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.

Final Four Likely for New Stadium

Posted on May 18, 2012May 21, 2012 by David Shama

With approval for a new Vikings stadium now finally in place, media speculation has started about attracting a Super Bowl to Minneapolis but it might be even easier to bring the NCAA’s Final Four to town.

“I’ll be amazed if we don’t get it (a Final Four),” Bill Lester told Sports Headliners. He is executive director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission and was part of the group that helped bring Final Fours to the Metrodome in 1992 and 2001.

The Gophers have been the college host for past Final Fours. “We know how to put it on,” said Joel Maturi, Gophers athletic director. “This is a great city (to visit).”

Lester said the Final Four sites are determined through 2016 but beyond then Minneapolis could be in the mix with a bid. “They (the NCAA) like competing cities,” he said.

The NCAA chooses only Final Four sites that are state-of-the-art domed stadiums. The new Vikings stadium will have either a fixed or retractable roof, and Lester said the seating configuration for the Final Four will be about 74,000.

A Super Bowl was held at the Metrodome in 1992. Although the NFL is known to reward new facilities with a Super Bowl, the league has most often selected warm weather cities as the site for games and sometimes in older stadiums. Earlier this year Indianapolis with a new stadium was the Super Bowl site, and Lester believes there’s definitely a possibility Minneapolis could host another Super Bowl within the next 10 years.

Maturi said the Big Ten Conference will be open to considering the new Vikings stadium for the league’s championship football game. That game is committed to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the next four years, and Detroit has expressed interest in hosting the game at Ford Field, according to Maturi.

There’s been quiet talk about establishing an annual college football bowl game (“City of Lakes Bowl?”) in Minneapolis. Maturi acknowledged it could be a difficult sell to convince teams the city is a desirable destination in December but said this is an attractive area with lots to do.

Maturi believes a nonconference basketball game involving the Gophers and a national power might one day be booked for the new Vikings stadium. “I think it’s a natural,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, Lester said he’s already hearing from potential users of the new stadium that is projected to open in 2016. Contacts range from inline skating organizers to amateur baseball teams looking for a protective environment. Such contacts are providing input on the design of the new stadium.

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Worth Noting

Posted on May 18, 2012May 18, 2012 by David Shama

Maturi said the Gophers will receive a maximum of $300,000 from the Vikings for each of the NFL team’s games played at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers will charge rent and receive a share of certain revenues including concessions.

He also said seating expansion of TCF Bank Stadium will include but not necessarily be limited to adding bleacher seats in the west end zone. While the Vikings will be able to play games in the Metrodome during coming seasons, it’s already clear they will sometimes have to host games at TCF Bank Stadium while their new facility is constructed near the dome.

Monster Energy AMA Supercross has booked the Metrodome for April 13, 2013, returning to Minneapolis after a five year absence. The best attended AMA Supercross event at the dome was 60,049 in 1997.

Former Wolves All-Star Kevin Garnett, whose Celtics team leads the Sixers 2-1 in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, will be 36 tomorrow.

Ex-Vikings coach Bud Grant, still active with travelling, hunting and fishing, celebrates his 85^th birthday on Sunday.

The Vikings report to training camp for a 47^th consecutive year in Mankato on July 26 with the first team practice the next day. The Vikings will break camp on August 16.

Gophers football players will report for the coming season on August 2 and practice begins August 3. The Gophers open the schedule at UNLV on August 30.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Henry Ellenson, the Rice Lake, Wisconsin high school freshman, was offered a scholarship this week by the Gophers. His older brother, Wally, will be on scholarship as a college freshman this fall for the Gophers.

With this week’s announcement by major league baseball that the 2013 All-Star game will be awarded to the Mets, it sets up further speculation Target Field will host the 2014 game.

Twins rookie shortstop Brian Dozier has only one error in 11 games since his recall from Class AAA Rochester. He’s hitting .298 with two home runs and five RBI.

The Twins projected starting pitchers for the three game series against the Brewers that opens tonight in Milwaukee: Carl Pavano, 2-3, 5.14 ERA; Scott Diamond, 2-0, 0.00 ERA; Jason Marquis, 2-3, 6.68 ERA.

Close followers of the Twins organization will be surprised if super prospect Miguel Sano won’t be playing for Minnesota in two years. Sano, the 19-year-old Beloit Snappers third baseman, leads the Midwest League in home runs with 11.

Canterbury Park opens its live racing season tonight. The Shakopee track will have racing every weekend through Labor Day. Special promotions will include ostrich and camel racing on July 21.

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Saunders Not Sure about College Coaching

Posted on May 16, 2012May 17, 2012 by David Shama

Flip Saunders, let go earlier this year by the Wizards, remains interested in coaching again. He’s had NBA head coaching jobs since 1995 with the Timberwolves, Pistons and Wizards, directing four teams to the conference finals in the last eight years.

Saunders, 57, told Sports Headliners the “right situation, right ownership” could put him back in the NBA. He fondly remembers working for Glen Taylor, using the Timberwolves boss as the kind of owner experience he values.

What about college basketball for Saunders who lives with his family in the Minneapolis area? “I don’t know. My name is always brought up at Minnesota just because I am here,” Saunders said.

“Do I think I would be a good college coach? Yeah, I say that because when I talk to (Michigan State coach) Tom Izzo, Izzo always tells me you’d be unbelievable in college because he sees when (and how) I talk to players, and be able to recruit players and do those type of things.

“Partly coaching, too is a lot (about) having knowledge. When you’ve been an NBA coach and you’ve coached and you’re at 1,500 or 2,000 games, you’ve been through just about every situation.

“Again, it would have to be the right situation (college). You just don’t jump in as far as anywhere. I think right now I am more geared to being a pro coach.”

Saunders played for the Gophers and was later an assistant coach on Minnesota’s 1982 Big Ten championship team. He was also an assistant at Tulsa and coached junior college basketball in Minnesota. Speculation about him coaching the Gophers occurs when rumors start about Minnesota coach Tubby Smith being targeted for other college jobs.

When asked about the Wolves, Saunders believes the franchise’s priority should be to acquire or develop a guard who is a “flat-out shooter.” He also said there’s probably not such a “game changer” on the free agent market this summer and the Wolves may instead need to develop two-year veteran Wesley Johnson, a player who averaged six points per game and made .389 percent of his field goal attempts last season.

Last year the NBA labor dispute delayed training camps and shortened preparations for the season. Not a good thing for young players like Johnson. “You’re hoping Wesley Johnson improves,” Saunders said. “He shows signs. You gotta judge him where he’s going to be after he goes through a training camp with Rick (Adelman). ”

The Wolves missed the playoffs last season and stumbled badly in the closing months after Ricky Rubio was injured. Saunders said the team could improve in the near future but still not make the playoffs. “Who you going to jump over?” he asked and then listed several strong teams in the Western Conference. “They might get better—significantly—and they might be in the same spot they’re in, or maybe move up one or two spots.”

Saunders cautioned about expecting too fast a return to elite performance by Rubio who tore his ACL in the left knee. It’s even too soon to predict when the 21-year-old point guard will play again. Saunders is experienced with players who have severe injuries to their legs and shoulders. “What I usually say is that when a guy comes back and starts playing, you’re going to know how he is a year from that time,” Saunders said.

Last season was Kevin Love’s fourth in the NBA and the Wolves forward established himself among the league’s best players, even finishing sixth in the MVP voting. But Saunders won’t include Love among the league’s five best players yet. Saunders quickly listed Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, then said Dwight Howard is probably his fifth player among the five best.

“I am never going to put a guy in the top five if he’s not in the playoffs,” Saunders said. “I vote guys if their team wins. There has to be something said for winning. No matter what you have to do. What he’s doing (Love) is he’s putting up top five numbers. He’s putting up top 10 numbers. He’s one of the top players in the world.

“When you talk top five, that’s a pretty elite group right now. You’re talking guys that not only are they putting up numbers and that, but their teams are winning and usually winning pretty big.”

Saunders is working with the Celtics as an adviser during the playoffs. He’s reunited with Kevin Garnett who he coached 10 seasons in Minneapolis. He regards the 7-foot Garnett as probably the most versatile player in basketball history.

Because of his association with the Celtics, Saunders wouldn’t predict who will emerge as Eastern Conference champions but he picks the Lakers to win the Western Conference.

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