Linehan has faith in Frerotte

Count St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan as someone who believes in veteran Gus Frerotte's ability to be an effective NFL quarterback.

Linehan coached Frerotte with three teams over the past five years: as Vikings offensive coordinator in 2003 and '04, as the Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator in 2005 and then the past two seasons with the Rams. Frerotte rejoined the Vikings as a backup earlier this month.

"He was 9-6 as a starter for us at Miami, which was outstanding," Linehan said. "We went 9-7 that year and lost the one game Gus didn't start. We won our last six games, and he played great."

Frerotte followed Linehan when Linehan was hired at St. Louis in 2006. A backup to Marc Bulger, Frerotte played in only one game in 2006 but saw action in eight games last year, going 1-2 in three starts.

"We were decimated by injuries. It was a rough season for us, but [Frerotte] stood in there and played," Linehan said. "... When he played, we had seven starters out on offense, and four offensive linemen. It was a rough time."

Linehan said the salary cap was a factor in the Rams' decision not to bring back the 36-year-old Frerotte, who will be entering his 15th NFL season.

"His contract was coming up, he had a big roster bonus, it was a salary cap cut. We had to free some room, and we were going to maybe sign him back," Linehan said. "But [then] I got a new coordinator [Al Saunders] who had Trent Green at Kansas City, so we ended up going that direction. I think the world of [Frerotte]. That was a great pickup by the Vikings.

Frerotte relieved injured Daunte Culpepper in the second quarter of a 23-13 victory at Detroit on Sept. 21, 2003, then started and won the Vikings' next two games before Culpepper returned. "I think he played as good of football as anybody during those three games that year," Linehan said.

Linehan said former Gopher Mark Setterstrom, a starting guard last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury in St. Louis' third game, could end up as the starting center this season. And former Vikings lineman Adam Goldberg, an Edina native who also was a starter last year before getting hurt, has re-signed with the Rams.

Mason in business Former Gophers football coach Glen Mason has joined Marquette Asset Management, a Pohlad family company, and he will try to get people to invest in the company.

However, Mason said this move doesn't rule out coaching if the right opportunity comes up.

This past Wednesday -- on Mason's birthday -- he was in Bristol, Conn., visiting with ESPN officials about the possibility of joining the company in some capacity in college football broadcasting. Mason worked for the Big Ten Network this past season. No decision has been made.

"Well, that's what happens when you're the best player and they're going to check you," Wild President Doug Risebrough said. "Sometimes scoring comes from other places because they're watching other players. He'll break out of it. I think it bodes well for us that we've had the split of these games and Marian hasn't scored, because you know he will score at some point, and you're going to need him to score."

Risebrough gives Colorado defenseman Kurt Sauer of Sartell credit for some of Gaborik's problems this series.

"I would say he's done a good job," Risebrough said of Sauer. "He's got good abilities, he can skate, he's got size, he knows his game. In fairness to Marian, again, it's a lot easier to play that role, as the checker, than it is the scorer. I think [Sauer is] a guy who knows the simplicity of his game and plays it to the max. So I give the kid credit. He's got the right attributes to play big, and he doesn't make many mistakes out there, and that's kind of why maybe Marian hasn't found a way to score yet. There aren't many people making many mistakes against him."

Jottings Wild defenseman Nick Schultz, who a week ago had his appendix removed, had a light skate at the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday and made the trip with the team to Denver. However, don't expect him to play in a game any time soon. ... Also making the trip to watch the games was defenseman Kurtis Foster, out for the season because of a broken leg. ... Forward Mark Parrish, who suffered a concussion in Wednesday's Game 1, remained at home recovering.

It's no secret how highly the Wild front office ranks center Mikko Koivu. Former Wild defenseman Brad Bombardir, now the team's director of community partnerships, once called Koivu the equal of any player on the roster and perhaps the best player on the team.

Gophers recruit Devoe Joseph had 10 points and three rebounds in 28 minutes at the Nike Hoop Summit All-Star Game on Saturday in Portland, Ore. He finished 5-for-12 from the floor and 0-3 from three-point line. Joseph's World team lost to the U.S. team 98-78. "I thought I played all right, but as a team we could have played much better," he said.

With his impressive start Saturday at Kansas City, righthander Boof Bonser has started in 10 consecutive Twins-Royals series, dating to 2006. Bonser started vs. the Royals at the Metrodome on Aug. 30, 2006, and has pitched in every series between the teams since then, including all six last year. In those 10 games, he is 3-4 with a 3.72 ERA, giving up 59 hits, 18 walks and 23 earned runs in 55.2 innings while striking out 49. Johan Santana made six starts vs. both Detroit and Cleveland in 2007 but started against the Royals only once.

Curtis Sauer, father of Kurt, pitched in 121 games in the Twins minor league system from 1963 to '67. He was 40-34 with a 3.54 ERA. Another of his sons is Craig Sauer, the former Gophers linebacker who played five NFL seasons, including 2000 with the Vikings.

The new Gophers director of football media is Andy Seeley, who was a sports information director at Utah, in charge of basketball PR.