Gophers Basketball – Page 163 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

One Quality to Define New A.D. Legacy

Posted on April 23, 2012April 23, 2012 by David Shama

Norwood Teague is the only finalist for the Gophers athletic director position and is meeting with the search committee this morning. During the interview process he’s encountered many questions but the truth is his effectiveness as Minnesota’s athletic director will come down to this:

How effective will Teague be in hiring and firing coaches?

The best coaches build winning programs. Winning sells tickets, private suites, signage and increases donations. It also builds brand awareness and a sparkling image.

As with any skill, some individuals are better at identifying the right hires than others. For decades now the Gophers have often tripped up trying to hire the right athletic directors, and also the best coaches in the high visibility sports of football and basketball. Minnesota fans have only to look across the border to see where spot-on hires in Wisconsin Badgers athletics have made a night and day difference.

Teague, who has been the athletic director at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2006, has a strong background in business including marketing. Those skills no doubt attracted University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler and so, too, did VCU’s basketball reputation.

Teague hired Shaka Smart and he’s turned VCU into a national basketball success story. If Teague can consistently show hiring expertise at Minnesota he will ensure a legacy that will place him at the top among the school’s athletic directors since World War II.

Kaler had told Sports Headliners on Saturday the announcement of the new athletic director could come within days. Yesterday the University released a statement saying Teague was the only finalist. It seems likely a news conference will be held soon confirming the official hiring of Teague whose name has been associated with other athletic director openings around the country.

A search to find a new athletic director was announced on February 21. The Parker Executive Search firm from Atlanta has been working with Kaler and University search committee volunteers. “It’s a good pool (of candidates) and I think we’ll get a great athletic director,” Kaler said on Saturday.

Kaler said he’s been committed to receiving input regarding the athletic director position. “We’ve spent a lot of time listening to the community about the features they want in the next A.D. and I think the person we hire will match those qualities,” he said. “I expect the community will reach out and embrace that person. I think people want success in Gopher athletics as much as we do and we’re gonna work together to make that happen.”

The president confirmed on Saturday that talks are ongoing regarding a contract extension for basketball coach Tubby Smith but no deal will be finalized without communications involving the new athletic director. “I am not going to do anything with Tubby and then hand it to the new A.D. They’ll (the athletic director) have input on it.”

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Maturi Supports Smith Contract Extension

Posted on April 6, 2012April 6, 2012 by David Shama

Joel Maturi told Sports Headliners earlier this week he hopes an announcement will come soon regarding a contract extension for Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith. The Gophers athletic director said University of Minnesota attorney Mark Rotenberg is talking with Smith’s agent, Ricky Lefft.

Smith’s contract has two years remaining and an extension has been speculated upon for about a year. Discussions have been on and off over the last 12 months with the two sides unable to reach a deal, although neither Smith nor the University has publicly detailed the differences.

Smith said yesterday at a season-ending news conference he doesn’t expect an agreement to be reached until after a new athletic director is hired in May or June. “I am confident we’ll get it done,” he said.

Maturi, who is leaving his position at the end of June, has talked with Smith about his contract and so too has new University president Eric Kaler. “He’s (Kaler) comfortable with me being here,” Smith said.

Maturi hired Smith in 2007, thinks highly of him and wants him to stay with the Gophers. Maturi has no doubt provided a favorable report on the coach to Kaler.

“I think it’s (the contract extension) the right thing to do,” Maturi said. “I’ve always felt good about Tubby Smith. I think he’s the right fit for Minnesota.”

Smith reportedly earns close to $2 million on his present deal, and by achieving certain goals in his contract can earn more. His five year stay at Minnesota has been criticized by some fans and media. In addition to off-court problems involving the basketball program, his Big Ten record is 14 games below .500. He’s coached two teams to the NCAA tournament and this spring led the Gophers to second place in the National Invitation Tournament.

Smith’s name has often been rumored with other college openings including South Carolina last month. His agent is based in that state but the Gamecocks hired Kansas State coach Frank Martin for their opening.

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Worth Noting

Posted on April 6, 2012April 6, 2012 by David Shama

Maturi said the contract hasn’t been signed but it’s likely the Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a local box office draw as part of next fall’s nonconference schedule. The Gophers nonconference home schedule is frequently criticized for not having marquee opponents.

The Big Ten and ACC annual series has helped enhance the nonconference schedules for teams in both leagues. A new alliance between the Big Ten and Pac-12 might lead to an annual basketball series, further improving nonconference schedules.

A Monday article in the Wall Street Journal ranked the Gophers as the 10^th most valuable Division I college basketball program in the country. Citing a study by Ryan Brewer, an assistant professor of finance at Indiana-Purdue Columbus, the publication listed Louisville ($211.5 million) No. 1 followed by Kansas, Indiana, Ohio Sate, Arizona, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, UNLV and Minnesota ($87.9 million). The study included a formula using current revenues and expenses, and also other data. The Gophers and fellow Big Ten schools Indiana and Ohio State benefit from the lucrative Big Ten Network revenues.

Jerry Robertson, grandfather to Gophers forward Rodney Williams, said his grandson benefitted from playing near the basket when inside players Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III weren’t able to play because of injuries. Williams had three straight 20 point games in the NIT. “Rodney was forced to step up his game instead of deferring to Mbakwe and Sampson,” Robertson said.

Robertson, who coached Williams in AAU basketball, thinks his grandson will come back for his senior season rather than pursue the NBA draft.

Redshirt freshman center Elliott Eliason, a business management major, was the only Gopher basketball player to make Academic All-Big Ten this past winter. Minnesota and Ohio Sate were the only schools to have just one selection while Purdue and Indiana had a league-leading seven each. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, student-athletes must be letter winners who are in at least a second academic year at their institutions and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Don’t be surprised if the basketball Gophers lose one or more players with remaining eligibility who decide to transfer.

The Gophers women’s swimming and diving team had 23 Academic All-Big Ten student-athletes. The men’s gymnastics team 13, the men’s swimming and diving team 11, and the women’s basketball team 10.

Timberwolves president Chris Wright said the franchise has renewed 98 percent of its Target Center lower bowl season ticket holders, and 94 percent overall. The club has sold over 900 new full season tickets and hopes to reach 2,000 by next season. That would push the total on full season tickets to more than 8,000, Wright said.

Timberwolves rookie point guard Ricky Rubio tore his ACL on March 9. The Wolves were a .500 team with him but their record is 4-11 since he’s been unable to play.

The Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced tonight from Tampa as part of the Frozen Four. The finalists for the award honoring college hockey’s best player are Spencer Abbott, senior forward from the University of Maine; Jack Connolly, senior forward from the University of Minnesota-Duluth; and Austin Smith, senior forward from Colgate University. The announcement will be aired live on the NHL Network and on the Hobey Baker website at 5 p.m. Minneapolis time.

WCCO TV’s Mark Rosen signed copies of his new book, “Best Seat in the House,” for two hours last week at the downtown Barnes & Noble store. Chapters include one devoted to former Vikings coach Bud Grant who signed copies of the book at the store and surprised Rosen by staying for 90 minutes. “I would have been happy if he had stayed 15 minutes,” Rosen said.

No dates and times yet but the Vikings will play preseason games (in this order) at San Francisco, home against Buffalo and San Diego, and at Houston.

Congratulations to St. Croix Lutheran’s Carl Lemke, honored as the 2011 MFCA Coach of the Year at the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic last week. St. Croix Lutheran won the Class 3A state championship last fall. Lemke was also recognized as the Class 3A coach of the year. Other coach of the year winners by class: Class 5A, Mike Grant, Eden Prairie; Class 4A, Mike Rowe, ROCORI; Class 2A, Brent Schroeder, Caledonia; Class 1A, Cory Larson, Dawson-Boyd; Nine Man, Andrew Fleischman, Edgerton/Ellsworth.

Wally McNeil, “Wally the Beerman,” said racehorse Wally’s Choice is retired. McNeil was a part owner of Wally’s Choice, a horse that earned the second most money ever for a Minnesota bred racehorse.

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