Birk believes 2011 season will be played

Former Vikings center Matt Birk, now with the Baltimore Ravens, is convinced that despite the current lockout there will be a NFL season this fall.

"I guess it's part of the deal when you're talking about big business, unfortunately," Birk said. "You just have to let the process take its course. The good news is that the game and the business of the game is strong and nobody is losing any money. I'm sure that before the season starts, some sort of agreement -- whether it be long-term or just temporary -- will be put in place.

"I'm sure that will take some time, but ... I don't see there's any reason why we wouldn't be playing games in September, starting in September, starting the first week. The season will start on time, I have to believe."

Birk said the most recent offer made by the owners at the recent Washington mediation session was not close to averting the lockout.

"The actual offer, which isn't exactly what's been reported, wasn't a deal that the players can accept," Birk said. "... I think it's only March, so there's still plenty of time to negotiate. And if the thing goes on, if they do sit down and negotiate again, then I'm sure the two sides will get closer together."

Birk said there isn't any chance the players will agree to adding two games to make an 18-game regular-season schedule.

"The 18 games is definitely an issue because that goes to the players' health and safety," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, that's non-negotiable. Player health and safety is the number one thing. Sixteen games -- I mean that's what the fans like, that's the way it's been for a long time. If stuff is not broken, don't break it."

"If it gets to that point, I guess that's up to them," he said. "But obviously, the 1,800 guys that play in the NFL right now, those are the best 1,800 in the world. I think you're talking about a diluted product at that point."

The whole argument, Birk said, concerns who gets how much of the revenue.

"It just comes down to the revenue split," he said. "It doesn't matter how you slice it ... it's the revenue split between the owners and the players. That's essentially today and moving forward. The owners say they're not making enough money, but they're basically just telling the players to take their word for it. Without any proof, that's tough to do.

"Unless you're going to open the books and show us otherwise, it's really hard to change our position. I think that players realize that it's not just about themselves and not just about us as a group. It's about the thousands of players that have come before us and the thousands that are going to come after us as well. There's a tradition of players standing up and doing the right thing and in some cases sacrificing part of their careers to make sure that what they thought was right was accomplished. I think we're continuing to do that."

The six-time Pro Bowl center has one more year worth $3 million left on his contract with the Ravens. Does he have any interest in rejoining the Vikings after that?

Humphries hot Former Gophers forward Kris Humphries had one of the best basketball games of his pro career Wednesday when he grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds and scored 18 points in the Nets' 98-94 victory over Cleveland.

Humphries is now the fifth-best rebounder in the league at 10.4 per game. And now that he is averaging 10 points per game, Humphries is one of nine players in the NBA -- along with Kevin Love, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph, Blake Griffin, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams -- averaging a double-double in any two statistical categories.

Jottings Chuck Iverson -- the father of junior center Colton Iverson, who has decided to leave the Gophers basketball team -- said he wasn't told by his son until Friday that he was leaving Minnesota. According to his father, Colton hasn't made a decision where he will transfer but several coaches already have called. His release by the Gophers limits the schools to which he can transfer.

In his first two spring training appearances with the San Diego Padres, former Twins reliever Pat Neshek has pitched two scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out three.

"Green Bay Is Left a Town With a Title but No Team," is a headline of a recent New York Times article about the impact of the NFL lockout. The article points out the Packers give the community an annual economic boost of $280 million. The team also has a season-ticket renewal rate of 99.7 percent, with 83,000 people on the waiting list.

Two outstanding Gophers football players who were suspended from the team during the 2010 season for academic reasons, defensive end Ra'Shede Hageman and defensive back Michael Carter, are doing much better in class and taking part in spring practice. Both could play big roles for the 2011 team.

Barney Harris, who represents former Gophers hockey captain Evan Kaufman, reports that Kaufman just completed his third season with Dusseldorf in the German Elite League. He signed a new contract after leading the team to a second-place finish and scoring 21 goals.

Bloomington native and former North Dakota standout Zach Parise practiced with the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and could play his first game of the year in the near future after undergoing knee surgery in November.

The Devils have gone 25-12-2 since former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire returned as head coach on Dec. 23. ... Former Gophers defenseman Erik Johnson has a goal and three assists in his past five games for the Colorado Avalanche and has three goals and seven assists since joining the Avalanche on Feb. 19. ... Former Gophers defenseman Paul Martin has three goals and 20 assists in 70 games in his first season with the Penguins.