NCAA – Page 119 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers ‘Lucky’ to have John Anderson

Posted on June 4, 2018June 4, 2018 by David Shama

Sometimes it takes a stretch of success to remind us how special someone is. Today’s “Exhibit A” is Golden Gophers baseball coach John Anderson who has led the program for 37 years, and given this town a scrapbook full of great memories including last weekend’s Minneapolis Regional.

“We’re lucky to have him,” said Jerry Noyce, who could have been speaking for so many Minnesotans and alumni of the University of Minnesota.

Noyce was the Gophers’ successful tennis coach when athletic director Paul Giel appointed Anderson to lead the baseball program in 1981. Noyce’s last season in the athletic department was 1988 but he has remained a friend of Anderson and close observer of Minnesota baseball over the years.

Anderson’s teams have won a lot of games and he has operated his program with integrity. “He’s done it all the right way his whole career,” Noyce said.

Noyce and thousands of Minnesotans have been captivated by the 2018 edition of U baseball. The Gophers won the Minneapolis Regional yesterday and are headed to Corvallis, Oregon this week to play in a Super Regional they hope will earn them an entry later in the month to the College World Series.

Minnesota earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning both the Big Ten regular season championship and conference tournament title. Anderson has coached the Gophers to 11 regular season titles and 10 conference tourney championships. Anderson’s teams have been in the NCAA Tournament 19 times but yesterday was the first time his Gophers have won their region. Twice there have been four-year stretches where Minnesota qualified for the NCAA Tourney. Ten seasons there have been 40 wins or more. This spring Anderson’s fellow conference coaches voted him Big Ten Coach of the Year for a seventh time—the most in league history.

Anderson and his staff are known for the consistent way they teach, develop players and offer guidance. Neither the state of Minnesota nor Big Ten is known as a hotbed of college baseball. It’s not easy to win against schools with warmer climates and access to more and better players—places like Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Anderson seems to know when to push the right buttons. Against Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals the Gophers were behind. “He told us to calm down, relax a bit, and get back to having a plan,” said Minnesota outfielder Toby Hanson. “After that, we took a deep breath and got back to being us. We got some big hits and just kept on going (winning 8-1).”

Last Saturday night at Siebert Field in the Minneapolis Regional, Minnesota had to use extra innings to defeat UCLA. “I just kept telling the guys the last few innings: Siebert Field. Siebert Field magic,” Anderson said. “We’ve won a lot of games this way in my career here, at the old Siebert Field and now here. Just keep believing in Siebert Field magic. Give ourselves chances to win and we’ll find a way.”

Anderson has probably had several opportunities to go elsewhere and coach. He likely could have relocated to jobs with better access to players and for more money, but the Minnesota native and former Gopher baseball player is too committed to the U to leave. “Nobody is more loyal than John,” Noyce said.

The employment agreement Anderson signed with the University of Minnesota about two years ago calls for an annual salary of at least $225,000. The agreement provides bonus compensation including $12,500 for winning a Big Ten title, $7,500 for the Big Ten tournament championship, $7,500 for making the NCAA Tournament and $5,000 for conference Coach of the Year.

Anderson could have bettered himself financially elsewhere—perhaps even in pro baseball—but he has stayed through both good and trying times at Minnesota where he gas worked for a lenthy list of full-time and interim athletic directors. Along the way he’s inspired a lot of players and other admirers who are loyal to him.

One of Anderson’s financial donors to his program recently wrote this in an email to Sports Headliners: “He is a class act, a complete gentleman, and a terrific ambassador for Gopher baseball.”

U Football Scheduling

Coming off a losing season and two final defeats by a combined score of 70-0, Golden Gopher football ticket sales figure to be flat headed into summer but the box office could get a boost with favorable start times for home games. Five of the seven start times have been announced and so far none are at the dreaded 11 a.m.

Not only that but three games are set for night kickoffs. Some of Minnesota’s best home crowds since 2000 have been for evening games including against TCU in 2015 when a TCF Bank Stadium record attendance of 54,147 was announced.

Minnesota will open its season August 30 with a 6 p.m. game against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium. The bad news is that a work weeknight game isn’t ideal and Minnesota has to battle the State Fair for attention, but positives include the Twins and Vikings are on the road.

Minnesota’s other two home nonconference games on September 8 and 15 begin at 6:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively against Fresno State and Miami (Ohio). Gopher Big Ten home games with Iowa on October 6 and Indiana October 26 will have mid-afternoon and early evening kickoffs. Only the Purdue game November 10 and Northwestern November 17 don’t have start times yet among the seven home games this season.

Indiana is traditionally a poor draw but the October 26 date comes on a Friday evening and if Minnesota is off to a winning start, and the weather is favorable, the Gophers could sell the game out. This is a night sports town on weekends and Gopher fans remember the crowd of 62,374 on a Friday night (October 10, 2003) at the Metrodome when Minnesota played a thriller in losing to Michigan.

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U in Position to Win Big Ten Title

Posted on May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 by David Shama

John Anderson turns 63 on Wednesday, and his Golden Gophers can give him a nice birthday present by winning the Big Ten title next weekend.

Minnesota won two of three games from Michigan State the last three days including Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Spartans. The wins, part of the Gophers’ last regularly scheduled homestand of the year, moved Minnesota to a conference best 16-4 record.

The Gophers are at 7-14 Rutgers starting on Thursday for a three-game series that ends their league regular season schedule. Second place Michigan, 15-5, has three games on the same days at third place Purdue, 14-6.

Before the weekend’s series against the Spartans Anderson had seen enough of his team to offer this compliment: “It’s probably as well rounded—pitching, hitting and defense—as…any of the teams that I’ve had. We’ll see how they finish up.”

This isn’t a team of superstars like long ago when the Gophers boasted a Paul Giel, Paul Molitor or Dave Winfield. There are pro prospects but this team is defined by balance and competitiveness. Saturday Minnesota scored eight runs in the seventh inning for a comeback win over the Spartans.

The Gophers also displayed their fight a week ago today when they completed a series sweep of early season Big Ten title favorite Indiana at Siebert Field. Minnesota trailed the Hoosiers 6-3 in the eighth inning but rallied to win 7-6 in 10 innings. The Gophers hit three home runs in the eighth to ignite the comeback.

In that game Minnesota also got a first inning home run from shortstop Terrin Vavra, the son of former Twins coach Joe Vavra. “He’s probably the best player in the league,” Anderson said of his junior leader.

Vavra benefits from being part of a baseball family that includes older brothers who excelled in baseball. “His baseball IQ is really high,” Anderson said. “He’s talented, don’t get me wrong. But I think the intangibles—the baseball IQ, the work ethic that he puts in, the way he handles adversity and bounces back, and his ability to make the big play— I mean that’s special talent. …”

A 2018 regular season Big Ten title would be the 10th for Anderson who has been Minnesota’s head coach since 1981. His teams have won nine Big Ten Tournament championships. Seven times he has been Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Anderson is one of only three head baseball coaches at Minnesota in the last 72 years, having succeeded Dick Siebert and George Thomas. Tradition means a lot to Anderson and so do people who helped his career. Siebert and Thomas gave him coaching opportunities on their staffs. Giel, as athletic director, hired Anderson as head coach. To this day Anderson keeps mementoes of the three in his baseball binder.

Gopher Baseball Notes

At Saturday’s home game members of the 1968, 1969 and 1970 Big Ten champions, and others affiliated with those teams, were honored by the Gophers.

This is the 130th year of Gopher baseball. The program is the oldest intercollegiate sport at the University of Minnesota.

Like many fans, Anderson would welcome a return to wooden bats in college baseball. He also wants to see collegians use the same baseballs as in the majors. “It would be much easier for people to evaluate kids,” he said. “Much easier for kids to make the jump from college to professional baseball. I wish we’d just all do the same thing.”

Anderson said cost isn’t the obstacle in eliminating aluminum bats, but that Power Five conference coaches are tied into marketing commitments they don’t want to give up.

Wisconsin is the only school in the 14-member Big Ten Conference not participating in baseball. Anderson would welcome the Badgers because the Big Ten could create two seven team divisions.

Anderson spoke at the CORES luncheon last Thursday and he recognized Dick Jonckowski for his 30 years as the Gopher baseball public address announcer. The coach presented Jonckowski with a No. 30 Minnesota baseball jersey.

Jonckowski, who for years has emceed events like the CORES gatherings, is co-authoring a book about his life with Jim Bruton that is expected to be on sale in July. Copies of It’s All about Me will be available, with Jonckowski’s signature, at the September 13 CORES program when Gustavus Adolphus football coach Peter Haugen speaks to the group. CORES (coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans) meets at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington.

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Top Prospect Follows Lindsay Whalen

Posted on April 19, 2018April 19, 2018 by David Shama

Paige Bueckers, the sophomore point guard from Hopkins High School who is among the most coveted prep basketball players nationally in the class of 2020, has a Lindsay Whalen jersey and autographed Whalen shoes in her bedroom.

Whalen, the Lynx WNBA champion point guard and former Gold Medal Olympics winner, was named University of Minnesota women’s basketball coach last week. “She (Paige) is excited for Lindsay. She has been a big fan growing up,” Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff told Sports Headliners.

At this time of year, per NCAA policy, coaches like Whalen can’t contact high school sophomores. That doesn’t mean, though, Paige won’t be following the 35-year-old Whalen who not only will be in the news as Gophers coach but also while continuing her career this spring and summer for the Lynx as the team attempts to repeat as WNBA champs. “She is interested to see where Lindsay is taking the program,” Cosgriff said.

Bueckers frequently attends Gophers games so she is already familiar with the team and Williams Arena. But Cosgriff said don’t mark her down as a future Gopher yet because his all-state player is sorting through college options for now.

Those options include an offer from Connecticut’s storied program and legendary coach Geno Auriemma. He has been to Minnesota multiple times to watch Bueckers. “He’s a huge fan (of Bueckers),” Cosgriff said.

Count Notre Dame, Stanford and much of the Big Ten as schools wanting Bueckers who has been on the Hopkins varsity since eighth grade and starting at point guard for the last two seasons.

The 5-11, 150-pound Bueckers averaged 23.5 points per game for the Royals last season who finished second in the Class 4A state tournament despite her 37 points. Last season she made 54 percent of her field goals, 52 percent of her threes and 90 percent of her free throws.

Some games she scored more than 20 points by halftime. But Cosgriff said his wunderkind (she had a six to one assist to turnovers ratio) would “rather pass than shoot,” and when sitting on the bench is the Royals’ biggest cheerleader for teammates.

Fundamentally advanced for her age, and so versatile Cosgriff will even play her at center, Bueckers prompts raves when people talk about her. That starts with her coach who has been at Hopkins for almost 20 seasons, winning titles and building the Royals into a power. “She is the best I’ve had, and I’ve had some good ones,” Cosgriff said.

The roll call of great players in state history includes Nia Coffey who was terrific at Hopkins and now plays in the WNBA. Mention any legendary names to former Gopher guard and assistant coach Al Nuness and that won’t deter him from offering the highest praise to Bueckers.

“I think she will be the best women’s basketball player ever to come out of the state of Minnesota,” said Nuness who works at Hopkins as a paraprofessional.

Nuness has watched Bueckers practice and refers to her as “phenomenal”—yet he sees a player who will continue to improve. “I don’t think she is even close to reaching her potential,” he said.

Nuness predicted there will be a domino effect if Bueckers chooses Minnesota. “This is almost a must for us at Minnesota (to get her),” the former Gopher men’s captain said. “This girl is going to bring other (talented) girls.”

Worth Noting

Bueckers will have a busy offseason from high school basketball including the Boo Williams Girls Nike Invitational in Virginia this weekend where she will play for the North Tartan AAU team.

There is already speculation about how long Whalen continues her dual role of playing for the Lynx and coaching the Gophers. Will she retire from playing after this summer? There are a lot of priorities to balance between the two jobs.

The Gophers Athletic Department announced this week a goodwill tour stopping in nine communities in the state during May to visit with fans. The list of coaches from the department participating in the tour totals 14, but doesn’t include Whalen who will have preseason and regular season games with the Lynx during the month.

DeLaSalle class of 2019 point guard Tyrell Terry tweeted this week he received a scholarship offer from the Gophers. Iowa State and Stanford are among schools showing interest, too.

Birthday department: Twins first baseman Joe Mauer is 35 today and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor turns 77 tomorrow.

The Wild, down 3-1 to the Jets, will see a raucous crowd tomorrow night in Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place. “It will be as loud as any building you’ve heard,” Fox Sports North commentator Kevin Gorg told Sports Headliners.

Gorg said defenseman Nick Seeler, called up from Iowa this winter, has been a surprise and played “phenomenal.” The 24-year-old has brought aggressive play to a defensemen roster thinned by injuries.

Gotta be a big fan to buy airfare at the last minute from Minneapolis to Winnipeg for Friday night’s game. Expedia quoted a cost of $976 yesterday for round trip leaving today and returning Saturday.

With his affection for NFL Draft maneuvers, it will be fun to see what Vikings general manager Rick Spielman comes up with later this month. As of now the Vikings will watch 29 other selections be made in the first round before their turn in the first day of the NFL Draft on April 26.

Athlonsports.com predicted in a mock draft the Vikings will select Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey. Spielman has shown a liking for Fighting Irish players in the past.

“McGlinchey may eventually take over at left tackle but he’s a starter right away on the right side and would fit in well to the Vikings’ scheme,” Athlon said.

The Vikings have single picks in the first, second, third, fifth and seventh rounds, and three selections in the sixth round.

A pro football source told Sports Headliners he expects the Vikings to prioritize offensive linemen and defensive backs in the draft, and probably select a running back.

Spielman was all but destined to have a career in football. His father was a high school coach in Ohio and the family lived within a few blocks of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

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