KEVIN O’CONNELL – Page 2 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Impatience with McCarthy by Fans, Media Wrong Approach

Posted on October 12, 2025October 12, 2025 by David Shama

The status of Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is an obsession with fans and some media. Correction: it’s even more fanatical than that.

The questions are ongoing. They could be rattled off at the nearest sports bar or your neighbor’s garage:

When will McCarthy play again?

Will coach Kevin O’Connell make him the starter, or will he stay with veteran Carson Wentz?

Is McCarthy ready to perform this fall at a high level after struggling in the first two games of the season?

Will he fulfill the dreams of fans to become the franchise quarterback for the next decade?

How significant still is the ankle sprain McCarthy suffered in the second game of the season against the Falcons?

Whoa. Slow down.

Folks want all the answers right now about the 22-year-old. Understandable in the win now world of fans and the reactionary approach to the latest circumstances on the field or off.

But take a deep breath.

What the unproven McCarthy does or doesn’t accomplish this season won’t be the final chapter of his NFL life. He could play at a high level in 2025, or mediocre, or bomb out.

However, there will be more chapters in his football story.

To elaborate on that point, look at the history of three quarterbacks who were in O’Connell’s gun sights in the last 10 months. Neither Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones or Aaron Rodgers had sustained immediate success in the NFL.

The Vikings experienced a 14-3 season in 2024, with much of the success because of the career best performance by Darnold who had been a journeyman quarterback. Behind Darnold on the quarterback depth chart late in the season was Jones who had failed in his tenure with the Giants and was released by that club. The Vikings also had offseason interest in Rodgers who long ago was eased into the NFL before he ever became a starter.

Darnold was unsuccessful during six prior seasons with other NFL teams before he joined the Vikings. He resurrected his career in his first and only season with the Vikings. The Sporting News and Professional Football Writers Association of America both named him league Comeback Player of the Year for his 2024 performance that included career highs in several passing categories. Now with the Seahawks, he is among the league’s passing leaders with a rating of 114.8.

O’Connell found Jones an intriguing talent. But Jones decided during the last offseason to accept an offer from the Colts where he won the starter competition from Anthony Richardson. Jones’ time so far in Indy has been head turning for both him and the team. He has an impressive career best rating of 105.1 and the Colts are off to a surprising 4-1 start to the season. He has credited his brief time with the Vikings helping to improve his performance.

Rodgers, 41, has contributed significantly to a 3-1 start by the Steelers. The future Hall of Famer is with his third NFL team now having spent most of his career with the Packers. The Green Bay quarterback development formula is not to rush quarterbacks. Rodgers sat behind Hall of Famer Brett Favre for three seasons before starting. The Packers used the same approach with now starter Jordan Love who watched and learned from Rodgers for three seasons.

Darnold and Rodgers would have commanded sizeable contracts to play for the Vikings. Jones’ deal at a reported $14 million is a lot more than the Vikings are paying McCarthy and Wentz. It’s also less than Darnold would have wanted to stay here, and perhaps comparable to a Rodgers Vikings contract. Not sinking a lot of money into the quarterback payroll has allowed the Vikings to spend more on other positions in the last offseason.

Those assets, including in the offensive line, resulted in high expectations for the team and McCarthy going into the season. But O’Connell and GM Kwesi-Adofo Mensah have gambled they can win now with McCarthy, rather than employing Darnold, Jones or Rodgers.

Regardless of final results this season, no one should issue a verdict that pretends to know whether McCarthy can find success in the NFL. That answer can only come over time and requires waiting with patience.

Baseball Notes

A valued Sports Headliners source, knowledgeable about MLB, believes David Ross is the best choice to succeed Rocco Baldelli as Twins’ manager. Ross managed the Cubs from 2020 to 2023 with a highlight being a Central Division title in 2020.

The source said Ross has a “terrific baseball IQ.” He also said the former big league catcher is skilled at developing young talent.

Ross, who has made it known he wants to manage again, played for legendary manager Joe Maddon with the Cubs and has worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN. The 48-year-old’s media experience would be an extra bonus to his hire by the Twins.

It’s suggested that the Twins hire a manager and assemble a staff with proven skills in helping players achieve and maintain success. Find teachers who excel at knowing fundamentals, communication, and motivation. This approach makes sense because the Twins have intriguing prospects, are in a rebuild, and have a history of seeing young talent flame out.

The source mentioned above endorsed the firing of Baldelli, believing the skipper had “lost control” of the pitching staff. His view is the starters thought Baldelli didn’t have confidence in them.

The source is also not an admirer of Derek Falvey being president of both the Twins business and baseball operations. “It’s too hard,” he said about trying to do both jobs.

Here’s a list of recent Twins alumni now playing for teams who qualified for the 2025 postseason: Toronto: Louie Varland; Seattle: Mitch Garver and Jorge Polanco; Philadelphia: Jhoan Duran, Max Kepler and Harrison Bader; Los Angeles Dodgers: Ben Rortvedt; Chicago Cubs: Caleb Thielbar; San Diego: Luis Arraez.

Minneapolis-based attorney and local sports historian Marshall Tanick reminded Twins fans last week that on October 6 it was 60 years prior that Sandy Koufax, the best pitcher in baseball, sat out Game One of the World Series against the Twins because of Yom Kippur. A Brooklyn-born Jew, the Hall of Fame lefty was excused by the Dodgers in observance of the Jewish Day of Atonement in 1965. Don Drysdale started instead, with the Twins winning the game 8-2.

Koufax started Game Two but was the losing pitcher in another Twins win. The Dodgers, though, went on to win the World Series in seven games, with Koufax shutting out Minnesota in the finale. See Tanick’s article in the Minneapolis Times, https://minneapolistimes.com/60-years-ago-baseballs-sandy-koufax-made-history-here/

Isaac Asuma, the sophomore from Cherry, Minnesota who figures to be a key contributor to the Golden Gophers basketball team this season, told Sports Headliners his brother Noah is steadfast in his commitment to play baseball at the U. A future shortstop, the Cherry High School senior has drawn interest from pro scouts.

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J.J. McCarthy Start Prompts Recollection of Bud Grant Wisdom

Posted on September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 by David Shama

Former Vikings head coach Bud Grant used to say throwing accuracy ranked very high among attributes for a quarterback. A big arm might dazzle but without being able to throw the football on target, a quarterback is in trouble.

In two games of J.J. McCarthy’s debut season as the Vikings starting quarterback, he has frequently missed open receivers. He has thrown passes short of receivers, landing the football in the ground. Despite having one of the NFL’s most explosive receivers in J.J. Jefferson, seldom have the Vikings asked McCarthy to throw long. An exception came last Sunday when McCarthy missed a wide-open Jalen Nailor on a deep throw.

And so McCarthy’s brief but collective work prompts asking whether the Vikings, including head coach Kevin O’Connell, trust his accuracy.

The 22-year-old former first round draft pick, who has thrown three interceptions in eight quarters, has a completion percentage of 58.5 that ranks near the bottom among NFL quarterbacks. His QBR, which measures not only passing but performance aspects such as rushing, turnovers, penalties and more, is 20.4 and that ranks last in the league, per ESPN.com.

With McCarthy out for multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain, the watch period on the McCarthy experiment is on hold. But in the weeks, months and perhaps years ahead the answer about whether McCarthy will become an on-the-money passer will be known.

Grant went to three Super Bowls with a quarterback who couldn’t match McCarthy’s 6-3, 220-pound physique and arm strength. Fran Tarkenton, listed at 6-feet and 190 pounds, couldn’t sail the ball with some of his strong-armed peers like Joe Willie Namath but Grant built a passing game around his accuracy and athleticism. The 1975 NFL MVP played 18 years in the NFL.

BTW, the legendary Grant used to say a good coach needs three things: “a patient wife, a loyal dog, and a great quarterback, but not necessarily in that order.”

Worth Noting

The Twins finish their home schedule for 2025 on Sunday and are expected to have the lowest season attendance in Target Field history. A likely total of under 1.8 million is in sharp contrast to the glory days of the first three seasons at Target Field.

From 2010 through 2012 the Twins attracted a total of 9,168,101 fans (an average of 37,729 per game). In 2010 the Twins drew a franchise record 3,223,640 fans, followed by season attendance of 3,168,107 in 2011 and 2,776,354 in 2012.

With an unattractive product expected on the field next season, a further decline in attendance seems likely. Season tickets (or season ticket equivalents) might total in the 5,000 range after being almost five times that much when the ballpark opened.

Those who buy tickets to games next season will come to see fan favorites like Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan (presuming he isn’t traded). Patrons will also come for the ambience of Target Field and the allure of outdoor baseball on a warm and sunny day or evening.

And some fans will come to see opposing teams and players. When the lowly Senators franchise moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul for the 1961 season, fans were so thrilled to have MLB status they turned out as much to see the opposition as they did to watch the home club.

It’s “back to the future” for the Twins.

Are you waiting for the day when a college athletic director fires the football coach after the first game of the season? UCLA had the “patience” this season to wait until after the second game.

The UCLA opening has already prompted speculation about Golden Gophers coach P.J. Fleck going to Los Angeles. A couple of sources told Sports Headliners that Fleck’s wife, Heather, would like living in Southern California.

Don’t back up the moving trucks anytime soon, though. First, Big Ten institutions have no history in the last 50 years of hiring another program’s head coach. Also, UCLA has woeful fan support and is believed to rank among the Big Ten bottom feeders in Name, Image and Likeness money.

And why would Fleck want to leave for a rebuild? More probable in prompting a move could be if a rare opportunity to lead a program with abundant tradition and resources surfaces. Notre Dame is an example, but that job won’t be opening after this year or next.

Dick Jonckowski turns 82 on October 22. Basketball hall of famer Ricky Barry has telephoned him for 26 years on his birthday. Jonckowski calls Barry each year on his March 28 birthday.

Jonckowski, the former Golden Gophers public address announcer in multiple sports, said he’s been cancer free for about 18 months. He will receive a check up in December. He has had battles with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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Vikings Grind But Show They’re Who We Thought They Were

Posted on September 9, 2025September 9, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

The Vikings substantiated their preseason label as an NFL playoff contender last night in a come from behind 27-24 season opening win over the Bears in Chicago. This looks like a top 12 team that will challenge the Packers and Lions for the NFC North Division title.

It could have been a different outlook today if first-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the offense hadn’t rallied in the fourth quarter after trailing 17-6 following three periods. McCarthy produced three final quarter scores with two touchdown passes and a TD run.

After the game head coach Kevin O’Connell, speaking to ESPN, said that at halftime he told his 22-year-old quarterback the Vikings were going to win. Minnesota was trailing 10-6 at the half having endured too many three and outs and failed plays.

McCarthy, though, was a leader even when things weren’t going well. On the sidelines he was interacting with his offensive teammates. Asked after the game by ESPN what he told his teammates, he said the message was “we gotta believe.”

While McCarthy received the headlines last night, the offensive line, providing protection and opening holes for the running game, was vital to the comeback. The rebuilt line with newcomers Will Fries, Donovan Jackson and Ryan Kelly gave notice they can be an upgrade from last season and a strength of this year’s team. And they played last night without standout left tackle Christian Darrisaw, with sub Justin Skule struggling at times.

The Vikings offense looked rusty for much of the game, including McCarthy. The unit hardly played in preseason games and left O’Connell open to second guessing if last night had been a disaster.

But the offense sharpened, the defense was mostly its stingy self with impact plays by such performers as newcomers Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave who caused problems for the Bears on the line of scrimmage. And place kicker Will Reichard was money as usual, making two field goals including one from 59 yards out.

With the offense coming around to meld with other strengths of the team, and winnable games at home coming up against the Falcons and Bengals, the Vikings look like who we thought they are (to paraphrase the late Denny Green.)

BTW: McCarthy became the first starting quarterback to overcome a 10-point fourth deficit to win in his NFL debut since Steve Young (1985). On Sunday night against the Falcons, he can become the first QB since 1970 to have his first two career starts be primetime games (7 p.m. EDT or later) and win both.

Among Vikings fans at the game was Minneapolis attorney Marshall Tanick. He attended the franchise’s first game ever, in 1961, also against the Bears. He might be the only person who can lay claim to being at both the 1961 and 2025 games.

There’s a rumor that the Wilfs are interested in becoming minority owners of the Twins. The family already holds ownership in the Vikings and the Orlando men’s and women’s pro soccer teams.

Sports Headliners is told Minnesota businessman and Twins fan Marty Davis is definitely not interested in being a minority owner.

The Golden Gophers, about a two-point favorite to defeat the California Golden Bears in Berkeley Saturday night, face their first game of the season against a Power Four opponent, and also first road test.

Of interest, too, is the 9:30 p.m. West Coast kickoff time. Sports Headliners is told the Gophers will fly to California on Friday, rather than earlier in the week, to allow more days to address the time change. Apparently, coach P.J. Fleck’s experience is that the best approach is to get in and get out quickly including departure for Minneapolis after the game.

It looks like status on whether star running back Darius Taylor (injured in last Saturday’s game) will play at Cal won’t be known until Minnesota’s availability report comes out Saturday night. Taylor has a history of hamstring trouble.

Two of the Gophers’ most highly ranked verbal commits for the recruiting class of 2026, Howie Johnson and Andrew Trout, attended last Saturday’s 66-0 win over Northwestern State. In 247 Sports rankings of recruits, Johnson, a defensive lineman from Forest Lake, and Trout, an offensive lineman from Rocori, are second and third only to Roman Voss from Jackson County Central.

Eli Diane, the defensive lineman from Wayzata High School, is a verbal commitment for the class of 2027 and also attended the game. 247 ranks Johnson, Trout, Voss and Diane as four-star recruits.

247 ranks the 2026 Gopher class, with 23 verbal commitments, No. 29 in the nation. Local recruiting authority Ryan Burns told Sports Headliners he believes the class is pretty much set as the early National Signing Day awaits in December. He added that “while they’re pretty good where they’re at right now,” watching senior season tape on prep players could prompt additions to the class.

Burns also said he knows the Gophers would “love” to get a verbal commit from class of 2027 Shakopee linebacker Blake Betton who has offers from Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin. Betton grew up a Gopher but wants to “go through the recruiting process,” per Burns.

The quality of the 2026 class is evident, and a factor Burns believes is impacting recruiting success is Minnesota’s placement of NFL players. Six players, three drafted and three free agents from last year’s team, are in the NFL. “Not many (college) teams can say that,” Burns said.

Many additional former Gophers players from the Fleck era are in the NFL, too. That, plus winning seasons in four of the last six years, helps attract high school talent, Burns added.

Annika Sorenstam, the women’s golf legend who spoke to the Twin Cities Dunkers yesterday at Interlachen Country Club, is part of a legacy of women who have spoken to the club during its storied history. The first female speaker was Minneapolis golf trailblazer Patty Berg who addressed the then Minneapolis Dunkers in 1951.

Sorenstam played at Interlachen in the 2008 U.S. Open. It was her final major tournament before retirement. On the last hole she recorded an eagle on the 18^th hole par five with a 199-yard six iron shot fueling the signature finish to her famous career.

The ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M is being played this week at the Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo. The tournament was founded by the ANNIKA Foundation in 2014. The 54-hole stroke play event is held each year at the Royal Golf Club and the tourney features 12 of the top Division I women’s programs in the country.

Former Gophers basketball player Jamal Abu-Shamala, now a first vice president at UBS, has been recognized by Forbes on its Best in State Wealth Advisors List of the top financial advisors across America.

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