Timberwolves promote Matt Lloyd to general manager

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An integral part of the Timberwolves front office received a major promotion Wednesday. After two seasons as Minnesota’s vice president of basketball operations, Matt Lloyd was elevated to the team’s general manager.

Lloyd is now No. 2 in the Wolves’ chain of command, behind only basketball boss Tim Connelly.

“We are thrilled for Matt and his well-earned promotion,” Connelly said in a statement. “He’s a wonderful teammate whose tireless work ethic and positivity have made a huge impact on our organization.”

Lloyd, who got his start in basketball in public relations, is a major player in Minnesota’s NBA Draft scouting process.

He was a finalist to lead Charlotte’s front office in the spring and figures to be a candidate for other such jobs in the coming year or two. Lloyd is also a potential succession plan for Minnesota should Connelly exercise his opt-out at the end of next season.

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A new multi-sport turf field opens at Jimmy Lee/Oxford Community Center in St. Paul

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A new turf field opened Wednesday at the Jimmy Lee/Oxford Community Center in St. Paul. A ribbon cutting featured St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and other city officials in attendance.

The 112,000-square-foot field — which cost $615,000 — will be able to host a variety of sports including football, soccer, baseball, little league and softball.

The turf field was funded through the city’s one percent sales tax approved by voters last November to rebuild roads and fund parks projects. The sales tax has been dubbed “Common Cent” by city officials.

“We passed the ‘Common Cent’ and immediately put the funds to use fixing our roads and parks,” said Carter in a statement. “The new turf at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center represents an important milestone, kicking off two decades of generational investments.”

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UND great Greg Johnson posthumously diagnosed with CTE

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GRAND FORKS — Greg Johnson, UND’s all-time leading hockey scorer, has been posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease affecting people with repeated concussions and head trauma.

Greg Johnson skates the puck up the ice for the University of North Dakota. (Courtesy of UND athletics)

The Concussion Legacy Foundation and Johnson’s family announced the results in a joint press release Wednesday.

Johnson died by suicide five years ago this week at age 48.

Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the Boston University CTE Center, made the diagnosis.

“I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life,” said Carson Johnson, Greg’s oldest daughter. “Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to start acknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers.”

Several prominent hockey players who have died at young ages have been posthumously diagnosed with CTE. Todd Ewan (age 49), Wade Belak (35) and former Minnesota Duluth captain Andrew Carroll (32) all died by suicide and were later diagnosed.

Chris Simon died of suicide at age 52 in March. His family said in a statement they believe he had CTE, which can only be diagnosed posthumously.

Other former NHL players who were diagnosed with CTE include Derek Boogaard, Steve Montador and Bob Probert.

Those players fought frequently during their hockey careers. Johnson did not.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly have both denied a connection between head trauma while playing hockey and CTE, saying “the science is still lacking.”

“This diagnosis took my breath away,” said Kristin Johnson, Greg’s wife of 22 years. “Greg’s death shattered our world, and we never once thought this disease was something he struggled with. He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition forcing him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”

Johnson is the first publicly known UND player to be diagnosed with CTE.

“I’m so proud to have my dad’s legacy attached to this research and know the kindness and generosity he showed others during his life will continue to make a difference for years to come,” said Piper Johnson, Greg’s youngest daughter. “He truly was the best dad ever, and to lose him to suicide was beyond anything we could imagine. It was awful, but we want to talk about it to help others struggling know they are not alone, and there is help available.”

Johnson played at UND from 1989-93.

He compiled 272 career points, a record that still stands today. He is the only UND player to be named a Hobey Baker Award finalist three times.

Johnson wore the captain’s ‘C’ for UND as a junior and a senior.

“Anybody who was around Greg, he impacted them in a very positive fashion,” former UND coach Gino Gasparini told the Herald after Johnson’s death. “He was a consummate professional. He competed. He did things the right way. He didn’t take short cuts. He was intelligent. He was one of a kind.

“There’s no doubt, he was the definition of what you looked for when you were recruiting. He was a great player. He did it all throughout the game. But more importantly, he was one of those guys who went to class and did what he was supposed to do academically and he always did it the right way.”

Johnson spent 13 years in the NHL, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. He was the second-ever captain in Nashville.

Johnson also had success at the international level for Team Canada. He won a gold medal at the World Junior Championship in 1991 and a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 1994.

Johnson retired from playing in 2006.

“Guys like him, they don’t come around very often,” Gasparini said. “They just don’t.”

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‘Purple Rain’ will be screened at Target Center 40 years to the day of its initial release

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While there were plenty of opportunities to celebrate Prince (who was born June 7, 1958) and the 40th anniversary of “Purple Rain” last month, the film itself was actually released on July 27, 1984. As such, members of Prince’s estate are hosting a “Purple Rain” screening at 4 p.m. July 27 at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

Tickets are $19.99 and are available via axs.com. VIP tickets are also available for $199.99 and include “a special reserved seating area, an exclusive event-related gift, unique photo opportunities, a private reception following the film and more.”

“Purple Rain” will be shown at center court, with people who worked on the film in attendance.

Prince headlined the basketball arena twice in December 1997 on his Jam of the Year World Tour and returned there on July 7, 2007, the day he also performed an afternoon show at Macy’s and a late-night gig at First Avenue, the club he helped make famous thanks to its prominence in the film. In addition to frequent visits to watch the Timberwolves and Lynx play, Prince joined Lenny Kravitz during his encore at Target Center in August 1999 to play guitar during “Fly Away.”

“We are thrilled to commemorate the 40th anniversary of ‘Purple Rain,’ a film that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide,” said Prince’s eldest sister Sharon L. Nelson in a news release. “This event is a heartfelt tribute to Prince’s unparalleled talent and the lasting impact of his artistry.”

“Purple Rain” grossed $70.3 million worldwide, against its $7.2 million budget and won an Academy Award for best original song score. In 2019, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The soundtrack spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, spawned five hit singles and won two Grammys. A musical based on the film is set to have its world premiere in April at Minneapolis’ State Theatre.

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