Media – Page 58 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Comfort Found (Not Here) in January

Posted on January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 by David Shama

You probably won’t believe this but it’s true.

Last week I attended a polo match in southern California while the NFL playoffs were on television. Blame my behavior on both the MSP weather and our local teams.

The Star Tribune reported earlier this month we experienced the “gloomiest December in 52 years of record keeping.” Minnesota’s most prominent teams? They began the New Year losing most of their games.

It was enough to seek refuge in southern California for 10 days. Blue skies, sunshine and 70 to 80 degree temps were delivered. As for sports in SoCal, I could have cared less about their teams—and also who won that boring polo match.

I’m home now and trying to humor myself. Maybe I can get a chuckle out of you too.

I’ll head over to the health club soon. The warm water in the spa is effective for aches and pains but hopefully doesn’t diminish my Adonis tan. My mood also brightens when I read this signage near the whirlpool: “No domestic animals allowed.”

But I’m not laughing when club members sit at an exercise station and gab on their cell phones. Hello, this is not your office, car—or even your house.

With the Super Bowl coming Sunday, I might call Bob Lurtsema. The former Viking is savvy about the NFL, and besides that he’s funny. Earlier this month, he recalled how during his playing days he complained to an official about being held as he tried to rush the quarterback. “It doesn’t matter, you wouldn’t get to him anyway,” the referee wisecracked.

You never know where you’ll find a good laugh. Driving in the southwest suburbs, I’m sometimes reminded of a building where I worked years ago. At the time, my youngest son was about four and he heard me occasionally complain about life at the office.

One day we were driving by the work place, and my son recognized the building and said, “Look, Dad, there’s the place that gives you nightmares.”

Now his son is showing the family wit at an early age. After I bought a new vehicle, my then 2½ year old grandson announced, “I really like your car.”

And that reminds me of another car story. When I worked for the North Stars we had a player who was a bit confused about motor vehicle laws in Minnesota. This was discovered when an officer pulled him over and asked for his license. The North Star readily complied and pulled out a Czechoslovakian license from his glove compartment.

Athletes can certainly brighten the day and not just with the skills they show in competition. Ralph Kiner, who died last year, was a favorite of baseball fans and storytellers. After Kiner’s baseball career ended he became a broadcaster and was known for his “hilarious malaprops,” as Sports Illustrated noted in its December 29 issue. The magazine recalled this Kiner classic: “It’s Father’s Day today at Shea (Stadium), so to all you fathers out there, happy birthday.”

My wife comes from a large family and they are world champs at communicating via e-mail. It’s mostly serious stuff, although her sibs will occasionally have me laughing like the day her brother Phil was quoting humorist Dave Barry about colonoscopies. Barry wrote in a newspaper column that the colon is a “lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis.”

Barry is a Pulitzer-prize winner who authored the book I’ll Mature When I’m Dead. He also wrote about “parenting and other topics he knows very little about” in the book You Can Date Boys When You’re Forty.

Although my wife and I vacationed in the gorgeous Palm Desert area, I’m well aware not all communities in California are so attractive. I’m told a newspaper in Stockton ran a contest asking residents what they like best about the city. Here are a couple of entries someone shared with me:

“It could be worse.”

“Close to everything. Far from Paradise.”

When on vacation I do become more curious about life. Nothing too deep—I’m just a sportswriter—but stuff like this:

Why do salt, sugar and alcohol have to be so bad for us? There must be a parallel universe where it’s just the opposite.

I know the difference between coaches and sportswriters. Coaches own vacation condos; sportswriters just rent them.

How come if it only snows three nights in January those are all evenings I’m working and attending events?

The other morning, while still on vacation, I thought about 80 things I’m happy about. I never thought I could get past 79.

Happy trails.

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OSU ‘Transformation’ Wows Glen Mason

Posted on January 11, 2015January 11, 2015 by David Shama

Former Gophers head coach Glen Mason predicts Ohio State will win the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship tomorrow night in Arlington, Texas. Oregon is about a six point favorite but Mason spoke with conviction and enthusiasm regarding the Buckeyes during a telephone interview with Sports Headliners.

Mason played football at Ohio State and later was an assistant coach for the Buckeyes. Now he’s a lead analyst for the Big Ten Network. There is no disputing Mason has Ohio State and Big Ten roots but he was convincing the other day when he raved about the Buckeyes’ last two games and the talent coach Urban Meyer has assembled in Columbus.

The Buckeyes were an unexpected entrant in the four-team college playoffs. Despite their 11-1 record going into the Big Ten Championship game on December 6, the Buckeyes didn’t come up a lot in conversations targeting the four teams likely to be invited to participate in the playoffs. In the last regular season game on November 29 against Michigan, starting quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his ankle. Barrett had replaced the injured Braxton Miller as the starter in August. For the Big Ten title game the Buckeyes had to start their third team quarterback from last summer, Cardale Jones.

No problem.

Ohio State destroyed Wisconsin 59-0 to win the Big Ten championship. That stunning performance and score earned an invitation to join Alabama, Florida State and Oregon in the playoffs. Alabama was the most popular choice to emerge as the national champion but the Buckeyes refused a ride on the Crimson Tide bandwagon. In the semifinal playoff game between the two legendary programs, the Buckeyes rallied from a 21-6 deficit to win 42-35.

A lot of college football observers are impressed with the Buckeyes. “They’re on a roll right now,” Mason said. “I’ve never seen a team that’s gone through a transformation in two games like Ohio State. They were a good team this year, now they’re a really good team. They became a really good team against Wisconsin and parlayed it right into the game against Alabama.”

Oregon, of course, hasn’t exactly stumbled in its last couple of games. In the Pac-12 championship game the Ducks avenged their only loss of the season with a convincing 51-13 win over Arizona. Then in the semifinal playoff game against undefeated Florida State the Ducks easily defeated the Seminoles, 59-20. “Both these teams are peaking at the right time,” Mason said.

When Mason coached the Gophers he spoke about “swagger.” After the Gophers earned a big win, he might talk about the program’s confidence. The secretaries in the football office even carried themselves differently, he claimed.

Mason sees that “swagger” with the Buckeyes. He brought that up with Meyer before the Alabama game and the Buckeyes coach agreed his team was different than earlier in the season. “They’ve gotten their swagger back, their confidence,” Mason said. “I don’t think they had it during the year up until they played Wisconsin. …”

Mason described it as “truly amazing” Ohio State can be playing in tomorrow night’s national championship game after not only losing their two top quarterbacks but also seeing seven players from last year’s team become starters in the NFL.

Among the losses from the 2013 team were four starting offensive linemen. Replacing those four and having such an inexperienced line was worrisome last summer regarding national championship hopes but those prospects really seemed doomed when Miller—a leading candidate to win the Hesiman Trophy—injured his shoulder and was ruled out for the season.

“If they win Monday they’ll have a national championship. It’s a testament to the amount of talent that Ohio State (has) and it’s a testament to the coaching job being done by Urban Meyer and the coaching staff,” Mason said.

Jones, a 6-5, 250-pound redshirt sophomore, threw for 243 yards and one long touchdown against Alabama. He also ran for 89 yards. Mason praised Jones’ abilities to “punish” tacklers when he runs and also the inexperienced quarterback’s arm strength. “They call him 12-gauge because he wears No. 12 and he’s got an arm like a shotgun,” Mason said.

Miller, a senior, has twice been the Big Ten MVP. Barrett, a redshirt freshman, was so impressive for most of the 2014 season he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Jones has turned heads in his two starts against Wisconsin and Alabama.

Mason couldn’t remember one college team ever having three quarterbacks so talented. All three have remaining college eligibility and they could be back with the Buckeyes next season—although transferring to another school perhaps is also in the mix for Miller or Jones. “If they all stayed at Ohio State, you’d have three guys that would be (in) the Heisman Trophy discussion at the same position going into the season,” Mason said.

Tomorrow night Ohio State will have to contend with Oregon’s skilled passing and running quarterback Marcus Mariota. The redshirt junior from Hawaii has thrown 40 touchdown passes in 14 games this season and rushed for 15 more. He has thrown only three interceptions. He was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the 2014 Heisman Trophy.

Winning college football’s most prestigious individual award can be a precursor to something bigger—a national championship. Quarterbacks Cam Newton from Auburn and Jameis Winston of Florida State won Heismans in 2010 and 2013, and then led their teams to national titles.

The Ducks are known for their speed and Big Ten teams have long been considered a plodding bunch but don’t get too caught up in stereotypes. When Mason coached the Gophers they defeated Alabama and Arkansas, two programs from the speed-based Southeastern Conference. After those games opposing coaches told Mason they had underestimated the Gophers’ speed.

Mason didn’t even think the Gophers were a fast team but Ohio State is. He watched the Buckeyes against Alabama and thought, “Ohio State is the fastest team out here.”

Oregon is second in the country in scoring at 47.2 points per game while the Buckeyes are fifth at 45 points. OSU ranks at No. 26 in scoring defense allowing 22.1 points. The Ducks are No. 27, allowing 22.3 points.

Comparable stats for two 13-1 teams who have apparently saved their best football for the biggest stage. No wonder Mason predicts it will be a “heck of a contest.”

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Kill Leaves No Doubt about No. 1 QB

Posted on July 28, 2014August 3, 2014 by David Shama

Jerry Kill indicated today the Gophers might have benefitted last season by settling on a quarterback but made it clear now that Mitch Leidner is his No. 1. “I told all of our players he’s the guy in charge,” the Gophers coach said this morning at Big Ten Media Day in Chicago which was televised by the Big Ten Network.

Leidner, a redshirt sophomore, split starting time last season with then sophomore Philip Nelson. Nelson had started seven games the year before but never completely established himself as the No. 1 quarterback in 2013.

Kill has been impressed with Leidner since the end of last season including this summer when the former Lakeville South High School star stepped forward as a team leader. Kill praised how Leidner and senior defensive back Cedric Thompson have emerged as leaders, even helping with discipline among players.

A quarterback, of course, is supposed to be a leader but not necessarily a defensive back like Thompson who approached Kill awhile back about leadership. “He came up after the season and said, ‘Hey, coach I want to be that guy. I want to have that pressure. It’s my time to lead.’

“To be honest with you, I thought he would be a good leader but I had no idea he was going to do the job what he’s done since he stepped up. …Both him and Mitch have been extended coaches.”

The Gophers won eight games last season after winning three and six during Kill’s first two seasons as coach. Minnesota minimized mistakes and played physical football on defense. The Gophers struggled on offense in some Big Ten games including with passing, and Minnesota ranked last in touchdown passes among conference schools with 12. Leidner had three touchdown passes.

“I think when you know you’re going to be the guy it’s a little bit different,” Kill said when talking about potential offense. “Mitch has spent a lot of time with the receivers. We know we gotta do a good job when you start seeing eight, nine people in the box. You gotta be able to throw the ball down the field and make some catches.”

But Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said after Kill’s remarks that the Gophers need to remember who they are—a physical team that offensively focuses on running the ball—and play within their limitations. “You can really get distracted when people start saying we have to throw the ball better. Of course they want to throw the ball better but if they lose their identity they’ll win less games next year.”

Worth Noting

Kill said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” yesterday that “seven, eight or nine” offensive linemen will compete for playing time including former center Jon Christenson who is being moved to guard. Kill singled out defensive lineman Steven Richardson among incoming freshmen likely to play early in the season.

The Big Ten announced its Players to Watch list this morning as chosen by a media panel. No Gophers were included among the 10 players with the biggest names including Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon.

In a poll of sportswriters by Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, Ohio State is predicted to win the East Division and Wisconsin the West. The Gophers will finish fifth in the West Division, ahead of Illinois and Purdue, according to the July 25 story on Cleveland.com.

Congratulations to Minneapolis entrepreneur and Gophers sports loyalist Mark Sheffert who was inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame last week. Sheffert and four others who also attended the University of Minnesota were recognized by Twin Cities Business Magazine at a dinner and program in Minneapolis. For Sheffert the honor came during the 25th anniversary year of Manchester Companies, a business he started in 1989 to assist troubled organizations.

Sheffert, who is part of the group working to raise $190 million for Gophers facilities, played football at Robbinsdale and Cooper high schools. He was a walk-on for the Gophers in 1965 but injured a knee that has twice undergone replacement surgery. At the initial practice of his second season he suffered three compressed fractures in the neck which ended his football career.

Sheffert’s goals had been to play in the Big Ten Conference and in the NFL for legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The end of his football career was a life lesson. “Your dreams can be wiped out in an instance by something you didn’t plan on,” he told Sports Headliners.

The Gophers head football coach in the 1960s was Murray Warmath. When Sheffert’s father passed away in 1967 the coach made time to attend the funeral. “My dad was my best friend, mentor and hero,” Sheffert said. “It was a tough time emotionally. To have the coach show up meant the world to me.”

Sports Illustrated pro football writer Peter King will visit Mankato to watch the Vikings on August 5. The July 28 issue makes that announcement while King asks: “Can anyone here play quarterback?”

Celebrities were among those attending the Edina funeral of Gophers football legend Bob McNamara on Saturday. Speakers included ex-Vikings coach Bud Grant who broke down while recalling his affection for McNamara who played for Grant with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In new coach Richard Pitino’s first season the Gophers won 20 of 23 home games, with a supportive crowd helping to fuel upset wins in 2014. He wants sometimes raucous Williams Arena to become the most difficult place in the country for opponents to win. “We can generate unbelievable home crowds. Moving into year two, if you want to do what we all want to do (winning more), you can’t lose at home, and we lost three times at home. …It’s got to be the toughest place to play in the country, and hopefully we’ll continue to build that momentum.”

The Gophers return four experienced seniors from last year’s 25-13 team, guards Andre Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu, and centers Elliott Eliason and Maurice Walker. Pitino said that kind of experience is a “huge” asset but he won’t predict the Gophers are Big Ten championship contenders, deferring the assignment to media.

Wisconsin reached the Final Four last spring. Pitino described the Badgers as “phenomenal,” and there is no doubt they will be a consensus choice to win the Big Ten title. “They were playing their best basketball towards the end (of the year),” Pitino said. “They have everybody back except one guy so I would think they’ve got to be the favorite going into the season.”

The field for the 3M Championship that starts at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine this week is expected to include defending champion Tom Pernice, Jr. He won $262,500 last month after finishing first in the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines. He ranks 10th on the Champions Tour with earnings of $764,959 so far this year.

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