Hello all.

After a six-week absence, I’m back. My first child, Jasmine, was born May 27 at 7:28 p.m. I took some time off to bond with her and help my wife recover.

During my time off, however, I stayed close to the Gophers grapevine … when I wasn’t preparing baby bottles, washing the shirts my daughter spit up on, sleeping whenever possible and rocking her until she fell asleep only to wake up again 15 minutes later in some sort of infant Gotcha! bit. Here’s what I heard and learned:

-The Gophers like Columbia Heights guard Jacob Thomas. I was at Gophers team camp in Minneapolis, where Minnesota coaches paid close attention to Thomas, a 6-3 scorer in the 2010 class who has good basketball instincts. One Gophers insider admired Thomas’ ability to get the basket with ease. He already has an offer from Northern Iowa, but he wants to play for the Gophers.

Minnesota coaches also noted the playmaking ability of Thomas’ teammate, Markus Shaw, a 5-11 point guard in the 2010 class. Shaw has a lot of speed and during Minnesota team camp, he showed it off. He’s not on a lot of radars, so Minnesota’s perceived interest at a camp frequented by a number of college coaches could help Shaw earn a free ride somewhere.

-Rodney Williams will wait to sign with a school until the fall, according to Rene Pulley. That’s not news. But Pulley also said Williams really likes Tubby Smith and the Gophers and suggested that Williams’ decision to take official visits to other schools doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wide open. He said Williams, like any other teenager, likes the idea of being wined and dined (not literally) by other schools.

-Ralph Sampson has a lot to learn, according to one Gophers insider. That’s not to say that Sampson doesn’t have the basketball IQ and raw skills to become a great player for the Gophers, but when asked if Sampson could become a one-and-done or even a two-and-done player that goes to the pros after a few years, the Gophers insider said Sampson will probably need at least four years to get to that level, which is no guarantee.

I’m sure Ohio State had the same feelings about Kosta Koufos, who was drafted by the Jazz in the first round of the NBA Draft, proving that the combination of height and raw talent too often leads to NBA contracts.

-A long time ago, I wrote that Lawrence Westbrook was on his way out. As he progressed throughout the year, bloggers criticized that prediction. Believe me or not, a very good source told me that Westbrook wasn’t responding well to Tubby Smith’s system. But a year later, another good source told me that the starting shooting guard spot is Westbrook’s to lose, even though Devoe Joseph, Devron Bostick and Blake Hoffarber could all compete for minutes at that position.

-Blake Hoffarber is up for an ESPY, again. That’s fine. But I covered the game that was the scene of his second infamous shot. I was actually standing over Hoffarber and his teammates as they jumped on him in front of press row after he nailed the buzzer beater. All I’m saying is that I think my performance deserves some mention in his acceptance speech. I’d even appreciate being the guy in the crowd who shakes his hand before he walks toward the podium to accept his award. Assuming he wins. And barring any unforeseen ethical violations.

-Minnesota’s outdated facilities may have contributed to the loss of former recruits Krys Faber and Verdell Jones III, according to one Gophers insider. Williams Arena is one of the oldest venues in the country and every basketball program in the Big Ten seems to have some plan to build new facilities except the Gophers. Jones, a guard from Champaign, Ill., signed with Indiana, where a brand new practice facility is in the works, while Faber, a center from L.A., signed with DePaul, where the Blue Demons play in an arena that recently underwent a $20 million renovation.

-Former Iowa State guard Wesley Johnson, who recently decided to transfer, wants to know if the Gophers are interested in his services. Johnson was a member of the Big 12 All-Rookie squad that featured Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin. But injuries hurt the talented sophomore last season. It’s an intriguing idea for the Gophers to grab a player like Johnson. Prior to last season’s Iowa State contest, Tubby Smith spent some time talking to reporters about Johnson’s talent. But Smith doesn’t like to bring in transfers. Johnson wouldn’t be allowed to play until the 2009-10 season. And that’s the year that Royce White arrives to play the 2/3 spot that Johnson would want to play.

I just talked to Indiana Jones, a.k.a. Verdell Jones III, about his choice. He said Indiana will give him a chance to play close to home, and he likes the way that Tom Crean develops his guards.

He also said that he’s not worried about Indiana’s pending sanctions. Indiana officials have told him that they don’t believe the university will face major sanctions for Kelvin Sampson’s recruiting violations. Jones said he thinks the school will only lose a few scholarships.

Also, he’s very excited about playing right away. The Hoosiers aren’t bringing anyone of value (outside of Jordan Crawford) back next season. He also made it sound like he was really wavering between Kentucky and Indiana at the end of the day. He praised Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie.

“They expect me to come in and make a big contribution,” he said. “

According to a Gophers official who confirmed that Jones called Gophers coaches recently to tell them that he’d chosen Indiana over Minnesota.

A day after Verdell Jones III canceled a trip to Arizona late last night, his father assured me that although he wants to play in the Midwest, he includes Indiana, Minnesota and Kentucky as schools in that region.

Through a text-message dialogue, he assured me that Kentucky was definitely in the mix for Jones’ services. But I think he’ll definitely play for the Gophers next season, based on my discussions with him this week.

But, I also thought that Krys Faber would be playing next to Ralph Sampson III next season.

I just talked to Verdell Jones Jr., father of Minnesota recruit Verdell Jones III. The Champaign, Ill., point guard will announce his college choice during a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday, according to his father.

Jones has received scholarship offers from Kentucky, Indiana and Minnesota. He’s scheduled to visit Arizona Friday.  He is one of the top unsigned players in the country.

Jones’ dad said he’s not sure where his son wants to play college basketball. But he’s asked members of the Twin Cities media to attend the press conference. My theory is that Jones is going to Arizona to tell school officials that they have one final opportunity to officially offer him a scholarship.

If the Wildcats make the offer during Jones’ weekend trip, he will play for Arizona next season. If they don’t, he’ll be a Gopher.

-I just talked to Verdell Jones Jr., the father of Minnesota recruit Verdell Jones III, a point guard from Champaign, Ill. He’s scheduled to take a trip to Minneapolis Wednesday morning to talk to the Gophers about potentially playing here next season. He’ll talk to coaches and watch player workouts.

If he likes what he sees, again, Jones may commit on the spot, his father said. But Indiana coaches were at the family’s home Monday, and Jones has already scheduled visits to Arizona and Virginia. Translation: Wednesday’s meeting is Minnesota’s last chance to woo Jones.

-Gophers insiders said Tuesday that the Gophers expect former De La Salle/Hopkins prep Royce White to commit to Minnesota soon. That’s peculiar based on what I gathered recently from sources who suggested that White’s academic issues at De La Salle severely hurt his chances of ever playing for the Gophers.

-I talked to Lawrence Westbrook last week. He said he’s not transferring. But he is out for the next four months, after undergoing a surgical procedure to fix his right hand, which was heavily taped throughout the season. He said he tore a ligament in the hand during the season.

-I saw Dan Coleman at a Chinese restaurant last week. Man, he’s tall. He said he’s not sweating his future. He said European basketball teams will welcome his services because there’s a shortage of big men over there. “There are a lot of little guys,” he said.

-About Krys Faber. The 6-11 prep from L.A. chose DePaul over Minnesota. His high school coach William Middlebrooks said Faber liked Chicago. But no one really knows what attracted him to the basketball program. DePaul struggled in the Big East, and so far, they don’t have a great recruiting class. Minnesota, with five tough recruits, might evolve into one of the Big Ten’s top teams in a few years. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Although former Marquette forward and St. Bernard’s prep player Trevor Mbakwe hopes to return home and potentially play for the University of Minnesota, I was recently told by a Gophers insider that it probably won’t happen. It has nothing to do with Mbakwe’s talent, which would seem to fill a rebounding/physicality/toughness void frequently exploited by opposing post players last season.

The insider told me that Tubby Smith just isn’t a fan of transfers at this point in his coaching career. Since L.A. prep big man Krys Faber appears to be headed to the U of M next season, Smith’s not under as much pressure to secure another post player. Mbakwe wouldn’t be allowed to play until 2009, which is the same year that Minnesota hopes to bring in local preps Royce White and Rodney Williams.

Smith is also making a run at Minnesota recruit Devoe Joseph’s Canadian junior national teammate Maurice Walker, a 6-9 center in the ‘09 class. Joseph’s AAU coach Ro Russell said Smith is going after Walker the same way he recruited Joseph.

Longtime Kentucky men’s basketball manager Bill Keightley passed away today at age 81. Here’s Tubby Smith’s statement about the man who was connected to Kentucky basketball for nearly 50 years:

“Words can not describe what Mr. Keightley has meant to me and many others that have been involved with Kentucky Basketball.  Mr. Keightley has been a confidant to so many coaches that have had the good fortune to sit along side him. That is what it has been, us sitting next to him, not him sitting next to us.  No one will ever love Kentucky Basketball more than Mr. Keightley.  A few years back, he began writing his book of stories about UK Basketball.  For those who did not know him personally, hopefully his book of memoirs will allow them the opportunity to learn about his legacy, one that can never be replaced.  In my years with him, he taught me so much about life. We have certainly lost a great treasure in his passing.  He has always had a way of being able to pick you up when things were down.  I know his spirit will continue to be with me and all Wildcat fans, players, managers and coaches.  He is certainly loved by many, and will be missed by all.”

What else will go wrong with Indiana’s men’s basketball program?

First, Kelvin Sampson departs in the midst of an NCAA violation hailstorm. Then, the team goes downhill under interim head coach Dan Dakich, losing its first game in the NCAA tourney. So today’s move isn’t surprising.

Dakich, who will probably lose his job by the end of the week, decided to dismiss two starters, Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis, after the duo missed a meeting and failed to show up for a disciplinary run a day later. Wow.

Eric Gordon will soon declare for the NBA draft. And seniors Mike White, Lance Stemler and D.J. White are also gone.

Some observers talk about the Indiana job like it’s still one of the more desirable gigs in college basketball. But who wants a team that will have to rely on a couple of three-star recruits  next season after losing six key players? The Hoosiers also face multiple sanctions from the NCAA and will soon hand over the keys to the tumultuous program to a new coach. Five-star recruit Devin Ebanks saw the writing on the wall and recently asked to be released from his verbal commitment.

Indiana has had a great program for a long time. But this is not a great time to be a part of it. The wonderful characteristic of college basketball, however, is that all a team needs is one Greg Oden-like player and a solid guard or two to make a run that will make everyone forget its past.

Indiana should go after Baylor head coach Scott Drew. If any coach in America understands the challenges associated with joining a program facing one challenge after another, it’s Drew, who began coaching the Bears after the team endured a murder among teammates, a cover-up scandal and multiple departures by key players.

In your opinion, who’s man for the job at Indiana and why?