Sid Hartman: Kick returns come naturally to Harvin

It's kind of ironic that one reason Percy Harvin was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was because of the great job he did returning kicks, including two for touchdowns, because the truth of the matter is that he was a not a returner in college at all.

Harvin, the Vikings' first-round draft choice, returned 42 kicks for 1,156 yards, an average of 27.5 yards per game.

"Just look at the hole and hit it as fast as I can," Harvin said of what he does on returns.

He had a 101-yard return against San Francisco and an 88-yard return at Pittsburgh for the two touchdowns and this week was named as the NFC's kick returner for the Pro Bowl. This came in his first full season of returning kicks after not doing it at Florida.

"We had a returner in Brandon James, he led the nation the three years I was there. I was always the second guy to return them, but as long as he did good I just kind of stayed in on offense," Harvin said.

As a senior this season, James led the Gators in all-purpose yards but missed their Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati on Jan. 1 after breaking his right foot in the Southeastern Conference title game.

This season, Harvin also caught 60 passes for 790 yards, the Vikings' No. 2 receiver to Sidney Rice in both categories. He averaged 13.2 yards per reception and caught six touchdowns. He also rushed 15 times for 135 yards, and all this came despite missing one game because of migraine headaches. Concerns over his health, his size and his character, including a failed drug test before the NFL draft, caused him to fall in the first round to No. 22 overall, where the Vikings undoubtedly were thrilled to find him available.

"We text all the time, and in meetings we talk and in the locker room we talk," Harvin said of his relationship with Favre. "He has helped us tremendously, without him ... we don't know if we all would be successful as we are right now."

Harvin said Favre taught him how to be a professional.

"During the week, it's not so much practicing as it is mental," Harvin said. "Looking at film, looking at tendencies of the defense, learning the defenses and what blitzes will be used."

Harvin, who has run a 4.3-second 40-yard dash, is no doubt the fastest player on the team. "I don't know everybody else's speed, but I'm confident in my speed," he said.

You wonder where the Vikings would be today had they not been able to draft Adrian Peterson with the No. 7 overall pick in 2007 and Harvin at No. 22 in 2009.

Carl Pohlad was having dinner at the Metrodome, and he asked me if it's true the stadium was in that bad of shape.

I asked him if he would consider contributing to the building of a new stadium. He didn't say yes or no. But he did say, "Why don't you have those people talk to me."

I don't know if the university ever approached the late Mr. Pohlad. However, the university recently did approach his son Jim Pohlad, who now runs the Twins after his father's death last year.

Now the word is that the Pohlads will make it possible to build that Gophers baseball stadium by being a major contributor of between $3 million and $4 million. The Pohlad name will not be on the stadium, and I'm sure they will try to keep it quiet, like they do when they contribute to a lot of charities.

There always have been some smaller contributions to a Gophers stadium, but now that the Pohlads have come through, look for the stadium to finally be on its way.

Jottings Gophers offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch was a member of Mike Shanahan's coaching staff at Denver and signed a three-year contract with Tim Brewster when Shanahan was fired after the 2008 season. I know that Shanahan has a high regard for Fisch. So it will be interesting to see if Fisch stays with the Gophers or joins the Redskins, where Shanahan is the new coach.

The Gophers men's track and field team, winner of the indoor and outdoor championships the past year, is ranked No.1 in the Big Ten and 10th nationally. The Gophers will play host to the conference Big Ten indoor met this spring, and with most of the team returning they will be favorites to repeat. ... Blayne Dulian, the state 1,600-meter champion from Coon Rapids, has committed to the Gophers. He ran a 4:16.56 to win at state.

Jeff Tow-Arnett, a center for the Gophers football team who missed the season because of a broken leg, was healthy enough to play in the Insight Bowl, but he didn't see action. A student with a 4.0 grade-point average, he will be among the 20-plus Gophers players who will graduate this school year.

Ian Johnson, the Vikings practice squad running back from Boise State, had some good words to say about former Cretin-Derham Hall offensive lineman Matt Slater, a 6-4, 290-pound tackle for the Broncos, who capped their unbeaten season Monday by beating Texas Christian in the Fiesta Bowl. Johnson helped the Broncos win the Fiesta Bowl over Peterson and Oklahoma in January 2007, then memorably proposed to girlfriend Chrissy Popadics on national television after the game.

Some WNBA observers are speculating that the Connecticut Sun, owners of the second pick in the 2010 WNBA draft, could package that pick and former Gophers star Lindsay Whalen in a trade with the Lynx, who own the No. 1 and No. 3 picks in the draft, to acquire the No. 1 pick. The Sun could be interested in using the No. 1 pick to select Connecticut standout Tina Charles. ... Whalen is currently playing for ZVVZ USK Prague, averaging 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Former Gophers center Janel McCarville, Whalen's teammate from the 2004 Final Four team, is averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for Slovakian club Kosit 2013. ... The Lynx are interested in bringing back Rochester native Kelly Miller, an unrestricted free agent.