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Posted November 13, 2006
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Wilf Not Threatening to Move Vikings
Zygi Wilf said on Monday he’s “not frustrated” with the process for
a new stadium and reiterated he’s not threatening to “move the team.”
The Vikings’ owner met briefly with the media following a local news
conference with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
The new commissioner said he held a “productive” meeting regarding the
stadium process earlier in the day with Governor Tim Pawlenty.
“The
governor made it clear he understands the Vikings’ need for a new
stadium,” Goodell said. While the governor made no commitments, Goodell
said Pawlenty “indicated” the Vikings are “up next” in the stadium derby
now that new facilities have been approved for the Minnesota Twins and
the Gophers.
Goodell stated that the Viking stadium issue is “urgent” but declined to
talk about deadlines. “I don’t normally operate on deadlines,” he
said.
The
Vikings have been dialoguing with state leaders for about 10 years,
explaining that the Metrodome doesn’t allow the franchise to generate
anywhere near normal NFL revenues. The team’s lease at the dome expires
in 2011 but Goodell wouldn’t be drawn into a what-if stadium scenario if
nothing is done about a new stadium by that year. He also said the NFL
continues to have discussions about returning pro football to the Los
Angeles market, long speculated about as a possible home for the
Vikings.
While
in town Goodell, who became commissioner in August, also met with local
business leaders, and Vikings ownership, players and coach Brad
Childress. |
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Roger Goodell
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Sonmor Likes Hockey Gophers’ Upside
With
nine freshmen and five sophomores on the roster, the University of
Minnesota hockey team will learn as it plays but former Minnesota North
Stars and Gopher coach Glen Sonmor bubbles
with excitement when he talks about the 2006-2007 team. He describes
the Gophers as “exciting and fun every night,” a team deserving of its
11 game winning streak and speculation that it will play for the
national championship. “There’s no question this will be one of the
teams you have to contend with,” Sonmor said.
Are
there specific things fans can watch to see if the Gophers are
progressing toward their full potential? “That they continue to compete
with the intensity they compete with now,” Sonmor said. “That they can
continue to show their depth with four lines,
and it always comes down to the goal keeping.”
Sonmor, who provides color commentary on Gopher games for WCCO Radio, is
ecstatic about the “phenomenal freshman crop,” describing the class as
talented and deep, the best in school history. That class, of course, is
led by defenseman Erik Johnson, “the best 18-year-old player in
the world,” according to Sonmor.
How
can Johnson improve? “Just get used to doing everything quicker than he
has done in the past,” Sonmor answered. He agrees with near consensus
discussion that Johnson will play only one season at Minnesota before
joining the St. Louis Blues. Still he sees an upside to playing one
more season with the Gophers. “I think it’s great (for development) if
a player can be dominant for awhile,” he said. |
“There’s no question this
will be one of the teams you have to contend with (for the national
championship).”
Glen Sonmor
Sonmor, who provides color commentary on
Gopher games for WCCO Radio, is ecstatic about the “phenomenal freshman
crop,” describing the class as talented and deep, the best in school
history.
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Where Have All the
Nicknames Gone?
Dave Mona wrote a segment regarding football
nicknames for the WCCO Radio Gopher football pre-game show. Mona was looking
for a topic prior to the Indiana game and was reviewing the Hoosier
media guide. He saw the name Bob Hoernschemeyer but it didn’t
look familiar. Then he remembered Bob was also known as Hunchy
Hoernschemeyer.
Mona
wondered whatever happened to football nicknames. How about the Lonesome End, the Seven Blocks of Granite, the
Four Horsemen, Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside?
Years ago, Mona recalled, football offered up Alan the Horse Ameche,
Norm Dutch Van Brocklin, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, Elroy
Crazy Legs Hirsch, Howard Hopalong Cassady, Lou the
Toe Groza, Joe the Jet Perry, Hugh the King
McElhenny, Dick Night Train Lane, Elwell Doak
Walker, Charlie Choo Choo Justice, Byron Whizzer White,
Babe Parelli, Red the Galloping Ghost Grange and Floyd
Breezy Reid. From the Gophers came Bronko Nagurski, Leo
the Lion Nomellini, Babe LeVoir, W.W. Pudge Heffelfinger,
Pug Lund and two of my all–time favorites, Bob Snowshoe
Schultz and Smokey Joe Salem (Mona left them off his
list).
Sports writers
once drooled at the thought of hanging a nickname on a
player. If a writer didn’t come up with something, a relative or friend
just might. In the old days athletes and non-athletes, the famous and
the ordinary, had nicknames. Whether it’s political correctness, or
lack of creativity, nicknames today are more unusual but the old timers
will not be forgotten.
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Bronko Nagurski
Dave Mona
Years ago sports writers drooled at the
thought of hanging a nickname on a player. If a writer didn’t come up
with something, a relative or friend just might.
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Extra Innings
Tom Jurich, arguably the best athletic director in the country,
played football at Northern Arizona when former Gopher quarterback and coach Joe
Salem coached there. Jurich, who became Louisville’s athletic
director in 1997, has a contract through 2016. He and Louisville were
in the national spotlight last week when the No. 3 ranked Cardinals
football team hosted Rutgers in probably the most prominent game in Big
East Conference history. Jurich hired Rick Pitino as basketball
coach, Bobby Petrino as football coach, is talking about
expanding the football stadium from 42,000 seats to over 63,000 and has
been praised for his support of gender equity in the athletic
department.
It
will be a special family and friends Thanksgiving weekend for the
Larry Fitzgerald family. Larry Sr. said when his son
Larry Jr. comes to Minneapolis with his
Arizona Cardinals teammates to play the Vikings on November 26 he
expects 25 or more family and friends from Chicago to attend the game.
While his son grew up here and starred at Holy Angels, dad is from
Chicago. Larry Jr., a 2006 Pro Bowl selection after his second season
in the NFL, is 23 years old, while rookie quarterback Matt Leinart
is also 23. “Matt’s a winner,” Larry Sr.
said. “He (Larry Jr.) is excited to grow up with him professionally and
help change the (losing) culture of the Cardinals. “
Star
Tribune writer Judd Zulgad, now on the Vikings beat, lived in
Green Bay for two seasons (2003 and 2004) while covering the Packers for
the Star Tribune. The company paid for an apartment and Zulgad enjoyed
the experience until the paper reassigned him to cover the Vikings. “I
got fat from all the beer and cheese,” Zulgad said.
Center Pavol Demitra, goalie Manny Fernandez, right wing
Marian Gaborik and center Brian Rolston have been named to
the 2006-07 NHL all-star ballot. Players on the ballot were selected by
the NHL’s hockey operations department. From November 15 through January
2 fans can vote for Eastern and Western Conference All-Star starters
on-line at NHL.com.
Vern Mikkelsen’s new book (“The Vern Mikkelsen
Story,” Nodin Press) reports that the Detroit Gems franchise was
purchased for $15,000.00 in 1947 and became the Minneapolis Lakers.
Mikkelsen, the power forward on four world championship teams in
Minneapolis, turned down an offer to own 25% of the team from owner
Bob Short. The offer was contingent on Mikkelsen relocating with the
Lakers to Los Angeles. Mikkelsen writes that over the years his wife
Jean occasionally asked how much money that 25% would be worth.
According to Forbes.com, the franchise is valued at over $500 million
but back in 1960 Mikkelsen didn’t think “basketball had much of a chance
there” (southern California).
Bethel’s Natalie Gartner, a junior defenseman, is the daughter of
Mike Garnter who played 19 seasons in the NHL including one with
the Minnesota North Stars. Teammate Sandra Felten recently
scored five goals in one game, a Division III record.
Gold
Country Stores is adding an eighth Goldy’s Locker Room location with the
opening of a store in Rosedale Center on Friday, November 24. Gold
Country Vice President Troy Amundson said sales of Minnesota Wild
and Gopher hockey products has been strong this fall. |
Vern Mikkelsen, the power forward on four
world championship teams in Minneapolis, turned down an offer to own 25%
of the team from owner Bob Short.
Bethel’s Natalie Gartner, a junior
defenseman, is the daughter of Mike Garnter who played 19 seasons
in the NHL including one with the Minnesota North Stars.
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