Author: David Shama

Claeys has been an assistant to Kill for 16 years.  They started together when Kill first became a head coach at Saginaw Valley State (38-14 record), then on to Emporia State (11-11), Southern Illinois (55-32) and Northern Illinois (23-16).

Those were sometimes difficult places to win.  “We’ve never complained about what we didn’t have,” Claeys said. “Every place we’ve been, they stayed successful.”

Claeys is a bachelor, married to his job.  When Kill is on the road, he likes to have his defensive coordinator in the office, or nearby.

“He’s the most demanding person I’ve ever been around,” Claeys said. “He’s (also) the most caring person I’ve ever been around.”

Claeys was contacted about an NFL job awhile back but prefers college football and is loyal to Kill.  “He’s taken care of us,” Claeys said.  “He’s not a guy that thinks of himself first.  We’ve enjoyed it (the coaching experience).  Part of it is he enjoys being a part of us.  You have so many head coaches that, I don’t know, say put up theirselves on a pedestal.  He’s not like that.  One of the first things he did in Minnesota, he wants his locker right down in the locker room with us (other coaches) because he enjoys being one of the guys.  So that’s one of the privileges of getting to work with him.”

After Claeys finished his talk to the C.O.R.E.S group, a writer asked about the likelihood of Minnesota (3-9 last year) being a winning team in 2011.  “There’s a lot on the coaches to find out what those kids do well and try to get them in those situations to improve our chances to win,” he said. “There’s no guarantees until you take care of the little things. …As the process goes by, (and) we move closer through spring ball and all that we’ll have a better idea how competitive we’re going to be in the fall.”

Then the writer remembered something Claeys said to all those former coaches and others in the audience during his talk.  “We’ve got to play our…(tails) off on Saturdays,” Claeys told them.

A news story earlier this week reported Vikings executive Lester Bagley said the franchise doesn’t need a roof on a new facility, but Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chairman Roy Terwilliger told Sports Headliners such a stadium won’t be politically popular.

“The fact is policy makers will look at this as a people’s facility,” Terwilliger said.  “It’s not just one (facility) that takes care of one tenant.”

Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson said during an interview with Sports Headliners that a covered stadium is “clearly a statewide asset” and the Vikings are not “at odds” with supporters of such a facility.

Members of the commission, operators of the Metrodome, along with other stadium proponents have long advocated a new facility with a roof, a venue that can be used hundreds of days per year for activities ranging from low profile events like amateur sports to an NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.  Saying that a “roof takes care of the public,” Terwilliger said building an outdoor Vikings football stadium leaves the community without the sort of options the Metrodome has provided since 1982.

An antiquated facility with a collapsed roof, it’s not financially feasible to continue operation of the dome if the Vikings aren’t the major tenant.  In the future an open air Vikings stadium would mean the state has no large covered stadium since both TCF Bank Stadium and Target Field don’t have roofs.

“It’s not consistent with the needs across the state and region,” Terwilliger said.  “It’s just not going to work.”

Anderson said the franchise prefers an outdoor stadium because of the team’s legendary past of playing football in the elements at Met Stadium, and also because an outdoor venue is a less costly option.  An estimated price of an outdoor stadium is $750 million, while a covered facility (fixed roof, not retractable) might cost $200 million more.

The Vikings have publicly stated their willingness to pay for one-third the cost of an outdoor stadium.  Anderson said that estimated contribution of about $240 million would be available for payment toward a covered facility, too.

Bert Blyleven’s election to the Baseball Hall of Fame last week gave the Twins four players at Cooperstown and it’s not difficult to guess who will be No. 5.  Catcher Joe Mauer looks like a lock, perhaps even if he never played another game.  Hall of Fame voters are a choosey bunch, but even at 27 Mauer might have enough achievements, including batting titles and an AL MVP award, to earn enshrinement.

With the Twins having retired the jersey numbers of Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett, it seems certain Blyleven will be accorded the same honor.

With trades last year that sent Jose Morales and Wilson Ramos elsewhere, the Twins have invited six catchers among 19 non-roster players to training camp.  Two have previous major league experience, Steve Holm (San Francisco) and Rene Rivera (Seattle).

In addition to manager Ron Gardenhire’s regular staff and minor league staffers, the Twins will have instructors Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Tom Kelly, Paul Molitor, Tony Oliva and Terry Steinbach at spring training.  Pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers February 17, with other players coming in on February 22.  The Twins, who have a 29-game Grapefruit League exhibition schedule, will open their spring home season on February 27 against Boston.

Twins radio broadcaster John Gordon, 70, will reduce his schedule to 90 regular season games and has made it known this is likely his last year before retiring.  Gordon, who has been broadcasting Twins games since 1987, makes his home in Fort Myers and likely finds the prospect of playing more golf and travelling appealing.  Bob Kurtz, Ted Robinson and Kris Atteberry will sub for Gordon.  “John can broadcast as long as he wants to,” said Patrick Klinger, Twins vice president of marketing.

Former Gophers quarterback Adam Weber is training for what he hopes will be a pro football career.  His intelligence, personality and values ensure a successful career regardless of the direction his life takes.  Although Weber could end up in business, his contributions in coaching or sports administration would be significant, too.

Gophersports.com reports that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes selected Gophers coach Jerry Kill as the 2010 FCA Grant Teaff Coach of the Year.

Not only did Auburn’s win this week give the SEC five straight winners in the national championship game, but Ohio State (2002) is the only football program from the north or east to win the BCS title game since it began in 1999.