Golden Gophers – Page 281 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Claeys: U Football in Place to Win

Posted on June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 by David Shama

Tracy Claeys sat in his office last week and pronounced the Gopher football program as “very close” to competing for Big Ten titles every year. Claeys believes that more than five years after head coach Jerry Kill and his assistant coaches arrived in Dinkytown, the resources are in place to challenge for championships in the West Division and advance to the conference’s title game in Indianapolis.

Claeys can look out his office window and see the construction of the Athletes Village project that will include much needed new football facilities. Better places to practice indoors, train and develop players, and impress recruits with a state-of-the-art work place was the last impediment to overcome in rebuilding a program that hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 1967, Claeys said.

Officially known as the Football Development Center, there will be two buildings when construction is finished—the indoor practice facility and the performance center, with the latter offering locker room space, team meeting rooms, strength and conditioning equipment, and a recruiting room.

The Gophers already have other major resources in place, including one of college football’s newest stadiums. The roster of players, Claeys said, has improved over the years because of better recruiting. Recruiting resources include the vibrant Minneapolis-St. Paul area and fan loyalty because the University is the only major football program in the state.

Claeys joined up with Kill in 1995 as an assistant coach at Saginaw Valley State, handling the defensive line. When Kill resigned for health reasons as Minnesota’s head coach during the 2015 season, Claeys was promoted from associate head coach-defensive coordinator to interim head coach. Soon after that the University administration made him the permanent head man with a three-year contract.

With all those years working with Kill, it’s no surprise that when Claeys was asked by Sports Headliners about his vision for the program, he quickly referenced his former boss of more than two decades at various schools including Minnesota.

“Really, it’s just what we’ve been doing with coach Kill,” Claeys said. “I think that’s why I was with him for so long, for 21 years. We both had a lot of the same goals and the same principles. We both wanted the opportunity to coach college football at the highest level that (it) was played, and so we got hired here at the University of Minnesota. That was kind of both our goals.

“You can ask the kids now (about differences between Kill and him). There’s a couple personality things they’d probably tell you is different, but for the most part we feel good on the base that we’ve set. I believe in everything we’ve done with coach Kill. We’re on the path of what we need to do to be able to compete for a Big Ten championship. I believe that.

“There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to compete for the Big Ten championship, especially now with the new facility. That’s the one piece I think we were missing, whether people understand that or not. The Twin Cities are great. The school—you get a great education—and the stadium is tremendous. We just didn’t have as good a facilities (in the past) where the kids spend 70 to 80 percent of their time day to day—and we’re going to have that.

“Everybody can argue who has the best (facility) or is going to have the best. At least we’ll be up there and we’ll have as good a facilities as anybody. So that should pay huge dividends for us to consistently be able to compete for a Big Ten (title).”

The 2014 Gophers team had a 5-3 Big Ten record, the best at Minnesota since 2003. Last season things got off track because of injuries and other factors. The Gophers were 2-6 in conference games (6-7 overall), but several prominent players return on offense and defense this year including Mitch Leidner who has drawn offseason mention as a senior quarterback prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Claeys wants his teams, starting with the 2016 group, to be in the “discussion” at the end of November each year for a division title and path to Indy for the league’s championship game against the East Division. “Eventually we gotta get it done, every now and then,” he said. “Two years ago if we beat Wisconsin in the last game of the season, we go to Indianapolis and play Ohio State.

“I don’t think we’re that far off from where we want to be. This last season there was a lot of strange things that happened. I mean injuries were one of them, but then with what happened to coach Kill. I mean I thought those kids did a tremendous job, and so we didn’t finish out the year in a position that we wanted to be, but you lose seven games and six of those teams win 10 games or more. That’s a pretty good schedule that you played. A lot of those games in the fourth quarter we still had opportunities…to win, and so we gotta finish some things better and play better at certain times. …”

Iowa and Wisconsin certainly stand between the Gophers and more success in the West Division. The Hawkeyes won the division last season, the Badgers the year before. Minnesota’s record against Iowa since 2000 is 5-11 and the Gophers are winless in Iowa City. Dating back to 1990, the Gophers are a dismal 5-21 against Wisconsin including 12 consecutive losses beginning in 2004.

Visions of winning Paul Bunyan’s Axe back from the Badgers have turned into nightmares for Gophers fans. The argument can be made the series between the two programs isn’t even a rivalry any more. Claeys is annoyed too about all the losing to Wisconsin.

“They made decisions to advance their football program farther, earlier, than what the University of Minnesota did…but I feel like we’re making progress,” Claeys said. “The first time we show up and play four quarters, and play better than they do for four quarters, than we’ll get that axe back and deserve to win.

“We haven’t been able to do that since we’ve been here. It bothers the hell out of me. We’re on our way to try to get that back to where it’s a rivalry. We gotta win sooner or later for it even to be considered a rivalry anymore.”

There is one trade-off Claeys will make that would have the Gophers continuing to lose games against the Badgers. “I can also tell you this…I’d sleep pretty good at night if that’s the one game we lose and we still go play for the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis. But there’s no question that for the fans and everybody…it’s always fun to win the rivalry games, and we need to get back on top of that one.”

Worth Noting

Big Ten teams will each play nine conference games this season, not eight as in the past. Schools in the West Division will play four at home, five on the road. East Division teams have five at home, four on the road. That scheduling flips next year, and Claeys suggests the unbalanced home and away games will factor into final results.

Almost all of the Gophers’ players had recruiting rankings of three stars or less coming out of high school. “People think we don’t try and recruit four and five-star players,” Claeys said. “That’s not true but there has to be an interest both ways. You recruit the kids that want to be here.”

True Thompson, formerly of Armstrong High School, plans to play football this fall as a wide receiver for Iowa Western Community College. True is the son of Gophers’ career leading rusher Darrell Thompson.

Race Thompson, who will be a junior this fall at Armstrong, is an outstanding 6-8 basketball player who has received scholarship offers from multiple schools including Minnesota and Marquette, according to his dad.

Former Gophers football player Jim Brunzell, who made a career as a professional wrestling star, will sign copies of his Matlands book at the St. Paul Saints baseball game July 17. “I’m also throwing out the first pitch!” Brunzell wrote via email. “I’ll do my best impression of Ryne Duren, flame-thrower from the Yankees, early 60’s.”

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100th Birthday Humbles John Kundla

Posted on June 28, 2016June 28, 2016 by David Shama

Former Gophers basketball players and family paid tribute to John Kundla yesterday at his assisted living residence in northeast Minneapolis. The former Gophers and Minneapolis Lakers coach turns 100 on July 3.

Kundla played for the Gophers in the late 1930s and coached at his alma mater from 1959-1968. Ex-Gophers Paul Presthus, Bill Davis, Don Linehan, Al Nuness and Larry Overskei presented the coach with a No. 100 Minnesota jersey. “We celebrated the 100th birthday of our coach, friend and a true gentleman,” Presthus said.

Kundla has lived a remarkable life. He coached the Lakers to five professional basketball championships from 1949-1954. Only Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach have won more titles. Kundla’s players included center George Mikan, who is often recognized as the greatest basketball player during the first half of the 20th century.

While coaching the Gophers, Kundla led teams to second and third place finishes in the Big Ten but never a championship. He helped pioneer opportunities for black players at Minnesota and in the Big Ten. Kundla’s 1964-65 team had three African-American starters—something that was unusual in the 1960s. Those starters were Lou Hudson and Archie Clark, who both became outstanding NBA players, and Don Yates who was another athletic contributor for Kundla.

Kundla’s son Tom said yesterday his dad spoke out against segregation in the 1950s when he was with the Lakers. “I couldn’t have had a better role model,” Tom said.

Overskei, Davis, Presthus, Nuness, Linehan, Wilson surround the coach.

Coaches are known for a “my way or the highway” mentality, but that wasn’t Kundla’s personality. He coached with a caring manner and his demeanor is recalled with fondness by former players.

A native of Minneapolis, Kundla attended the old Central High School on the city’s south side. He was a starting forward for the Gophers in the late 1930s. After college he coached at DeLaSalle High School and St. Thomas before becoming the Lakers coach in 1948 for an annual salary of $6,000.

A June 2nd online issue of the New York Times included a lengthy story about Kundla, referring to him as the oldest living hall of famer in any of the four major American sports. Louie Lazar’s article said the former coach is still active despite being in a wheelchair and having hearing aids.

Kundla lives now at the Main Street Lodge, and he has almost come home again. He is only six blocks from the apartment building he lived in when he first coached the Lakers.

Able to dress and cook breakfast for himself, Kundla plays bingo and cribbage. He credits being a gym teacher with forming good health habits. “I still to this day ride the (exercise) bike to stay in shape,” he said yesterday.

Karen Rodberg, Kundla’s daughter, joked (I think) that if yesterday afternoon had been a bingo day her dad wouldn’t have been available for the party. Yes, Kundla’s competitive nature is still on display when enjoying bingo or cribbage.

Jim Kundla, another son, lives near his dad’s residence and the two play cribbage every day. The older Kundla said the game is good for his mind. “We enjoy playing and it also kills time,” he said. “Jim is a great cribbage player and I learned a lot from him.”

The soon to be centenarian wouldn’t boast about his cribbage and bingo skills. Not bragging and giving credit to others is a trait that goes back to coaching days with the Lakers and the Gophers. It was the players that deserved credit, not the coach.

“He doesn’t pat himself on the back,” Presthus said. “He taught us a lot of life lessons.”

Presthus played for the Gophers in the mid-1960s and as the years have passed he has come to appreciate his former coach more than ever. “He did things the right way,” Presthus said.

That included encouraging players to give best efforts and attend classes. But there was something else that was part of Kundla’s “DNA” and it makes an impression on Presthus to this day. “Family was always No. 1,” Presthus said. “Faith, family and friends. Those are the three things (with Kundla).”

Kundla’s wife Marie died several years ago but his children share major roles in his life. They now have the opportunity to give back to the father they admire so much. “I couldn’t have had better parents,” Tom said.

The group at the party included not only family and ex-Gophers players but former U trainer Jim Marshall and ex-basketball student manager John Bell Wilson. Yesterday there was reminiscing, photo taking and cupcakes with the number “100” on each of them. There were also a lot of smiles and congratulations in the room.

“It was pretty nice of them to come,” the old coach said. “I sure appreciate the honor. I never thought it would be a hundred years. What a break!”

Worth Noting

Gophers coach Richard Pitino will headline Thursday night’s “Post Time” fundraiser at Canterbury Park. The event is open to the public and is organized by the Golden Dunkers organization that has supported Gophers basketball for more than 40 years. Fans can learn more about an evening of basketball conversation, horse racing, and food and beverage hospitality at Goldendunkers.com.

Jimmy Williams was one of the most effective recruiters in the history of Gophers basketball. After he left Minnesota in 1986 his coaching stops included Nebraska, and while with the Cornhuskers he recruited and instructed Tyronn Lue who now is head coach of the 2016 NBA champion Cavs.

It looks like almost $100 million in fundraising has been committed for the University of Minnesota Athletes Village project. That’s about two-thirds of the necessary total for the project that is already under construction. Part of the project is the new football facilities which the Gophers are likely to occupy by 2018.

Former Gophers and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz is rebuilding his Orlando home that was struck by lightning last year. Holtz, 79, coached the Gophers in 1984 and 1985 and still has friends in Minnesota.

Among those Minnesota friends is Minneapolis businessman Harvey Mackay who wrote about the late Muhammad Ali in his syndicated newspaper column last week. In a story headlined “Lessons Learned from The Champ,” Mackay referenced the “1,000 megawatt smile” of Ali. “He knew smiling was the universal language,” Mackay wrote.

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Ex-U Student Managers Change Lives

Posted on June 19, 2016June 21, 2016 by David Shama

As Drew Boe flew to Africa yesterday, he may have thought about former Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith. No one realized when Smith was let go by the University of Minnesota in March of 2013 that his firing would help establish a nonprofit organization now making annual mission trips to Africa.

Boe is executive director of the St. Louis Park-based Managers On A Mission organization. The nonprofit has three groups working right now in Kenya, Liberia and Uganda. Boe is assisted by college sports student managers on the three week assignments that mentor African orphanage children through athletics.

MOAM's Joseph Kuykendall in Ghana. — MOAM’s Joseph Kuykendall in Ghana.

Boe knew Smith after working as a student manager for him during the 2010-2011 season. After Smith was fired by the Gophers, Boe connected with the coach and received a large donation of his apparel and footwear. College and professional coaches have sponsorship deals with companies like Nike that provide them clothing, shoes and caps.

The donation by Smith provided start-up inventory for Managers On A Mission. All the items from Smith led to the Clean Out For A Cause Program, and then to the sale of apparel and footwear to the public on the Authentic Athletic Apparel eBay Store. Smith’s donation set in motion contributions of apparel and footwear that have been ongoing including the largest gift ever received by MOAM—a one-ton donation delivered on seven pallets.

At the Authentic Athletic Website consumers can shop for items from many schools including Duke, Louisville, Minnesota and Notre Dame. Over 15,000 items for sale are listed with hundreds of pounds of new donations arriving every week.

Since the website’s inception in September of 2013, over 12,000 sales have been made to customers. “We’ve been blessed by really being able to utilize an incredible market that exists for affordable sports clothing,” Boe told Sports Headliners.

Sales to the public provide much of the $200,000 budget for MOAM. Boe is paid fulltime but MOAM mostly goes about its work with part-time help and volunteers. The volunteerism is part of the organization’s mission, to reach out to college student managers and encourage them to develop as leaders who help others.

Student managers are young adults who work tirelessly to do a lot of organizational and grunt work for teams including the glamour college sports of football and basketball. Ask appreciative coaches and athletes how much better run their practices, conditioning and game days are because of student managers who seldom receive public recognition and praise.

For the last couple of years groups of student managers have gone to African countries for three weeks at a time. Their flights, lodging and meals are paid for, but they receive no compensation for time and work while in Africa. And before going the student managers must pay their own costs to attend a two-day training session in Florida at the Rafiki Foundation offices. MOAM coordinates its mission with Rafiki orphanages.

Boe and the others work with kids in Africa teaching them the fundamentals of basketball, soccer and volleyball. They also bring and donate sports gear and clothing.

What they also do is touch hearts and improve the lives of kids who have known the roughest of times in their young lives. “One of the students last year had very significant scars all across the top of his head that just looked so bizarre,” Boe said. “His parents (before the youngster came to the orphanage) were not only not taking care of him, but really the intention was for him to die through the cuts that they had placed on him.”

The young man’s name is Williams. Boe remembered Williams’ cheerful personality last week in an email to Sports Headliners. “Williams had a new joke or riddle to share every single day,” Boe wrote. “Always trying to make people laugh!”

Some of the children at the orphanages are very young. Boe recalled a four-year-old girl who had come to an orphanage with her younger brother. The parents died from AIDS and the children had lived without adult care prior to the orphanage.

“Essentially the four-year-old had been the caretaker for the two-year-old for who knows how long,” Boe said.

Getting to know the children and bonding with them makes up for the inconveniences of being in a different culture. After multiple trips to Africa, Boe knows what his American colleagues will usually find as the major adjustment.

“The food can be a challenge,” he said. “That’s definitely the biggest challenge for the time over there…is the adjustment to the food. We’re certainly well fed and there’s no risk of anything being contaminated, or anything like that. It just requires…a different preference in terms of food choices. There’s a lot of rice and beans.”

There can, however, be a contrarian. “It seems like there is always one person that for some reason ends up loving it (the food),” Boe said. “They can’t get enough rice and beans, or can’t get enough eggplant.”

MOAM was founded in 2013 by Boe and two other Gopher student managers, Chris Herkenhoff from football and Ryan Wieland of men’s basketball. The organization is assisted by an advisory council of former Gopher basketball players Roger Arnold, Pat Fitzsimmons and Al Nuness, and ex-student manager John Bell Wilson.

Fitzsimmons e-mailed Sports Headliners urging readers of this column to visit www.authenticathleticapparel.com and make a purchase to help all the activities of MOAM which include college scholarship assistance for student managers and others involved with athletics. “As you check out MOAM’s awesome selections, keep in mind 85 percent of all purchases go to youth scholarships, mission trips and support of the Rafiki orphanages with food, sports equipment and clothing,” he wrote.

Boe, who is currently in Kenya, never set a career goal of helping to start and guide an endeavor like MOAM. He thought his career track might be in a college athletics department working in administration but a mission trip to Rwanda during graduate school began to change his life. He was touched by the joy and peacefulness of the Christians who lived there, and he said the experience further helped define his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Boe grew up in the small southeast Minnesota town of Taopi, population 53. He played football and golf in high school. He attended a Catholic church and while religion was part of his life, including during college years, he looks back and feels like he was just “checking the boxes.”

What the trip to Rwanda prompted was a beginning awareness of how he wanted to help others, while following the Lord. Boe describes what happened to him in Rwanda as a “seed” being planted that ultimately led to MOAM. He and the other two founders of MOAM came to realize there is a void in Africa for sports camps and the need for young men like his student managers to fill it.

They have an opportunity to show African children that it’s not just older adult couples, or females in their 20s and 30s who come to Africa as missionaries—that mentors can be young males in their 20s like those who serve through MOAM. Younger male role models are important, because according to multiple accounts, more than 20 million children live in Africa without fathers present in the home.

“This is something that has been put very heavy on my heart (serving as MOAM’s leader),” Boe said. “I don’t see myself ever leaving Managers On A Mission, or being away from it. …We’ve just been trying to keep up with what the Lord has been doing. It’s pretty cool.”

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