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.

NFL Peers Vote Vikings’ WR Elite Status

Posted on August 28, 2022August 28, 2022 by David Shama

Vikings’ wide receiver Justin Jefferson will hear his name announced tonight on the NFL Network and find himself in elite company. The network has been on a countdown of the league’s 100 best players and names of the top 20 will be announced starting at 7 p.m. Minneapolis time.

This will be a milestone for the third-year star who ranked No. 53 in last year’s annual voting done by league players to recognize the best of their peers. In 2020 the explosive pass catcher was among the NFL’s headline making rookies (Pro Football Focus Offensive Rookie of the Year) and in 2021 Jefferson was even better in key categories including 1,616 receiving yards, the second most in the NFL. He has twice been named AP second team All-Pro.

Best guess is Jefferson was voted into a 10-20 ranking for 2022. At least two wide receivers are certain to be ahead of Minnesota’s late first round draft choice in 2020, Davante Adams from the Raiders and Cooper Kupp of the Rams. Other wide receivers on the top 20 list are Tyreek Hill from the Dolphins and Deebo Samuel of the 49ers, per a Thursday story from NFL.com that didn’t reveal ranking of the players but listed them alphabetically.

Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Interestingly WR Stefon Diggs, who the Vikings traded away in the 2020 offseason and Jefferson replaced as the team’s big play receiver, was voted No. 26 after being at 11 a year ago. Also of note, WR Ja’Marr Chase, who played at LSU and set Bengals records as a rookie in 2021, was voted No. 24 on the list of top NFL players. Chase claims to be better than his former college teammate.

With new coach Kevin O’Connell known for his offensive expertise, Jefferson is now likely to be even more of a focal point for the Vikings, who had two other players announced in the top 100 voting. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was voted No. 99 after not making the top 100 a year ago. Running back Dalvin Cook was No. 31 after being No. 20 in 2021, a decline due in part to missing four games.

A year ago four Vikings made the NFL players’ top 100, Jefferson, Cook, linebacker Eric Kendricks at No. 70 and WR Adam Thielen, No. 80.

Worth Noting

It will be interesting to see if WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” show continues. Station owner Audacy has been making financial cuts in Minneapolis and with other properties. The Sunday program, featuring Sid Hartman and Dave Mona, aired for about 40 years before ending during the pandemic. It was the longest running program in station history. Then last October the show was revived with new hosts Mike Max and Pete Najarian.

Jerry Kill turned 61 last Wednesday but the week didn’t end well with an opening game loss to Nevada last night. The former Gophers coach, now in his first season at New Mexico State, saw his team lose, 23-12.

The Gophers will practice tonight and Monday evening at Huntington Bank Stadium to acclimate to the 8 p.m. start time for Thursday’s season and home opener against New Mexico State.

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said there is still a three-way competition to win the offensive right tackle position between Quinn Carroll, JJ Guedet and Martes Lewis. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we rotate those guys,” Fleck said.

Look for an announced crowd of 40 to 45,000 for Thursday night’s game.

Jay Sawvell, a former Kill assistant at Minnesota, is defensive coordinator at Wyoming. The Cowboys lost yesterday to Illinois, 38-6.

The struggling Twins, who have lost 12 of their last 21 games and are in second place three games behind the AL Central Division leading Guardians, held first place for 106 days this year. Injuries have been an issue all year and the club has used 56 players, including 32 pitchers.

Former Nationals and Reds front office executive Jim Bowden, now writing for The Athletic, has one Twins’ prospect on his latest top 50 MLB prospects list, while the Guardians have three. Brooks Lee, who the Twins drafted No. 1 earlier this year, is No. 27 with the comment the switch hitting shortstop could proceed “relatively quickly” to the big leagues.

The Hutchinson community will dedicate Rostberg Stadium at S.R. Knutson Field on September 23 prior to the high school football game between Hutchinson and Becker. The father-son coaching duo of Grady and Andy Rostberg have combined for an overall record at Hutchinson of 455-116-1, a 79.6 winning percentage.

Grady coached from 1970-1999, winning three state titles. Andy succeeded his dad and is still coaching the Tigers who have also won three state championships under his direction.

A hockey source, speaking anonymously, believes former Gophers star Sammy Walker received about $1 million in signing bonus to join the Wild. He predicts that Walker, a center, could spend a year or two at the Wild’s Iowa farm team before becoming a 20-goal per season NHL scorer.

Steve LaCroix, president of the esports entertainment company Wisdom Gaming and former marketing boss of the Vikings, is the latest guest on “Behind the Game.” The program is seen on local cable markets and YouTube. It is co-hosted by Agile Marketing owner Patrick Klinger and USHL commissioner Bill Robertson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K083w0Y6NE&t=3s

Baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. will be the featured speaker at the September 10 Morrie Miller Athletic Foundation banquet in Winona. The foundation’s mission is to support and sustain youth sports in the Winona area.

Word is Hazeltine National Golf Club has renewed interest in hosting more of golf’s biggest events, including the Presidents Cup and U.S. Open. The Chaska facility has the 2029 Ryder Cup booked after hosting the event in 2016. Hazeltine will be the first American site to ever host the event twice.

Belated happy birthday wishes to former wrestling coach Paul Ehrhard who is in five halls of fame and coached state championship teams at Albert Lea High school. He turned 89 years old on August 18.

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Morgan Tops Most Viking QBs in Longevity

Posted on August 23, 2022 by David Shama

This upcoming season will be Tanner Morgan’s fifth as the University of Minnesota’s starting quarterback.

Think that’s a lot?

Yup, contrast Morgan with the other team in town that football fans follow with passion. In the 61-year history of the Vikings only four quarterbacks have been regular starters for five seasons or more. The list includes Kirk Cousins who is preparing for his fifth season in Minneapolis, plus Fran Tarkenton, Tommy Kramer and Daunte Culpepper. BTW Morgan, 23, is the same age as second-year Vikings backup quarterback Kellen Mond.

Morgan, who took over as Minnesota’s starter in October of 2018, is the only five season starting quarterback dating back to the end of World War II, per the Gophers’ media guide. He could be the only Minnesota QB to ever have been a starter for five seasons since the beginning of Gopher football in 1882.

Morgan’s unique story is happening because of an extra season of eligibility granted to football players by the NCAA in response to the loss of practice and game opportunities caused by COVID in 2020. Morgan is part of the “encore four” that includes three other six-year players who began careers at Minnesota as freshmen in 2017. Wide receiver Chris Autman-Bell, running back Mohamed Ibrahim, and center John Michael Schmitz are the other members of the group.

All four redshirted in 2017 and then first played in 2018, with Morgan having six starts in the team’s final games, and Ibrahim and Autman-Bell starting in nine games each. Schmitz saw action on special teams.

Morgan has quarterbacked the team to 27 wins, the most ever for a Gopher quarterback. Now he and teammates are getting ready for the season opener at home September 1 against New Mexico State.

He is grateful for his time at Minnesota. “You know, I’ve been here a long time. I’ve been very thankful for that. …Sometimes I pinch myself for having the situation that I am (in). Wake up in the morning, praying and thanking God that he has me where he has me. That I am a member of the University of Minnesota football team. …So it’s a joy to be here every day.”

Morgan holds school records for passing including those set in 2019, his best year as a Gopher when he threw for 3,253 yards and 30 touchdowns (both single season records). That team had an 11-2 record and was ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll.

The Gophers, who had a 7-2 Big Ten record that year, are trying to duplicate similar success in 2022 and are considered a dark horse to win the West Division. “I know he knows the expectation he has upon himself,” said head coach P.J. Fleck. “Nobody is going to put more pressure on himself than Tanner and this football team. He knows what he has to be able to accomplish. … I think he’s better than he’s ever been—to his performance, to his attitude, to his leadership. It’s proactive leadership, not reactive leadership. And I think that’s due to (wife) Sarah probably (and) getting married.”

In pursuit of chasing perfection as a passer, Morgan knows he’s never going to be perfect. “It all comes down to fundamentals and how you use your body to make throws,” he said.

With all his experience, Morgan certainly has the confidence of his teammates. “With Tanner, he’s very smart,” said safety Jordan Howden. “He knows when to throw and when not to throw. …With six years, you can see the growth from him. “

Worth Noting

Want to scout New Mexico State before Jerry Kill’s guys play the Gophers September 1? The Aggies game Saturday night against Nevada from Las Cruces will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 9 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Kill, approaching his first game as Aggies coach, has one Minnesotan on his roster, reserve freshman defensive back Rashad McKinley from St. Paul and Hill-Murray High School.

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah likes to talk about “evidence-based” decisions. His previous front office experience with the 49ers and Browns came into play yesterday when Minnesota, scrambling to upgrade the talent and depth of its quarterback roster, acquired veteran Nick Mullens from the Raiders. The fifth-year pro has been with both the 49ers and the Browns.

Viking defensive lineman T.Y. McGill Jr., through two preseason games, leads the NFL in sacks at 3.5. The defense is holding opponents to 4.47 yards per play, ranking third best in the NFC during preseason.

A week from today NFL teams must reduce rosters down to 53 players.

A Sports Headliners reader and long-time Twins fan emailed that his friends are challenged to give away tickets to clients because people don’t want to go downtown. “And I have yet to talk to anyone that is happy with the way Rocco (Balldeli) manages his pitching staff. Of course we are all happy to be in the hunt for a playoff spot but many feel we could be seven games ahead if we had managed our starting pitchers and relief pitchers differently.”

The CORES luncheon group welcomes Ken Mauer Jr. as its guest speaker September 8 at the Bloomington Event Center. With 37 years of experience, the St. Paul native is the NBA’s longest tenured referee having worked games in five different decades including NBA Finals. He didn’t officiate last season due to a disagreement with the league regarding COVID directives. Reservations must be made by September 5. For more information contact Jim Dotseth: dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Birthday wishes: St. Paul native and baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor turned 66 yesterday and former Gophers women’s Final Four basketball coach Pam Borton had her 57th birthday.

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U Treads Water in Football Ticket Sales

Posted on August 21, 2022 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota athletic department is flat-lining in the sale of season tickets for 2022 home football games and it appears average attendance could be less than last year’s figure of 46,140.

Through a public records request by Sports Headliners, the U disclosed ticket totals from 2022 and 2021. As of a week ago last Friday, 23,443 public season tickets had been sold, compared with a final total of 24,794 in 2021. The respective number of accounts for these tickets: 7,138 and 7,541.

The U reported 5,549 student season tickets sold so far for 2022. The final total last year was 7,396.

While totals for both public and student season tickets will increase in the immediate days ahead, the sales window is closing fast with the first home game of the year less than two weeks out. The U reported no increase in the price of season tickets from 2021 and said a common explanation for discontinuing tickets was a change “in life circumstances or life event.”

Single game tickets have been on sale since July. The U predicted home games with Purdue and Iowa “are expected to sell out or come very close thereto.”

Average attendance will likely be similar and perhaps less than a year ago when the Gophers had a more attractive home schedule facing Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The Ohio State game was the lone sellout at 50,805 seat Huntington Bank Stadium. Interestingly, average home attendance of 46,140 last year was almost identical to the 46,190 average in 2019.

What to make of the ticket buying habits for Gophers football games? On the upbeat side, the Gophers are coming off a 9-4 year that included a second win in the last four seasons against border rival Wisconsin and bowl victory over West Virginia. In the last three seasons coach P.J. Fleck’s record is an impressive 23-10 and the Gophers are expected to be a dark horse in the race for a Big Ten West Division title. The U noted in its report to Sports Headliners the public and students are buying season tickets because of improvement in the team and “general optimism” about the future.

On the flip side, Minnesota hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 1967 and while the program has flirted with winning a championship in the recent past it hasn’t delivered. Nor have the Gophers established themselves as a consistent top 25 team that certainly would deliver more ticket buyers for home games.

The Gophers have plenty of company in their challenge to sell tickets. Programs in the Big Ten and throughout the country are struggling. A college football TV viewer sees sections and sections of empty seats at stadiums all over, from Syracuse to UCLA, from Miami to Northwestern. Wisconsin, a college football power for three decades, plays its home games in 80,000 seat Camp Randall where last season the average number of tickets scanned was 57,548, per a story last January from Madison.com.

Season tickets are a major commitment in money and time for fans. The Gophers offer a budget-conscious $249 ticket, with a high end tab of $1,550 to watch games from Club Cambria.

Games typically last more than three hours. Add on a 30 minute or more commute to and from the stadium, traffic and parking hassles, the cost of parking, tickets, food and beverages, and the sum is a big investment in time and money.

This is why a lot of fans opt to stay home and watch games on ultra-high-definition television. And why the Big Ten has just scored a reported $7 to $8 million media rights deal that starts in 2023 and runs through the 2029-2030 basketball season. The agreement with Fox Sports, CBS and NBC is expected to annually deliver between $80 and $100 million to each Big Ten school including Minnesota.

That payday makes up for a lot of unsold tickets at football games. TV revenue is vital to Minnesota’s financially self-supporting athletic department (U central administration has provided loans). Football is by far the largest revenue stream for the 21 sports at the U, with most of the programs operating at a deficit.

In addition to Purdue and Iowa, Minnesota has home games this year with New Mexico State, Western Illinois, Colorado, Rutgers and Northwestern. Only Iowa is nationally ranked and overall this is far from a glitzy lineup of opponents.

The New Mexico State game is the home opener on Thursday, September 1 and it features the return of former Gophers coach Jerry Kill now starting his first season leading the Aggies. The U projects attendance for the game will be 41,741. Whatever the total, it will include free tickets given to first-year U students.

Tickets start at $30 for the opener with the Aggies, while prices begin at $25 for the September 10 game versus FCS Western Illinois. The athletic department is continuing its past policy of peaks and valleys single game ticket pricing, depending on the marquee value of opponents. Purdue tickets range from $65 to $250, Iowa from $90 to $355.

The Gophers opened their home campus stadium in 2009. The honeymoon effect of the new facility resulted in a sold out stadium for every game that year, and almost for the next when the average was 49,413 in 2010.

Stadium capacity was temporarily increased with more bleacher seating in 2014 and 2015 when the Vikings played on campus. In 2015 the Gophers (under Kill) had a new stadium record single game crowd of 54,147 and season average of 52,355.

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