MinnesotaSportsScene.com

Who will back up Brett Favre on the Vikings this season?

The question becomes more important than ever this year as Favre, who turns 41 this fall, enters the season with an ankle still bouncing back from a third surgery; while Brett’s an NFL Legend, he is human and he’s getting old. So whoever lands the back-up job needs to be reliable in the crunch, and could be sending out Christmas party invitations about becoming the starter this season, should Favre’s durability finally falter.

So far, the on-the-field choice would seem to be Sage Rosenfels. He’s completed 30 of 47 passes for 392 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Compare that to Tavaris Jackson, who’s been 10 of 18 for 58 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions, and the leader ought to be clear.

However, coach Brad Childress remains sold on T-Jack, claiming he’s seen “an evolution” in Jackson during the team practices. Color me skeptical, but give me the guy who can get the job done at game time when the pressure’s on any time over the practice impresario any day of the week… especially on Sunday.

The debate over who gets the number two slot is more critical this season as rookie Joe Webb is proving to be the third-stringer of the future and a guy the Vikings don’t want to risk exposing to practice squad waivers. That means whoever wins the number two job will stay with the Vikes, and whoever doesn’t might likely be traded or cut.

Here’s hoping Childress has the foresight to recognize Rosenfels as the keeper.

Tags: Brett Favre, Christmas party invitations, Joe Webb, Sage Rosenfels, Tavaris Jackson

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One would like to imagine that pro athletes have outgrown the trend of damaging their careers through substance abuse. Unfortunately, the list is not limited to the stars of yesteryear like Daryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Vin Baker and Roy Tarpley. In fact, it was only a few seasons ago that talented running back Ricky Williams nearly destroyed his career by retiring from football because he would rather smoke pot.

Williams has bounced back into the league since then, but only as a shadow of his former, dominating self. The sad truth is, illicit drugs are a temptation for anyone and pro athletes are no exception. The number of guys making wrong choices and ending up in detox treatment and drug rehab would probably shock most of us.

Locally, former Minnesota Vikings WR Koren Robinson in 2006 got himself into trouble speeding and driving with a suspended license in an incident believed to be related to such issues.

Let’s hope that more athletes struggling with the temptation of chemical abuse find help sooner than later.

Tags: detox treatment

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Hot-shooting SG Chip Armelin gave his oral commitment to the University of Minnesota recently, meaning he’ll be part of coach Tubby Smith’s Class of ’10 after all. Armelin was overlooked by many schools when he played football during his senior year, causing some to question his commitment to hoops.

But despite the custom travel mugs some schools were offering, Coach Smith kept an eye on Armelin and when it became apparent the kid wanted to play basketball, he offered him a late signing period scholarship.

Armelin may not start as a freshman, but he provides much-needed guard depth.

Tags: Chip Armelin, custom travel mugs, Tubby Smith

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Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith may have a Chip on his shoulder. Chip Armelin, that is; a heavy-scoring, decent-defending shooting guard who would fit right into Tubby’s 2010 recruiting class as a late addition. Once considered a four-star prospect, Armelin decided to play football his senior year rather than focusing on hoops exclusively, and some schools lost interest.

Not the Gophers; they, along with Oregon, Texas-El Paso and North Texas are all taking a long look, but word is that Armelin favors the Gophers and all Tubby needs to do is tender a scholarship his way.

That could be good news for the Gophers, as Latvian recruit Oto Osteniks may be declared ineligible by the NCAA for the coming season, creating space. Also, Smith has a couple scholarships open right now no matter what happens with Oto, as Royce White is now at Iowa State and Trevor Mbakwe’s future with the team is also in doubt. Someone needs to lock Armelin in steel buildings until Smith can get a tender hand-delivered to the young lad.

Tags: Chip Armelin, steel buildings, Tubby Smith

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I’m not on the “hanging on his every sniffle” Brett Favre train. I never wanted him to come to the Vikings because I felt he should remain an eternal nemesis, the guy you respect by hating that he played for your deepest rival for so many years. Like everyone else, I was thrilled at the wins he brought with him, though.

Even so, it’s not like I’m searching out his health insurance quotes, wondering if he will return or retire. If he’s back, great. If not, well… I’m not going to say we’ll be just fine, because this merry-go-round Brett takes teams on really pens them in until it’s too late to do much but hope he does return because we counted on that and now have no great options left.

I’m not a T-Jack fan and while Joe Webb is interesting, I’m not sure he’ll even make the roster when Brett returns. And Sage wasn’t even able to beat out T-Jack last year for the backup spot.

Wake me when the regular season starts, someone.

Tags: Brett Favre, health insurance quotes

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The Minnesota Timberwolves apparently can’t sign enough forwards; latest reports are that they are pursuing Golden State’s Anthony Tolliver. Considering the number of forwards on the team even after they shipped Big Al Jefferson off, I’m not sure he’s needed.

I’m not trying to pull roller shades over my eyes; I know Al’s going to be hard to replace, but man, with so many forwards on the team already, why bring in another? It just doesn’t seem like a position we need more bodies at, especially since Kevin Love is our starter, in all likelihood.

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For the moment, PG Sebastian Telfair is back with the Minnesota Timberwolves. His return came as a result of a trade that sent Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins to the Cleveland Cavaliers. I would expect him to still be with the team by training camp, though; remember, it’s the off-season, the time in which David Kahn gets to treat NBA players like toys for his amusement.

That’s fine, though; after a 15-win season, there’s not many players I’d regret seeing leave, at least among this who were with the team last season. Sure, I like Kevin Love; and we have some nice pieces elsewhere on the team, too. But none of them … save for a certain absentee until 2011-12 Spanish PG … are so good that I wouldn’t consider withholding tears upon their departure, if the right deal came along.

As Don Nelson once said in his Dallas Mavericks days, (and I’m paraphrasing to match the T-Wolves situation here) “We can lose 67 games just as easily with a new bunch of losers as we can with this bunch.”

By which I’m sure Nelly meant… We can’t get any worse, so why NOT change things up?

Welcome back, Sebastian… for as long as it lasts!

Tags: Sebastian Telfair, toys

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The long dark night of the soul that was the Al Jefferson era in Minnesota has come to an end; the Wolves ended up trading the cornerstone of the Kevin Garnett to Boston trade in exchange for two first-round draft picks from the Utah Jazz earlier this week. The Jazz also tossed in a seven-foot center that David Kahn has made clear probably won’t be with the Wolves for very long.

Whether he’s affected by nuphedragen or not, Kahn is keeping busy. There are many reports that Milwaukee PG Luke Ridnour is about to sign a contract with Minnesota almost identical to the one signed last season by Ramon Sessions, who is likely to be traded before training camp… probably to Charlotte.

All of this comes in addition to the Wolves making the trade official that brings forward Michael Beasley to the Wolves; the former number two overall draft pick for the Miami Heat fits the profile of the sort of player Kahn and coach Kurt Rambis want on the team. Young, full of both talent and potential to improve, and hungry.

That’s great, but before this is all over, the Wolves still need a solution at shooting guard. With all the cap space created by trading Jefferson, they ought to be able to find a decent veteran in free agency, or at least trade for one.

Perhaps that’s what the trade of Sessions to Charlotte will result in, though Stephen Jackson is their only real attractive option at that position, and the Wolves already have a couple ‘tweener SG-SF players who are younger and possess more upside than Jackson.

Tags: Al Jefferson, Luke Ridnour, nuphedragen

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When Seattle made it known they were interested in trading Cliff Lee for prospects, many believed the Minnesota Twins would be one of the better-stocked teams to line up a deal for the hot pitcher. But Lee ended up getting sent to the Rangers instead.

The difference is in who the Twins were willing to part with versus other trading partners; word is, Seattle wanted Aaron Hicks, considered by the Twins to be the heir apparent to Michael Cuddyer. Consider that catcher Wilson Ramos is in a slump in the minors at the moment, and there were simply too many other teams willing to give up more for Lee than Minnesota.

At least Minnesota was willing to part with some womens vitamins in exchange for Lee, though it didn’t clinch the deal, obviously.

At first it looked like the Yankees might land Lee, but in the end, the Rangers stepped up with the best offer.

Good luck to Lee; Minnesota could have used him, but not at too high a price…

Tags: Cliff Lee, Rangers, womens vitamins

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Former Gopher Royce White has narrowed his prospects to three possible schools where he might land next season: Kentucky, Baylor and Iowa State. Right now, according to columnist Charley Walters, there are no favorites for White, who still needs to become academically eligible to play no matter where he goes.

Of note is that White, once considered a possibility to return to Minnesota, didn’t mention the Gophers among his final three choices. That likely means he’s closed the steel building behind him on his way off campus.

It’s just as well, though; not only was he academically ineligible, but White had legal troubles throughout last season as well. Why would Tubby want round two of that kind of drama?

Tags: Royce White, steel building, Tubby Smith

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The Minnesota Timberwolves under David Kahn sometimes invoke head-scratching. Last year, he drafted about 20 point guards and reshaped that position on the team, settling on Jonny Flynn at the point backed up by Ramon Sessions, with Ricky Rubio scheduled to join the team in the 2011-12 season.

This year, it’s all about post players. Never mind that the Wolves have Al Jefferson and Kevin Love already; since draft night, they’ve added folks like Wesley Johnson, Martell Webster, Lazar Hayward, Nikola Pecovic, Darko Milicic and … perhaps … Michael Beasley.

That’s something like eight players to fill two or three positions. It’s overkill, especially with SG still largely unaddressed, with the only true SG on the team being Wayne Ellington.

That’s why there’s plenty of trade talk still circulating about this team; belly fat burner Al Jefferson seems like most likely to depart, although he may not be alone. I’d expect at least one other player to leave with him in some sort of big trade deal that brings a good-scoring SG to the Wolves.

If Kahn can pull that off, I’ll be happy with the changes to the roster for this off-season. If we enter another Wolves season with only Ellington and a bunch of big men playing out of position at SG, I’m not sure I’ll be as happy about our prospects to get out of the top-of-the-draft lottery team status that’s been plaguing the Wolves for five seasons or so now…

Tags: Al Jefferson, belly fat burner

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The Wolves’ performance in the NBA draft was interesting, to say the least. After refusing to be baited into an unnecessary trade by the New Jersey Nets by telling them to keep their third overall pick and their American Standard toilets, Minnesota still saw the guy they wanted – Syracuse’s Wesley Johnson – fall to them in last week’s draft with their top pick in the first round, fourth overall.

Johnson will likely become an immediate starter, especially after the Wolves traded away SF Ryan Gomes to Portland, along with one of their lower draft picks, to acquire young veteran Martell Webster. Webster’s stock fell with the Blazers when he missed all of last year due to an injury, but he’s another wing player who can score and has speed, as well as experience. With Gomes out of the picture, Webster may be able to start while Johnson acclimates to the NBA, and will be a valuable backup once Johnson’s ready to start.

Johnson is believed to have been the Wolves top choice only after they found out they were picking fourth; had they retained their second-pick spot through the NBA Draft Lottery, it is widely believed the Wolves would have loved to have drafted Evan Turner to fill the role at shooting guard. But that was not to be.

The Wolves also ended up with a couple of big men who may or may not play in the NBA this year, Lazar Hayward and Nemanja Bjelica, who could provide depth and versatility in the post.

Despite having more power forwards than most teams have big men, GM David Kahn has said that whether Al Jefferson remains with the Wolves or is traded away this off-season depends largely on the decision of Darko Milicic; if Milicic is willing to return to the Wolves, Kahn will move Jefferson to create minutes for Milicic… and hopefully get a decent solution at SG in the mix.

There are many changes still coming for the Wolves this season; no one’s untouchable except maybe Kevin Love, and nothing’s set just yet. But after a season in which the Wolves finished second-worst in the NBA, virtually no one has earned immunity from Kahn’s deal-making ways.

Let’s just hope that when the dust settles, it will mirror the Dallas shuffle of about 10 years ago, when coach Don Nelson came in and traded over half the team away, saying at the time, “I can lose with this new group of guys just as easily as I did with the last group of guys.”

Of course, it was a bit of a smoke-screen; Nelson laid the foundations for the solid team the Mavericks are today with those trades. Let’s hope in a decade, we’ll be saying the same thing about Kahn and this off-season’s moves.

Tags: American Standard toilets, Lazar Hayward, Martell Webster, Nemanja Bjelica, Ryan Gomes, Wesley Johnson

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