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Posted November 2, 2006
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Anoka Advocate Sees Stadium Threat
Four
Anoka County Commissioner seats will be determined in next week’s
elections. A majority of commissioners in the past have been supportive
of a sales tax increase to help fund a new Minnesota Vikings stadium in
Blaine. Scott LeDoux, the former
pro boxer and a commissioner not up for re-election, predicts that after
the election the stadium will still have support of the board.
“I am
more concerned about downtown,” he said. “All the money is downtown.”
LeDoux is concerned about reports that Viking owner Zygi Wilf
will make a deal to play in a new stadium downtown (tear down the
Metrodome, build on or near the site). Money talks, whether it’s in
business or politics, and many leaders, he said, prefer to keep the team
in Minneapolis including for their own self interests.
Such
a decision would be consistent with what LeDoux said has been the trend
of metro area economic development including infrastructure. “I really
believe the northern suburbs have been abused and neglected for the last
50 years,” he said.
Wilf
has increasingly shown interest in a downtown stadium and land
development there. “He’s leveraging Anoka versus Minneapolis,” LeDoux
said. “It’s all part of business. That’s what business people do.”
LeDoux remains optimistic the Blaine site will win out and he said Anoka
County is negotiating weekly with the Vikings to reach an agreement on a
stadium project deal. He said whether an agreement with Minneapolis can
offer Wilf enough land to satisfy him will have to be determined.
Wilf’s Blaine proposal to build retail space, restaurants, office space,
a water park and other development along with the stadium to spur
economic activity excites LeDoux and a lot of other people in Anoka
County. He said the “billion dollar” project would produce $20 million
in property taxes per year for the county.
Regarding the downtown stadium, the question no one seems to have a
definitive answer for is how to finance it. With
Hennepin County already financing the new Twins
stadium using a sales tax increase, some other metro or state financing
will be needed if the stadium is built in Minneapolis.
Ultimately, leadership from the governor’s office will be important. On
a televised debate on KSTP earlier in the week Republican Governor
Tim Pawlenty said, “The Vikings don’t even know where they are going
to play yet. Zygi Wilf, the owner, is looking at all of his options. We
don’t even know what the proposal is. I support a referendum. I wish
they would have had it on the Twins bill. I didn’t want to lose the
Twins so I signed the Twins bill. As Mr. (Mike) Hatch has
said he would have done as well.”
Independent party candidate Peter Hutchinson said during the
debate he doesn’t “support public subsidies for businesses in general.”
The DFL’s Mike Hatch told the Elk River Star News earlier in the
campaign he would need a “whole lot” of convincing to support state
involvement for a Vikings stadium. |
“I really believe the northern
suburbs have been abused and neglected for the last 50 years.”
Scott LeDoux
Zygi Wilf
Regarding the downtown stadium, the
question no one seems to have a definitive answer for is how to finance
it. |
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IU Rolls Behind Impressive QB, Coach
Look
no further than Indiana, Minnesota’s homecoming opponent Saturday, to
see the latest examples of time-honored winning elements in college
football. Start with the Indiana quarterback, and then look at the
head coach and the emotional state of the team.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis, not even a starter
earlier in the season, has won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week
honors two of the last three weeks while leading his team to two
victories. He passed for five touchdowns and ran for one last week
against Michigan State. In the Iowa game he threw for three touchdowns
and ran for another as the Hoosiers beat a top 15 team for the first
time in nearly 20 years. Among his skills is the ability to escape
defenders and turn a losing play into a winner.
A
team with a quarterback who is a big play maker can create confidence in
his teammates. Offensive and defensive players know their chances of
winning are enhanced by a productive quarterback. Their efforts are
less likely to be wasted if the quarterback is a playmaker like Lewis.
College football is a game of emotion and the Hoosiers have plenty of
incentive. Indiana second year coach
Terry Hoeppner has
had brain surgery twice (tumor, then scar tissue removed) in less than
12 months including in September. The Hoosiers have enthusiasm to
perform for their coach.
Then,
too, with five wins, Indiana needs just one more victory to be bowl
eligible for the first time since 1993. The Hoosiers are 5-4 overall
and 3-2 in the Big Ten Conference.
Star
receiver James Hardy, a sophomore, talked about Indiana’s
emotions at a news conference earlier this week. “Everyone has the same
goal,” he said. “We're trying to get to a bowl game, especially with our
head coach and leader going through what he's been through. … We just
want to go out there and work hard for him, and for ourselves and our
families. We want to go to a bowl game, and we're not satisfied until we
get there. I want to send these guys (the seniors) off the right way. I
know it'll be something they can show their kids." |
Indiana second year coach
Terry Hoeppner
has had brain surgery twice within the last 12 months including in
September.
“We're trying to get to a bowl game,
especially with our head coach and leader going through what he's been
through."
James Hardy talking about Terry Hoeppner
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Mark Parrish Can Deal with Distractions
Mark Parrish has a pleasant problem. As a native
son returning this season to play for the Minnesota Wild, the
29-year-old Parrish has lots of family and friends in the metro area.
Too many demands on his time could obviously be a distraction from the
goal of helping the Wild go deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“It
is kind of a catch 22 having all your friends and family here because it
is just that many more possibilities for a distraction,” he said. “My
friends and family have been great so far. They haven’t bothered me at
all. …They have been really good realizing I have a job to do. This is
my career. …They have been supportive and staying out of my hair and
it’s been fantastic.”
What
if eventually there are too many requests for Parrish’s time? He and
wife Nicholle, his parents and in-laws have talked about that a
lot. “They are going to be the bad guys for me, more or less, if it does
come up,” Parrish said. “If it does come up it’s just something you
have to be up front and honest and say, ‘hey, look, sorry I can’t do
that’. …Just ask them to stop, I guess.”
With
a pleasant personality and a Minnesota hockey legacy that includes
playing on two state championship teams at Bloomington Jefferson,
Parrish is often sought by the media or for promotional appearances such
as signing autographs at grocery stores. Still, Parrish is relishing
and enjoying the first opportunity in his NHL career (he’s played with
three other teams) to live during the season in his real home, not an
adopted residence.
Being
in a home environment can lessen distractions, Parrish said, and that
comfort level can affect a player’s confidence and on-ice performance.
“I feel every player should get a chance to play in their home town at
least once because it is pretty amazing,” said Parrish who lives in
Plymouth. |
Mark Parrish
“I feel every player should
get a chance to play in their home town at least once because it is
pretty amazing.”
Mark Parrish
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Extra Innings
About
two hours before kickoff on Monday the Vikings were still selling
tickets at the Metrodome for their game with New England. The team
later announced a sellout of 63,819.
A
ticket seller on the street near the dome said tickets in the lower
level for Saturday’s Minnesota-Indiana game will be available for $10
each.
Warren Moon, honored at the New England game
for being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year,
was the first African American quarterback to be inducted. The former
Viking is also the first NFL undrafted quarterback to be inducted and
the first player to be in both the Canadian and American football halls
of fame.
Matt Birk’s Viking
teammates have voted him as the 2006 recipient of the Ed Block Courage
Award. The award exemplifies commitment to
the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Each NFL team selects an
annual recipient. Vikings who won the award while playing for other
teams are: Tony Richardson (2001 Kansas City), Pat Williams
(2003 Buffalo), Fred Smoot (2003 Washington) and Tank
Williams (2005 Tennessee).
New England tight end David Thomas talking
about first impressions last summer of teammate and former Gopher
running back Laurence Maroney: “You could see how athletic he
is. He’s so quick once he has the ball in his hands. He has got the
speed to take it the distance. He’s getting better every day. He’s just
working hard and trying to learn.”
Matt Spaeth, who despite a bruised shoulder may play against Indiana
Saturday, needs only 44 yards to pass Ben Utecht as the Gophers’
all-time leader in receptions for a tight end.
Minnesota Wild wives
Nicholle Parrish,
Jen Rolston,
Jessica Schultz
and Sarah White
will present their husbands’ favorite dessert recipes at The Sugar
Association’s Celebrity Bake Sale and Live Auction to benefit Toys for
Tots at the
Mall of America
East Rotunda from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 5.
Whitney Taney,
who finished her high school career last week with a third state singles
title and record of 166-0, will focus on building strength and
conditioning in the months ahead, according to her father,
Ted.
The Edina super star will play in national United States Tennis
Association tournaments but not in local USTA tournaments.
That was
sportscaster Randy Shaver’s
son, Ryan,
who scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery last week in Benilde-St.
Margaret’s playoff win over Columbia Heights. Ryan, a junior, is a
defensive end and offensive guard.
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Whitney Taney
Matt Spaeth, who despite a bruised
shoulder may play against Indiana Saturday, needs only 44 yards to pass
Ben Utecht as the Gophers’ all-time leader in receptions for a
tight end. |
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