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.

Tommies’ Hoops Future Looks Bright

Posted on March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 by David Shama

Ten years from now on Selection Sunday there might be Minnesotans other than Gophers fans sitting in front of televisions to learn where their men’s basketball team is headed in the famous NCAA Division I Tournament. St. Thomas, as a member of the Big East Conference, might be in line for an invitation to the Big Dance, too.

As of today, the Tommies are a long way from membership in the prestigious Big East, but this scenario could have more credibility than you think. The Division III Tommies are optimistic about an NCAA vote this spring allowing them to jump to Division I status starting in the 2021-2022 school year. Most of the St. Thomas sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, are likely to compete in the mid-major level Summit League whose nine members are Denver, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Omaha, Oral Roberts, Purdue Fort Wayne, South Dakota, South Dakota State and Western Illinois.

The switch to Division I status will be expensive but St. Thomas is a school with deep pockets and generous donors. The Tommies will also count on the men’s basketball program becoming a profit center. As a mid-major, the Tommies will be looked at in their early Division I years as “cannon fodder” for major conference teams, and many of them in leagues like the ACC and Big Ten pay large guarantees to easy opponents. Six-figure paydays from programs like Duke, Michigan State and Kansas will ease the financial burden (including scholarships) of going Division I for St. Thomas.

Home crowds in St. Paul for the Tommies are likely to be small in the initial years of men’s Division I basketball, but eventually school leaders could build an on-campus arena seating about 8,000 to 10,000 fans. Such a facility, combined with an improving and competitive basketball roster, and a home in the Big East Conference, would help fulfill the St. Thomas vision to establish the school in the same image as nationally known Catholic schools like Marquette and Villanova.

St. Thomas president Julie Sullivan wrote about the Division I process in an October, 2019 article on the school’s website last fall. “This decision is about more than athletics – it’s about advancing our vision to be a leading Catholic university recognized at the national level. An important outcome of increasing St. Thomas’ visibility, for example, is an ability to attract a more geographically diverse cross section of students who are accomplished in and out of the classroom.

“This additional representation would add value to classroom discussions, campus life, co-curricular activities and virtually every aspect of St. Thomas while providing St. Thomas with the opportunity to extend the reach of our mission and impact. The presence of Division I sports teams will also build on the strong Tommie fan loyalty and provide the campus and alumni with more engaging fan experiences.”

The caliber of high school basketball in the state of Minnesota has been impressive for years, and still seems to be trending upward. The Gophers have frequently blundered acquiring their share of the talent, consistently seeing top players attend schools far and wide, including the Wisconsin Badgers who tied for the Big Ten championship this year with Minnesotans playing key roles.

With the arrival of St. Thomas in Division I, the Gophers will no longer be the only program in the state with that status. Word is St. Thomas is already showing interest in younger high school players whose college years will match the launch of the Tommies D I debut in the Summit League.

The St. Thomas athletic director is Phil Esten who once was a top administrator in the Minnesota Athletic Department. Esten’s responsibilities with the Gophers included overseeing the building of TCF Bank Stadium. He has also worked in athletic departments at California, Ohio State and Penn State. He is respected in college athletics, and his relationships and experiences are an asset to St. Thomas in gaining Division I status and growing its programs.

One day the Tommies may have progressed to a position of authority in the Summit League and could receive an invitation to join the Big East Conference whose membership is dominated by Catholic schools including Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s and Villanova—all programs with rich basketball legacies.

St. Thomas men’s and women’s teams have been Division III powers for years, including in NCAA tournaments. Most recently, the St. Thomas men won the 2016 Division III national title.

Worth Noting

Because of Coronavirus concerns the Twin Cities Dunkers has postponed its March 18 meeting where Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher was scheduled to speak at the Minneapolis Club. Gophers coach P.J. Fleck was to introduce Fisher who has a family tie to the University of Minnesota.

Congratulations to former Gophers All-American defensive end Bob Stein after the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame named him a member of the 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class. A key contributor to Minnesota’s 1967 co-Big Ten championship team, he is the 19th Golden Gopher player to join the College Football Hall of Fame, and first since quarterback Sandy Stephens in 2011.

Sean Engel, a 2016 Chaska High School graduate, will be a senior at Augustana (Sioux Falls) next season and the 6-foot-5 wide receiver has pro football ambitions. He made the NSIC South Division all-conference first team in 2019 after catching 39 passes for 546 yards and helping his team to a 9-3 season and the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2015. Older brother Derrick was a wide receiver for the Gophers.

Harvey Mackay, the University of Minnesota alum, former Gophers golfer and New York Times best selling author, has a new book out, You Haven’t Hit Your Peak Yet, and in late January it was Barnes & Noble’s best selling business book.

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Will Lynx Reach Out to Maya Moore?

Posted on March 11, 2020March 11, 2020 by David Shama

Enjoy a Wednesday notes column with newsmakers Maya Moore, Gabe Kalscheur, Kirk Cousins, Sid Hartman and others.

It might just be that the Minnesota Lynx are formulating a compensation offer to entice Maya Moore back to the roster. Moore, known as the greatest winner in the history of women’s basketball, took a sabbatical last season to focus on criminal justice reform and expectations are she will miss the upcoming 2020 season, too. But a new agreement between the WNBA and the players association may have the Lynx front office thinking about a new contract offer to their missing superstar.

In January an eight-year Collective Bargaining Agreement was announced that raises pay 53 percent. Average WNBA salaries will reach six figures for the first time, with salaries for top players tripling and stars able to potentially earn more than $500,000.

In Moore’s first WNBA years of 2011 and 2012 she reportedly earned about $45,000 with the Lynx. Spotrac.com lists her most recent salary with Minnesota at $117,000. With the new CBA agreement players can earn a maximum salary of $215,000 but with other approved WNBA benefits the total can potentially exceed $500,000.

Moore turns 31 in June and while no one doubts her dedication to helping others, she may view the increased compensation as tempting and consider a return to the court with her playing days beginning to dwindle. Another factor perhaps influencing Moore’s thinking about a return to Minnesota is that a judge overturned the conviction Monday of a Missouri man whose case she has been championing.

Moore, who helped the Lynx win four WNBA titles, has been a major contributor to championship NCAA and Olympic teams. The Lynx begin the regular season May 15 at Chicago.

Gulp! This marketplace feasts on Vikings news and the next 12 months will have fans “gorging.” NFL free agency starts next week and the salary cap challenged Vikings will make additions and subtractions to their roster (including prominent names). The NFL Draft in April will be must-see TV viewing for the Purple faithful with most fans hoping the team’s No. 25 selection in the first round will be for a cornerback or offensive lineman. Also in the months ahead will be the drama surrounding GM Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer, both operating on one-year contracts.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ contract ends after next season and media speculation this week has him potentially ending up with the 49ers in 2021. If so, might Teddy Bridgewater return to Purple land? Now with the Saints, Bridgewater becomes a free agent later this month and could sign a one-year deal with a new club.

University of Minnesota men’s basketball had a 16-game average of 10,232 announced attendance for home games this season. That is the lowest since the program had an average of 8,395 during the 1970-1971 season.

The Gophers, playing their seventh season under head coach Richard Pitino, had one sellout at Williams Arena, with an announced attendance of 14,625 against Iowa.

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg talking about the deep Big Ten with many quality teams and the conference tournament that starts tonight with the Minnesota-Northwestern game: “Be as good a tournament as there is.”

Minnesota defeated the Wildcats twice during the regular season, 77-68 in Minneapolis and 83-57 in Evanston.

Gophers sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur, known for his three-point shooting, has expanded his offensive style late in the season by driving more to the basket, and has scored 40 points in his last two games. “Nobody works harder than Gabe,” said Pitino.

Sid Hartman’s 100th birthday is Sunday, March 15 and his longtime radio home, WCCO, will be celebrating with programming from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. that day.

The Meet Mikko Koivu event scheduled for yesterday at Fan HQ’s Ridgedale Center store was postponed to a later date because of NHL policy regarding the Coronavirus. No date has been announced yet for an appearance by the Minnesota Wild veteran.

No. 2 nationally ranked Minnesota State and No. 12 Bemidji host WCHA playoff games starting Friday. Both Minnesota programs are 2020 Frozen Four contenders for the NCAA title. They host Michigan Tech and Bowling Green (Ohio) respectively this weekend.

Bowling Green is coached by Ty Eigner, brother of St. Thomas Academy boys’ hockey coach Trent Eigner. Before going to Bemidji the Falcons were scheduled yesterday to practice at the Academy and today at Braemar Arena.

There might not be a more frequent supporter of various Gopher sports than retired U athletic director Joel Maturi who attends as many events as possible.

Look for NCAA wrestling attendance records to be broken when the NCAA Championships are held at US Bank Stadium March 19-21.

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Interesting Times at Williams Arena

Posted on March 9, 2020March 9, 2020 by David Shama

I headed to Williams Arena Sunday morning hoping to see my friend and Harrison Ford look-a-like Fred Hoiberg, the former Timberwolves guard and first-year coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Traffic was a breeze, and parking in the mostly empty Oak Street Ramp was even easier.

I engaged a Gopher fan on my walk to the arena. I asked him if he thought Richard Pitino would return next season as the University of Minnesota’s men’s basketball coach. “I am not one for firing coaches,” he answered. “I’d give him another year.”

Pitino’s job status is a hot topic of late and the fan’s response surprised me. A Daily Gopher story last week said only six percent of respondents in a fan poll thought the program is headed in the right direction. When it was mentioned to the fan that Pitino’s Big Ten regular season record is 48 wins and 80 losses, he seemed to backtrack in his conviction. Maybe this week’s poll goes to five percent approval.

Seconds after entering the arena, guess who I encountered? Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle. I smiled. We made eye contact. I asked, “Can I talk to you for a few minutes?”

“Nope,” he answered, adding to my intrigue and that of everyone else regarding the status of Pitino who is finishing up his seventh season leading the Gophers.

I met a media colleague in the concourse who I hadn’t seen in awhile. I told her I had been out of town a couple times, escaping the Minneapolis winter. She said I looked tan and rested, and not frustrated with the Gopher season.

Correct on two counts.

Prior to the game the Gophers honored three seniors and their families with an on- court ceremony. Alihan Demir, Michael Hurt and Brady Rudrud were playing their last home game for the Gophers, who have experienced a disappointing season with under .500 records overall and in the Big Ten.

Demir, a first-year transfer from Drexel, has been a regular but Hurt’s playing time has been spotty during his career, and Rudrud has seldom known game action. Demir and Hurt were in the staring lineup, with the latter scoring a surprising five early points to help the Gophers to a 13-5 lead.

By the 7:40 mark in the first half I was losing focus in the game. The Barn was predictably quiet for a game involving two teams resting at or near the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

The lady and kids sitting behind me seemed to be having a good time, though. I suspect they were first time visitors to The Barn. “This is kind of a weird floor,” mom pronounced regarding the famous raised court. “The coaches sit on bar stools.”

Demir had nine points (he was averaging 6.7) with about four minutes to play in the first half. He was Minnesota’s second leading scorer as his team moved to a 41-29 lead in a game the Gophers controlled almost from the beginning.

Daniel Otruru, the sophomore center who likely played his last home game before heading to the NBA Draft this spring, started slow in one of the few games the Gophers didn’t need a dominant performance from him to have a chance to win. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Otruru woke up the crowd late in the half with a dunk and also wowed fans with a behind the back dribble driving to the basket. By halftime the game seemed over, with Minnesota holding a 52-37 lead over the smaller and less talented lads from Lincoln.

In the early minutes of the second half I was most entertained during timeouts when the video screen showed clips of Gophers responding to the question of what planet they would most want to visit. Jarvis Omersa opted for Neptune.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “Just sounds good.”

With 12:20 left in the game, Minnesota led 75-48 and it clearly felt like Rudrud time. As of Sunday morning, he had played a grand total of 3:28 in Minnesota’s 29 games and had yet to score a point.

Nope, Pitino would make us wait for Rudrud’s appearance.

Rudrud finally checked into the game with 5:48 remaining, and almost immediately was urged by fans to “SHOOT!” About a minute later the fans oohed when his three point attempt from the corner almost went down.

But Rudrud wasn’t done because with 3:58 to go in the game the Eden Prairie point guard made a three-pointer. Seconds later the none too bashful crowd favorite let loose with another three point miss. Before going to the bench with about minute left in the game he made a nifty open court pass to freshman forward Isaiah Ihnen for a dunk.

The crowd roared during the closing minutes including when seldom used junior point guard Hunt Conroy entered the game. While he missed on two field goal attempts, he did make a free throw to the crowd’s delight.

After the game Pitino spoke to the fans about his three seniors who had a day they will never forget. Of course he praised all three and referred to Hurt as “the classiest kid I’ve coached.”

Maybe half of the modest crowd (announced attendance of 9,984) stayed after the game ended to hear Pitino and the three seniors speak and express appreciation for their careers. In what sounded like a shout-out to encourage more Minnesota prep players to attend the U, Hurt said, “When we’re winning here with Minnesota kids it makes things special.”

Rudrud played almost five minutes Sunday while Hurt played over 20 and scored five points. Demir, the only starter among the three for most of the season, scored a Minnesota career best 19 points.

Sophomore shooting guard Gabe Kalscheur led the Gophers in scoring with 26 points, tying a school record with eight three-point conversions. Minnesota made a Gopher record 18 three-point field goals in the game.

It was a long day for Hoiberg who is rebuilding the Nebraska program with new players on the way. In the 107-75 defeat, the Huskers lost their 16th consecutive Big Ten game. At the postgame news conference the thoughtful Hoiberg praised both the Gophers and Pitino. Then on his departure from the news conference he said, “It’s good to see you, David.”

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