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.

NIT Bid to Face Modest Applause

Posted on March 9, 2012March 12, 2012 by David Shama

The thought won’t rally an apathetic fan base but the Gophers may have earned a National Invitation Tournament bid with their 75-68 win over Northwestern last night in Indianapolis.

Last Saturday morning Minnesota sources were talking about the need to win two games to make the NIT. That was just hours before Minnesota, losers of six consecutive games, defeated Nebraska in the Gophers’ final regular season game. And then early yesterday evening Minnesota, the No. 7 seed, defeated Northwestern, the No. 10 seed, in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament for both teams.

Minnesota’s two-game winning streak leaves the Gophers with a 19-13 overall season record. That could be enough to put the school back in the NIT for the first time since 2008.

Certainly a win tonight over Michigan will remove any doubt the Gophers would be invited to the tournament that is the oldest in college basketball, and holds its semifinals and championship game in New York’s hoops mecca, Madison Square Garden.

The NIT selection committee will have to decide if there are 32 teams more to its liking than Minnesota. Probably not, but either an invite or rejection won’t be met with much passion by Minnesota’s fan base.

The Gophers used to be popular with NIT administrators who liked the large crowds Minnesota drew for their NIT games. That’s history now. The NIT novelty wore off here long ago and the last NIT game (2008) in Minneapolis drew 3,882 fans.

Then there’s the problem of declining interest in the Gophers. Coach Tubby Smith has been under heavy criticism after finishing with a 6-12 Big Ten regular season record in each of the last two years. His five year Big Ten record is 39-52. Average home attendance this season was the lowest in five years.

But give Smith and his players credit for upsetting Northwestern last night, spoiling any chance the 18-13 Wildcats had of earning an NCAA invitation. In the overtime, Smith put a smaller lineup on the floor using four guards and forward Rodney Williams. The unit shutdown Northwestern’s offense as the Gophers outscored the Wildcats 14-7 in overtime.

Minnesota trailed 36-34 at halftime after building a 15-5 lead early in the game. Northwestern soon switched to a zone defense and half court trap that changed the game in the Wildcats’ favor despite 16 first half points by freshman point guard Andre Hollins.

It was Hollins who led the team in scoring with 25 points and showed promise of giving Minnesotathe leader it has been looking for all winter. He made five of 10 three point shots and played with poise in overtime.

The Gophers will need more of that tonight against a Michigan team that was 13-5 during the conference regular season and shared the league title with Michigan State and Ohio State. Game time is 5:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

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Worth Noting

Posted on March 9, 2012March 9, 2012 by David Shama

The Timberwolves rank No. 13 in the Sports Illustrated website power poll of NBA teams. That’s one spot better than Kevin McHale’s Rockets and two ahead of Kevin Garnett’s Celtics.

Wolvers general manager Dave Kahn doesn’t receive enough credit for his 2010 deal that brought guard Luke Ridnour to Minneapolis. Without the consistent shooting of Ridnour, the Wolves would have only Kevin Love to include among dependable shooters.

It was six years ago this week that Kirby Puckett passed away at age 44. He was a hero of Garnett’s.

Fox Sports North telecasts the Twins-Yankees game on Sunday, the third spring training telecast seen in Minneapolis-St. Paul this month.

The Twins received a no hit two inning start by Scott Baker on Tuesday against TampaBay. The 29-year-old right-hander has been with the Twins since 2005 and ranks No. 11 in career starts and wins.

Twins left-hander Brian Duensing, who has been a starter in the past, could be most valuable in spot duty out of the bullpen. He held left-handed hitters to a .217 batting average last season.

TV play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer said on a Fox telecast Tuesday the Twins, who suffered through an extraordinary year of regular season injuries in 2011, were the only team in major league baseball last year to break camp with no players on the disabled list.

Former Gophers football player Lewis Garrison continues to make a name in college basketball officiating. He will officiate the men’s Division II NCAA Regional Tournament in Denver this weekend. He’s also one of six officials selected to work the men’s Division III Final Four in Salem,Virginia later this month. Garrison officiated the men’s MIAC championship game between Gustavus and St. Thomas in late February.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien provided his rankings of the best prep boys teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A. His top 10 in big school 4A are Hopkins, Eastview, Lakeview North, Osseo, Apple Valley, Duluth East, Woodbury, Roseville, Eden Prairie and Chanhassen. Benilde-St. Margaret’s is No. 1 in 3A followed by Minneapolis Washburn, DeLaSalle, St. Paul Johnson, Waconia, Mankato East, Blake, Hill-Murray, Grand Rapids and Delano.

The top 10 in 2A are Braham, Perham, Redwood Valley, St. Peter, Pelican Rapids, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, St. Cloud Cathedral, Fairmont and Montevideo. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa is No. 1 in 1A followed by Southwest MN Christian, Prairie Seeds Academy, Fair School, Dawson-Boyd, Lakeview Christian, Ellsworth, Browerville, Battle Lake and Maranatha Christian.

Lien said Cooper High sophomore forward Rashad Vaughn has scholarship offers from Baylor, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Texas. Hopkins wing Zach Stahl has an offer from Hawaii and Northeastern while Edina junior point guard Graham Woodward has been offered by Augustana (South Dakota).

Among names possibly on the University of Minnesota’s review list for athletic director are Darrin Nelson, former Vikings running back and senior associate athletic director at Stanford, and Suzanne Sanregret, athletic director at Michigan Tech and one of the few females in the country holding that position.

The Vikings Miller Lite Draft Party starts at 4 p.m. and continues through the conclusion of the NFL draft’s first round on Thursday, April 26 at Mall of America Field. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. More information is available on the Vikings website.

Mark Rosen’s new book, Best Seat in the House, will first be available on March 29 at the downtown Barnes & Noble store where the WCCO TV sportscaster will be signing books starting at noon.

Through games of March 5, former Gopher Phil Kessel was tied for third in NHL goals with 32. He was fifth in points with a career high 68. Other Gopher alumni with over 30 points in the NHL: Blake Wheeler, 54, Thomas Vanek, 47, Kyle Okposo, 33 and Nick Leddy, 31.

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Wolves Owner: No Trade Deal Yet

Posted on March 7, 2012March 7, 2012 by David Shama

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners the Wolves could make a deal before the NBA trading deadline next week. “I just might say 50-50 (odds). We have no deal right now. I do know teams are calling.”

Presumably the Wolves are most interested in acquiring an exceptional shooting small forward or big guard, or perhaps a draft choice allowing them to further improve their roster of talented young players. The trading deadline is March 15.

Taylor said teams, including the Lakers, have asked about Wolves forward Michael Beasley, a starter in past seasons but not now. Beasley might be the most likely player to be traded, although second year guard Wes Johnson, a disappointment so far including with his shooting, could be on a short list of candidates, too.

Do the Wolves have any untouchables on the roster? “People ask about Ricky (Rubio) and Kevin (Love),” Taylor said. “We’re not even going to talk to them (other teams).”

General manager David Kahn is presumably making and receiving a lot of calls from other clubs, but one deal that hasn’t been discussed involves his contract. Kahn is in the last year of his three-year deal and Taylor wants him to continue with the organization.

The Wolves owner said he hasn’t even thought about when the two will discuss a new contract — likely after the season. “I like David,” Taylor said. “…He’s always out there exploring. He lays out a lot of options (for Taylor).”

The Wolves might make the playoffs for the first time since 2004, but Taylor said neither Kahn nor first year head coach Rick Adelman has bonus clauses in their contracts for postseason results.

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