Golden Gophers – Page 393 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Don’t ‘Anticipate’ Gray for Northwestern

Posted on October 3, 2012October 3, 2012 by David Shama

Reporting on Gophers football, Timberwolves, Vikings, Wild and Twins:

Gophers’ football coach Jerry Kill, talking about the injured MarQueis Gray, said on Monday he doesn’t “anticipate” his senior quarterback playing against Northwestern a week from Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Gray has a high ankle sprain and sprained left knee suffered in the Western Michigan game on September 15. “It’s just taken awhile to heal up,” Kill told Sports Headliners.

Even if Gray can surprise and be ready to play, strategically it’s to the Gophers’ advantage if they can make Northwestern (5-0) prepare for two different quarterback styles. Gray is an improved passer but running is his strength while sophomore Max Shortell, his replacement, is a capable passer and lumbering runner.

OhioState is the Big Ten’s best team. If Gray is healthy and able to play, the Gophers (4-1) are better by the nose of a football than Iowa, the team that defeated Minnesota last Saturday. Here are Sports Headliners’ first Big Ten power rankings of the season: Ohio State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Penn State, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.

The Timberwolves opened training camp yesterday without Rick Rubio taking part in drills because of his left knee rehabilitation. Rubio, who was injured on March 9 of last season, “created a belief” the Wolves could beat anybody, according to coach Rick Adelman.

The Wolves, who had a 21-20 record on March 9, won only five of their final 25 games after Rubio’s season ended. Adelman said on Monday he was “shocked” at how the team stumbled without the 21-year-old rookie point guard.

Rubio’s teammates learned not only how good of a playmaker the flashy Spaniard is but also saw his competitiveness and all around skills. Wolves’ reserve point guard J.J. Barea said Rubio is so competitive he wouldn’t even back down from “Michael Jordan.”

Adelman said Rubio’s absence from the lineup was felt defensively. Rubio was among NBA leaders in steals when injured.

No one is predicting exactly when Rubio will be able to fully practice and play in games. He said Monday he’s starting to shoot the basketball but doesn’t jump when he shoots.

Meanwhile, the Wolves have shaken up their roster adding several new players, including veterans and former NBA All-Stars Andrei Kirilenko and Brandon Roy, who have been on winning teams elsewhere. Adelman is looking for a new attitude among the Wolves who he said “didn’t hurt enough” last season after losses.

Forward Kevin Love, back from helping the U.S. win an Olympic gold medal, said some teammates last season had a date circled in the spring but it wasn’t the start of the playoffs. Instead, the anticipated date was the season’s end and vacation.

The Wolves, who finished 26-40 last season and missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season, are thinking post-season now as they start training camp. They know the assignment will be much easier when Rubio is healthy and playing again.

Vikings’ punter Chris Kluwe communicates with former teammate and placekicker Ryan Longwell via email and text. Kluwe said Longwell remains interested in a pro golf career and wants to become comfortable in front of TV cameras. “He told me it’s completely different when you’re actually playing in front of cameras as opposed to when it’s just you out on the course,” Kluwe said. “I think he’s just trying to get used to that and we’ll see if he goes and tries that for real.”

A hockey source told Sports Headliners the Wild’s Niklas Backstrom, Mikko Koivu and Matt Cullen could decide to play hockey out of the country if the NHL labor dispute isn’t resolved. The source said if the players sign contracts to play elsewhere there will be escape clauses allowing a return to the Wild after the collective bargaining agreement is settled between the NHL and league players.

The NHL regular season schedule was to begin next week but with the players locked out it could be December 1 or later before teams return to the ice. “There’s no super urgency now” to settle the lockout, the source said.

But paychecks for NHL players were to begin next week, and continue every two weeks. Missing those checks after three pay periods will create urgency for a settlement, in the opinion of the source.

He also said the Wild’s AHL affiliate team, the Houston Aeros, may play one or more games at Xcel Energy Center. Such a move could be part of a strategy by the Wild to keep hockey in front of the public. Fantasy camps, hospital visits and other activities might be part of a plan, too.

Mike Trout, who is certain to be the American League Rookie of the Year and is a contender for league MVP, was drafted by the Angels in 2009 after 21 other clubs passed on him including the Twins. Trout’s dad, Jeff, was a Twins minor league player and so, too, was Greg Morhardt, the Angels scout that signed Mike.

Morhardt was more excited about Mike than a lot of other baseball people, according to an article in Sports Illustrated’s August 27 issue. Among the Angels’ decision- makers who approved drafting Trout was scouting director Eddie Bane, the former Twins pitcher.

When the regular season ends today, the Angels center fielder will have completed a year when he established himself as one of baseball’s best players at age 21. His skills in hitting for average and power, fielding his position and base running prompted Sports Illustrated to compare him with Mickey Mantle. Among Trout’s rookie stats are a .324 batting average (second best in theAL), .397 on-base percentage (third in the league), .561 slugging percentage (third) and a MLB leading 49 stolen bases.

The Twins finish their season in Toronto today. Wouldn’t it be interesting if the club made an off-season trade with the Blue Jays, acquiring pitching and sending Canadian native Justin Morneau to Toronto?

The Twins and four other major league clubs provide players to the Peoria team that begins play in the Arizona Fall League on October 9. Seven Twins organization players are expected to participate: pitchers Kyle Gibson, Logan Darnell, Caleb Thielbar, and Michael Tonkin, and position players Evan Bigley, Chris Herrmann and Nate Roberts, according to Twins minor league operations executive Jim Rantz.

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Iowa Rivalry Absorbs U Players

Posted on September 28, 2012September 28, 2012 by David Shama

There’s no mistaking the awareness of Gophers football players about their annual game against Iowa.

This week the “pig” visited the Gophers’ locker room. Before the season the Gophers players talked about the team’s rivalries including, of course, the fight tomorrow in Iowa City for the bronze “pig”—Floyd of Rosedale.

In the lobby of Minnesota’s football complex this week there was a scoreboard image showing a 12-0 score. Underneath the score was this statement: “The last time we went to Iowa City.” In 2009 the Hawkeyes won 12-0 at home. The Gophers have won two straight against Iowa, but both games were in Minneapolis.

In Iowa City starting at 11 a.m. tomorrow the two teams resume a travelling trophy game dating back to 1935. It can be argued this is among the most famous trophy games in college football.

Floyd of Rosedale originated to encourage civility between the schools and their fans. No one has been killed over the years but strong feelings remain between the two border states.

University of Minnesota students were chanting “We hate Iowa!” weeks ago. The statement has characterized the identity of student fans in recent years and certainly is something the Gophers’ players are aware of.

“There’s a lot of animosity between the two schools,” said John Rabe. The Gophers’ senior tight end is an Iowa native and growing up in that state certainly gives him perspective on the “We hateIowa!” chant. “That just shows how much it (the game) means to these people and us.”

Rabe expects to make his new hometown fans happy by late tomorrow afternoon. “We’re gonna get this win. I feel confident that we will.”

The Gophers, 4-0 in nonconference games, still haven’t made believers out of the odds-makers. Iowa, 2-2, is about a touchdown favorite, and Gophers coach Jerry Kill said for his team to win turnovers will have to be avoided.

Minnesota had no turnovers in a 17-10 win against Syracuse last week, despite starting a sophomore quarterback. Max Shortell, making only his third career start, had no interceptions or fumbles. “We can’t turn the ball over (at Iowa),” Kill told Sports Headliners.

Iowa has started the season slow, often playing poorly, particularly on offense but Kill said “we’re gonna get their best” tomorrow. He’s followed Iowa under coach Kirk Ferentz for years. “Iowa has a pattern of improving as the season progresses,” Kill said.

Kill admires Ferentz who coached in the pros before taking over at Iowa and has earned a reputation of being among the better college coaches. Ferentz and staff are known for their teaching abilities. “They run as good a practice as anyone,” Kill said.

Football & Other Notes:

Ferentz, 57, is in his 14^th season at Iowa, the most seasons of any current Big Ten head coach. Second in seniority are Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema, 42, and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, 37.

Gophers’ quarterback MarQueis Gray, injured in the Western Michigan game, was walking cautiously on his high ankle sprain this week and isn’t expected to play against Iowa.

Iowa beat the Gophers 55-0 in 2008. Gophers’ defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman wasn’t on the team then but the Minneapolis native remembers hearing about the game and was asked if it was embarrassing. “I mean it would embarrass anybody. I am pretty sure no team would want to lose by that much. …”

Big Ten Network football analyst Chris Martin talking about the Gophers before last Saturday’s win over Syracuse: “They (the Gophers) can beat Iowa.”

Kill, in his second season at Minnesota, was asked where he’s at in building the program: “…I think very similar to where we were at Southern Illinois. I think we were 1‑10 the first year, and we weren’t very good, and next year we got better and we won four games that year. And I don’t do so much with wins and losses, but I think we’re certainly better than we were a year ago.

“We’ll find out how much better over the next eight weeks and how much they’re going to improve. If we stay the same, results won’t be very good. We’ve gotta continue to make progress. …”

Lester Bagley said last week the odds are about 50-50 the new Vikings stadium will have a “retractable feature.” That doesn’t necessarily mean a retractable roof. Bagley, a Vikings’ stadium executive, said odds of a moving roof are less than 50-50 because of budget limitations.

The new downtown stadium may have a retractable feature like a large window at one end of the facility. Bagley said until the design of the stadium is finalized it won’t be known if there is sufficient money to have a retractable roof but he didn’t express much likelihood the Vikings, state or city of Minneapolis will go beyond the $975 million budget.

“$477 million (from the Vikings). It’s the third largest (NFL) team contribution in history (for a stadium),” Bagley said. “I don’t see the public coming up with more money either. I am not sure that’s an option.

“I guess never say never, but we’re gonna try to design and build and stay on time and at budget which is $975 million. …We are confident in getting a great facility for $975 but that’s the budget. There’s no discussion about any more money.”

Bagley said the stadium will seat 65,000 but can be expandable to 73,000 for a Super Bowl. The Vikings have informed the NFL they want to host the 2018 Super Bowl. A decision on the host city for that year will be made in 2014, according to Bagley.

The Vikings are studying personal seat licensing for a portion of the new stadium. Such licensing means fans pay a fee beyond the price of tickets for a specific seat location. Bagley said the 49ers expect to generate more than $300 million from licensing in their new Santa Clara facility but the Upper Midwest market can’t be expected to approach that kind of figure.

A longtime Vikings season ticket holder said to resell his tickets this year he accepted less than $100 each for his face value $128 per game tickets. He said the team’s 3-13 record last season and this year’s unusually late (December) NFC North home games against Chicago and Green Bay diminished value. He’s holding on to his tickets, though, and expecting a sharp increase in value when the new stadium opens.

The Vikings, 2-1, play at Detroit, 1-2, on Sunday in the first NFC North game of the season for either team. The Vikings won’t play another division game until November 11 when Detroit comes here.

The Vikings’ Percy Harvin leads the NFL with 27 receptions. That’s the most catches by a Viking in the first three games of a season since 1997 when Cris Carter had 23 receptions.

An MIAC game to follow tomorrow is at Augsburg between the 3-0 Auggies and 3-0 Bethel. The Royals lead the MIAC in scoring both on offense (43.0 per game) and defense (7.0 per game). The Auggies may have the most dynamic newcomer in the conference in freshman quarterback Ayrton Scott, named the MIAC’s Offensive Player-of-the-Week each of the last two weeks.

North Woods football coach John Jirik won his 100^th high school game last week. North Woods High School opened in 2011 combining students from the Cook and Orr communities.

Gophers’ baseball coach John Anderson said his team will open its new on-campus outdoor baseball stadium on April 5, 2013 against Ohio State. Minnesota will play 17 home games before then in the Metrodome and has 17 scheduled outdoors. He hopes the Gophers can use the dome in the spring if weather prevents home games from being played outside.

Twins’ utility infielder Alexi Casilla, who is hitting .233 this season, has a lifetime average of .571 against Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia who won his 14^th game of the year on Wednesday against Minnesota. Casilla had two hits in three at bats in the game. His career average of .571 is the highest of any hitter against Sabathia with at least 15 at bats. Casilla has 21 at bats.

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Big Ten Forecast: U Won’t Be Last

Posted on September 26, 2012September 26, 2012 by David Shama

Two years ago when the Big Ten announced Nebraska was joining the league and the football teams would be organized into two divisions the pessimists in Dinkytown pronounced the Gophers’ future was bleaker than the dark past.

The argument was Nebraska added another super program to the league, making the Gophers’ ambitions of Big Ten relevancy even more difficult. Worse, the Cornhuskers would play in the same division as the Gophers. That division—now known as the Legends Division—was also to include Big Ten power Michigan, and formidable other programs.

Woe to the Gophers.

But guess what? The Legends Division teams don’t look so imposing these days. In fact, the whole Big Ten isn’t such hot stuff.

Michigan, 2-2 in 2012, is still trying to recover from the nosedive the program took under coach Rich Rodriguez. Ohio State, struggling but 4-0, is trying for a comeback while under sanctions from “tattoo-gate.” Penn State is doing the football version of Great Britain and is no longer a super power after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. And Nebraska isn’t the same program that for decades struck terror into the hearts of Big 12 and Big Eight fans.

So there you have it. The Big Ten—actually not such a big deal even going back to the 1980s—is reeling, mostly because four programs that looked so powerful in the history books are now underachieving. The conference’s journey through mediocrity includes a 1-6 record in the last seven Rose Bowls. And this fall the league’s image is really taking a pounding with not a single school ranked in the Associated Press top 10. The conference has just three ranked programs, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 22 Nebraska. The SEC has four teams in the top six while even the reorganized Big 12 has two top 10 teams, No. 7 Kansas State and No. 9 West Virginia.

After four weeks of nonconference games the Big Ten season begins on Saturday. There’s not a super squad among the 12 league teams and that’s nothing but good news for the Gophers who along with Northwestern are two of the conference’s (America’s?) biggest success stories and surprises in September.

There’s a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the league season on November 24. Some teams will improve and others will slide. Injuries and scheduling will impact results but Sports Headliners is ready to make its predictions on the final standings in the Legends Division and Leaders Division.

Coach Jerry Kill and his assistants make up one of the best coaching staffs in the Big Ten. Rank this group near the top for teaching and managing a program. Minnesota is 4-0 mostly because of a much improved defense that has impressed rushing the passer and swarming to ball carriers and receivers.

The Gophers, though, are only in their second season under Kill. The program must attract better talent particularly on offense where the line needs more push and a breakaway running back is lacking. And more speed and elusiveness among the receivers will be missed when the Gophers face the league’s better secondaries.

Minnesota defeated UNLV, New Hampshire, Western Michigan and Syracuse in four nonconference games. Those foes are a combined 6-10 so far in 2012. That’s part of the reason the odds-makers have Iowa(2-2) as about a touchdown favorite on Saturday when Minnesota and the Hawkeyes meet in Iowa City.

The prediction here is the Gophers will finish fifth among six teams in the Legends Division. Don’t be discouraged, though. The Gophers could do better than fifth and even if they don’t this is a team that—unless crushed by injuries—will be competitive in most or all of its games. Kill’s program has a future that’s getting ready to distance itself from an embarrassing past. Think bowl game in 2012.

Michigan State (3-1) is the pick for first in the Legends Division. The Spartans have a great defensive guru in head coach Mark Dantonio and the league’s premier runner in Le’Veon Bell. He is averaging 152.59 yards per game, third best in the country. Now if the Spartans could only find a passer.

The league’s best offense might be in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers (3-1), who have scored 194 points in four games, are the choice for second in the division. The problem in Nebraska: defense. The Huskers gave up 653 yards of total offense in a loss to UCLA, the most difficult test Nebraska has faced this season.

Can’t blame Michigan (2-2) quarterback Denard Shoelace Robinson if he is looking down at his shoes a lot these days. His passing doesn’t exactly remind Wolverines’ fans of Tom Brady. The runner extraordinaire threw four interceptions in a Michigan loss to Notre Dame last Saturday. The Wolverines, with some talented players and coaches, will finish third in the division.

Venric Mark. He might be the league’s most exciting player and certainly a significant reason why Northwestern is 4-0 and headed for at least a fourth place finish in the division. Mark is No. 2 in the country in punt return average at 30.60 yards. He leads the Big Ten in all-purpose yards at 178.50, ranking eighth in the nation. Northwestern’s season could get derailed by injuries and lack of depth—always a Wildcat nemesis.

The folks in Iowa City love their Hawks except when they start the season 2-2, including losses to Iowa State and no-name Central Michigan on a last minute field goal. The boos filled the air at the end of last Saturday’s game against Central and things will get uglier if Minnesota wins for a third straight year this Saturday. The Hawks passing game has sometimes been awful and Iowa is down to an impressive walk-on running back. The Hawkeyes will be competitive on most Saturdays—and may beat the Gophers on Saturday—but put them down for last in the division.

Buckle up for our Leaders Division choice. Purdue will finish first, followed by Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois and Indiana. Too bad the Gophers can’t petition the Big Ten office for membership in the Leaders Division where because of sanctions Ohio State and Penn State aren’t allowed to play in the Big Ten championship game but are eligible to win the division title.

The Leaders Division looks inferior to the Legends Division and that’s one reason to pick Purdue to emerge as champion. The Boilermakers (2-1) played undefeated Notre Dame tougher than Big Ten brethren Michigan and Michigan State. And they did it in South Bend during a 20-17 loss. Coach Danny Hope has built a roster featuring speed. Purdue fans like that and also a schedule that includes only one formidable road game, at Ohio State on October 20.

The 4-0 Buckeyes haven’t been that impressive under first year coach Urban Meyer. The defense is an issue and Ohio State has given up 59 points in the last three games against Central Florida, California and UAB. But the Buckeyes might have the league’s most effective quarterback in Braxton Miller and they’ve got a super coach in Meyer. Any setbacks in 2012 will be softened by national championship expectations within five years in Columbus.

Where have you gone Russell Wilson and Paul Chryst? Wilson, the dynamic quarterback, is in the pros after leading Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl. Chryst, one of college football’s best offensive minds, left for the head coaching job at Pittsburgh—part of an exodus of Badgers assistants. The result: trouble in Madtown where the Badgers have turned out of desperation to a redshirt quarterback and 27-year-old offensive line coach. There’s still talent and coaching but being competitive in Big Ten games is different than being almost a lock to win. Wisconsin (3-1) will have some struggles.

Penn State fans have a love-hate relationship with senior quarterback Matt McGloin but he’s produced lately and helped the Nittany Lions (2-2) to consecutive wins over Navy and Temple the last two weeks. New coach Bill O’Brien needs to prove himself after leaving the NFL and replacing Joe Paterno. He will need to keep his wits when Penn State plays consecutive games against Ohio State at home and on the road versus Purdue and Nebraska.

You know your school is off to a difficult start under a new coach (Tim Beckman) when Louisiana Tech beats you up at home, 52-24. Illinois (2-2) was also embarrassed by Arizona State, 45-14. Wins came against Western Michigan, 24-7, and 44-0 over “cupcake” Charleston Southern. On the Illini’s long to-do list is settling on a starting quarterback, presumably Nathan Scheelhaase.

When does basketball season start? The basketball Hoosiers are a preseason choice for No. 1 in the nation while the football Hoosiers are a consensus pick for last in the Leaders Division. Indiana students have season football tickets, mostly because the athletic department told them it was a package deal if they wanted to watch the basketball team. In home games the 2-1 Hoosiers beat Indiana State 24-17 and lost to Ball State 41-29. That doesn’t scare fans at other Big Ten schools but it may frighten IU students.

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