Torii Hunter is the player of choice in a Sporting News feature regarding high profile center fielders that will be free agents after this season and possibly move to other teams. Hunter was preferred over Andru Jones of Atlanta and Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle. The article praised Hunter’s club house leadership and potential for improvement, mentioning that even at age 31 the Twins’ center fielder is having a career season with a .305 average, 11 home runs and 45 RBI.
High energy Gopher football coach Tim Brewster will be promoting ticket sales to University students. “I would like to see 25,000 show up for games,” he said. That total would more than double recent past seasons but Brewster looks at a campus enrollment of over 50,000 and becomes excited.
Brewster’s philosophy on non-conference scheduling is focused on playing schools that appeal to recruits. He plans to upgrade the non-conference schedule and wants to play a prestige BCS opponent.
The Gophers will play at least four of their seven home games this season at night. Brewster considers night football appealing to fans and players, most of whom spent their high school careers playing on Friday evenings. “I would like to play every game at 7 p.m.,” he said.
The Vikings expect a renewal rate in the low to mid 90% range, according to vice president of marketing Steve LaCroix. He said seats are available to prospective season ticket purchasers.
Ken Lien, who for 31 years has been a committee member or chair of the Mr. Basketball Committee, suggests that the four state champions from each class play a week after their tournaments in a prep Final Four to determine one champion. A move like that would provide much needed interest for Minnesota high school basketball.
Lien’s nephew, 7-foot-1 Alex Jacobson of Brea, California, graduated from high school on Saturday and enrolled in summer school yesterday at Arizona where he will play for Lute Olson’s Wildcats.
Dave Tentis will be trying to repeat as champion of the Tapemark Pro-Am Friday-Sunday at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul. Tentis won the tournament four times and his competition includes seven time champion Don Berry. Former Twins John Castino and Tim Laudner will also play in the tournament that has raised more than $5.5 million to support people with developmental and learning disabilities since it began in 1972. Admission is free.