P.J. FLECK – Page 38 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Coming Days to Test Viking Owners

Posted on January 4, 2022 by David Shama

What the Wilf ownership group does in the next several days and coming weeks will reveal a lot about their thinking and make a profound statement to the Vikings’ rabid fan-base.

It’s currently a hostile public environment for GM Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer. Lead owners Zygi and Mark Wilf must certainly understand that, even though they don’t have Minnesota roots and are based in the east. What will they do this winter, if anything, about the future direction of the franchise?

The Wilfs are exceptionally loyal to their Viking employees. They bought the franchise in 2005 and Spielman, 59, has been on board from the start. Zimmer, 65, has been the coach since 2014. The Wilfs like continuity with their leaders and appear deliberate in their decisions.

They also are passionate fans with a stated commitment to deliver a Super Bowl team to this town. They have invested emotionally in Zimmer and Spielman, showing more patience than many other owners would offer. The Wilfs have also made a statement with their willingness to spend money on player payroll, and building world-class practice and stadium facilities.

But past on-field results by the team aren’t acceptable to many fans. Not as a franchise working on a 45-year Super Bowl drought, and with a more recent history that includes missing the playoffs the last two seasons and unable to play better than .500 football during 2020 and 2021. In the Zimmer era the Vikings have qualified for the post-season only three of eight times.

How capable are the Wilfs in being able to evaluate their football operation? That is a million dollar question. Are they comfortable enough with their abilities and experiences to not only determine who needs to be fired but also how to go about identifying, scrutinizing and ultimately hiring new leadership to be more successful?

The Wilfs could turn to a search firm for help regarding candidates to be new leaders. The NFL office could also be a candid source. Then, too, the Wilfs may have an inner circle they trust, perhaps including former Vikings players and coaches. Among alumni who could be useful and gets a vote here is Ben Leber. The 43-year-old former linebacker has a high football IQ and he is honest!

The options for final decisions in the weeks ahead include firing Zimmer and Spielman, or keeping one of them. They could also keep both and insist on clearing out most, or all, of their staffs. It’s believed the Wilfs have a particularly close relationship with Spielman and after eight seasons are certainly invested in Zimmer, too.

Presumably the Wilfs will have goals for near and long term results by their team and what can be accomplished within specific timeframes. Their roster has valued players like Dalvin Cook, Danielle Hunter, Justin Jefferson and Brian O’Neill. The team doesn’t need to be imploded, even if the Wilfs decide the coaching staff and front office must have a shakeup.

The fan base and media have been turning up the “heat” for months. Now the Wilfs get the last word and it will be intriguing to see what they do, how they do it and what the results will be in 2022 and beyond.

Worth Noting

NBC’s Cris Collinsworth said during Sunday night’s Vikings-Packers telecast the team can fire Zimmer but won’t find “a better coach.”

Minneapolis attorney and sports historian Marshall Tanick notes that Austin, Minnesota born John Madden, who died last week, coached the Raiders to their 32-14 Super Bowl win over the Vikings in 1977 (Minnesota’s last SB appearance). Madden’s final game as an NFL coach came in 1978 when the Raiders defeated the Vikings 27-21 in Oakland. As a broadcaster Madden mentored former Viking quarterback Rich Gannon as he transitioned from his playing career to NFL TV color man.

Illinois, 9-3 and 2-0 in Big Ten games, enters tonight’s matchup with the Golden Gophers at Williams Arena outscoring opponents by an average of 15.6 points per game and is a conference title contender. Minnesota, the surprise of the town’s sports teams at 10-1 and 1-1 in league games, has an average point differential of 8.9 against opponents.

Powerful Illini center Kofi Cockburn, who at 7-feet and 285 pounds averages 21.8 points and 12.1 rebounds, is a difficult matchup for the smaller Gophers. Look for the Gophers to double-team and perhaps use all three of their centers, Eric Curry, Charlie Daniels and Treyton Thompson, against Cockburn.

NCAA Tournament bracketologist Joe Lunardi of ESPN projects Minnesota and Illinois as No. 10 and No. 6 seeds respectively in the Midwest Regional.

Shooting guard Amir Coffey, the former Gopher from Hopkins who went undrafted in 2019, is having a career season with the NBA Clippers averaging 16.4 minutes per game. Several games of late he has played over 20 minutes including in last night’s loss to the Timberwolves.

Could Mohammed Elazazy, the former Western Michigan offensive lineman who has entered the transfer portal, interest the football Gophers? The 6-5, 300-pound guard is from Menasha, Wisconsin.

Former Minnesota offensive coordinator Mike Sanford, now in the same role at Colorado, will be without WR Brenden Rice, a rising sophomore and son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who has entered the transfer portal.

Gopher quarterback Tanner Morgan and center John Michael Schmitz—both part of coach P.J. Fleck’s first recruiting class in 2017—have announced plans to marry their girl friends in 2022. Going into their fifth seasons of competition next September, Morgan and Schmitz will be among the most experienced players in the Big Ten.

Sixty years ago the Gophers played in their second and last Rose Bowl. On January 1, 1962 Minnesota completely dominated UCLA in a 21-3 win, compiling 397 net yards to 107 by the Bruins.

Apparently no report yet on TNT’s national viewership for last Saturday’s Winter Classic matchup between the Wild and Blues at Target Field. The game dates back to 2008 and the 2020 classic hit a new TV low averaging a 1.15 rating and 1.96 million viewers on NBC. COVID-19 postponed the 2021 Winter Classic in Minneapolis.

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U Ends Desert Drought in Bowl Win

Posted on December 29, 2021December 29, 2021 by David Shama

It may have slipped by most University of Minnesota football fans and even a few Golden Gophers historians, but last night your favorite college program earned its first ever win in Arizona.

The drought is over. This is reported with both amusement and relief.

The Gophers beat West Virginia 18-6 in Phoenix Tuesday evening and won the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Four previous games in the Phoenix area didn’t go so well.

In 1969 Minnesota, just two years removed from a Big Ten championship, got ambushed by Arizona State in Tempe. Back in those days the Sun Devils were members of the lightly regarded Western Athletic Conference, a league that seldom received a nod in Big Ten country.

Coach Frank Kush and the Devils saw an opportunity to make a statement to the college football world. They did just that, embarrassing Minnesota by a 48-26 score indicative of the difference between the two teams on a September night in the desert.

Maybe the Devils jinxed the Gophs back in ’69. Not only did the next several decades of Minnesota football look nothing like the glorious past of conference titles and national championships, but even a return to ‘Zona in the new millennium brought more frustration.

The Gophers had a 35-7 halftime lead over Texas Tech in Tempe in the 2006 Insight Bowl. By the end of the fourth quarter the game was tied 38-38 and the Red Raiders won in overtime 44-41. Pass-happy Texas Tech threw 55 times and Minnesota had no second half answers.

The “stubborn” Gophers made return trips to the Insight Bowl in 2008 and 2009. Same destination with the drought continuing in the desert, losing 42-21 and 14-13 to Kansas and Iowa State.

The Arizona football gods tried to hex the Gophers again last night at Chase Stadium, the baseball facility with a retractable roof. On a rainy night in Phoenix, Guaranteed Rate Bowl authorities briefly opened the roof just before kickoff to allow sky divers to prove for the umpteenth time they can land on a football field (BTW, this one with recently installed new sod).

A less than ideal playing surface had the Gophers sometimes unsure of their footing and prone to mistakes. Such was the case in the second half when wide receiver Mike Brown-Stephens fell down on his pass pattern and allowed a West Virginia interception. Yes, the Mountaineers played on the same surface but lest you forget the curse of the desert, the boys from Morgantown looked steady on their collective feet.

And if the field conditions weren’t enough to cause a pre-game “here-we-go-again” mindset, a woman named Stormy was the sideline reporter for ESPN’s telecast!

When Minnesota endured the 1969 butt-kicking that started the struggles in Arizona, the Gopher coach was Murray Warmath who was born December 26, 1912 and died in 2011. He received a birthday present of sorts this week with his former team playing the kind of dominating defense, advantageous field position and time consuming football he preached at Minnesota. His 1960 team won Minnesota’s last national championship.

Minnesota ended bad times in Arizona by holding the Mountaineers to just one touchdown and 206 total yards of offense. The West Virginia running game was shut down and the passing results were not a whole lot better. The Gophers sacked the quarterback five times, bringing frequent pressure that helped hold the Mountaineers to 140 yards passing.

This season defensive coordinator Joe Rossi removed any remaining doubt about how important he is to the Gophers. He doesn’t like being referred to as “a guru” by his players but when your defense ranks among the best in the nation and allows only one opponent in 13 games to score over 28 points, you deserve accolades.

Minnesota’s kicking game and offense had the Mountaineers starting drives inside their 30 and 20 yard lines. Gopher defensive end Boye Mafe, who had a stellar night auditioning for NFL scouts, nearly caused a first half safety while tackling the West Virginia quarterback, Jarret Doege.

Minnesota’s time of possession was 38:29. West Virginia’s 21:31. The disparity was due mostly to the Gophers hoarding the football with their running game. That success started up front with its veteran line led by right tackle Daniel Faalele who also scored high with NFL evaluators while playing his final game for Minnesota.

In the first quarter the offense failed twice inside the West Virginia 10-yard line. Minnesota’s Ky Thomas fumbled to end a drive and Matthew Trickett missed a makeable 33-yard field goal try. That cost the Gophers points on a night they could have won the game by a much larger margin.

With Rossi in charge, it looks like the Gophers can consistently produce defenses that will do their part in winning a Big Ten West Division title. But to take the next step the Gophers have to raise the bar offensively, particularly with the passing attack including better play calls, catching consistency, big gains and more points. With the return of Kirk Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator, there is hope the Gophers can develop a passing offense that better complements their successful running game.

But before washing the desert sand out of their eyes and looking to 2022, the Gophers should take a few days to celebrate their triumph in Arizona and what it represents. Minnesota finishes 2021 with a 9-4 record including three straight wins and that sounds a lot better than 8-5. This is the second time in three years the Gophers have won nine games or more.

Among the victories in 2021 was taking down a nationally ranked Wisconsin team that has won seven of its last eight games. The late November win over the Badgers was the first time the Gophers claimed Paul Bunyan’s Axe in Minneapolis since 2003.

Head coach P.J. Fleck is now 3-0 in bowl games because his teams come prepared to compete instead of arriving with a “let’s party” approach. The focus is there for four quarters. In all games during the Fleck era (dating back to 2017) the Gophers are 33-4 when leading at halftime.

Fleck’s overall record at Minnesota is 35-23 but he is 23-10 the last three seasons. His winning percentage of .603 is third best among Gopher coaches who coached in 45 games or more. Minnesota has had 19 coaches since 1900 and Fleck ranks sixth all-time in program wins.

Fleck’s Big Ten record is 21-22 after going 6-3 this fall. In Warmath’s first six conference seasons he won 15, lost 25 and tied 2. Since 2000 the Gophers have produced five winning seasons in Big Ten games, with two coming under Fleck.

Oh, yes, one other stat before signing off. Fleck is 1-0 in the desert.

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Vikings Stuck in Long-Term Mediocrity

Posted on December 19, 2021December 20, 2021 by David Shama

The Vikings enter tomorrow night’s game at Chicago with a 6-7 record. That flirtation with a .500 record is indicative of what the club has experienced for 16 seasons dating back to 2005 when the Wilf family purchased the franchise.

During that stretch the Vikings’ regular season record (including this year) is 139 wins, 128 losses and 2 ties. Throw in a 3-6 playoff record and the result is 142-134-2. The last three seasons (including 2021) the regular season totals are 23 wins, 22 losses.

The Vikings have been good enough to keep their fan base engaged, with the more exuberant followers dreaming of a Super Bowl appearance (hasn’t happened since 1977). The team had a season-for-the-ages when Brett Favre dropped into town in 2009. The 2019 season with a 13-3 record and postseason “Minneapolis Miracle” was special, too.

There have been a couple of seasons perhaps worthy of fans pulling paper bags over their collective heads at home games. Included on the short list is a 3-13 disaster in 2011. But there have been a lot of years where the final record was 9-7, 8-8, 7-9, 8-7-1 and Maalox-inducing-2021 (12 of 13 games decided by one possession, eight points or fewer).

Since 2005 the Vikings have won four division titles, with the most recent in 2017. They missed the playoffs last season after going 7-9 during the regular season. Their postseason success is shabby compared with NFC rivals. Twelve of the conference’s 16 teams have played in at least one Super Bowl dating back to 2005. The Vikings, Cowboys, Lions and Washington have not.

The NFL is America’s game and it capture’s public focus like few other things in our culture. Out here on the prairie Minnesotans want to be cool, too, and so it’s a tossup on Sundays whether church activities or the local NFL crew are more important. The Vikings have been competitive enough to play in dramatic games and they also stoke Purple passion with entertaining talents like Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook.

Many Vikings fans have a love-hate relationship with their team. Despite the mediocre on-field results for years, the fans aren’t apathetic about their favorites and that’s good news for the financial bottom line—and the Wilfs who bought the franchise for a reported $600 million. This year in its valuation of NFL franchises, Forbes estimated the worth is $3.35 billion. With inflation run amuck, that number could jump more than in the past when Forbes reports again in 2022.

The up-and-down Vikings get ready for the Bears Monday night and a showdown game that will weigh heavily on making the playoffs. At 6-7, with four games remaining, what’s all but certain is the final record will be around .500.

Surprise? Hardly.

Worth Noting

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck talking on BTN Wednesday about promising defensive linemen recruits Trey Bixby, Anthony Smith and Hayden Schwartz: “Hopefully some of them can play and contribute as a freshman (2022).”

Kristen Hoskins, the electric kick returner and receiver from Alexandria, Minnesota, is another player from the 2022 Gopher recruiting class who drew attention on National Signing Day last Wednesday. He wasn’t highly recruited but 247Sports analyst Allen Trieu sees similarity with former Penn State star KJ Hamler. “I think he (Hoskins) is a steal,” Trieu said on BTN.

There are 21 former Gophers in the College Football Hall of Fame and the next one could be Greg Eslinger. A two-time All-American in 2004 and 2005, he won the Outland Trophy given to college football’s best interior lineman and the Dave Rimington Trophy as college football’s best center.

Eslinger’s college head coach, Glen Mason, recruited the North Dakota native as a fullback but converted Eslinger to center and started him as a true freshman. “He should already be in (the Hall of Fame),” Mason said in an email. “Crime!”

Crime No. 2? It’s an injustice Halsey Hall isn’t a member of the Twins Hall of Fame. Part of the Twins’ original broadcast crew starting in 1961, Hall is the most entertaining on-air personality the club ever had. Not even close!

Minnesota ticket sales are outpacing West Virginia’s for the December 28 Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, per bowl CEO Mike Nealy. There might be 7,500 Gophers fans attending the game played at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ baseball stadium (capacity around 30,000 for football). Neal, who said the median ticket price is about $70, predicted attendance of 25,000 to 30,000 for the game, with up to two million TV viewers watching on ESPN.

The 8-4 Gophers are about a four point favorite against the 6-6 Mountaineers.

Bob Peters photo courtesy of Bemidji State University

Condolences to family, friends and the many admirers of Bob Peters who passed away last week at age 84. The legendary Bemidji State hockey coach, who retired in 2001, won 13 small college national championships and ranks fifth in wins all-time among college hockey coaches, but more importantly he was a great mentor to his players.

Chris Justice knows how Peters impacted his life. Justice had a successful hockey career at Edina High School in the 1980s but initially decided not to attend college. A couple of years later, despite having experienced a car accident severely injuring his right arm, he asked Peters for an opportunity at Bemidji. Justice not only played for the Beavers but went on to become head hockey coach at Bemidji High School and remains a contributor to the sport in his adopted hometown.

The NHL’s Winter Classic series dates back to 2008 but the January 1, 2022 Minneapolis edition at Target Field will be the first one televised nationally in prime time starting at 7 p.m. Eastern. The day prior will offer a lineup of free activities for fans including hockey attractions and musical performances.

That was future new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez in town for Friday night’s impressive win over the Lakers. The New York Post reported recently A-Rod sold his $6.3 million Miami house after his split with Jennifer Lopez.

Too bad retired Star Trib gossip columnist C.J. (Cheryl Johnson) isn’t around to chronicle A-Rod’s adventures.

Twins legend Tony Oliva is the latest guest on the “Behind the Game” program seen on over 25 cable markets and on YouTube. The show is co-hosted by Agile Marketing owner Patrick Klinger and USHL commissioner Bill Robertson.

The Minnesota-Green Bay men’s basketball game scheduled for a 7 p.m. start Wednesday will tip instead at 4 p.m. BTN will televise.

Gopher basketball alum J.B. Bickerstaff, now coaching the NBA Cavs, has his team a surprising seven games over .500 with the help of former Wolves Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio.

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