BEN JOHNSON – Page 6 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikes Earn an “A” for Persistence Today

Posted on September 25, 2022September 25, 2022 by David Shama

Let’s get right to the grades after the Vikings’ last minute 28-24 win over the Lions today at US Bank Stadium.

The Vikings, now 2-1, trailed 24-14 going into the fourth quarter. In its previous games Minnesota hadn’t produced a touchdown in the second half. But when today’s game was over the Vikings had scored two fourth quarter touchdowns, including a 28-yard strike from quarterback Kirk Cousins to wide receiver K.J. Osborn in the last minute.

Minnesota had never led in the game until the Osborn touchdown with 25 seconds remaining. Give the Vikings an A team grade for persistence.

Lions’ coach Dan Campbell gets an F for late-game strategy. It was his fourth down decision to go for a failed field goal of 54 yards that allowed the Vikings, trailing 24-21, to start their winning TD drive from their own 44-yard line. A Detroit punt sending the Vikings back near their own goal would have been a savvy option and no-brainer for most coaches.

Cousins and his offensive line deserve B- grades. A popular target for not delivering in pressure situations, Cousins threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns today. The Lions were blitz crazy but his offensive line and own awareness helped him avoid interceptions and he was sacked just once.

Kevin O’Connell photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

The offense didn’t have much of a day for explosive plays but got two big ones at the end when Osborn preceded his winning reception with another 28-yarder. Running back Dalvin Cook had his best game of the season with 96 yards on 17 carries before apparently injuring his shoulder. Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell said on the KFAN Radio postgame show he didn’t think the injury was serious.

The Vikings’ defense stopped the now 1-2 Lions in the closing seconds, ending the game with a Josh Metellus interception of a Jared Goff pass. Hard to give that unit better than a below average grade for its work today, though. The Lions consistently opened running holes and Goff’s repetitive completions over the middle were an embarrassment. The Vikings didn’t come up with a single sack and Detroit’s time of possession was 34:04, while Minnesota’s was 25:56.

The last four games in the series between the two NFC North Division rivals have been decided by four points or less. When the Vikings and Lions play again, December 11 in Detroit, the days will be counting down to Christmas. The Vikings better plan on playing better because they can’t expect another “gift” from Campbell.

Worth Noting

It’s believed the University of St. Thomas will soon announce plans to build an on-campus hockey facility after considering other sites in St. Paul. To meet CCHA guidelines the facility will have to seat at least 3,000 fans.

The Gopher football team, dominant in a 34-7 win over Michigan State Saturday, has outscored opponents 183-24 in four games. Minnesota has punted three times all season.

Minnesota is No. 21 in the Associated Press top 25 poll out today. It’s the first time this season the Gophers have been in the AP top 25. Haven’t been ranked by the AP since 2020.

U marketers are promoting the first ever Stripe Out in Huntington Bank Stadium next Saturday for the Purdue game. Fans in various sections are asked to wear maroon or gold clothing.

Former Gophers head coach Jerry Kill earned his first win at New Mexico State last night with a 45-26 home victory over Hawaii.

Often injured Byron Buxton hasn’t played in a Twins game since August 22 and will finish the year appearing in 92 games. That ties the 92 games he played in 2016 for the second highest total of his eight-year career. In 2017 the Twins’ MVP played in 140 games.

The best hope the Twins may have in retaining Carlos Correa for next season is if he and representative Scott Boras decide the less crowded free agent market for shortstops a year from now is their best strategy for a mega contract deal.

Without splashy offseason moves, including possible retention of Correa, the Twins will find it difficult to retain and grow their disappointed fanbase.

It was 10 years ago this fall that St. Paul native Tim Tschida, now 62, retired from umpiring MLB games. The affable Tschida enjoys tending bar at Mancini’s Char House.

Long before home run king Aaron Judge and hockey immortal Wayne Gretzky wore No. 99, Minneapolis Lakers great George Mikan popularized the number. He was voted Mr. Basketball of the first half of the 20th century by Associated Press.

BTW, although way overdue, the Los Angeles Lakers will retire Mikan’s number in a home game October 30 against the Nuggets.

Oddsmakers have the Timberwolves, who have their first training camp practice Tuesday, finishing second in the Northwest Division behind the Nuggets.

Gophers basketball player Parker Fox has a podcast called “Double Down.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X25lkiCNXM

For the first time ever Minneapolis will host Big Ten Basketball Media Days. The event October 11 and 12 at Target Center will include coaches and players from all 28 men’s and women’s basketball programs. Minnesota coaches Ben Johnson and Lindsay Whalen will speak October 12.

Nolan Winter, the Lakeville North basketball recruit who has verbally committed to Wisconsin, will be a nice fit in the Badgers’ offense that features outside shooting by its bigs, but his decision to turn down the Gophers is painful for local fans who over the years have watched a “parade” of Minnesota preps travel to Madison.

Apple Valley’s Tre Jones, a reliable playmaker but able to make just 19.6 percent of his three-point attempts last season, could emerge in training camp as the starting point guard for the NBA Spurs. Jones, 22, is starting his third NBA season.

The USHL Fall Classic in suburban Pittsburgh this weekend is attracting about 300 scouts and college coaches including former Wild GM Chuck Fletcher now in the same role with the Flyers. All 16 USHL teams are playing their first games of the season.

Budding superstar Kirill Kaprizov, who probably would be targeted for military conscription if still in his native Russia, played with teammates and others in the Wild’s inaugural golf tournament last Monday at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo. The course opened in 2018 but is up for sale with a possible purchase price of $8 million, per a September 20 story from Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Bally Sports North will televise three Wild preseason games: October 2 and 6 against the Blackhawks, and October 8 with the Stars.

Oddsmakers have the Wild, who started preseason practices last Thursday, finishing second to the Avalanche in the Central Division.

Some Wild preseason practices at TRIA Rink are open to fans who must pre-register. http://www.wild.com/openpractices

St. Thomas football coach Glenn Caruso speaks to the CORES group November 10 at the Bloomington Event Center. Former North and Henry basketball coach Larry McKenzie will be the January 12 speaker. More information about CORES is available by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

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Fidel Castro Part of Local Baseball Lore

Posted on July 5, 2022July 5, 2022 by David Shama

Minor Treasures is a new book from Nodin Press in Minneapolis that will provide any Minnesotan interested in Millers and Saints history a detailed account of Twin Cities minor league baseball history. Authors Stew Thornley, Taylor Simons and Dave Kaplan write about the Minneapolis Millers and St. Paul Saints from their origins, offering an array of interesting names and tales with a background of vintage photos and illustrations.

Now is a nostalgic time to peruse the soft-cover book because for decades an annual ritual of summer was watching the Saints and Millers play a double header on the Fourth of July. It was known as a street car series, with fans attending games in each city on Independence Day. For more than six decades there was a cross-river rivalry between the two franchises, with much of it focused on the street car matchups of doubleheaders played on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.

Legendary players wore the uniforms of the Millers and Saints including many who are honored in baseball’s shrine at Cooperstown, New York. Willie Mays, arguably the game’s greatest player ever, played in Minneapolis for part of a season in 1951. Minor Treasures profiles the “Say Hey Kid” and includes a photo of the home on Fourth Avenue that Mays rented and still stands near the Hosmer Library.

For many readers a surprising name on the book’s pages will be Fidel Castro, the Cuban dictator who seized power in the late 1950s. Castro was a baseball player in his youth and to say he took an interest in Havana’s Junior World Series against the Millers is an understatement.

The Junior World Series was a Triple-A showdown between teams from the American Association and International League. In the postseason playoffs of 1959 the AA Millers and IL Havana Sugar Canes advanced to the Junior World Series. Castro attended all the games in Havana and so did his henchmen. Minor Treasures described the atmosphere: “Nearly 3,000 soldiers were present, many lining the field, while others stationed themselves in the dugouts, their rifles and bayonets clearly evident.”

The book makes clear that this was a series about more than competition on the field. Politically motivated intimidation was a dark presence as described in Minor Treasures: “As Millers centerfielder Tom Umphlett entered the dugout after making a catch to end an inning, a soldier made a slicing motion across his throat. Umphlett and the other players clearly understood the message.”

The Millers forced a series deciding game seven in Havana. Minor Treasures writes that Castro walked by the Minneapolis bullpen before the game, patted a large revolver on his hip and declared: “Tonight, we win.” And that’s what the Sugar Canes did, scoring the final run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 3-2.

Minneapolis manager Gene Mauch offered the postmortem with this quote in the book: “Our players were truly fearful of what might happen if we won. But we still tried our hardest, figuring we’d take our chances if we did win.”

Worth Noting

Twins front office boss Derek Falvey and manager Rocco Baldelli are in communication before and after each game. Falvey told Sports Headliners the conversations are part of their routine “because that’s the way our partnership works here.”

Falvey said he thinks outside perceptions about those conversations might be of “some secret vault meeting,” or involve lineup meddling by him. “…I will say this to the end of my career. I’ve never written a lineup in my life and I don’t really want to, and I don’t plan to,” he said.

Pregame meetings (10 or 15 minutes) between Falvey and Baldelli include medical updates about players. Falvey said Baldelli likes to “bounce ideas off” him and others in the clubhouse about personnel but the manager makes the final call on details like “where he is going to hit guys” in the lineup. The pregame chats, Falvey, added, don’t even merit “formal meeting” status and may include non-baseball subjects like European football, a Baldelli favorite interest.

Post game is a short meeting and can focus on the bullpen and whether there is a need for a call up. Injuries, illness or tired arms can prompt roster changes including help from the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. “We usually check in for a short five-10 minutes postgame just to make sure we didn’t miss anything on the roster,” Falvey said. “We rarely break down (for example) what happened in the seventh inning unless it’s something meaningful and he wants to talk about it. …

“It’s truly a partnership (with Baldelli, including their meetings). He makes the decisions on the team. Who plays, where they play, what pitching moves they make. That’s all the manager. It’s always been that way for me and everywhere I’ve been in my career. My job is to try and help support him and thinking through those things. …”

Assistant coach Dave Thorson told Sports Headliners his background with head coach Ben Johnson gives him a special understanding about his younger boss. Thorson, going into his second season as a Johnson assistant coach on the Gophers men’s basketball team, has known Johnson since he was in sixth grade.

Then, of course, Thorson coached Johnson at DeLaSalle High School. “I think the neat thing for me is because I understand him, I can help him in a way that may be different than anybody else.” Thorson said.

With a remade roster assembled on the fly, the Gophers struggled last season with a 4-16 Big Ten record, but Thorson describes Johnson as a “star in the making.” More observers could feel that way if Minnesota, with better talent now, improves significantly next season and earns its way into the NCAA Tournament.

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated includes a feature on Chet Holmgren whose 7-foot versatile skills are earning him the “Unicorn” nickname and a nation-wide following after the Oklahoma City Thunder made him the No. 2 selection in last month’s NBA Draft. The former Minnehaha Academy prep All-American was coached by Larry Suggs in AAU basketball. “I wanted to make Chet the best American-born white basketball player since Larry Bird,” Suggs told Sports Illustrated.

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Gophers Hoops Boasts ‘Junkyard Dog’

Posted on June 12, 2022 by David Shama

This week the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team has its first summer practice with coaches. Last week was orientation with activities that included new players moving into their residences, but now it’s time to get on the court with coach Ben Johnson and his staff.

Assistant Dave Thorson—the 56-year-old former nine-time DeLaSalle state tournament championship coach—told Sports Headliners “we’re really excited about the upcoming season.” The coaches, going into their second season after an overall 11-13 record last season, have seven newcomers on the roster. The newbies and returning players can now be instructed in strength, conditioning, individual basketball skills and on-court team practice.

Thorson, who was a U assistant from 1990-1994, was asked during a telephone interview for a brief comment about each of the players. His answers included individual references to a “junkyard dog” and a “matchup nightmare.” Team comments included this is a roster with the size and athleticism to play different roles, providing the Gophers with versatility.

Junior forward Jamison Battle, last season’s leading scorer at 17.5 points per game (sixth in the Big Ten): “High IQ basketball player. Skilled due to the diligence he has at working at his game. I think only scratching the surface on what kind of player he can be.”

Freshman guard Braeden Carrington: “Lights out shooter. Championship pedigree, very competitive. Can’t wait to coach him.”

Backcourt transfer and senior Ta’Lon Cooper: “Pass first point guard. Extremely unselfish, knows how to win. Can’t wait for him to drive the Gopher car.”

Junior forward Parker Fox: “Incredible spirit and love for being a Gopher and playing. I can’t wait for the fans to see that. A highlight machine in the making.”

Sophomore forward transfer Dawson Garcia who was an impact player in prior college seasons at Marquette and North Carolina: “Extremely talented and skilled face-up (to the basket) threat. Matchup nightmare (at 6-11, 235 pounds) and hard playing dude. Another guy I can’t wait to coach.”

Freshman guard-forward Jaden Henley: “Extremely versatile. A big, long guard that does a little bit of everything. Another guy that I think brings versatility…that is going to make us tough.”

Junior forward Isaiah Ihnen: “Fought back from adversity in terms of the injury (knee). …Has really worked on his shot—and a guy that I think is going to present all kinds of trouble defensively because he can defend both perimeter and inside players for us. … You’ll see a different version of him than what you remember from him two years ago.”

Freshman forward Josh Ola-Joseph: “Oh my, I love him. He’s a junkyard dog; plays so hard. He finds a difference to make a difference on the court. … Just how hard he plays. He’s another Gopher that is going to be fun to watch.”

Freshman forward Pharrel Payne: “Pharrel, he is a beast (athleticism at 6-9, 230). He is a physical (guy). He reminds me of John Thomas (former NBA first rounder) who I recruited to the U in the ‘90s. I don’t want to put too much pressure on Pharrel but when I watched him play, every time I watched him I thought John Thomas. So that should tell something about what I think is in store for his future.”

Sophomore guard Jackson Purcell: “Another really high IQ player. He’s one of those guys that bring something to the table for us that doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet. You know once he got cleared (from injury) so that he could practice with us, he was a key guy in terms of practicing against and doing things of that sort. …”

Junior guard Will Ramberg from way up north Grand Marais: “I don’t know if he wants me to call him an Iron Ranger, but he’s a hard playing guy. In the opportunities that he had last year, he made a difference. …He’s a guy you can count on, no matter what the situation.”

Fifth year Dartmouth guard transfer Taurus Samuels: “He’s a heady point guard. He’s going to bring a lot to the table in terms of how he attacks in a ball screen. He just understands how to play. I love his pace and I love his attitude about the game. So another guy I think that Gopher fans are going to love to see.”

Sophomore center Treyton Thompson: “Man, has he worked hard. I think the neat part about Treyt is that you look at this 7-footer and yet he is…a stretch guy (big man who can play outside). He can face up and make threes—and he’s really worked hard on getting stronger. So I think Treyton’s best basketball is ahead of him.”

Knee injuries to Fox and Ihnen sidelined them for the entire season of 2021-2022. That lessened the talent and depth on a roster already fragile from the transition to Johnson about 15 months ago after head coach Richard Pitino was fired. Ihnen is the only remaining player Pitino and his staff coached.

“Yeah, we’re looking forward to having a full team for the first time since we’ve been here,” Thorson said.

The Gophers’ Big Ten record last season was 4-16. Minnesota and Nebraska tied for last place. For most of the winter the Gophers weren’t even a consideration for making the NCAA Tournament field. “Our goal always is to make the NCAA Tournament,” Thorson said.

He also said the Gophers didn’t have the depth to compete for the tourney last season. “You know without question we want to field a team that on any night, if there is a Big Ten contest, that we have a chance to win. So I think that is (also) what our goal is.”

Johnson has one remaining scholarship he could use for an additional player this summer. “I think recruiting is like shaving, you gotta do it everyday,” Thorson said. “Try to keep your focus on and open.

“In all likelihood we probably won’t add anyone but you just gotta keep your eyes and your ears open because that’s just the way the basketball world works sometimes. So again, we’ll see.”

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