Gophers Football – Page 180 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

U Nears 1,000 New Season Tickets

Posted on May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 by David Shama

As of Friday, the Gophers had sold 861 new football season tickets since January 6 when P.J. Fleck was announced as head coach. The total was obtained from an athletic department spokesman and is for nonstudent season tickets (a student season tickets total will be available later in the year).

Fleck’s outgoing personality, and the reputation he earned at Western Michigan for being one of America’s most promising young coaches has prompted some renewed interest in football at the U. The athletic department sold 253 season tickets in less than 30 days after the 36-year-old Fleck took over as coach.

Fan interest declined last year under head coach Tracy Claeys and the Gophers sold about 5,100 fewer nonstudent season tickets in 2016 than in 2015. The Gophers didn’t sell out a single home game in 50,805 seat TCF Bank Stadium and many sold seats weren’t occupied. Last year the athletic department sold about 23,000 nonstudent season tickets and student season ticket sales were around 7,000.

The new season tickets sold this winter and spring is being accomplished without a marketing campaign. Promotional efforts are expected to start soon and will likely play off of Fleck’s “Row The Boat” mantra to create excitement. The phrase refers to a never give up attitude, and Fleck paid Western Michigan $50,000 for the rights to “Row The Boat.”

Fleck has big ambitions for attendance at TCF Bank Stadium, a venue that ranks near the bottom in seating capacity among Big Ten schools. Sports Headliners reported last month that in three years Fleck wants to expand seating capacity to 85,000. (See April 2, 2017 column).

Worth Noting

Race Thompson told Sports Headliners he hears the encouraging words from Minnesotans to become a Gopher and he appreciates the hometown interest but he won’t be influenced by others in choosing a college destination.

Thompson, the junior power forward from Armstrong High School, has offers from more than 10 schools including the Gophers. The Rivals four-star player said he probably will choose a school next fall and is looking for the place he will feel most comfortable, including a “family atmosphere.”

Thompson will make some college visits after July 1 and could sign a National Letter of Intent in November, the first signing opportunity for class of 2018 players to officially commit to their colleges. While schools like Minnesota and Marquette have been recruiting Thompson for some time, Indiana is now showing interest, too. Thompson said he isn’t sure, though, if he will visit Bloomington.

Darrell Thompson, the Gophers all-time leading rusher in football, has said throughout the recruiting process that he and wife Stephanie won’t direct their son to play for the U, even though their suburban Minneapolis home would make travelling to watch him in college much easier than any other place.

Darrell leads Minneapolis-based Bolder Options, the nonprofit helping kids and teens learn life skills. The organization’s annual gala in Minneapolis last Thursday night raised over $160,000, a record for the event which is the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Another fundraising highlight for the organization is the WCCO Radio Gutter Bowl bowling event that most recently generated about $40,000. Morning show host Dave Lee is among those who have led the event.

The Twins have the first pick in the June MLB Draft and could select Hunter Greene from southern California. Greene throws fast balls over 100 miles per hour, plays with MLB range at shortstop, excels at the plate, and is the subject of considerable hype including from Sports Illustrated. The magazine’s latest issue has him on the cover and gushed the following:

“Baseball’s LeBron, or the new Babe? He’s 17. He mashes. He throws 102. Hunter Greene is the star baseball needs. (First he has to finish high school).”

Dalvin Cook, the former Florida State running back who the Vikings were excited to find available in the second round of Friday’s NFL Draft, was projected in last week’s Sports Illustrated to be the No. 23 pick in the first round by the Giants.

Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, who turned 34 last week, expects to do something with his “big-time passion” for fishing after he retires from football. He told Sports Headliners pro fishing could be his next career, or TV commentary about the sport. He has fished in pro-am tournaments in recent off seasons, and competed in the Texas Team Trail Bass Championships.

Doesn’t seem that long ago but it will be 17 years on Friday that former Gophers and Timberwolves coach Bill Musselman died. In Musselman’s first season at Minnesota, 1971-72, he coached the Gophers to their first Big Ten basketball title since 1937. In 1989-1990 he coached the expansion Timberwolves in their initial NBA season.

Mark Sheffert, the former Gophers football player who founded and leads Minneapolis-based Manchester Companies that provides management consulting, discussed corporate ethics and behavior yesterday on WCCO Radio’s News and Views program.

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Griffen Looks Forward to Hits on A.P.

Posted on April 25, 2017April 25, 2017 by David Shama

A notes column starting with reporting from Winter Park, the Vikings training facility.

Defensive end Everson Griffen spoke light-heartedly about playing against former teammate Adrian Peterson when the Vikings and Saints meet September 11 at U.S. Bank Stadium in the opening regular season game for both teams. “I can’t wait to hit him, it’s going to be fun,” Griffen said this morning.

Griffen had reporters laughing when he made that remark, and also when recalling how during practices he and other defensive players were never allowed to hit Peterson, the future Hall of Fame running back.

Last week it was announced the Vikings-Saints matchup will be one of two NFL ESPN televised Monday night games on September 11. Then today reports confirmed that Peterson, who played for the Vikings from 2007-2016, was signing on with the Saints. Griffen wondered if the NFL office has known for awhile that Peterson was New Orleans-bound and that A.P. playing against his old team would create high drama in the Minneapolis Monday night game.

There’s no doubt it will be an electric atmosphere in the stadium that night with the game generating high TV ratings. Look for the Purple faithful to give Peterson a standing ovation. StubHub.com listed 6,764 tickets available for the game as of early afternoon today.

Apparently Peterson’s days as a part-time Minnesota resident are also over. Mike Max reported on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” show on Sunday that movers were at Peterson’s suburban Minneapolis home last Saturday.

Veteran Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, per earlier media reports this spring, is likely to retire after the 2018. But Robison told Sports Headliners today he might play longer if the Vikings offer him another contract. “I think the only chance for me would be if I got brought back here to Minnesota. I am not going to move my family across the country. It’s just something that I don’t really want to do.

“To me there’s more important things than just making money in this business. There’s always been the other things that are important to me. The respect of my peers. Being in the right place.

“Minnesota is definitely the place that I want to be. If that opportunity arises where I am able to come back here another year, or two, then yea, I might stick around…but otherwise…I am pretty much positive I am going to hang it up.”

Robison’s wife Jayme Miller has an ongoing career as an accomplished rodeo barrel racer. Robison said barrel racers may compete even into their 70’s.

Drew Wolitarsky, a senior last fall for the Gophers and now hoping to sign on with an NFL team, is reportedly excelling in workouts against pro defensive backs. A source said the Vikings may have interest in signing the California native as a free agent.

The same source also said Mitch Leidner, another senior for the Gophers last season, is impressive working out under the direction of ex-Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon. An NFL team may use a late round draft pick on the Minnesota quarterback and Lakeville native.

Condolences to Gophers linebacker Jonathan Celestin after the unexpected death last week of his father in Georgia. Donations are being accepted to assist with funeral and burial arrangements for Frederick Celestin. More information about donations is available by contacting Eric Raines at 229-435-4813.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association’s clinic March 30-April 1 drew record attendance of 1,700, according to an email from MFCA executive director Ron Stolski. Speakers at the clinic in St. Louis Park included Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck, Duke’s David Cutcliffe, North Dakota State’s Chris Klieman and Dartmouth’s Buddy Teevens.

The MFCA Recruit Combine takes place Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Rockford Community Center in Rockford. For a cost of $50 per participant, athletes from the high school classes of 2018, 2019 and 2020 can be tested in speed, strength and agility in front of Midwest college football coaches. More information is available at Preptree.com.

Jim Dutcher expects son Brian Dutcher, 57, to include the state of Minnesota in his recruiting territory now that the former Bloomington resident is head coach at San Diego State. Brian, who earned his undergraduate degree at Minnesota in 1982, succeeded Steve Fisher as head coach earlier this month after being an assistant at San Diego State for 18 seasons.

Twins authority Roy Smalley told Sports Headliners before the season his old team could win a dozen or so more games this season than last year’s win total of 59 but it won’t happen without improvement from veteran starters Kyle Gibson and Phil Hughes. How are the two pitchers doing for the 9-10 Twins who have lost seven of their last 10 games?

After four starts Gibson is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA. In his last start on Sunday he lasted 2.2 innings, giving up eight hits and six earned runs. Hughes is 3-1 with a 4.71 ERA and was the winning pitcher Monday night against the Rangers, giving up two runs in six innings.

Former Chaska High School baseball coach Dale Welter emailed that three former Chaska youth players are playing professionally as pitchers. Jake Esch and Brad Hand are with the San Diego Padres organization, while John Straka is on the Saint Paul Saints roster.

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Nanne: Wild Need to Make History

Posted on April 17, 2017April 17, 2017 by David Shama

NHL authority Lou Nanne was asked if the Wild can come back to win their opening playoff series against the Blues. “The statistics are really bad against you, but four teams have done it,” Nanne told Sports Headliners. “You just gotta hope you’re the fifth.”

The Wild trail 3-0 in the best of seven series after yesterday’s loss in St. Louis. Nanne, who was a player, coach, general manager and president of the old Minnesota North Stars, referred to four teams in NHL history that came back from 3-0 deficits to win in a playoff series.

The Wild has lost games by scores of 2-1 twice and 3-1 yesterday. Nanne is “very surprised” the Wild are winless in three games and thought Minnesota would defeat St. Louis in the series. The key difference in the series, Nanne believes, is the goaltending, with Blues goalie Jake Allen out-performing the Wild’s Devan Dubnyk. “This guy (Allen) is giving you nothing,” Nanne said. “He’s playing terrific.”

Allen has stopped 114 of 117 shots in the series from becoming goals. “He’s just been excellent right now,” Nanne said. “You just gotta hope that it changes.”

The Wild had a regular season record second only to the Blackhawks in the Western Conference and was a favorite earlier this month to make the Stanley Cup Finals. Now Minnesota will be desperate for a win Wednesday evening and try for step one in a miracle comeback. Obviously the Wild need to score more goals, but Nanne also believes Dubnyk has to play better.

“They (the Wild) gotta make sure they cut down the chances they give up,” Nanne said. “Dubnky has gotta make sure he doesn’t give up a bad goal. These last two games there’s been a goal a game he should have had. You gotta have them. St. Louis is not giving up those kind of goals. You can’t, then.”

Any other advice for Wednesday night? “Just keep playing hard is the main thing,” Nanne said. “You gotta play hard every shift.”

Worth Noting

The Wild isn’t living up to the potential Sports Illustrated headlined in its latest issue. The six-page story began like this: “The State of Hockey, AKA Minnesota, has never won a Stanley Cup, but with a fiery coach, a resilient core and some homegrown stars, the Wild are giving their loyal fans hope.”

Another feature in the issue included “what if” scenarios for various prominent sports figures, imagining different outcomes in their careers. Included was a photo of legendary college basketball coach John Wooden wearing a Gophers jacket. Back in the 1950s Wooden chose UCLA over the Gophers when Minnesota officials called him later than he anticipated because of a snowstorm and telephone issues. Wooden had already accepted the UCLA job and chose not to go back on his word, even though he was attracted to Minnesota including because of his Midwestern roots.

Don Lucia lost a longtime coaching rival when Red Berenson retired after 33 seasons at Michigan. Berenson retired earlier this month and Lucia recalled that Michigan defeated his Colorado College team in overtime in 1996 for the national championship. “He owes me a ring,” Lucia said with a laugh.

When Lucia had moved on to the Gophers, the two schools met in Frozen Four games. “…I was able to get my revenge in ‘02 and ‘03 because both those years we beat Michigan in the semis,” Lucia told Sports Headliners.

Lucia has long admired Berenson for his competitiveness and professionalism. Lucia thought the Big Ten coaching legend might even retire a year ago. “There was always speculation. I mean, hey, let’s be honest. Not many guys are coaching when they’re 77 years old.”

Lucia, 58, has been the Gophers coach since 1999 and has a contract with two more seasons. No date has been scheduled but he expects to meet sometime this spring with athletic director Mark Coyle. Adding a year or more to Lucia’s deal certainly could be part of discussions. “More is always better than less in any industry,” Lucia said.

Lucia has been conducting meetings with his players and doesn’t expect to lose any underclassmen to the pros other than junior defenseman Ryan Collins. “I’d be very surprised if anything else happened. …I think we’re pretty much getting our group set for next year.”

The Gophers have elected captains for next season but Lucia said an announcement date hasn’t been scheduled.

The Gophers spring football game on Saturday drew several thousand spectators including school president Eric Kaler, and major athletic department donors Dick Ames, and John and Nancy Lindahl.

Gophers coach P.J. Fleck used the game as a recruiting tool for his 2018 class that already has 10 verbal commits and is so far No. 11 in the nation, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

Stanley Jackson, the Big Ten Network color commentator who analyzed the spring game, said during the telecast the Gophers are a “dark horse” candidate to win the West Division next fall.

Free tickets are being offered to state high school and college head football coaches for the 10th annual Minnesota Football Honors event May 7 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame is hosting the event, and making six tickets per school available upon request. Coaches needing more information can email sean@nffmn.org.

Although the Twins have lost two of their last three games, during that period Minnesota’s starting pitchers have a 0.43 ERA. Preseason Central Division favorite Cleveland is in Minneapolis starting tonight for a four game series.

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