Author: David Shama

Purdue coach Matt Painter talking about holding Minnesota to a field goal percentage of 27.6 percent in last night’s 70-62 win over the Gophers: “You hold them to 28 percent.  There’s no way I thought that would happen.”

Among the spectators at last night’s sold out Gopher game were Timberwolves Brian Cardinal (former Purdue player) and Kevin Love, along with New York Times best selling author Harvey Mackay.

Mr. Basketball chairman Ken Lien, who has traveled the state for years scouting players, experienced a first this week.  He watched Spring Lake Park make 17 three point shots in an 85-81 loss to Cooper.

Team president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners he hopes to have Michael Cuddyer at TwinsFest this weekend even though the Twins’ outfielder has been sick with food poisoning.

Forward Nick Schultz said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle show on Sunday that he couldn’t attend Justin Morneau’s wedding earlier this month because the Wild was playing in Columbus.  Schultz said his wife Jessica did attend the wedding of Justin and his girl friend Krista.  Schultz is a baseball fan and has taken batting practice with the Twins at the Metrodome.

Morneau, who loves hockey, signed a reported six year $80 million                         deal with the Twins last year.  Meanwhile, Phillies’ first baseman Ryan Howard (48 home runs, 146 RBI and .251 average last year) is asking for $18 million this season through arbitration, according to www.mlb.com.  Morneau, who won the American League MVP in 2006 when Howard was the National League MVP, hit 23 home runs, with 129 RBI and a .300 average last season.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins, whose name has drawn speculation as a possible third baseman for the Twins, asked Colorado for $7.95 million while the Rockies countered with $6.65 million, per mlb.com.  That’s likely too rich for the Twins.

Free agent third baseman Joe Crede, who hit 17 home runs in 97 games last season with the White Sox, seems a better possibility for the Twins.  He makes $5.1 million, according to www.espn.go.com.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said reports of future games against USC are premature and a contract hasn’t been signed.  Brewster remains interested in scheduling outstanding teams including Texas.

All of coach Brad Childress‘ assistant coaches are under contract for next season and he said that because there’s now so much player movement in the NFL it’s important to have effective instructors on the staff.  He said it’s “critical” that assistants are good teachers because many players are only with a team for a few years.

Canterbury Park’s “Canterbury College,” a free five class series to improve handicapping skills, begins February 15.  Canterbury Park’s Jeff Maday, part of the “faculty” along with Kevin Gorg, Dark Star and Paul Allen, said maximum enrollment will be 120 and 110 are already enrolled.  More information is available by e-mailing jmaday@canterburypark.com

President Barack Obama is making history this month but there’s another significant African American story, too.  Mike Tomlin, three seasons ago the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator, coached the Pittsburgh Steelers to an AFC championship win on Sunday and will lead his team against the Arizona Cardinals in next month’s Super Bowl.  Tomlin is now the third African American head coach in three years to have his team in the Super Bowl and can become the second to win it.

Tomlin’s win on Sunday against Baltimore comes during a week that Obama is inaugurated as the nation’s first African American president and the country celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.  Tomlin will try to win a Super Bowl almost two years to the day that Lovie Smith of Chicago and Tony Dungy of Indianapolis made history.  They were the first African American head coaches in the Super Bowl and Dungy was the first black coach to win it.

If Tomlin can win the Super Bowl he will do so on Sunday, February 1, becoming the second African American head coach to win pro football’s biggest prize and doing it during Black History Month.  Smith and Dungy’s historic Super Bowl also came during February.

A football team’s performance, perhaps more than in any sport, is impacted by its coaching.  The fact three of the last six teams to qualify for the Super Bowl have been led by African Americans will probably lessen remaining prejudices in the NFL and perhaps in college football, too, where head coaching opportunities have been far fewer.

Tomlin, 36, impressed observers here with his football knowledge and calm leadership style.  His success in just two seasons in Pittsburgh, with a 22-10 regular season record and two AFC North titles, has come despite not having previous head coaching experience.

Tomlin deserves praise but so, too, do those who have helped him including the Pittsburgh organization and coaches like Dungy and the Vikings’ Brad Childress.  The Steelers are part of the gold standard among NFL organizations.  The Steelers make wise personnel decisions (see former No. 1 draft choice and franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger) and encourage stability within the organization, having hired just three head coaches since 1969.

Dungy, another former Vikings’ defensive coordinator, hired Tomlin for his staff when he was head coach at Tampa Bay.  He saw a bright young assistant and let him coach the defensive backs.  Dungy, also known for his steady approach and calm leadership, had once been the youngest assistant in the NFL at 25 coaching the Steelers’ defensive backs.

Dungy, who recently retired as Indianapolis coach, will make his home in Tampa, site of next month’s Super Bowl.

The late Cal Stoll, the former Gopher head coach who recruited Dungy to play quarterback for Minnesota in the 1970s, was proud of the emotionally strong Dungy whose accomplishments include coaching Tampa Bay to the first winning season in franchise history.  “All football teams reflect the personality of their head coach,” Stoll once said.

In 2000, when Dungy was coaching in Tampa, Stoll said that he expected his former player to become the first African American head coach to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  There’s no doubt that will happen.

Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was a major disappointment after joining the Vikings in 2007 as a free agent but he was much improved last season, including statistically going from 323 yards in receptions and one touchdown to 596 yards and seven scores. Earlier this month coach Brad Childress described Shiancoe as a “different cat” now.

“I’ve just seen a quantum change in him as a person. (It also) reflected on the playing field,” Childress said. “He’s comfortable with what we’re doing. He understands the work ethic here. He understands, I always talk about, the mantle of what it takes to be a starter, the importance of being out at practice and taking those reps. … What it was that led to that epiphany, I don’t know. I just think he’s pushed through it and worked himself into a really different cat right now.”

Jason LaFrenz, Gopher assistant athletics director for marketing and ticket sales, reported via e-mail earlier this week that about 1,500 tickets were available for tomorrow night’s basketball game at Williams Arena.  Purdue, 3-2 in the Big Ten Conference and 14-4 overall, is a favorite for the league title.  The Gophers, 16-2 and 4-2 in the conference, can take a major step toward a first division finish in the league with a win against Purdue, ranked No. 18 in the country.

The Gophers, ranked No. 20, received a wakeup call on Sunday about how difficult winning away games can be when Northwestern, previously winless in the conference, beat Minnesota 74-65.  The Gophers had won their first two conference road games, at Iowa and Wisconsin.  With a win at Evanston on Sunday they could have won three straight conference road games for the first time since 2005.

The Northwestern loss exposed a season long weakness: ball movement.  The Gophers couldn’t solve Northwestern’s trapping one-three-one zone defense, holding the ball too long before passing.  Point guard Al Nolen led the futility and contributed six turnovers to the team total of 19.