NCAA – Page 106 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Fans to Like Pitino Predictions

Posted on March 6, 2019March 6, 2019 by David Shama

Golden Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino made a couple of predictions after last night’s upset win over Purdue that Minnesotans will like.

The sixth-year coach believes the late season victory over No. 11 ranked Purdue should propel his team to an NCAA Tournament invitation. During a jubilant on-court postgame celebration at Williams Arena, he also told the crowd the jersey of senior forward and rebounder extraordinaire Jordan Murphy will one day hang in the building’s rafters with those of the program’s other greatest players.

“That jersey will be up there in no time,” Pitino said while speaking on a microphone to the fans.

The 73-69 win over Purdue was one of the most entertaining and important victories of the Pitino era. With “background noise” from critics about Pitino’s coaching future, the Gophers added to a resume that also includes impressive victories against the likes of Iowa, Washington and Wisconsin. They may have clinched a tournament invite in Dinkytown last evening.

Minnesota is 19-11 overall, 8-10 in Big Ten games. The Gophers finish the regular season Friday night at Maryland, and then join their other league rivals at the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Chicago next week. Minnesota’s NCAA Tourney chances look a lot less precarious after last night, with national bracketologists likely to forecast in coming days that the Gophers will be part of the 68-team field announced on Selection Sunday, March 17.

Pitino, whose career record in Big Ten regular season games is 40 wins and 69 losses, told the crowd he “can’t wait to be in the tournament.” If the “Big Dance” is Pitino’s destination for the second time in three years, he can begin writing thank you notes to Murphy and junior guard Amir Coffey.

Coach Richard Pitino & Jordan Murphy (photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications)

Murphy ranks second all-time in career rebounds in the Big Ten (1,262), behind Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas (1,411). Earlier this week he was fifth nationally in rebounds per game with a Big Ten-best 11.7. He was second in the NCAA with 19 double-doubles and holds the Gopher career record with 65.

Murphy, a San Antonio native, was going to attend VCU but a coaching change had him reconsidering his options in the spring of 2015. The former Texas All-State player chose Minnesota and Pitino knew he had a potentially important player.

“I thought he’d have a good career,” Pitino told Sports Headliners before the game. “I didn’t think statistically he would do (all) this.”

Murphy has been an impact performer from his first season when he averaged 11.6 points and eight rebounds. A determined attitude has characterized his play from day one. “His mentality was phenomenal. He was ready to go right away,” Pitino said.

Last night Murphy moved into sixth place all-time on the Minnesota career scoring list. His low-post production is a signature part of his game that has led to his points total. Durability is also a big reason for his record setting play. “I don’t think he’s ever missed a practice,” Pitino said about his power forward who has played in every game during his career.

Murphy added another double-double last night with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Coffey showed again why he is Minnesota’s leading scorer, most versatile player and a possible NBA draft choice later this year. The junior has joined Murphy as one of the Big Ten’s best players and last night his new found aggressive play resulted in 32 points and eight rebounds.

His passionate style, including slashing to the basket, helped earn him 18 free throw attempts. He and other Gophers took turns defending star Purdue guard and scorer Carsen Edwards, who made only seven of 31 field goal attempts.

On Senior Night emotions were high even during a pregame ceremony to honor Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, Matz Stockman and Brock Stull. Those emotions built from there during a game that Minnesota received help from all of its seniors including a not to be forgotten performance by Stockman, the 7-foot center who had been averaging 9.6 minutes per game and 2.7 points.

McBrayer had 10 points, and while Stull had only four points in 22 minutes, his all-around play in the guard rotation was solid. Stockman had the game of his Gopher life, including coming up with a steal that had him in the open court before being fouled. That was part of his impact on defense but even more impressive were seven blocked shots. He had a tension-busting dunk in the game, too, and finished with seven points in 24 minutes of heroic work in the absence of key reserve and center Eric Curry who as of this week is out for the season with a foot injury.

The student section teased Stockman with chants of “MVP! MVP!” The 24-year-old journeyman, who started his college career at Louisville after growing up in Norway, was also honored with the Gophers’ Heart of the Game award.

Who would have thought the team’s four senior players would all contribute so much to the win? “Their seniors played great,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

A roaring and sometimes adoring crowd played a role in the win, too. It was Williams Arena magic reborn—and maybe influenced the officiating. The Gophers had 36 free throw attempts and made 27. The Boilermakers had 18 attempts and made good on just nine. “You get more calls when you’re at home,” Painter said with minimal emotion.

The emotion was mostly on Minnesota’s side last night.

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Twins’ Cruz, Berrios on Top 100 List

Posted on March 1, 2019March 1, 2019 by David Shama

Enjoy a Friday notes column with a focus on the Minnesota Twins and Target Field.

Sports Illustrated ranks two Twins players among its top 100 players in Major League Baseball. The February 25 issue of the magazine lists the game’s best, and the publication has newly acquired outfielder and designated hitter Nelson Cruz at No. 65 and starting pitcher Jose Berrios at 95.

The Twins could come out of spring training as a consensus choice among oddsmakers and media to finish second in the American League Central Division behind the Cleveland Indians. Despite some offseason payroll trimming, the Indians may win a fourth consecutive division championship because their talent is still impressive.

Three Indians made the magazine’s top 10—shortstop Francisco Lindor at No. 4, third baseman Jose Ramirez, No. 5, and starting pitcher Corey Kluber, No. 9. The club’s starting staff also includes Trevor Bauer, No. 35, and Mike Clevinger, No. 73.

The Twins can’t match that pitching but if their staff produces some pleasant surprises, Minnesota looks like a run-scoring club. Bleacherreport.com said in an article this week that the Twins averaged a solid 4.6 runs per game last season, and additions like Cruz figure to make the offense even better.

Bleacherreport’s story focused on the playoff chances of all 30 MLB teams. The Indians came in at 70 percent, while the Twins were next among Central Division clubs with a 40 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason.

Sports Illlustrated’s rankings had Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout as the best player in the game. Aaron Hicks, the center fielder Twins GM Terry Ryan traded to the New York Yankees in 2015 for catcher John Ryan Murphy, is the No. 78 player in the game, per S.I.

The Twins have been trying to fill their center field void for years. Murphy has become an obscure player, most recently signing a reported one-year, $900,000 deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hicks reportedly has a new seven year, $70 million contract with the Yankees.

In a telephone interview yesterday from spring training in Florida, Twins president Dave St. Peter predicted Cruz will become a “fan favorite,” perhaps similar to former Minnesota slugger Jim Thome. “He (Cruz) has been great,” St. Peter said about the six-time MLB All-Star who is known for his hitting and clubhouse leadership.

Berrios, 24, is a potential staff ace for the Twins who St. Peter admires for his talent and work ethic. “He works harder than any player on our team,” St. Peter said.

Regarding the Sports Illustrated article, St. Peter said Marwin Gonzalez “should be on the list.” The Twins signed the multi-positional free agent earlier this week after the switch-hitter hit 16 home runs and drove in 68 runs last season for the Astros while playing 76 games in the outfield, 39 at shortstop, 32 at second base, 24 at first base and three at third.

The Twins’ regular season opener, March 28 at Target Field, is close to a sellout, with a few thousand tickets remaining. The early opener was prompted by the presence of the April 6-8 Final Four in Minneapolis. Extensive field preparation begins in a couple weeks. “I will take 50 (degrees) and sunshine (for opening day),” St. Peter said.

About 28,000 tickets have been sold for the August 31 North Dakota State-Butler football game at Target Field, with capacity at over 38,000. NDSU is the defending Division I FCS national champion.

Target Field hosted a record Division III crowd of 37,355 in 2017 for the St. Thomas-Saint John’s football game. St. Peter said there are discussions about playing the November of 2021 Tommies-Johnnies football game at Target Field. Talks are ongoing, too, with the Minnesota Wild regarding an NHL Winter Classic at the downtown Minneapolis stadium.

Construction on the Minnesota United’s Allianz Field is complete, with a ribbon cutting scheduled for March 18 at the St. Paul stadium. The club reports the project generated more than 650,000 work hours, totaling over $46 million in wages, and that $167 million was awarded to companies located within 150 miles of Allianz Field.

Minnesota’s MLS team opens its regular season on Saturday (5 p.m. Twin Cities time) on the road against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The club has five new starters counting Slovakian Jan Gregus, 2017 MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara, 2016 MLS Cup Champion Ozzie Alonso, Premier League goalie Vito Mannone and the only player from Madagascar in the league, Romain Metanire.

Coffey photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications

Amir Coffey is one of the Big Ten’s most versatile and skilled players. He will need to produce like he did last night (31 points, 12 rebounds in a must-win over lowly Northwestern) if the Gophers are to earn an NCAA Tournament invite. Minnesota entered the game as a projected last team entry in the tourney field of ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi.

Men’s regular season MIAC basketball champion St. Thomas is in the Division III NCAA Tournament and so, too, is the conference’s playoff title winner, Saint John’s. The Tommies (22-4) have a tourney opening game tonight in Lincoln, Nebraska versus Wisconsin-La Crosse (17-9). The Johnnies (23-3) are at home tonight against Northwestern-St. Paul (21-6).

Pat McKenzie, only the 15th head men’s basketball coach in 113 years at Saint John’s, speaks to the CORES lunch group Thursday, March 14 at the Bloomington Event Center (formerly the Knights of Columbus building), 1114 American Blvd. For reservations and other information, contact Jim Dotseth by Monday, March 11, dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Maybe Timberwolves starting point guard Jeff Teague has some Jimmy Butler in him. That was the view expressed yesterday by Mike Max on WCCO Radio who said it appears Teague plays in games when he wants to.

Butler, traded to the 76ers after his infamous start to the season with the Timberwolves, is one of the NBA’s better closers when his team creates isolation situations for him to score. The 76ers are among the NBA’s best clubs, partly because of Butler who will be a free agent after this season. He reportedly has given no assurances he will return to his new club.

New to major college hockey and ranked No. 12 nationally in the latest USCHO poll, Arizona State is in Minneapolis to play the Golden Gophers tonight and tomorrow evening at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Gophers aren’t ranked in the 20-team poll but three schools from the state of Minnesota occupy top spots—St. Cloud State, No. 1; UMD, No. 3; and Minnesota State, No. 4.

Condolences to family and friends of “Bucky” Zimmerman, the former Gophers tennis player and Minneapolis attorney who died late last month. I knew “Bucky” and enjoyed his intellect, curiosity and easy-going manner. He was married to former WCCO TV anchor Pat Miles.

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NHL Dream Still Thrills 39 Years Later

Posted on February 27, 2019February 27, 2019 by David Shama

Larry Thayer still has the paycheck stub from his remarkable experience with the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars. It will be 40 years next February that Thayer was paid $325 to suit up as the emergency goalie for his hometown team.

Thayer was at home in Edina on Saturday, February 23, 1980 when he received an unexpected telephone call from a woman with the North Stars. She was calling for North Stars coach Glen Sonmor and general manager Lou Nanne.

“They would like to know if you could come over and play for the North Stars,” the front office assistant told a stunned Thayer. The team’s backup goalie had been injured in the Saturday morning practice and team officials were scrambling to find a replacement for that evening’s game at Met Center against the New York Rangers.

Thayer, who hadn’t played in an organized hockey game for five years, thought the call was a prank and almost hung up his telephone.

The woman asked Thayer if a phone conversation with team trainer Richard “Doc” Rose would reassure him. The two men knew each other. When Thayer talked to Rose he inquired about what was going to happen if regular goalie Gilles Meloche got hurt during the game.

“We will stitch him up and put him right back out there,” the trainer told Thayer.

That was a comforting answer, but in reality Thayer didn’t need too much convincing. Yeah, he hadn’t played in a game since being the Golden Gophers starting goalie in 1975. Yes, he was out of shape, and he was a cigarette smoker who enjoyed his beer, but this was an “unbelievable” opportunity to suit up for the team he had been following since growing up in Edina. “My childhood dream (come true),” Thayer told Sports Headliners during an interview yesterday.

Before he could head for the Met Center, the 27-year-old Thayer had to call Braemar Arena in Edina and tell the staff he wasn’t coming to work that Saturday night. “Why not?” somebody asked.

“Because I am going to be with the North Stars,” Thayer answered.

Thayer arrived at the Met with his own ice skates, goalie mask and high anxiety at the thought he might actually have to play in the game. The North Stars gave him jersey No. 30, but unlike other players he didn’t have his name on the back of it. Sonmor and the players, including former Gophers teammates Mike Polich and Tom Younghans, were welcoming.

“The guys were so nice to me,” Thayer recalled. “They said come and lead us out on the ice (for warm-ups prior to the game).”

Thayer’s reaction? “Now I am really nervous.”

Meloche didn’t like to spend a lot of time on the ice during warm-ups so for about 20 minutes it was Thayer who was the target of shots by teammates. It was also prior to the game that he took notice of fans who were bewildered as to who this new goalie was.

“Who the (blank) is that?” Thayer heard from the stands. It was a bizarre time for Thayer whose identity was hidden behind his mask, and yet he was looking up in the seats and recognizing people he knew.

The Rangers’ roster included another Thayer teammate with the Gophers, Warren Miller. On one of Miller’s last shifts he caught a glimpse of Thayer for the first time that night, and Miller was shocked. “He does a double-take that was priceless,” Thayer said.

The North Stars were ahead in the third period when Thayer’s anxiety went to a higher level. Meloche had an equipment problem and it appeared Thayer might have to replace him. North Stars captain Bobby Smith said, “Larry, are you ready to go?”

Thayer remembers his heart pounding at the thought of trying to preserve the win for his new team. He was so nervous he “gurgled” a response to Smith.

To Thayer’s relief, Meloche was able to make a quick enough equipment adjustment to stay in the game and finish out the remaining minutes of a North Stars’ victory. In the locker room Thayer and teammates enjoyed some beers and then headed toward the Met Center exits. On the way kids asked for Thayer’s autograph, not knowing or caring who this one-game goalie was.

If Thayer had seen game action how would he have done? Okay in most situations but breakaways like two skaters streaking in on him would have been difficult, he speculated.

Thayer never got a chance to get an on-the-ice answer to how he would perform because even though the North Stars had signed him to a short contract, they didn’t need him after that one memorable night in 1980 when he had one of the best seats in the Met to watch the action. But Thayer, of course, is grateful for the good fortune he thinks came about because his name and reputation was known in the local hockey community.

Thayer’s resume included working as an instructor at the summer hockey camp of his Minnesota coach, the legendary Herb Brooks. Thayer was also acquainted with Sonmor and other hockey leaders in the state.

Thayer was the starting goalie on the 1969-70 Edina hockey team. He had 12 shutouts and never gave up more than two goals in a game. He played in the classic 1970 state championship game when the Hornets lost 1-0 in overtime to Minneapolis Southwest.

After high school Thayer didn’t immediately play college hockey, but eventually he joined the Gophers as a walk-on goalie for the 1974-75 season. How did that come about? Well, he was driving the Zamboni at Braemar Arena before the fall of 1974 when Minnesota assistant coach and goalie guru Warren Strelow spotted him and asked if he wanted to tryout for the Gophers.

Early in that season Thayer became the Gophers’ regular goalie. He compiled a 19-3-1 record in his only season playing for Minnesota. The Gophers won the WCHA regular season and playoff titles before losing in the Frozen Four to Michigan Tech.

To this day, Thayer is grateful for playing under Brooks who he described as tough but fair. “I learned more about hockey in one year with Herb Brooks than in my whole career,” Thayer said.

Thayer was manager of Braemar Arena for 38 years before retiring in 2010. Next week, on March 6, he will turn 67 years old. That’s a date to look forward to and so, too, is February 23, 2020 when it will be the 40th anniversary of his surreal experience playing in the NHL for his hometown team.

“I’ll do some celebrating,” said Thayer, who still likes beer. “I might even have an Old Fashioned.”

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