Author: David Shama

Mark Parrish has a pleasant problem.  As a native son returning this season to play for the Minnesota Wild, the 29-year-old Parrish has lots of family and friends in the metro area.  Too many demands on his time could obviously be a distraction from the goal of helping the Wild go deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.   

“It is kind of a catch 22 having all your friends and family here because it is just that many more possibilities for a distraction,” he said.  “My friends and family have been great so far.  They haven’t bothered me at all. …They have been really good realizing I have a job to do. This is my career. …They have been supportive and staying out of my hair and it’s been fantastic.” 

What if eventually there are too many requests for Parrish’s time?  He and wife Nicholle, his parents and in-laws have talked about that a lot. “They are going to be the bad guys for me, more or less, if it does come up,” Parrish said.  “If it does come up it’s just something you have to be up front and honest and say, ‘hey, look, sorry I can’t do that’. …Just ask them to stop, I guess.” 

With a pleasant personality and a Minnesota hockey legacy that includes playing on two state championship teams at Bloomington Jefferson, Parrish is often sought by the media or for promotional appearances such as signing autographs at grocery stores.  Still, Parrish is relishing and enjoying the first opportunity in his NHL career (he’s played with three other teams) to live during the season in his real home, not an adopted residence.   

Being in a home environment can lessen distractions, Parrish said, and that comfort level can affect a player’s confidence and on-ice performance.  “I feel every player should get a chance to play in their home town at least once because it is pretty amazing,” said Parrish who lives in Plymouth.

About two hours before kickoff on Monday the Vikings were still selling tickets at the Metrodome for their game with New England.  The team later announced a sellout of 63,819.   

A ticket seller on the street near the dome said tickets in the lower level for Saturday’s Minnesota-Indiana game will be available for $10 each.  

Warren Moon, honored at the New England game for being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, was the first African American quarterback to be inducted.  The former Viking is also the first NFL undrafted quarterback to be inducted and the first player to be in both the Canadian and American football halls of fame. 

Matt Birk’s Viking teammates have voted him as the 2006 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. The award exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.  Each NFL team selects an annual recipient.  Vikings who won the award while playing for other teams are: Tony Richardson (2001 Kansas City), Pat Williams (2003 Buffalo), Fred Smoot (2003  Washington) and Tank Williams (2005 Tennessee). 

New England tight end David Thomas talking about first impressions last summer of teammate and former Gopher running back Laurence Maroney:  “You could see how athletic he is. He’s so quick once he has the ball in his hands. He has got the speed to take it the distance. He’s getting better every day. He’s just working hard and trying to learn.” 

Matt Spaeth, who despite a bruised shoulder may play against Indiana Saturday, needs only 44 yards to pass Ben Utecht as the Gophers’ all-time leader in receptions for a tight end. 

Minnesota Wild wives Nicholle Parrish, Jen Rolston, Jessica Schultz and Sarah White will present their husbands’ favorite dessert recipes at The Sugar Association’s Celebrity Bake Sale and Live Auction to benefit Toys for Tots at the Mall of America East Rotunda from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 5. 

Whitney Taney, who finished her high school career last week with a third state singles title and record of 166-0, will focus on building strength and conditioning in the months ahead, according to her father, Ted.  The Edina super star will play in national United States Tennis Association tournaments but not in local USTA tournaments. 

That was sportscaster Randy Shaver’s son, Ryan, who scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery last week in Benilde-St. Margaret’s playoff win over Columbia Heights.  Ryan, a junior, is a defensive end and offensive guard.

You wonder if Glen Mason will coach the first game in the on-campus stadium scheduled to open in 2009.  Mason has been an advocate for returning the Gophers to campus but there’s such a storm of criticism directed at him now that despite a five-year contract his future at Minnesota is speculative. 

Letters to the Star Tribune and talk show comments call for his dismissal and so, too, does a fire Mason Web site.  The home game atmosphere includes chants of “fire Mason” from the student section.  Long time fans are complaining and even former star running back Laurence Maroney criticized Mason in the Star Tribune for not making better use of his talent. 

If the Gophers lose their remaining games this fall, the team will finish 0-8 in the Big Ten Conference.  Any mix of wins and losses against Indiana and Iowa at home, and at Michigan State, is possible.  Could a 0-3 finish push the University to make a coaching change? 

Here’s the essence of what’s going on: there are always fans and media constantly complaining and second guessing.  That audience has been “shooting” at Gopher football since before Mason arrived in 1997.  What’s new is that now there is a larger constituency questioning and opposing Mason.  The tipping point, if it comes, will be if the University sees “a total lack of support in the community,” according to a prominent alum.  “The public at large becomes so pissed off (and) the old time loyalists who want to see the good side of things, not the bad, are not supportive.  That will turn it (the Mason situation).” 

The result of losing “the silent majority” and loyalists will be troublesome for the University as its goes about raising the mega dollars it needs for the new $248.5 million stadium.  With state legislative approval to provide funding for the stadium came a promise from the University to provide 45% of the funding. 

Mason is a good person who was hired because of his character and some turn around success he had coaching at Kent State and Kansas.  His reputation has long been that of a “straight arrow,” a coach who doesn’t pay players or knowingly violate other NCAA rules.  He once told me he couldn’t look his son in the eye if he were cheating.   

The University negotiated a new contract with Mason after last season and gave him a pay raise.  This was a reward for improving the on-field performance of Gopher football from the days of coach Jim Wacker.  It was also a reward for running a program that doesn’t violate NCAA rules, cares about the well being of the players and encourages academics. 

Now in his 10^th season as coach at Minnesota, Mason still talks of building a program.  Many followers don’t want to hear that.  Not when your best season was three years ago at 10-3 and you finished fourth in the Big Ten.  Not when the conference finishes in 2005 and 2004 were seventh and eighth.  Not when you appear headed toward a finish in last place in the Big Ten this year and have a career record in the conference of 29 wins, 51 losses.

The talent level of the 2006 Gophers doesn’t measure up to the most recent teams.  Close followers of the team look at the roster, even among the young players, and wonder whether the talent will be any better next season.  Recruiting commitments for 2007 are mostly Minnesota high school kids and only the most irrational Gopher patron will argue you can build a team almost exclusively with in-state players. 

Whether it’s winning the remaining games or recruiting, Mason’s challenges will be the envy of no one in the coaching business.  Sooner or later both will determine whether he coaches in the new stadium.