P.J. FLECK – Page 11 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Making the Case for Trading Viking WR Jordan Addison

Posted on August 27, 2024August 27, 2024 by David Shama

It’s interesting to consider the Vikings could trade second-year star wide receiver Jordan Addison.

Multiple factors make a trade plausible. The Vikings appear deep in wide receivers starting with 25-year-old superstar Justin Jefferson and moving through other players who impressed during training camp.

The list includes Jalen Nailor, “Speedy,” who lived up to his nickname in three preseason games as Minnesota went 3-0. Nailor, 25, caught four passes for 94 yards, an average per reception of 23.5 yards.

When the Vikings trim their roster to 53 today, the club could list three other wide receivers including Trishton Jackson, 26, who caught touchdown passes in all three preseason games—tops in the NFL. He totaled nine receptions for 154 yards in the games.

Brandon Powell, 28, is small at 5-8, 181 pounds but he is a physical player. The Vikings saw his production last year when he received increased playing time with Jefferson sidelined. He started two games, played in all 17 regular season games and caught 29 passes for 324 yards.

Trent Sherfield, 28, is another physical player and the coaches have to love his willingness and skill blocking, traits not all wideouts possess. The 6-1, 210-pound NFL veteran had one touchdown among his seven preseason receptions.

Jordan Addison image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings need draft choices in 2025 and an early round selection, preferably a first, could come in return for moving on from Addison. Minnesota has three selections for next year, a first-round pick and two fifth rounders. Expected bottom feeders like the Panthers and Patriots need wide receiver talent. It’s possible the Vikings might get creative and be able to make a trade involving Addison that returns a valued player and draft choice. The club could have needs at cornerback and interior offensive line not only this season but next when the Vikings will be well positioned with salary cap space to pursue free agents.

Addison’s two road incidents within 13 months of each other raise “red flags” about his judgment. He was cited for speeding and reckless driving at 140 MPH on Interstate 94 in St. Paul over a year ago. He later pled guilty to a misdemeanor speeding charge, $686 fine and had his license suspended for six months.

Last month Addison was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving under the influence. His car was reportedly found blocking traffic on I-105 near Los Angeles International Airport while he was asleep in the driver’s seat.

If there is another incident this year or not too long after, that figures to diminish Addison’s trade value. Rather than gamble on future problems, the Vikings might test trade interest in Addison who could miss games this fall because of disciplinary action from the NFL. The Vikings find themselves in a position of apparent strength with their wide receiver corps and have other offensive playmakers including gifted tight end T.J. Hockenson and potential 1,000-yard rusher Aaron Jones.

There seemingly are always other teams willing to take on a talented player who has had off-field issues. Addison produced 70 receptions, 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Pro Football Writers Association named him to its All-Rookie team.

Addison and Jefferson form one of the best and explosive pass catching duos in the NFL. The Vikings might have an ego issue about trading Addison after having spent a first-round draft selection on him in 2023 and seeing his importance to the team. A former NFL executive with two clubs cautioned Sports Headliners earlier this summer when he said: “The reality is a first-round pick is different. And a first-round pick that plays well like he did last year—and we presume he will this year—it’s just different.”

The NFL trade deadline is November 5. The Vikings have time to work on an Addison trade if they choose to.

Worth Noting

Vikings reserve quarterback Jaren Hall led the NFL in preseason touchdown passes with four. Trey Lance, the Marshall, Minnesota native, led all the quarterbacks with 662 passing yards and topped rushers with 168 yards while playing for the Cowboys.

Dinkytown Athletes, the official Golden Gophers collective, reports for the most recent fiscal year it bettered the goal of 85 percent revenue going to student-athletes. That means an additional $150,000 will be provided to Gopher athletes for name, image and likeness opportunities.

Casey O’Brien, the former Golden Gophers football player who has inspired so many, is battling cancer again. O’Brien, a six-time cancer survivor dating back to age 13 when he was first diagnosed with bone cancer, is pursuing funds to pay for an alternative therapy not covered by insurance. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, he is known for the courage and optimism he has displayed facing his health challenges—a message he has shared in speaking engagements, conversations and fundraising. Now battling cancer in his lung, liver and low back, he has established a GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-casey-obriens-fight-against-cancer

Jim Brunzell reports Kevin Hamm, his friend and former Gopher football teammate in 1969 and 1970, has been battling leukemia for seven months. https://www.caringbridge.org/site/ac4809a5-5805-11ef-9ac3-53c8c09873a4

The Golden Gophers and North Carolina game Thursday night will be seen across the country on Fox. Jason Benetti, a familiar voice from his work on the Big Ten Network, will do play-by-play. Former Washington Huskies quarterback Brock Huard will offer analysis.

This will be the season opener for both teams, with the Gophers likely to be about a two point underdog. The outcome could turn on a couple of things depending on whose new quarterback plays better, and how the defenses contain the star running backs—North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Minnesota’s Darius Taylor.

As of Tuesday, tickets remained for the game with Gophersports.com reporting “low availability” in many sections at Huntington Bank Stadium.

My prediction for the Gophers’ season record: 8-5 including another bowl win running their streak to eight in a row.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck starts the season as the third fastest coach in Gopher history to win 50 games. Fleck, 50-34, needed 84 games to reach his total while Henry Williams did it in 58 and Bernie Bierman in 67.

North Carolina head coach Mack Brown’s birthday is today, August 27. At 73 he is the only Division I head coach in his 70s.

The Nevada team the Gophers play in their third game of the season opened its schedule last Saturday with a close loss, 27-24, to SMU. Nevada, playing on its home field and nearly a four-touchdown underdog, led 24-13 going into the fourth quarter. Preseason expectations were for Nevada to be among the worst FBS teams in the country.

Coach Dwight Lundeen goes for his 400^th career victory Thursday night when his Becker football team hosts Hill-Murray. After the 2023 season, his record was 399-167-3, ranking second all-time in state prep coaching history, and trailing Verndale’s Mike Mahlen at 432-132-3. Brainerd’s Ron Stolski and Delano’s Merrill Pavlovich, both retired, rank third and fifth respectively on the all-time wins list, with Eden Prairie’s Mike Grant, 388-80, fourth.

As of this morning the Twins’ biggest stars, Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, had missed a total of 177 games. Here’s how it breaks down: Lewis 67 with a right quad strain and 20 with a right adductor strain; Correa 22 with a right intercostal strain and 35 with right plantar fasciitis; Buxton 20 with right knee inflammation and 13 with right hip inflammation.

Yesterday (August 26^th) was the anniversary date of the first no-hitter by a Twins pitcher. In 1962 Jack Kralick threw a near perfect game except for a walk as the Twins defeated the Athletics 1-0 at Metropolitan Stadium

The MIAC Sports Network can be found and installed free at various sources such as Apple TV as well as the web at https://miacsportsnetwork.com/.

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Yes, P.J. Fleck Really is P.J. Fleck

Posted on August 25, 2024August 26, 2024 by David Shama

P.J. Fleck begins his eighth season as head coach of the University of Minnesota football team this week. Everyone who has followed his career at the U will agree he’s unique, but more importantly he has been accepted by more Minnesotans as authentic.

Fleck’s personality and make up, with his enthusiasm, determination, vision and planning, make him stand out even among his peers across the Big Ten and nation. Seemingly never at a loss for words to advocate for his program and players, he’s filled with energy, passion, curiosity and a commitment to teach, coach and help others inside and outside the U. He is also the first to admit his over-the-top style and demand for commitment to his culture isn’t for everyone.

Interestingly, when Fleck was a preschooler, his mother was so concerned about her son’s exuberance she took him to a medical authority to be checked out. The verdict: nothing wrong with the kid who was bouncing off the walls at home—just his nature.

Fleck, 43, has preached his ‘Row the Boat” philosophy from day one at Minnesota. The mantra actually dates back to his prior years at Western Michigan where he coached the Broncos to their first bowl win in program history and in his last season went 13-1, with a final national ranking in the top 20.

“Row the Boat” means no matter how difficult the circumstances, you put oars in the water and keep rowing. The mantra and Fleck’s perspective about never giving up tie back to the death of his son Colt in 2011 who passed away soon after birth from a heart condition. The tragedy inspired the then youngest head coach in FBS to steam ahead in life regardless of the obstacles.

When Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle sought out a new head coach in January of 2017, he knew he was getting someone that didn’t fit the stereotypical coach in personality and make up. “P.J. is a proven winner and a strong leader,” Coyle said back then. “He’s built a unique, positive culture that gets the best out of his students on the field and in the classroom. His infectious energy and passion make him a terrific coach and dynamic recruiter. I am excited he will be leading the Gophers for years to come.”

Fleck has brought sustainability to the program which is something that characterizes successful programs across the country. His best team in 2019 was 11-2 and finished ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll. The COVID year of 2020 was an outlier for many programs including Minnesota, but since then Fleck’s teams have been 9-4 twice and 6-7 last year.

Brent Salem, a former college coach and son of ex-Minnesota head coach Joe Salem, is impressed with what Fleck has done at a job he considers among the more difficult places to win in the Big Ten. “He is doing it the right way, bringing in kids, recruits, that want to buy in and be part of the program.”

Fleck takes a 360-degrees view on his life and view of his job leading the program. Academically, athletically, socially, spiritually. That’s a core message to his players who have excelled in the classroom and been active in various community causes. “Our program is about two things,” Fleck has said. “Serving and giving.”

Fleck’s dynamo personality, endless energy and constant preaching about culture caused a lot of people to question whether he is genuine. More and more have come to find out who he is, including friends like Cal Simmons, a Minneapolis area insurance executive. The two play golf together at Interlachen Country Club. (BTW, Fleck likes to joke he’s “the perfect member” who pays his dues but seldom plays golf because of his demanding schedule.)

What was Simmons’ initial take about the Gopher coach? “I think like everybody’s first impression it was questioning how much of this is just an act and how much is real? I quickly came to realize that everything he says is what he believes,” Simmons said.

“He walks the talk. He’s committed to his kids. He’s committed to sending young men out into the world so that they can be successful.”

Fleck is a master of not only the big picture but also the details. His players are even schooled in how to properly shake hands. “…You know a lot of these kids have come from kind of tough backgrounds and they leave after four years ready to contribute to the world and it’s because of P.J. Fleck,” Simmons said.

How quickly did Fleck validate to Simmons who he really is? “I think immediately when I started to be around him. He’s unchanged. He’s the same way all the time. He is who he is.

“I’ll play golf with him, and we’ll talk about things. We’ll talk about football maybe a little bit, not a lot. But then I’ll hear a press conference…and he says the same thing to the press that he says to me the day before when we’re playing golf. He doesn’t tell me one thing and mask it over with a different story to the press.”

What is Simmons’ reaction to Fleck’s non-stop energy? “He’s different. His engine runs at a very high level. He’s just wound kind of tight. …I used to play a lot of golf with (former U coach) Lou Holtz. In some ways, the overall personality is somewhat the same. But you know, we’re all different and he is who he is.”

Salem, who lives and works in the metro area and is a Gopher fan, offers this perspective on Fleck’s personality and make up: “The thing I always said was if the recruits like him and the kids (his players) do…that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter what we think.”

Simmons, a member at Interlachen for 46 years, might receive a call from Fleck at 8.m. asking about playing golf at 10 a.m. Simmons knows he might be second choice after Fleck’s wife Heather, but he doesn’t mind.

Fleck is about a 10 handicap, Simmons a 7. They play competitively against one another, and the better score might be determined with the final putt.

Simmons has seen the coach’s skill and competitiveness on the golf course even if changes in college football have taken away his time on the links. “P.J.’s life changed with NIL and the portal. He used to have much of the second half of May and the month of June off. He would start work again about July 1. With the portal, he doesn’t have any time off. The portal just completely shot his month of June this year. …”

The time demands that come with being a head coach in college football are over the top. Unless you’re an insider or at least on the fringe of the job, you can’t have much grasp of what Fleck’s life is like. The schedule is virtually non-stop with his administrative duties, coaching, recruiting and travelling, and engaging with players, parents, the public and media.

But there are non-negotiables with his time, including taking care of his well-being. It’s a must-do to remain physically fit and Fleck’s Thursdays include meeting with a confidant to discuss what’s on his mind. There is also a weekly date night with Heather.

When Fleck arrived here in January of 2017, he talked about winning national championships at the school that claims seven with the last coming in 1960. He also spoke early on about expanding the 50,000 seat U stadium to 80,000. Neither of those things have come close to happening and perhaps those lofty goals can be attributed to an exuberant 36-year-old coach but there’s nothing wrong with setting the bar high at a place where it’s been challenging to win for a long time.

Asked about the changing landscape of college football and the ceiling for the Gophers program last week, Fleck didn’t talk about winning championships but instead voiced optimism about the expanded College Football Playoffs that now will have a 12 team field.

“I think as you go through this with 12 teams, that leaves the window open for a lot of teams to get in there from different conferences. I think that’s exciting for the fans. I think that’s exciting for college football and the growth of the sport…I think I’ve said that publicly at Big Ten Media Days that I think it’s really healthy especially for Minnesota.”

Dave Mona is another friend of Fleck’s, and he sees a change in the coach. “I think he’s mellowed,” Mona said. “I think he’s thoughtful about what he says.”

The Fleck naysayers have been predicting for years that the coach intends to move on for another job. But Fleck frequently talks about how much he and Heather enjoy being part of this community. Fleck has established roots here including his close relationship with Coyle.

Part of Fleck’s commitment here includes the building of a new home. The house was supposed to be finished earlier this summer, but the move in was happening last week.

“I mean, we’re still waiting to move into our house,” Fleck said last Monday. “Call me frustrated. I mean Heather’s right there moving right now. We’re moving in today.

“This was (going to be) June 1, July 1, August 1 and now it’s August 19th. I told her a year ago I’d help (with the move). I can’t help (when) it’s August 19^th and our driveway is just being poured today.

“How do you move in (when) the movers show up the same time the concrete guys show up?

“So, pardon the expectation not meeting reality. Call me crazy.

“(But) they don’t have to worry about me, the Italian-Irish woman is at home. She’s got a huge heart. She got every single person lunch today.”

That sounds like Minnesota nice. Authentic.

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Middling Rankings for Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Posted on August 20, 2024August 20, 2024 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Dan Orlovsky, writing recently on ESPN.com, listed the NFL’s best quarterbacks in seven different categories: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction creativity. His top 10 lists in each category (based on current performance and expectations) included former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins in just one: “decision making with the football.”

Orlovsky defines decision making as knowing what the defense “is trying to get him (the QB) to do with the ball—and what it is trying to keep him from doing.” Add to that, Orlovsky writes, the QB needs to figure out whether the first read is “going to work given what the defense is showing.”

Cousins, who signed on with the Falcons in the offseason after being The Guy with the Vikings since 2018, checked in at No. 10 in the decision-making rankings. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow are the top three on the list.

Cousins, whose season ended last season in late October after tearing his Achilles, reportedly received a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. They are gambling the 36-year-old can recover from his serious injury and play at a high level for a team with playoff expectations. With a new Falcons coach in Raheem Morris and a top 10 2024 draft pick in rookie Michael Penix Jr. behind him, Cousins faces plenty of pressure to perform.

In the 2024 annual vote by NFL players ranking the top 100 players, Cousins came in at No. 81 after being 42^nd last year. In fairness to Cousins, only being able to play in eight games limited his impact but his peers also watched him get off to perhaps the best start of his career. He threw 18 touchdown passes for 2,331 yards and had just five interceptions.

A popular prediction is for the Falcons to win nine to 10 games. The Vikings six to seven.

It’s a good guess the Vikings added former UFL wide receiver Justin Hall to the roster on Monday partly for roster depth if Jordan Addison is suspended for regular season games because of his July driving incident in Los Angeles. Hall, 5-8 and 189-pounds, had the third most receiving yards in the UFL in 2024 with 603 playing with Houston.

ESPN.com also recently ranked the top 100 college football players going into the season, with Golden Gophers left tackle Aireontae Ersery the only Minnesota player listed. Ersery, Minnesota’s left tackle, is No. 59 on the list that has Tennessee defensive tackle James Pearce No. 1.

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who Minnesota will see in its August 29 opener, is the lone Tar Heel on the list at No. 29. Hampton is an Associated Press first team preseason All-American while Ersery is second team.

The Gophers gave up a Big Ten worst 165.9 yards per game rushing last season but could be much improved in 2024. Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said Monday “we’re swarming more and better than we ever have to the ball.”

The Gophers have their own featured back in sophomore Darius Taylor who despite limited play last season rushed for 799 yards in six games. Taylor was a wide out at times in high school and his ability to catch the ball prompts Fleck to describe him as adding “that full playmaker ability to our offense.”

Minnesota may also have one of the deeper running back rosters in the Big Ten with Fleck yesterday talking about multiple players including Marcus Major, the 6-foot, 220-pound graduate transfer from Oklahoma who the coach said has exceeded expectations. “Every time I see that (jersey) No. 24, I just think, man, looks like 24 (former Gopher record setter Mohamed Ibrahim), just bigger,” Fleck said.

If Gophers starting quarterback Max Brosmer is injured during the season his replacement could be true freshman Drake Lindsey. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said Monday Lindsey knew coming to Minnesota would be an opportunity to learn from Brosmer, the graduate transfer FCS All-American from New Hampshire. Harbaugh has been impressed with Lindsey’s learning curve and other skills.

“I sat him down right before he signed, and we talked about how we had to bring in a transfer at that time,” Harbaugh said. “And we were talking about Max and I explained to him that this is going to be a really big thing for you to learn from him, and then for Max to take him under his wing and Drake has done that.

“If you saw him in the spring, he was running the two (second unit) offense as a true freshman, and he should be a senior in high school. He’s done a great job…as soon as he got here in January, of learning the offense, understanding the offense, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes. He’s a natural thrower of the football.”

The Twins, 70-55, will only have to go 20-17 the rest of the season to reach the coveted 90 wins mark. Since the club’s last World Series championship in 1991 the Twins have had seven seasons where they won 90 games or more. They had a regular season 95-67 record in 1991.

Luis Arraez, the former Twin now with the Padres and trying to win his third consecutive batting title, has amazingly almost as many doubles at 23 as times he has struck out, 26, in 497 plate appearances.

Bailey Ober, 12-5 and the Twins starter tonight (Tuesday) against the Padres in San Diego, has 10 consecutive quality starts—tied with Corbin Burnes from the Orioles for the longest such streak in MLB this season. Quality starts mean at least six innings pitched, giving up three earned runs or fewer.

Birthdays: baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is 68 on Thursday and former Gopher women’s basketball coach Pam Borton 59.

Former Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill, now a top assistant at Vanderbilt, turns 63 on Saturday. For more on Kill’s life: https://shamasportsheadliners.com/jerry-kill-healthy-happy-cheering-for-gophers/

Hockey is the focus at the next gathering of the Twin Cities Dunkers on September 17 when TV’s Joe Schmit moderates a discussion with Brock Faber from the Wild, Gophers coach Bob Motzko and North Stars legends Lou Nanne and Tom Reid.

The Star Tribune has abandoned a long history of using Minneapolis in its name to become the Minnesota Star Tribune. It could be a cold day in hell when the Pioneer Press drops St. Paul from its nameplate.

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