C.J.: Coach Kill really wants ex-coach Pam Borton at Citrus Bowl

Former Gophers women's basketball coach Pam Borton has been motivated to cheer on the football team at the Citrus Bowl by the ultimate power source.

Coach Jerry Kill invited her to go — and made it clear that there would be consequences if she didn't. "When Jerry Kill said he's going to kick my tail, I'm like, I can't disappoint him. I never want to disappoint Coach Kill. I have to figure out a way to get down there because I don't want to disappoint my friend."

I think the head of Pam Borton Partners can probably afford to pay for her travel and accommodations to Florida.

She just started a new company where she is consulting and keynote speaking and "executive coaching. I've been to Thailand, working with an organization, so I have gone global with my business. I am busier than I want to be right now. I thought I was going to take this whole year off and put my feet up, so it's going well."

I expressed doubts to Borton about the Gophers' prospects in the Citrus Bowl. A national audience got a look at our bowl competition when Mizzou played Bama in the SEC title game. (I watched it with Alabama fans who were ready for me to leave when I made a quip about how it'd be fun if Missouri prompted a little "Roll, Tears, Roll.") While those Mizzou Tigers look like more than the Gophers can handle, I'm reminded that the U hung in quite well against the Buckeyes — now one of the teams vying for the national championship.

"Two completely different styles," Borton said of the ball played by Gophers and the Tigers. "We have to control the tempo of the game and play our style."

Go, Gophers!

"We are working on 62 custom fresh holiday wreaths," Beck told me, for Riley Hayes, the advertising agency.

"They are gifts. I had someone who makes wreaths locally do them. So many wreaths you see are flat, no dimension. I had a recipe of what I wanted. They have much more dimension and are fuller. All of them had custom copper ribbon with black embroidery. Another [client whose name I don't have permission to print] had 160 fresh arrangements delivered to clients. How nice when these people get to open the package and see the beauty contained there."

Beck told me he's sad that his neighbor, the Franklin Street Bakery, may move to another location. "But maybe they will stay. I signed a permission for them to purchase a nearby property to be used for employee parking, that we are hoping will keep them here. I know an article written a few weeks ago regarding the bakery's possible move was not yours, but it mentioned that my shop was a wholesale florist — which we are not. We are retail. I always figure any mention at all is good and much appreciated. Just thought if we are to get a mention that, I wanted the correct information out there."

Christian Ponder is lucky former Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton is not in charge of hiring for NFL teams.

Ponder, whose days as a Viking are expected to end, was discussed last week on KFAN's Dan Barreiro show, on which Tarkenton makes appearances.

"I hear he's a great young man, intelligent young man," said Tarkenton. "But it hasn't worked for him. What you have is what you've got. He's not going to get any better. Maybe a backup quarterback, but I want a backup who can come in and play. I just have not seen anything about Christian Ponder [that says] he's a player. I would hate to have to play him as a backup. You want a backup [who] can come win the game for you like that guy at Carolina; won two games for them when [QB Cam] Newton was gone. I don't think Christian Ponder has got that skill."

It's assumed that some team will pick up Ponder, but if not, with his good looks and benign personality maybe somebody will hook him up with a college football gig at ESPN.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on FOX 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.