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.

Mpls. Council President: Arden Hills Plan ‘in Trouble’

Posted on October 31, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Minneapolis City Council president Barbara Johnson told Sports Headliners she doesn’t expect a special legislative session to be called in November to address the Vikings stadium issue. “I would be surprised if the governor (Mark Dayton) and the legislature can get agreement to go ahead on one (stadium) proposal,” she said.

The Ramsey County-backed Arden Hills stadium proposal is “in trouble,” according to Johnson who is working with mayor R.T. Rybak to promote stadium sites in Minneapolis. “People want a referendum on Arden Hills and that will kill it (the proposal),” she said.

Johnson believes there are also “too many unknowns” about the Arden Hills site to gain state approval in November, and she said a stadium there leaves Vikings fans “captive to ownership.” Those who have the latter opinion will argue the Arden Hills site doesn’t have access to public transportation, fans will pay the Vikings to park, and food-drink and entertainment options presumably will be less varied than downtown if a new stadium is built in any of three potential locations supported by Johnson and Rybak. Minneapolis advocates claim their proposed sites are all less costly than Arden Hills.

The Vikings are adamant in supporting the Ramsey County plan that the two parties reached accord on earlier this year. Johnson knows Minneapolis isn’t being courted by the Vikings while franchise leaders try to push through a special session and a vote in favor of an Arden Hills site. “We just have to continue to be like Rocky (Balboa),” she said. “We’re not discouraged.”

The Minneapolis funding proposal to become the local partner for the stadium would increase the sales tax now dedicated to paying off bonds for the city’s Convention Center. The sales tax would increase from .50 percent to .85 percent and generate benefits beyond a stadium including property tax relief for city residents, according to Johnson.

The effort to keep the Vikings downtown would be made easier if Hennepin County became a partner. “I’ve been talking to county commissioners and the mayor has, too,” Johnson said. “They’re more willing (for now) to sit on the sidelines.”

Although Johnson believes there’s a need to expedite the stadium solution process, she doesn’t believe it has to be in November. “The governor heard from the NFL ‘you better do something,’ ” she said. “He’s trying to be responsive.”

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Iowa AD: U Football Potential ‘Special’

Posted on October 31, 2011December 27, 2011 by David Shama

Gophers football notes:

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta is familiar with Gophers coach Jerry Kill’s program building history and he talked about the task at Minnesota prior to his Hawkeyes 22-21 loss on Saturday. “I think very highly of Jerry ─ his background,” Barta told Sports Headliners. “They (Kill and his staff) start a program that is struggling, and they brought it up to success each step of the way if you look at their history.

“The other thing they have is continuity. They have stayed together as a coaching staff. That builds trust.”

Barta, who is a Minnesota native, said the Gophers have a proud football tradition, a new facility (TCF Bank Stadium) and a new coach in Kill. “You have all the ingredients to create that (program building) foundation and do something special,” he said.

Barta said Iowa home football games generate about $100 million in economic activity each year in the greater Iowa City area.”

Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who was on the Gophers staff in the 1970s, was using a walker to get around in the press box on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. Parker had his right foot amputated last year.

Here are Sports Headliners’ weekly rankings of Big Ten Football teams: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota and Indiana.

Businessofcollegesports.com reports that for school year 2009-10 the Gophers football program produced a profit of $14,888,989, finishing No. 25 nationally on a list ranking the profitability of major college football and basketball programs. The Gophers basketball program is among the more profitable in the country and placed No. 49 in the combined football-basketball rankings at $8,041,167.

The basketball programs at Louisville, Duke, North Carolina, Arizona, Ohio State, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Arkansas ranked ahead of the Gophers, according to the article posted in June of this year.

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Worth Noting

Posted on October 31, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

With this week off because of no game scheduled next Sunday, Vikings players can spend more time with their families and attend to personal business. Punter Chris Kluwe will be flying home to Huntington Beach, California to see his young daughters trick or treat in dinosaur costumes for Halloween. Kluwe’s costume? Possibly Indiana Jones, he said.

Wide receiver Greg Camarillo closes Friday on his new home in San Diego. He’s sold his house in Davie, Florida but because of more expensive prices in California will be going from a one-acre property to a one-third acre lot.

Rookie Vikings offensive lineman Brandon Fusco is an improbable success story. As a high school player in Harmony, Pennsylvania he didn’t have one offer from a BCS school and decided to play for Slippery Rock, a Division II program. Drafted on the sixth round by the Vikings, Fusco surprised by not only making the final roster but has earned playing time on the field.

At Slippery Rock Fusco said he had 44 consecutive starts at center, a position the Vikings have practiced him at along with guard. At either position his goal is to be aggressive. “I don’t really get intimidated,” he said.

Fusco said he’s more comfortable with pro football now than earlier in the year but realizes he has much to learn. “I am a raw player,” he said. “I know that.”

Coach Tubby Smith’s Gophers open their exhibition schedule with a game tomorrow night at home against Bemidji State. The Gophers also have a home exhibition game scheduled against Augustana next Monday.

Minnesota is a popular choice to finish among the bottom teams in the Big Ten Conference. Lindy’s Sports College Basketball Magazine, for example, forecasts an eighth place finish ─ although hedges the prediction is too low if Minnesota develops an outstanding point guard to replace departed Al Nolen.

Lindy’s includes Gophers forward Trevor Mbakwe among its third team All-Americans. The senior from St. Paul made the preseason All-Big Ten first team chosen last week by a Big Ten media panel.

Lindy’s has Benilde-St. Margaret’s grad and Wisconsin point guard Jordan Taylor on its All-American first team. Hopkins alum Trent Lockett, now playing for Arizona State, is rated the No. 15 small forward in the country.

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