Posted February 22, 2011    

•Tim Russert

•Brett Favre

•Marian Gaborik

•Tubby Smith

•Justin Morneau

Plenty to Ponder on Local Sports Scene 

Questions and other thoughts while taking a week off from the Sports Headliners assignment: 

Flying on an airplane at 30,000 feet during a three hour flight I wonder why the person seated ahead of me is among the few passengers not keeping his seat back in the upright position.  Not that it's uncomfortable for me, or makes unfolding a newspaper impossible.  

Do you have any idea how painful it is to be struggling through a Minnesota blizzard 24 hours after strolling on a Florida beach in 80 degree weather? 

At least we can look forward to watching baseball and golf on TV including my spring favorite, the Masters from Augusta National Golf Club.   

Too bad Minnesotan Tim Herron’s professional golf career hasn’t been even more successful.  He’s a good guy and a marketer’s dream with a name like “Lumpy.” 

Charles Barkley’s golf swing defies description.  

Is anyone else offended when historic Williams Arena is referred to as "The Barn?” 

I miss Tim Russert, the straightforward, highly principled host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” who died unexpectedly from a heart attack in 2008.  His 2004 book Big Russ and Me is a classic manual on family and career values.  

Russert writes that his home town of Buffalo once had so much snow a federal state of emergency was in effect and mail service stopped for days. 

What present would you buy for a certain local sportswriter who turns 91 next month? 

How come local sports radio hosts are so cynical?

 

Remember ‘The Eye Opener’ and ‘Green Bushers’? 

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf might have made one heck of a smart move by offering Packers personnel guru Ted Thompson so much money he becomes the highest paid executive in professional sports.  Thompson recently signed a contract extension with Green Bay and received a raise.  

With Thompson’s talent hunting savvy and young stars like quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews III, NFC North teams including the Vikings look mismatched against the Green Gang in Green Bay. 

Too bad Don Riley, the ex-sports columnist for the Pioneer Press, is long retired from writing his column, “The Eye Opener.”  He loved to needle “the Green Bushers,” but the “Eye” is closed. 

Wonder if Adrian Peterson plans to be at mini-camp in June if the date coincides with another Adrian Peterson Day in Palestine, Texas? 

Do you think Brett Favre still has a cell phone? 

How about an exhibition basketball game with proceeds helping to reduce the federal budget?  Here’s the matchup:  Barack Obama & Pals versus the Tea Party All-Stars.  I can guarantee the outcome won’t be predetermined. 

Don’t be surprised if the NBA contracts a couple of its teams.  Would you want to own clubs in towns like Memphis and New Orleans?  Those are cities with small economic engines and high crime rates.   

Minneapolis won’t be contracted.  Too big of a market and it is the type of white collar town the NBA needs.  It doesn’t hurt that Wolves owner Glen Taylor is popular with the league power guys.   

When will I stop missing former Wild star Marian Gaborik?  When he retires from hockey.  His medical file just gets thicker with reports this week of a concussion. 

Gimmick lovers want to see hockey games decided by three-on-three matchups.  NHL purists are gagging. 

What will Don Lucia be doing a year from now? 

Glen Sonmor is the friendliest hockey guy I ever met.  Congratulations on his retirements from scouting and broadcasting.

 

Mauer’s Mansion & Big Ten Football Prediction 

AAA Minneapolis should consider an endorsement deal with NFL star Larry Fitzgerald Jr., a Minneapolitan who loves to travel.   

Does Gophers coach Tubby Smith realize that the players who transferred and the ones that are still here but disappoint him are his recruits? 

Wonder if Tony Oliva misses the old family farm in Cuba during these Minnesota winters? 

Does Joe Mauer ever get lost in his new Florida mansion? 

Could former Twin Carlos Gomez run faster backward than Delmon Young does forward? 

Two ways to screw up the Target Field money machine: put bad teams on the field or lose fan favorites like Justin Morneau.   

Don’t count on the marquee football foursome of Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State pulling the newly organized Big Ten even with the mighty Southeastern Conference.  

Wake me up when the U has winning teams in football, basketball and hockey, and the women’s basketball program breaks even financially.  

Happy birthdays this week to Wolves broadcaster Jim Petersen, 49, and KARE 11 sportscaster Dave Schwartz, 32.

 

  Joe Mauer
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins