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.

Spielman Expects ‘Big Year’ from AP

Posted on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by David Shama

The Vikings begin OTAs later this month. Whether Adrian Peterson will show up for the organized team activities isn’t known. Neither general manager Rick Spielman nor coach Mike Zimmer will say specifically when Peterson will join the team.

“We expect Adrian to be back,” Spielman said. “We expect Adrian to have a big year for us.”

The OTAs aren’t mandatory for Vikings players but the club’s June 16-18 mini-camp is. Peterson’s $250,000 contractual workout bonus is tied to participation in both, according to an April 20 story on Espn.com by Ben Goessling.

Although Peterson missed all but one game last season and is 30 years old, Spielman expects a high level of performance from the future Hall of Famer. “I think everybody saw what he was able to do coming off his ACL and how he performed the next year. Adrian is just different than most players I’ve been around from a physical nature.”

Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012 after the ACL injury and surgery that prematurely ended his 2011 season. Because of an NFL suspension last season Peterson only rushed for 21 yards on 75 carries. The absence of playing time and loss of a potential 1,500 yard season could one day prevent him from becoming the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

Zimmer doesn’t expect Peterson to negatively impact team harmony whenever he does show up. “I don’t think there will be any issues, no,” Zimmer said.

Although Peterson has become a controversial figure because of using a switch to beat his son, he has many supporters in the Vikings organization who are looking forward to his return. A comment heard from insiders is Peterson has a “good heart” and has been proactive in helping others in the community.

Worth Noting

Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil was a Pro Bowler after his rookie year in 2012 but struggled last season, drawing lots of criticism. But he had knee problems and that was a factor in his play. Kalil had offseason surgery on both knees. “He understands he needs to play better,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer admires how a less than 100 percent Kalil was a gamer last season. “There was one week I didn’t know if he would make it. He’s never missed anything. He always shows up. He tries to fight as hard as he can for the guys.”

Another disappointment last season was wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson who as a second-year pro was inconsistent in his route running. Zimmer has watched Patterson this spring and is encouraged. “I’ve been impressed with the things that he has done.”

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte, who was added to the Vikings roster this week, said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle program last Sunday that during workouts earlier this year he ran about a 4.4 40-yard dash.

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, who the Gophers face at TCF Bank Stadium in their nonconference season opener on September 3, is the favorite for the 2015 Heisman Trophy, according to a Tuesday story by Si.com. The Sports Illustrated article points out the senior quarterback is one of 10 starters returning for an offense that was second nationally in scoring at 46.4 points per game.

The Big Ten will have more than the usual number of great players next fall, probably none better than Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa who could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. The Gophers play at Ohio State on November 7.

It will be an offense versus defense format tomorrow when coach Glenn Caruso and his Tommies have their spring football game at Palmer Field in O’Shaughnessy Stadium. The game begins at 1 p.m. and is part of the Tommies’ practice preparations for their summer trip to Italy that includes a football game and cultural experiences. Admission to tomorrow’s game is free.

The Wolves are investing $49 million in the $129 million Target Center renovation project but team owner Glen Taylor doesn’t expect work to start this year as hoped. He talked to Sports Headliners about a fix up in 2016 and 2017. The city will invest $74.5 million and AEG, the company that manages the building, will contribute $5.5 million. Target Center, which opened in 1990, originally cost about $104 million.

Taylor is joining Dr. Bill McGuire and others as an investor in the hoped-for Minneapolis MLS soccer franchise. Plans include an outdoor stadium to be built near the Farmers Market downtown. The facility would be open air. A long soccer season could begin in late winter and run into late October. Taylor was asked if the Minneapolis weather causes a concern about playing outdoors.

“I think we should try to work to have the Vikings facility available for some of those extreme cases where the weather would be too bad or something like that,” Taylor said. “In the long run we’d want to do that. We don’t have anything yet. Nor has the Wilf family (Vikings owners) indicated that they have any interest, but I just think that when you get everything going and stuff like that you should have cooperation. …”

The Vikings ownership has an exclusive option to operate a new Minneapolis MLS franchise inside the new domed stadium set to open in 2016. That option is for five years after the facility opens but the MLS is working with the McGuire group. Taylor believes that because the city and state, in addition to the Vikings, are paying for the stadium, the facility should be open to hosting some soccer there if the weather dictated.

At today’s Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority board meeting, the Vikings and the Wilf family will commit an additional $14 million toward the new stadium, bringing the team’s increased private contributions since stadium legislation passed to $89 million and the overall team/private commitment to $566 million. Nearly $13 million of the $14 million will be for the stadium’s television system, including over 2,000 HDTV monitors.

The Twins are 2-7 against the Tigers this season after yesterday’s loss in Detroit. Minnesota is 7-11 on the road but 12-5 in Minneapolis where the Twins open a weekend series starting tonight against the Rays. The Twins are 18-10 overall since April 15.

With a longer season and record purses projected, Canterbury Park begins its live racing season tonight with post time at 6:30 p.m. Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at 12:45 p.m. The 70-day racing meet, the longest at the Shakopee racetrack since 1992, runs through September 12. Jockeys, trainers, and owners will be competing for record purses of approximately $14 million.

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Lottery Luck May Change for Wolves

Posted on May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 by David Shama

News and notes from Glen Taylor and other newsmakers including new high school coaching hires.

The NBA Draft Lottery has not been kind to the Timberwolves. Despite a long list of losing seasons over more than two decades, the franchise has never had the No. 1 pick in the draft. This year the Wolves are sending a woman to see if their luck changes.

And not just any woman.

Glen Taylor, the Wolves owner, broke the news to Sports Headliners his wife Becky will represent the franchise on national TV May 19 when the NBA’s 14 draft lottery teams assemble in New York City. The Wolves, of course, are hoping the lottery rewards them with the first selection in the June 25 NBA Draft.

Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders let Taylor know he wanted Becky to represent the club at the draft lottery and she accepted the invitation. NBA teams send various representatives to the lottery, often front office executives. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has dispatched his teenage son Nick multiple times and won the lottery in both 2013 and 2014.

Saunders has represented the Wolves in the past at the lottery announcement but this will be Becky’s first turn. Will she wear something lucky like a special piece of jewelry? No, but she will be wearing a new dress. “That will be her lucky outfit,” Taylor said with a laugh.

The lottery chances of the 14 teams favor franchises with the worst regular season records. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the No. 1 selection in the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice. Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round.

Taylor will accompany Becky to New York. Although he is chairman of the NBA Board of Directors, he has never personally observed the draft lottery. He made it clear, though, his wife will be the one on TV. “Becky is going to be the front person,” he said.

Taylor said the Wolves must improve defensively next season. He wouldn’t be surprised to see Saunders make defense a priority on June 25 when the club uses its three draft choices—one first round pick and two selections during the second round.

Although Taylor doesn’t have final figures, he expects the Wolves to lose about $1 million to $2 million this past season. The franchise has frequently sustained major annual financial losses. “I would guess in our worst year we probably lost $10 million, but I don’t have that in front of me,” Taylor said.

The NBA has a revenue sharing policy where the more financially successful teams assist others. Taylor didn’t reveal figures but said this past season the amount of revenue received by franchises like his was “much larger” than in the past.

Next season the Wolves could break even or even be profitable if the on-court performance improves. A dramatic improvement landing the Wolves in the playoffs means making money “for sure,” Taylor said.

Greg Boone, who played basketball at Minneapolis Central High School and Augsburg College, is the new Minneapolis Southwest High School boys head coach. Boone is an accountant and won’t have a classroom teaching position at Southwest.

James Ware, the new basketball coach at Park Center, is an assistant principal in the Hopkins school system. Ware’s basketball resume includes assisting Hopkins High School head coach Ken Novak Jr. and working for Dan Monson when he was the Gophers head coach.

Trent Klatt, the former North Star, Gopher and 1989 Minnesota Mr. Hockey, is the new head hockey coach at Grand Rapids High School.

For $2,000 each a maximum of 25 individuals can participate in the Gophers second annual Boys of Fall Elite Camp in August. The three-day experience (August 7-9) will coincide with Minnesota’s preseason football training camp. Attendees become acquainted with the team and staff, and will have an in-depth look at coach Jerry Kill’s offensive, defensive and special team’s philosophies. Participants will attend all team, position and special teams meetings with players and coaches, plus on the field practices. More at Coachkillfbcamps.com.

After a disappointing performance in the playoffs against the Blackhawks, Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has lost some bargaining power on his next contract. The second round playoffs were the biggest stage this year for the Wild and Dubnyk. He didn’t play his best and teams now have to decide how much importance to give the Blackhawks series versus Dubnyk’s superb play last winter and in the first round of the playoffs. Best guess is he re-signs with the Wild and perhaps triples his reported $800,000 annual salary.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer meets with the media this week for a special session where he will share thoughts on how he coaches and his expectations of players.

Vikings first round draft choice cornerback Trae Waynes after being asked if he sets goals: “No. My whole mindset is play as hard as I can as fast as I can. Just try to make an impact. I’m competing against myself and…against other players but I have got to push myself at this level (NFL), and my big thing is just go out and compete.”

The Twins moved up from No. 21 to No.12 in Espn.com’s latest MLB power rankings of teams. The Cardinals are No. 1 while Twins’ Central Division rivals the Royals and Tigers are 2 and 4.

Twins shortstop Danny Santana has nine errors in 30 games this season. The club record for fewest errors by a shortstop is Leo Cardenas’ 11 in 1971.

While the Saints don’t open the season in their new ballpark until May 18, Hamline’s baseball team has already played nine games there. Among early descriptions of the new facility is it’s “definitely a pitcher’s ballpark” with long distances to the fences.

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Chad Greenway Special on & off Field

Posted on May 11, 2015May 11, 2015 by David Shama

Earlier this month the Vikings announced Chad Greenway was the team’s Community Man of the Year. Several weeks earlier he won the prestigious Byron “Whizzer” White Award presented by the National Football League’s Players Association—the highest honor awarded by the NFLPA. The annual award recognizes players who “go above and beyond to perform community service in their team’s cities and hometowns,” according to the Vikings.

Anyone familiar with Greenway’s off-the-field work to help others wasn’t surprised by the latest honors. He has been involved with a variety of efforts such as starting his own foundation to assist children with education and health needs, donating $100,000 to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, working in his native South Dakota to raise awareness about concussions, and helping with the America Needs Farmers campaign. And those commitments by Greenway are only some of the give back endeavors for the Vikings linebacker who is about to start his 10th season with the team.

At 32 years old, this might be Greenway’s last NFL season. During an exclusive interview with Sports Headliners covering various subjects, he wouldn’t say for sure what he will be doing a year from now. He is one of the franchise’s best linebackers ever, having twice been a Pro Bowler and a second team Associated Press All-Pro in 2012. Three times teammates have voted him Vikings defensive MVP.

Greenway grew up on a farm near Mount Vernon, South Dakota. He played nine-man football in high school. A quarterback and free safety, he led the team to consecutive state championships. At Iowa he became a two-time All-Big Ten linebacker before the Vikings drafted him in 2006 with the No. 17 pick of the first round.

Greenway’s wife Jennifer is a former track and field athlete at Iowa. The couple has three daughters.

Here is a Q & A with Greenway:

Why so much involvement with community work? “Wanting to give back to the community, I wanted to use the platform of the NFL as a springboard to give back to kids and families who were in either desperate need or (had) a specific need.”

Your motivation to help others is extraordinary. Where does that come from? “It snowballed. We (he and Jennifer) started our foundation with the idea of wanting to help families. As we got going we became more and more passionate. After we had our children, we became more passionate.”

What’s your philosophy of life? “Live for your family. Live for your kids as a dad. Be a great husband. Just take it one day at a time.”

What are you and ex-Viking Bob Lurtsema trying to accomplish with the South Dakota concussion initiative? “Awakenings. Specifically awareness to youth in football, and coaches and trainers, but mostly just educating players so they know what to look for in their teammates’ eyes.”

If you were to single out one community honor you received what would it be? “Well, the one honor that is the most significant is the Byron “Whizzer” White Award only because we’re going to be able to start our grant funds for families based off of that. (Greenway’s Lead The Way Foundation will receive a $100,000 donation.) It’s going to help a lot of families.”

What’s the reason this might be your last season? “Because I give everything to the game, and there’s only so much you can ask of your body. We’ll see how it all shakes out but this could be my last year and I would be excited about that. But also knowing that I could continue to play and be excited about that too. So it’s really up in the air. You give everything to the game and it’s going to take bits and pieces of you, but you can’t let it take too much.”

What are the chances you will be back next year? “That’s a hard question. I don’t know. I can’t answer that.”

After you’re finished with football what will you focus on? “My kids and my wife.”

What is it people don’t understand about being a pro football player? “It’s hard work everyday.”

What was the most fun you ever had playing football? “High school because we won two state championships with my best friends growing up. I’d played with them since I was four years old, five years old. To win two state titles with those guys was the ultimate experience.”

What is it fans better believe about the 2015 Vikings? “We’ll compete and we’ll improve.”

After one season what is your impression of head coach Mike Zimmer? “He’s a competitor. He’s impressive.”

How do you describe the importance of voluntary and mandatory spring practices for the Vikings? “Team building, camaraderie, education, (and) learning the defense.”

Who is the greatest Viking you ever played with? “Oh, gosh. Kevin Williams. He was a great teammate.”

If you quit the Vikings today you could walk away knowing what? “Knowing I did everything I could during my career to be content and happy with my effort, and what I did for the team and organization.”

Who is the person that most impacted you? “My parents, just always being there and always giving everything they had to us kids, and giving us opportunities.”

When growing up in Mount Vernon what was your thought about an NFL career? “Near impossible.”

Who were your sports heroes growing up? “Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Kent Hrbek.”

Eleven years after leaving the Hawkeyes, what are your thoughts about the Gophers-Iowa rivalry? “Go Hawks!”

Between Jennifer and you, who is the better athlete? “My wife. She is tougher. She is more competitive.”

What is the best TV show? “Oh, God, I don’t watch TV anymore. Tour de France.”

When it comes to music, nothing beats: “Classic country.”

Favorite artist? “Waylon Jennings.”

My kids make me laugh when: “They’re angry.”

Does that happen a lot? “Yeah, I have three girls.”

There’s nothing better to eat than? “My grandma’s cookies (chocolate chip). She uses real butter.”

Who are five famous people from the past or today you would invite for dinner? “Abraham Lincoln, probably the most influential American. George Washington. Bradley Wiggins…he’s a Tour de France champion cyclist. He’s an Englishman (Greenway is part English). Brett Favre (also), that would just be fun. He’s a great time. And LeBron James.”

My worst personal habit and why: “I am not much of a habit guy. Not too many bad ones.”

Does your wife get on you about stuff? “Of course. Maybe not putting my dishes in the dishwasher (for a bad habit). Say that one. I’ll have her read that.”

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