MIAC – Page 9 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Guard Help Priority for U, Pitino

Posted on April 1, 2018April 1, 2018 by David Shama

A Sunday notes column.

A Gopher athletic department source said he didn’t expect to see Richard Pitino at the Final Four in San Antonio this weekend because the Gopher coach is focused on recruiting. College basketball coaches typically attend the games but Deputy AD John Cunningham said Pitino is working on filling two scholarship openings.

Pitino is all but certain to target at least one, and perhaps two backcourt players. Multiple reports have Minnesota pursuing Pitt transfer and point guard Marcus Carr who averaged 10 points and four assists last season as a freshman.

Carr, though, wouldn’t be eligible to play until a year from this fall. The Gophers need help now with their backcourt which loses senior point guard Nate Mason and lacks depth. Ryan James, the basketball recruiting authority for GopherIllustrated.com, told Sports Headliners Carr is a talented player and Minnesota could be willing to take him even though he has to sit out a year.

James predicted Pitino’s priority is finding a “ball handler” for next season, while using the second scholarship on the best player the Gophers can land regardless of position. The ball handler, he said, could be a point guard, or combo guard.

Many transfers are available and the market size may work in Minnesota’s favor in finding players who can help next season. James believes it could be the end of April or beyond before the Gophers announce the names of one or two commits. “There is no need to rush,” he said.

This year’s Final Four is in San Antonio but next year comes to Minneapolis for the fourth time and first ever at U.S. Bank Stadium. Economic impact on the local economy for the April 6-8, 2019 event could be between $100 million and $300 million. The 2017 impact on host city Phoenix was over $320 million, according to multiple online reports including Azcentral.com.

Stadium preparations in advance of the Final Four here will eliminate any amateur baseball games at the facility next winter, including more than 10 nonconference Gophers games, according to coach John Anderson. He said he will be able to find eight away games against warmer weather schools but won’t be able to replace all the games originally scheduled at U.S. Bank Stadium before being told the facility isn’t available for baseball. The Gophers won’t play their targeted 2019 total of 56 nonconference and Big Ten games.

Minnesota is scheduled to play its first home outdoor series this season at Siebert Field April 6-8 against Penn State. Last week snow was being removed from the bullpen and artificial surface in the outfield. In Lincoln, Nebraska last Sunday the Gophers defeated the Cornhuskers in temps below freezing. Anderson compared gripping a baseball in cold weather to the feel of a “cue stick” but freshmen pitchers Patrick Fredrickson and Max Meyer combined to throw a 2-0 shutout.

A Big Ten rule is that games are to be played in temperatures of 29 degrees or higher. There is urgency to battle through the elements because the conference doesn’t allow for makeup games that are lost because of weather. With forecasted temps nearing freezing next weekend, the Gophers will try to play the games. “We don’t have any other options,” Anderson said.

It’s been a painful start to the MLB season for former Twins pitchers Pat Neshek and Anthony Swarzak. Neshek, perhaps the Phillies best relief pitcher, recently went on the 10-day disabled list with a shoulder injury. Swarzak, now with the Mets, suffered an oblique injury yesterday.

The Twins Spring Ballpark Pass costing $49 for 13 games in April doesn’t include the sold out home opener Thursday. The forecasted high that day is for mid-30’s.

The Atlanta Braves are another MLB team offering discounts with some tickets available for $5 this weekend at SunTrust Park.

It might be a near consensus view among fans and insiders that Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle made the best of possible hires, with Bob Motzko as his new head hockey coach. “I think he’ll be a great coach,” said former captain Casey Hankinson. “…I think he’s got a lot of energy. I like the way he coaches.”

Motzko, who turned 57 last month, probably wouldn’t have been pursued by Coyle if he were a few years older. Not likely either that Coyle would have targeted Motzko if he were the head coach at a Big Ten school. Almost never does a Big Ten program go after the head coach at another conference school in the high profile sports of basketball, football and hockey.

Motzko built St. Cloud State into a hockey power and in 13 seasons had the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament eight times. As a student of hockey he acknowledges using the ideas of others. “That’s what a good coach is, he’s a thief,” Motzko said.

At the St. Thomas Pro Day the NFL Vikings and Bears showed interest in Tommies juniors Jacques Perra and Blake Weber, and senior Matt Christenson. Quarterback Perra and linebacker Weber (both former Gophers) will play one more season for the Tommies, while Christenson has used up his eligibility.

Tommies coach Glenn Caruso is bringing back past teams to celebrate his 10 years with the program (110-17 record, six MIAC titles, eight NCAA playoffs). Following the spring scrimmage at Palmer Field May 12, there will be a celebration at the Anderson Student Center.

Caruso texted that last semester 51 of his players made the Dean’s List for their outstanding academic work.

The Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association’s Clinic starts Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel in St. Louis Park, and pre-registration savings end April 2. Prior to April 3 the costs per individual and staffs are $95 and $500 respectively; afterwards $105 and $550. Featured speakers during the three-day clinic will include Matt Birk, P.J. Fleck, Glen Mason, Bob Nielson, and Mike Prieffer. More at Mnfootballcoaches.com.

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Eagles Fans Create Poor Impression

Posted on February 1, 2018February 1, 2018 by David Shama

Basketball immortal Red Auerbach used to say forgive but never forget. That might be the mindset of some Vikings fans Sunday when they passionately cheer for the Patriots instead of the Eagles in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Such fans have incentive to see a Patriots win that goes beyond the Eagles ending the Vikings’ Super Bowl dream in the NFC championship game on January 21 in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 38-7 and Vikings fans attending that game in the “City of Brotherly Love” certainly didn’t encounter a welcoming atmosphere.

Philly is famous for a lot of things—a few of them not exactly chamber of commerce bulletin board material. The town where Eagles fans once booed Santa Claus went way beyond that transgression when the Vikings were in town. USA Today reported last Friday social media depicted a “hostile environment” for Vikings fans.

“Some Minnesotans were booed, taunted and the subject of expletives at close range as they walked through the parking lot,” the newspaper wrote. “Another video showed what appeared to be full cans of beer being thrown at Vikings fans.”

Former Viking tight end Doug Kingsriter, who played on Minnesota Super Bowl teams in the 1970s, didn’t have to check out social media to know about the hostility. He and family members were at the game and experienced the unfriendly environment. “There were a number of ‘in your face’ encounters, but we just smiled and kept walking,” Kingsriter said via email to Sports Headliners.

Kingsriter, who grew up in Richfield experiencing Minnesota nice, also encountered Eagles fans at the game who were embarrassed by the behavior of Philly troublemakers. He wrote: “There were more than 20 Eagles fans who approached our group (son, daughter and daughter-in-law) to let us know that ‘not all Eagles fans were jerks.’ These were kind, gracious people. What those folks said helped us to mitigate the groups of mostly young men who would point at us and yell, ‘blow,’ and other somewhat unmentionable phrases.”

While Kingsriter described the scene as an “interesting experience,” he is keeping a balanced view about the incidents. “We did not find it intimidating due to the kindness of those people who took the time to welcome us and our team (the Vikings) to Philadelphia. They were the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ representatives.”

Since the January 21 game, some Eagles fans have donated thousands of dollars to the Mike Zimmer Foundation as a way of apologizing for the rowdy and confrontational behavior of others. The foundation honors the “giving spirit” of Vikki Zimmer, the late wife of the Viking head coach. The foundation provides “opportunities to the youth of today to benefit the future of tomorrow,” according to the website.

Worth Noting

Sunday’s game will be the fourth Super Bowl for the Eagles franchise, the same number of big game appearances as the Vikings. Ten other franchises have played in more Super Bowls, led by the Patriots who make their 11th appearance Sunday.

When the Vikings played in their first Super Bowl in 1970 the price of an ad on the telecast was $78,000. This year the cost for a commercial is about $5 million.

The Vikings’ last Super Bowl appearance in 1977 drew a national TV rating of 44.4 and 73 share. Those numbers are similar to recent Super Bowls and what can be expected from Sunday’s telecast on NBC. Ratings are a percentage of the potential TV audience watching a particular program. A share is a percentage of televisions on at that time viewing a program.

When the Vikings lost to the Raiders in the 1977 Super Bowl each player received $7,500. The Raiders earned $15,000. The winners’ shares in 2018 will be $112,000, while losers receive $56,000 each.

Case Keenum (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Journeyman Case Keenum’s performance for the Vikings last season approached star status, but despite 2018 free agency a source close to the team’s front office doesn’t expect Keenum to be unreasonable in contract negotiations. He described Keenum as “old school” in attitude and predicted the quarterback who never established himself in four previous NFL seasons will remain a Viking. “He isn’t going anywhere,” the source said.

The Vikings are looking for a new offensive coordinator to replace Pat Shurmur who is the new head coach of the Giants. In the hiring process general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer are likely to value the approach of Shurmur who adapted his system to the talent of the players, instead of mandating a style of play.

Richard Pitino’s Gophers basketball team is 1-7 since center Reggie Lynch was suspended. Another starter and high impact player, forward Amir Coffey, has missed six of those games because of injury. Interest in the team has declined and the Gophers could lose their remaining seven Big Ten regular season games including Saturday at Michigan. Minnesota is 14-10 overall, with a 3-8 conference record.

The nosedive of a team that once was rated among the top 15 in the country is impacting the box office, too. Before January the Gophers were on track to potentially sell out most of their Big Ten home games. It’s likely that the collapse on the court will result in at least 1,000 fewer tickets sold per game for five league games this winter. At an average of $55 per ticket that’s a total of $275,000 in potential lost revenue. And those numbers seem conservative, and don’t include other revenues like concessions and parking.

It’s interesting Kevin McHale is part of the inaugural class of the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame. McHale probably wasn’t even the best big man in the state his senior season at Hibbing in 1976, with that distinction going to Steve Lingenfelter from Bloomington Jefferson.

The gangly 6-foot-10 McHale was an evolving talent as a teenager. He was a better college player at Minnesota than he was a prep at Hibbing. He became one of the NBA’s greatest players during a career that included three NBA titles with the Celtics.

The Saint John’s men’s basketball team is running away with the regular season MIAC race. The Johnnies defeated Concordia-Moorhead last night to make their overall record 18-1 and 14-0 in MIAC games. If the Johnnies finish the league season undefeated, they can look back to an overtime win against Bethel last Saturday as pivotal.

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Forbath Can Ease Walsh Memory

Posted on January 11, 2018December 26, 2024 by David Shama

Nervous Vikings fans might be making a list of worries about their favorite team, as kickoff nears for Sunday’s game against the Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium. Minnesota hasn’t won a playoff game since 2010 and near the top of some worrywart lists could be the effectiveness of placekicker Kai Forbath.

Memories (nightmares) of Blair Walsh’s late-game field goal miss two years ago linger with both normal and neurotic fans. Walsh’s 27-yard miss cost the Vikings a win in their first round NFC playoff game in 2016. The miscue placed him in the Purple Hall of Infamy after the Seahawks defeated Minnesota 10-9.

Forbath isn’t seeking such club membership on Sunday in another opening NFC playoff game for Minnesota. Forbath realizes he and new long snapper Jeff Overbaugh need to execute when called upon against New Orleans.

“These are very important games and very well could come down to a field goal, or one point,” Forbath said. “Always go out there and try to score points whenever I get the opportunity.”

Overbaugh is a rookie free agent signee who made his debut in the last game of the season, replacing Kevin McDermott who was placed on the injured reserve list. “He’s done good, we haven’t had any issues at all,” Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said of Overbaugh.

Forbath, 30, caused some nail-biting earlier this season on extra points. In the first two games of the season he missed two of four extra point attempts. Then he went through a stretch of two games in late October where he converted one of three. In the last eight games of the season, though, he made 22 of 23 attempts.

Forbath said he didn’t change his technique to improve his extra point kicking. “We don’t even call them extra points,” Forbath said. “We call them field goals—33 yard field goal. We just focus like a field goal. Can’t take anything for granted. Just a little bit of extra focus, I think that’s helped.”

Starting with the 2015 season the NFL moved the line of scrimmage for extra points from the two-yard line to the 15. “The old extra point you could take for granted,” Forbath said. “You didn’t really have to hit a perfect ball and focus as much, so I just treat it like a field goal and it’s worked.”

The majority of NFL kickers converted 90 percent of their extra points, with a few of them perfect at 100 percent. Forbath compares better against his peers in field goals. Only five NFL kickers totaled more than his 32. He had six misses in 38 attempts after making all 15 of his attempts for the Vikings in 2016. In his last three games this season he converted on five of six attempts, including makes of 53 and 49 yards.

The Vikings signed Forbath as a free agent in November of 2016. The last team that employed him was the Saints who released him in September of 2016 as part of final roster cuts. “It was kind of shocking but it’s not the first time something shocking has happened to me in this league,” said Forbath who has also kicked for the Redskins. “It’s a business and everything happens for a reason.”

If given the opportunity, worrisome Vikings fans hope Forbath will be part of the reason their team advances against New Orleans to the NFC championship game.

Worth Noting

Saints fans have incentive to see their heroes win on Sunday. Not only did their team lose to the Vikings in the regular season opener, but a few years ago Minnesota’s bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl beat out New Orleans.

There will be familiar voices at U.S. Bank Stadium for the February 4 Super Bowl. Dave Mona, who for over 40 years has been the press box announcer for Vikings games, will have the same assignment February 4. Vikings public address announcer Alan Roach, who has also worked many previous Super Bowls, will be the P.A. man for the big game in Minneapolis.

Running back Latavius Murray made his Vikings debut against the Saints after being signed in the offseason as a free agent. Murray was sidelined and his progress slowed in training camp because of an ankle injury. He said he hadn’t received enough practice repetitions going into the September 11 game against New Orleans. He rushed for six yards on two carries and fumbled on his first run. “I just don’t think it was me,” Murray told Sports Headliners this week.

Murray’s power and Jerick McKinnon’s speed have given the Vikings an effective combination at running back. The two have rushed for 1,412 yards.

The Vikings will face future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees on Sunday. Although he turns 39 next Monday, he is still playing at a high level and had a gaudy 115.2 passer rating in last weekend’s win over the Panthers. The Vikings will counter with Case Keenum who has never started a playoff game in his six-year pro career.

“I just think we can’t get caught up in it, veteran quarterback and our quarterback, and comparing the two,” Murray said. “I think we have to focus on the things that have got us to this point (and) the things that we have been doing well. …This chance to play at home versus a really good team.”

Vikings reserve wide receiver Michael Floyd has been on rosters of playoff teams in Arizona and New England. What are his concerns about Brees? “You just gotta make sure you don’t turn over the ball offensively and play sound football, because you can’t give a great quarterback like Drew Brees the ball more times than what he should—because at one point he’s going to do something great like he always does.”

Murray was with the Raiders for four seasons and that franchise is relocating to Las Vegas in a couple of years. Does he think the move will be a downer for the players?

“I know they get to save money, so they can’t be too sad about that,” Murray said about playing in Nevada where there is no state income tax.

Floyd will vacation in Australia starting in late February and will be travelling to other countries, too. “That’s all I am going to be doing, travelling and golfing,” said Floyd with a handicap “about 10” and who plays at Oak Ridge in Hopkins.

Adrian Peterson, who played for the Vikings from 2007-2016, was with the Saints when they played the Vikings on September 11 but the legendary running back was traded to New Orleans in early October. Now the Vikings or Saints could earn their way to the Super Bowl, an ultimate prize Peterson has targeted.

“I know Adrian, and he is probably not the happiest guy in the world, you know, but God has a plan for everybody, so you just always have to remember that,” Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright told Sports Headliners.

The Capital Club will have former Viking center Matt Birk, who won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2013, as its speaker next Tuesday at Town & Country Club in St. Paul. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

Alabama won its fifth national championship in nine years with its victory over Georgia on Monday night. The Gophers program hasn’t won a Big Ten title in over 50 years.

The Super60 Showcase during January starts Saturday with boys and girls high school basketball games at Maple Grove and Osseo. The showcase involves 54 prep teams and 27 games at five Twin Cities sites playing on four dates through January 27.

Four varsity boys games are scheduled at Maple Grove High School Saturday, with the first starting at 2:55 p.m.—Fridley and St. Paul Johnson. Four varsity girls games, and one varsity boys game, will be played at Osseo High School Saturday. The Anoka and St. Paul Como girls lead off the schedule starting at 11:35 a.m. All games in January will be streamed via www.PrepSpotlight.TV.

The Hamline women’s hockey team has a top 10 ranking for the first time in program history. The Pipers are No. 10 in the latest D3hockey.com poll and have a 10-2-1 record. Hamline is coached by former Gopher player and Olympic medalist Natalie Darwitz.

It will be 50 years next Monday that former North Star Bill Masterton tragically died. He passed away the day after hitting his head on the ice in a game at Met Center.

The Herb Brooks Foundation and John Gunderson Memorial will benefit Friday night by appearances from hockey legends Henry Boucha, Bill Butters and Jack Carlson who will sign autographs at the Portside restaurant in Stillwater.

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