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.

U Regent Hsu Voting No on Sports Cuts

Posted on October 7, 2020October 7, 2020 by David Shama

Regent Michael Hsu told Sports Headliners he will vote no on the University of Minnesota proposal to cut four men’s sports at the Board of Regents meeting Friday. The Star Tribune reported last week the U Athletic Department is also seeking approval for reducing 41 roster spots on Gopher women’s teams as part of its cost savings plan for the next school year. Hsu is opposed to that initiative as well.

“I am opposed to the (total) proposal because I think it’s the wrong proposal at the wrong time,” Hsu said. “I think it’s premature. I think the fact we’re playing football, we don’t really know what our financial picture is like. If it (the proposal) includes reducing women, it’s not something we should be doing until the office of civil rights comes knocking on our door and tells us we need to cut men and women from our programs.”

Athletic director Mark Coyle came to the regents at their last meeting proposing the elimination of men’s golf, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track. The department is in a financial crisis because of the pandemic’s impact on the revenue producing sports, led by football, that support 25 men’s and women’s programs. At the time of the September meeting the Gophers and other members of the Big Ten Conference had no plans to play a football schedule, but that has since changed with Minnesota and other league teams beginning eight-game schedules later this month. The resumption of football guarantees TV revenues that presumably were not available if there was no season.

At the last regents meeting Coyle described the proposal to cut sports as painful but was definitive in the need to do so and offered no alternative. Since then campus protest has surfaced (anticipate one today) and alumni of the impacted sports have spoken out including those who will raise money for continuation of the programs.

“We should give them (community organizers) a chance to try and figure this out,” Hsu said. “We should work with them, but right now it’s not happening. It’s basically, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to do, and you don’t have a chance, and you’re never going to raise enough money so we’re not going to give you time.’

“I mean you heard what Coyle said. I just think that’s a bad way to handle it. I think the community should have a chance, 30 days is not enough. It’s not like these sports just started in 2001.”

Hsu believes the vote at Friday’s meeting could be close. “I’ve heard from some (regents) that they agree with me,” he said.

Seven affirmative votes among 12 are needed to pass the proposal. A 6-6 vote will defeat it.

Those interested in following the Thursday-Friday regents meeting can do so via live streaming and later on video.

Worth Noting

Mike Boone of the Vikings is NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for forcing a timely first quarter fumble against Houston Texans punt returner DeAndre Carter last Sunday that changed momentum of the game, and Minnesota went on to earn its first win of the season.

As the Gophers football team goes through its protocols in managing safety with COVID-19, it could learn from the Vikings who have managed to keep their players healthy. Fox reported during Sunday’s Vikings game that the team used 10 buses in Houston to distance players in transporting them from the hotel to stadium.

247Sports released its latest bowl projections this week including the Gophers in the January 2 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville against Mississippi State. If so, that’s a rematch with the “Pirate.” Bulldogs coach Mike Leach lost in an upset to Minnesota and coach Tracy Claeys in the 2016 Holiday Bowl in San Diego when he was leading the Washington State program.

Whew! It’s believed former LSU coach Les Miles wanted the Gophers job before Minnesota hired P.J. Fleck in 2017. Miles is in his second season now at Kansas and the Jayhawks might be the worst Power Five program there is.

Former Gophers head coach Tim Brewster now coaches tight ends at Florida where his starter, Kyle Pitts, has six touchdown receptions in two games and looks like the favorite to win the John Mackey Award honoring the nation’s best collegian at that position. Pitts is also an early Heisman Trophy favorite, recognizing college football’s best player.

Minnesota Wild scouting authority Judd Brackett talking about center Marco Rossi who the team selected ninth overall in last night’s NHL Draft: “Marco is a two-way center with incredible vision, skill and compete level. We are very excited to add his playmaking ability to our organization.”

Still unknown is when WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” program, off the air for most of this year because of the pandemic, will return. The show has been a Sunday morning listening favorite since 1979.

“Sports Huddle” co-host Dave Mona is finishing up the 49^th book he has read this year. At the top of his list is Erik Larson’s new book on Winston Churchill.

Although it’s a late start, a lot of communities across the state are celebrating the return of prep football this month. The Minnesota Football Coaches Association points out the first high school game in the state occurred in 1891 between Minneapolis Central and Duluth.

The CORES group that normally starts its guest speakers programs in September has postponed meetings indefinitely because of COVID-19. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

The pandemic has prompted the Bolder Options nonprofit, headed by former Gopher Darrell Thompson, to plan its annual celebration and fundraiser online with an October 28 date from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

Comments Welcome

U Loses WR, More Opt Outs Possible

Posted on October 5, 2020October 5, 2020 by David Shama

Welcome to a Monday notes column on the Gophers, Vikings, Twins and Wild:

Golden Gophers redshirt junior wide receiver Demetrius Douglas announced this afternoon on Twitter he is leaving the team. The tweet said little about future plans, but he expects to graduate from the University of Minnesota in December with a degree in Communications Studies, and he expressed admiration for the Gopher program.

Douglas, expected to play major minutes this fall for the Gophers, caught 14 passes for 157 yards last season and also returned kickoffs and punts. His absence would have been a bigger loss if All-American wide receiver Rashod Bateman hadn’t decided recently to rejoin the team.

Because of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, players at major college programs have been opting out and back in. The Gophers play Michigan in less than weeks for their season opener and the Minnesota roster remains unsettled.

“There will be a time that I tell you who is in, who is out,” Fleck said today during a media press conference. “That’s why the updated roster, I haven’t given that yet. I am still waiting on a few more…of a decision they make. I don’t want to give you names and all of a sudden they opt in tomorrow, but I told you they opted out today, or opted out yesterday, and opted back in. I don’t want that pressure on those student-athletes. …. I want them to do it for all the right reasons, and the reasons that they have with their families.”

Fleck talking about junior linebacker Mariano Sori-Marin, who is expected to play a big role for a defense that will be featuring a number of new starters including him:

“He is one of the most intelligent, if not the most intelligent player we have on our football team.”

It wouldn’t be surprising if news comes this week that Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter, who has been inactive through the first four games, will have surgery on the disc herniation in his neck. Apparently rest and presumably meds and physical therapy aren’t allowing Hunter, who missed much of preseason camp, to play again.

Former NFL quarterback great Peyton Manning had multiple surgeries on his neck for a herniated disc and missed an entire season before resuming his career.

The Vikings’ vulnerable cornerbacks face an extraordinary quarterback challenge Sunday night in Seattle. Russell Wilson of the Seahawks has 16 touchdown passes through the first four games of the season. That ties him with Manning (16 touchdown passes in 2013) for the most by a player in his team’s first four games of an NFL season.

Seattle is 4-0 for the first time since 2013. That Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl XLVIII.

With Midwest pandemic numbers remaining a high concern, don’t expect any change on the policy not allowing fans to attend the next Vikings home game, October 18 against the Falcons. The organization remains hopeful of hosting a limited number of fans later in the season.

Credentialed news media are covering Vikings games at U.S. Bank Stadium’s press box. Dave Mona, with over 40 years in the role, is back as the press box voice providing information to reporters.

That was former Gopher Jack Brewer seen in a commercial for president Donald Trump during Sunday’s Vikings-Houston Texans game.

North Dakota State stars and Minnesota natives Trey Lance (Marshall) and Dillon Radunz (Becker) are expected to be early round NFL Draft choices next year. Lance, an underclassman but eligible for the draft, is a top quarterback prospect and likely first rounder. Radunz, an offensive tackle, projects as an early rounds prospect.

Athlonsports.com points out the Bison, with six draftees since 2014, have the most players among FCS programs chosen in the NFL Draft. In a story Sunday, the website reports there are 11 ex-Bison players on NFL rosters and practice squads.

What grade do you give the 2020 Minnesota Twins? Mine? C.

That evaluation includes the 60-game regular season and the Wild Card series. The Twins were preseason favorites to win the AL Central Division and did so. Without that achievement, the C grade would be lower because the Twins were a complete flop in losing their best of three series to the Houston Astros.

F is the grade Minnesota deserves for losing consecutive games to the Astros, managing a total of seven hits and two runs. The Twins extended their postseason consecutive loss streak to 18 dating back to 2004. Asked about a then 16-game streak before the series started, manager Rocco Baldelli suggested his players might not be aware of the historic futility. Maybe all of them should have been informed of the embarrassment—and they might have played better.

What to do now? Sign to another contract 40-year-old DH Nelson Cruz, who drove in both runs in the Wild Card series and during the season was an AL MVP candidate. After seeing his club stumble in playoff losses last season and this, Cruz might decide he wants to go where he has more support.

The Bomba-hyped Twins need a couple of veteran position players who cannot only be leaders but guys who put the ball in play and get on base instead of focusing on launch angles. It will also be interesting to see what the organization’s evaluation is of the overall hitting philosophy, and support of Rudy Hernandez following his first season as hitting coach.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson and management have to figure out if there are ways to keep him healthier. Signed in the offseason to a free agent $92 million deal, he was a bust after being hurt much of the year and unavailable for the playoffs. On the to-do list also is find a talented starting pitcher talent to replace Jake Odorizzi if he doesn’t re-sign—and settle on a quality closer, maybe Tyler Duffey in the ninth innings. Taylor Rogers and Sergio Romo were too undependable.

In the messaging department, suggest Twins’ bosses deliver this offseason memo: Every job is open. No guarantees.

The Minnesota Wild today announced it has acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Ryan Donato. Minnesota owns six picks in the draft, including the ninth overall selection. The draft will be held virtually on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the first round beginning at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

The club has re-signed forward Nico Sturm to a two-year, $1.45 million contract. The 25-year-old was a rookie last year and he had two assists in six regular season games. Also re-signed is defenseman Carson Soucy to a three-year, $8.25 million contract that goes through the 2022-23 season. He scored 14 points for the Wild last season.

Comments Welcome

Twins’ Playoff Run Can “Mean the World”

Posted on September 30, 2020September 30, 2020 by David Shama

The Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. The championships captured the attention of Minneapolis-St. Paul and the entire state as Twins-mania was felt everywhere from dramatic moments on the field to Home Hankies to World Series parades to depiction of the 1987 team on Wheaties cereal boxes.

A similar impact could be even more welcome this fall than decades ago when the Twins’ success dominated the state’s focus and culture. Club president Dave St. Peter was with the Twins organization in 1991 and he spoke to Sports Headliners about the significance of a potential 2020 World Series winner in Minnesota.

“It would mean the world,” he said Monday. “It would be tremendously rewarding to see our club back in that position. But I think more important, it would be great for our community.

“I think about our city. I think about our state, and all the strife that we’ve dealt with during COVID, as well as the social unrest that we’ve experienced over the last several months. For major league baseball, specifically Twins baseball, to play a role in bringing people together, that’s a pretty awesome opportunity and something we know would happen in spades if we played in the World Series.”

The Twins won their two World Series titles under the ownership of the late Carl Pohlad. Now other generations of Pohlads, including executive chairman Jim Pohlad, are making decisions and following the club. “At the end of the day, I know Jim’s focus would be more…on how that World Series benefits our community over how it benefits the family,” St. Peter said.

A march to the World Series didn’t start well yesterday, with the Twins managing just four hits in an opening Wild Card 4-1 loss to the Houston Astros. The defeat dictates Minnesota must win today and tomorrow to take the best two out of three series, and move on in the postseason. Otherwise, the goal in spring training and during the season of qualifying for the World Series will go in the dumpster.

“No doubt in my mind, that not only can we get there, but we can win it,” St. Peter said. “We’re talented enough to do that. I think there are a lot of other clubs across the game that believe the same, but in reality there can only be one. Our goal is to go out and take this day-by-day, round by round, and hopefully put ourselves in that position to compete for it.”

The Twins have one of baseball’s deepest pitching staffs. Depth is also apparent among position players with several Twins having experience at multiple spots led by do-it-all Marwin Gonzalez, who on any day might show up at first base, second base, third base or in the outfield. “I think our depth is perhaps our greatest strength,” St. Peter said.

Max Kepler (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

St. Peter likes the mix of veterans and young players on the roster. The Twins built their success of recent seasons on young players up from the farm system like pitcher Jose Berrios, shortstop Jorge Polanco, first baseman Miguel Sano and outfielders Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario. Over time veterans have been added including last offseason with pitchers Kenta Maeda, Tyler Clippard and Rich Hill, and slugging third baseman Josh Donaldson.

“We think those additions can be difference makers for us as we head into the October run of baseball,” St. Peter said.

Appreciated, too, about this year’s Twins team is how they have handled the response to COVID-19. Players and staff have been accountable in their actions to benefit both themselves and others. “…Really, really proud of the way our group has handled that,” St. Peter said.

The Twins are playing their games against the Astros with only a couple hundred spectators in the Target Field stands. Watching are club employees and families of Twins and Astros players. “…Our players are excited to have their families and fellow-employees at the ballpark,” St. Peter said. “Everything that we can do to create a home field advantage we’re looking to try to create.”

MLB hasn’t allowed fans to attend games this season and won’t during the Wild Card games. After those games the next two rounds of the playoffs will be played at neutral sites including Los Angeles and San Diego for American League teams, but again without fans. MLB has announced fans will be allowed to attend World Series games in Arlington, Texas but not offered specifics on numbers.

Worth Noting

Minor league baseball is going through a reorganization and operating a Twins AAA farm club in St. Paul couldn’t be more convenient. St. Peter said in the future it’s “certainly a possibility” a deal could be made to base a Twins minor league team at CHS Field in St. Paul, but a lot of things will need to happen before it could be reality.

St. Peter also said Twins TV viewership hit “historic numbers” last year and he expects data from this season to be similar. TV watching across the country, with a glut of sports going on, is competitive. Front Office Sports reported Monday that for the first three games of the Stanley Cup Finals viewership “was down at least 60 % compared to last season.”

Nelson Cruz, the Twins’ 40-year-old DH, had a .992 OPS during the regular season—fourth best all-time among players age 39-or-older, trailing Barry Bonds (1.422 in 2004), Ted Williams (1.042 in 1958) and David Ortiz (1.021 in 2016).

Twenty-two of the 28 players on the Twins’ roster have playoff game experience. The roster includes four catchers.

Among questions that should come up at the University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting in October to discuss the elimination of gymnastics, tennis and indoor and outdoor track, is what would happen to any endowed scholarship money in those men’s sports.

Gophers basketball fans are wondering about the possibility of attending home games this upcoming season. A fan reports season ticket renewals have been suspended since August.

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