Gophers Basketball – Page 16 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Collective Makes Significant Impact on Gopher Football

Posted on August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 by David Shama

Dinkytown Athletes, the official Golden Gophers collective involved with Name, Image and Likeness opportunities for University of Minnesota athletes, launched in July of 2022 and sold its first memberships to the public in September of that year. DA, led by Derek Burns and Robert Gag, faced a skeptical Minnesota sports public but interest in boosting the coffers of the collective is documented in a report shared recently with Sports Headliners.

Active paying members were up 156 percent year-over-year in the spring of 2023 and 180 percent in the fall of last year, per “The Dinkytown Difference Football Case Study.” The document doesn’t specify dollar amounts, but the opinion here is DA has become competitive with other collectives supporting major college football programs including many in the Big Ten. (Editor’s note: DA is a Sports Headliners advertiser.)

Darius Taylor photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Without the growth in financial support for DA from contributors, the Gophers wouldn’t be returning 16 starters from last season’s team. Among returnees are standouts including sophomore running back Darius Taylor whose 799 yards rushing last season was fifth best in school history for a true freshman despite missed playing time when he was injured. Taylor’s NIL earnings are estimated at six-figures. For sure being rewarded, too, with NIL earnings are other Gophers including Aireontae Ersery, rated the best returning offensive tackle in college football by Pro Football Focus.

In a new era where players on the existing rosters of college football teams have to be re-recruited, the transfer portal window is an anxiety producing time as programs look to both retain and add personnel. For the 2023-2024 portal period the Gophers coaching staff led by P.J. Fleck lost three transfers to Power Five programs including starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Minnesota gained eight transfers, giving the Gophers a net gain of 94 games in playing experience, according to the Dinkytown difference document.

Rivals.com gave Minnesota the second highest grade among Big Ten teams last spring for its work in acquiring talent in the transfer portal. Minnesota’s B grade was surpassed only by Washington’s B+.

Minnesota’s eight transfers include promising running back Marcus Major from Oklahoma, former state No. 1 recruit and edge rusher Jaxon Howard from LSU, plus needed help at wide receiver where Cristian Driver from Penn State and Tyler Williams from Georgia. The biggest transfer prize looks like FCS transfer Max Brosmer from New Hampshire.

As a startup, founders Burns and Gag learned money needs to be in place before the transfer portal opens. In the 2022-2023 portal the Gophers lost 10 transfers to Power Five programs. Minnesota gained two transfers during that period resulting in a net loss of 115 games in Power Five playing experience, according to the document.

Among the players leaving the Gophers was cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., who became a 2023 All-American at West Virginia. Austin Booker made all-Big 12 as a defensive lineman for Kansas. Defensive lineman Trill Carter was the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year playing for Texas.

Worth Noting

Steve Erban said his company will be taking about 600 Gopher football fans to Minnesota’s October 12 UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. Creative Charters has almost sold out its availability.

Just added to the football fan travel lineup is a trip to the November 9 Rutgers game. Erban said the trip experience will include a visit to the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, New Jersey.

Speculation is Viking safety Lewis Cine, the team’s top draft choice in 2022, will not be a member of the team when roster cuts are made later this summer. Cine, selected last in the first round with the No. 32 pick, has been a disappointment during his career and appears to be way down on the safety roster in training camp.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Cine played in three and seven games respectively, and started in none. It now appears that Cine, and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., who was the team’s second player taken in the 2022 draft, will be draft busts. Booth Jr. was traded last week to the Cowboys for cornerback Nashon Wright.

The most important performance yesterday in the Vikings’ 24-23 closing seconds victory over the Raiders may have been the winning field goal by rookie kicker Will Reichard. In the opening preseason game for both teams the Vikings got a clutch 38-yard boot by Reichard who is trying to win the kicking job after Minnesota released veteran Greg Joseph in the offseason.

Adding to the drama at U.S. Bank Stadium yesterday, Reichard had his first field goal attempt as a pro blocked, and Raider kicker Daniel Carlson kicked three field goals including a 56-yarder. Carlson was released by the Vikings after his first two games as a rookie in 2018. He’s been with the Raiders ever since where he’s become one of the NFL’s best, and the hasty decision by the Vikings to cut ties remains among the worst in recent years for the franchise.

An interesting individual matchup in Viking training camp is rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner going against stud offensive left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Turner, a first-round selection, had a sack yesterday and looks like a game-changer.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell said after the game his top two quarterbacks, newcomers Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, are “ahead of where I thought they would be at this point.” It’s believed that Darnold, an NFL vet going into his seventh season, is almost certainly the starter for the regular season opener at the Giants September 8.

Rookie McCarthy made a couple of underwhelming throws in the first half, including an interception. In the second half, he threw two touchdown passes with velocity and touch on the football. Darnold played only one series, the opening drive of the game.

The Twins finish their four-game series today against the Guardians who have lost two of the first three games against Minnesota at Target Field. Cleveland holds a 2.5 games lead in the AL Central Division but has lost seven of its last eight games and is 17-23 since June 26.

The Guardians are the smart choice to win today with ace starter Tanner Bibee going against Minnesota rookie David Festa. Last Monday, though, Festa impressed in a win over the Cubs, giving up two hits and no runs in five innings.

Twins president Dave St. Peter is a college football fan and will attend his first game at Michigan Stadium when Texas plays Michigan September 7. “Excited about it,” St. Peter said. “Never been to the ‘Big House’ so it will be a fun experience. I am certain of that.”

This will be the 14^th trip he and friends have made to well-known college football venues.

Target Field has a history of hosting college football games with regional teams and interest remains in future bookings, but St. Peter told Sports Headliners nothing is on the “calendar for the next few years.”

Look for Twins games to be on cable/satellite next season, plus directly to the consumer via streaming. Comcast viewers who finally have the Twins back on cable this summer by paying a higher monthly fee may have to pay more of the same for Timberwolves and Wild telecasts.

Owen Presthus, grandson of former Golden Gophers basketball captain Paul Presthus, is an outstanding soccer player and a few days ago was signed by Columbus Crew 2 to an MLS Next Pro contract.

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Twins Deal with Blue Jays for Bullpen Help at Trade Deadline

Posted on July 30, 2024July 30, 2024 by David Shama

The Twins made a late afternoon deal to acquire reliever Trevor Richards from the Blue Jays in return for minor league infielder Jay Harry. Richards, 31 years old, is 2-1 with a 4.64 ERA and has struck out 49 batters in 52.1 innings this season. He has one save in his MLB career that dates back to 2018.

Harry, 22, was a Twins sixth round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and has a .248 minor league average in 404 plate appearances.

The Twins were able to make a deal on a day it was thought they might acquire even more pitching help. A prime trade prospect for the Twins might have been Rockies starter Cal Quantrill who is affordable at reportedly $6.5 million and under team control next season. A 15-game winner with the Indians in 2022, he is not a power pitcher but can cover bulk innings and could have fit in the back of the starting rotation providing quality starts.

Twins management presumably thought the cost was too high in money and/or in parting with their own players to acquire a Quantrill, or similar talent. Richards has about $710,000 remaining on his 2024 $2.1 million deal for the Twins to pay, according to Mlbtraderumors.com. He is a free agent after this season.

The Twins did add starting pitching depth today recalling veteran Randy Dobnak from the Triple-A Saints, according to multiple media reports. Dobnak, pitching better of late, was last with the Twins in 2021.

The hope from the Twins is that Richards and the 29-year-old Dobnak, both right handed journeyman pitchers, can contribute to a few more wins in a division race that finds the Twins 5.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central Division. Even without a division title, Minnesota is a solid contender for a wild card entry in the playoffs.

A contending Twins team through the end of the season and then participating in the playoffs can boost fan interest and the franchise’s coffers. And Twins fans know the budget conscious ownership group runs a cautious operation with scrutiny. Right now the Pohlads can look at home attendance and see that the 23,203 average per game at Target Field trails last year’s final of 24,371.

If the Twins fall out of contention in August or September for a playoff spot, average attendance will decline from what it is now. Fans can generally be categorized into two groups: those more interested in the charm of being at the ballpark with all the on-field and stadium pleasantries, or those who prioritize winning and are frustrated the club hasn’t been to the World Series since 1991, or even made a deep playoff run.

The first group is likely to diminish in numbers in September when school starts and the club’s promotional schedule winds down. Those that want to win now won’t be buying tickets for the rest of the season if they feel frustrated (again).

The Twins reportedly cut payroll by $35 million last offseason and are expected to be budget cautious for 2025. After winning the division title and first round of the playoffs in 2023, there are unhappy fans who say the club didn’t build on that success including a high-end contract to bring back staff ace Sonny Gray.

To the front office’s credit, though, the club has assembled a talented and productive roster of positional players and hitters. It’s a core group, too, with mostly under 30 players.

The starting pitching lacks depth but the Twins can argue the top of the rotation starters— Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober—is enough to make the team a tough out in the playoffs. The starting staff probably didn’t get a big boost at the trade deadline, nor did the so-so bullpen.

Led by Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the Twins have made successful moves in assembling their roster while working with limited payroll. More money doesn’t guarantee success. The Mets, with a 56-50 record, have the highest payroll among MLB teams, $313,112,204, per Betmgm.com. The Twins rank No. 19 among 30 clubs at $128,865,502.

Some clubs do more with less including the 64-42 Guardians who rank No. 27 in payroll at $100,242,718. Twins’ fans know that’s the way their club operates, too. It was true yesterday, it’s true today and will be tomorrow.

Worth Noting

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and his French Olympic team defeated Japan in overtime today, 94-90. Gobert had 7 points and 15 rebounds.

Joe Mauer and Royce Lewis were both overall No. 1 MLB draft choices, with the Twins having to decide if they wanted to select pitchers instead of those two position players. When the Twins drafted Mauer in 2001, there was opinion that Mark Prior was a better option. Turned out, though, Mauer became one of the best catchers ever and Prior had a disappointing five-year run with the Cubs before injuries ended his career after the 2006 season.

The results may not be so one-sided between Lewis and Hunter Greene who the Reds chose with the No. 2 overall pick in 2017. Lewis, mostly playing third base and being a hitting sensation, has been a wunderkind for Minnesota when available but he has also been a medical curiosity with the many injuries that have sidelined him in the last three seasons. Greene, after two so-so seasons in the bigs, is turning heads this summer with a 7-4 record and 2.97 ERA.

Vikings safety Harrison Smith, 35, is still admired by football authorities. He was named to the NFL’s Top 100 recently landing at No. 93 in the annual vote by league players rating the best of their peers. “I still think he’s a good player. I really do,” a former NFL executive with two franchises told Sports Headliners.

Golden Gopher senior Aireontae Ersery today was named to the Outland Trophy watch list by the Football Writers Association of America—the award that honors the best interior lineman in college football. The 6-6, 330-pound Ersery is college football’s best returning run-blocker, according to Pro Football Focus, and is PFF’s highest graded returning offensive tackle.

Gophers’ featured running back Darius Taylor was named yesterday to the Maxwell Award watch list—the award presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. Taylor is one of eight sophomores among the 80 candidates.

John Butler, the former Gophers assistant coach under Tim Brewster, was hired this month as Nebraska’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator.

Brewster, BTW, is in his first season as associate head coach and tight ends coach at Charlotte. Brewster was Minnesota’s head coach for four seasons, from 2007-2010. His resume includes five seasons as an NFL assistant, and seven jobs as an assistant at Power Five programs.

Former Gophers basketball player Jamal Abu-Shamala is the organizer of early Tuesday morning pickup games at Lifetime in St. Louis Park. Former college players participating include ex-Gophers Andre Hollins, and brothers Dan and Joe Coleman. Abu-Shamala has about 50 emails he uses to target commitments from around 13 players for the 6 a.m. start most Tuesdays.

Bill Guerin might make some lists of NHL general managers on the “hot seat” for next season, but he made fans happy yesterday when the Wild announced the signing of Minnesota native and former Gopher hero Brock Faber to an eight year $68 million contract that runs through the 2032-2033 season.

National Speakers Hall of Famer Walter Bond, the former Gophers basketball player, will talk to the Capital Club breakfast group August 18 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

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Twins Trio Rate Comeback Player of Year Candidacy

Posted on July 9, 2024July 9, 2024 by David Shama

More than halfway through the 2024 season, the Twins feature three players who are worthy of American League Comeback Player of the Year candidacy. Post-season MLB annually announces recipients in both the American and National Leagues after a vote by media who cover the 30 teams. Initially, each MLB club puts up one candidate for voting.

Criteria for selection is broad with the MLB.com website referring to the winners as being “one player in each league who has re-emerged on the field during the season.” Hello, Jose Miranda, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton who have “written scripts” making them comeback candidates.

Third baseman and DH Miranda had a miserable 2023 spending much of the season on the Injured List because of shoulder impingement. He had only 142 at bats and hit .211. That was after a rookie season in 2022 when his numbers included 444 plate appearances, 15 home runs and a 268 average.

In spring training there was no certainty Miranda would even make the roster, but his plate production has been eye-popping including his .332 average and .907 OPS. Last week he tied a MLB record with hits in 12 consecutive at bats. In the field the versatile Miranda has started several games at first base.

It was commonplace last season to reference the term plantar fasciitis with Correa. The injury to his left foot didn’t cause him to miss too much time in the lineup but it damaged his mechanics and hitting production. He had an eight-year career low in batting average (.230) and a disappointing OPS (.711). As usual, though, his fielding at shortstop was outstanding.

With better health, Correa’s 2024 performance has earned him an invitation to next week’s 2024 All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas. The Twins highest paid player after signing a reported $200 million contract before the 2023 season, Correa has silenced his critics with his play in the field, his hitting and leadership. He’s batting .303 with an impressive .886 OPS.

Buxton has long been the Twins poster man for injuries and extensive missed time in the lineup. Since 2017 when Buxton had a career high 140 games, the gifted 30-year-old has played in as few games as 28 and no more than 92. In 2023 injuries were problematic again and his role was designated hitter.

Although Buxton missed 15 games earlier this season with right knee inflammation, he has made more than 55 starts in center field and had a few DH appearances. His total games of 69 are only 16 fewer than his 85 all last season (39, 61 and 92 games respectively in 2020-2022). Buxton is hitting .324 in his last 30 games and his .272 season batting average is second best to a career high of .306 in 2021.

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill from the Red Sox, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino of the Royals, and pitcher Carlos Rodon from the Yankees are national names frequently mentioned for AL Comeback Player of the Year, with authorities recognizing there is a lot of baseball to be played until late September.

Worth Noting

It was almost a year ago (June 29) the Twins signed a free agent player to a minor league contract whose size prompts comparisons with Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, 6-7, 282 pounds. Outfielder Carson McCusker, 6-8 and 250-pounds, was signed by Minnesota out of independent league baseball, and he is now playing for the organization’s Double-A Wichita team. In 236 at bats, he is hitting .284, with seven home runs and 39 RBI.

When the Vikings open their season September 8, it will be the first time Minnesota has played at the Giants in week one since 1969. Fran Tarkenton threw three touchdown passes for the Giants in that game and New York overcame a 23-10 second half deficit to win 24-23, per Pro-football-reference.com. Tarkenton, drafted by Minnesota in 1961, had been traded from the Vikings to the Giants before the 1967 season.

Despite the prowess of the 49ers over the years, San Francisco has lost eight consecutive games in Minneapolis. The Vikings host the 49ers September 15 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Big Ten Conference has expanded to 18 schools but that didn’t do much for representation in Jeff Borzello’s “way too early” top 25 college men’s basketball rankings last week. Purdue, at No. 16, received the highest ranking among Big Ten teams in the listing. Indiana checked in at No. 18 and other Big Ten schools recognized were league newcomer UCLA at No. 24 and Rutgers at No. 25.

The conference has been overrated for decades and no Big Ten school has won the NCAA title since 2001 when Michigan State did it.

Look for media predictions having coach Ben Johnson’s 2024-2025 Gophers finishing among the bottom six teams in the league standings.

The Lynx will collect a ticket revenue bonanza Sunday, with prices on the team’s website yesterday ranging from $29 to four-figures to watch rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and the Fever at Target Center.

Bryce Benhart, the senior from Lakeville who turns 24 on July 14, is expected to set a Cornhusker record for career starts by an offensive lineman this season. He is tied for the lead with 41.

That’s former Golden Gophers cheerleader (Kennedy Cummins then) making a name for herself (Carlee Bright now) in professional wrestling with the WWE.

Familiar names Fred Bryan from the NFL, Ken Mauer Jr. of the NBA and Tim Tschida from MLB are no longer professional officials, but they will share career experiences and talk about how officiating is evolving to keep up with technology when they appear at the July 17 Capital Club breakfast at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com

Heroes lost: Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda and Greg Larson. The recent deaths of Mays and Cepeda struck a chord with Minnesotans old enough to remember both played for the Minneapolis Millers. Mays joined the New York Giants in 1951 and Cepeda was a star rookie for the team in 1958, the franchise’s first in San Francisco. Snooty San Franciscans booed the transplanted Mays while adopting Cepeda as their own. The Giants, who came close to relocating to Minneapolis instead of San Francisco, would have been an entertainment phenomenon here—with the adoration starting with former Millers Mays and Cepeda.

Larson, who passed away in June like Mays and Cepeda did, was a home-grown hero. The Minneapolis born Larson captained the 1960 Golden Gophers national football championship team. A three-year letter winner, Larson was an All-Big Ten center in 1960 for his team that tied Iowa for the conference title.

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