Lynx – Page 21 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Viking Pick Promising, But No Certainty

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 by David Shama

It was a no-brainer for the Vikings to use their first round pick in last night’s NFL Draft to select Mississippi wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. It’s far from certain, though, how much he will help the team—and how soon.

While the Vikings have needs in the offensive line and at safety, adding a quality wide receiver is the franchise’s major personnel need. The Vikings WR group caught only six touchdown passes last season.

The hope is Treadwell can help boost production immediately. The 20-year-old 6-2, 222-pound Treadwell is known as a physical pass catcher who can go up and take the ball away from defenders.

In its April 18 issue rating NFL Draft prospects, Sports Illustrated ranked Treadwell No. 1 among wide receivers. The magazine praised his ability to push around defensive backs and be dominant in the air.

After selecting Treadwell last night, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer described him as “the best blocking receiver I’ve ever seen.” General manager Rick Spielman listed several of Treadwell’s attributes including his work ethic. Indeed, the Vikings must have been sold on Treadwell’s attitude because in two seasons coaching here Zimmer has let the world know he won’t tolerate poor work habits.

What the Vikings didn’t acquire in Treadwell is speed. The call for a fast receiver to open up the long range passing game has been heard for quite awhile now, but that’s not Treadwell, who ran a slow 4.63 40-yard-dash at the NFL Combine. It could be challenging for Treadwell to get separated from quick cornerbacks in the NFL.

Last night ESPN draft analyst Jon Gruden had another word of caution. “He’s got to catch the football better to be great,” Gruden said. “There’s just too many times he lacks concentration.”

The months and years ahead will show what Treadwell can do but Vikings fans can feel some optimism looking back at the influence of Speilman. The franchise has made 11 first round selections going back to 2007 and 10 were starters in their rookie seasons, seven were All-Rookie picks, and four were Pro Bowlers as rookies.

Worth Noting

There’s speculation that next season will be Adrian Peterson’s last with the Vikings because of his advanced age and compensation for a pro running back. It’s been thought for awhile he might end his career with the Cowboys but that seems unlikely after Dallas used its first round draft choice last night to select Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. With his power and speed, Elliott could be an AP clone.

Elliott, chosen No. 4 by the Cowboys, was one of three Buckeyes selected in the top 10 last night. A total of five Ohio State players were chosen in the first 20 selections.

Minnesota sports trivia master Dave Mona e-mailed that despite successes as college running backs, ex-Gophers haven’t gained a lot of rushing yards in the NFL. He researched 15 prominent U runners going back to the 1960s and learned the following: “Six of them had no NFL carries. That group includes Thomas Hamner, Tellis Redmon, Amir Pinnix, Garry White, Chris Darkins and Barry Mayer. The leading rusher, by far, is Marion Barber III with 4,780 yards and 53 touchdowns. His college running mate, Laurence Maroney, was second at 2,504 and 21.”

Darrell Thompson, the Gophers all-time leading career rusher, ran for 1,641 yards and seven touchdowns during five years with the Packers. His totals placed third on Mona’s list behind Barber and Maroney.

Multiple media reports during the last several days have Benilde-St. Margaret’s offensive lineman Eric Wilson verbally committing to Harvard and declining offers from other schools including the Gophers. Wilson will be a high school senior next fall and is a Rivals.com three-star recruit.

Tickets are available for the Jerry Kill Roast & Toast May 6 at Jax Café. The event starts at noon and is sponsored by the Minnesota Minute Men. Proceeds benefit the Chasing Dreams program for children through the Epilepsy Foundation. Jim Carter, Dave Lee, Joel Maturi, Mike Max and Ron Stolski will be among those roasting the former Gophers football coach. Dick Jonckowski will emcee. More information is available at Minutemen.com, or by calling Claud Allaire at 952-913-6502.

Former Gophers football coach Jim Wacker, who died in 2003, would have been 79 yesterday.

A memorial service for former Gophers All-Big Ten linebacker Bill Light will be held tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 11 a.m. at Westwood Community Church in Chanhassen, 3121 Westwood Drive. A lunch at the church will follow. Condolences to Bill’s wife Julie, children, other family and many friends.

Former Gophers basketball trainer Roger Schipper and his wife are relocating to Naples, Florida.

Some fans attending this evening’s Twins-Tigers game at Target Field purchased Wrestling Night VIP Packages. Perks include a Twins wrestling mask, and private meet and greet with pro wrestling legends “Jumpin” Jim Brunzell, Greg Gagne, Larry “The Axe” Hennig and Baron Von Raschke.

Glenn Caruso, who coached the Tommies last year to the Division III football title game, is proud his team placed first among 3,500-plus national student fundraising groups generating monies to support Memphis-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His team raised nearly $40,000 in donations in 2015-16, a record total, according to Tommiesports.com. The website reported the total tripled the UST amount from the previous school year and is the most any single organization has generated for the national effort called Up ‘Til Dawn that raises money for St. Jude.

Former Timberwolves president Bob Stein told Sports Headliners when he was assembling a staff for the Minnesota expansion team years ago he wanted Scott Layden to be the franchise’s first general manager. Layden was working for the Jazz in the late 1980s and declined Stein’s offer. Last week Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor hired Layden to become his GM, taking him away from the Spurs where he was assistant general manager.

It might be a couple of weeks before new Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau decides on his assistant coaches and other staff. A sentimental choice with the public, of course, is Ryan Saunders who was hired as an assistant by his late father Flip two years ago. It will be a surprise if Ryan isn’t given a continued assignment with the franchise.

The Lynx are considering multiple sites in the metro area for playing home games in 2017 while Target Center is renovated. The WNBA team will be able to work around arena renovation this summer for its 2016 schedule.

Horse racing analyst Kevin Gorg guests on the KARE 11 Saturday show tomorrow morning about 9:35 a.m. and will talk about the May 7 Kentucky Derby, a popular wagering day at Shakopee’s Canterbury Park. Nyquist might be an early favorite for winning the Derby.

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Stakes High for Wild in Playoffs

Posted on April 13, 2016April 13, 2016 by David Shama

The Wild opens its Stanley Cup first round playoff series with the Stars tomorrow night in Dallas—and it looks like more than the usual postseason pressure is on Minnesota.

Critical evaluations and judgments about the Wild appear probable whenever this spring’s playoffs end. The franchise that initially began with the 2000-2001 season has never won its way into the Stanley Cup Finals and only once made the conference finals. Although the Wild has qualified for the playoffs each of the last four years, Minnesota didn’t advance beyond the second round.

General manager Chuck Fletcher and new coach John Torchetti may need an impressive stretch of playoff hockey by their team to further secure their positions. Fletcher has been the franchise’s general manager since 2009 and the Wild hasn’t been able to make a deep playoff run during that time. Twice the club didn’t make the playoffs.

Fletcher has hired three coaches during his era—Todd Richards, Mike Yeo and Torchetti. Yeo was dismissed in February when doubts prevailed about the team making the playoffs. Under Torchetti the club played well enough to just qualify for the postseason, but the inconsistency of play during 2015-2016 continued.

Torchetti’s job security could be tied to Fletcher. If Wild owner Craig Leipold decides to replace Fletcher, it’s certainly plausible the new GM will want another coach.

When the Wild is given a final report card after the playoffs, the players won’t avoid judgment either. There is speculation disgruntled players pushed Yeo out. If so, Leipold can ask how did his personnel respond to Torchetti?

Torchetti hasn’t hesitated to be direct with his players, letting them know what he thinks and sometimes telling them they need to just watch and learn. Whether this team has the skills and chemistry to beat the Stars will be interesting. Dallas won the Central Division with 109 points. Minnesota, with 87, had the fewest points of any Western Conference club qualifying for the playoffs and finished fifth in the seven team Central.

The Wild don’t have superstars but when Leiopold signed forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter to $98 million deals in 2012 it raised expectations these two might do more for the franchise’s Stanley Cup ambitions than what’s happened so far. A playoff run where Parise and Suter have their best springs for the Wild will make fans feel the club has received more value from the expensive contracts. But Parise’s contribution toward that looks in doubt because of a back injury that will at least keep him from playing in the first two playoff games, according to numerous news reports.

There might not be a more worn out cliché in sports than a hot goalie can take a team deep in the playoffs. Goalie Devan Dubnyk reportedly signed a $26 million, six-year deal last summer to stay with Minnesota. Much will be expected of the 30-year-old Dubnyk whose regular season goals against average of 2.33 didn’t earn a spot among the NHL leaders but was certainly better than the league average of 2.51.

The franchise is increasing ticket prices for next season. Part of the fans’ perspective and attitude about those prices will be impacted by how the team performs. Customers will obviously feel better about the extra expense with a big playoff run.

Worth Noting

The Wild will have home playoff games against the Stars next Monday and Wednesday. Both are certain to be sellouts. The club has sold out 106 straight regular season games and all 26 playoff games in franchise history—with each postseason game surpassing 19,000 in attendance. The official seating capacity for games at Xcel Energy Center is 17,954. Standing-room-only tickets allow for additional capacity.

The franchise set a regular season home attendance record during 2015-2016 by averaging 19,062 fans per game. Thirty-five of the club’s 41 regular season home games drew over 19,000 fans.

The Twins announced this morning they have placed left-handed pitcher and All-Star closer Glen Perkins on the 15-day disabled list with a left posterior shoulder strain, retroactive to April 11. To replace Perkins on the 25-man roster, the Twins have recalled left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers from Triple-A Rochester. Rogers will make his major league debut with his first appearance—possibly tonight when the Twins play the White Sox at Target Field. He has a career minor league record of 37-28 with a 3.27 ERA.

The Twins, Rod Carew and the American Heart Association will promote the Heart of 29 Campaign at Target Field with a pregame ceremony tonight featuring heart disease survivors including Carew. Twins players will wear Heart of 29 patches on their red jerseys.

WCCO Radio Sports Huddle host Dave Mona and his wife Linda drove around Ramp A for 37 minutes searching for a parking space prior to Monday’s Twins opener at Target Field. Frustrated, they ultimately skipped the game and went home to watch on TV.

Bob Lurtsema presented a gold football to his old high school earlier this week. In recognition of the Super Bowl’s 50th anniversary, the NFL is providing players who participated in the games with gold footballs to give their high schools. Lurtsema, who played for Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was a defensive lineman on Vikings Super Bowl teams in the 1970s.

While in Michigan, Lurtsema also stopped at his college alma mater, Western Michigan in Kalamazoo. His Broncos jersey is on display in the team’s weight room.

Lurtsema is a believer in Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings’ 23-year-old quarterback who starts his third NFL season next September. “The media is way too rough on him,” Lurtsema said.

Look for media reports about Gophers men’s basketball tonight and tomorrow after head coach Richard Pitino meets with journalists this afternoon to talk about the program’s offseason. Media will also watch player workouts.

The Lynx have two second round draft choices (No. 14 and 22 overall) and one third round (No. 35 overall) in tomorrow night’s WNBA Draft. ESPN2 will televise the first round starting at 6 p.m. Minneapolis time. ESPNU will televise the second and third rounds.

Former Gopher Rachel Banham, the 2016 Big Ten Player of the Year and the conference’s all-time leading scorer for women’s basketball, will be the No. 4 selection in the first round after being chosen by Connecticut, according to Bleacherreport.com’s mock draft. Draftsite.com predicts Banham will be the No. 5 selection by Dallas.

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‘Wally the Beer Man’ Keeps Pouring

Posted on March 30, 2016April 1, 2016 by David Shama

“Wally the Beer Man,” 81, has been hawking beer at various Minneapolis and St. Paul venues since 1970, but something is different this winter and spring. When Wally McNeil returns to his Plymouth home from the Xcel Energy Center after selling beer at Minnesota Wild games, Joyce McNeil, his wife for 28 years, isn’t there to greet him.

Joyce passed away on January 25 at age 85 from heart problems. An empty house can’t be very welcoming to Minnesota’s favorite beer vendor. To help deal with sadness Wally has sold beer at almost every Wild game this season.

Wally and Joyce met while employed at Twin City Wholesale Drug. She worked in city desk sales; he was vice president of operations. They were married June 23, 1988.

Joyce wasn’t a passionate sports fan but attended games when Wally was selling beer in the stands. About 16 years ago Joyce and Wally got into horse racing ownership at Canterbury Park. The couple bought race horses with Canterbury owner Curtis Sampson. Over the years the McNeils owned more than a dozen horses but none more successful than Wally’s Choice, whose lifetime earnings at the Shakopee racetrack and elsewhere are the second highest ever for a Minnesota bred.

Wally’s Choice was inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame last year. Wally attended the ceremony but Joyce’s health kept her away. The Hall of Fame recognition brightened Joyce’s spirits. “She was excited,” Wally said.

During baseball season Wally will again be a celebrity beer seller at Sneaky Pete’s downtown and on special event dates at Canterbury Park he will also be selling beer. What’s his favorite brew?

“A cold one that somebody else pays for,” he answered.

Although he didn’t need the money and still doesn’t, Wally started selling beer at the Minneapolis Auditorium in 1970 for attractions like professional wrestling. He enjoyed being around people at various events. Customers liked him, too—drawn to his deep voice and friendly manner.

For decades part of the fun at a Twins game was buying a beer from Wally. His association with Target Field ended several years ago, though, after he and other beer sellers were targeted in a sting operation involving sales to underage drinkers. A Hennepin County jury found him not guilty, but Wally has chosen not to work anymore at Target Field.

Wally will turn 82 in August but has no plans to stop selling beer. He has no health issues after triple bypass heart surgery in 2009. “My blood pressure is 110 over 66,” he said.

Some Minnesota retirees move to Florida. Others sit in rocking chairs on their porches. Wally, a fit 6-2, 210 pounds, just keeps going as the king of Minnesota beer vendors.

“As long as the good Lord lets me,” he said. “One day at a time.”

Worth Noting

Former Gophers All-American safety Tyrone Carter is working with potential 2016 NFL draft choices including cornerback Rashard Robinson who Carter said is a first round talent but likely to be selected in the third round. Carter operates the Tyrone Carter Elite Training Schools in the Twin Cities and Robinson is from Carter’s prep alma mater, Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Robinson’s playing time at LSU was reduced because of a suspension for violation of team rules. The 6-3, 177-pound player is gifted but Carter said his pupil will not go in the first round because of his off-field “baggage.” Carter, who won the Jim Thorpe Award at Minnesota honoring the nation’s best college defensive back, said Robinson had the skills to also win the award. “He is a talented young kid for his size,” Carter said.

Varmah Sonie, who is from Burnsville and was a senior cornerback for Northern Iowa in 2012, is also receiving instruction from Carter. Sonie hopes to join an NFL team as a free agent. Carter is also working with former Gophers David Cobb (Titans running back) and Ra’Shede Hageman (Falcons defensive tackle).

An announcement soon seems likely that the Vikings will name Adrian Peterson, who led the NFL in rushing last season, as their 2015 MVP. The Vikings will honor team award winners in multiple categories including MVP at the Hilton Minneapolis April 17. That evening the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame hosts its 9th annual Minnesota Football Honors event. See the March 16 Sports Headliners for more about the event that also honors high school scholar-athletes.

Spring football continues this week for the Gophers with two practices open to the public scheduled at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex. Practice tomorrow (Thursday) begins at 3:45 p.m. and activities Saturday start at 11 a.m. (A Gophers spokesman e-mailed that practice locations can be switched to TCF Bank Stadium. Fans can check for updates on Twitter @GopherFootball.)

The Wild, with five games remaining to make the playoffs, may catch a weary opponent tomorrow night at Xcel Energy Center when playing the Senators. Ottawa plays at Winnipeg tonight before travelling to St. Paul. The Wild have won six consecutive games after last night’s victory over the Blackhawks.

Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald Jr. will again honor his mom, the late Carol Fitzgerald, at an April 8 fundraising dinner and celebration at the Minneapolis Event Center (St. Anthony Main). His mom passed away in 2003 and the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund was established to assist charitable causes important to her. Guests at next month’s Carol’s Night will include Fitzgerald and ESPN’s Josina Anderson. VIP ticket guests receive photo opportunities with Fitzgerald, the nine-time Cardinals NFL pro bowler. More information is available by calling 612-770-4575.

Monday’s announcement the Lynx will play a preseason game in Rochester on May 8 prompts speculation the WNBA team might play more exhibitions at the Mayo Civic Center in 2017 and beyond. The Lynx have a multi-year partnership with the Rochester-based Mayo Clinic. The Lynx haven’t played a game in Rochester since 2003 and no doubt will be interested in gauging fan response this spring. The defending WNBA champion team will play the Mystics in a Sunday game beginning at 4 p.m.

Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen joins commentators Dave Benz and Jim Petersen tonight on the Fox Sports North telecast of the Timberwolves-Clippers game from Target Center. Whalen is the Lynx franchise record holder in assists (1,072), and ranks third all-time in the WNBA for career assists (2,033). She is one of six players in WNBA history with 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists. The Minnesota native starts her 12th WNBA season this spring, seventh with the Lynx.

The St. Thomas men’s basketball team will be honored for their NCAA Division III national championship prior to the Timberwolves game. Earlier this month the Tommies won their second national title in the past six years.

Bill Robertson, WCHA commissioner, e-mailed his league is represented by 33 current or former players at the women’s International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships that started Monday and continues through April 4 in Kamloops, British Columbia. Annie Pankowski from the Badgers and Lee Stecklein of the Gophers will compete for the United States and are among 11 student-athletes who played during the 2015-2016 college season. Pankowski will be a junior at Wisconsin next season, while Stecklein will be a senior at Minnesota.

Author Patrick Mader’s official book launch is tomorrow (Thursday) for “Minnesota Gold: Conversations with Northland Athletes Competing on the World Stage.” Mader’s book profiles 57 Minnesotans, including past Olympians, and details their lives and accomplishments. His event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at Braemar Golf Club in Edina, with a program at 7 p.m. Seven of the Minnesota athletes from the book are expected to attend: Trina Radke (swimming), Tami and Toni Jameson (team handball), Jim Mastro (wrestling), Mark Lutz (track), Van Nelson (track), and Janet Gerhauser (pairs figure skating). More at Patrickmader.com.

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