Rich Beem and other PGA players have long been impressed with the size of the crowds and support at major golf events in Minnesota. Beem, who saw such crowds at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2002 when he won the PGA championship, predicts the fans will provide a big edge when the Ryder Cup is played over the next three days at Hazeltine.
Beem is in town working for Sky Sports, a group of sports TV channels popular in England and elsewhere. The major storyline at the Ryder Cup is the Americans have lost the last three matchups with the Europeans, and eight of the last 10.
“I think the U.S. will win,” Beem told Sports Headliners. “It won’t be easy. Crowds will make a big difference.”
Those crowds, a raucous mix of Minnesotans and others from various parts of the United States and the world, will create an intense environment for an event widely considered the most special in golf. Starting today the focus of golfers on both sides will be tested, but in Beem’s view that might be a particular challenge for Europe’s rookie players. “I think it’s our time,” he said.
Scottish–born Colin Montgomerie told Sports Headliners last summer he, too, believes the U.S. will win the 2016 cup. The former European Ryder Cup great talked about the electric atmosphere and home course advantage expected at Hazeltine all weekend. Montgomerie said other factors favoring U.S. success are the leadership of captain Davis Love III, and the “aura” of having vice captain Tiger Woods around the American players. …
Glen Taylor has extended Kevin Garnett an invitation to meet and discuss a possible future association with the Timberwolves. Garnett retired as a player earlier this month and Taylor suggested he take awhile before the two meet.
Before Wolves basketball president Flip Saunders died, Garnett talked about partial ownership of the franchise. If Taylor wanted to eventually sell the team, or a major share, Saunders could be counted on to form a group of investors. Saunders owned a small share of the team prior to his death in 2015.
Taylor gave no indication in a conversation with Sports Headliners whether he will talk ownership with Garnett but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be other involvement with the franchise. “He came back here (in a 2015 trade with the Nets) because he wanted to be more involved, but on the other hand, he thought he was going to do it with Flip,” Taylor said. “I think he is concerned if that will ever be the same without Flip.”
Taylor said Garnett’s decision to retire after 21 seasons (13-plus with the Wolves in two eras) was of his own doing. New coach Tom Thibodeau is a strong leader and Garnett has been a powerful locker-room voice. Did Thibodeau tell Taylor he wanted to block Garnett’s return? “Oh, no, no, no, because he didn’t get involved with it,” Taylor said of offseason talks with Garnett that were only between the future Hall of Famer and the owner.
Garnett, 40, has struggled with knee problems. During the summer he also struggled with a decision whether to play another season. “What he said to me was, ‘I would like to play but I don’t know if I can.’ So I guess he’s telling me that he wasn’t getting the strength or something in his knees that he had hoped to.” …
Gophers coach Tracy Claeys was asked what he will do to celebrate if his team wins its opening Big Ten game tomorrow at Penn State. “I like to get back (home) and enjoy a little TV and a little pizza, and I like to watch other college games,” he said.
The Gophers frequently used a three-man defensive front in their 31-24 win over Colorado State last week—at times abandoning their more traditional four-man look. Rams coach Mike Bobo was impressed with the change. “I thought that (the three-man front) had us a little bit confused at first,” he said. “I thought the speed of their players had us a little bit taken aback.”
Bobo said mixing the three and four-man fronts “will cause confusion for an offensive line.” He praised the Gophers linebackers and defensive linemen, singling out junior defensive tackle Steven Richardson who had four tackles for loss against the Rams, and referred to him as “unblockable.”
The 300-pound Richardson has been outstanding in two wins against the Rams in 2015 and 2016. “He is about 5-9 but he’s one of the best players that we’ve played against the last two years,” Bobo said. “He’s wreaked havoc on us both years and he did again today (last Saturday).”
Looking ahead, Claeys called it “situational” whether to use more of the three-man front alignment that puts additional mobile players and pass rushers on the field. He said the three-man look is more likely if the Gophers have big leads in games and teams are passing, trying to narrow the score. …
Former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill, who grew up in Kansas, will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Sunday night in Wichita. Kill, now a leader in the Kansas State athletic department after a nationally recognized coaching career, is from Cheney, Kansas where his mother and brother still reside.
Kill’s new book that came out late last smmer has already raised $200,000 to assist the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota. Chasing Dreams: Living My Life One Yard at a Time has raised another $80,000 for Kill’s cancer fund in Illinois.
Kill wrote the book with former Gophers football player Jim Bruton. “Triumph Books in Chicago released 40 new books this fall and Chasing Dreams was their leading seller last week,” Bruton said via email. …
Hamline’s football team is 3-0 for the first time since 1988 and fans are looking forward to the Pipers Homecoming game October 8 against St. Olaf.The celebration will include a reunion of the 1966 MIAC title team. Wins that year included a 6-3 victory over defending NAIA champion Saint John’s. Among those expected to attend the reunion is 92-year-old Dick Mulkern, who coached the 1966 Pipers. …
Congratulations to coach Clay Anderson of the Pipestone Area Arrows who won his 100th football game last week with a 48-7 win over St. James Area. His overall career record at five high schools is now 100-90 in 19 seasons. …
The Oakes family and Gophers baseball program are helping with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Minnesota Chapter’s annual Light The Night Walk on October 16 in Minneapolis. Gophers players, coaches and alumni, and the Oakes family, are raising funds and awareness to support blood cancer research and patient services to honor the late Todd Oakes, the former UM pitching coach. More at Gophersports.com.
The Gophers will play their first baseball series in U.S. Bank Stadium February 24-26 against Seattle University. The Gophers will play several games in the covered stadium from February 24 thru March 12, including the Dairy Queen Classic March 3, 4 and 5.