Author: David Shama

A visitor asked Gophers associate head basketball coach Ron Jirsa about next season’s team and heard a positive response.  “The sky’s the limit,” he said.  “I believe in our coach.”

The coach, of course, is Tubby Smith.  In his second season with Minnesota he had the Gophers back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.

Minnesota has nine players expected to return from last year’s 22-11 team, 9-9 in the Big Ten Conference.  The season before, the Gophers were 20-14 and 8-10.

Jirsa likes the program’s approach of becoming a “little” better each year, hopefully moving toward a championship level.  No one is forecasting a conference title for next season, not with Michigan State and Purdue expected to be among the country’s best teams, but the Gophers are a potential top 25 team.

Earlier this off-season ESPN’s Andy Katz ranked the Gophers No. 19 for next year (Kansas No. 1, Michigan State No. 2 and Purdue No. 6). https://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=4262039 Rivals.com listed Minnesota No. 24 in April rankings for next year (Purdue No. 4, Michigan State No. 5). https://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=933183

Jirsa said the Gophers don’t expect to lose any players between now and their opening practice in October because of grades.  The coaching staff encourages academic work including summer school classes and graduation.

The concern about having an intact roster is with junior college transfer Trevor Mbakwe. A power forward who seems like the prescription to fill the team’s need for a strong rebounder and inside scorer, Mbakwe is thought to be a likely starter if available.  Problem is a woman alleges Mbakwe attacked her earlier this year in Florida.  A trial later this month regarding a felony aggravated battery charge will further address the allegation.

The Gophers, even without Mbakwe, could be formidable if they can improve their offense.  Minnesota struggled to score at times last season, averaging only 61.6          points as a team in conference games.  The leading scorer, guard Lawrence Westbrook, averaged 12.6 points per game and no other teammate averaged double figures.

Westbrook is one of five returning starters, along with four other reserves who contributed to last year’s success that often was built on a hustling defense and a deep bench. “We might have been the only ones in the country platooning (separate units at times),” Jirsa said.

The team will only be deeper with a freshmen threesome of point guard Justin Cobbs, and forwards Royce White and Rodney Williams.  Cobbs impressed during summer league play and Jirsa said White’s physical strength and “dedication” in the weight room earned his admiration.  Jirsa said no decision would be made on redshirting any of the freshmen until November but there’s speculation that sitting out a season could particularly benefit Williams, a player with a slight build (6-7, 210) but gifted athleticism.

Whatever the look of the final roster, the Gophers will have depth and defense.  Playing in the Big Ten, a conference that likely will be among the best two or three in the nation, the Gophers will need better scoring and consistent rebounding to continue the yearly improvement Jirsa talked about.  With a more mature team and deeper talent, it looks like a good bet.

I thought two years ago when the Twins acquired four players from the Mets  (including center fielder Carlos Gomez) for Johan Santana that pitcher Deolis Guerra might eventually have the most value to Minnesota.  Guerra, 20 years old, has moved up to Double A New Britain in the Eastern League where he’s pitched in eight games after starting the season in the Single A Florida League.  The right hander didn’t give up a hit over six innings on Friday night while striking out nine batters as the Rock Cats beat Akron.  Guerra is still learning to pitch and his season numbers include ERA’s of 4.69 at Fort Myers and 5.49 with New Britain but he’s a pitching prospect to watch.

The Twins’ Delmon Young hit his sixth home run of the season yesterday and third in his last six games.  Five of his six home runs have come against lefties.  He now has nine career home runs in August, the most of any month.

To maximize time, Gophers football coach Tim Brewster is sleeping in his office during training camp.  He will stay with that routine until the week of August 30 leading up to the opening game at Syracuse on September 5.

Syracuse has perhaps the most interesting story line in the country during early training camp.  Home town boy Greg Paulus, a former Gatorade National High School Player of the Year as a quarterback, has returned to Syracuse after a basketball career at Duke.  Paulus has one season of eligibility and didn’t even participate in spring practice.   Last week Paulus predicted it won’t take long to establish whether he’s good enough to impress new coach Doug Marrone.  https://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2009/08/paulus_firmly_in_syracuse_univ.html

Former Vikings coach Denny Green and three other coaches with NFL resumes are the head coaches in the four team United States Football League scheduled to begin play in October.  Green is coaching the California Redwoods, while former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel is in Las Vegas, Jim Haslett, the ex-New Orleans coach, will coach the Florida team and Ted Cottrell, the former Vikings defensive coordinator, is New York’s coach.  The league, which will have games televised on Versus and HDNet, begins play in October and bills itself as the place “where future stars come to play.”  https://www.ufl-football.com/home

Jim Nantz, the CBS sportscaster here to cover the PGA Championship, has many admirers in this area not only for his broadcast work but also for a touching book, “Always By My Side,” that describes his father who died from Alzheimers.  Nantz’s close friends include former president George H. W. Bush.

A pro boxing card for September 26 at Target Center will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11 a.m. on the Skyway level in the Minneapolis arena.  Boxers expected at the announcement include locals Matt Vanda and Wilton Hilario.

The hiring of Kurt Rambis as Timberwolves coach looks like a positive for 6-foot-8 small forward Corey Brewer.  Rambis spoke about Brewer as his “stopper” earlier this week and that’s a welcome sign for the former No. 1 draft choice who played in only 15 games last season and was less than sensational his rookie year of 2007-08.

Season three is significant for Brewer who is a hyper defender, poor shooter (38 percent in two seasons) and is recovering from a knee injury that caused him to miss 67 games last season.  After 94 games as a pro, the NBA knows Brewer’s career depends on finding a role as a defender.

That sounds like a fit for Rambis.  “He can guard three positions (presumably small forward, point and shooting guard),” Rambis said earlier this week.

Rambis wants to develop a team that will be fun to watch, a group that can run the fast break.  He comes from the famed “Show Time” era of the 1980s in Los Angeles that ran the floor with artistry and execution.  Overlooked by some observers is that the Lakers wouldn’t have won world championships if not for their exceptional defense.

The Wolves’ new coach played with a lanky defensive specialist who pestered Larry Bird and other scoring whizzes.  Michael Cooper, 6-foot-5, 170 pounds, knew his assignments and played with passion on defense.  Brewer, 6-9, 188 pounds, seemingly has the physical skills and past resume with national champion Florida to spark speculation he could become an elite NBA defender.

Rambis was a defensive specialist and contributor to the Lakers’ mantra of “no rebounds, no rings” when he played.  His teaching of the running game to the Wolves and also coach Phil Jackson’s famed triangle offense may be fun to anticipate, but successful teams defend and rebound.

At his news conference on Tuesday, Rambis said the Lakers of the 1980s were so well prepared defensively, they knew the plays of the other teams and where they wanted to position themselves on the floor.  If Brewer heard that, he should have high-fived himself.