Author: David Shama

David Shama is a former sports editor and columnist with local publications. His writing and reporting experiences include covering the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Gophers. Shama’s career experiences also include sports marketing. He is the former Marketing Director of the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. He is also the former Marketing Director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section. A native of Minneapolis, Shama has been part of the community his entire life. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he majored in journalism. He also has a Master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas. He was a member of the Governor’s NBA’s Task Force to help create interest in bringing pro basketball to town in the 1980s.

Vikings to Pick O-Lineman, But Wait

Posted on April 26, 2021April 26, 2021 by David Shama

Mock NFL Drafts have the Minnesota Vikings choosing an offensive lineman with their No. 14 first round selection Thursday night. “I would go offensive lineman, there is no doubt about that,” agreed former Viking Bob Lurtsema.

Lurtsema, who still follows the team with passion, was asked about taking the best player regardless of position. “I’d go best offensive lineman (available),” he answered.

That could be Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw who has excelled at the offensive line position the Vikings need the most help at, left tackle. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, with limited mobility, needs a stud left tackle to protect his blind side and Darrisaw’s athleticism is impressive.

No guarantee, though, Darrisaw will be available when the Vikings make their first round pick. It’s a possibility he will, with as many as five quarterbacks expected to eat up draft slots early in the draft. Oregon’s Penei Sewell is the most coveted offensive lineman in the draft and almost certain not to be available to the Vikings unless Minnesota moves up the draft board with a trade.

Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker could both be available to Minnesota. Both have shorter arms than ideal, with Slater’s arm extension measured at 33 inches and Vera-Tucker’s 32⅛, per NFL.com. Lurtsema said his long arms were a key in his playing 12 years on the defensive line in the NFL. Extra extension is important for offensive and defensive linemen, with the man in control able to move a foe like the guy is on roller skates. “You’ve got total control,” Lurtsema said.

Darrisaw’s arm length is 34¼ inches, but neither he, Slater or Vera-Tucker may be Minnesota’s preferred selection in the first round. Vikings’ needs include an edge rusher to pair with Danielle Hunter, or even replace the talented defensive end if Minnesota can’t meet future contract expectations. Although the Vikings have given extra attention to adding defensive personnel in the offseason, they still might pass on an offensive lineman to take Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye.

Paye has the kind of athleticism and explosive style that excites both fans and scouts. He has also been praised for his work ethic and leadership. Although his football playing experience is limited and fundamentals need to improve, he might be too much for defensive-minded Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to pass up.

Worth Noting

Gophers Rashod Bateman and Benjamin St-Juste could go in the first and third rounds respectively. Wide receiver Bateman impresses with his route running, while St-Juste has the long arms not common for cornerbacks.

Sports Illustrated notes that Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago was the first player selected in the inaugural NFL Draft 85 years ago but never played in the league because he wanted to try out for the Olympic Decathlon team and he “could make more money as a foam rubber salesman.”

Jeff Diamond, the former Vikings GM, offers his NFL expertise on TalkNorth.com podcasts. Diamond, who started with the Vikings as an intern, also was president of the Tennessee Titans.

An NHL authority, speaking anonymously, said Minnesota Wild rookie scoring sensation Kirill Kaprizov has “(Wayne) Gretzky traits behind the net.” Kaprizov excels there in setting up goals and points, just like the “The Great One,” the source said. He’s not suggesting Kaprizov is another Gretzky but he is impressed how the young Russian has transitioned to success on the ice in the NHL.

Kaprizov has fit in with the team’s culture, too. His affable manner makes him a comfortable teammate to be around. Another player with his talent could be a prima donna but Kaprizov, who turns 24 today, is the opposite.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, with a season record of 17-44, are 5-6 since enigmatic guard D’Angelo Russell returned to the team from injury April 5. With a new hair-do and improved play, the talented Russell is averaging 19.4 points, 4.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds since his return.

Russell scored 23 points in Minnesota’s win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City Saturday night. The Wolves are 2-0 against the Jazz this season, even though Utah has the best record in the NBA at 44-16. Wagering money will be on a Jazz win tonight (Monday) when the teams meet in Minneapolis.

FanSided’s “way-too-early” Big Ten basketball power rankings for next season have coach Ben Johnson’s Gophers No. 12, ahead of Northwestern and Nebraska.

Admirers of legendary coach John Anderson (40 years into leading the Golden Gophers baseball program) are hoping he and athletic director Mark Coyle will soon announce details about a new multiyear contract. The all-time winningest baseball coach in Big Ten history and a high character leader, Anderson is in the last year of his contract.

That was 82-year-old former Minnesota Twin Tony Oliva, a .304 lifetime hitter, taking his golf clubs to a suburban Minneapolis driving range last week.

The Twins, in their 60th season based in Minnesota, had an exasperating loss for the ages last Wednesday against the Athletics in Oakland. The A’s scored an improbable 13-12 walk-off win in the 10th inning without a base hit. A pair of two-out walks and a mishandled game-ending ground ball by Minnesota second baseman Travis Blankenhorn loaded the bases before a throwing error by third baseman Luis Arraez allowed the winning run to score. A Sports Headliners reader and Twins fan described the mess as a “top 10 loss” in franchise history.

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Don’t Wager Vikings Draft Trey Lance

Posted on April 21, 2021April 21, 2021 by David Shama

It’s a wish that makes provincial Vikings fans salivate. Trey Lance to the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 14 selection in the first round of the April 29 NFL Draft.

Perfect.

Fans are always in search of the next quarterback hero. What could be better in these parts than drafting Lance, the Marshall, Minnesota native? Not only is he “one of us,” but his success story at North Dakota State caught this state by surprise and he has emerged as a national phenom. He wasn’t even a coveted quarterback out of high school, and he told NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread that Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck wanted him to play safety for the Golden Gophers.

As a redshirt sophomore last year, Lance announced his decision to enter the 2021 NFL Draft. He did so despite a short college career of only one full season—a headline making 2019 when he led the Bison to 16 consecutive wins and the FCS national title. He was honored with the Walter Payton Award as the top player in the FCS. He completed almost 67 percent of his passes, threw no interceptions and ran for over 1,000 yards.

A Minnesota homecoming sounds dreamy to many Vikings fans, but not so fast. While mock drafts predict a first round landing for the athletic, 6-4, 224-pound Lance, scouting authorities struggle to decide how early he should be selected and what kind of pro career awaits. Would it be a surprise to see Minnesota call his name at 14?

“Yes, I would be very surprised,” a former NFL executive told Sports Headliners this week. The authority, who chose to speak anonymously, said evaluators are unsure about Lance because of the lower level of competition he faced in college. “I think that’s the big question,” the source said.

The FCS isn’t the Big Ten, SEC or other Power Five FBS conferences. Still, no one has to look further than Carson Wentz to document a successful transition from North Dakota State to the NFL. The former Bison quarterback was the No. 2 overall selection in the first round of the 2016 draft and became a first-year starter for the Philadelphia Eagles. With five years on the Bison roster, he was far more experienced at NDSU than Lance.

The Sports Headliners source can’t see Vikings GM Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer using their first round choice on a 20-year-old quarterback needing time to acclimate and improve in the pros. The two decision makers are on short-term contracts with ownership and are coming off a season when Minnesota didn’t make the playoffs. ”They need to win and I don’t think they want to take a developmental quarterback at this stage, unless it’s a third round type guy,” the authority said.

This will be a quarterback-heavy draft in the first round. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones and Lance are quarterbacks that all could be off the board before the Vikings make their choice, leaving Minnesota able to choose from high quality talent that play other positions. “If there are four quarterbacks taken before the Vikings pick, that’s great for them, and even if a fifth guy slides in there in the top 13, that would be amazing,” the NFL expert said. “I remember being in a lot of draft rooms where we had a good quarterback already, and we’d be thinking, ‘Please (other teams) take a quarterback.’ “

The Vikings have 32-year-old Kirk Cousins as their starter and are contractually committed to him for two more seasons. Spielman might opt for a quarterback later in the draft, perhaps someone like Florida’s Kyle Trask who would be a developmental player. Drew Brees, Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson are recent examples of quarterbacks who were selected after the first round and became stars.

The Vikings drafted Iowa’s Nate Stanley during the seventh round in 2020 and management might like him as a developmental quarterback. Sean Mannion, the team’s main backup to Cousins in 2020, is unsigned but could be retained because he knows the system and doesn’t command an expensive contract like some NFL subs.

Zimmer indicated earlier this spring the Vikings have made sufficient personnel changes during the offseason to feel comfortable about taking the best player available in the first round. “I think that’s where you want to be,” the Sports Headliners source said. “You don’t want to be reaching for positions of need in the first round. That’s where you get in trouble.”

At No. 14 the Vikings could be looking at both the best player available and filling a need. There are quality offensive linemen in this draft and the Vikings, in need of help at tackle, might be able to select Rashawn Slater from Northwestern, or Alijah Vera-Tucker of USC.

Spielman has a history of trading draft choices and accumulating picks. It could be the Vikings will move down in the first round rather than up—if they move at all. Minnesota doesn’t have a second round selection. Spielman might decide there are so many quality players in this draft it’s advantageous to select later in the first round if he can deal his pick at No. 14 for a lower choice, plus acquire a second rounder.

Worth Noting

Gabe Kalscheur’s mom, LeeAnna Kalscheur, told Sports Headliners her son is still at the University of Minnesota pursuing his business major. He will start school in early June at Iowa State where he is joining the Cyclones basketball program.

She said Gabe and the family appreciate the past three seasons and relationships with the U including the new Gopher coaches, but her son wanted a fresh start in basketball and entered the transfer portal earlier this spring. Gabe knows the coaches at Iowa State from previous experiences and chose the Cyclones over offers from Big Ten, ACC and SEC schools.

LeeAnna and her husband plan to make regular trips to Ames. She joked with Gabe that he added considerable “commuting time” to see him play college basketball.

Chet Holmgren committed Monday to Gonzaga after delaying a college choice he could have made last fall. Wait-and-see is a smart approach for some prep recruits because things can change at programs like North Carolina where legendary coach Roy Williams retired this spring. The Tar Heels and Williams were on Holmgren’s list of possible colleges after ending his high school career at Minnehaha Academy this month as the nation’s No. 1 recruit.

Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are presenting themselves as partners to reportedly pay $1.5 billion to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx, but that may not mean equal investors. It’s believed billionaire Lore’s “pockets” are considerably deeper than those of Rodriguez, the baseball star turned businessman.

Speculation is Bob Kurtz, the Minnesota Wild’s radio play-by-play voice since the franchise’s inception in 2000, may retire after this season. If so, Joe O’Donnell, who does radio games for the Iowa Wild, could emerge as a Kurtz replacement.

The struggling Twins, who have lost eight of their last nine games, finish a series with the Oakland Athletics today and then play the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday at Target Field where Minnesota was an MLB-best 24-7 last season.

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Twins Brass in Evaluation Mode

Posted on April 19, 2021April 19, 2021 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins have experienced an unexpected start to the season. The club’s last three games have been postponed by MLB because of COVID-19 issues and the club is off to a slow start on the field with a 6-8 record.

Before the season the Twins were a consensus top 10-12 team, with some boosters listing Minnesota as one of MLB’s top half dozen clubs. The Twins opened the season going 5-2, but more recently the team is in an April swoon having lost six of its last seven games.

Close games have been troublesome. Minnesota is winless in extra innings and has lost four one-run games. But regardless of outcome and record, general manager Thad Levine likes a wait-and-see approach with his team each season.

Levine said he learned from baseball mastermind Billy Beane to evaluate your team in April and May, make necessary adjustments in June and July, and hopefully watch a championship contender in August and September.

“We’re going to take April and May to really evaluate the club,” Levine told Sports Headliners a few days ago. “We haven’t really had our opening day lineup, such as it is, play for a whole series together, and until that happens I think we’re just going to sit back and enjoy this club and make adjustments as necessary. …”

Injuries have impacted the team’s start. “So I think it’s a little bit premature to talk aggressively about trades at this juncture…because I think our team is still jelling,” Levine said.

As recently as last Monday MLB.com’s power rankings had Minnesota No. 4 behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees. That’s lofty company and Levine was asked about high expectations.

“Time will tell whether we earn that. I do think we’re a very talented team. The club has performed very well over the last couple of years. We have depth, we have quality, we have quantity on this club, and I think we expect to be very competitive this season.”

Spotrac.com reports the Twins rank near the MLB average for 2021 cash payrolls at $127,292,324. Because of the pandemic MLB’s 30 teams have suffered huge financial losses (perhaps over $70 million for the Twins) but Levine describes Minnesota ownership as “amazing” in its support of the organization. He said the Twins are among the minority of franchises who haven’t been forced to cut employees and “infrastructure.”

Levine also said he and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey experience an open door policy with club president Dave St. Peter and ownership to make their case regarding major roster changes, even if expensive. “Their support of our pursuit of putting a championship caliber team on the field has really never flagged,” said Levine who joined the Twins organization in 2016 along with Falvey.

Two names fans speculate about being part of the payroll in the future are starting pitcher Jose Berrios and center fielder Byron Buxton. Neither is signed long-term and the twosome are in their career prime years at 26 and 27. But signing them to lengthy extensions soon doesn’t appear likely.

Levine said that while contract negotiations are always kept private, usually the club prefers to get deals done during the offseason. The Twins’ approach is to allow players to keep their focus on the field and not divert their attentions to future contracts.

Worth Noting

Levine joking about April’s cold weather impact on baseball games: “Yeah, I have to wear a heavier coat when I am watching the team play.”

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer talking about defensive end Danielle Hunter who didn’t play last season: “He is a great team guy. He is a terrific player. He is one of the best people that I’ve been around in professional football.”

Happy Birthday today to 38-year-old Joe Mauer. He retired from the Twins in November of 2018.

The University of Minnesota athletic department has a tickets wait-list for the May 1 spring football game. The initial offering of 10,000 free tickets was claimed within a couple of hours, with the total restricted because of the pandemic. The largest Gophers spring game attendance in memory is a 1980s gathering (of over 40,000) at the Metrodome when promoter extraordinaire Lou Holtz was Minnesota’s head coach.

Kevin Harlan, the former Minnesota Timberwolves peerless play-by-play radio voice, speaks to the Twin Cities Dunkers via Zoom Tuesday. Harlan, the 2019 National Sportscaster of the Year as selected by the National Sports Media Association, is the brother of Bryan Harlan, the agent who represents Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck.

Former Golden Gophers basketball public address announcer Dick Jonckowski said his chemo treatments for cancer are going well. He has stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The Wild, forecast before the season as a non-playoff team, could be one of the NHL’s best stories in the postseason with several players performing at a high level including 33-year-old goalie Cam Talbot who is on track to appear in more games in 2021 than he did the two previous years. Wild GM Bill Guerin gets the credit for acquiring Talbot, part of multiple moves that have improved the team.

With the death of Elgin Baylor last month, all the Minneapolis Lakers who are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame are deceased. George Mikan was the first to be inducted in 1959, followed by Baylor, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, Clyde Lovellette, Vern Mikkelsen and coach John Kundla.

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