Golden Gophers – Page 404 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on June 21, 2012June 22, 2012 by David Shama

When retiring Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi cleaned out his office it must have been a big job. “I threw away more stuff than you can imagine,” he said. “I am a pack saver and I saved everything. If you had sent me an evil note I had it. I don’t know why I did. …”

The Bruce Smith Golf Classic at Faribault Golf Club that Maturi attended Monday is named after the Gophers only Heisman Trophy winner, Bruce Smith. The tournament began in 1975 and benefitted the University of Minnesota’s Williams Fund. Since 1990 event’s proceeds have been given to three Faribault schools.

Smith, who grew up in Faribault and won the Heisman in 1941, is deceased but his son Scott represented his father on Monday. General chair for the tournament is Bruce Krinke and board members include former Gophers wrestler Dave Henry.

Faribault native Seth Helgeson, who will be a senior for the Gophers next season, said junior forward Nick Bjugstad is quiet about whether he will turn pro or return to the team. Bjugstad will be one of college hockey’s premier goal scorers next season if he doesn’t sign with Florida.

Helgeson said teammates communicate with Bjugstad daily. He described Bjugstad as a humble player who “loves” college and his teammates. “You wouldn’t know he’s going through all this stuff right now,” Bjugstad said. “He’s going through a hard time. There’s pressures out there. I think he knows we’re behind him. He knows that we want him back and I think that maybe that’s a little extra motivation for him to come back.”

The Gophers came within one game this year of playing for the national championship. With most of the team returning, ambitions are high. “I think we could do something special,” Helgeson said. “I think we could repeat what we did last year and maybe go beyond. Going to the Frozen Four and losing to Boston College was a little motivation for next year.”

The Wild, with lagging fan interest and a losing team, face a big draft tomorrow. The franchise needs goal scorers and perhaps came close to making a trade in recent weeks for Minnesota’s first round choice, the No. 7 pick in the draft. The Wild also have draft choices in rounds 2-7.

The draft will be at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The first round starts at 6 p.m. Minnesota time on Friday with the remaining rounds on Saturday. The first round will be televised by NBC Sports Network and Saturday’s rounds can be seen on the NHL Network.

Vikings all-pro defensive end Jared Allen is attending the team’s mini-camp practices this week after missing the recent volunteer Organized Training Activities. Fans may remember, though, that Allen chose to miss OTA’s last year and set a franchise record with 22 sacks, nearly besting the NFL’s record of 22.5 by Michael Strahan. Allen said this week he thinks someone can get 25 sacks in one season.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Nebraska coach Tim Miles offered scholarships this week to 2014 high school seniors Tyus Jones (Apple Valley), Rashad Vaughn (Cooper) and Reid Travis (DeLaSalle). Jones has earned a roster spot on theUSA 17 and under national team that will compete this summer in the world tournament, according to Lien.

Frank White told Sports Headliners the “media has blown out of proportion” the subject of his grandson Royce White flying on airplanes. “He’s been flying since he was 10 years old,” Frank said.

Flying isn’t his grandson’s favorite activity but Frank said last summer Royce accompanied his Iowa State teammates on a trip to Italy and routinely flew on airplanes during the Cyclones’ 2011-2012 season. The two Whites went by car to the Iowa State-Kentucky NCAA tournament game in March because Royce wanted to be at his best and had some anxiety about flying.

The flying issue has followed White during tryouts with NBA teams and likely will be part of NBA draft coverage next week when the former Hopkins High School all-state forward is expected to be selected during the first round.

A private memorial service for George Chapple (Dark Star) was held Monday night at Interlachen Country Club with more than 200 friends in attendance including out- of-towners. Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse emceed and several speakers paid tribute to the former WCCO Radio personality. Included among the speakers was Kansas City baseball announcer Ryan Lefebvre who telephoned Chapple after every Royals game, according to a Sports Headliners source.

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Magazines Predict Cellar for U Football

Posted on June 15, 2012June 15, 2012 by David Shama

Two of the first college football magazines on the newsstands predict the Gophers will finish last in the Big Ten’s Legends Division.

Lindy’s Sports College Football Preview offers a couple of cynical views about the Gophers. The publication reports the good news is adults will be able to buy beer at TCF Bank Stadium this year. Not so good is the “Gophers need something in the stands to distract fans from the action on the field.”

Phil Steele’s College 2012 Preview also acknowledges Minnesota’s likelihood of last place in the Legends Division — just like last season — but describes the Gophers as a “much improved squad.” Steele is a workaholic football authority who after studying the Gophers voices this optimism: “Three of my nine sets of power ratings call for the Gophers to achieve bowl eligibility and that gives them a shot at escaping the basement.”

Lindy’s agrees the Gophers, with improved talent and speed, could contend for a “lower tier bowl game.” Neither publication includes any Gophers players among the best in the Big Ten Conference, and both view Indiana — forecast for last place in the Leaders Division — as the only team in the conference worse than Minnesota.

The predictions for the Gophers this summer by national publications like Lindy’s and Steele’s won’t surprise most Minnesota fans. Not after a 3-9 season last year, the same as in 2010.

It’s the long term view that inspires more optimism among Gophers fans. I’ve followed every Gophers football coach going back to Murray Warmath, and other than Lou Holtz none impressed media and fans in their first two years as much as Jerry Kill.

This week a friend who is passionate about the Gophers said: ‘If Kill doesn’t become a success coaching the Gophers, I will run naked down the Nicollet Mall.”

If the Gophers don’t lose key players to injuries (hello, MarQueis Gray) they could improve last season’s overall record even if the wins and losses are no better in the Big Ten. Minnesota needs to sweep its nonconference games starting at UNLV on August 30, playing a Rebels program Steele reports has one winning season in the last 17. Then come home nonleague games against New Hampshire, Western Michigan and Syracuse. All winnable, but no cinches.

Last year the Gophers were 2-6 in the Big Ten. On the league schedule are three teams —Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan State— Steele ranks among his 12 national surprise teams for 2012. Then, too, the Gophers must play Michigan, a popular choice to win the Big Ten championship. Minnesota might have to scrap to find two league wins among games against Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern and Illinois.

Looks like a 7-5 season at best, 4-8 at worst.

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Worth Noting

Posted on June 15, 2012June 15, 2012 by David Shama

Wondering what the football Gophers do best? Well, Lindy’s Sports College Football 2012 Preview has an answer. The publication lists the “Five Best Rivalry Trophies”…and guess what? Minnesota is the only program to appear on the list twice. Here are the top three: Floyd of Rosedale —Iowa vs. Minnesota. The Jeweled Shillelagh — USC vs. Notre Dame. Paul Bunyan’s Axe —Minnesota vs. Wisconsin.

New Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague starts work on Monday and a media photo-op is scheduled for that morning.

Former Cretin-Derham Hall head football coach Rich Kallok, more recently an assistant with the program, said he’s not sure if he will be on the staff this season. Kallok has had three hip replacements and also back problems. Two years ago he coached linebackers for the Raiders.

Raiders senior running back James Onwualu, who verbally committed to Notre Dame, is likely to be a wide receiver with the Irish, said Kallok who recently celebrated his 45^th wedding anniversary with wife Sue.

Will the Timberwolves choose 7-foot North Carolina center Tyler Zeller with the No. 18 pick in the upcoming NBA draft? Jim Dutcher, the former Gophers coach, believes Zeller can play in the NBA for many seasons.

“He’s very competitive and a good low post scorer,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners. “He shoots the turnaround and has some good inside scoring moves.”

Not long ago Nbadraft.net projected Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters as the Wolves’ first round selection on June 28. However, Waiters is now predicted to be the No. 11 choice in the draft going to Portland.

The Wolves drafted Syracuse shooting guard Wes Johnson two years ago and he’s been a major disappointment. Dutcher said the Wolves have given Johnson more playing time than he’s earned because he was a No. 1 draft choice. “They’re playing him so they don’t look bad,” Dutcher said.

Former Hopkins star Royce White is projected to be drafted No. 24 by Cleveland. The 6-foot-8 White is likely to be a small forward in the NBA and there are doubts about his outside shooting but Dutcher believes that might not be a problem.

The Twins continue a run against National League teams tonight when the Brewers come to town. Many baseball fans don’t know that when the San Francisco Giants were the New York Giants the National League franchise had intentions of moving to Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Millers were a Giants farm team in the 1950s and the Giants were drawing small crowds in the dilapidated Polo Grounds. The Millers’ new stadium, Metropolitan Stadium, was to become the new home of the Giants but following the 1957 season Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley convinced Giants owner Horace Stoneham to move their franchises to California.

Nationally known Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker’s son Steve passed away this spring at age 52.

The Twins lost their first series since May 25-27 against the Tigers when the Phillies took two of three games from Minnesota this week.

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe has hit 11 home runs in his last 21 games. Catcher Joe Mauer leads the team in multi-hit games and has four in eight games this month.

Tennis historian and author Jim Holden notes when Forest Lake’s Dusty Boyer won his fourth state Class 2A singles title earlier this month he broke a tie with Rochester legends Dave Healey and Chuck Darley. Boyer defeated Eden Prairie’s Scott Elsass for the championship. Both players are headed to Nebraska to play college tennis. Holden is the author of Tennis in the Northland, a comprehensive history of boys high school tennis in Minnesota.

Finishing among the top 100 Division III schools nationally in the final Learfield Sports Directors Cup standings are St. Thomas at No. 8, Gustavus No. 39, St. Olaf, No. 41 and Concordia, No. 80. The MIAC (with 10) was one of only five conferences in the nation to place 10 or more schools in the standings.

Dave Wright, former Saint Paul Saints media relations director and local author, has been named sports information director at Hamline after filling the position on an interim basis.

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