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.

Vikings Told Playing for Rings Now

Posted on January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 by David Shama

Updates on the Vikings and Gophers basketball. …

Mike Zimmer refers to Teddy Bridgewater as a people pleaser. His second-year quarterback can certainly enhance that reputation Sunday in his first-ever playoff game.

Bridgewater said today that Zimmer told the team in a team meeting that the playoffs mean competing for trophies and rings. “Hearing that, let’s you know that it’s go time,” Bridgewater said. “I walked into the (Winter Park) facility this morning and the guys were locked in. Those guys had that intensity, that look in their eyes that they want to get it done.”

The Vikings, of course, hope they’re going to eventually advance to next month’s Super Bowl and win rings. No Viking will receive more media and fan scrutiny than the 23-year-old Bridgewater, who while known for his poise and quiet leadership, didn’t have a highlight performance last Sunday in Green Bay when Minnesota’s stellar defense deserved most of the praise for producing a 20-13 win and the NFC North Division title. Six of the Vikings’ points came on a 55-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Captain Munnerlyn as they finished the regular season with an 11-5 record.

Teddy Bridgewater (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

In next Sunday’s home playoff game with the (10-6) Seahawks, Bridgewater will be expected to lead the offense. He completed 10 of 19 passes with an interception against the Packers. His passer rating was a season low 45.7. He was sacked three times and threw a left-handed interception. Late in the game he misfired on a handoff to Adrian Peterson, nearly resulting in a Packer recovery and potential rally to tie the game.

“He just wasn’t as sharp last night as he’s been these last three weeks,” Zimmer said on Monday. “I thought he moved in the pocket too much. He didn’t take some of the easy throws he had. He may be trying to do a little too much, I don’t know. I haven’t really talked to him yet. I’ll talk to him more this week. But he needs to play better.”

In a regular season 38-7 home loss to the Seahawks on December 6 things didn’t go so well for Bridgewater either. He had a 55.4 passer rating, and the Vikings’ only touchdown came on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 101-yard kickoff return. The offense produced only nine first downs, and 125 net yards including 31 rushing.

Bridgewater had his late regular season moments, though, including a 108 passer rating on the road against the Cardinals, a team that finished with a 13-3 record. And in another December game, against the Bears, he had career highs of four touchdown passes and a passer rating of 154.4.

Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes expects Bridgewater to handle the pressure of the playoffs. “Teddy is going to be the same Teddy. He’s going to be calm. He’s not going to be easy to rattle.

“He’s just going to go out there and play football. One thing I know about Teddy, he’s been doing this for awhile (high school, college and pros). So Teddy’s mentality (will be) just go in the game, and stay poised, and get the call, and make the right throw and make the right decision.”

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is one of many Vikings who have never been in the playoffs. His approach to Sunday’s game is to be poised and he expects the same from Bridgewater. “I think he’ll handle it better than anyone,” Thielen said. “He’s always calm and he’s always ready to play. He’s a leader on this team and he’s going to be ready.”

Zimmer has high expectations for his players including the soft-spoken quarterback. The coach has said Bridgewater is a “pleaser” and encourages him to speak his mind including about plays he may not like. “You can be pretty direct with him,” Zimmer said. “He understands when he screws up. …”

The Vikings priced available tickets for Sunday’s game in a range from $48 to $154, with the relatively inexpensive prices likely influenced by the expected game day cold temperature and windchill. Availability earlier in the week included lower level seats.

Because of the two-hour time difference, the Seahawks will fly into Minneapolis Friday. That will allow the Seahawks to better adjust from West Coast time to Midwest. Often NFL teams don’t arrive for an NFL game until the day before.

Official capacity for the Vikings’ new stadium will be 66,200. Earlier figures were in the 65,000 range but a Vikings official told Sports Headliners the 66,200 number has been finalized and will include suite ticket holders, but not standing-room only—with the front office uncertain whether they will offer the stand and watch option. …

Last night Gophers freshman forward Jordan Murphy, while playing only about half the game, had 7 rebounds and 9 points in Minnesota’s 86-77 loss at Penn State. Murphy had nine rebounds and 14 points in Minnesota’s Big Ten home opener last Saturday against Michigan State.

The 6-6, 230-pound Murphy ranks second among all Big Ten players at 8.5 rebounds per game (includes conference and nonconference schedules). Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, whose Spartans are always among the best board teams in the nation, referred to Murphy as “a rebounding machine” and joked he wants to “steal him” from the Gophers.

“I like that kind of player,” Izzo said at his postgame news conference. “He’s tough, he’s aggressive.”

Most of the playing minutes on the Gophers are going to freshmen and sophomores including second-year center Bakary Konaté whose college offers included Louisville. He had 4 points and 2 rebounds last night after having 6 and 6 against Michigan State. The 6-11 native of Mali, who played 20 minutes last night, has potential and his development is vital for a Gophers team that lacks size both offensively and defensively.

“He’s put a lot of pressure on himself to become great this year,” said Gophers coach Richard Pitino. “Why I don’t know. We keep telling him, ‘Relax, it’s going to happen.’

“He works so hard everyday, every practice. I mean he works his butt off, and he wants it now like everybody does. I think he just needs to understand that if you continue to work like this, you’re going to be a really good player.”

The Gophers are 0-3 in the Big Ten and 6-9 overall. This is Pitino’s third season and most difficult start so far. Izzo acknowledged there’s “heat” on Pitino and the Gophers but he likes the talent of Minnesota’s young players. “They’re going to be good down the road, I believe that,” Izzo said.

“I understand fans are frustrated with us, but we’re young, and I hope they can stick with us,” Pitino said. “They’re (usually) really patient and they’re really supportive. …We’re going to be a really good team down the road for sure.”

Last week Izzo’s father Carl died at age 90. Earlier in 2015 Izzo lost his close friend Flip Saunders, the former Gophers guard and Timberwolves coach who died at 60. When Izzo was in town last week he spent time with Flip’s son Ryan Saunders.

“He only got 60 years out of his dad and I got 90 out of mine,” said Izzo who acknowledged the outpouring of support for him following his father’s death. “We’re all going to go through it (death). The only one that’s probably not going to die is Sid.”

Izzo was referring to 95-year-old Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman. At the news conference he teased Hartman when the local columnist and radio personality placed a 1980s style tape recorder in front of him. “I’ve still got a flip phone,” said Izzo who then wondered whether Hartman uses a rotary dial telephone.

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Riley Put the Needle in Green Bay

Posted on January 4, 2016January 4, 2016 by David Shama

It’s long been suspected the good Lord has a special sense of timing. Confirmation came when Don Riley passed away only days before the Vikings-Packers game in Green Bay.

The legendary Pioneer Press sports columnist made much of his reputation bashing Green Bay fans and the Packers. Riley, 92, died on Thursday in the Twin Cities and he may have had “Green Bush” on his mind last week as the Packers and Vikings got ready to play for the NFC North Division championship on Sunday.

Riley told me a few years ago he used labels like “Green Bushers or “Bushers” in his provocative column because they were derogatory without targeting individuals. He wrote a controversial column (known as “The Eye Opener”) for the St. Paul newspaper for 31 years before retiring in 1987, and much of the time he took direct aim on Green Bay and the Packers.

Riley loved to stir emotions and reactions, and after yesterday’s Vikings’ win in “Green Bush” he might be in heaven writing and needling about how the Packers blew the game.

Aaron Rodgers? Riley would tease that Teddy Bridgewater is better.

The Packers’ chances in the playoffs? The “Eye” might suggest the Packers will be vacationing on frozen Wisconsin lakes when the Vikings are riding deep into the playoffs.

Sportswriting for Riley was the entertainment business and his column sold a lot of newspapers for the Pioneer Press, including in Wisconsin. In addition to writing, Riley was on the speakers’ circuit and he didn’t hold back on fans from Wisconsin. Even during a speaking engagement across the border Riley might put out a plea to the audience to stop stealing the banquet hall silverware.

It’s no wonder audiences booed Riley during his decades of defaming Wisconsin while writing and speaking. He claimed Green Bay was known for having the “world’s biggest toilet factories.” He labeled Wisconsin-River Falls “Moo-U.”

“He’d rip the Packers every chance he could and he’d get booed, but he made a hell of a lot of money doing that,” said Gregg Wong who worked with Riley at the newspaper. “It was a shtick with him.”

Riley was born in Wisconsin but graduated from Minneapolis Roosevelt High School. He was full of energy and often mischief throughout his life. “He was certainly one of the most creative people in the business,” Wong told Sports Headliners. “He had a great way with words, a great imagination. Pretty close to 90 percent what he wrote in his column was purely off the top of his head.

“It’s amazing how many people in St. Paul—for all those years he wrote that column—took him seriously. If Don Riley wrote it, it must be true.

“He’d write (for instance) about the former Viking seen in an eastside bistro with a blonde bimbo on one arm, and a redhead on the other arm.

“People would think that was true, and they would say, ‘Who is that Viking? I wonder who that Viking guy was?’ ”

Riley’s column was published six days per week and he was a celebrity in St. Paul. Often, though, he didn’t remember names he should have known. Instead, he would identify people—both strangers and those he knew from the newspaper—with nicknames he made up. Tiger, Ace and Big Shooter were Riley favorites.

Wong recalled a day when Riley was approached by a friendly stranger near the St. Paul newspaper. The two men chatted for a couple of minutes and then along came a writer from the paper whom Riley had known for about 25 years.

Riley proceeded to handle introductions this way, “Big Tiger, meet Ace.”

An upcoming Vikings-Packers game was just the platform Riley wanted to make his Wisconsin readers fume and Minnesota readers chuckle. During an interview with Sports Headliners in 2011 Riley recalled an outrageous prediction he once made in print. “I told them (Packers fans) if we don’t beat you next Sunday by three touchdowns, I’ll push a peanut with my nose from Appleton to Green Bay,” Riley said. “That was my guarantee.

“Well, they (the Packers) knock us off. They had a cartoon in the newspaper over there on the front page. Color cartoon of me pushing a peanut, (and it) says, ‘Come on, show your guts, Riley.’ “

Riley further infuriated Packers fans by never arriving in Appleton to push a peanut. He got angry letters from people in 35 states. The hate mail was nothing new, though. He was even accustomed to receiving crank telephone calls at home.

Riley got some of his best ideas in bars and used to make column notes on cocktail napkins. If Gallivan’s had a hall of fame, he would have been a first ballot inductee. At the downtown St. Paul bar, Riley and pals might hatch a get rich scheme like selling warm chow mein in a paper cup at the State Fair, or promoting an appearance by Lassie the wonder dog at Met Center. But the paper cup couldn’t contain the warm chow mein, with contents falling on the laps of customers, and Lassie was a flop at the Met, not even able to draw stray dogs.

Adventures like that never quieted the feisty columnist’s enthusiasm and passion for life. He loved to talk and during part of his career he had a radio show in the Twin Cities. After his program he might have a speaking engagement and Wong said one evening Riley couldn’t remember where he was supposed to give his speech.

Riley called the Pioneer Press office for help. He asked newspaper colleague Mike Augustin to find details about the speaking engagement on his desk. Augustin did so, and then Riley, who was calling form a pay phone, requested specific directions to the place he was to talk.

Augustin needed to know where Riley was calling from. Riley—who had consumed a drink or two—replied he didn’t know his location. Augustin then wondered aloud how he could possibly provide directions to Riley.

Riley paused and said, “Augie, my boy, put a trace on this call.”

Up until about a year ago Riley would join Wong and other former Pioneer Press writers for breakfast and reminiscing. Deteriorating health kept Riley from wanting to socialize. He just wasn’t himself. Wong understood that and will fondly remember his friend.

“He was probably the most upbeat, fun newspaper guy I was ever around. He was always up. I never saw him mad, sad about anything. It was always a treat being around him.”

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Rodgers Blocking Vikings Title Path

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

The Packers have won four consecutive NFC North titles with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback. The Vikings have one win against the Packers in the last four seasons.

“I am tired of that,” said Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd. “It’s been three years since I’ve been here and the Packers have been the toughest game every year.”

Sunday night in Green Bay two 10-5 teams will decide who is the 2015 division champion. “Everybody is going to play lights out,” said Vikings kick returner and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. “We want to go home with the title.”

The Packers were embarrassed in Arizona last Sunday, losing 38-8 to the Cardinals. Rodgers, probably the NFL’s best quarterback, played behind a leaky offensive line. His two fumbles were returned for touchdowns. He was sacked eight times and threw one interception.

Adrian Peterson (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

The Vikings scored a season high 49 points in their easy 49-17 win over the Giants at TCF Bank Stadium. Adrian Peterson ran for over 100 yards for the seventh time this season. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed 15 of 25 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. But it was the defense that wrote the best storyline, harassing quarterback Eli Manning, his receivers and runners.

That defense made Vikings fans wonder if similar results could happen in Green Bay Sunday in the nationally-televised game on NBC. Floyd, though, isn’t assuming the Packers’ meltdown in the desert will repeat in the below freezing temps at Lambeau Field.

“It’s not that easy to just take someone’s confidence away,” Floyd said. “At the end of the day they can easily jump back on a horse. You gotta understand who that quarterback is. …”

The Packers have stumbled at times this season, not playing up to expectations. The Packers were coming off consecutive losses when they played the Vikings in Minneapolis on November 22 but the Purple couldn’t put an end to their 0-4-1 losing streak against Green Bay. In that 30-13 win, Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and Eddie Lacy rushed for 100 yards.

The Vikings hope to control Rodgers by keeping him in the pocket most of the time. The Packers’ receivers sometimes struggle to get separation and if the Vikings don’t have to double team some of them it will allow the Minnesota defense to concentrate more on Rodgers.

Still, it only takes a breakdown here or there for Rodgers to exploit a defense. Floyd said Rodgers and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson are the only two players he could think of that can throw touchdowns from the 50-yard line while moving.

“He’s a guy that can make a lot of passes on the run,” Floyd said. “We know his style and we know how he can be. We can’t take last week lightly (the Packers’ performance against the Cardinals). At the end of the day he’s still Aaron Rodgers—still the Green Bay Packers, and we gotta treat them as such.”

Worth Noting

Peterson, who has 1,418 yards rushing, could win his third career NFL rushing title Sunday night in the Vikings’ final regular season game. The 30-year-old Peterson would become the second oldest player ever to lead the league in rushing. The Jets Curtis Martin was 31 in 2004 when he led the league.

Bridgewater has 1,421 yards passing, six touchdown throws, two interceptions and a 94.6 passer rating in his last six road games. The Vikings are 4-2 in those games.

Stubhub.com is listing tickets as low as $97 for the game in Green Bay. The temperature at kickoff could be about 20 degrees with no snow and moderate wind.

National Player of the Year candidate Denzel Valentine, who last month had knee surgery, likely won’t be available when the Spartans play the Gophers tomorrow at Williams Arena. Without Valentine, the nationally No. 1 ranked Spartans lost 83-70 at Iowa on Tuesday night in their Big Ten opener.

Jim Dutcher, the former Gophers coach, told Sports Headliners Valentine is “50 percent” of the Spartans team. “The Gophers can beat them,” he said, while cautioning Michigan State will give its best effort to avoid an 0-2 Big Ten start.

The Gophers opened their Big Ten season with a 78-63 loss at Ohio State on Wednesday night. Inside play, on both offense and defense, was problematic as it was during the nonconference games. Dutcher likes the team’s perimeter play but problems defending, scoring and rebounding inside prompt him to forecast a 12th place finish in the Big Ten, and perhaps a 4-14 record.

Dutcher said if the Gophers (now 6-7 overall) get “lucky” they could win more than four games. “Six would be a lot but that can happen,” he said. “There are not a lot of great teams in the Big Ten.”

Twins president Dave St. Peter speaks to the CORES luncheon group on Thursday, January 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington, 1114 American Blvd. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations and more information are available by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

It will be interesting to see if former Twins Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan and Torii Hunter all retire during this offseason. Cuddyer and Hunter have already announced they will. Morneau and Nathan seem like candidates, too, after long careers that included being core players on the Twins’ division championship clubs several years ago.

The December 28 issue of Sports Illustrated includes pages of farewells to American sports figures who died in 2015 including former Twins pitcher Dean Chance, ex-Minneapolis Laker guard Hot Rod Hundley, former Gophers and Detroit Lions tight end Charlie Saunders, and Flip Saunders who played guard for the Gophers and coached the Timberwolves. Noticeably absent from the pages was wrestling icon Verne Gagne.

Niklas Backstrom, the Wild’s 37-year-old goalie who reportedly earns $4 million, hasn’t played in a regular season game January 13, 2015. He is an emergency goalie behind Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper.

The Wild play the Lightning tomorrow night in Tampa Bay. In a November game in St. Paul, the Wild shut out the Lightning 1-0. Dubnyk stopped all 31 Lightning shots and defenseman Jared Spurgeon scored the lone goal for the Wild.

Spurgeon, 26, recently signed a four-year, $20.75 million contract extension that begins with the 2016-2017 season. He is probably a top 20 NHL defenseman who can help the Wild for several more years.

With fall sports ended, results are compiled for the MIAC All-Sports competition, and St. Thomas and Saint John’s are the leaders. The annual MIAC All-Sports competition takes a comprehensive look at each institution’s performance within the league to award an overall champion for each gender. The fall update includes final results for golf, cross country, soccer, volleyball and football. Saint John’s leads the men’s standings, while the Tommies are atop the women’s rankings. Final standings for the 2015-2016 school year will be announced in the spring.

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