Author: David Shama

News this week that the Xcel Energy Center has been nationally recognized as a preferred venue is well deserved and improves the area’s historical reputation for having below par sports and entertainment facilities. Xcel has been selected as “Best NHL Arena” by SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily in its 2006 reader survey; “Best Fan Experience” by Forbes magazine in its annual “Business of Hockey” report, and Xcel received its fifth nomination for “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar magazine, the leading concert industry trade publication. 

Earlier this year Sports Illustrated named Xcel its top choice among NHL arenas in its NHL Preview issue. In 2003, ESPN The Magazine rated Xcel No. 1 for “Best Stadium Experience.” On the concert side, Xcel Energy Center has been nominated four times (2001-2003, 2005) for “Arena of the Year” by Pollstar. 

Known for its sightlines, acoustics and fan friendly environment, Xcel has been acclaimed since its opening in 2000 for hockey, concerts and family shows.

Historically, some of our other area facilities have not drawn nearly as much praise. In the 1920s legend is that Knute Rockne and other planners for a Notre Dame football stadium came to Minneapolis to analyze the University of Minnesota’s Memorial Stadium, long known for its poor sightlines and disproportionate number of bowl end seats.  “Gentlemen, this is how not to build a stadium,” the famous coach reportedly said.   

Over the years University planners talked about stadium renovations and expansion to improve Memorial Stadium but never proceeded.  There was even serious discussion in the 1970s about doming the stadium and using it for football and basketball. 

Met Stadium opened in 1956 as Minneapolis boosters pushed for a major league baseball team with the opening of the new ball park in Bloomington.  Although the stadium was expanded with the arrival of the Minnesota Twins in 1961, the bleacher stands running along the left field foul line were never converted into arm chair seating.  Then, too, rather than build a football stadium for the Vikings, the team played for years in the Met Stadium where sightlines were deplorable for football. 

Operating on the cheap (see Memorial Stadium and Met Stadium above) characterized the planning and opening of the Metrodome.  Rather than pushing for separate football and baseball facilities, the inexpensive alternative was to build the Metrodome.  A somewhat stingy amount of about $55 million was budgeted and initial talk was to install bleacher seats with backs.  During the first months of operation fans sweltered with no air conditioning, another attempt to save money. 

The Met Center was known for its great sightlines but when local leaders heard an appeal from Minnesota North Stars ownership to expand the building with more concourse space and luxury suites the answer was no.  For less than $15 million the Met Center could have been renovated and perhaps would still be home to the North Stars. 

Target Center helped bring the NBA back to Minneapolis with a then state-of-the art facility.  With only one small lobby and acoustics rated below the more modern Xcel, few Minneapolis boosters will argue that the building is the equal of the Xcel. 

Clearly the area’s greatest success stories are Xcel, and the Gophers’ hockey and basketball homes, Mariucci Arena and Williams Arena.  Sometimes we do get it right.

Athletic director Joel Maturi will have an unusual amount of time to search for a new basketball coach at the University of Minnesota.  Dan Monson departed in late November when normally you expect to see a college basketball change in February or March.  Maturi’s research time will be more than ample to settle on selection criteria and review candidates including interim coach Jim Molinari. 

Former Gopher basketball coach Jim Dutcher, who has been a TV color commentator on Minnesota games for years, was asked about criteria.  A new coach, he said, should have a staff that can recruit nationally with success.  The coach should also come here committed to the University of Minnesota and not looking to use the job to move elsewhere. 

“You want a commitment, you want a solid staff, you want someone who can communicate with the fans,”  Dutcher said.  “Minnesota fans are pretty forgiving.  They just want a team that’s competitive.  They know they are not going to win the Big Ten (Conference) championship every year, or every other year. But they want to feel they (the Gophers) have a chance to win each time they walk out there.” 

Dutcher expects many qualified candidates to materialize.  “Big Ten jobs are select jobs in the basketball coaching profession,” he said.  “They’ll get a lot of very good qualified candidates that will be interested in this job.” 

Is there a reason the Gophers can’t be a top 20 program?  “Not that I know of,” Dutcher answered.  “Because of the recruiting area, you are probably not going to be up there at the top consistently but certainly there’s no reason why you can’t be in the upper division of the Big Ten. And the way that the post season tournaments are structured now, being in the upper division is going to get you in the post season tournament.  We saw the turnaround at Wisconsin (where the Badgers changed from a mediocre program to a consistent contender for the NCAA tournament). …”

Chester Taylor is the first Viking to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season since 2002.  He went beyond the 1,000 mark last Sunday against the Chicago Bears before injuring his ribs and leaving the game.  He has been a success story on an offense that collectively and individually has struggled. 

Taylor, acquired by the Vikings as a free agent before the season, has earned admiration both for results and efforts.  “I think the biggest thing that impresses me about Chester is just the fact he runs so hard,” said Viking center Matt Birk.  “He never shies away from contact.  He’s always willing to lower his head and get that extra half yard or yard. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first carry or the 30^th carry of the game for him.  He hits those holes.  I think he’s one of those guys, too, that is impressive as the game goes on.  He actually gets better and gets stronger.” 

Mewelde Moore has been a backup to Taylor.  “You don’t think he’s as strong as he is, and that’s one of those things where he is able to slide off tackles, make second efforts to get extra yards,” Moore said.   

Birk is in his ninth season with the Vikings and said Taylor compares favorably with the best running backs he has played with. “He’s a different type runner,” Birk said. “In the past we’ve had speed, sprinter type guys.  Chester, even though he’s got some speed as he’s shown like in Seattle when he took one 95 yards, he seems to be very comfortable running in between the tackles and grinding out those tough yards inside.” 

The last two Vikings to gain over 1,000 yards in one season were speedsters Michael Bennett in 2002 and Robert Smith in 2000.  In the Bear game Taylor set a new Viking single season record for number of 20 plus carries in games.  His ninth game broke Smith’s record of eight.

Taylor, who may not play in Sunday’s game against Detroit, ranks third among NFC rushers in total yards.  He is fifth among all rushers in the NFL.  His best previous rushing season came in 2004 with Baltimore when he gained 714 yards.