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.

Connelly Tells Owner Taylor He’s Staying with Wolves

Posted on May 8, 2023May 8, 2023 by David Shama

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners on Monday his president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, isn’t leaving for a similar role with the Wizards.

Taylor said Connelly reached out to him “very recently” to speak about speculation he was going back to the Wizards organization where he worked for 10 years starting in 1996, rising from an intern to director of player personnel. “He said he is not interested,” Taylor stated during a phone interview.

Taylor considers Connelly, who the Wolves hired away from the Nuggets about a year ago, to be transparent. “He said don’t worry about that (leaving the Wolves). This is what I am going to do (stay).”

Connelly’s name has been rumored with the Wizards since late April when the Washington D.C. based NBA franchise fired Tommy Sheppard, its president of basketball operations. Fair or not, Connelly has drawn considerable criticism from the media for not being absolute enough in his commitment to stay in Minneapolis with the Wolves.

Connelly not only spent 10 years in D.C. with the Wizards, but he is also a native of nearby Baltimore. He and his wife Negah both have family ties to the D.C. and Baltimore areas. Connelly is a graduate of Catholic University in Washington. Four years ago he turned down an opportunity to leave the Nuggets and run the Wizards’ basketball operations.

In the 12 months since joining the Wolves Connelly and Taylor have built a relationship. Taylor said he appreciates the clarity with which his basketball boss speaks about problems. “I don’t think he’s got any hidden agenda, and I don’t think he tries to make me feel good just by making me feel good, or any of that.”

The Wolves are coming off a disappointing regular season and first round playoff exit in five games. Minnesota’s regular season record was 42-40, after finishing 46-26 in 2022. Last spring the Wolves pushed the Grizzlies in a first round series but weren’t competitive this year against the Nuggets.

Taylor is “overall disappointed” in the 2023 results but believes he has a “good team.” What the Wolves must do, he believes, is figure out how to play better with the core they have.

Is Taylor advocating for trades? “No, I am not.”

Nor does the longtime owner expect a knee-jerk reaction to the results of 2023 by Connelly. “Don’t shake it up just for the sake of shaking it up,” Taylor said.

That, of course, doesn’t guarantee the Wolves won’t make changes in personnel in the offseason. When Connelly was first introduced as the new basketball leader in the organization, he said he wouldn’t be afraid to “push the envelope.”

Connelly could hardly have done more to make his point than last summer’s surprising trade of five players and multiple draft picks sent to the Jazz to acquire All-NBA defensive center Rudy Gobert. The pairing with center-forward Karl-Anthony Towns gave Minnesota a “Twin Towers” look to contrast with the “small ball style” of most rivals. The experiment didn’t get a full trial because Towns’ calf injury sidelined him for 52 games.

Taylor acknowledges the question of how well the tandem can play together is on his mind. “They could play better but they must do it. …We have to figure out (how) to run a system that utilizes their abilities and complements each other. And I am not sure that we…reached that potential yet.”

Taylor didn’t like the lack of discipline from some players, including behavior that led to technical fouls. Displeasing him, too, were incidents at season’s end. Gobert threw a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson during the last game of the season and then was suspended from participating in Minnesota’s play-in tournament game with the Lakers to determine playoff seeding. Another starter, forward Jaden McDaniels, badly injured his right hand at half-time in that final game when he punched a wall. He didn’t play again after the incident.

“Childish behavior should not be tolerated,” Taylor said.

Meanwhile, Taylor and his wife Becky are scheduled to host about 60 players and staff from the Lynx tonight at their home in Mankato. That’s a welcome gesture the two have done for years with both the Wolves and WNBA Lynx.

As usual, Becky will make lasagna for the group. Taylor will speak to the gathering and then many of the attendees will play billiards or enjoy other entertainment. “After eating, that’s the highlight. I don’t think listening to Glen Taylor is the highlight.”

The Lynx open the regular season at home May 19 against the Sky. Taylor expects a lot of competition for playing time from a team that needs to improve its defense from last season but could be a surprise.

Taylor, who turned 82 last month, hasn’t been able to attend Lynx preseason games, and was absent from some spring Wolves games. “I had back surgery, but I don’t know the results of it yet,” he said.

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Lions Send Message to Vikes & NFL

Posted on May 7, 2023May 7, 2023 by David Shama

It’s an interesting offseason in the NFC North Division where the Vikings call home. The great Aaron Rodgers has left the Packers, likely transforming that team into expected also-rans, while the Lions, not the defending division champion Vikings, are the favorite to win the North.

Many sports books have the Lions betting favorites to win their first division title since 1993. Only seven NFL teams have better odds of making the Super Bowl next year, according to BetMGM. The franchise that defined ineptitude is now a top 10 NFL team, per some NFL observers.

Detroit (no playoffs since 2016) has been sending a message for a while that they will be bullied no more. The vision started after Dan Campbell was named head coach in January of 2021. The feisty former NFL player said when his Lions are knocked down, not only will that get up but “we’re going to bite a knee cap off.”

During Campbell’s first two years in Detroit the players have responded with enthusiasm and work ethic. The Vikings got a taste of the grit and toughness of the Lions in a December game last year, a 34-23 Detroit victory.

The Lions went 5-1 in their last six games and that finish is part of the reason for Detroit’s popularity now as 2023 division favorites. That momentum seemingly continues after last month’s NFL Draft where the Lions signaled their commitment to be a tough, physical football team, including a willingness to run the football.

Today’s NFL is basketball on grass for many teams, but it looks like the Lions may eschew that approach in 2023. Their initial pick in the first round was a surprise, drafting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12. He’s an explosive runner and will be complemented by veteran pick up David Montgomery as the Lions anticipate improving on a rushing game that ranked No. 11 in the league last season (average per game 128.2).

Signing former Gophers All-American Mo Ibrahim as a free agent running back is another clue about how Campbell and company intend to compete. Ibrahim’s toughness and power running make him a candidate to earn a roster spot as a short yardage option and goal line specialist. The Lions could take an approach to be different offensively than many of their peers, including the high-powered Viking offense built around quarterback Kirk Cousins and his elusive receivers.

The Vikings were 13-4 last season, but the record was unconvincing to critics. Minnesota set an NFL record by winning 11 one-score games. Opponents outscored them during the regular season, 427-424. Minnesota’s wild card game was a dud, losing 31-24 to the Giants in Minneapolis.

The Lions, 9-8 overall, outscored the opposition 453-427. Detroit also had the best record against division rivals, going 5-1.

The Lions and Vikings need to show they are better defensively in 2023. Last season both gave up 25 points per game, among the worst showings in the NFL. Both defenses flirted with yielding nearly 400 yards per game.

The Lions also sent a message with their second draft pick in the first round, taking tough guy linebacker Jack Campbell from Iowa. The 6-5, 249-pound Campbell was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and Dick Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker.

Offensively, both the Vikings and Lions made their fans happy last season. Minnesota averaged 24.9 points per game, seventh best in the NFL. The Lions averaged a fourth best 26.6.

Today your bookie probably will handicap the NFC North like this: Lions, Vikings, Bears and Packers. The Bears are still rebuilding, and the Packers are dealing with the loss of Rodgers at football’s most important position. Of course, reality won’t be known until the end of the year but for now a lot of observers see a new team at the top of a mediocre division.

Worth Noting

A recent story by Adam Sparks of USA Today reported the football Gophers spent $1,227,189 on recruiting in 2022. That ranked Minnesota No. 7 in the Big Ten and No. 25 nationally. The Big Ten list didn’t include private school Northwestern. Surprisingly Rutgers ranked No. 2 and Ohio State No. 5, with Michigan No. 1, and Minnesota out spending neighboring rivals Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa who ranked No. 8, 11 and 13 respectively.

Joe Salem, the University of Minnesota head football coach from 1979-1983, turned 85 last Monday and lives in his hometown of Sioux Falls. An imaginative offensive mind, Salem’s assistants at Minnesota included Mike Shanahan who went on to lead the NFL Broncos to consecutive Super Bowl wins. Before taking over the Gophers, Salem was head coach at Northern Arizona where his assistants included Brad Childress, Marty Mornhinweg and Andy Reid, all of whom became NFL head coaches.

The Wild’s Marc Andre-Fleury will be 39 next November but it will be a surprise if he doesn’t return for another season and be part of the goalie rotation with Filip Gustavsson. “He is a leader in the locker room,” a hockey source told Sports Headliners. “He’s a leader of the young players.”

Speculation a few years ago was the St. Paul Saints franchise was worth $25 million as one of the more valuable properties in minor league baseball. The club was sold earlier this year for a price that may have been $17 million.

Condolences to friends and family of Tim Heikkila who passed away late last month in Thomasville, Georgia. Heikkila, a member of the University of Minnesota M Club Hall of Fame, was a 1971 high jump All-American.

The Kentucky Derby showcased the best racehorses Saturday but for some thoroughbreds the big money comes after they retire and are used for breeding. A New York Times article pointed out last week that Flightline, a champion thoroughbred racehorse now retired, made $4.3 million in racing purses over two years, but “with 155 mares in his date book” he will generate $31 million in earnings by the end of July for breeding.

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Twins President Sees Bests Yet to Come

Posted on May 2, 2023 by David Shama

Twins president Dave St. Peter thinks the best is yet to come for his team and star DH Byron Buxton.

The Twins are in first place in the American League Central Division with a 17-12 record. They are three games ahead of the second place and defending division champion Guardians. They are already nine games in front of the fourth place White Sox who host the Twins for a series starting tonight in Chicago.

St. Peter was hoping for a fast start to the season and got one. “But I think we have our best baseball ahead of us. I am really excited about the makeup of this team and…the way it was constructed. I think it’s set up for a lot of not just regular season success but post season success. The best is yet to come.

“…We’re into May here now. You normally want to get to about 40-50 games (into the season) and then you’ll have a better sense of what type of team you have. So we got a little ways to go to get there but I like how we’re tracking.”

Byron Buxton has produced timely hitting, including Sunday when his three-run home run started a seven run third inning for the Twins in a win against the Royals. “I think his best is still yet to come,” St. Peter said. “I think he’s just scratching the surface. He’s such a talented athlete and I think he’s really turning into being a pretty gifted hitter.”

Buxton is 29 and in his ninth season with the club but he’s only been able to tease his potential because of so many injuries. Only once has “Buck” been able to play in more than 92 games. Caution surrounds the Twins’ management of him. Held back for only designated hitting so far, warmer weather and surer footing could prompt occasionally using his fielding gifts in center field.

Buxton’s athleticism on the bases has helped the Twins, too, but health concerns seem likely to limit his stolen base attempts. “…I am not sure stolen bases are ever going to be a big part of Byron’s game, in my opinion,” St. Peter said.

The Twins’ team batting average of .237 ranks seventh in the 15-team American League. The club is in a fourth place tie for home runs with 38 and is eighth in runs scored at 134. Minnesota is a plus 26 in runs over their opponents. Injuries have at time caused some of the team’s better hitters to miss games and the statistics may indicate the Twins can produce better offensively as the season progresses.

The Twins’ pitching depth will be tested in the coming weeks with injuries sidelining starters Tyler Mahle and Kenta Maeda. Mahle will be out about four weeks with expectations Maeda will return sooner.

Mahle has a a posterior impingement and a flexor pronator strain in his right arm. Maeda has a right triceps strain.

Mahle is 1-2 with a 3:16 ERA and his regular spot in the rotation will be taken tomorrow night in Chicago by Louie Varland. Bailey Ober started in place of Maeda on Saturday and gave up four hits in 5.1 innings in a game the Twins went on to lose. Maeda, who missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery, has struggled in 2023 with a 0-4 record and 9.00 ERA. Mahle knows past frustration, too, after missing a number of starts last season because of a shoulder injury.

The Twins’ ERA of .348 is fourth best in the American League. Nobody has been better for Minnesota than Sonny Gray, 4-0 with a 0.77 ERA. “His baseball acumen is through the charts,” St. Peter said. “He understands the hitters. He is obviously executing his pitches. So I don’t think anybody inside the Twins is surprised that Sonny Gray is having success. He has obviously been unbelievably dominant. …”

St. Peter said the Twins don’t think in terms of one pitcher being the staff ace or stopper. He believes Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, along with Gray, are capable of being the starter in the opening game of a playoff series.

Good news for the Twins regarding injuries is that utility player Kyle Farmer could return to the team later this week, or for sure when the Twins start their next homestand May 9. Farmer was hit in the face by a pitch April 12 and sidelined until recently but is rehabbing at AAA St. Paul.

Unusually cool weather this spring has hurt Twins home attendance. Minnesota ranks No. 22 of 30 teams averaging 18,492, per ESPN.com. “It’s been a tough April,” St. Peter said.

Dave St. Peter photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins.

Because Target Field is located on a small site, the likelihood is about zero a roof would ever be added. But St. Peter points out Target Field is considered one of the best ballpark experiences in the country. He contrasted the ballpark and Minneapolis weather with iconic Wrigley Field and Chicago. “Nobody talks about putting a roof on Wrigley Field. They’ve dealt with all the same weather issues we’ve dealt with this April.”

Feedback has been positive among Twins fans regarding MLB’s rule changes that include a pitch timer. Shorter games and more action are positive trends for the Twins and other teams.

Fans are also approving of the club’s new uniform offerings. “The new brand look is doing very well at retail,” St. Peter said. “Very pleased and I agree…they do look fantastic. The most popular jersey is the Twin Cities jersey.”

Lou Nanne on the Minnesota Wild

Lou Nanne, the revered hockey authority who played for the North Stars and also served as GM and president during a long run with Minnesota’s first NHL franchise, believes the Wild is better than the Stars team that won last week’s Stanley Cup opening playoff series in six games. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger and teammates limited the Wild’s scoring including flagship performer Kirill Kaprizov who often had two or three defenders around him. It didn’t help, either, that Minnesota’s experienced center Joel Eriksson Ek played in only one game because of a lower body injury.

Why does Nanne consider the Wild better than Dallas? “I think they got a deeper team. I think they have more intensity, more grit. They have players that can play it (style) anyway you want. Unfortunately, for them their best players didn’t get on the scoreboard. Coming into the playoffs like Kaprizov had been out 14 games. Erickson-Ek was missing. …(Face) a hot goal tender in those playoff series, that team could win.”

Nanne praised rookie shutdown defenseman Brock Faber who in the month of April played for the Golden Gophers in the Frozen Four and then in two regular season and five playoff games for the Wild. Faber was traded to Minnesota by the Kings last year after Los Angeles had drafted him in 2020. Not only does it look like Faber will produce for the Wild for a long time, but he has leadership qualities that could one day result in being a captain of the team.

Nanne won’t make suggestions as to what GM Bill Guerin should do to improve the Wild during the offseason. “I have no idea. I am not going to be saying what changes they have to make. That’s up to Guerin and his staff. I did that for long enough. Everybody can second guess, have their opinions, but it’s going to be up to the brass to decide.”

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