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 Fans Guessing on WR Recruit

Posted on February 2, 2016February 2, 2016 by David Shama

Former Gophers assistant head coach Matt Limegrover, now offensive line coach at Penn State, is trying to persuade four-star wide receiver Dredrick Snelson to sign his National Letter of Intent with the Nittany Lions tomorrow.

Ryan Burns, publisher of Scout’s GopherDigest.com, told Sports Headliners Limegrover has visited Snelson’s Florida home and last weekend he was on the Penn State campus. But recruiting authority Matt Jessen-Howard tweeted a quote on Sunday where Snelson said Gophers fans should not worry about his loyalty.

Snelson gave a verbal commitment to the Gophers last summer but there has been ongoing speculation he has or will change his mind. Burns, who has been covering recruiting for five years, has seldom seen such intrigue involving a recruit.

Burns said Snelson has sent mixed messages. “Penn State is confident they’re going to get him,” Burns said. “Central Florida, where he has been twice this month (January), is confident they’re going to get him. The Gophers are thinking they’re going to land him.

“Two out of the three parties are going to be wrong. We won’t find out until Wednesday morning. How does it end? I think it ends he signs with Minnesota but I’ve been wrong before and I’ll be wrong again. …”

Burns described Snelson, from Pembroke Pines, Florida, as “media savvy” and someone who enjoys the recruiting publicity. On the telephone he found Snelson to be respectful and a “nice kid.”

Snelson, about 5-11, 200-pounds, has impressive but not dominating physical skills. He is projected as a slot receiver with the Gophers and Burns believes Snelson could be ready as a freshman to succeed 2015 starter K.J. Maye who used up his eligibility.

Snelson, along with Eden Prairie High School linebacker Carter Coughlin, is one of only two consensus four-star recruits who have verbally pledged to the Gophers. Not many Florida four-star recruits commit to Minnesota but Burns believes Snelson likes how the Gophers use the slot receiver and that he sees an opportunity to play early in his career. New Gophers offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, who replaced Limegrover, has been involved with recruiting Snelson since last month.

In recent years the Gophers’ receiving roster has lacked impact players and no doubt Snelson is aware of that. Burns said in-state receivers Drew Hmielewski from Marshall and Phillip Howard from Robbinsdale Cooper may have even better potential as college players than Snelson.

Recruiting Websites list 19 players as part of the Gophers’ 2016 class. Burns believes the verbal commitments of all are solid except for Snelson and Coney Durr who visited Virginia Tech last weekend. Durr, a three-star recruit from Geismar, Louisiana, is a defensive back.

Worth Noting

The Gophers’ commitment list has only one running back, Butler (Kansas) Community College transfer Kobe McCrary. Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys said on WCCO “Radio’s Sports Huddle” on Sunday recruiting running backs has been a challenge because freshmen Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith were so successful last fall.

McCrary, about 6-1 and 230-pounds, gives the Gophers a backup to Brooks and Smith. He has more size than either of them and helps replace power running Rodrick Williams who was a senior last year.

The Big Ten Network will have Big Ten coverage of Signing Day tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Time. As of yesterday Scout.com listed three Big Ten programs in the top 10 nationally: Ohio State, No. 2; Michigan, No. 5; and Michigan State No. 7. Minnesota is No 43.

Part of the network’s coverage tomorrow will be Michigan’s “Signing with the Stars” event featuring celebrities from sports, music and entertainment. Celebrities expected to attend are Tom Brady, John Harbaugh, Derek Jeter, Jim Leyland, Denard Robinson, NASCAR’s Brad Keslowski, wrestling’s Ric Flair and others. They will introduce head coach Jim Harbaugh’s 2016 football class.

Jaylon Boston is a name for Gophers fans to follow in the next 12 months. “He is a hell of a player,” said McKinley Boston, Jaylon’s grandfather and the former Gophers athletic director.

Jaylon lives with his grandfather in New Mexico and attends Centennial High School in Las Cruces. As a sophomore, the 5-10, 185-pound running back was second team all-state, but because of what his grandfather described as a “medical” situation he didn’t play as a junior. Boston said New Mexico State, where his grandfather was athletic director until about a year ago, is looking at Jaylon but the Gophers aren’t.

Despite speculation to the contrary, don’t give up on the University of Minnesota and former football coach Jerry Kill being able to develop a new position for him at the school. There has been contact between the two parties.

Gophers senior guard Rachel Banham could end the season as the Big Ten’s scoring leader. In 21 games she is averaging 24.3 points per game and ranks second behind Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell, 25.3 points. Banham has scored 20 or more points in nine consecutive games and has done that 19 times this season. Former Hopkins High School standout Nia Coffey, a junior forward at Northwestern, is fifth in scoring at 20 points per game and first in rebounding at 10.4.

Although the Gophers lost at Michigan on Sunday, they have won four of their last five games. Minnesota, 14-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten, won those games by seven points or less, and the Gophers have shown the ability to close out opponents in the fourth quarter. The Gophers play Rutgers, 13-9 and 4-6, at home on Thursday night.

Former Timberwolves assistant Eric Musselman is drawing attention in his first season as head coach at the University of Nevada. Nevada’s pregame ball handling warm-up is a hit and the team is playing competitively in the Mountain West.

Musselman, who was a head coach in the NBA with the Kings and Warriors, might be on a list of candidates if the Timberwolves make a coaching change. Interim Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell is trying out for the permanent job. Other potential candidates perhaps could include Tom Thibodeau, the former Timberwolves assistant and ex-Bulls head coach who is well-known for his defensive teachings.

Connor Nord, the former St. Thomas basketball center whose final season was 2014-2015, has been playing professionally in Germany, and plans to continue his career in Europe. Marcus Alipate, a combo guard who played four seasons with Nord at St. Thomas, will be playing pro ball in New Zealand.

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Ex-Gopher AD Backs Frazier for U Job

Posted on January 31, 2016January 31, 2016 by David Shama

McKinley Boston will send a “letter of nomination” soon to University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler regarding the school’s vacant athletic director position. Boston, the former Gophers AD in the early 1990s, is promoting Sean Frazier for the opening at Minnesota that is being filled on an interim basis by Beth Goetz.

Boston, who retired as the AD at New Mexico State about a year ago, not only served as a leader in athletics and academics at Minnesota but also played on the Gophers’ last Big Ten football championship team in 1967. Because of Boston’s knowledge about the University and state of Minnesota, he believes Frazier would be the right fit for the Gophers’ opening created by the dismissal of Norwood Teague last year.

Boston, an African-American, was the first minority person to become athletic director at the U. About 10 years ago he became a founder of a group to mentor and grow the number of African-American athletic directors. Among those in the group being mentored was Frazier who is now the athletic director at Northern Illinois after leaving the University of Wisconsin where he was deputy athletic director.

Frazier, who won’t speak publicly about athletic director openings at other schools, has impressed Boston over the years and the two men are friends. In an email to Sports Headliners Boston described Frazier as an individual who “should be a strong candidate” for the Gophers’ position. During a telephone conversation Boston said he expects to send his “letter of nomination” within the next several days.

The Gophers’ search is just beginning, and finding Teague’s successor will be a priority for Kaler who does know Frazier. Earlier this month the two men were in San Antonio where the Northern Illinois Athletic Department was recognized as the NCAA’s 2016 winner of the organization’s diversity and inclusion award.

As a leader of athletic departments Frazier has made a commitment to minorities and women, but his experiences and skill set go far beyond that initiative. He has been an athletic director on the Division I, II and III levels—gaining varied experiences working with different sports and having responsibilities in hiring coaches, fundraising, developing facilities and fostering academic performance by athletes.

At Wisconsin he was AD Barry Alvarez’s top assistant and he oversaw day to day operations of the Badgers’ 23 sport program. Alvarez runs one of the nation’s top athletic programs but delegated many of the details, including revenue development, to Frazier.

Frazier, who came to Northern Illinois in 2013, has experience working with national groups including a past assignment as chair of the NCAA hockey committee. He also knows Jim Delany and might well have the Big Ten commissioner’s endorsement for athletic director vacancies at Illinois and Minnesota.

While Frazier isn’t talking about those two Big Ten positions, it’s believed Illinois has already contacted him, and the process to fill that job may be moving faster than at Minnesota where Kaler has indicated a spring hire is likely.

Michigan introduced African-American Warde Manuel as its new athletic director on Friday. Manuel, who is a former Wolverines football player, had been the AD at Connecticut and is another individual mentored by Boston. Manuel and Frazier have similar experiences in athletics administration, and as college athletes. “You could certainly put them in the same category,” Boston said.

Frazier is originally from Long Island, New York and played football for Alabama from 1987-1991. Known as an extroverted personality who has made a name for himself in college athletics, Frazier reportedly dismissed interest in the Syracuse University AD opening last year.

Worth Noting

Bill and Kay McRreavy, long time Gophers boosters, were curious when their doorbell rang at 9:30 p.m. on a Saturday earlier this month. To their surprise, Jerry and Rebecca Kill came to say goodbye as they prepared to leave Minneapolis and relocate to Illinois. The Kills are a remarkable couple and they no doubt made time to say farewells to other Gophers loyalists who helped them at Minnesota during the last several years.

It might be that Minneapolis and U.S. Bank Stadium weren’t selected for the 2020 College Football Playoff Game because the site selection group was concerned about pushback from corporate sponsors who already are coming here in 2018 for the Super Bowl and 2019 for the Final Four. When there is another bid opportunity for games beyond 2020, look for Minneapolis to try again.

Minneapolis businessman and Taste of the NFL founder Wayne Kostroski leaves tomorrow for northern California and Super Bowl 50. This will be the 25th Taste of the NFL, with activities scheduled at the Bay Area’s historic Cow Palace that is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The event raises money for local and national food banks.

“We are proud to be celebrating 25 years and over $24 million, (and) nearly $200 million meals to food banks and nonprofit organizations across the country,” Kostroski said.

The Twins Winter Caravan drew large crowds again this January as past and present players made stops in regional communities. The Twins have staged the caravan for 56 years, the longest duration of any offseason fan tour in baseball. Twins legend Tony Oliva has participated in each caravan since 1964.

With Torii Hunter retired, it will be interesting to see who emerges as club leaders in 2016. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe, 29 and entering his sixth major league season, might be a candidate. He is personable and had the kind of season in 2015 that provides a platform for leadership.

He set single season highs last year in hits (140), RBI (86), runs scored (74), games (152), at-bats (573) and triples (4). Plouffe’s .972 fielding percentage ranked third among major league third basemen last season.

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The ‘Polish Eagle’ Flies High in Life

Posted on January 29, 2016February 1, 2016 by David Shama

Dick Jonckowski—a.k.a. the “Polish Eagle”—says no two days are the same for him. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jonckowski is 72 and has made a livelihood from stringing together small town radio jobs, speaking engagements and public address assignments at sports events. His trademark smile, vintage jokes and passion for sports have made him well-known in Minnesota for decades. His work and personality have landed him in eight halls of fame in the state including those sponsored by Minnesota high school coaches for baseball, basketball and football.

The money has not been that great but, what a fun ride! Having fought off cancer, and with his diabetes under control, Jonckowski has the same energy as 10 years ago—with no plans to change anything about a life that sometimes has him travelling from Shakopee to Dinkytown, from MSP Airport to Canada.

Jonckowski has lived in Shakopee with his wife Arlene for 50 years. He is one of only two public address announcers in Williams Arena history. The famous basketball home of the Gophers opened in 1928 and Julie Perlt was the P.A. man until Jonckowski succeeded him starting with the 1986-87 season.

Seven athletic directors and five coaches later, Jonckowski is still courtside providing fans with information during games. Sometime later this season a halftime ceremony at Williams Arena (date not announced yet) will recognize him for his 30 years behind the microphone.

Ask Jonckowski about the 30 years and the memories come so fast it seems like he doesn’t know where to begin telling stories. A classic memory was the night Northwestern coach Ricky Byrdsong left the team bench during the game and walked up an aisle while Gophers fans looked on with amazement. Byrdsong started wandering around Williams Arena after a disputed call by a referee. The coach’s brain cells seemed awry that evening, and Byrdsong even challenged the final score of the game—insisting to Jonckowksi the Wildcats, not the Gophers, won the game.

When Tubby Smith coached the Gophers he checked in with Jonckowski just before tipoff. He wanted a quick story—a funny joke—to loosen him up before the game.

Jonckowski might have told Smith he just got back from a pleasure trip: “I took my mother-in-law to the airport.”

In 2013 Smith’s Gophers upset then No. 1 ranked Indiana at Williams Arena. Jonckowski loved it and so did the fans who poured out of their seats and onto the floor when the game ended. “They jumped right over my head,” he said.

The Gophers’ 1994 triple overtime win against Iowa at Williams Arena is a special memory. “I was so exhausted at the end of that game—because I was really into it,” Jonckowski remembered. “I was actually hyperventilating at the end of the game.”

Voshon Lenard had 38 points for Minnesota in the game. Jonckowski lists Lenard as one of his favorite Gophers during the last 30 seasons. The others are Willie Burton, Austin Hollins, Bobby Jackson, Sam Jacobson and Jim Shikenjansky.

Jonckowski, who will be in his 28th season as the Gophers baseball P.A. man this year, got his start working U games because then athletic director Paul Giel liked him. He teased Giel about his major league baseball career as a journeyman pitcher. Jonckowski claimed there was a game when three consecutive balls thrown by Giel were knocked over the fence. The manager made a trip to the mound and asked the catcher what Giel’s pitches looked like to him. “I don’t know,” the catcher said. “I haven’t caught any of them yet.”

Jonckowski has been doing P.A. work for Shakopee High School basketball games since 1989. Before games he goes on the court and throws behind the back passes to players while they take their warm-up shots.

Jonckowski has been tossing behind the back passes for decades. For years he worked as a field usher for Vikings games at Met Stadium. A stray football might be returned to a game official with a behind the back pass. And as a kid he would practice the move with a basketball in his basement, inspired by 1950s Celtics guard Bob Cousy.

It was Cousy, playing on national TV, who dribbled and passed behind his back, threw no-look passes and inspired a generation of young admirers like Jonckowski. He loved the showmanship and tried the Cousy routine at New Prague High School where he was a starting guard.

Coach Doug Shonka wasn’t buying in. “Richard, we don’t play like that,” he told his maverick guard.

Sorry, coach, but Jonckowski is still doing a little showboating. “I can (still) throw it 45 feet behind my back,” he said.

Jonckowski’s father George owned movie theaters and the family lived in various Minnesota towns. “Between first and ninth grades we moved six times,” Jonckowski recalled. “I didn’t like that.”

George had a good sense of humor and advocated enjoying life. “No one gets out alive,” he told his son.

That zest for life attitude is Jonckowski’s mantra. “Some of my friends are pretty negative people. Every day is a negative day for them. I just say, ‘You’re alive, you might as well make the best of it.’

“I always say you’re dead a long time, so you better do what you can while you’re here.”

Jonckowski had a brief try at minor league baseball after high school and then started a radio career that includes KSMM in Shakopee. He was on the station for 38 years with various assignments including his popular “Coaches Round Table Show.”

The last 10 years the focus has been on public address work and emcee and speaking assignments. Well-known in Minnesota, Jonckowski has networked with contacts that led to engagements out east and also in Canada. The assignments can be sporadic but Jonckowski always shows up ready to have fun and provoke laughs with jokes like this one:

A burglar breaks into a couple’s home and goes to the bedroom. He asks the terrified wife what her name is. “It’s Betty,” the woman answers.

“Oh, my God,” the burglar said. “My grandmother’s name is Betty. My mom’s name is Betty. My wife’s name is Betty. I couldn’t possibly think of harming you.”

Then the burglar asks the husband for his name.

“It’s Frank—but all my friends call me Betty,” the husband answers.

Jonckowski tells that story and laughs hard. He guesses he could recall 50 or more jokes without skipping a beat.

That humor helps feed his soul. So, too, does the museum-like sports memorabilia dominating the Jonckowski residence in Shakopee.

Drive up to the home and the first thing you might notice is the Philadelphia Eagles styled mailbox. Or maybe it’s the statue of an eagle near the front door. And there is no missing the personalized license plates on his Chevy Malibu: E GLE 1.

As a kid Jonckowski fell in love with the Eagles. During a short stint as a car salesman in Shakopee his boss told him everyone working at the dealership needed a nickname. He was dubbed the “Polish Eagle” because he is Polish and for his fondness for the Philadelphia NFL team.

Jonckowski became an avid collector of sports memorabilia while growing up and he’s spent much of his adult life acquiring more. He has a couple hundred bobbleheads and all kinds of other stuff ranging from pennants to programs, from magazines to autographed photos, and from vintage clothing to models of stadiums.

Arlene and Dick in their basement surrounded by memorabilia.

The memorabilia fills an upstairs bedroom, part of the basement and the walls of the garage. It’s fascinating to look at memorabilia spanning seven decades but all that stuff takes up a lot of space.

“Well, it’s been a challenge—have to say that,” Arlene said. “Recently he’s downsized, so that has helped a lot.”

Dick and Arlene met at New Prague High School. He was a jock and she was a cheerleader. Dick was two years ahead of Arlene in school but once they started dating that was it. A courtship followed and 50 years of marriage will be celebrated on April 30 of this year. The Jonckowskis have two adult children, Jennifer Eich, 48, and Jeff Jonckowski, 44.

Arlene is retired after a career that included nursing. She is a sports fan but sometimes she and Dick aren’t always on the same page. Last Sunday their interests collided when the Broncos played the Patriots for the AFC Championship. Arlene likes the Patriots, while her husband was for the Broncos. The couple had to separate on Sunday. “We couldn’t be in the same room (watching on TV),” Arlene said.

Arlene has a vintage telephone with a crank handle that once belonged to her grandparents. She also has a collection of copper kitchen items, but she has no ambitions to fill rooms with memorabilia like her husband.

Arlene, however, does have a poster down in the basement where a lot of Dick’s stuff dominates. On display is a full color poster of a sexy soap opera actor. It is personally inscribed like this:

“Arlene, with lust. Drake Hogestyn.”

Even with all his array of sports memorabilia, Dick might not be able to top that poster from the “Days of Our Lives” heartthrob.

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