and be the NFL’s Rookie of the Year. Peterson ran for three touchdowns yesterday as the Vikings ended a six game road losing streak. Peterson has now rushed for a league leading 607 yards. The Vikings, who entered the game with a total of two passes for touchdowns and two runs for scores in four games, produced four offensive touchdowns and a field goal to win 34-31. The Vikings had the fewest offensive touchdowns of any NFL team coming into yesterday’s game.
Minnesota coach Tim Brewster decided on a two point conversion attempt at the end of the second overtime and the Gophers failed, losing 49-48 to Northwestern. Among the interesting ways of looking at that decision is the college rule mandating teams must attempt a two-point conversion beginning with a third overtime (no extra point attempts allowed). By making an extra point and going to a third overtime, the Gophers could have postponed the higher risk task of trying to make a two point conversion.
Look for the crowd at Saturday’s Minnesota-North Dakota State game in the dome to be more vocal in favor of the Bison than the Gophers. The game may sellout later in the week and large numbers of tickets have been purchased by North Dakota State fans. Others have received tickets from Gopher season ticket purchasers. The Bison are No. 1 in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision rankings.
Representatives of both the Gopher athletic department and Star Tribune said they have received few comments about local cable subscribers not being able to see Minnesota football games on the Big Ten Network. Presumably more comments are being sent directly to the cable companies or Big Ten Network. Also, there’s a lack of interest in the Gophers because of their 1-6 record.
It was on this date in 1967 that the Minnesota North Stars played their first regular season game, losing on the road to the California Seals, according to sports encyclopaedia.com. Six days later the team played its first game ever in Met Center, a new facility built adjacent to Met Stadium. In the early years of the North Stars, fans dressed up for the games at Met Center with men wearing suits and women in expensive fur coats.
Tom Hanneman will be working Timberwolves telecasts for a 19th season in 2007-2008. Jim Petersen returns for his 10th season as a Wolves TV analyst.
Theo Ratliff, the Timberwolves 34-year-old center who has had back problems, told Sports Headliners he can’t play as many as 32 minutes per game.
I like Wheaties Field as the name for the new downtown baseball stadium. Send me your suggested names, ds@shamasportsheadliners.com.
Rondell White, expected to announce his retirement before next season, has hardly been a “hit” for the Twins in two seasons but he has a career average of .284 and hit .300 multiple times in the past, including 2005 in Detroit. White produced 11 home runs with 58 RBI in two seasons with the Twins, with batting averages of .246 and .174.