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CEO’s with Seizures Reach Out to Kill

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

Jerry Kill joked with a visitor last week about “messing” with his walking schedule. The Gophers second year football coach sat in his office and answered questions about his health.

“Don’t I look good?” Kill teased.

The 50-year-old Kill seemed fit, energetic and happy, despite starting another day in the office at 6 a.m. He’s learned to cope with long days and nights, just as he’s adjusted to a history of seizures and winning a fight with kidney cancer several years ago.

Kill stunned Minnesota fans when he fell to the ground during a game at TCF Bank Stadium last September. Most Minnesotans, including media, weren’t aware of Kill’s seizures prior to his becoming the Gophers coach. The scary sight of Kill writhing on the ground and not knowing the cause made the outcome of the game against New Mexico State on September 10 a secondary concern (Minnesota lost).

Kill had additional seizures last year, was hospitalized and also sought advice from the Mayo Clinic. Asked about his health last week, Kill said he’s okay and although he couldn’t specify a date said he’s been seizure-free for “awhile.”

Kill’s challenge with seizures is ongoing and very public but he insists the issue doesn’t minimize his effectiveness in trying to rebuild a Gophers program that was 3-9 last season and had the same record the year before he arrived in Minneapolis. “There are two or three CEO’s that do not want their names mentioned right here in the Twin Cities (who’ve) got the same problem I got,” Kill told Sports Headliners. “But nobody knows that. They’ve reached out to me—confidentially to me—‘Hey, coach (I) know what you’re going through.’

“I am doing fine. Just like anything, you can’t worry about…(what) you can’t control. You just don’t need to help it. My wife makes sure I am not helping, that I am staying on the right track. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I am in good shape right now.”

The college football world can be cutthroat and Kill admitted when he was coaching at Southern Illinois, a rival used his cancer against him in recruiting. “There was a coach that I won’t name that said, ‘What’s going to happen?’ ”

While recruiting his 2012 freshmen and junior college players Kill said he wasn’t aware of rival coaches using the seizures issue against him.

“That hurts people (recruiters) more than it helps them,” he said. “I am honest. I haven’t lied to anybody. I’ve said that it is (the seizures) what it is. If that bothers you, you shouldn’t come here.”

The Gophers begin spring football practice on March 22. Kill is excited to see what an offseason of conditioning and strength training has done for his players. They can expect to see a coach full of energy and ready to work.

Kill has said that if health problems ever become too much for him to be effective, he will step aside. That time isn’t now. “If I can’t do my job, I am not going to steal money,” he said.

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Worth Noting

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

Former Gopher Phil Kessel, now with Toronto, is listed first in an NHL players poll regarding All-Star caliber players “easiest to intimidate,” according to the February 20 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Hopkins High School junior forward Nia Coffey, a top 100 recruit, has verbally committed to Northwestern in the Big Ten Conference, according to the Lakeshore Weekly News website. She is the daughter of former Gophers forward Richard Coffey.

The Gophers basketball team, losers of five consecutive games, plays at Wisconsin(10-6 in the Big Ten) tonight. Minnesota(5-11) lacked energy, focus and confidence in an embarrassing 69-50 home loss toIndiana(9-7) on Sunday.

After the game guard Chip Armelin said the losing streak is a liability to team confidence and it challenges players to support each other. Coach Tubby Smith didn’t like the effort of his players including leading scorer Rodney Williams who had only three points in the game. Smith said Williams wasn’t “engaged” and didn’t earn his shot attempts.

Indiana coach Tom Crean was pleased to see Williams not hurt his team. “He’s gonna be about the best athlete going into a gym anytime,” Crean said.

Crean’s wife Joani, the sister of mega-intense football coaches Jim and John Harbaugh, attended the post-game press conference—unusual for a spouse.

Although game attendance was about 3,000 less than capacity at Williams Arena (14,625), a Gophers season ticket holder sold his two row three tickets near the Indiana bench for $170 each via StubHub last week.

The Gophers basketball banquet will be next Sunday evening in the DQ Club Room at TCF Bank Stadium. The cost is $60 per person and more information is available by calling 612-625-3085.

The Gophers athletic department announced a grassroots fundraising drive for the new on-campus baseball stadium. The Gophers are playing their 2012 home schedule at the Metrodome except for a May 1 Siebert Field finale against St. Thomas. John Anderson is in his 31^st season as Minnesota coach.

An estate sale at the late Harmon Killebrew’s home in Scottsdale, Arizona was held last Saturday. Items included sports memorabilia, clothing and furniture.

The Twins were No. 25 among major league teams in Bleacherreport.com’s power rankings heading into spring training. That’s lowest among all Central Division teams including Kansas City.

The NFL Scouting Combine ends today in Indianapolis. Among the headlines coming out of the combine, where over 300 prospects were invited, is the 2012 draft will be deep in athletic offensive linemen. The Vikings, with the third pick in the first round, could certainly improve by drafting USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil but other offensive line prospects that could help Minnesota figure to be available later in the draft.

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U Search Committee to Meet Monday

Posted on February 24, 2012February 24, 2012 by David Shama

Sports Headliners has learned that the search committee for a new Gophers athletic director will have its initial meeting with University president Eric Kaler on Monday. Both the search committee and a search advisory group will hear Kaler’s expectations about the position as the process begins to replace Joel Maturi as the school’s athletic director.

Speculation is the University will seek candidates who have business skills and experience, but there’s no confirmation on that. The opinion here is the next athletic director will face these priorities: develop winning teams in football, basketball and hockey; effectively fund-raise and address the budget issues of a 25-sport program; and improve the public image of Gophers athletics.

A talented business leader with a passion for Gophers athletics would be the ideal candidate in the opinion of many school supporters. They believe such an individual would have the expertise to hire excellent coaches plus the management skills to run an efficient program, and the personality to attract support both within and outside the University.

It will be the search committee’s job to send the names of finalists to Kaler. With a 25 person search advisory committee and four person search committee, there will be a lot of interests represented in formulating candidates but the 55-year-old Kaler will make the final choice. His hire is likely to be someone his age or younger, a person he can work with for many years.

The Kaler choice will have a lot to do with defining his legacy as the school’s president. The Gophers have long been searching for a great athletic director. An extraordinary leader in athletics can make the difference in how the University is perceived by the public, and Kaler knows that.

Many potential candidates will be considered by the search committee and advisory group. Input regarding the suggested A.D. profile will come not only from those 29 people but also the public, and the University is using the Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search firm to assist with identifying candidates.

Names that could draw at least public speculation include former Gophers quarterback Tony Dungy and football coach Glen Mason. Others with ties to the state include Iowa athletic director Gary Barta who is a Minneapolis native, former Gophers football stars Peter Najarian and Bob Stein, Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson (Redwood Falls native), Minnesota Alumni Association CEO Phil Esten (former Gophers associate athletic director), Akron athletic director Tom Wistrcill (former senior associate A.D. at Minnesota) and UMD athletic director and football coach Bob Nielson. Also, Regina Sullivan and Marc Ryan, senior associate athletic directors on Maturi’s staff, have years of experience in the athletic department.

And Stony Brook University athletic director Jim Fiore is in his ninth year at the New York school, the same institution where Kaler worked until coming to Minnesota last July. Fiore’s name was rumored with the North Carolina athletic director opening last fall.

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