Author: David Shama

Joel Maturi told Sports Headliners there will be an emphasis on hiring a basketball coach who can make Minnesota a winning team in the Big Ten Conference but other criteria will be part of the selection process, too. 

During a recent interview the Gopher athletic director said he is looking for a coach “who hopefully would want” to end his career at Minnesota.  Maturi knows Big Ten jobs are prestigious and he’s searching for a coach who isn’t using Minnesota as a career building experience to target another college or NBA position. 

Maturi said the basketball program’s academic performance needs improving.  He’s looking for a coach who provides leadership that translates into players graduating.  He isn’t interested in a coach who “will cut corners” academically to win games. 

The selection criteria, too, will include a coach who demonstrates an understanding of this market, whether it’s our climate challenges or the abundance of sports and entertainment options that challenge Gopher basketball for attention. 

Maturi is looking for “somebody that likes kids.”  He clarified that some coaches like kids more than others and he clearly is searching for a coach who can enjoy and invest in young people, as challenging as they can be. 

Then Maturi talked about winning, describing it as “probably most important” among the criteria.  “We believe Minnesota’s rightful place in basketball should be competing for championships, and we haven’t done that in a number of years,” he said.  “We need to find the fit of the person who will do that.  In doing that… re-energize the Barn (Williams Arena). …Get people to come back and that will make it if not the greatest, certainly one of the greatest places to watch college basketball that there is in the country.” 

Maturi, of course, isn’t saying who is on his short list of candidates but here’s who I think might be:  Flip Saunders of the Detroit Pistons, Tony Bennett of Washington State, Kevin Lowery of Southern Illinois, Sean Miller of Xavier, Lon Kruger of UNLV, Gregg Marshall of Winthrop, Jeff Bzdelik of Air Force, Reggie Theus of New Mexico State, Tom Crean of Marquette, Todd Lickliter of Butler, Kevin Stallings of Vanderbilt and Derek Wittenberg of Fordham. 

Here’s who may not be on the list but perhaps should be:  Eric Musselman of the Sacramento Kings, ex-Stanford coach Mike Montgomery, and former Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey.  Footnotes: Musselman’s dad, Bill, vaulted the Gophers into big time basketball in the 1970s and maybe young Eric has had enough of the NBA (see Ron Artest bio).  Montgomery was a wonder winning championships at academically oriented Stanford. Casey was once a highly regarded assistant coach at Kentucky and was 20-20 when fired in January by the Timberwolves. 

Here’s who is on the no chance list: most of the basketball world including Bobby Knight, and anyone from the state including Gopher interim Jim Molinari and Winona State’s national championship coach Mike Leaf. 

Final note: you can bet your mortgage there was no deal already in place last fall with Saunders when Gopher coach Dan Monson left the program. 

Final, final note:  the guess here is the new coach will be Miller or Lowery.

In a recent interview with Sports Headliners, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor discussed Kevin Garnett including his possible future with the team.  Taylor includes Garnett, 30, among the best players in the league, and while he indicated his super star forward will remain with the team he didn’t say a trade is out of the question.  Taylor also thinks Garnett can provide more team leadership. 

The prospect of the Wolves missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season is extremely frustrating to Garnett and Taylor.  Garnett has voiced some criticism about the franchise but hasn’t been outspoken and Taylor believes Garnett wants to remain a Timberwolf.  Taylor’s opinion is based on a presumed buy-in from Garnett that the Wolves can build a better team around him soon, and that Garnett’s mega salary demands narrows the list of teams who could add him to their rosters and those teams may not be better than the Wolves on the court. 

Taylor seems more interested in building around Garnett than trying to trade him.  He talked about how trading Garnett could dictate adding three more young players in addition to Wolves rookies Randy Foye and Craig Smith, and second year player Rashad McCants.  “Then you’re saying that’s a commitment for another few years if you’re going to do that,” Taylor said. “But we’ll look at all things. …” 

Taylor values his relationship with Garnett.  He and his group of investors took ownership of the franchise in 1995, the same year Garnett joined the team after being drafted out of high school.  “I would say Kevin has been very up front with me and talks to me about all his feelings,” Taylor said.  “When he is upset with something…he doesn’t hold back, he tells me.  …” 

How does Taylor assess Garnett?  “There’s two parts,” he answered.  “No. 1 is that without question you take just a handful of people (in the NBA) and Kevin is in that top group.  Are there ways that Kevin could still do better?  Team wise, other things wise?  There’s still room for improvement on Kevin.” 

Asked to be more specific, Taylor said if a team has problems coming together as a unit than the “leader of the team has some of that responsibility on their shoulders.”  Taylor is looking for answers and everyone is accountable, particularly leaders in the organization. “I don’t think you can have a team that hasn’t lived up to its potential and just go around and say all that blame is on (vice president Kevin) McHale,” Taylor said.  “I think that blame has got to be on a number of people who are in leadership. …I think KG will be challenged and looked to (to) improve and help bring along younger guys and stuff like that.  I don’t think it’s a lack of effort on his part but I think it’s a learning experience.” 

Taylor said one answer to improving team chemistry could be to add the type of player who can share a leadership role with Garnett.

Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos coach, attended Gopher football practice yesterday and spoke to the team.  “He is the best coach in the world today,” Gopher coach Tim Brewster told Sports Headliners Tuesday.  Brewster was an assistant on Shanahan’s staff before becoming Minnesota coach. 

Former Minnesota North Stars executive Lou Nanne describes Patrick White of Grand Rapids as a “terrific hockey player.”  White, a Gopher recruit, has been named the Associated Press state Player of the Year.  “White’s got unbelievable skill to handle the puck along the boards, in the corners,” said Nanne.  “He’s got great balance.  He’s really heady and he can shoot the puck.  He’s just a terrific all around player.” 

Since 2004 the Twins’ Joe Nathan ranks third in saves among major league relief pitchers with 123.  Mariano Rivera of the Yankees and Trevor Hoffman of the Padres each have 130. 

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who led the major leagues last season in hitting from June 8 with a .362 average, had 94 two-out RBI’s in 2006, the best total in the American League. 

Viking football players began off-season conditioning at Winter Park Monday and will continue through mid-May.