Twins ask state supreme court to appeal injunction

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Twins and major league baseball asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to hold a hearing by Feb. 11 — just three days before the start of spring training — on the injunction that forces the team to play this season.

A day after the Court of Appeals voted 3-0 to uphold the injunction that forces the Twins to honor their lease at the Metrodome, the team and baseball filed papers Wednesday with the Supreme Court requesting permission for an expedited appeal.

“The Court of Appeals decision is an unprecedented intrusion into a private business’s right to cease operations,” wrote Roger Magnuson, a lawyer for the Twins and baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

Separately, Twins owner Carl Pohlad met with Alabama businessman Donald Watkins on Wednesday to discuss Watkins’ desire to purchase the team.

The appellate court upheld a Nov. 16 decision by a district judge, who said any breach of the Twins’ lease wouldn’t be satisfied by money alone.

“The critical timing issues presented in this case make expedited determination necessary if meaningful review is to occur,” Magnuson wrote.

Donnie Nelson leads his father’s team to two wins

DALLAS (AP) — Donnie Nelson joked that for the two games he replaced his dad as coach of the Dallas Mavericks, his responsibility was the equivalent of a co-pilot keeping an airplane on its path while the pilot napped.

Sticking with that theme, the younger Nelson did a fine job handling some turbulence, enabling him to turn the team back over to his father Wednesday better than he left it.

Don Nelson left Donnie in charge for games against New Jersey on Monday and Houston on Tuesday so he could be with his wife, Joy, as she underwent surgery to fight breast cancer. Last season, Donnie was acting coach for 21 games while his father battled prostate cancer.

The two victories this week upped Donnie’s record to 15-8. So, has Donnie, 39, prove that he’s qualified to make the Nelsons the first father-and-son head coaching tandem in NBA history?

No more than he already was, said Donnie, who spent 18 years working in the league.
“I’m a coach — that’s what I do for a living,” he said. “Whether it’s 18 games, two games or a whole season, I just go out and do it. I’m not trying to be cute, but I don’t feel like I need to prove anything.”

High-priced veterans in NFL expansion draft

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans will have plenty of high-priced veterans to consider in next month’s expansion draft.

Current NFL teams, looking to ease their salary caps, have exposed players with big contracts, such as Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski, Miami defensive tackle Tim Bowens, Atlanta running back Jamal Anderson, Jacksonville offensive tackle Tony Boselli, and New Orleans quarterback Jeff Blake and offensive tackle Willie Roaf.

Texans owner Bob McNair, who was in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl and a chance to meet with Fresno State quarterback David Carr, wouldn’t elaborate on the growing list of available players for the Feb. 18 expansion draft.

“We’ve heard some pretty interesting names, and we hope there will be some surprises,” McNair said. “But we’re not going to get into talking about specific names at this time.”

The 27 teams not still playing had until Tuesday to submit five unprotected players from their rosters. The NFL won’t release the full list of 135 players until Friday, but many of the names have been made public through individual teams and numerous media reports.

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TCU Daily Skiff © 2002