Sports

(WCCO) November 3, 2009

Don't expect Glen Taylor to be a silent minority investor if he gets into purchasing the Star Tribune. He will be very involved if he reaches a deal.

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The early relationship with the Minnesota Wild Right Wing, Martin Havlat, and the coaches is a work in progress.

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Bethel graduate and cancer survivor Jeff Nelson umpired the World Series this year.

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Former Minnesota Vikings coach Bud Grant was on the sidelines of the Notre Dame vs. USC football game. He was a guest of USC coach Pete Carroll.

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Another former Vikings coach, Jerry Burns, will be among the panel for former Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton's book review on Wednesday.

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Brett Favre's video study has included coming out to Winter Park on Friday nights and frequent texting to young wide receivers, like Percy Harvin, when he's watching from his home.

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Vikings safety Benny Sapp will spend his bye week in Fort Lauderdale. One of his tasks is to visit his older brother who is 13 years into a 25-year sentence for a complicated series of offenses.

"Its very hard for me to see him," said Sapp. "I don't go as much as I'm supposed to that's how hard it is. Ya know, it might sound bad, but that's my brother and it hurts to know that when I go see him and walk away from him that he's not coming with me."

October 27, 2009

Some weighty issues from the wolves, mouth issues for the Vikings and some college football issues are all part of this week's news and notes.

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Al Jefferson may be battling an Achilles injury, but he has certainly slimmed down for this season.

"Yeah, I lost 30 pounds," said Jefferson. "Just wanted to get back quick, wanted to be able to run … Lost a lot of fat."

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Former Gophers football coach John Gutekunst just took a job as an assistant at East Carolina. Skip Holtz, the son of Lou Holtz, is the coach there.

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Cretin Derham Hall's Broderick Binns is second in sacks for the fourth ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.

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Breck High School's Liam O'Hagan may get a start at quarterback for Denny Green's UFL team this week.

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Ben Utecht is done for the season with the Bengals because of a concussion. He recently spoke to the Gophers football team.

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Mark Parrish is playing in Tampa Bay's minor league system and could sign with any NHL team that wants to bring him in.

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Larry Devito is not just the groundskeeper for the Twins new stadium. He's working for a number of high schools on their turf.

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What do Michael Cuddyer, Adrian Peterson, and Bernard Berrian have in common? They all wear and have invested in a new mouth guard made locally.

"I think that is the best part about it," said Berrian. "That's when you know someone truly believes in something -- if you can invest your money in it. I was sold from the get-go."

October 20, 2009

University of Minnesota men's hockey coach Don Lucia is now getting medical attention once every three weeks instead of every week, which he says gives him more energy and allows him to work out.

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Former Wild head man Doug Risebrough is consulting for the New York Rangers after spending three weeks on a hiking trip.

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Cretin-Derham Hall and Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd is telling friends he will be back before the end of the regular season despite a broken collarbone.

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After they dug up the dirt at the Metrodome, they're putting concrete over it so the baseball playing surface will change.

The Minnesota Twins have decided to take the upper most bullpen in the new stadium where they are sheltered from rain. It will be off the playing field.

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Minnesota Viking quarterback Brett Favre joined defensive end Jared Allen on a hunting trip at an area farm, but Allen hunted ducks while Favre bow hunted deer.

"I was shooting birds and he was out trying to get a deer so we actually haven't hunted in the same area yet so I don't have any info on it ... he likes talking about it and I'm gonna see if we can't him out there a little more," said Allen.

Percy Harvin attributes some of his speed to his mother, who was a high school sprinter.

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And Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Jonny Flynn has made move, buying a warm home.

"I got a townhome downtown so it feels good to finally be a resident of Minneapolis," said Flynn.


October 13, 2009

Among the changes head coach Todd Richards is implementing with the Minnesota Wild is a new player's wives lounge and a new seating chart he's put together in the locker room.

"You might take a guy who's more outgoing and put him with a guy who maybe is quiet. I think maybe you might take a veteran and put him with a rookie," said Richards.

He's also got Mike Ramsey coaching the defensemen instead of forwards this season.

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Maybe we can all get along. A motorcycle club from Minnesota and Wisconsin has offered Vikings quarterback Brett Favre an honorary membership.

Percy Harvin has a big fan here in Minnesota. Former Florida basketball player and current Timberwolves guard Cory Brewer.

"I knew him a little bit. We were on campus together for a whole year. Percy is a good guy ... he's helping us right now, you see the Vikings are rolling right now," said Brewer.

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De La Salle alum Alexander Robinson was named Big 12 offensive player of the week as a running back for Iowa State.

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Be surprised if the Twins bring back Joe Crede. The future of Orlando Cabrera could be decided by a bidding war.


September 22, 2009

In Major League Baseball circles, the team mentioned most in pursuing Joe Mauer, if he becomes a free agent, is the Boston Red Sox. The theory is that he'd play for a World Series title and could make a legitimate bid at hitting .400 with the green monster helping his average.

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How does Brett Favre play golf in the Twin Cities? He partners with good friend and teammate Ryan Longwell and they play the private circuit.

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Former Viking Corey Chavous was in town scouting the Gophers. He's started a new business that helps scout for the NFL called DraftNasty.com.

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Former Hutchinson and Nebraska wide receiver Nathan Swift, who was cut by the Denver Broncos, had a recent try out with the Green Bay Packers.

Former Gopher and Pittsburgh Steeler Matt Spaeth made it back for the opening of TCF Bank Stadium because his team played Thursday night to open the season.

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Cloquet big man Chad Calcaterra will play basketball for Tim Miles at Colorado State.

Columbia Heights star Jacob Thomas has committed to Long Beach and Dan Monson but could end up in a junior college.

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Former Timberwolves big man Mark Madsen, who was bought out of his contract by the Los Angeles Clippers, could end up pursuing coaching or broadcasting.

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After the Gophers opened the new stadium against Air Force Academy, athletic director Joel Maturi said he had about 250 e-mails. Most were complaining about length of time in lines and service inside of game-day operations. They cleaned things up and Maturi said after week two against Cal, he had less than 10 e-mails waiting for him on Monday morning.

 

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