Lynx – Page 27 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Glen Taylor: 2014 Playoffs ‘a Must’

Posted on April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 by David Shama

The Timberwolves 25^th season ends tonight and the franchise won’t qualify for the playoffs. The club hasn’t participated in post-season games since 2004 and that disappoints owner Glen Taylor who plans on asking plenty of questions during the next couple of weeks.

With a roster of young talent led by All-Star forward Kevin Love, and the addition of new players such as forward Corey Brewer and guard Kevin Martin, the Wolves appeared ready to break the playoff drought when the season started last fall. “It was a must for this year (making the playoffs),” Taylor told Sports Headliners.

Injuries slowed the club’s progress. Most notable was the ankle injury of center Nikola Pekovic who has only been able to play in 54 of 81 games. Other than Love the 28-year-old Pekovic is the team’s best front court scorer and among the NBA’s premier low post offensive players (averages 17.4 points and 8.7 rebounds). Pekovic, who reportedly signed a five-year $60 million contract before last season, has a history of injuries and missing games.

But Taylor said in addition to the team’s injuries contributing to not making the playoffs, he is troubled by the many close games the Wolves lost. The club often was ineffective in the fourth quarter. Taylor intends to explore why. “Is that the responsibility of the staff and the coaches? How much of that is the players? I am going to dig further into that.”

Taylor didn’t offer an answer when asked to evaluate and label the performance of the coaching staff. He wants to meet with the coaches and talk to others in the organization after the season.

Head coach Rick Adelman and Taylor will have a discussion that will focus on more than basketball. Adelman’s wife Mary Kay has health issues and Taylor understands “family comes first.” But Taylor wants to know if coaching next season is a priority for Adelman who completes his third season with the Wolves tonight and has a 68^th birthday in June.

What Taylor hears from Adelman, long regarded as one of the NBA’s best coaches, will obviously influence whether he wants the coach to return. “You have to take a lot of your energy and thought and emotion into (helping) your family, and it does affect your other areas of responsibility,” Taylor said. “It’s not a criticism of him. …I just want to really sit down and talk to him and see how he feels…before I make a decision or he makes a decision.”

Taylor acknowledged Adelman’s devotion to his wife sometimes took the coach away from the players. “When things like that happen, the basketball team probably doesn’t get its full attention, but that’s life,” Taylor said.

After tonight’s game the Wolves will finish the season with either a 41-41 or 40-42 record. That will certainly be an improvement over last year’s 31-51 record. But not making the playoffs is frustrating for Taylor who also has seen his franchise operate with financial losses many years.

Taylor thought this year might be different for the bottom line. “We’re not going to make our budget. Our budget was to break even, so my sense is that we’ll lose several million dollars.”

The 72-year-old owner, though, hasn’t lost faith in the franchise and recognizes his young team should get better in coming years, led by Love, 25, and 23-year-old point guard Ricky Rubio. Perhaps the Wolves will even become a special team and achieve the NBA title aspirations the franchise has long had.

“Personally, I think I have the patience. I just gotta make sure our coaches and stuff have the patience,” Taylor said.

It will be up to Taylor and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders to find the best supporting players for Love, Pekovic and Rubio. Any personnel moves, though, will be influenced by payroll.

The owner feels pressure not to exceed the NBA salary cap. They have or will make major salary commitments to Love, Pekovic and Rubio. That’s why Taylor, who has most of his roster signed for next season, doesn’t predict the club will sign an expensive free agent this summer. “…You’re looking at probably more the fifth, sixth and seventh positions on the team,” he said.

Worth Noting

Taylor’s other basketball team, the Lynx, made a six-figure profit of less than $500,000 last season. It was the first time the Lynx, who won the WNBA title last year, have been profitable. Taylor expects another winning season and a profitable year in 2014. “By staying into the playoffs and getting to the end, just makes you profitable,” said Taylor who declined to give exact figures.

The Mankato billionaire is closing in on ownership of the Star Tribune. “It probably won’t get completed until maybe the end of May or first of June but I am confident it will get done,” Taylor said.

As newspaper owner will Taylor expect friendly coverage of his Timberwolves? “No. I expect those guys to do their jobs,” he answered.

Former Gopher football players Keanon Cooper and Chris Hawthorne are among 25 interns working in the University of Minnesota Athletic Department. The Golden Gophers Internship program provides 10-12 months of learning experiences in department areas such as communications, facilities, fundraising and marketing. Participants must have a BA or BS degree and preference is given to candidates who have played for Gophers men’s and women’s teams.

Interns receive $1,000.00 per month. More information is available by contacting senior associate athletic director Marc Ryan, ryanx011@umn.edu.

Rachel Banham, who led the Big Ten in scoring last season as a junior averaging 23.3 points per game, is looking forward to next season when eight players return including four juniors and three sophomores. “I think the sky is the limit,” said Banham who will be the team’s only senior. “We have a bunch of really good girls, and really good girls coming in.”

Banham is dating men’s team junior guard Andre Hollins. What did Hollins say after the Gophers won the NIT championship earlier this month? “He was very excited,” Banham answered. “All he kept chanting was N-I-T champs. Clearly, he was very happy.”

The Gophers women’s team hasn’t earned an invitation to the NCAA tournament since Banham has been at Minnesota. Hollins has played in one NCAA tournament, two years ago. What if both teams made deep tourney runs next year? “That would be awesome,” Banham said. “I think that would be the best way for both of us to go out.”

For the third straight season—and for the eighth time in the last nine years—the MIAC attracted more fans to its football games than any other conference in NCAA Division III, according to information released recently by the league. The conference led Division III in both total and average attendance per game for the year 2013. A total of 160,482 fans attended the 48 football games hosted by the MIAC’s nine schools, an average of 3,343 fans per game.

Saint John’s led the nation in attendance per game (7,364) for the 12th time in the last 13 years. In total attendance Bethel (38,054) and the Johnnies (36,822) finished third and fourth respectively.

Comments Welcome

U Coordinator Raves about WR Recruits

Posted on April 14, 2014April 14, 2014 by David Shama

The statistics make a point.

Last season the Gophers had only 12 touchdown receptions in 13 games. Five were caught by redshirt freshman tight end Maxx Williams, and five more came from senior wide receiver Derrick Engel. Freshman wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky and junior tight end Drew Goodger each caught a touchdown pass.

The 2013 Gophers were last in the Big Ten Conference in touchdown passes. Not only that but Engel has used up his eligibility, leaving Minnesota with one wide receiver, Wolitarsky, who caught a touchdown pass last season. As the Gophers went through their spring practices, offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover watched the returning wide receivers and saw improvement—although none of them caught more than two passes or had long gains in the annual spring game on Saturday.

Competition makes players better and not only do the Gophers returnees have each other to face but they’re aware of three freshman wide receivers who will join the team next season—Melvin Holland, Isaiah Gentry and Conner Krizancic.

“I think our receivers know we recruited three phenomenal freshmen,” Limegrover told Sports Headliners in late March. “Those kids are going to be able to come in and compete right away.

“Those guys who are here understand they have an advantage because they’re here and they’re getting those reps and doing those things. …I’ve seen them take a step up as far as how they’re trying to approach things and what they’re (supposed) to do now because they know some young guys are gonna come and be pushing them.”

Holland is from Ashburn, Virginia, Gentry from Cincinnati and Krizancic is from Mentor, Ohio. Limegrover believes their commitment to attend Minnesota represents a recruiting milestone for the Gophers.

“We’re really, really fortunate,” Limegrover said. “Those are guys that in the past wouldn’t have made their way to Minnesota—that (would) have gotten gobbled up by somebody else and we would have been left trying to find the scraps at the bottom of the heap. The stars aligned for us recruiting those three kids and we’re pretty excited about them.”

Limegrover has been an assistant coach for Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill for 15 years. He admits being as excited about Holland, Gentry and Krizancic as any recruits he’s been involved with.

“Yeah, you know why? Because they were all three kids that when we looked at them we said, ‘These are legit guys that can come in and they can make us a different offense as soon as we can get them up to speed. As soon as they can get themselves on the field.’ …”

The Gophers want to improve their 2013 scoring offense of 25.7 points per game, second to last in the Big Ten. Minnesota’s total offense of 343.3 yards per game also ranked 11^th in the 12 team Big Ten. Whether it’s the quarterback position, wide receivers, tight ends, or running backs, the offense is being targeted for improvement in 2014.

“We need more playmakers,” Limegrover said. “We need more guys that can threaten opponents in a lot of ways.”

Any offense starts with the quarterback. Philip Nelson, who threw nine of the 12 touchdown passes last season, has transferred to Rutgers leaving Mitch Leidner as the No. 1 QB.

Leidner, a redshirt sophomore next fall, threw three touchdown passes last season. He was a part-time starter but that experience is valuable while none of the quarterbacks behind him has ever played in a game for the Gophers. Limegrover feels “good about the group of guys” he has but admits not having the experience of Nelson, who was a starter for two seasons, presents a challenge.

“It would be great (to have him) but nobody on our staff begrudges Philip because he had to make a decision that was best for him,” Limegrover said. “We all understand that and we wish him all the best. Of course you feel a little better having more experienced guys at every position, but at the same time you also want guys that want to be there. …”

Worth Noting

Ra’Shede Hageman’s Washburn High School football coach, Giovan Jenkins, will be among his guests at the NFL Draft in New York on May 8. Hageman, the former Gopher defensive lineman, could be selected in the first round. The NFL covers expenses for up to five guests of a high potential draft choice, Jenkins told Sports Headliners.

Expect an announcement today or later this week that Adam Weber will be joining a Canadian Football League team. The former Gophers quarterback has been unable to receive a commitment from the NFL including this spring with the Bears and he told Sports Headliners he’s headed to Canada but wouldn’t identify the team yet. “I just want to play,” he said.

Ex-Gopher tight end Matt Spaeth, now with the Steelers, was in Minneapolis the last few days. Gophers coach Jerry Kill invited Spaeth to attend team meetings. “He’s awesome,” Spaeth said of Kill.

During Saturday’s Gophers spring intrasquad game 6-foot-9 tight end Nate Wozniak lined up next to 6-foot-9 offensive right tackle Jonah Pirsig. The Gophers may not play a team next fall that positions two players almost 7-feet tall next to one another.

Former 1965 Gophers All-American forward Lou Hudson died last week but will be remembered forever by those who saw him play. The 6-foot-5 Hudson, who averaged 24.8 points per game as a junior, had athleticism and basketball skills that exceeded perhaps anyone who ever played for Minnesota. He just teased defenders with his smooth movement and ability to score, both away from and near the basket. He had the skill to play defense, too, but it was on offense that he stirred Gophers fans including after a broken right wrist forced him to play with a cast. He lit up opponents with his left hand and brought down the “Barn.”

Ryan James from GopherIllustrated.com wrote Friday that new Gophers basketball commit Gaston Diedhiou, 6-9, 225, is an inside player offensively but has the ability to defend on the perimeter. He also reported Diedhiou, who is from the Canary Islands by way of Senegal, will be 21 when he plays his first game as a freshman next fall.

New Gophers women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings has been an assistant or head coach at seven schools since 2000. Minnesota senior associate athletic director Beth Goetz, who oversees women’s basketball, told Sports Headliners she isn’t worried about Stollings having a brief tenure with the Gophers.

“Honestly, I don’t have any concern at all,” Goetz said. “If you look at her track record, every move she’s made has been up the ladder. She’s put herself in a position to coach at the highest level and the best institutions. Personally, I am not sure I think there’s a better place to be than the Big Ten and at the University of Minnesota.”

Goetz is impressed with Stollings in multiple ways including recruiting. Stollings has put together top-45 national recruiting classes in the past and attracted two top-100 recruits. “Her history shows she’s been great at recruiting,” Goetz said.

The WNBA Draft is tonight but Lynx owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he expects his franchise will obtain players who will develop later rather than contribute next season. The Lynx have the No. 12 and 15 draft choices.

Media and sports executives applauded the recent announcement that Saint Paul native Bill Robertson will be the new WCHA commissioner succeeding Bruce McLeod who called the hire a “home run.” Look for Robertson, a former executive with the Wild, to relocate the league offices from Denver to downtown Saint Paul.

Robertson graduated from Cretin High School in 1979 with Saint Paul mayor Chris Coleman who attended last week’s news conference announcing the new commissioner. Robertson, who begins his position in mid-May, referred to Coleman as one of the school’s great soccer players. The mayor interrupted and quipped, “I am beginning to question the (commissioner selection) decision.”

The Wild sold out its 25^th consecutive game last night at Xcel Energy Center. The local NHL team has sold out 34 of 41 regular season home games. The Wild lost to the Predators in Minnesota’s final regular season game of the year last night and opens its playoff series with the Avalanche in Denver on Thursday evening.

Wild single game playoff tickets went on sale Saturday and the club is expected to play in front of sellout home crowds during the postseason including for next Monday night’s home opener. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase this week. Check the team’s website, Wild.com, for more information early in the week.

The Twins swept their three-game series with the Royals by winning 4-3 yesterday despite having only five hits. Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, who had two hits in four at bats, stole his first base since August 26, 2012. Mauer’s 31^st birthday is Saturday.

The A’s team that swept the Twins last week at Target Field is predicted by Sports Illustrated to play in the World Series representing the American League. In the magazine’s March 31 baseball issue S.I. projected the A’s will lose to the Nationals in the World Series. The A’s are 9-1 against the Twins since the start of the 2013 season.

Comments Welcome

Colabello Delivers Big Bang for a Buck

Posted on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014 by David Shama

Talk about a return on investment. Chris Colabello is co-leader in the American League in RBI with 11 while the Twins are paying him $505,000 this season, almost the lowest salary on the team.

Twins pitcher Kyle Gibson at $502,000 and catcher Josmil Pinto, $500,000, have lower salaries, according to a March 31 USA Today listing of major league opening day player salaries for all 30 teams. Over a 162-game schedule Colabello is paid $3,117 per game. Contrast that with Joe Mauer’s $141,976 based on his $23 million annual salary. Mauer has no RBI so far and is hitting .250.

Although the Twins have only played seven games, Colabello’s impact is evident. His 11 RBI (tied with the White Sox’s Jose Abreu) are five better than Kurt Suzuki who is second on the team. Colabello is hitting .370 with one home run and a team best slugging percentage of .630.

Prior to Monday’s home opener against the A’s came news he had been named AL Player of the Week with outfielder Josh Hamilton who earns $17 million with the Angels. Colabello made the honor look good by singling in the first inning and making a diving catch in right field during the second inning, his initial outfield start of the season. He is expected to play some outfield and first base with the Twins but his primary role is likely to be designated hitter.

The baseball world agreed before the season the Twins would be offensive- challenged this season. But the Twins, 3-4 so far, have averaged over five runs per game and their total of 37 is fourth best in the American League. If Colabello can produce 15 to 20 home runs, 80 or more RBI and hit over .280 this season, the Twins will be much more likely to improve their runs scored over last year when they had the third fewest in the AL.

Perhaps life begins after age 29. The 30-year-old journeyman (Colabello will be 31 in October) went to spring training not even knowing if he would make the Twins’ roster. Last December he turned down a $1 million offer to play for South Korea’s LG Lions.

That is just part of Colabello’s strange baseball story. The Massachusetts native played seven seasons in the Canadian-American Association before being signed by the Twins in February of 2012 and gaining the opportunity to move up from the depths of low level independent league professional baseball.

Playing for the Twins’ Class AA New Britain team in 2012, Colabello hit .284 with 19 home runs and 98 RBI. He was runner-up for Eastern League MVP.

Last season playing in 89 games for Class AAA Rochester, Colabello won the International League’s MVP award hitting .354 with 24 home runs and 76 RBI. He was also the league’s Rookie of the Year.

Part of 2013 was spent with the Twins and the hitting numbers were dramatically different than in the minors. Colabello hit .194 with seven home runs and 17 RBI in 55 games.

The 6-foot-4, 218 pound Colabello, whose father Lou played for Italy in the 1984 Olympics, has changed his batting stance this season, moving closer to the plate, and appears to have shortened his right-handed swing while sending hits to the opposite field. He looks confident and swings assertively while not being overly aggressive.

Batting cleanup for the Twins is a long way from independent league baseball three years ago. The Twins found a bargain.

Worth Noting

Graham Woodward has been released from his basketball scholarship at Penn State and will transfer to another school, according to a story this morning on the website of the Centre Daily News located in State College, Pennsylvania. Woodward, the former Edina High School guard, played as a freshman for Penn State this past season.

Gophers women’s basketball fans will expect to be entertained by the coaching style of Marlene Stollings. As head coach at VCU last season, Stollings’ team set school records with a 75.8 points per game average and 235 three-point field goals. The Rams scored 90 or more points five times and twice scored a school-record 112 points. Stollings met the media yesterday when she was introduced as the Gophers new coach.

Two of the Gophers’ highest profile women’s sports are hockey and volleyball. Both head coaches, Brad Frost and Hugh McCutcheon, are males. Perhaps the presence of those two influenced hiring a female to be the next women’s basketball coach, thereby providing more gender balance in the athletic department.

Admirers of former Gopher and NBA player Jim Petersen, now an assistant coach with the WNBA champion Lynx, might wonder if he had interest in the women’s opening at Minnesota. Petersen, a former McDonald’s prep All-American at St. Louis Park, not only has coaching and playing experience but his visibility in the state has remained high as the Timberwolves TV color analyst.

Among the changes the Wild might make this offseason is adding former Gopher Thomas Vanek to the roster, according to a hockey source who spoke to Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity. Vanek is a potential 30-plus goal scorer and while he is a high priced talent his addition to the Wild payroll could be balanced by letting Dany Heatley go, the source said. Both earn similar annual salaries.

Vanek, who has played with three teams this season, has scored 27 goals and would boost the Wild’s scoring. He will be an unrestricted free agent during the offseason.

The Wild will make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. The source said if the Wild fail to impress in the postseason a change in head coaches is possible with Mike Yeo losing his job.

The Wild, who play tomorrow night at home against the Blues, have finished the road schedule for the season at 17-17-7. The Wild earned points in seven of its last eight road games (5-1-2) and earned 26 points in the last 20 away games (11-5-4). As of yesterday morning, only the Bruins and the Avs had better road records than the Wild since the start of 2014.

After outstanding seasons by the winter teams, including three men’s titles and two women’s, St. Thomas is in first place in the MIAC All-Sports standings for both genders. St. Olaf is in second place in the men’s standings while Saint Benedict is second among women.

KARE TV’s Randy Shaver will speak at the May 8 CORES luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Shaver was a sportscaster at the station for almost 30 years before becoming a KARE weeknight news anchor. A booster of high school sports, he started the “Prep Sports Extra” in 1984 and has coached football at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. He is a Hodgkin’s survivor, and the Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund has raised almost $5,000,000 for cancer research and patient aid in Minnesota.

CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. Reservations for the lunch and program can be made by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Comments Welcome