Franchise Notes

Culpepper Helping Dolphins’ Season-Ticket Drive

In Ft. Lauderdale, Harvey Fialkov reports Dolphins season-ticket sales, which were “already booming” after a 9-7 record in ’05, “are skyrocketing since the Dolphins traded” for QB Daunte Culpepper on Tuesday. Dolphins Senior Dir of Corporate Communications George Torres said, “Since the Culpepper announcement our phones have been ringing off the hook” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/16).

REMEMBERING KIRBY: Twins President Dave St. Peter confirmed the Twins will wear a No. 34 patch on a sleeve of each uniform this season to honor the late Kirby Puckett, as well as paint No. 34 on the Metrodome turf. St. Peter: “We are also talking about some level of Puckett tribute as it relates to Opening Day, but it will be subtle. We also feel that, (during) the first home game in Minnesota, we’ll be doing something to dedicate the 2006 season to [Puckett]” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/16).

RENEGADES: In Ottawa, Barre Campbell notes CFL Renegades co-Owner Bernie Glieberman “reacted angrily” to a report yesterday that suggested the team’s ’06 season “was in jeopardy,” with a meeting next week at the league office determining “the team’s short-term future.” The report also claimed Glieberman and co-Owner Bill Smith were “at odds over who covers losses during the upcoming season.” Glieberman said that the report “wasn’t true and that he wasn’t aware of any meeting.” But a CFL spokesperson “confirmed a meeting would take place” (OTTAWA SUN, 3/16).