Golden Gophers – Page 294 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

State Making Basketball History Now

Posted on June 26, 2015August 22, 2015 by David Shama

The state of Minnesota made basketball history last night during the NBA Draft. Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn became the first pair of Minnesotans to be selected in the draft’s first round. The Timberwolves for the first time in franchise history had the NBA’s overall No. 1 pick and chose Karl-Anthony Towns.

A long list of native Minnesotans—from Cole Aldrich to Royce White—have been first round draft choices but never in the same year have two players from the state been selected as Jones and Vaughn were last night. Jones was expected to be selected before Vaughn but the shooting guard was the No. 17 pick of the Bucks. Jones landed with the Wolves after a trade with the Cavs who chose him at No. 24.

Towns, the 6-11, 250-pound center from Kentucky, was anticipated to be the team’s first draft choice. He can score inside and outside, and is an athletic defender. “He’s incredibly versatile,” ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas said last night on the air.

The network reported last evening the Wolves are now the first NBA team to ever have three overall No. 1 draft choices on a roster. In a trade with the Cavs last year the Wolves acquired 2013 No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett and 2014 No. 1 selection Andrew Wiggins. In April Wiggins became the first Wolves player in franchise history to be NBA Rookie of the Year.

Minnesota prep basketball made history this spring with the announcement Apple Valley High School players Gary Trent Jr. and Tre Jones earned roster spots on the USA Basketball Men’s Under-16 team. It was the first time two Minnesotans have been selected for the Under-16 team at the same time. With Trent and Jones being from the same high school, the achievement was even more distinct.

Tre Jones, of course, is the brother of Tyus who saw four other point guards selected last night before his name was called. But the 19-year-old former Apple Valley and Duke star couldn’t have asked for more than to start his NBA career in Minneapolis.

It was a special night for Vaughn, too, who played at Cooper High School before finishing his prep career in Las Vegas. Only 18, Vaughn played as a freshman at UNLV before declaring for the draft. Vaughn is known as an excellent shooter with a big time stroke who could be a “steal” for the Bucks.

Worth Noting

The Gophers men’s basketball team will play Oklahoma State of the Big 12 in a nonconference game on Saturday, December 12 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The schools haven’t played against one another since 1986. Minnesota leads the all-time series 3-2.

The Twins have placed outfielder Byron Buxton on the 15-day disabled list with a left thumb sprain, an injury that occurred on Tuesday attempting to steal second base. To replace Buxton on the 25-man roster, the Twins have recalled infielder Danny Santana from Triple-A Rochester. Santana has hit .308 (20-for-65) with six doubles, three triples and five RBI in 15 games for the Red Wings since being optioned by the Twins on June 7.

The Wolves had a full page advertisement in today’s Star Tribune featuring No. 1 draft choice Karl-Anthony Towns and also picturing five players from the current roster. Noticeably absent was often injured center Nikola Pekovic.

The new Timberwolves and Lynx training center has interesting amenities including three plunge treatment pools and one therapy pool; three steam rooms and two saunas; five locker rooms and two film rooms; 9-foot doors and 8-foot showerheads; a players lounge and nutrition center. The Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square is a $25 million (private investment) facility that is both a training center and corporate headquarters for the teams. Located across the street from Target Center on First Avenue North, Mayo Clinic Square is a first of its kind facility in the NBA and WNBA. The Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in the complex is available to all athletes.

Former Gopher basketball players Don Linehan, Larry Overskei and Paul Presthus visited John Kundla last week in advance of their ex-coach’s 99th birthday on July 3.

“I feel like a million but I’m only 99,” Kundla said with a smile at his living care facility in northeast Minneapolis. Presthus reported the quip in an e-mail where he also wrote: “John looked great, is self-sufficient and was sharp as could be.”

Kundla was the Gophers coach from 1959-1968, and Linehan, Overskei and Presthus played for him. “John is as humble as they come, a true gentleman, (and) one of the nicest men I ever met, and he always treated his players with respect,” Presthus said in the e-mail.

Before becoming Gophers coach, Kundla coached the Minneapolis Lakers to five world professional championships, the last in 1954. Presthus said there was storytelling about the Gophers and Lakers, and plenty of laughs during the visit. “We spent about an hour visiting with him before he had to leave to go to mass,” Presthus wrote.

The Wild want “to get bigger and more physical” with personnel moves at the NHL Entry Draft today and tomorrow, according to a hockey source who asked that his name not be used. Playing better “around the boards and the net, and not getting outmuscled” is needed for the Wild to continue its ascent among NHL competition and to play more effectively against clubs like the Blackhawks, Ducks and Kings.

Wing Thomas Vanek, 31, had a disappointing initial season for the Wild. The source said Minnesota might release or trade the former Gopher, speculating a return to the Wild could be 50-50.

The return next season of expensive 37-year-old goalie Niklas Backstrom seems unlikely. He reportedly earned $3.75 million last season and will be paid more under terms of his contract for next year. Of course the team’s goalie priority is re-signing 29-year-old Devan Dubnyk. The source said Dubnyk wants $5 to $6 million annually and Minnesota might now be willing to pay $4 million.

Vanek is one of 17 Gopher Hockey alums who played in the NHL last season. Here is the list: Mark Alt (Philadelphia), Keith Ballard (Minnesota), Stu Bickel (Minnesota), Nick Bjugstad (Florida), Alex Goligoski (Dallas), Erik Haula (Minnesota), Seth Helgeson (New Jersey), Erik Johnson (Colorado), Phil Kessel (Toronto), Nick Leddy (New York Islanders), Jordan Leopold (St. Louis/Columbus/Minnesota), Paul Martin (Pittsburgh), Kyle Okposo (New York Islanders), Nate Schmidt (Washington), Jordan Schroeder (Minnesota), Thomas Vanek (Minnesota) and Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg).

About 2,000 fans are expected to attend tonight’s Summer Bash and NHL Draft Viewing Party from 6 to 9 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center. In addition to watching the draft on TV from Florida, fans can visit the Wild locker room and press box. Wild players Keith Ballard, Ryan Carter, Charlie Coyle, Matt Dumba, Jordan Leopold and Jason Zucker are scheduled for photos and autographs.

Players and coaches representing 79 schools and 27 conferences are expected to participate in tomorrow’s annual MFCA Tackle Cancer All-Star Football Game in Husky Stadium at St. Cloud State. Players (2015 high school grads) and coaches were selected by members of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.

Comments Welcome

Raves Roll in for Gophers Offensive Line

Posted on June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 by David Shama

When BTN.com writer Tom Dienhart ranked the Gophers offensive line the best in the Big Ten Conference’s West Division for the coming season it didn’t surprise Zac Epping. “Not at all,” Epping told Sports Headliners. “The group that they have there right now is an awesome group.”

“The Golden Gophers have a deep and talented collection of blockers that is better than even Wisconsin, which has been the measuring stick for offensive lines in the Big Ten for years,” Dienhart wrote earlier this month.

Epping and Tommy Olson are the two offensive line starters from last year’s group the Gophers must replace in 2015 but this looks like the best line coach Jerry Kill and staff have produced in almost five years in Minneapolis. Dienhart wrote that Minnesota has eight linemen who have a combined 88 starts.

Dienhart ranked Michigan State the No. 1 offensive line in the East Division but Epping believes Minnesota will have the best unit in the Big Ten next fall. “I think so,” Epping said. “There’s a lot of potential in that group. Coach (Eric) Klein does a great job in the offseason getting all the o-linemen healthy, stronger and ready for the season. If they stay healthy then that’s going to be a great group and the running backs are going to have a good year running behind them.”

Epping said the quality of Minnesota’s offensive lines has been evolving, and he not only mentioned Klein, the team’s strength and conditioning coach, but also offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Matt Limegrover. “Coach Limegrover has done a great job of getting the o-line ready for the game days and all that,” Epping said. “He’s definitely helped us improve that group.”

The Gophers ranked No. 28 nationally in rushing last season. Among Big Ten teams they were sixth with 2,801 rushing yards, the program’s best total since 3,277 yards in 2005.

Guard Josh Campion, 24, is receiving preseason publicity as a potential All Big Ten offensive lineman. A 6-5, 310-pound senior from Little Falls, he made All-Big Ten Honorable mention last season on teams selected by the media and coaches. He started 13 consecutive games at left tackle but is expected to play guard this year. Epping said Campion’s “great work ethic” and age have contributed to the native Minnesotan’s success and improvement each year.

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte, who is trying out for the Vikings, has lived with Campion. “Sometimes he’s kind of hard to read,” Fruechte told Sports Headliners. “He likes to sleep so we try not to bother him too much. He’s a little bit older than all of us but when he gets out there and wants to play he’ll get after it.”

Fruechte, too, is optimistic about the Gophers 2015 offensive line. “That’s a unit that they should be very confident with over there (on campus) because it’s got a lot of veteran guys, a lot of kids with some experience that really know how to play, and play against big time teams.”

Worth Noting

Collegefootballnews.com recently listed “the 15 best redshirt freshmen going into the season” and the Gophers Jeff Jones was ranked No. 5 in the country. “Academics shelved Jones last year, but he got (out) of the gate quickly this offseason, impressing the staff with his ability as a playmaker and his dedication to the game,” Collegefootballnews.com wrote. The website predicted Jones is most likely to see playing time at slot receiver, not running back.

A source said 6-foot-5-plus wide receiver Sean Engel, who will be a senior at Chaska High School this fall, has added 30 pounds, now weighs 203, is running a sub 4.5 40-yard dash and is receiving increased interest from the Gophers after excelling this month at a football camp on the Minnesota campus. Engel, the brother of former Gophers wide receiver Derrick Engel, has offers from several colleges including North Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

Former Gophers and Vikings defensive back Tyrone Carter held another of his football camps in Minnesota last weekend. He will also assist friend and former Viking Randy Moss at a camp in North Carolina.

Harrison Smith (Photo courtesy of Vikings)

Safety Harrison Smith, who will be in his fourth season with the Vikings this fall, wants to be named All-Pro for 2015. “Yeah, that’s my goal every year. Whether I make it or not, I don’t know. But there’s no reason not to shoot for the highest (goal).”

Although the Vikings have several weeks off until training camp starts in Mankato, players like Smith know they have to continue work outs and conditioning. Back home in Tennessee, Smith will run, lift weights and punch a boxing bag several days of the week.

“As long as you’re in good shape and you’re not going to pull anything in training camp (like a hamstring or groin muscle), that’s the goal,” said Smith who has been told on game days NFL players run close to nine miles including pre-game activity.

While at home, Smith also plans to play golf, a sport he acknowledges he could improve at. “In the 90s is my best day if I am playing by the rules. I just like to play in the scrambles because I don’t feel so bad about myself.”

The early guess is the MIAC football race for the title will involve Bethel, Saint John’s and St. Thomas.

The June 22 issue of Sports Illustrated predicts the Timberwolves will use the No. 1 overall selection in tomorrow night’s NBA Draft to choose ex-Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns. Four of S.I.’s top 14 projected picks are former Wildcats.

S.I. has guards and Minnesota natives Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn being No. 21 and 25 choices of the Mavericks and Grizzlies. The magazine said Jones isn’t “big or athletic” but the Mavericks would welcome his “high IQ as a playmaker.” S.I. described Vaughn as a “multifaceted scorer.”

Former Gophers and Twins pitcher Cole DeVries is out of professional baseball and working for Edina Realty.

Comments Welcome

UM Fed Inquiry Won’t Involve NCAA

Posted on June 22, 2015June 22, 2015 by David Shama

Regardless of the results concerning a federal gender discrimination investigation of the University of Minnesota, the Gophers Athletic Department will not face penalties from the NCAA, according to Sports Headliners sources.

After the men’s basketball scandal of the late 1990s and the stern penalties administered by the NCAA, Gophers supporters have feared another problem with the national governing authority for college sports. Forfeited games, dismissal of coaches, financial penalties and even banishment of a sport can result from NCAA rules violations. Repeat offenders have the potential to be judged particularly harshly.

A gender discrimination investigation at the U began months ago after an anonymous complaint was made to the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, according to news sources. It’s believed that at the core of the complaint and investigation is the future location of the Gophers track for track and field athletes. The present track site will be replaced by a new football facility, part of a $150 million upgrade of facilities that will benefit all sports at the University.

Women’s track and field accounts for a large portion of the female athletes at the University. While there has been considerable discussion for a long time about relocating the track facility to the St. Paul area, Sports Headliners is told sites on the Minneapolis campus are being scrutinized. It’s likely a majority of those involved with track and field at Minnesota prefer the convenience of a track on the main campus, rather than practicing and competing somewhere in St. Paul such as the “farm campus” or Hamline.

The federal investigation could have various conclusions regarding whether the University isn’t in compliance with Title IX, the 43-year-old law banning gender discrimination at federally funded schools. Theoretically, the University could be told to spend more money and create additional opportunities for women, or pay a financial penalty, or have federal funds withdrawn.

But even with the most severe outcome from the Feds, the Athletic Department will not face action from the NCAA. There will be no crossover, according to sources with knowledge of the Gophers’ situation.

The U Athletic Department has a history of supporting equal opportunity. For a number of years there were even separate men’s and women’s departments. When Joel Maturi took over as the head of a combined department in 2002, he made Title IX compliance and support for women’s athletics a high priority.

The truth, too, is there are so many subtleties involving Title IX that probably a vast majority of major college athletic departments could be found—at least minimally or on some technicality—out of compliance. But that doesn’t mean such schools, even when judged by critics, aren’t providing equitable opportunities and treatment to both women and men.

It’s believed the Gophers $150 million project was delayed from a June or July groundbreaking until September because of the federal investigation and track location. But the Athletic Department also will be surer of its construction costs by then, and that may have been a factor, too.

Worth Noting

It won’t be surprising if the Wild don’t re-sign goalie Devan Dubnyk who might accept a deal with another team for $4 to $5 million per year. Sources tell Sports Headliners the Wild’s max is more in the $2.5 to $3 million range.

U.S. Bank will make its first payment to the Vikings next year for the 20-year naming rights for the new downtown stadium opening in 2016. It’s been speculated the total cost of the agreement is $220 million for 20 years.

Mike Wallace, the wide receiver acquired by the Vikings in the offseason, was headed to Jamaica for a few days late last week after the team ended its run of mini-camps. Wallace and the Vikings have several weeks off before opening training camp in late July in Mankato but that doesn’t mean conditioning stops. “I know I am gonna be running a lot when I am at home (Houston),” Wallace said. “I can’t come in looking sloppy. I gotta be ready.”

Babatunde Aiyegbusi, the free agent from Poland who the Vikings signed as an offensive tackle earlier this year, is receiving an introduction to not only football but American culture including food. “I’ve got a lot of food I shouldn’t eat,” the 6-9, 351-pound Aiyegbusi said in his Polish accent. “From the worst I shouldn’t eat is cornbread. That made my day in the restaurant.”

Aiyegbusi, 27, has experienced different cultures having lived in England, Germany and Poland. He has visited many more European countries.

A number of other Vikings will try to make the roster as free agents when the club is in training camp including former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte. He plans to work out in coming weeks with other pro players including Bills tight end MarQueis Gray and Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen.

A player who might surprise among free agents is linebacker Brian Peters who is with the Vikings after playing in the Canadian Football League for the Roughriders the last two seasons. In 2014 he led the team in tackles with 78 and also had three sacks.

Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was reportedly in town recently, and he dates a woman from Maple Grove who now lives in the Dallas area. Aikman is friends with Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner who was his presenter at Hall of Fame ceremonies in 2006.

Turner is a horse racing fan and was recently at Canterbury Park with Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.

How much are major corporations willing to pay for NBA Finals courtside seats? The answer is a lot when prime seats are needed to entertain prime customers. A source told Sports Headliners mid-court tickets on the floor were priced at $12,500.00 each face value but sold on the secondary market for $25,000.00 per ticket for last Tuesday’s championship game in Cleveland between the Cavs and Warriors.

The Twins announced consecutive sellouts on Saturday and Sunday with the Cubs playing at Target Field. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday attendance total of 117,156 was the largest for a three-game series this season at Target Field, and the most since the Twins drew 118,227 against Detroit June 26-28, 2011.

Twins rookie center fielder Byron Buxton stole his first major league base yesterday in an 8-0 loss to the Cubs. Buxton had one hit and is batting .120 with the Twins, three hits in 25 at bats.

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