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.

Worth Noting

Posted on March 11, 2011October 10, 2011 by David Shama

Tsuyoshi Nishioka’s arrival as the first Japanese native to play for the Twins has added to the media delegation covering the team and the potential for club merchandising in Japan.

Japanese media have been covering the Twins’ new second baseman in spring training and about 20 journalists from Japan are expected to report daily on Nishioka and the team during the season. Signage in Japanese will be on display in the Target Field press box this season.

Sales of Twins merchandise and memorabilia in Japan is expected to increase not only because this is Nishioka’s first year with the team, but also he’s a high profile player, a former batting champion and gold glove winner in his home country. “I think it can’t help but raise our profile significantly over there,” said club marketing executive Patrick Klinger.

When Nishioka was brought to Minneapolis in December for a news conference to announce his signing with the Twins, the Japanese paparazzi were there, too. “It was like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt walked in the room with all the flashbulbs popping,” Klinger said.

A baseball trading card industry authority said autographed minor league cards of Twins prospects Kyle Gibson and Miguel Sano are worth $25 to $50 via online websites. The 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card is still among the most prized baseball memorabilia, but generally the trading card industry remains depressed and may never recover to its popularity during the 1980s.

Gibson, the 23-year-old right-handed pitcher, drew long lines of autograph seekers when he attended TwinsFest in January. If any of the Twins starters falter this spring, Gibson is a likely replacement. Sano, the 6-3, 195-pound 17-year-old infielder is described by one club spokesman as a “man-child.”

Twins’ outfielder Michael Cuddyer, a skilled magician, recalled on KSTP Radio last Sunday that former teammate Luis Castillo was frightened by his tricks. Castillo relocated his locker room far from Cuddyer’s when the two were teammates.

Comments Welcome

Notes Plus

Posted on March 11, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota athletic department is looking for access to corporate jets from multiple Minneapolis-St. Paul area companies.

New football coach Jerry Kill is committed to improving the academic performance of his Gophers football players. Some let their classroom work slip after former coach Tim Brewster was dismissed. However, it’s not expected that the Gophers will lose large numbers of players because of school work between now and their first game at USC in September.

In pro basketball history there are nine players who have had double-double streaks of 50-plus games. The only one not retired and in the Hall of Fame is the Wolves’ 22-year-old Kevin Love. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Elvin Hayes, Jerry Lucas, Moses Malone and Bill Russell.

Trevor Mbakwe, who was All-Big Ten second team and the conference’s leading rebounder, said on KSTP TV’s Sports Wrap show last Sunday he’s probably not going to enter the NBA draft and will return to Minnesota for his senior season.

Mbakwe had 18 double-doubles during the season, the best total in the Big Ten and fifth highest in Gophers’ history. Mychal Thompson holds the school record for most double-doubles in a season, 21 in 1975-76.

If Minnesota coach Tubby Smith leaves to take another job, candidates to replace him should include head coaches Tony Bennett (Virginia), Tim Miles (Colorado State) and Brian Dutcher, assistant coach at San Diego State.

Smith said redshirt freshman forward Oto Osenieks is the type of outside shooter his team needs. “Oto lights it up in practice,” Smith said.

The Fischler Report, an authoritative hockey source, speculates that next year’s NHL Winter Classic will be played in Philadelphia or New York. Minneapolis-St. Paul seems likely to host the New Year’s Day game within the next couple of years but maybe not in 2012.

The Wild’s Jose Theodore and Niklas Backstrom have both started 25 games in goal. Theodore enjoys playing guitar and his favorite athlete is Muhammad Ali. Backstrom likes music, too, and his favorite artists are Metallica, U2, Iron Maiden, Bruce Springsteen and The Giant Leap.

The Gophers hockey team is 5-0-2 in its last seven games and has scored 31 goals, an average of 4.41 while giving up 17 goals, 2.42. During the undefeated streak Cade Fairchild leads the team in points with 11 and assists, 10. Nick Bjugstad leads in goals with six. The Gophers host Alaska-Anchorage starting tonight in the WCHA playoffs.

Hamline University senior center Mary Wilkowski is the MIAC Player-of-the-Year. Wilkowski led the conference in scoring with an average of 21.3 points per game. She also ranked second in the league in rebounding (8.9 per game), field goal percentage (.560), minutes per game (35.92) and fifth in free throw percentage (.833). She was an all-conference player all four seasons at Hamline.

Comments Welcome

Don’t Let Winter Funk You Out

Posted on March 9, 2011October 10, 2011 by David Shama

Aw-shucks. Winter sucks.

I get it. I just came inside from shoveling. One snow drift was so high the snow came tumbling toward me after I tossed a scoop of the powdery stuff off the shovel.

Yeah, I heard a report we had a near record Twin Cities amount of snow for December-February. And we aren’t done yet, but let’s not feel sorry for ourselves even though it’s been so long since we wore our bikinis we have no idea where they are, or if they fit.

As a public service, Sports Headliners will brighten outlooks and polish attitudes today. Read this therapy-filled column and see if you can at least cut your misery index in half.

Today’s snowfall won’t total the double digits anticipated last week. Whoopee!

By April 15 you will have filed your taxes and it should be safe to put the patio furniture on the deck. What a relief not to be working for Uncle Sam until next year!

Golf season looks like a cinch to begin by Cinco de Mayo.

After a five-year layoff, I am planning to re-start tennis. Eventually outdoors. TBD.

Give yourself something to look forward to or be appreciative about. Here’s an exaggerated example:

Be grateful there are no pirates on the Mississippi River.

Comments Welcome