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.

Minnesota Lynx Tracking Record Year

Posted on June 15, 2016June 15, 2016 by David Shama

The Lynx set a WNBA record last night for most wins opening a season, pushing Minnesota’s record this spring to 11-0. If the Lynx can win their next three games, including against the 10-0 Sparks on Tuesday, they can break the franchise record of 13 consecutive wins that spanned the 2011-2012 seasons.

The Lynx defeated Indiana last evening at Target Center to break the best start to the season record the 2012 Minnesota team set. The 10-0 2012 club didn’t lose a game until June 17 and went on to lose in the WNBA Finals to Indiana.

The team is off to an impressive start but what matters the most is whether Minnesota can repeat as league champions, and it will be interesting to see how the break for the Olympics this summer impacts the franchise’s title plans.

Four years ago there was also a break in the WNBA schedule because of the summer Olympics, and the stoppage didn’t derail the Lynx season. But there is risk involved with a long break, especially for the Lynx who will send four players to Brazil for the summer games. The last Lynx game before the break will be July 22 and the first after the Olympics will be August 26.

Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen will play for the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. The Lynx have more players on the U.S. roster than any other WNBA franchise. A serious injury to one or more of the Lynx’s Big Four in Rio de Janeiro could prevent Minnesota from winning its fourth WNBA championship in six years.

Moore is off to a sensational start this season, having twice been named Western Conference Player of the Week. She is fourth in league scoring at 19.8 points per game. Augustus, Fowles and Whalen are former WNBA All-Stars as is Moore. Playing different positions, they bring varied scoring, playmaking, rebounding and shot blocking skills that have helped make the Lynx a dynasty and Minnesota’s most successful pro franchise.

Even if the Lynx players stay healthy during the Olympic break, there are other factors that will test the team when the WNBA season resumes in late August. For example, the Lynx Big Four will face the demands and fatigue of the Olympics. Of the four Lynx players, only Moore is under 30 years old.

Then, too, there is the question of whether team momentum can continue after the WNBA schedule break for the Olympics. In another month the Lynx may still be the hottest club in the WNBA but that offers no guarantee in late August and early September as the schedule draws to a close and the playoffs follow. Momentum is a major factor in continued success for any team and a long break could impact Lynx chemistry in the team’s final nine regular season games after the Olympics. The Lynx’s Big Four will spend a month playing with Olympic teammates, then readjust to their Minnesota teammates. How will that go?

This is not only another talented Lynx team but perhaps the deepest in franchise history. Will this be the most historic of seasons for the franchise?

The 2016 Olympic team, with the key Lynx contributors on the roster and a five-time history of being Olympic champions, will be expected to win Gold again. The Lynx could compile the best regular season record in WNBA history, perhaps breaking Phoenix’s 29-5 record set in 2014. And by repeating as WNBA champions in the playoffs, Minnesota would tie Houston for most league titles with four.

Worth Noting

Former Timberwolves forward Kevin Love draws criticism for not doing more to help the Cavs who trail the Warriors 3-2 in the NBA Finals. Love, though, isn’t a good fit in the Cavs offense featuring a lot of one-on-one basketball with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Rumors may continue about Love being traded and he would benefit by being in a more team oriented offense like those in Boston, New York and San Antonio.

Jerry Kill told Sports Headliners he starts his new job July 18 as associate athletic director at Kansas State. His focus will be helping the Kansas State football program.

Kill was in Rochester, New York earlier in the week to participate in a Coaches vs. Cancer golf event fundraiser. Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, himself a cancer survivor, was honored for support of Coaches vs. Cancer.

The Gophers’ opening football game at home against Oregon State on Thursday, September 1 will be the first Big Ten Network telecast of the season. Telecast time from TCF Bank Stadium will be 8 p.m. (Central Daylight).

New Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle is meeting in-person with athletic department contributors who have helped the program in the past.

Two-time Minnesota All-American and 1962 Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell will be the Gophers’ dignitary for the first-ever All-Big Ten Alumni Cruise of Alaska June 20-30 of next year. Each Big Ten school is inviting its own dignitary, according to an email last week from the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

A sports industry source told Sports Headliners former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who still works for the organization, may interview for the University of Texas head baseball job this week. Gardenhire has the experience and personality to connect with college players.

The Twins host the Yankees for a four-game series starting tomorrow night (Thursday) at Target Field. Saturday the first 10,000 fans receive a Miguel Sano Bobblehead.

Late next week the Twins are in New York for a three-game series with the Yankees that includes a June 24 promotional giveaway of 18,000 Mickey Mantle Triple Crown Bobbleheads. It was 60 years ago, in 1956, that Mantle won the American League’s Triple Crown.

Although the Minnesota Legislature didn’t grant a property tax exemption on the St. Paul land for a soccer stadium this spring, it’s expected to happen in the next 10 months or less. Construction of the privately financed stadium has to start soon for a desired 2018 opening for Minnesota’s anticipated new MLS team. It seems all but certain the team will play next year at the Gophers’ TCF Bank Stadium.

Jimmy Fortune, formerly of the Statler Brothers, will entertain at the seventh annual Camden’s Concert on July 11 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. WCCO Radio Sports Huddle host Dave Mona and wife Linda named the event after grandson Camden Mona. Now eight years old, Camden was diagnosed at birth with cystic fibrosis and the concert raises money for cystic fibrosis research. More at Camdensconcert.com.

The North Star Bicycle Festival that started earlier in the month will continue today (Wednesday) thru Sunday with the North Star Grand Prix, a five-day, six-stage race held in cities around east central Minnesota that is part of USA Cycling’s national racing calendar. More at Northstarbicyclefestival.com.

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‘Championship Depth’ on Vikes Staff

Posted on June 13, 2016June 13, 2016 by David Shama

As head coach, Mike Zimmer has led a turnaround of the Vikings. After a first-year 7-9 record in 2014, the Vikings won the NFC North Division last season going 11-5.

In only two seasons Zimmer has been anointed one of the NFL’s best head coaches. A May 25 article in USA Today, for example, ranked Zimmer the fourth best coach in the league.

Zimmer had never been a head coach in the NFL when general manager Rick Spielman hired him in January of 2014 to lead a rebuilding of the team. From the start Zimmer, a former defensive coordinator with the Bengals, showed a commitment to defense. He also insisted that all his players perform with extra effort and football intelligence.

An example of on field I.Q. is that last season the Vikings were the least penalized team in the NFL with 88 flags. The offense was the least penalized in the 32-team league with 30 penalties.

The Vikings improved in Zimmer’s first season and clearly made even more progress last year. The franchise is on a shortlist of NFL organizations who smart observers predict will be Super Bowl contenders in the coming years. The dream scenario, of course, is the Vikings will play in the 2018 Super Bowl that will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium.

But Zimmer hasn’t set the Viking ship in a new direction by himself. Spielman has drafted wisely in recent years, acquiring young talent like quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, tight end Kyle Rudolph and safety Harrison Smith.

The personnel matters but so too does the coaching. And Zimmer has surrounded himself with impressive assistants, most of whom were with him last year too. Last week former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton watched practice and talked about a staff that got even better this winter with the addition of tight ends coach Pat Shurmur and offensive line coach Tony Sparano. “It’s a very impressive group,” Dalton told Sports Headliners.

Shurmur is starting his 18th NFL season this year, Sparano his 19th. They are not only former NFL assistants, but also ex-head coaches—Shurmur with the Eagles and Sparano with the Dolphins. Dalton sees the addition of the two veteran teachers as “juicing the staff” and providing “championship depth.”

Dalton said championship teams need depth in player personnel and so do coaching staffs. And it’s not only the number of years coaching that counts, but also the varied experiences in different systems and philosophies that matter.

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner is an ex-NFL head coach with the Chargers and Redskins. Dalton said Zimmer shows confidence in himself with a willingness to have three former head coaches on his offensive staff. “I’ll bet their meetings are really interesting because they’re going to bring different takes on it (what to plan) and they’ll find the right matchups for the Vikings’ offense,” Dalton said.

While Zimmer likes his staff, the best news he probably received last week was when Spielman got a contract extension done with Smith for a reported five years and $51.25 million. The extension had been a subject of speculation going back to last year, and earlier this spring Smith told Sports Headliners he didn’t know what the timeline would be on a deal even though he was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

“I figured it would get done,” Zimmer said. “I don’t think that Harrison is the kind of guy that really cares that much about money. I think he loves playing football and loves being out here and working, and things like that. So, I figured it would get done eventually.”

Rudolph signed a reported five-year extension two years ago and his experience is that it’s a plus to get contracts done. “…You can say all you want that you’re not worried about it, you’re not thinking about it, but it’s just done and binding now and he can fully focus on football,” Rudolph said. “He’s one of the best I know at preparing, coming in everyday, working hard, practicing everyday. No one prepares more than Harrison does, and he deserves every penny that he got and I am happy for him.”

Rudolph benefits from practicing against Smith, a safety he regards as the best in the NFL. “He can do everything,” Rudolph said. “He can cover. He can play in the box. He can blitz. And I think he’s part of the reason why our defense is so successful. He’s a guy that can be put in almost any situation and he’s going to succeed.”

What does Zimmer believe Smith means to his defense?

“Well, he’s a leader by example,” Zimmer answered. “He plays real hard. He’s tough. He’s smart. You know he’s like a lot of our guys.”

Plays hard, tough and smart? Yeah, sounds familiar.

Twins Notes

This is a weird schedule week for the Twins. They defeated the Red Sox at home yesterday and start a three-game series in Anaheim tonight, before returning to Minneapolis and playing a four-game series against the Yankees.

The Twins are an American League worst 19-43 after yesterday’s extra inning 7-4 win against the Red Sox. The club has 100 games remaining on the schedule and must improve to avoid the franchise’s worst record ever. The 1982 Twins finished 60 and 102. To reach 61 victories the Twins will need to win 42 percent of their remaining games. The final record would then be 61 and 101. Not likely.

Max Kepler (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

Twins rookie outfielder Max Kepler, who won yesterday’s game with a three-run home run, was rated the organization’s third best prospect entering this season and best at strike-zone discipline by Baseball America.

Twins shortstop Eduardo Nunez is the team’s only serious All-Star Game candidate. He is seventh in batting average among Major League players at .327. His total of 14 stolen bases ranks as sixth best.

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Twins Big Papi Loss Still Haunts

Posted on June 10, 2016June 10, 2016 by David Shama

During a season of bad memories for Twins fans, a “nightmare” is back at Target Field—presumably for the last time.

The “nightmare” has a name, David Ortiz. He and his Red Sox teammates play their only series in Minneapolis this weekend starting with tonight’s game and continuing through Sunday. The 40-year-old designated hitter has said this is his last Major League season. If so, local fans won’t be so “haunted” in the future by an All-Star slugger who could have had a dreamy career in this town.

In late August of 1996 the Twins acquired Ortiz in a trade with the Mariners for third baseman Dave Hollins. The move could have turned out to be the best ever made by general manager Terry Ryan. Ortiz was a minor league prospect and first baseman when he joined the Twins, but he participated in 15 big league games starting in 1997 and was with the club at least portions of each season through 2002. During his last year with the Twins he hit 20 home runs and drove in 75 runs.

In the 2002 offseason Ortiz was arbitration eligible and the Twins had to make a decision whether to pay him more money and keep him around. The club had veteran Doug Mientkiewicz at first base and in the minors there was a converted catcher prospect named Justin Morneau. The Twins decided to move on without Ortiz so the Red Sox signed the then first baseman.

Ryan has acknowledged he made a bad decision releasing Ortiz, while the Red Sox front office has been high-fiving from the beginning of the Ortiz era. His first season in Boston, he hit 31 home runs and drove in 101 runs. Perhaps the greatest hitter in Red Sox history except for the immortal Ted Williams, Ortiz has 519 career home runs. Only 21 big leaguers have ever hit more.

Ortiz has been a major contributor to the best run in Red Sox history starting in 2004. He has played on three World Series championship teams during that span and was the 2013 series MVP.

This season the Red Sox, 34-25, are contenders in the American League East. Guess who is leading the club in most major hitting categories? Yeah, it’s the old man who is batting the ball around ballparks so productively he is a candidate to win the Triple Crown.

Ortiz is hitting .338 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI. He ranks third in average, and fourth in home runs among American League hitters, and is first in RBI. He is also the league leader in slugging and on-base percentages.

In other words, the Twins still miss this guy even as he approaches his 41st birthday in November and makes a farewell tour of MLB parks. The Giants honored him in San Francisco earlier this week and the Twins will do the same this weekend.

Among Twins players who will have some of their last looks at the man nicknamed Big Papi is Miguel Sano. Too bad the 6-3, 230-pound Ortiz isn’t in a Twins uniform where he could mentor Sano. Both players are from the Dominican Republic. Sano is 22 years old and has Big Papi potential but his professional approach to his work is being questioned. As a Twin, Ortiz could have been a mentor, a major influence on Sano who has struggled learning to play right field and has seen his batting average fall drastically from last season’s .269.

Ortiz has shaped a good-guy image off the field. He has developed the David Ortiz Children’s Fund that assists kids in New England and the Dominican Republic with pediatric care. In 2011 he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award given annually to a major leaguer who best represents the game on and off the field.

Yes, when the Twins parted ways with Ortiz they said goodbye to an eventual megastar and leader. But if you want to remember—and not forget him—here are a couple of suggestions. Show up at Target Field this weekend, or visit Bigpapi.com where his website celebrates “the end of an era with David Ortiz.” Memorabilia available for purchase ranges from coffee cups to bases.

Worth Noting

With a major league worst 17-40 record, the Twins aren’t headed for any championships this season but 25 years ago the franchise had a club that would win the 1991 World Series. That team started slow but took off in June with a season best month of 22-6.

Minnesota native Harvey Mackay and wife Carol Ann are in Louisville today for the Muhammad Ali memorial service. The two have been close friends of Ali, who died last week, and his spouse Lonnie Ali. The couples frequently enjoyed dinners together.

The service for Ali will be held at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville this afternoon with about 15,000 expected to attend and millions following the event around the world. Celebrities expected include Bill Clinton, Billy Crystal, Bryant Gumbel, Steve Wynn and heads of state.

The outpouring of sympathies extended to Lonnie and the Ali family has come from various parts of the world as media coverage reported the passing of a man whose popularity transcended his legendary boxing career. “In my lifetime I have never seen anything like the media explosion on his passing. He had the most recognizable face in the world,” said Mackay, a 1954 University of Minnesota graduate.

Mackay, who played golf for the Gophers before establishing Minneapolis-based Mackay Envelope and becoming a New York Times bestselling author, has drafted an article on Ali for his syndicated business column. The column focusing on lessons learned from Ali will be printed in a couple of weeks in various U.S. newspapers including the Star Tribune.

Timberwolves fans may do a double take when they next see Tyus Jones. The Minnesota native and Wolves point guard has changed his body, becoming more muscular with off-season training this spring in California.

The Minnesota Wild announced that $15,635 was raised as part of the event held at the BMO Harris Bank in Edina last month to help support people affected by the devastating wildfires around Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. Wild players Erik Haula, Zach Parise, Jason Pominville, Nate Prosser, Jared Spurgeon and Jason Zucker signed autographs for fans who donated $50 and the Minnesota Wild Foundation is providing an additional $5,000 to the Red Cross. All proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross to support those affected by the wildfires in Alberta.

With free admission to the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am, the public is welcome to watch professional and amateur golfers at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul. The men’s event begins today, with competition continuing through Sunday. The women’s event will be Saturday and Sunday.

The men’s field includes last year’s champion Ryan Helminen who three times has won the tournament. Seven-time champ Don Berry and four-time winner Dave Tentis will also play. Two-time titlist Martha Nause is part of the women’s field.

For over 44 years the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am has been raising money to help people with developmental disabilities. The Tapemark has raised and donated more than $7 million to nonprofits serving the disabled and their families. More at Tapemarkgolf.org.

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