Gophers coach Tubby Smith and the athletic department continue to search for a lead donor for a new practice facility.
Former Gophers golfer and New York Times best selling author Harvey Mackay has a new book coming out this fall: The Mackay MBA of Sales. The book will be subtitled “Lessons from the Street.”
The Sanford Health sign on Target Center visible from Target Field remains in place despite last year’s concern by the Twins. Is Sanford Health a naming rights possibility to replace the Target name on the Minneapolis arena?
Alexi Casilla, an inconsistent middle infielder in the past, will have to be more reliable in the field and at bat to win and keep a starting job at shortstop or second base. He and newcomer Tsuyoshi Nishioka are the leading contenders for those positions. Who plays shortstop will at least partially be decided on arm strength.
The first Twins TV game from spring training on FOX Sports North is March 14 against Florida with a 12:05 p.m. start Minneapolis time.
Twins catcher Joe Mauer is on the cover of PlayStation’s MLB 11 that comes out next month.
The Gophers baseball team, which opens its home schedule on April 1 at Target Field, was picked to finish first in a poll conducted by Baseball America. Three Gophers, first baseman Nick O’Shea and pitchers Scott Matyas and T.J. Oakes, were named to Baseball America’s preseason all-conference team. Oakes was also selected as the preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.
The February 14 issue of Sporting News Magazine has the Vikings ranked No. 26 in its 32 team NFL power poll. That’s last among NFC North teams with the Packers No. 1, Bears No. 15 and Lions No. 16.
The same issue ranks the 2011 Gophers football recruiting class No. 10 among 11 Big Ten teams.
KSTP TV and GopherHole.com reported that Mankato West junior quarterback Phil Nelson has verbally committed to the Gophers for 2012.