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.

Gophers Basketball Notes

Posted on December 7, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

There’s talk the Gophers will be announced as one of the teams playing in the 2014 Preseason NIT Tournament. Sports Headliners reported recently the Gophers will participate in the 2013 Maui Invitational, and it’s known Minnesota will play in the 2012 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas. Teams at the Atlantis tourney will include Duke and Louisville.

The 9-1 Gophers have been winning without injured players but did see the return of center Ralph Sampson III last night, contributing 10 points in a win over Appalachian State. “We’re gonna be a real good team once Ralph gets back,” guard Julian Welch said last weekend.

Even if the NCAA grants Trevor Mbakwe a medical redshirt allowing him to play next season, it’s probably a lock he won’t return to the Gophers unless his surgically repaired right knee has left him physically subpar and he requires more time to recover before he can compete on the pro level. Mbakwe is likely to try the NBA even as a second round draft choice, or use another pro basketball option.

Welch said “it helps a lot” playing more minutes now because he doesn’t worry about making a mistake and being removed from the game. In the Gophers first four games the junior college guard transfer never played 20 minutes but now is a team leader in both minutes and performance.

Rodney Williams likes the new assignment of playing power forward created by the absence of Mbakwe. “I’ve got a lot of mismatches because I can use my speed to get around the bigger guys,” he said recently.

The Gophers and Penn State are the only Big Ten teams who will play their first two conference games on the road. Minnesota is at Illinois December 27 and at Michigan January 1.

Tubby Smith, now starting his fifth season as Gophers coach, has a career 32-40 Big Ten record. After four seasons Dan Monson, his predecessor, was 26-38 in conference games.

The announced attendance for last Saturday’s Gophers women’s game against No. 1 ranked Baylor at Williams Arena (capacity 14,625) was 3,814. The Gophers trailed 48-21 at the half and lost 89-60.

This Friday at 5 p.m. is the deadline for men’s basketball season ticket holders who want to transfer their tickets to an “immediate family member,” according to an email from the Gophers athletic department.

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Worth Noting

Posted on December 7, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

Former Minneapolis South High star Tayler Hill, now at Ohio State, is the Big Ten Women’s Player of the Week after averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals in wins over Florida State and Oklahoma last week.

Eric Dungy, son of former Gophers quarterback and Vikings assistant coach Tony Dungy, is a reserve redshirt freshman wide receiver who has played in five games for Oregon but has no receptions.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is supportive of head coach Leslie Frazier. He said keeping perspective on the difficult challenges Frazier has faced including a reduced off-season working with players because of the NFL labor dispute and the multiple team injuries have impeded progress. The coach has shown leadership and Dalton said, “I like the coaching staff Leslie Frazier has put together.”

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder has thrown eight interceptions in seven games. No question Ponder has forced a number of passes but what fans miss is the entire scheme of the play including whether receivers were in the proper spots on the field, according to Dalton.

When the Vikings released quarterback Donovan McNabb last week, the move only fueled speculation that the veteran’s work habits were lacking.

Sports Illustrated’s December 5 NBA preview issue includes a prediction the Timberwolves will finish last in the Northwest Division. The publication said the team is “no longer lacking for talent” and describes the rookie tandem of Derrick Williams and guard Ricky Rubio “as enticing as any.” No playoffs for an eighth straight year, but improvement and “maybe even some long-overdue fun,” according to S.I.

Gene Glynn, who has been named manager of the Twins Rochester farm team, was the first Minnesota Mr. Basketball winner back in 1975 after an outstanding athletic career at Waseca High School.

If as reported on the Twins Website general manager Terry Ryan is shopping for a corner outfielder at the winter baseball meetings, it’s probably a solid indication he doesn’t expect to sign both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel. Among the factors in favoring Cuddyer being retained by the Twins is his right-handed bat. Past Twins lineups have been heavy on left-handed hitters like Kubel.

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Vikings Magic Number Looks Like 8 Games

Posted on December 5, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

What now for the 2-10 Vikings?

With four games remaining on the schedule none of the players and coaches will probably talk about anything but competing and trying to win, but the best long range benefit for the franchise could be extending the team losing streak to eight straight games. The Vikings lost their fourth consecutive game yesterday to Denver, 35-32 in the closing seconds.

It was the seventh loss by seven points or less. The defeat left players frustrated and critical of their own misdeeds. “I am trying to win games,” Jared Allen said. “I don’t want it (the season) to end at 2-11 or whatever the hell we are. …”

Three of the Vikings four remaining opponents have winning records. The Vikings probably won’t even be favored on the road against 4-8 Washington. A 2-14 final record would position the Vikings near the top in the 2012 NFL draft order and that’s a reward which figures to be more valuable than winning a couple more games.

Other than Indianapolis (0-12), no team has a worse record than the Vikings (St. Louis is also 2-10). The Vikings have painful personnel needs at wide receiver, along the offensive line and in the secondary. They could use a top five draft choice to improve themselves, either drafting a college player or perhaps even leveraging their pick in a trade.

The irony about the Vikings is that even with a bad record, this team has exceptional players in certain positions, starting with Allen at defensive end and all-world running back Adrian Peterson. And certainly the Vikings saw into their future during the Denver loss with rookie quarterback Christian Ponder throwing for 381 yards while tossing two touchdown passes to third year receiver Percy Harvin and one to rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Everyone who cheers for the Vikings wants to see young players like that trio develop in the four remaining games, but those with a long term perspective are just as open to L’s as W’s the rest of the way.

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