MinnesotaSportsScene.com

Former Marquette and current Miami Dade Community College power forward Trevor Mbakwe may not wait until spring to announce his intentions. Smith offered Mbakwe a scholarship back in September and the St. Paul native had an official campus visit during “Tubby’s Tip-Off” this past weekend.

The Gophers are clearly the front-runner on Mbakwe’s list, but Miami remains a contender. He is the last Top 100 power forward the Gophers have a shot with for 2009, though, since Andrew Fitzgerald just gave his commit to Oklahoma.

Call it a glitch in Mac memory, but while there are still lower-rated big men on Tubby’s radar, it’s clear that he now has his sights set firmly on Mbakwe; and the St. Paul native would indeed make a great addition to a 2009 recruiting class that so far has rounded out quite well.

With a recruiting class that already includes Royce White, Rodney Williams Jr. and Justin Cobbs. With Mbakwe added to the mix, Smith would be assured of once again having one of the top recruiting classes in the Big 10, as well as one of the top 25 recruiting classes in the nation.

People were keeping a close eye on their Guess watches today as time ticked off the clock in the Bears-Vikings clash at Soldier Field in Chicago. It was a high-scoring affair that left each team counter-punching the other most of the way.

In the end, though, it was Gus Frerotte’s fourth interception, the fourteenth turnover of the day by the Vikings offense, that sealed the team’s fate in a 48-41 loss to the Bears. When a team can have 14 turnovers and only the last one takes away their ability to come back and win the game, you know it’s been a sloppy day on defense for both teams.

Adrian Peterson did his best, offering up 121 yard rushing and two scores in the game; Frerotte threw for just under 300 yards and scored two touchdowns despite the four interceptions. And the game was not an example of sterling offense for the Bears, as three of their scores came off special teams or defensive plays.

The Vikings definitely gave this one away. But with Childress going 2-1 over the past three games and entering the bye week with a record of 3-4, I believe he’s earned a reprieve. Let him finish out the season and avoid the chaos of a mid-season coaching change.

But make no mistake about it: he’s still a prime target for firing, once this season is over. Zygi should can him as quickly as possible after the season and open up the coffers wide enough to lure a quality head coach to this team.

Bill Cowher’s still out there, my friends. Ripe for the hiring.