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’ Big Challenge Injuries, Not Talent & Coaching

Posted on September 20, 2024September 20, 2024 by David Shama

The way it looks now the 2-0 Vikings have the personnel and coaching to fool the preseason skeptics and play their way into the postseason, perhaps with a division title and 10-7 record.

The Vikings, forecast to win 6.5 games, have been that impressive in opening season wins over the lowly Giants and the 49ers, a Super Bowl contender. “Dissect this team all you want but the Vikings are for real,” Ben Leber, the former Viking and astute radio analyst, said Monday on X (formerly Twitter).

The roster, altered in the offseason with key additions like quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Aaron Jones, linebackers Dallas Turner, Blake Cashman, Jonathan Greenard, and Andrew Van Ginkel, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and kicker Will Reichard, has blended superbly with the holdover talent.

The coaching? There’s unanimity across the country head coach and offensive guru Kevin O’Connell, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, are among the best in the NFL. Their teaching, and creativity, along with a player-friendly culture, give the Vikings an edge on other teams.

A run on injuries to key players looks like the biggest obstacle between the Vikings and realizing their goal of making the playoffs. Football is a brutal and unforgiving sport and the NFL, just two weeks into the season, has already seen gifted players sidelined—perhaps more than usual.

Christian McCaffrey, the 2023 NFL offensive player of the Year, didn’t play last Sunday for the Vikings. He is now on the Injured Reserve list as is big name quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins. The Rams have been decimated with injuries, including to star wide receivers, and the Packers are without highly paid quarterback Jordan Love for multiple weeks.

That doesn’t even begin to detail the story but the good news for the Vikings is they’re doing okay with injuries which, of course, are impossible for any team to completely avoid. Tight end T.J. Hockenson is out for at least early in the season because of a significant knee injury. That’s a major loss, and standout wide receiver Jordan Addison missed the 49ers game with an ankle injury.

Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota’s practice report on Thursday listed 10 players dealing with injuries. Addison and outside linebacker Dallas Turner (knee) didn’t participate in practice. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (both with quad injuries) were limited participants, but the former said he will play Sunday. The six other Vikings listed in the report were full participants.

As the season progresses, Vikings fans can watch with their fingers crossed on the medical front. Ideally, on most Sundays, the Vikings roster will be mostly healthy and healthier than the opposition. Put that down as the X factor for the season.

Worth Noting

The Vikings, led by Jones and backup RB Tyler Chandler, are averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. “Every offense in the NFL needs to run the ball to be successful. …I have a good feeling that we’re going to be able to do that this year,” offensive tackle Brian O’Neill told Sports Headliners earlier this month.

Jones, who performed the “Lambeau Leap” into the stands at Lambeau Field while with the Packers, will now do the “Bank Vault” at U.S. Bank Stadium.

It appears the Packers let Jones sign with the Vikings as a free agent because of his age, history of injuries and salary. But the Vikings are pleased to have the 29-year-old who reportedly signed a one-year deal for $7 million, maybe $3 million more than the Packers who wanted him to take a pay cut.

Jones is an explosive runner, and he ended his Packer career with consecutive 100 yard games. “He doesn’t need much space to get going. That’s for sure,” O’Neill said.”

Hockenson’s workload has been taken over by replacement tight ends Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt. Mundt praised Hockenson for his many attributes including his football IQ and big play ability.

“Yeah, for sure. He can get in and out of cuts and he can really turn on the gas and hit it 100 miles an hour. So, yeah, he’s got a lot of great attributes and (I’ve) definitely taken some of that and implemented it into my game.”

Mundt is a practitioner of visualization away from the field to achieve success on it, drilling down to specific details. He will visualize, for example, what he needs to do to be successful on third down in the red zone.

He told Sports Headliners he creates a setting in his mind where he “can smell the turf, the grass. You’re in the stadium, you hear the crowd. You really create the setting in your mind. Then you just visualize yourself taking these steps: Snapping your eyes around, catching the ball, tucking (it away), either breaking a tackle or just hitting the right angle.”

The recent Morrie Miller Athletic Foundation fundraiser generated a record $404,000. Former Viking Jared Allen was the celebrity speaker at a banquet for the foundation that raises money for youth athletics in Winona.

“One of the nicest athletes I’ve ever dealt with,” said Agile Marketing president Patrick Klinger who coordinated Allen’s appearance.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, who designates a player each year to talk to the team about the Hawkeyes-Golden Gophers rivalry, expects a close score in Saturday’s rivalry game at Huntington Bank Stadium. The last three games have been decided by a total of 10 points.

Who has the best roster talent among the Gophers, Iowa and Wisconsin, another border rival? “I think they’re pretty similar,” said recruiting authority Ryan Burns. He told Sports Headliners: “I think it comes down to—with these three teams when they play—is what happens at quarterback.”

Race Thompson, the former Robbinsdale Armstrong basketball star who played at Indiana, has signed to play with the Memphis Hustle G League team. He’s the son of Darrell Thompson, the former Gopher record setting running back who for years has headed the local Bolder Options nonprofit benefiting youth.

Thompson’s son True, who played football for the Gophers, works at RBC in Minneapolis. Daughter Dominque, who played volleyball for Wisconsin, works for Bolder Options.

Daughter Indigo, who played volleyball at Virginia Commonwealth and San Diego State, is coaching high school volleyball in Virginia. Darrell’s wife Stephanie played volleyball at Iowa. He said Indigo “calls my wife after every game whether they win or lose to go through everything.”

Medical speculation: After the 2022 season both the Giants and Mets flirted with signing shortstop Carlos Correa but reportedly backed off because of a past ankle issue. Correa had to settle for a lesser offer from the Twins but in both 2023 and 2024 he has missed significant playing time because of plantar fasciitis. An altered gait, medical authorities say, can contribute to plantar fasciitis.

And how does a team contending for the playoffs have only two left-handed pitchers on the roster? Caleb Thielbar and Cole Irvin are both so-so veterans who in relief yesterday gave up two of the three runs in another costly loss to the Guardians.

Thielbar was the only lefty on the roster when Irvin was picked up on waivers this week from the Orioles. The Twins have been without a left-handed starter all season.

The Athletic yesterday ranked the pitching staffs of 12 postseason contending teams and the Twins are No. 12. “Bullpen has been awful and rotation depth questionable,” said The Athletic story written by Stephen J. Nesbitt and Chad Jennings.

The Wild opened training camp yesterday at the TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in downtown St. Paul. Some training camp practices at TRIA Rink will be open to the public. Register at http://www.wild.com/openpracticesto attend an open practice session.

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Koi Perich Adds Intrigue to Minnesota-Iowa Rivalry Game

Posted on September 18, 2024September 18, 2024 by David Shama

The unexpected comes to mind this week as Minnesota and Iowa prepare for their 118^th football game. Why? Because both teams and their fans had no idea last year’s game in Iowa City would end with such drama.

With less than two minutes remaining in the game, Iowa’s Cooper DeJean fielded a punt and ran 54 yards for an apparent touchdown to give his No. 24 ranked team a 16-12 lead. However, the go-ahead score was negated after officials determined that before fielding the football, DeJean signaled an illegal fair catch.

Emotions always run high in rivalry games but the replay ruling that wiped the touchdown off the scoreboard took things to a higher level. Iowa fans reportedly threw bottles, cans, and food onto the field. The Minnesota bench was targeted with debris, forcing the players to move out of their sideline area.

The Golden Gophers hung on to their 12-10 lead, winning for the first time in Iowa City since 2000 and taking home the famous rivalry trophy, Floyd of Rosedale. Minnesota’s other four wins this century all came in Minneapolis where Saturday’s game will be played.

The 2023 game was a bitter defeat for the Hawkeyes, including for DeJean who now is in the NFL playing for the Eagles. DeJean is only 21 years old, but he will be remembered as a legendary player for Iowa. He has a charming backstory with origins in Odebolt, Iowa, a small town with less than 1,000 people.

As a high school player, the scholarship offers were modest coming from the likes of North and South Dakota schools. But like a movie character DeJean had a passion for the home-state Hawkeyes and, boy, did he make their fans happy soon after he accepted an Iowa scholarship. It was the only Power Five offer he received.

A superb cornerback and punt returner, he played three seasons at Iowa and the results were the kind of stuff that gets your uniform number retired and name on a short list of program legends. In 2022 he set a school single season record by returning three pass interceptions for touchdowns. He was a unanimous cornerback All-American last season on a who’s who of All-American teams. He was also named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year after dazzling on punt returns including a 70-yard TD against Michigan State—and the score that wasn’t against the Gophers.

On Saturday, the Gophers will introduce Iowa to—just maybe—their own version of Cooper DeJean. Minnesota’s nominee, of course, is prized freshman recruit Koi Perich, a substitute safety for now but already the team’s punt returner.

Perich has that small town background, too, coming from Esko, Minnesota, with a population of about 2,000. Unlike DeJean coming out of high school, the college football world coveted Perich including mighty Ohio State who he turned down at the last minute.

After signing with the Gophers in December, Perich showed what he could do in a high school all-star game in San Antonio. Playing in the All-American Bowl against some of the better prep talent in the country last January, Perich was named MVP. He had an interception, broke up two passes, made a tackle for a loss, and blocked and recovered a punt.

As a high school senior last fall Perich played defense, offense and special teams while leading Esko to a 10-1 record. He accounted for 27 touchdowns, including five on defense, along with three scores on punt returns and one on a kickoff return.

Koi Perich photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

In Perich’s brief career with the Gophers, he’s played special teams and also spot minutes as a defensive back and has an interception. But it’s been as punt returner that he has mostly caused a stir. Replacing regular returner Quentin Redding who is injured and out for the year, Perich already has a 28-yard return. He has returned three punts for an average of 16.67 yards (in 2023 DeJean averaged 11.5 for the season). .

The moxie and athleticism are so evident when Perich is on the field that his presence makes observers watch in anticipation of what he will do. He has inspired confidence in Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck who is quick to point out that Perich, unlike some freshmen who enrolled in January, has only been in the program since June.

Perich has had some catching up to do with all there is to learn in college football, but Fleck said the freshman can handle the process by the “shovels.” Talented, intelligent and confident, Perich has inspired trust in Fleck—something a freshman doesn’t easily earn.

“He’s a heck of a football player,” said Fleck who talks about the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Perich as a player who prompts anticipation that something good is going to happen when he is on the field.

Perhaps like a punt return or interception to beat the hated Hawkeyes on Saturday, or next year, or the year after?

Minnesota, with a 2-1 record, is about a 2.5-point underdog to Iowa, also 2-1. For the Gophers to win they likely will need sophomore running back Darius Taylor’s big play ability.

Taylor, who is one of Minnesota’s top Name, Image and Likeness earners, missed the North Carolina opener because of a hamstring issue. The Gophers probably win that game, a 19-17 loss, if Taylor had played.

Taylor, who averaged 133.2 yards rushing in 2023 (third best in program history), had a hamstring injury that caused him to miss seven games last season. Darrell Thompson, the record setting former Gopher running back and now color analyst on the Gopher Radio Network, acknowledged how hamstring injuries can be re-occurring.

Thompson said hamstring prevention and maintenance are challenging because “you gotta really take care of it and rehab it and never forget about it.” He added: “…It’s a big delicate muscle, especially when you’re a running back, receiver, defensive back, where you gotta…(track) the problem like all the time.”

Thompson told Sports Headliners fingers are crossed regarding Taylor. “Absolutely. We need him. He’s a very integral part of the offense. He’s the straw that stirs the drink, so we need him to be in one piece.”

Thompson believes Taylor’s production can go to a new level this fall for a couple of reasons. His workload will be shared with other backs, mostly Oklahoma transfer Marcus Major. Odds are that a “pitch count” can reduce his vulnerability to injury.

Another positive is it looks like Taylor will be targeted more as a pass receiver. In two games he already has nine receptions after a total of 11 in six games last year.

Fleck, of course, knows what he’s got in Taylor who had a 80-yard touchdown run last Saturday in Minnesota’s win over Nevada. “I think he’s one of the best players on this football team, and maybe in the country. …He’s really important to our team, not only on the field, but off the field. The type of person he is, the leader he is. How he’s developing as a man.

“There’s so many things that I love about Darius, but yeah, we missed him (against North Carolina). I mean you can’t sit there and say you don’t miss your best players when they’re not in there. …”

Thompson, BTW, was expected on Monday to start his annual routine of eating bacon each day leading up to the Iowa game. His plan is to “eat as much bacon as possible” during the week, although he confessed there are limits. There was a year when he had nine pieces in one day and he didn’t feel so “great” after gobbling all that down. The news, he said, didn’t go over well with his cardiologist.

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Ownership Could Make a Statement Extending Coach KOC

Posted on September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 by David Shama

It appears Vikings ownership will wait until the offseason to extend the contract of head coach Kevin O’Connell who is in year three of the deal he accepted in early 2022 to take over the team at age 36. If an extension comes this fall, or later, the action will be applauded by KOC’s players.

In early August owner Mark Wilf was asked about the immediacy of extensions for O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah who also is in year three of his contract. “I think right now we’re just focusing on the season and putting those things aside for now,” Wilf said.

That’s certainly ownership’s prerogative but especially with O’Connell it’s highly likely the view of his work won’t change. A new contract now would show a commitment during a season the team is trying to prove itself as a playoff contender with a journeyman quarterback and key new players on defense. Ownership’s conundrum could be they’re not ready to extend the GM and feel uncomfortable in just giving O’Connell a new deal during the season.

O’Connell is one of the rising stars among NFL head coaches. He came to the Vikings without head coaching experience but had worked for elite coaches in Bill Belichick, Jay Gruden, Chip Kelly and Sean McVay. In three regular seasons with the Vikings his record is 21-14-0 going into Sunday’s second game of the season against the 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The resume includes a first season record of 13-4 and winning the NFC North Division championship. Last year’s team got upended when veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was lost for the season in late October.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

O’Connell has a storyline showing his abilities and resolve in both favorable and challenging times. He replaced a gruff head coach in Mike Zimmer and has created an environment that players rave about. His offensive genius, including play calling and quarterback development, is something the Vikings have been in search of for a long time. He’s humble, and smart enough to know he doesn’t have all the answers, and is willing to delegate including turning the defense over to superb coordinator Brian Flores.

A random interview process in the Vikings locker room prompted the kind of enthusiasm and unanimity of support by players that is not always encountered with a head coach.

“Definitely a player’s coach,” said wide receiver Jordan Addison. “He always looks out for us in our best interests, and just a great offensive mind. I love playing in this offense. He gets us the matchup that we want. …Run a lot of different routes. Like I wouldn’t want to be in any other offense.”

O’Connell seemingly connects with all his players. “He reaches out to build a better relationship with each individual,” Addison said. “I feel like that’s cool and that’s something that’s pretty hard to do.”

Addison is a second-year player. Younger players appreciate O’Connell’s background as a former NFL quarterback and the sincerity with which he plays his role.

Rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner said he feels more comfort than pressure in the O’Connell environment. “He’s always going to do things that benefit you. He’s most definitely relatable too.”

Veteran fullback C.J. Ham is in his eighth season with the Vikings. He said KOC isn’t a screamer and doesn’t grind down players who make mistakes, while still holding them accountable.

“That’s (a) good healthy culture to have,” Ham said. “Everybody knows I have to do my job. I have to be a good teammate, be a good player. People are going to hold me accountable. I gotta hold other people accountable and do it in the most respectful way.”

Ham said that because the players know how much O’Connell cares about them “you’d do anything for him.” The even keel approach of the coach and his commitment to them is shown with consistency.

“Just who he is on a day to day basis,” Ham said. “He interacts with every single player. When you see him, you don’t have to shy away. He’ll welcome you up with open arms. Say hello and talk to you for a while. I think that’s a good healthy relationship.”

Tight end Johnny Mundt has known KOC longer than most Vikings. He played for O’Connell when KOC was the Rams offensive coordinator, including on the 2022 Super Bowl championship team.

“I love it (playing for O’Connell),” Mundt said. “He’s a great leader. He’s a great speaker. He’s a great motivator and he’s very creative, and he knows how to bring the best out of his players. I am very privileged to be a part of this team and play for him.”

Mundt knows that building and maintaining a successful culture is about a lot more than words. It comes mostly by deed and doing each day.

“Yeah, talk is cheap,” Mundt said. “But we go out there and we work, man. And he’s breathing confidence into us. He’s trying to bring the best out of us, so you know when you have that positive environment, player to player, coach to player, player to coach, it’s contagious and it’s a very healthy work environment. …When we put the pads on, put the helmets on, we’re grinding out there on the field. But yeah, it’s a lot of building each other up. So, it’s very good.”

Brian O’Neill has been one of the NFL’s better offensive tackles in the KOC era. “You play your best ball when you’re confident and you feel good about what you’re doing,” O’Neill said. “Hopefully, there’s a lot of people that are feeling confident and good about what they’re doing (and) we can all play our best ball.”

Would O’Neill love to see KOC get his contract extended during the season? “I’d love to play for him as long as I can. I don’t know how all that stuff works but I am pulling for him.”

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