Category: Golden Gophers

Enjoy a Saturday notes column.

No one fascinates this town more right now than Kyler Murray.  The 28-year-old quarterback is working in Organized Team Activities with the Vikings, his new team after signing with the club in March.

Thousands of purple-clad loyalists ponder whether he can win the starting job from J.J. McCarthy.  If so, how effective will he be?

Murray is a conundrum to fans, and maybe his Vikings coaches and teammates, too. He is physically gifted and potentially explosive, including his ability to run.  In 2019 he was the Pro Football Offensive Rookie of the Year.  Twice in his career he was a Pro Bowler.

Yet many consider the former No. 1 draft pick by the Cardinals a bust.  His stats have been inconsistent and only once did he lead Arizona into the playoffs, 2021.

But if you’re looking for a glass half full approach about the controversial quarterback consider this: For the most part, he played his previous seven seasons with a lousy defense that added to his challenges.

Four times with the Cardinals he was accompanied by defenses that were 23^rd or worse in points per game given up in the 32-team NFL, per Google AI Overview.  In yards per game given up the Cardinals ranked from 2019-2025: 31^st, 26^th, 11^th, 21^st, 21^st, 15^th and 27^th.

All of that meant pressure for the offense in high-scoring shootouts. Murray having to compete when opposing defenses knew the Cardinals had to throw the football and that pass rushers could tee off on the quarterback.  Game plan out the window.

The Vikings defense figures to have Murray’s back if he wins the job.  Last season in total yards yielded per game Minnesota ranked third and seventh in points per game allowed, per Google.

The Twins have designated right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson for release or assignment. The move, announced this morning, comes in conjunction with adding right-handed pitcher John Klein from Triple-A St. Paul.

Richardson’s departure surprises many observers given his history with the franchise.  He was acquired in 2021 via a trade with the Blue Jays that also brought infielder-outfielder Austin Martin to Minnesota for stopper Jose Berríos.

Both Richardson and Martin were considered top MLB prospects.  Richardson appeared in one game each in 2022 and 2023 for Minnesota.  He became a starter in 2024 and 2025. He had his best season in 2025, going 7-4 with a 4.04 ERA.

Richardson, 25, has had a rough 2026 and has competed with young prospects for rotation time. He appeared in 12 games with 10 starts, going 0-7 with a 7.74 ERA.  He was responsible in 27.2 innings for 25 walks, 26 strikeouts and a .330 opponent batting average. He couldn’t execute his pitches this year like last season.

Martin, 27, struggled in two previous seasons with the Twins but has been a pleasant surprise this year.  He has been superb as an outfielder and is hitting .278 with two home runs and 16 RBI.

Klein, 24, looks like he will be used out of the bullpen. The Brooklyn Park native had a 3.65 ERA in his last four games with the Saints, with 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.  This is his second stint with the Twins having made his MLB debut on May 2 against the Blue Jays when he pitched one scoreless inning.

While there is conjecture about who starts for the Vikings at quarterback, there is none in Dinkytown where redshirt sophomore Drake Lindsey has the job locked up.  However, this week the Sporting News (Bill Bender) didn’t give the Gophers many props in a ranking of Big Ten starting quarterbacks and their backups.

Lindsey and Liberty transfer Michael Merdinger (one season of eligibility) came in at No. 13 in the 18-team conference. Bender wrote Lindsey “is generating some NFL interest, and he had a successful first year as a starter with 2,382 yards, 18 TDs and six interceptions with a 126.9 passer rating.”

Oregon, Ohio State, USC and Indiana had the top four tandems. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/big-ten-quarterback-rankings-2026-

The football Gophers are expected to receive a visit this weekend from D’Iberville, Mississippi cornerback Jordan Walley.  The class of 2027 high schooler is the brother of former Gopher cornerback Justin Walley and ex-Mississippi wide receiver Jaden Walley.

For decades Dave Mona has been an authority about Minnesota sports card collecting.  He once had about 4.5 million cards.  “Of which 4 million were a waste,” he told Sports Headliners.  “I am probably down to a half million cards, most of which are commons (low value) that I sell off in big bunches at auctions.”

The card collecting environment is different now than decades ago.  While there are still those who buy for the fun of acquiring favorite athletes, there are purchasers who buy large numbers of packages in hopes of lucking into a big find like a young superstar.  Mona said the process is like playing the “lottery,” only working for “one person out of multiple millions.”

There’s no better example of what Mona is talking about than the Victor Wembanyama rookie card that sold last week for a reported $5.11 million.  Supposedly the largest amount ever sold for an unautographed NBA card.

Wembanyama, a 7-4 freakish talent who can move around the court like the NBA has never seen before, is 22 years old and has played just three NBA seasons.  His future looks to be all upside as does that of his team, the San Antonio Spurs.

For old cards, the 1952 Mickey Mantle remains the gold standard.  Depending on condition the card can range in value from around $5,000 to $100,000, Mona said.

Over 3,000 athletes from throughout the nation are expected for the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota June 20-26.  Competition in 16 sports will be held at the University of Minnesota and other sites in the metro area as the Games return here for the first time since 1991.

Among those participating will be Jenna Perkins, daughter of former KARE 11 sports anchor Eric Perkins who now runs Perk at Play Productions, a company that does video storytelling for businesses.   Jenna is the Honorary Co-Chair for the 2026 games along with former Gophers defensive lineman Danny Striggow.

The two are friends and attended Orono High School.  They participated in unified sports and clubs, a concept that brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities.

Another familiar name with ties to the 2026 Games is former Twins shortstop Roy Smalley.  He is on the board of directors, and his participation continues a long-time affiliation with Special Olympics.

As a teenager in Southern California, Smalley was attracted to the Special Olympics and volunteered at the Games held at the Los Angels Coliseum.  After his playing career ended in 1988, he became the paid executive director of the 1991 Games in Minnesota.

The 1991 Games were held in July.  They were part of a series of sports events hosted by Minnesota in 1991 and 1992 that is unprecedented for one region in a 12-month period.  The metro area also hosted the Stanley Cup Finals, U.S. Open, World Series, Super Bowl and Final Four.

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