Golden Gophers – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Ads, Interview & Golf Put KOC in News Prior to Camp

Posted on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings don’t open training camp until July 26 (rookies and quarterbacks) but head coach Kevin O’Connell is making news.

O’Connell will be filming TV commercials this week for Blaze Credit Union as part of his new endorsement partnership with the Minnesota-based, member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. The ads will be seen around the time the Vikings’ regular season begins in September.

The coach will also make radio commercials and be seen on billboards. A Blaze spokesperson wrote that there is also a “charity component” to the partnership but no community events are scheduled yet.

“We chose to partner with O’Connell, because of his character and reputation,” Dan Stoltz, Blaze CEO and president, said in an announcement statement. “He is a genuine person who knows what it takes to lead both on and off the field. He treats every individual with sincerity and respect which aligns with Blaze to the core.”

Blaze (a Sports Headliners advertiser) is known for working with prominent and high character local sports figures including Brock Faber, Tony Oliva and Lindsay Whalen. Before leaving the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins was a celebrity endorser for Blaze.

O’Connell was a guest last week on the “Dan Patrick Show” seen and heard nationally on TV and radio. He reiterated he’s not ready to commit to a starting quarterback in the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. He again stressed the goal of the competition for the job elevating the quality of quarterback performance on his team.

O’Connell is entering his fifth season as the team’s head coach. He pointed out on the show that in the two years his starting quarterback was able to play full seasons the team has won 13 and 14 games respectively in 2022 and 2024.

O’Connell is a high level amateur golfer and is back in town after participating in the American Century Champion Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort golf course in Nevada. He finished No. 81 among 90 entrants in the annual tournament that includes athletes and entertainers and ended Sunday, according to results from Nbcsports.com.

The Wild’s Matt Boldy was ninth in the field. Former Viking Adam Thielen tied for 16^th,, while another former Viking, Patrick Peterson, was 20^th. Minneapolis native and NFL great Larry Fitzgerald Jr. tied for 22^nd. Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer tied for 51^st.

Edina-born and former pro tennis player Mardy Fish won the tournament for a third time having previous triumphs in 2020 and 2024. He won $150,000 in the $750,000 tournament.

Worth Noting

Minnesota natives and pitchers Louie Varland and Max Meyer were chosen for the 2026 American and National League All-Star rosters respectively. They are first-time all-stars representing the AL Blue Jays and NL Marlins.

The most memorable year for native Minnesota All-Stars was probably 1985. St. Paul’s Paul Molitor, Jack Morris and Dave Winfield were chosen for the All-Star Game representing the Brewers, Tigers and Yankees respectively. Fittingly, the game was played at the Metrodome with the National League winning 6-1.

Derek Shelton, a coach for the American League in tonight’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, is among the wagering favorites to win American League Manager of the Year. To do so the Twins, 48-49, will have to make the playoffs. No manager in either league has won the award since 2006 without skippering a postseason club.

Other betting favorites for the award include two Central Division rivals, Will Venable from the White Sox and Stephen Vogt (2025 winner) from the Guardians. Dan Wilson, the former All-American catcher for the Golden Gophers, is also a favorite for his work with the Mariners.

Wilson played for John Anderson, the now retired Gopher coach who will receive the prestigious Lefty Gomez Award next January from the American Baseball Coaches Association. The annual award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to baseball locally, nationally, and internationally.

Referred to affectionately as “14” by admirers (his unform number), Anderson was known for his success in not only winning games, but also the classy way he impacted the Gopher program including his players. He became Minnesota’s coach in 1981 and retired after the 2024 season as the winningest baseball coach in Big Ten history.

Anderson texted the following regarding the award: “Humbling honor that is an achievement by an army of people that contributed to the program’s success during my leadership of the Gopher baseball program. Nothing is accomplished by one individual. I am grateful for all those special relationships that I shared over the years.”

Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck speaks to the Capital Club on July 21 at Mendakota Country Club. Going into his 10^th season leading the Gophers, the personable Fleck is now the second longest tenured Big Ten coach at his school after Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (28^th season leading the Hawkeyes). For more information on the breakfast program, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketing.com

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Vikes Could Announce Starting QB Just Past Mid-August

Posted on July 8, 2026July 8, 2026 by David Shama

Seems like everyone in town wants to know when Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will name his starting quarterback for the regular season opening game against the Packers on September 13.

The veterans report to training camp at TCO Performance Center on July 28. On August 18 or 23 O’Connell could announce his choice between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings will host the Ravens for scrimmages on August 19 and 20 at TCO Performance Center. This is prior to their August 22 preseason home game against the Baltimore-based team. Speculation has the Ravens fielding a top 10 or even top five defense in 2026 and that unit should offer a challenge to Minnesota’s quarterbacks and offense.

After spring practices and activities, neither Murray, the 28-year-old in his first season with the Vikings, or the 23-year-old McCarthy in his third with the club, was able to claim the starting job. The two split snaps in the spring, likely to the frustration of Murray who was a seven-year starter with the Cardinals and trying to learn a new offense. McCarthy missed his entire first season and started 10 games last season.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell image by David Shama — Kevin O’Connell

It seems highly plausible O’Connell will want to designate his starter by the second half of August, rather than wait until even closer to the regular season opener. The eve of the scrimmages, Tuesday, August 18, could be the date O’Connell names his starter. Or he might evaluate the play of his quarterbacks in the Raven scrimmages and game, then announce a decision on Sunday, August 23.

O’Connell wouldn’t commit to a timeline last month. “…But those guys…know we have a plan in place to make sure that the decision we make is going to be about what’s best for the Minnesota Vikings. The timeline of that does involve making sure we get our starter ready to go.

“We want to make sure by the time we play the Green Bay Packers that there’s been ample time to have the best possible offense we can have to help our football team. The quarterback is going to play a big role in that. …”

Murray is the overwhelming betting favorite to emerge as the starter. Although the Cardinals gave up on Murray, his resume and profile instill optimism among those who want to feel it. In 2019 he was the Pro Football Offensive Rookie of the Year. Twice in his career he was a Pro Bowler.

Murray, though, at times struggled in his career with the Cardinals and even this spring when learning a new system and playing with new teammates. How well he absorbs and executes Minnesota’s sophisticated and challenging offense will go far in determining his status.

Learning can be accelerated by players who have the capacity and commitment. The Vikings signed veteran Carson Wentz on August 24 last year. On September 21 he led the team to a regular season win over the Bengals.

Murray has a career passing rating of 92.2 which is above average for a veteran quarterback. Four times in his career he has thrown for over 3,500 yards. In 2,941 passing attempts he has totaled 121 TD passes with 60 interceptions. Murray is known for his arm strength and velocity, and running skills, but the Cardinals gave up on him because of inconsistency, an injury history and expensive contract.

It will be fascinating to see how Murray fits in with the Vikings, or if he does. O’Connell is known as a quarterback coaching guru and among the questions of intrigue about Murray is building some of the offense around his running ability.

Listed at 5-10 and 207 pounds. Murray is an electric runner. There’s an impressive list of NFL quarterbacks, past and present, who were extraordinary at scrambling and running. But Murray invites comparisons with Michael Vick, considered by authorities as perhaps the best of them all.

New Vikings assistant head coach Frank Smith likely will play a role in the use of Murray to win games with his feet as well as his arms. Smith is known for his running game prowess. His previous stops include with the Chargers where he was first running game coordinator/offensive line coach, and then offensive coordinator. Smith was voted by NFL players as the top offensive coordinator in 2023.

If Murray doesn’t fulfill predictions, he will win the Minnesota starting job, it will be a major career setback. He’s on a one-year contract with the Vikings and is playing in 2026 for his next deal. A failed season could also end perceptions around the NFL that he is a starting quarterback caliber player.

The drama for him starts shortly.

Worth Noting

The University of Minnesota’s M Club, one of Americas’ s largest and oldest varsity letterwinner clubs, will induct 10 new Hall of Fame members on October 2 in a ceremony at Huntington Bank Stadium. But not included among the inductees is Minnesota native Matt Spaeth who won the John Mackey award in 2006 as the most outstanding tight end in college football.

Spaeth, a two-time All-Big Ten selection who holds the school career record for tight ends with 1,293 receiving yards, was a four-year starter for the Golden Gophers. It’s puzzling why he has been overlooked so long for Hall of Fame selection.

Brian Truitt of USA Today listed 25 all-time movies to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America last week. Two were sports flicks: “Field of Dreams” and “Rocky.” I’d toss in “The Natural”, too. Who have you got?

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Best of Gurus See Eight Wins for Vikings 2026 Season

Posted on July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by David Shama

Enjoy a Wednesday notes column.

Get used to the number 8, Vikings fans.

A search of the most authoritative annual prognosticators of NFL team records turns up a lot of eights for the 2026 Vikings season. Here’s a sample of the usually most accurate swamis.

NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund: 8.7 wins.

Public analytical database Nfelo: 8.5 wins.

FanDuel Sportsbook: 8.5 wins.

ESPN’s Football Power Index: 8 wins.

Sports Headliners: 10 wins.

Why 10?

To make you feel better.

There was an Arizona Cardinals airplane parked at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last Wednesday. Perhaps it was in town relative to Minneapolis-born and raised Larry Fitzgerald Jr. being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month.

Fitzgerald was a Vikings ball boy in his youth and idolized Randy Moss who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Fitzgerald played his entire 17-year NFL career with the Cardinals where his pass catching skills ranked with the best in NFL history.

Bill Guerin, named NHL General Manger of the Year last week, is believed to earn “north” of $2 million with the Wild. NHL GM jobs don’t pay the kind of money their NBA counterparts make. The Timberwolves’ Tim Connelly reportedly makes $8 million annually.

Guerin was hired in August of 2018, and his work has helped create a Stanley Cup contender. A former NHL player, he prioritizes communications.

Wild GM Bill Guerin — Guerin photo by Marshall Tanick

“…Because I feel now, like more than ever, the coach, the general manager we’re not so much in a position to say, do this, do that. It’s how can we help you get better? What can we do for you to help you carry out our game plan? We’re here for them,” he told Sports Headliners last year.

The annual Big Ten Football Media Days will be held July 28-30 in Chicago and televised by the Big Ten Network. The Golden Gophers will be one of the programs focused on July 29 at the Hilton Hotel. The three-day event allows media members to meet with coaches and student-athletes prior to the season.

Minnesota opens its season September 3 at home against Eastern Illinois. Peacock will televise the 7 p.m. kickoff nonconference game.

Sources disagree on who is the tallest goalie ever to play in the NHL, referring to 6-7 or 6-8 goalies. Either way the Wild has a solid entry in the competition with 2026 fifth round draft choice Filip Ruzicka from Trinec, Czechia. He is listed at 6-8 and 229 pounds and will certainly be noticed if he ever plays in the NHL.

“Filip is an extra-large goalie with athletic abilities,” said Wild goaltending coach Frederic Chabot in a club statement. “He has good hands for a guy that big and had a nice progression last season after taking over the No. 1 job in Brandon (Wheat Kings of the WHL).”

Before last night’s game against the Astros, the Twins had played 26 games in June. Their slugging percentage of .476 ranked second-best in baseball to the Rockies at .492. The Twins had homered in all but four of their last 23 games since June 4, hitting 42. Since that date, Minnesota ranked second in homers, trailing the Athletics (43), going into last evening.

Last Sunday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine Golf Club, South Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu took home $1,950,00 for winning her first major title. Scottie Scheffler, the men’s No. 1 in the world, will try to win $1,584,000 at the 3M Tournament July 23-26 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine.

The Lynx announced today star forward Napheesa Collier, after undergoing surgeries on both her right and left ankles during the offseason, has returned to team practice and continues to progress as expected.

Medical research confirms spectators watching events like the emotion-stoked World Cup experience cardiovascular issues and even deadly heart attacks.

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