Golden Gophers – Page 82 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Can Twins Create Wow in NY Series?

Posted on June 7, 2022June 7, 2022 by David Shama

Starting tonight the Twins have a three-game home series against the Yankees, probably the best team in baseball. The series will be the biggest challenge yet for the surprising Twins who lead the AL Central Division with a 32-24 record and are 4.5 games up on the second place Guardians.

Winning two of three against the mighty Yankees would be the best credibility development yet for the Twins who finished last in the division in 2021. Is Minnesota a playoff contender that can hang with the Yankees? Or is this year’s Twins club a pretender that has improved but also benefitted from a comfy schedule?

It’s r-e-s-p-e-c-t when talking about the Yankees who have won six straight and have MLB’s best record at 39-15. As every follower of Abner Doubleday’s game knows, pitching dictates success and New York’s is lights out this season.

The Yankees have the best team ERA in the majors, 2.74. New York has given up the fewest runs (156) among all 30 clubs. The Yanks’ runs differential of +102 is second best to the Dodgers (the Twins’ are +27).

New York’s starting pitching staff has a gaudy 2.55 ERA. While the Twins have yet to announce their starter for tonight, the Yankees will use Jameson Tallion. In his last start he pitched seven perfect innings against the Angels before allowing a lead-off double in the eighth. Tallion is 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA.

Wednesday the Yankees will go with Nestor Cortes (5-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. Minnesota’s Chris Archer (0-2, 3.89). The series finale Thursday matches Gerrit Cole (5-1, 2.78) vs. Dylan Bundy (3-3, 5.57.)

The Yankees lead the majors in home runs, partially because of 21 from Aaron Judge who is on pace to hit more than 60. In the team’s recent 6-0 homestand New York out-scored opponents 38-7!

Worth Noting

The Yankees won in extra innings Sunday against the Tigers on former Twin Josh Donaldson’s sac fly. He is hitting a lowly .229 with five home runs. Ex-Twin Aaron Hicks is struggling, too, with a .213 average.

If the Twins were a stock, today could be a savvy time to sell. While dealing with COVID, plus injuries to key personnel and inconsistent performance, Minnesota is 3-5 in its eight games. Not only are the Yankees immediately ahead on the schedule, but also the Rays, 31-23, come to town this weekend.

If the Twins miss the playoffs—or exit in a hurry from the postseason—the results won’t set well with fans. A Sports Headliners reader recently emailed a critical assessment: “In many ways they are the classic Minnesota pro sports team—rarely bad, never great, always kinda hovering in the middle with an occasional year of breaking through a bit and (offering) hope. Then occasionally playing in the playoffs and being kicked to the curb by other teams who really have serious (pitching) talent.”

The reader pointed out the Twins were last in the World Series in 1991, while all the other Central Division clubs have been to the Fall Classic more recently. He also wrote that while the Twins are working on a 0-18 playoff record since 2002, his research shows the Tigers have won 25 post season games, the Royals 22, the Guardians 16 and White Sox 14.

Timberwolves CEO Ethan Casson recently talked about the growing ticket buying interest in the team. “We sold more single game tickets this year than we ever have in the history of the franchise,” he told Sports Headliners.

Interest is carrying over to new sales for the 2022-2023 season. “…We’re top five in the NBA today in total new season tickets sold for next year,” he said last week.

Casson declined to provide specific totals about new and past season tickets. He acknowledged sales have been “significantly down” in recent seasons because of the pandemic and disappointing team performance.

Who replaces Dave Benz as TV play-by-play voice of the Wolves? Casson said the selection will be “driven” by Bally Sports.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if the choice is a female broadcaster? Is longtime Wolves courtside reporter Marney Gellner interested?

New Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez considers this a basketball town and said fans are “starving for winning and stability.” He told Sports Headliners the organization is dedicated to making this a model franchise in every way. A place where the vision, capital and resources convince players they want to be here.

“I understand what it takes to be a champion,” he said. “I understand…(what) champions look like. I also understand that it is very, very difficult to win. …”

Mike Nowakowski from Ticket King said recently the hottest ticket for an upcoming event in town is the June 11 Eric Church concert at U.S. Bank Stadium. Floor seats were selling for $250 each late last week.

The basketball Gophers have players settling into dorms this week. Next week team practice with the coaches begins.

Reid Travis, the DeLaSalle alum, has played pro basketball in Japan the last two years.

Minnesota hockey authority Lou Nanne told Sports Headliners the “only chance” the Wild has to retain restricted free agent forward Kevin Fiala is to move on from defenseman Matt Dumba and his reported salary of about $5.2 million. The guess here is that without Dumba and some tweaks to the payroll, the team salary cap can work allowing a new deal for Fiala.

It’s a direction Nanne would go if the former North Stars president was running the Wild. A gifted playmaker, Fiala was second on the team in points during the regular season. “I think Dumba is easier to replace than Fiala,” Nanne said.

Tongue-in-cheek offseason advice from Nanne to Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild’s gifted scorer: “Stay healthy.”

Tony Sanneh, the former international soccer star and founder of The Sanneh Foundation, is the latest guest on the “Behind the Game” TV show. He talked about his path from youth soccer in his native St. Paul to being a key contributor for the United States in the World Cup, and also his foundation’s work to improve lives and opportunities for Twin Cities youth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVztKwZ5gYc

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Glen Mason: Marion Barber a ‘Delight’

Posted on June 5, 2022June 5, 2022 by David Shama

Glen Mason remembers the last time he saw Marion Barber III. It was not long after Barber retired following the 2012 NFL season and he was back in town.

Over the years Barber called his former Gopher coach and this time he wanted to have dinner. Barber was thinking of moving back to Minnesota where his parents and siblings lived.

Mason said to come over to his house for dinner. Barber, who didn’t drink alcohol, arrived with an expensive bottle of champagne. He insisted Mason drink the whole bottle, while it was at its bubbly-best that evening.

“I am not a big drinker,” Mason told Sports Headliners Friday. “I got half shit-faced. I mean he was laughing at me. He said, ‘Coach, you’re slurring your words.’ I said, Marion, it’s your fault.”

Police from Frisco, Texas found Barber, age 38, dead in his apartment several days ago. Media reports are police were at the apartment as part of a wellness check but the cause of death hasn’t been publicized.

Barber had been detained by police in Texas in 2014 and given a mental health evaluation. The online Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported recently that a year ago former Dallas Cowboys teammate Dez Bryant tweeted that “he’s down and out bad.”

After leaving the Gophers and Mason following the 2004 season, Barber became a key contributor as a running back for the Cowboys. He played six seasons with Dallas, then finished up his pro career playing for the Chicago Bears.

Mason, who was Minnesota’s head coach from 1997-2006, believes the last time he talked by phone with Barber was about 18 months ago. He wanted to fly down to Texas, show up at Barber’s door and the two could spend time together. Mason didn’t know specifically what Barber’s issues were, but he was aware there were problems.

The coach was aggressive about arranging a visit but Barber pushed back and said he was busy. “Well, after I did that, any time I called him, he didn’t take my call and he didn’t return my call,” Mason remembered.

Most of the world, including in Minnesota, knows Barber’s name as a football player. Mason, who saw Barber almost every day from 2001-2004, will tell you that as good as the former All-Big Ten running back was on the field, he was a better person.

“The kid was a delight. When I thought of Marion Barber I did not think of him as the football player. I thought of him as the kid walking down the hall.

“He was kind of shy. …I wouldn’t say he was a class clown but he was kind of a practical joker. He’d give you a laugh all the time.

“Everybody liked Marion. Over a four-year period, he didn’t give me one minute (of a) problem. He never did anything wrong. I don’t know of a player I liked more than Marion Barber.”

About a month ago Mason was down in Florida and encountered Bill Parcells, Barber’s first head coach with the Cowboys. The Pro Football Hall of Fame coach told Mason that Barber was one of his favorite players. “That guy knew how to play football,” Parcells said.

Barber played high school football at Wayzata before attending Minnesota. Younger brothers Dom and Thomas followed Marion to the Gophers. Their father, Marion Barber Junior, was a great running back for Minnesota in the late 1970s.

It was suggested to Mason the family’s legacy at the University of Minnesota is unique—that the Barbers are the first family of Golden Gophers football. “All contributors, all-stars in their own right. I can’t think of a (comparable college football) program,” Mason said.

Mason revels in telling the story of how Barber came to his program. Although a successful running back and defensive back at Wayzata, there was minimal interest from college coaches. “Really no one was recruiting him, no big schools including us,” Mason recalled.

Mason lived within a short drive of Wayzata High School so he was aware of Marion. Another connection to the Barber family was that in the 1970s Mason was an assistant coach at Illinois when the Illini were recruiting Marion Jr.

As the recruiting period in 2001 was drawing to a close Mason questioned his staff about whether a scholarship should be offered to young Marion as a defensive back. Mason received push back from the staff and one assistant asked what made the boss believe Barber could play defensive back in the Big Ten. Mason answered because Barber was the one defender who intercepted Cretin-Derham Hall quarterback Joe Mauer.

Mason brought Barber to campus and offered him a scholarship—as a defensive back. No, thanks.

Barber insisted he was a runner and declined the offer.

A few weeks later Mason encountered Marion Jr. and inquired if his son had college offers cooking. The answer was no, so the persistent Gopher coach called Marion III and again offered a scholarship as a defensive back. “If you’ve got any sense you’ll take it,” he told Barber.

This time Barber accepted but the teenager soon showed his own persistence to Mason. While still in high school, Barber called and asked for a meeting.

He had a proposal. Let him play running back for his first season at Minnesota and if it didn’t work out he would be willing to play any position for the Gophers. Mason figured why not accept the deal because Barber wasn’t going to see the field anyway in his first year with the program.

But months later, at the first day of practice, the freshman running back was making an impression. After about 30 minutes running backs coach Vic Adamle told Mason the coaches had misjudged Barber and “this kid is good.”

Mason won’t take credit for how Barber surprised everyone from the start of his college career. “We gave a kid a chance mainly because his dad was a player here. If you can’t take care of your own, then shame on you. He did it all on his own and proved everybody wrong.”

Mason, whose previous head coaching stops also included Kent State and Kansas, can’t say exactly why Barber was misjudged out of high school and was so special immediately in college. He has a theory, though, that for whatever reason many Minnesota prep football players are late developers. He saw this prove out over and over again at the U, including with offensive linemen.

Barber ranks fifth all-time in rushing yards at Minnesota with 3,276. His 35 rushing touchdowns rank second and his 575 career carries are seventh. He made first-team All-Big Ten in 2003.

He and Laurence Maroney were the first pair of NCAA running backs to each produce 1,000 yard seasons in consecutive years on the same team. After Barber ran for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Cowboys in 2007 he was selected for the Pro Bowl.

Barber deserves a place among the best U running backs ever. No one might have run harder, had more determination. Yet he could be shifty with a burst of speed, too. He also excelled as a pass receiver and the Gophers sometimes used him as a slot receiver to put both he and Maroney on the field at the same time. “He was just a tremendous running back,” Mason said.

With a love of contact, ferocious might be the word best describing Barber’s running style. “Strong, bruising runner,” Mason said. “I think it got to the point where people knew if you’re going to play Minnesota you better buckle it on. …”

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Twins Winning But No ‘Cartwheels’ Yet

Posted on May 24, 2022 by David Shama

With a 26-16 record and 4.5 game lead in the American League’s Central Division, the Twins are one of baseball’s surprise teams after completing about 25 percent of the 162-game schedule.

Minnesota has won five straight and is 22-9 since April 21. The Twins, who finished last in the division in 2021, are 14-8 at home and 12-8 on the road. Minnesota is 13-3 against division opponents, 6-5 versus the AL East, 7-6 against the West and 0-2 versus the National League.

Despite early success club president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners recently he’s not going overboard. “It’s a long season. Nobody is doing cartwheels or doing victory dances yet.”

The Twins have dominated division opponents and can build on that now. They swept the Royals in a road series last weekend and play only division games thru June 2, including a home-stand against the Tigers that started last night with a ninth inning win, 5-4. Minnesota had an improbable comeback win in Kansas City Sunday, rallying from a 6-0 deficit for a 7-6 victory. It was the kind of win that is often part of a championship season.

Yes, the Twins’ schedule hasn’t been daunting. The Central Division is no powerhouse, although the White Sox were ranked among baseball’s most talented clubs before the season. The Sox, who the Twins swept in their only series so far, are one of four teams on the Minnesota schedule with a winning record currently. The Twins lost all three games to the Astros, went 0-2 against the Dodgers and won two of three versus the Rays.

Probably most impressive has been the consistent defensive performance. The Twins don’t falter much in the field and beat themselves. With regularity Minnesota fielders make pivotal and sometimes spectacular plays. The stellar defense starts with a middle core at catcher, shortstop, second base and center field. Most rivals can’t match Minnesota’s defensive personnel in that group.

The hitting has been spotty and at times the Twins struggle to score but that has been a problem for most MLB clubs. Speculation about a less lively baseball, the impact of a shortened spring training and unfavorable weather are all subjects offered up to explain the production drought in the majors. Still, the Twins have done more than many clubs with timely hitting and their lineup includes Byron Buxton who is among the league leaders in home runs and Luis Arraez is hitting a nifty .349 with a .876 OPS.

The Twins appeared almost desperate for pitching help before the season but overall results from both starters and relievers is exceeding expectations. “Some of our pitchers have had success,” St. Peter said. “Some of our pitchers have had some struggles but we think that there is more depth here.

“And the good news is I think we’re really excited about the young core that we’re developing. Some of those guys are already at the big league level; some are fast approaching the big leagues, whether they be at Double A or St. Paul (Triple A). So we like our chances of having more of a home grown pitching staff. That’s always the goal and I think we’re positioning ourselves for that in 2023 and beyond.”

In 2021 the Twins were coming off a season-shortened 2020 when they won their division. Expectations were high but the Twins finished with a 73-89 record. There was pessimism during the summer the local favorites were headed toward a major rebuild of the roster and could be a losing team in coming seasons.

Dave St. Peter (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

St. Peter, front office leaders Derek Falvey, Thad Levine and manager Rocco Baldelli made an assessment. “We talked openly and honestly about the state of our system,” St. Peter said. “Where our major league team was and where our farm system was, and where we were. Ultimately within the construct of that conversation it was pretty clear that ownership, along with Derek, Thad, Rocco and others, felt like we had a path toward competing in 2022.

“And thus the plan was enacted to re-sign Byron, to sign him to an extension, and try to work over the course of the offseason to put this team in a better position to rebound from a really tough 2021. I know there was a narrative that we were going to rebuild, but that was never the focus internally.”

Worth Noting

Injuries have already forced the Twins to use many players not on the opening day roster. Technology has played a role in contributing both to injuries and their prevention in baseball and other sports. Advancements in training push the human body to extremes not known in the past, while medical diagnostics provides accurate analysis regarding injuries. The result is injuries sidelining players today that wouldn’t have done so decades ago.

With an injury comes caution from the player, his agent and team. “Players are not encouraged to play through injury like I think they once were,” St. Peter said.

Mike Grant talking about his father Bud Grant who turned 95 last Friday: “Everything that has gone on in his life, he remembers every one, and he remembers everything. That’s a real blessing to have that, you know.”

Former University of Minnesota regent Michael Hsu, a leading proponent of monetization for college athletes, attended a Washington D.C. symposium last week featuring three panel discussions. The topics: unionization, Name, Image and Likeness, and a college athletes bill of rights.

The Sack Symposium is named after Allen Sack, a national expert in the college sports culture. Sack was a backup tackle at Notre Dame to former Vikings’ great Alan Page. Sack’s college roommate, former U athletic director Joel Maturi, also attended the symposium.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he is open to retiring Kevin Garnett’s jersey. Garnett has been critical of Taylor but the owner says the organization is open at anytime to honoring the NBA hall of famer and has extended past invitations. “So we’re leaving that up to him,” Taylor said. “But I would be as nice and helpful to him as I would be (to) anybody. It’s kind of on him right now.”

The Gophers, averaging 2,899 per home date, finished No. 7 in attendance among the nation’s Division I wrestling programs this year, according to figures from the National Wrestling Media Association. Minnesota has been top 10 in attendance since 2002.

Iowa led all programs, averaging a capacity 14,905 in its arena. That’s a record for the Hawkeyes who have been national attendance leaders since 2007, per NWMA.

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