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 Targets Elite Illinois Recruits

Posted on June 1, 2018June 1, 2018 by David Shama

The football Gophers are making an impact in the state of Illinois recruiting players for the class of 2019 and could end up with commitments from two of the top three prospects, according to Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated.com.

Defensive end Jason Bargy from Momency, Illinois has already verbally committed to Minnesota. Burns said the top three 2019 prospects in Illinois are Bargy, Crystal Lake offensive tackle Trevor Keegan and Quincy running back Jirehl Brock. All three are four-star recruits and Brock is more likely to verbally commit to the Gophers than Keegan, who is considered the No. 1 prospect in the state.

Brock will make an official visit to Minnesota on June 8. Burns wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually chooses Minnesota, although the recruiting authority acknowledges Iowa is the favorite. Brock, Burns said, has made six visits to Iowa City and that could be interpreted two ways. Likely it shows how interested he is in Iowa, but Burns speculates all those trips may indicate doubts—perhaps searching for a reason not to become a Hawkeye.

The Gophers have 10 commitments for the class of 2019, with three players from the state of Illinois already on board. The three are Bargy, three-star defensive back Tyler Nubin from St. Charles, and three-star offensive tackle J.J. Guedet from Washington. Burns said all three are “in the ear” of Brock to become a Gopher.

Historically the state of Illinois hasn’t been a target for Minnesota recruiting, with the Gophers even pulling more players and big-time contributors over the years from Wisconsin and Michigan among nearby states. That’s changed, though, under second-year coach P.J. Fleck who is an Illinois native, played collegiately at Northern Illinois and recognizes the opportunity in his home state where there are annually many top prospects.

Burns said the Gopher shopping list in Illinois includes other players than those referenced above and when the 2019 class is finalized Minnesota could end up with something like five of the top 15 players from the Land of Lincoln. “So not only are they going into the state of Illinois, and getting quality kids, they’re getting the top echelon,” Burns said.

University of Illinois football is sending out “distress signals” and schools like Minnesota, Iowa and Iowa State are among those trying to capitalize on the opportunity to recruit Illinois prep players skeptical about the Illini’s future under head coach Lovie Smith who is 5-19 in his first two years leading the program. The 60-year-old Smith, who took the Illinois job after many years in the NFL, is 2-16 in Big Ten games.

Burns described the 37-year-old Fleck as “much more of a dynamic recruiter” than Smith. “P.J’s enthusiasm just really resonates with 17 and 18 year old kids,” Burns said. “…P.J. is texting these kids, (and) facetiming them—while I don’t necessarily think Lovie is making sure to make an effort to do that on a daily basis.”

Minnesota offensive line coach Brian Callahan has recruiting responsibilities in Illinois and deserves credit along with Fleck for progress the Gophers have made in the state. “That’s a place where Minnesota wanted to go more last year,” Burns said. “They got some quality kids (class of 2018) from there like Elijah Teague, a defensive tackle who I expect to contribute early on. They signed a middle linebacker named Mariano Sori-Marin from there, but they knew that they wanted to get inroads into this 2019 class and I think you’ve seen that.

“Illinois is consistently producing 25, 30 legitimate BCS kids a year. To get not even into June yet, and you’ve already landed three of the top eight from the state of Illinois, I can tell you Lovie Smith and staff are not very happy with P.J. Fleck because these are kids that Illinois thinks they should be keeping (at) home. But P.J. is going in there and winning some pretty important recruiting battles.”

Worth Noting

Among the Gophers’ other recruiting targets is three-star, pro-style quarterback Jacob Clark from Rockwall, Texas. Burns said Clark’s dad visited Minnesota’s campus this week. Burns predicted a college decision by mid-June with the quarterback choosing either Minnesota or California.

June is an international travel month for the University of St. Thomas football team. Coach Glenn Caruso has arranged a 13-day trip to Ireland and Italy including a game in Rome on Saturday against one of Italy’s top Division I teams. NCAA rules allow teams to take an international trip for competition every three years.

The MIAC announced yesterday that St. Thomas has won the Men’s and Women’s All-Sports Competition for the past school year. It’s the 11th consecutive year the Tommies have been No. 1 in overall MIAC competition for both genders.

Customers at St. Paul Saints games are alert for Bill Murray sightings. The comedian and actor doesn’t live in Minnesota but is sometimes spotted at CHS Field watching the team he is part owner of. Mike Veeck, also a Saints owner, said Murray doesn’t have “handlers” and fans “absolutely love him because he is so approachable and they can get autographs. They feel the relationship with him.”

The Twins, 22-30 on the season, aren’t winning close games. Last night they lost 9-8 to the Central Division first place Indians. Minnesota, 6.5 games behind the Indians, has seen 11 of its last 12 games decided by three runs or fewer, and has a 3-8 record in those games.

Miguel Sano, who hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning, had three RBI last night—the most he’s had this season.

Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx coach who has led her team to four WNBA titles, was quoted extensively in a May 27 New York Times article while analyzing a Western Conference NBA finals game between the Warriors and Rockets. She is a fan of Golden State forward-center Draymond Green. “There’s just an element to the way he plays,” Reeve told the Times.

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Nanne-Torrey Cooked up Steak Trade

Posted on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 by David Shama

A Wednesday notes column starting with Lou Nanne’s steak dinner trade for a minor league hockey player.

The former North Stars executive told Sports Headliners about the 1980s steak dinner trade he made with the late Bill Torrey of the Islanders when Minnesota targeted Frank Beaton. Nanne was developing the minor league affiliate roster for Birmingham and Beaton had been a popular player in that city during World Hockey Association days in the 1970s. Nanne thought Beaton, who was Islanders’ property, could boost his South Stars at the box office.

“I signed him,” Nanne said. “Bill calls me and says, ‘You can’t do that. It’s not even July first. He’s not a free agent.’

“I go, ‘If I am going to Birmingham I am getting guys that can help sell tickets. So I already signed him, so I’ll buy you dinner.’ He says, ‘Okay.’ ”

The trade was reported to the NHL office something like this: Beaton to the North Stars for dinner at The Palm in New York. The league office nixed the deal and said the transaction had to be for “future considerations” instead of a steak dinner.

Torrey, though, still got his dinner from Nanne at the famous New York City steakhouse, reportedly costing $360. “Actually it wasn’t $360. It was about $180,” Nanne said.

Torrey died earlier this month after an extraordinary career as an executive who built Stanley Cup teams. He was known as “The Architect.”

“He was one of my closest friends,” Nanne said. “I have to say he was one of the most liked people you’re ever going to see. Extremely smart and very sociable, and a great work ethic, and a great boss. He knew how to work with, how to handle people, and he knew how to build an organization. Bill was one of the best.”

Minnesota native Dana Marshall, an avid sports researcher, points out maybe the success of the first-year NHL expansion Golden Knights isn’t unprecedented as commonly reported. The Minneapolis Lakers, he wrote via email, won the 1948 National Basketball League championship with a new roster after relocating from Detroit as the Gems. The “Cinderella” Vegas team is in the Stanley Cup Finals and leading the Caps 1-0 in the best of seven series.

Sports Headliners has been told gross receipts from ticket sales for home Gophers football increased last season, totaling $11,889,168 after generating $10,744,555 in 2016, according to a University of Minnesota source. In 2015 six of seven home games were sold out, or near sellouts, with gross receipts of $13,396,171.

The Gopher baseball team has two 9-0 pitchers in freshman Patrick Fredrickson and sophomore Brett Schulze. Fredrickson, the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, ranks No. 15 in the nation with his 1.78 ERA.

Minnesota is the favorite in the NCAA Tournament’s Minneapolis Regional that starts Friday at Siebert Field and will be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks.

The Twins start their most important series so far this season tomorrow night at home against the Central Division leading Indians. After next Sunday’s fourth and final series game the Twins could possibly be in first place or far behind in the division race. Going into tonight’s game at Kansas City against the Royals, Minnesota is 4.5 games behind the Indians.

The likely Twins starters in the Cleveland series are Jake Odorizzi, Jose Berrios, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. The Indians’ probables are Shane Bleber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, and a fourth pitcher to be determined.

St. Paul Saints owner Mike Veeck talking about what people don’t know about him: “I am a failed musician. For a hobby, I play the guitar. I love to write songs. If you hand me a guitar and give me three words about you, or your loved ones, or your children, or your automobile, I have the ability to write a rhyme. I can rhyme and play.”

Former Gophers basketball player Quincy Lewis is interim director of the M Club that recognizes and serves University of Minnesota letter winners.

Mike Goldammer, the former executive director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section, is now in Alabama where he is Director of Tennis for Center Court Tuscaloosa.

The Vikings, going through OTAs now, have one punter (Ryan Quigley) on the roster, but two placekickers in veteran Kai Forbath and rookie Daniel Carlson from Auburn. Forbath, 30, has six years of experience in the NFL and was the Vikings’ kicker last season when in early December he had missed five extra points before being perfect the remainder of the schedule. Carlson, who the Vikings used a fifth round pick to select, was 198-for-198 on extra points in college—although from a shorter distance than in the NFL.

How long does Vikings coach Mike Zimmer see the competition lasting between Forbath and Carlson?

“I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. If one guy is way ahead of the other guy then we might make the change sooner, so the other guy gets all the reps.

“One thing you have to be careful a little bit about is there are not 65,000 people screaming (and) doing the Skol chant and all those other things when you’re out there kicking (in OTAs). If they miss a game winner here today, it’s probably not the same (as) if they miss a game winner September 9th (season opener).”

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Mike Veeck Delivers a Movie Scoop

Posted on May 27, 2018May 27, 2018 by David Shama

Mike Veeck is on the phone the other day. He’s telling me “you’ve been nice,” and that he has planned for awhile to give me something newsy. So now the part owner of the St. Paul Saints baseball team delivers.

“I am working on a full-length motion picture,” Mike announces. “It’s based on my daughter Rebecca’s struggles with her eyesight. It’s based on the Gary Smith Sports Illustrated story that he did 15 years ago, or 10 years ago, or whenever it was.”

The Smith piece was published almost 13 years ago, and much of the story focused on Rebecca’s blindness caused by Retinitis Pigmentosa. The lengthy magazine feature was headlined “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” and the story began this way: “Mike Veeck, the wizard of the minor leagues, has passed on his love of baseball and penchant for comic spectacle to his teenage daughter, Rebecca. She has taught him a few things, too.”

The working title for the movie is also “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” and a script is being written. Mike doesn’t know or care that much if the story turns out to be a made-for-TV movie or is destined for theatres. He has relationships, though, with TV network executives and that may impact the direction.

What matters to Mike is whether the movie happens, because it’s going to be a fundraiser to help with the fight against the disease that caused Rebecca to go blind as a little girl. The daughter of Mike and Libby is 26 now and occupies part of her time making pottery. There is even a shop in downtown St. Paul that sells her creations. She spends a lot of her time, though, in Charleston, South Carolina where her dad owns a couple of restaurants with Hollywood’s Bill Murray, who also has a financial interest in the Saints.

At times Rebecca feels the darkness of not only her blindness but depression. “Good and bad days, but she is a tiger,” Mike said. “She is her mom and dad’s girl. She’s got a tremendous attitude.”

The movie will help many who watch it to understand the courage needed and the difficulties those with disabilities endure. That’s a story that Mike wants to share about his daughter (he also has a son creatively named William “Night Train” Veeck).

Caring for others was on Rebecca’s mind a few years ago when CHS Field, the Saints’ new home, was being constructed. Federal guidelines require handicapped seating of one percent in stadiums but CHS is at two percent—and her dad explained that “Rebecca had a huge influence on that.”

Mike had his 67th birthday in March and after a life that includes surviving a heart attack and recovering from alcoholism there are a lot of miles on the body, but the brain is still going 100 miles per hour. That brain just might find its way into a reality TV show.

Joan Steffend Brandmeier, the former KARE 11 news anchor, and her husband Joe Brandmeier, have been talking to Mike about such a production. “Mike’s Brain” would be a 30-minute documentary on fun in the workplace and life—kind of whatever pops into Veeck’s head. The program is being shopped for a TV home.

Mike has seemingly hatched a million promotional ideas, most of them zany, some pure genius and a few disastrous. The Saints’ savant has been percolating ideas 24-7 for decades, including with minor league teams he has owned and major league teams that employed him. The popularity and success of the Saints has risen from a startup independent league franchise in 1992 that was worth nothing and now just might fetch over $25 million if put on the sales block.

When the Brandmeiers first called they wanted to know what is in Mike’s noggin. He answered this way: “…Well, there’s nothing in my head.’ They go, ‘Okay, we’ll take our chances.’”

When Mike wrote the marketing plan for the startup Saints the first three words were: “Fun is good.” Those words were first written by Dr. Seuss, the famous author of children’s books, and Veeck knew they were spot-on for his franchise that would field a team of players that MLB clubs had little or no interest in.

The Twins had won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. By 1992 interest in the Minneapolis-based MLB team was at an all-time high. Mike knew he couldn’t tell the public to come see his Saints so they could watch “great baseball.” That product was at the Metrodome where the Twins and their opponents played the best baseball in the world.

But what the Saints delivered was slapstick at the ballpark. From the beginning it was pure Veeck—a pig delivering baseballs to the umpire, a nun giving massages, mimes performing instant replays, and on and on and on. All the shtick for one purpose: have fun at the ballpark.

Fun is a word that defines Veeck. It goes to the core of his philosophy about life and who he is.

How does he live his commitment to that single three-letter word?

“Having fun is a job,” he said. “You have to wake up in the morning and you have to think to yourself, I am going to really have fun. Because it’s not some silly …everybody be happy (thing that just happens).

“That (attitude) would make you the village idiot. It’s a conscious effort, decision (to have fun)—because there are kids starving to death in the world. There are kids who can’t read, people who don’t have jobs. It’s a serious world and you have to make a conscious effort to infect everyone you meet with joy.”

Mike has made a career out of “infecting” others and those efforts have gone beyond baseball. He taught an undergraduate class for seven years at The Citadel, sharing his experiences and ideas about sports marketing. “I loved it,” he recalled. “I never had more fun, and it was because the interaction with the kids was so great.”

Mike and a partner do training with businesses to teach them how to have more fun in the workplace. It’s something he is passionate about and wants to do more of because of his commitment to spread the joy of life!

How could it be otherwise coming from a family like his? His mother Mary Frances, still alive and nearing 100, was once billed as “the most beautiful press agent in the world” working for Ice Capades. “She was (also) the most organized woman in the world,” Mike said. “When you had nine kids, you had to be organized. She kept the old man on earth. He would have floated to Pluto if it hadn’t been for my mom.”

Baseball had never seen an owner like Mike’s dad Bill who once sent a midget to the plate in a regular season game and made national headlines. It’s a publicity stunt that is still talked about more than 60 years later.

Bill Veeck, always the master promoter, put “Martians” on the playing field, staged the infamous Disco Demolition Night and innovated the exploding scoreboard that shot off fireworks when his team hit home runs. The 1979 disco night turned into a nasty riot caused by rowdy fans. It was a promotion that Mike had more than a hand in, but that was a long time ago and maybe a story for another time.

Tonight the Saints are at home and play the Gary SouthShore Railcats. There will be a Memorial Day celebration because tomorrow the club is on the road. The entertainment at the ballpark will include a postgame fireworks show. The Saints’ fireworks are special and it’s a big reason why people come to CHS Field.

“We spend too much money on our fireworks show,” Mike said. “I got that directly from my dad. He overspent.”

That’s what you do when “fun is good.”

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