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.

Frazier to Give Vikes Behavior Message

Posted on July 25, 2012July 25, 2012 by David Shama

The Vikings lead the NFL in arrests since 2000 and coach Leslie Frazier told Sports Headliners he will “hammer on” behavior when he meets with his team later this week to begin training camp.

“No question. We’ll definitely hammer on it and make our guys aware of the history here in Minnesota, and really try to curb that number.”

Media reports put that number at 39 after running back Adrian Peterson’s incident in Houston earlier this summer. “We’re going to do all we can in 2012 and beyond to make things a little bit better and hopefully decrease those numbers,” Frazier said.

Frazier also said that while arrests make headlines, the public may not be fully aware of the many good deeds by players. Even Frazier doesn’t always know about community causes when a Viking player may donate time or money.

“Every single player on our team is involved with community service of some sort,” Frazier said. “I didn’t say 60 percent, 70 percent. I said 100 percent participation.”

Vikings & other notes:

This will be the 47^th consecutive year the Vikings have trained in Mankato. Among NFL teams, only the Packers have trained more consecutive years at the same site – 55 at St.Norbert College in De Pere,Wisconsin.

The Vikings report to training camp tomorrow and the first practice session open to the public at Minnesota State, Mankato will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday. All regular practices are open to fans and admission is free.

The Vikings player perhaps most likely to have a breakout season is Kyle Rudolph. The 6-6 tight end showed remarkable hands and the running potential to become a favorite of quarterback Christian Ponder.

Former Vikings head coach Mike Tice, now with the Bears, begins his first training camp as Chicago’s offensive coordinator this week. He was promoted by the Bears from offensive line coach after last season, and now perhaps has an opportunity to earn another head coaching job.

Former Vikings head coach Brad Childress, who succeeded Tice, begins training camp with the Browns as the team’s new offensive coordinator.

Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald Jr. travelled to Uganda last week, working with former President Bill Clinton and the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Before he left the country the Arizona All-Pro wide receiver appeared on ESPN where his mentor, former Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter, said Fitzgerald’s best playing weight is just under 220 pounds.

Carter has a new book about wide receivers called Going Deep.

Former Gophers quarterback Gino Cappelletti is retiring after 32 seasons as color commentator on Patriots radio broadcasts. Cappelletti’s last season with the Gophers was 1954.

The Big Ten Network will offer live coverage tomorrow of news conferences with all 12 of the Big Ten Conference’s football coaches. The conference’s annual football media gathering in Chicago will also include players such as the Gophers MarQueis Gray, Ed Olson and Keanon Cooper.

Former Gophers and other invitees will attend the dedication today of the Murray Warmath conference room in the new fitness center at Friendship Village in Bloomington. The deceased Gophers coach, who won the school’s last national football championship in 1960, was a resident at Friendship Village for several years.

Who could have predicted White Sox general manager Kenny Williams would use his time during MLB’s All-Star Game break to visit Egypt? Not sure whether he found any power hitters or power arms in the Middle East.

Former Twins starting infielders Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Danny Valencia are hitting .246 and .250 respectively with AAA Rochester. Nishioka has one home run and 19 RBI while Valencia’s totals are seven and 36.

If Joe Mauer wins the American League batting championship this season it will be his fourth title in seven years. Mauer is hitting .332, second best in the league but he trails Angels’ rookie Mike Trout by 25 points.

New York Times best-selling author and former Gophers golfer Harvey Mackay left yesterday for the Olympics in London where he will watch all 17 days of activities. The Minneapolis businessman has attended every summer Olympics for the last 40 years.

The 2012 Olympics will not include competition in baseball and softball.

Watching the NCAA over the years it’s been interesting to see how often the organization’s investigators appear to follow media reports, rather than initiating investigations of athletic programs.

Top boys and girls goalies participate in the four-day Minnesota Hockey Dave Peterson Reebok High Performance Goalie Camp starting tomorrow at the Super Rink in Blaine. For a list of past participants visit www.minnesotahockey.org.

Congratulations to my brother-in-law Mark Gilbertson who on Sunday swam across a part of Montana’s famed Flathead Lake, covering a distance of almost six miles during more than six hours in the water.

Comments Welcome

Big 3 Make 2014 Prep Class Special

Posted on July 25, 2012July 25, 2012 by David Shama

Among developments about the state’s coveted Big 3 prep basketball prospects for the class of 2014 is news that DeLaSalle forward Reid Travis now has scholarship offers from USC and Penn State.

High school basketball authority Ken Lien informed Sports Headliners that Travis also has offers from the Gophers, Iowa State, Colorado, Northwestern and Washington State. “He’s very athletic, a good shot blocker and can shoot the ball well,” Lien said. “He hasn’t given a verbal commitment to anyone.”

Nor have the other two members of the Big 3, Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones and Cooper forward Rashad Vaughn. The three are being recruited by a who’s who of college basketball programs including Michigan State, a school often drawing speculation about being at the top of Jones’ list.

The Spartans’ interest doesn’t stop with Jones. “I know Michigan State has looked at Vaughn quite a bit,” Lien said.

Lien, who operates the Mr. Basketball program that each year honors a Minnesota senior, said the class of 2014 has to compare with the best in state history for star power. That means the Gophers recruiters, who are in pursuit of Jones, Travis and Vaughn, are on the spot.

“There’s a chance they (the Gophers) might get all three, and there’s also the chance they may not get any of them,” Lien said.

Meanwhile, Minnetonka’s Riley Dearring, a player that Lien will be following for the 2013 Mr. Basketball award, has committed to Wisconsin. He’s an off-guard who doesn’t fit the defense-first stereotype fans have about Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan.

“His (Dearring’s) strengths are more offensive than defensive, but that’s typical of a lot of kids coming out of high school,” Lien said.

Lien said Edina point guard Graham Woodward, a senior next season, has an offer from Vermont. He also said Minnesota native Kyle Washington, a senior in 2013 who is deciding on where to play his last season of prep basketball, has a lot of potential and is interested in the Gophers.

Comments Welcome

Kill: Need ‘Great’ Season from Tufts

Posted on July 23, 2012July 23, 2012 by David Shama

The football Gophers begin practice next week and coach Jerry Kill talked to Sports Headliners about concerns for a team that was 3-9 last season but did win two Big Ten games and closed the season with an impressive 27-7 win over Illinois.

Kill is looking for receivers who can become exceptional; players who can locate a less than perfect pass and make the catch. “We need some guys to go make a play, make us look good,” Kill said. “If I’d say (identify)…the thing we need on our football team the most, it’s the concern who is that going to be? Is that going to be a freshman? Is it going to be Isaac Fruechte? Is it going to be (Devin Crawford-) Tufts?”

Fruechte, who was an all-state prep player in Caledonia, will be a first-year sophomore wide receiver for the Gophers after transferring from Rochester Community and Technical College. Kill said Fruechte “has the potential to be a very good athlete.”

Tufts, another sophomore wide receiver, played in nine games for the Gophers as a true freshman last season and showed big play potential including a 61-yard reception against Iowa. Kill is direct about his expectations for the former Edina football and track star.

“I think Devin Tufts has to have a great year for us if we’re going to be very good. I mean he’s gotta have a breakout season.”

Kill would obviously welcome a wide receiver like Eric Decker, a player who specialized in big plays and difficult catches during his Gophers career before turning heads with the NFL’s Broncos. “…There’s a reason he’s where he’s at,” Kill said. “They’re hard to find but we need one or two of them here because that will make us a lot better. “

Kill said he believes junior redshirt offensive lineman Ed Olson has “got a chance to have a breakout year,” and then he talked about the potential of several defensive players. He said sophomore Cedric Thompson could become a “great safety,” and talking on WCCO Radio during the offseason he has used the “G” word with Thieren Cockran, a redshirt defensive end who could become an extraordinary pass rusher.

“TC is a kid that’s a young freshman that I am encouraged by what he’s done,” Kill said. “Ra‘Shede Hageman is a young kid that is learning how to play defensive line. Played a great game against Illinois, left off in the spring, and I think everybody in the area knows what kind of athlete he is. He’s got an opportunity to take his name to the next level.

“Cameron Bottcelli (sophomore defensive tackle) is a kid that’s developed and he’s had a great summer. I think he’s got an opportunity to do some good things.”

Kill’s praise for secondary players goes beyond Thompson. He likes what he’s seen of his junior college newcomers, Jeremy Baltazar and Martez Shabazz, and also Briean Boddy who he describes as the “sleeper of the group.”

Then too there is sophomore safety Derrick Wells who was moved from cornerback to safety in the offseason. “Huge move on our football team,” Kill said. “I think in his next three years…I believe he’ll be an All-Big Ten player.”

Another player who switched positions was junior James Manuel, moving from safety to outside linebacker. Kill said the switch “was a good move for us to get ourselves better on defense.”

The Gophers had problems with punting last season and Kill is concerned about what the results will be in 2012. “The big question (about the team) is who is going to be the punter,” Kill said. “…There’s no question that’s the difference between winning and losing. That’s the biggest play in football. We gotta get better at it.”

When practice begins on August 2, Kill will be counting down to the opening game against UNLV 28 days later in Las Vegas. During the first few practices he will be looking at the freshmen to see who can play, contribute to team depth and perhaps even start. Some will have to play and help the Gophers.

“I think that’s the most important thing (to see in early practices),” Kill said. “How do they learn. Can they help us win? Are they going to be able to stay eligible playing in a Big Ten schedule?”

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