KEVIN O’CONNELL – Page 18 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Time Expired on Whalen Experiment

Posted on March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 by David Shama

Lindsay Whalen and Mark Coyle announced the right decision yesterday regarding Whalen stepping down as the University of Minnesota women’s basketball coach. Whalen had five seasons to make winning progress with the program and she was unable to do so.

On the street and among media there was a common view that Whalen was going to receive one more year to show she was the right coach for Minnesota. But Coyle is justified in moving on now from Whalen who had never coached before accepting the job at her alma mater.

The women’s program is capable of not only more on court success but coming closer financially to operating in the black. The program has never paid its own way, and now the disastrous season by the men’s basketball program has resulted in revenues being far less than the potential for that cash cow. Maybe Coyle, who waited too long to part ways with former men’s coach Richard Pitino and made an iffy hire in Ben Johnson, wanted to move on from Whalen and not wait a year when he could be dealing with change in the men’s program, too.

Whalen remains one of the most revered sports heroes in state history for her on-court play for the Gophers, Lynx and U.S. Olympic teams. The Hutchinson native had an emotional day yesterday and understandably chose at the last minute not to participate in a news conference with Coyle who described the departure of his coach as a mutual decision.

Maybe not. Whalen posted this on Twitter last night: “I will be ‘appearing’ and ‘showing up’ for a press conference in the near future. My sincere apologies for not being there today as I was overcome with emotion in the elevator on my way to the press conference. I am a human being.”

The season ended with a thud Wednesday afternoon. Playing in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament—a home environment in front of supporters at Target Center—Whalen’s team lost to Penn State, another bottom feeder in the league who the Gophers had defeated twice earlier in the season.

It wasn’t a pretty loss. The Gophers trailed by as many as 18 points and struggled against a full court press. Minnesota rallied late in the fourth quarter before losing, 72-67, and the team received obligatory praise for its efforts from Whalen.

The Gophers finished the season with a record of 11-19. Their regular season conference record was 4-14. That landed Whalen’s fifth Gopher team in next to last place in the Big Ten.

Not an uplifting way to recognize 50 years of women’s basketball at the U.

Since taking over the Gophers Whalen’s teams never finished above .500 in the Big Ten, with the best showing 9-9 her first season. A legendary Final Four player for the Gophers, she never coached her team to the NCAA Tournament. Whalen’s three predecessors this millennium have all been more successful by far than she has been.

Whalen will stay with the department as a special assistant to the AD through April 12, 2025. That is the date her five-year coaching contract ends. It’s not known what her compensation will be in the new role.

Starting in contract year four (was to begin next month) her base salary was to be $574,761. Most recently she earned $547,391.

Worth Noting

St. Thomas is fast earning respect and attention for its success in Division I sports. With wealthy alums and admirers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see NIL become a bigger success with the Tommies than the Gophers.

The No. 1 ranked U men’s hockey team has a talented line for the ages in freshmen Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud, and sophomore Matthew Knies, but all three could be gone to the pros next season. Cooley might be the most likely returnee, with chances greatest that Snuggerud and Knies will leave.

Former MLB umpire and St. Paul native Tim Tschida speaks to the Capital Club March 8 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com

Burl Oaks Golf Club is the Minnesota Golf Association’s Club of the Year for 2022. The Minnetrista course hosted the MGA Players’ Championship last year.

Minikahda pro Jeff Sorenson recently won the Pebble Beach ProAm at Pebble Beach and Spyglass, earning his 157^th career win in harsh conditions including cold, wind and snow.

Kaat, Carew & Oliva. Photo contributed by Marshall Tanick.

Rod Carew, Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva, a trio of Cooperstown Hall of Famers, entertained a recent crowd of about 500 at a Minnesota Breakfast Club gathering in Naples, Florida. The former Twins all played together including on the West Division championship teams of 1969 and 1970. Baseball’s efforts to speed up the game is welcome news to Carew who said he has lost interest.

Players earn a lot more now than when Carew, Kaat and Oliva played. MLB player salaries averaged a record high $4.2 million last season, per Front Office Sports.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will give a video presentation at the 2023 Minnesota Football Coaches Association Clinic. The nationally admired annual clinic will again feature Gopher coaches including P.J. Fleck. Clinic dates are March 30, 31 and April 1 with more information available at https://www.mnfootballcoaches.com/

The U Athletic Department has suites available for the upcoming football season starting at $4,500 per game. The home schedule is attractive with games that include Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Elite Ink is promoting a Kirill Kaprizov memorabilia sale that includes a signed $890 white jersey.

Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle, Gopher forwards and native Minnesotans, are two of 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award given annually to the top player in Division I women’s college hockey.

Former Gopher Jamal Mashburn Jr., now at New Mexico, leads the Mountain West in scoring at 19.4 points per game. The Lobos, led by coach Richard Pitino, are 21-9 overall but only 8-9 in league games and are questionable to make the NCAA Tournament.

Former Viking Herschel Walker is 61 today.

I am speaking to the CORES lunch group about my column and career Thursday, March 9 at the Bloomington Event Center. Reservations can be made by emailing Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

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Don’t Bet on Cook’s Future with Vikes

Posted on February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 by David Shama

Dalvin Cook has rushed for over 1,000 yards each of the last four seasons, but the 27-year-old may have played his last game for the Vikings as the club figures out how to manage the payroll. For 2023 the franchise is currently projected to be more than $24 million over the salary cap as allowed by the NFL.

A league insider told Sports Headliners he would move on from the player and what he said was an $11.8 million salary cap hit in 2022, and save $8 million in 2023. Cook is one of the more expensive running backs in the NFL and the source calls him a “luxury” that the team can no longer afford.

Cook, who has often been sidelined with injuries, has played a lot of football during his six-year pro career. He may no longer be the resource he once was. Last season he played in four more games than the year prior, but he had only 15 more carries and 14 more total rushing yards. His yards per carry of 4.4 was the lowest of his career.

Dalvin Cook photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

The importance of running backs for the more successful NFL teams isn’t what it used to be. Some clubs aren’t paying high salaries to running backs including the 2023 Super Bowl Chiefs who start a seventh-round rookie. The Vikings could replace Cook with a running back by committee approach led by veteran Alexander Mattison who is three years younger.

Vikings’ all-world receiver Justin Jefferson, now approaching his fourth season, has emerged as the bell cow on offense, replacing Cook. “He’s not the guy anymore on offense,” said the source. “It’s Jefferson, and they gotta extend Jefferson. Get a new deal for him.”

The source, who prominently worked in NFL front offices in the past and remains knowledgeable about the league, isn’t optimistic the Vikings could generate trade interest in Cook. “If you could get a third (round pick) or something for Dalvin, that would be great but I don’t think they’re going to get it, and I think they’ll end up releasing him.”

The authority, speaking in an interview this morning on condition of anonymity, sees the Vikings also moving on from veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks as they figure out the salary cap that will be set at almost $225 million per team for 2023. They could also be intent on downsizing deals with wide receiver Adam Thielen and safety Harrison Smith.

Jefferson is likely to become the NFL’s best paid wide receiver, with his cap hit perhaps reduced by receiving a large signing bonus. The Vikings are also likely to extend quarterback Kirk Cousins who in 2023 will be in the last year of his deal expected to carry a salary cap hit of about $36 million.

If Cousins isn’t offered a one-year extension, it won’t send a positive message to the 34-year-old or the team. Last season he led the offense to eight comeback victories in Minnesota’s 13-win season.

The source quoted above doesn’t buy into fan interest for sending Cousins to the 49ers for either of two inexperienced quarterbacks (Trey Lance or Brock Purdy), plus perhaps a draft choice. “I think it would weaken the Vikings because I don’t think those guys at this stage of their careers are nearly as good as Kirk,” he said.

It’s believed that by extending Cousins, the Vikings could save about $15 million with the salary cap for 2023. That’s significant for a franchise looking for creative ways to stay within the cap.

The source expects either Ejiro Evero from the Broncos or Brian Flores from the Steelers to be the new defensive coordinator. He thinks head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to continue the 3-4 defensive scheme used by fired coordinator Ed Donatell but will be anticipating more blitzing and pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Schemes, of course, can be an asset but there is also consensus the Vikings need to upgrade their defensive personnel.

That includes a new deal to keep defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson and figuring out linebacker Za’Darius Smith. Smith was an elite sacks and tackles for loss performer for the first part of the season, but a knee issue changed his productivity.

Worth Noting

Gophers All-American center John Michael Schmitz plays in the 74^th Senior Bowl Saturday and will draw evaluation from NFL teams including the Vikings. Garrett Bradbury, the Vikings’ center who missed several games last year with back problems, is a 2023 unrestricted free agent. The NFL Network will televise the Senior Bowl from Mobile, Alabama, with game time at 1:30 p.m. central.

Evan Hull, the former Maple Grove all-state running back, will also play in the Senior Bowl after choosing to leave Northwestern. As a redshirt junior last fall he rushed for 913 yards on a 1-11 Northwestern team.

In the Rivals national listing of the top 150 prep basketball prospects for the class of 2023, Gopher signee Cameron Christie from Rolling Hills, Illinois is ranked No. 140, while another shooting guard, Taison Chatman from Totino-Grace, is at No. 40. Chatman is a verbal commit to Ohio State.

The Gophers’ other 2023 signee, Dennis Evans, the 7-foot-1 center from Riverside, California, is ranked No. 11 and only one prep center is rated higher.

Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, was featured recently in a New York Times story. He is missing his rookie season while rehabbing from offseason foot injury. Author David Gardner reported Thunder coach Mark Daigneault gave Holmgren a book from a Holocaust survivor to help him cope.

Michael Fulmer, who the Twins acquired last season from the Tigers, remains an unsigned free agent after posting a 3.39 ERA with the two teams in 2022. The right-handed reliever could fill a need for the 2023 Twins but be aware left-handed hitters hit .337 against him last season while he held right-handed batters to a .188 average, per stats from Baseballreference.com.

Former Minnesota slugger Miguel Sano, released by the Twins last year, seems like a potential fit in Japanese baseball but is still hoping to catch the interest of an MLB team.

Cory Provus, Twins radio play-by-play voice who stays busy in the baseball offseason working football and basketball games for the Big Ten Network, is the latest guest on the Behind the Game public access TV program with co-hosts Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson. The Chicago native, who has been with the Twins since 2012, is a graduate of the renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C10RLkOnMQ

Jack Larson, the longtime GM at Xcel Energy Center, is no longer in that role, with Jim Ibister the interim replacement.

I am speaking to the CORES lunch group Thursday, March 9 at the Bloomington Event Center. Organizer Jim Dotseth will be sending out a meeting notification to past CORES attendees later in the month. Reservations can be made by emailing dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Randy Shaver, the KARE-11 news anchor and former sportscaster with the station, has been tireless in efforts to encourage funding for cancer research including through high school football games (Tackle Cancer). His annual Rush to the Cure event will be June 4 and 5. https://randyshavercancerfund.org/events/rush-creek-golf-classic-gala/

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Grass Field Likely X-Factor for Vikings

Posted on January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by David Shama

The Soldier Field playing surface will be a focus Sunday in Chicago where the Vikings will try to not only win and improve their playoff seeding against the 3-13 Bears but avoid injuries to key players and ensure their availability in the postseason.

The safety of the natural grass surface was harshly criticized in August by the president of the National Football League Players Association. Then shortly before the season began new sod was installed, switching from Kentucky blue grass to Bermuda grass.

The Vikings are more than aware they’re likely to be playing on a slippery surface Sunday at the multipurpose stadium owned by the Chicago Park District. When players can’t maintain their balance, they’re even more vulnerable to injury in the violent game of football. “Yeah, 100 percent,” said T.J. Hockenson.

With new sod and months of use in varying weather conditions, the Vikings’ tight end anticipates a “pretty bad” playing surface Sunday when he and other starters hope to avoid misfortune. Does he consider the field dangerous?

“You just never know,” Hockenson said. “I think it probably could be dangerous if you look at it that way. You just have to make sure you’ve got your feet under you and you’re ready to go.”

Vikings’ wide receiver Adam Thielen said pregame field conditions can be deceiving, with things changing once the game starts. “I think it’s just going to have to be something (Sunday) where you just have to figure it out on the fly.”

The Vikings played on a natural surface last Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and had difficulty with their footing. “Yeah, for sure,” Hockenson said. “The grass in Lambeau wasn’t very good. It was fine in warmups and then once we got out there (to start the game) it was not good at all. It was just a learning experience for everybody and we’ll be ready to go this week.”

Many Vikings are expected to wear shoes with extra cleats at Soldier Field. A shoe with seven cleats provides extra bite into the grass. Thielen made the switch during the Green Bay game. “…It was perfect and once I put those bad boys on, it felt great.”

Worth Noting

Kevin O’Connell photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Kevin O’Connell is a rookie head coach as he prepares to lead his Vikings into the playoffs. But lessons learned about a year ago as Rams offensive coordinator, when that team delivered a Super Bowl win, should be helpful.

Minnesota offensive coordinator Wes Phillips also had a valuable experience with the Rams while serving as the team’s passing game coordinator/tight ends coach. Viking quarterbacks coach Chris O’Hara was an offensive assistant with the Rams during their big season.

The 12-4 Vikings are 2-2 in their last four games and have an opportunity to win their first NFC North Division road game of the season on Sunday in Chicago. The January 8 regular season game is the latest in franchise history.

The Bears lead the NFL in rushing yards per game at 181. The Bears were held to 88 yards rushing when Minnesota defeated Chicago 29-22 earlier in the season. The Vikings rank No. 20 in rushing yards given up.

A coaching authority and Sports Headliners reader suggested the 3-4 base defense adopted by the Vikings this season is vulnerable to outside runs because defenders more easily lose containment.

O’Connell, talking recently about his rookie defensive lineman and former Gopher Esezi Otomewo: “His energy and athleticism shows up. He’s flying around out there, has shown to be incredibly coachable for a young player as he gets more and more snaps.”

Ryan Connelly, the Vikings’ practice squad linebacker who played at Eden Prairie High School, will be a free agent later this year. He told Sports Headliners going to the Canadian Football League to play doesn’t interest him. His salary is $317,000 this season, per Overthecap.com.

It just could be the injuries situation for the football Gophers coming out of their bowl win over Syracuse is worse than reported.

Former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill has agreed to a contract that keeps him with New Mexico State through 2027.

Former Twin Nelson Cruz, 42, had eye surgery this offseason and is on the market as a free agent. He hit .294 for the Twins in 2021 but .234 for the Nationals last season.

Probably no Twins interest in Cruz, but the front office is known to sign veteran pitchers. Right hander Zack Greinke, 39, is available after pitching 137 innings last season for the Royals with a 3.68 ERA.

Classy Barry Fritz, the only crew supervisor of off-ice officials the Wild has ever had, will retire after this season. Fritz, who turns 77 in February, has never missed a home game while overseeing statistics and press box responsibilities of the support personnel. He also worked for many years as a Twins official scorer.

Former Wild executive Bill Robertson, now commissioner of the USHL, hired Fritz in 1999. “Mr. Barry Fritz is one of the most organized and detailed people I have ever worked with and always does it with a smile on his face,” Robertson wrote via email. “He has a can-do attitude every day at the rink or ballpark. He was so easy to work with on every level and always looked out for his support crew.”

There’s talk the NCAA may expand “March Madness” from 68 to 90 teams. If so, most of the Big Ten teams will be in the tournament.

Star Tribune columnists Patrick Reusse and Chip Scoggins speak to the Capital Club January 18 starting about 7:30 a.m. at Mendakota Country Club. The two collaborated on the recent book Tales from the Minnesota Sports Beat: A Lifetime on Deadline. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com

Boys basketball high school coaching legend and community leader Larry McKenzie speaks to the CORES lunch group January 12 at the Bloomington Event Center. McKenzie coached teams at Henry and North to six state tournament titles in 10 appearances. For reservations contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

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