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.
Circumstances could be right for true freshman quarterback DemryCroft to play his first minutes and make his initial start for the Gophers on Saturday.
Minnesota, 2-1, plays Ohio, 3-0, in the Gophers final nonconference game on Saturday. The crowd at TCF Bank Stadium will be ready to second-guess a Minnesota offense that has produced only five touchdowns this season, including just one score against mediocre Kent State last Saturday.
Boos at the Kent State game seemed mostly directed at starting quarterback Mitch Leidner and the play calling of the coaching staff. Leidner, now in his second season as a full-time starter, has long been a target of critics because of inconsistent passing. He has sometimes received blame when it was the failure of others who didn’t complete their assignments.
Mitch Leidner
Fans—many of whom have minimal understanding of football—focus comments on the quarterback of any team because it’s the most visible position on the field. Minnesota’s problems on offense go way beyond Leidner, including the unit’s well documented injuries in the offensive line and tight end positions.
Head coach Jerry Kill and his staff have met with the players since the Kent State game. He said on WCCO Radio this morning he solicited their opinions on how things can improve. He also told them “everybody’s job is on the line” this week as the Gophers prepare for Ohio. He wants to encourage competition for playing time.
Starting Croft on Saturday might give the offense a spark, and the change doesn’t have to be an indictment of Leidner. Against Ohio, the Gophers will still be playing with a rebuilt offensive line and the blocking could again be problematic, but sometimes changing quarterbacks provides a lift. If Croft takes the field and makes successful plays he will energize the crowd, and that might give the players an emotional boost.
Kill acknowledged the psyche of his players on WCCO Radio last Sunday morning. “I think the kids right now, on the offensive side of the ball, are in the tank. We gotta get them out of the tank and get them to believe that they can do it. That’s the No. 1 issue that we gotta do this week.
“They (the players) get accustomed to social media—all the things that are being said about them. When you start thinking you’re not very good, that’s not a good deal.”
Matt Limegrover
The oldest story in football might be fans demanding the backup quarterback when the starter doesn’t meet their standards. Fans in Minnesota have been clamoring for Croft’s debut, and expectations about the 18-year-old Rockford, Illinois native have been partially created by his coaches. Kill described the under recruited Croft as a “steal” last winter after signing him to a national letter of intent. “We feel like the sky’s the limit for him,” offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover told SportsHeadliners in the spring. And last month, when the Gophers began practices, Kill praised the 6-foot-5 Croft’s athleticism and poise.
Croft may prove to be a better runner than Leidner. If the Gophers commit to running their quarterback more on Saturday than in the past, that could give the offense a new dimension and cause a breakout day by the offense.
Don’t count on Kill making an announcement before Thursday at the earliest about who starts at quarterback in the next game. By using that strategy he can keep the Ohio coaches and players guessing. There may also be value in not announcing the starter to his own players until late in the week or on game day—allowing Croft to avoid worrying too long about his debut.
If Croft starts the game and falters it could take future pressure off Leidner. When fan criticism becomes ugly, it can get the attention of even a professional—just ask former Viking QB Christian Ponder what his Minnesota boo-bird experience was like. A scenario where Leidner replaces Croft in the second half and leads the Gophers to a win over Ohio would give the former Lakeville South QB a higher approval rating.
The Gophers schedule of upcoming games adds to the case for starting Croft on Saturday. Let him start in the final nonconference game at home before Minnesota goes on the road the next two Saturdays for Big Ten games. Croft, who if he does play is likely to be given a simplified offense, could shake rust off against Ohio and gain experience. If he and the offense are successful, that establishes confidence going against nationally ranked Northwestern a week from Saturday.
If Croft struggles, then the Gophers can start over with Leidner either this Saturday or next week. They will have the comfort of knowing that for the first two Big Ten Saturdays they can avoid the maroon and gold critics in the stands.
Defensive end Everson Griffen was talking “must-win” last week as the Vikings anticipated Sunday’s Vikings game with the Lions at TCF Bank Stadium. After an embarrassing opening regular season loss to the 49ers, he didn’t want to contemplate an 0-2.
Not a problem. The Vikings took care of the Lions 26-16.
What exactly was Griffen saying last Thursday? “This is a big week against Detroit…and this is a must-win game because it’s a divisional game.”
Mike Wallace (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)
Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace pondered a possible 0-2 start, with games then immediately ahead with the Chargers and Broncos—formidable opponents. “It’s hard to come back…from those starts, and get to the playoffs,” Wallace said. “We know what’s at stake.”
NFL teams who begin 0-2 are unlikely to make the playoffs but it’s not always an obituary for postseason. In 2008, for example, the Vikings turned an 0-2 beginning into a final record of 10-6, NFC North title and made the playoffs.
The Chargers, 1-1 with a win over the Lions and loss to the Bengals, come to Minneapolis next Sunday to play the Vikings. Then Minnesota has to play Super Bowl contender Denver, 2-0, on the road so the Vikings made the immediate schedule ahead less daunting by winning against the Lions.
Call it a must-win or just a valuable victory, the Vikings have a reasonable chance to be at least 2-2 after the first four weeks of the season. They have won an NFC North game now, while division rivals Detroit and Chicago are off to 0-2 starts. The Packers are 2-0 and already lead the division.
Worth Noting
Among the Vikings who head coach Mike Zimmer is probably feeling better about after the win over the Lions is placekicker Blair Walsh. He wasn’t sharp in the preseason or the opener against the 49ers but yesterday was two-for-two on field goals—although he did miss an extra point.
Walsh signed a reported four-year, $14 million contract during the offseason but he denied the new deal put excessive pressure on him and impacted his kicking. “No, nothing to do with the contract. I know how good I am,” Walsh said recently.
Walsh said his summer slump wasn’t caused by poor kicking mechanics, and it’s important not to “over think” his situation. “It’s just all confidence,” he said last week. “I am close. I am right there. It’s just going to take two or three going in a row for me to just sort of break out of it. I’ll be fine.”
Walsh and Vikings punter Jeff Locke will participate as celebrity members of two teams at the first Minnesota United FC Footgolf Tournament. The event Monday at Baker National Golf Course in Medina benefits Children’s Hospitals and Clinics Minnesota Vida Sana program that promotes healthy living for underserved Spanish-speaking families.
Former Vikings long snapper Mike Morris will be signing memorabilia items on Saturday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Triple Crown Sports Card and Bobble Show at Southtown Shopping Center in Bloomington. Show hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tyler Duffey, who allowed three hits over seven shutout innings in the Twins win Sunday over the Angels, is 2-0 in his last three starts with a 1.35 ERA. The Twins ended a season high five-game losing streak with an 8-1 win.
Jerry Kill
Gophers safety Antonio Johnson said coach Jerry Kill cautions his players not to compare scores, telling them “every game is different.” Comparative scores were on the minds of Gophers fans after last Saturday’s close win over Kent State. The Golden Flashes lost 52-3 to Illinois on September 5, while Minnesota relied on its superb defense to beat Kent State 10-7. And for more numbers, remember North Carolina destroyed the Illini last Saturday, 48-14.
Johnson is correct about comparative scores. While the Gophers offense struggled on Saturday, Minnesota is 2-1 on the season and its one defeat came in a six point loss to TCU, ranked No. 2 in the country when the teams played on September 3.
Minnesota’s defense held Kent State to eight first downs and 142 total yards. The only score for the Golden Flashes was an 85-yard run by cornerback Demetrious Monday who scooped up a fumble by Minnesota wide receiver Rashad Still. “We played a hell of a game,” said Gophers defense end Alex Keith.
In three games the Gophers defense has allowed only four touchdowns.
The Gophers offense has produced five touchdowns this season. There were boos on Saturday but Minnesota is dealing with a reshuffled offensive line playing without two starters, and a third regular, JoshCampion, who has been moved from guard to tackle. Injuries have also been a problem at tight end, again impacting blocking. “We didn’t handle it very well up front,” Kill said.
A frustrated Kill said after the game he expected over 100 e-mails suggesting he be fired.
The Gophers were unable to establish a running game, gaining 104 yards. Quarterback Mitch Leidner had some good moments including a 14-yard touchdown pass to KJ Maye. He also threw two interceptions. The first one ended a streak of 157 pass attempts without an interception.
The announced attendance on Saturday of 52,823 was the second consecutive sellout of the season at TCF Bank Stadium. That’s the first time the Gophers have started their home schedule with sellouts since 2009.
Benilde-St. Margaret junior running back Ricky Floyd was among Gophers recruits at the game. He ran for 459 yards on Friday night in a win over St. Louis Park.
The Wild’s top seven salaried players for the coming season, according to the September 18 edition of the Thehockeywriters.com, are ZachParise and Ryan Suter at $9 million each; Mikko Koivu, $7,290,000; Thomas Vanek, $6,500,000; Jason Pominville, $5,750,000; Devan Dubnyk, $5 million; and Niklas Backstrom, $4 million.
CBS and ESPN have deals with the Big Ten to televise men’s basketball games again next winter. Because preseason expectations are low for the Gophers, coach Richard Pitino’s team has one scheduled appearance—a January 2 telecast by ESPN2 at Williams Arena against Michigan State. Minnesota will have many games airing on the Big Ten Network.
The defending NCAA champion Gophers women’s hockey team plays an exhibition game against the Minnesota Whitecaps Friday at Ridder Arena starting at 7 p.m. The Gophers were selected the league’s preseason favorite in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association preseason coaches’ poll. Minnesota’s Hannah Brandt was named WCHA preseason player of the year, while teammate Sarah Potomak was selected preseason rookie of the year.
Paul Molitor has impressed a lot of observers during his first season as a major league manager. Among the admirers is John Anderson, the Gophers baseball coach, who was a teammate of Molitor’s at the University of Minnesota.
Anderson was asked if Molitor should be the American League Manager of the Year. “I don’t see why not. Look at the turnaround,” Anderson answered. “Look what he’s done with that team.”
A year ago the Twins were 65-87 and 19 games out of first place in the Central Division. All those losses had Minnesota way out of contention for a wild card spot in the playoffs. Today the Twins, whose fans suffered through four consecutive 90-plus loss seasons, are only 1.5 games behind the Rangers in the chase for a playoff spot. Minnesota’s record is 75-71 and the team is in second place in the division, 11 games behind the Royals, with the regular season schedule ending on October 2.
John Anderson
“They’ve had moving parts and changed players…guys coming and going,” Anderson said about the Twins. “It hasn’t gone smoothly and that just tells you his ability to keep them together. They’ve been gritty (in games). They haven’t given up. There haven’t been many bad blowouts, and that’s a testament to his leadership—and of that coaching staff.
“I am not there (at the ballpark with the Twins). I am just watching from (the) outside but I know how difficult it is.”
The American League Manager of the Year Award is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In the history of the award, two Twins managers have won it—Tom Kelly in 1991 and Ron Gardenhire in 2010.
Molitor, 59, had never managed a professional baseball team when he succeeded Gardenhire after last season. He did have two tenures as a coach with the Twins, working first for Kelly and last year on Gardenhire’s staff. He also coached with the Mariners for one season.
Anderson isn’t at all surprised by Molitor’s success in putting together a staff of coaches, juggling players, and strategizing before, during and after games, and turning the Twins into a competitive team that has restored the faith of fans. “He has the highest baseball IQ of anyone I’ve been around,” Anderson said.
The two men became teammates with the Gophers in 1974 and played three seasons together. “He was a student of the game back then,” Anderson recalled.
Molitor and Anderson played for legendary Gophers coach DickSiebert. During their freshman year Molitor was a base runner on third base in a game against Texas. He sized up the Longhorns left-handed pitcher and thought he could steal home. He did just that, and when he went into the dugout Siebert asked who told him he could pull that off. Molitor explained he had expressed his confidence about stealing home to the third base coach and been granted approval. “Great, do it again,” Siebert said.
That’s pretty savvy stuff for a freshman but Molitor has always been looking for an edge. He was willing to learn as a young player from wonderful coaches in Siebert and St. Paul American Legion coach BillPeterson.
Anderson told a story about how former Gopher Dan Wilson marveled at Molitor when the two were together in Seattle with the Mariners. Wilson, a catcher with the Mariners who played 13 years in the big leagues, said it was “unbelievable the things” Molitor observed and analyzed on the baseball field as part of his learning process. “Paul is going to try to be prepared for every situation that comes up,” Anderson praised.
Molitor knows the tendencies of his players and those on other teams. White Sox left-hander Chris Sale is one of the league’s better pitchers but the Twins have hit him hard, while he can be lights out against other clubs. Is that part of the Molitor impact?
Could be because the Minnesota native has been studying everybody and everything about baseball for a long time. A Hall of Famer as a player, Molitor even used down time when he was injured to more intently study players and what was happening on the field, Anderson said.
The Twins have been an overachieving bunch this season, a collection of talent that doesn’t quite seem like it should be playing such meaningful games in September. But the players perform like they trust the manager and know what they’re doing. “He’s a mentor. He’s encouraging,” Anderson said about Molitor. “He’s patient. He’s going to create a winning culture there.”
Unless the Twins do a complete flop between now and season’s end, it looks like they already have the foundation for that culture.
Worth Noting
Adrian Peterson, who had only 10 carries and 31 yards on Monday night against the 49ers, will have more than a dozen supporters sitting in a box and rooting for him at Sunday’s game with the Lions at TCF Bank Stadium. After missing 15 of 16 games last season, the game will be the first for Peterson at the Gophers stadium.
Teammate and defensive end Brian Robison had Peterson singing a few lines from a favorite song yesterday in the team locker room. Robison, who wears jersey No. 96, was interviewing teammates for his “96 Questions” segment on Vikings.com.
Rookie offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings, a fourth round 2015 draft choice, didn’t figure to be a starter in the Vikings opening game but had to because regular right tackle Phil Loadholt is injured. Clemmings gives himself a letter grade of C for his debut performance on Monday night.
Clemmings, 6-foot-5, was an all-state high school basketball player in New Jersey. Clemmings said he had serious “hops” and probably could have dunked the ball on an 11-foot high basket.
The Vikings first round draft choice, cornerback Trae Waynes, didn’t play in the secondary during the opening game and apparently hasn’t shown the coaches he is ready to help defend. Head coach MikeZimmer was asked what the rookie has to do for playing time? “Cover guys better,” Zimmer replied.
Vikings wide receiver Mike Wallace joking about how he used to have three cell phones but now only two: “That’s when I was really important.”
Drew Wolitarsky
Junior Gophers slot receiver DrewWolitarsky has dropped his weight from 230 as a freshman to 215. He’s Minnesota’s leading receiver with 161 yards after having 106 total yards in 2014. He credits being faster with helping him improve. “A lot leaner, a lot less body fat percentage—about eight percent now,” he said.
The 6-foot-3 Wolitarksky, who reduced his body fat from 12 percent to eight in one year, caught the second touchdown pass of his career against Colorado State last week with a 38-yard reception.
Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner said about 50 percent of the play calls last week in the win over Colorado State were his. Although plays come from the coaches, the quarterback can make changes in the system.
Leidner, a redshirt junior, is in his fourth year at the University of Minnesota. He will graduate in December with a degree in kinesiology. He is planning grad school work in sports management.
Leidner is unsure about career plans. Asked about going into media work, Leidner wasn’t enthusiastic and would prefer living in a “cabin in Alaska.”
The former Lakeville South quarterback is aware of media and fan criticism, but coach Jerry Kill has given him perspective about it. “He tells me all the time when you win the game, everybody loves the quarterback and the head coach. When you lose, everyone hates you.”
The Gophers defense ranks ninth among Big Ten teams in points allowed per game at 21.5, and 10th in total defense yielding 381.5 yards. Those stats are misleading because the Gophers have played nonconference games against national title contender TCU and Colorado State, a team with a 10-3 record last year. Both programs have reputations for high scoring offenses. “We’ve got a really, really good defense,” Kill said.
Four of the most respected coaches in Hamline University history will be recognized at halftime in tomorrow’s Gustavus-Hamline football game. Banners of recognition will be displayed on the north wall of Klas Field for Kent Stahly (track/field, cross country), Dick Tressel (football), Dick Mulkern (football, track/field) and current cross country/track/field coach Paul Schmaedeke.
Devan Dubnyk
The Wild begin practice today and a hockey source told Sports Headliners the team’s early season storyline will be how goalie Devan Dubnyk performs. Dubnyk was the team’s most important player last winter after being acquired in a trade, and he led the Wild into the playoffs. The 29-year-old goalie had an unexpected career season and was rewarded with a new six-year contract during the offseason, but there’s no guarantee he will excel this fall and winter at the same level. If not, the source asked, what is the alternate plan for high performance in goal? Reserve Darcy Kuemper wasn’t able to establish himself last season.
The Gophers basketball team will finish 12th among 14 teams in the Big Ten and not even be invited to the NIT, according to Athlon SportsCollege Basketball Magazine. “The problem for Minnesota is that the Big Ten is loaded with a bunch of good teams—several great ones,” the magazine said in its analysis section about the Gophers.
Big Ten teams in the magazine’s national top 25 are No. 4 Maryland, No. 12 Michigan State, No. 16 Purdue, No. 17 Indiana, No. 19 Wisconsin and No. 22 Michigan. Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina are ranked first, second and third in the country.
Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino turned 33 years old on Wednesday.
The Lynx, who won the WNBA championship in 2011 and 2013, hope to start another title run tonight. Minnesota opens the Western Conference semifinals playoffs against Los Angeles in an 8 p.m. game at Target Center. The Lynx have 127 regular season wins over the last five seasons, ranking second in WNBA history (Los Angeles – 130, 2000-2004). During the 2015 regular season the Lynx finished first in the Western Conference with a 22-12 record while Los Angeles was 14-20.
Timberwolves 2015 first round draft choice Tyus Jones is providing 500 complimentary tickets for tonight’s game.
