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.

Molitor Twins Future Still Unknown

Posted on August 22, 2017August 22, 2017 by David Shama

The Paul Molitor fan club has to be restless. Molitor remains a popular Minnesota sports celebrity and as Twins manager has led the club to a contender’s role in the American League Wild Card standings as the closing weeks of the season near.

Yet the Twin Cities native and former Gophers All-American who earned his way to the Hall of Fame with a playing career that included three years with the Twins, is on an uncertain career path. Molitor’s three-year contract as manager ends following the season and during an interview last week general manager Thad Levine said the future of the Twins’ field boss won’t be addressed until after the ballclub has played its last game this fall.

No doubt some Molitor loyalists—and there are many—feel the manager should have been offered a new contract by now. His team has overcome adversity—including injuries and an extraordinary shuffling of the pitching staff—to stay in the race for a postseason playoff race. The Twins are 64-60 after being a 59-102 team a year ago.

The Molitor admirers, particularly those who know baseball well, see a manager with exceptional knowledge of the gam. He is an avid learner and teacher whose command of both the subtleties and fundamentals has helped revive the franchise. His supporters also see a leader who has taken a calm approach with a young roster, despite changing out so many players on a team that has avoided long losing streaks.

And then there is this: Molitor is a high character, likeable guy who Minnesotans enjoy being around him.

Levine, though, didn’t give a hint as to whether Molitor will return as manager in 2018. The Twins don’t negotiate contracts during the season and Levine, along with chief baseball officer Derek Falvey, decided not to make a deal with Molitor last offseason. As the franchise’s new leaders as of last fall, they are committed to a lengthy evaluation of all things related to baseball including the manager, coaches and scouts.

“We’ve talked to Paul and we’ve all collectively determined that we would…let the season play out without any distractions,” Levine said. “Then we would address that (contract situation) as well as a number of our other staff members whose contracts will be up at the end of the season—just so that we could keep our focus where it should be, which is between the lines at this point.”

The emotions of Molitor loyalists are one thing. Business, though, is another and objectively it makes sense for the Twins to take a wait-and-see approach—even with just 38 games remaining of the season and the results from the manager and coaching staff’s work making a compelling argument for a Molitor extension.

When asked how he and Falvey evaluate a manager, Levine emphasized the development of a “partnership” and effective communication between the front office and the field boss. Much of that needed collaboration involves decisions on player personnel.

“That doesn’t mean everyone agrees at all times,” Levine said. “Quite frankly, I think it’s probably healthier when they don’t—when we’re set up to sharpen each other’s ideas rather than just agree with all of them.”

There’s no indication Molitor, who turns 61 today, doesn’t want to return as manager. He and his coaches and players have shown a resiliency that has impressed Levine. The season’s longest losing streak is four games, compared with a late slide last year that saw Minnesota drop 13 straight.

A few weeks ago the front office seemed to be taking a build-for-the-future approach by trading starting pitcher Jamie Garcia and Brandon Kintzler—one of baseball’s best closers—for prospects. “Here we go,” thought Twins fans. “The team will collapse and fall out of contention for the playoffs.”

Instead the Twins have remained competitive and have won 12 of their last 16 games. The collective resiliency has impressed Levine who mentioned the leadership of veterans Joe Mauer, Ervin Santana and Brian Dozier, and how a young core of players has contributed to team determination.

“I think it’s been one of the biggest bright spots of this team,” Levine said. “As you try to put together a championship caliber team, one thing that every single championship team has ever had in the history of the game is resiliency. There are teams that get knocked down but get back up, and there are teams that bend but they don’t break, and I think we’ve seen that out of our club.

“There are countless times this season where a three-game losing streak could have turned into a six or seven-game losing streak. Or they could have kind of thrown in the towel and succumbed to what the national pundits were saying in terms of their likely win expectancy for the year. Each time they’ve tried to defy that, and they’ve rallied around each other and shown tremendous resolve.

“I think those are championship caliber qualities and you can’t teach that. It has to be innate within your team. I think the fact that we’re seeing that out of this club—especially on the heels of a 103 loss season—is a mark of exceptional growth.”

The Twins and other major league teams can expand rosters on September 1 from 25 to 40 players. “I would expect we’re going to bring up a half dozen guys or so,” Levine said.

Who the Twins decide to promote to the big league club is impacted by roster needs, minor league performances and wanting to give top prospects early exposure to baseball’s highest level of competition. Part of the Twins perspective will also be influenced by the versatility of players on the existing roster.

“We have so many guys who can play so many different positions that we can probably be a little more selective as to who we want to promote,” Levine said. “Those are conversations that Derek, and myself, and Paul have had ongoing, and will continue to have.”

Comments Welcome

Target Center to Host Hall of Fame

Posted on August 20, 2017August 20, 2017 by David Shama

A group led by former Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi is establishing the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame and will announce the first class of inductees in the coming months.

Maturi told Sports Headliners he’s been involved with the project for four-plus years and there will soon be a Hall of Fame display in the renovated Target Center that re-opens in October. “The inaugural (Hall of Fame) event will be some time this fall, or early winter in conjunction with a Wolves game,” he said.

The Hall of Fame will honor the accomplishments of not just former great high school players in Minnesota, but other contributors to prep basketball including coaches, media and referees. The inaugural class of inductees is expected to total a dozen or so individuals. “The first class is the hardest because there are so many deserving people,” Maturi said.

Maturi, who chairs a board of volunteers for the project, played high school basketball at Chisholm High School for the legendary Bob McDonald. That experience is part of what provides Maturi motivation for the Hall of Fame.

The Minnesota shrine will be one of the few, if not the first in the country, to honor men and women with varied accomplishments and contributions to the state’s rich basketball history. Halls of Fame in other states for prep basketball honor only coaches.

Maturi was the Gophers athletics director from 2002-2012. The University of Minnesota will soon officially rename the school’s Sports Pavilion in his honor. As of September 2, the formal name for the facility will be the Joel Maturi University Sports Pavilion and the building’s exterior will bear the name “Maturi Pavilion.”

Maturi was more than surprised when school officials approached him about renaming the facility that hosts more intercollegiate events than any other at the U. “That would be an understatement,” he said. “Surprised is too soft a word. Stunned, shocked and overwhelmed. I was humbled and honored. I am really appreciative that the U is recognizing a decade of transition.”

Maturi was the Athletic Department’s first-ever director for both the men’s and women’s programs—bringing together what had been two separate and sometimes adversarial departments. During the Maturi era football returned to campus with the building of TCF Bank Stadium, teams won five national championships, academics improved, and the department became more unified.

The U will honor Maturi prior to the Gophers’ volleyball match against Tennessee on September 2. The ceremony will be part of what has been a memorable year for the 72-year-old, who had prostate surgery in April and is now cancer free.

Worth Noting

Myron Medcalf, the former Star Tribune sportswriter now on the college basketball beat for Espn.com, has the Gophers at No. 15 in his most recent “Way-too-Early” top 25 rankings posted Thursday. Michigan State, who he ranks No. 4, is the only Big Ten Conference team ahead of the Gophers. He writes the Spartans are the conference favorite for a title, but cautions not to overlook Minnesota.

Medcalf moved Duke to No. 1 in his latest rankings, noting the Blue Devils have so much talent that Minnesota native Gary Trent Jr., projected as one of the top freshmen in the country, may come off the bench rather than start.

The Twins beat the Diamondbacks 12-5 today, winning their 11th game in the last 14 and remaining a contender for the playoffs. In their three-game series sweep the Twins out scored Arizona 27-8.

The Twins had a nine run first inning in today’s game at Target Field, the most runs they have scored in one inning since 2014. Eddie Rosario received the loudest applause with his second career grand slam, but Max Kepler had a key role in the big inning too. Kepler, who has struggled against left-handed pitching, got a hit off Arizona lefty starter T.J. McFarland to increase Minnesota’s lead from 2-0 to 4-0.

Joe Mauer, who didn’t play today, is hitting .500 in his last nine games with nine RBI. He has raised his average to .290 for the season.

The Vikings added former Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner to their roster today. After practice this afternoon Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said his organization liked Leidner’s past workouts but that the Lakeville South alum has struggled with passing accuracy.

Leidner wasn’t drafted by an NFL team after the 2016 season with the Gophers. He attended the Ravens rookie minicamp but didn’t sign with the team.

Zimmer also said he liked the performance of rookie center Pat Elflein in Friday night’s preseason loss to the Seahawks, but he hasn’t decided who will be his starter in 2017.

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association will relocate its men’s and women’s office staffs from Edina to Bloomington next week, moving into new space near Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.

Comments Welcome

Intrigue May Last at U QB Position

Posted on August 17, 2017August 17, 2017 by David Shama

A Thursday Gophers notes column.

P.J. Fleck will soon announce his starting quarterback but the drama associated with the position could last all season. The new Gophers coach has gone through spring practices, the summer break, and now a couple weeks of practices leading up to the opening game August 31 without naming a starter.

Fleck is choosing between redshirt senior Conor Rhoda and redshirt sophomore Demry Croft. Rhoda is a former walk-on now on scholarship who has started one game with the Gophers, a win at Maryland last fall. Croft has no starts and played minimal minutes behind former starter Mitch Leidner who has graduated.

Based on past experience and reputation, neither player rates high with media who cover Big Ten Conference football. In its Big Ten football issue, Athlon Sports magazine ranks the Minnesota quarterback group or unit No. 13—ahead of only Rutgers in the 14-team league. Lindy’s in its college football publication wrote: “The options at quarterback lack experience and could be a season-long drag on the offense.”

Fleck, of course, is being positive. “What I love about both of them (Croft and Rhoda), is they’re both getting better,” he said after practice on Tuesday. “It hasn’t been an easy decision to say this guy has won the job, because they’re both playing at a high level.”

Fleck and his staff will implement details for the Buffalo game with players next week in preparation for the opener at TCF Bank Stadium. “I am not going to wait much longer,” Fleck said regarding the quarterback decision.

No doubt, though, whoever is named the starter for Buffalo won’t receive a guarantee to play quarterback for 12 games. Fleck and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca know performance may dictate change—perhaps even more than once.

Before training camp started on August 1, probably no one guessed that among the players Fleck would praise the most halfway through practices are junior redshirt defensive tackle Gary Moore and freshman wide receiver Demetrius Douglas. Moore only played in four games and had two tackles last season but is now among Minnesota’s better defensive linemen. Douglas, the son of former Gophers receiver Omar Douglas, might already be the team’s best wide out after sophomore Tyler Johnson.

The Gophers impressed with their defense during the Jerry Kill and Tracy Claeys era from 2011-2016. Minnesota’s shutdown of pass crazy Washington State in the Holiday Bowl last December was one of the best defensive performances by Minnesota in a long while, but soon after the 17-12 win Claeys, who had been the defensive coordinator under Kill, was fired as head coach. It would have been understandable if the defensive players were anxious about the prospect of new leadership but senior linebacker Jonathan Celestin remembers taking a calm approach as he reached out to all his teammates after hearing about Claeys and the possibility that many or all of his assistants wouldn’t be retained.

“We (the players) were all at home and I made sure I texted everybody that (they should) have an open mind, no matter what happens,” Celestin said on Tuesday. “We’re still—at the end of the day—11 players on the field, offense, defense, special teams. Coaches won’t be out here with us on the field, no matter what.

“…I am sure (new) coach Smith will put us in the right position, but at the end of the day we have to execute. I just made sure that everybody was on the same page and had an open mind (when he texted to teammates).”

Celestin is impressed with the systems approach of new Gophers defensive coordinator Robb Smith and being able to disguise things with opponents. “He is very creative,” Celestin said. “He loves third down, I will tell you that. He knows how to make everything look the same, and you really won’t know what’s coming at you. You do a lot of crazy things on defense, I will tell you that.”

Gophers’ sophomore linebacker Thomas Barber is developing a reputation among teammates for physical play. “That’s always been part of my game,” said the former Robbinsdale Armstrong player.

Celestin is known as “Thumper” for his hard hitting. He’s impressed with Barber for his physical play—and more. “He can definitely help the team out a lot,” Celestin said. “Thomas has grown a lot over these past couple of months—seeing him develop into actually a leader vocally on the field. He’s trying to call plays out with me, and he can really get into the film room (for study).”

Barber’s older brothers, Dom and Marion III, both played for the Gophers and have emphasized the importance of stretching. They told Thomas to take care of his body now because “it benefits you in the future too.”

Sophomore linebacker and defensive end Carter Coughlin played at just 214 pounds last season. “But this year I am 228 and I am about to hit 230, and that’s my goal,” the 6-4 Coughlin said.

Coughlin will sometimes be positioned on the line of scrimmage, and strength is needed there to face bigger blockers than he may see at linebacker. Before Coughlin’s college career is complete, he wants to add as much as 15 pounds—with the caveat he doesn’t want to lose his signature speed. “If I am fast then, I’ll even try to get up higher (in weight),” said the former Eden Prairie High School All-American.

Playing part-time last season, Coughlin had two sacks. “Without a question, there is nothing better than getting a sack. Absolutely,” he said.

Coughlin ranks Celestin, Barber and senior redshirt defensive back Duke McGhee as three of the hardest hitting players on the Minnesota defense. “He is the highest out of the underclassmen—without a question,” Coughlin said of Barber.

True freshman tackle Blaise Andries, from Marshall, Minnesota, has been receiving reps with the first team offense. “People don’t understand how hard it is to play offensive line as a freshman,” said redshirt junior starting center Jared Weyler. “There’s not many that do it. The fact that he’s matured enough to take reps with the first team, I am really, really happy for him. He’s going to continue to develop.”

Weyler had limited game experience last season at center, playing more at guard. The difference in the two positions includes having the other’s team’s nose guard only about two inches away from the center, and things happen faster than at guard.

Weyler said he’s fortunate to practice against Minnesota senior Steven Richardson, who is among the top defensive linemen in the Big Ten. “…He’s probably one of the best noses in the country,” Weyler said. “The fact that I get to work with him each and every day, that’s really, really helped my progress too.”

Condolences to families and friends following the recent deaths of former Gophers defensive linemen Ron Kamzelski and Keith Simons. Kamzelski was second team All-Big Ten in 1968, while Simons made first-team All-Big Ten in 1974.

Still no opponent and specific date determined yet for the Gophers basketball game in December of 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium, but details will be finalized soon.

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