NCAA – Page 131 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Kaler, Coyle Reach Out to U Critic

Posted on May 23, 2016May 23, 2016 by David Shama

There has been no more vocal critic of University of Minnesota athletics than Jim Carter, but the former Gophers football captain acknowledged that school president Eric Kaler and new athletic director Mark Coyle have reached out to him.

Carter was unhappy about Kaler not placing him on the search committee to select the athletic director, despite having a landslide number of nominations from friends and contacts. An advocate for excellence, Carter has criticized University administrators for not creating a winning culture, and has been angry with a series of embarrassments in the athletic department including the job performances of departed athletic director Norwood Teague and men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino.

About two weeks ago Kaler announced Coyle as his choice to succeed interim AD Beth Goetz. The day of the announcement, and prior to holding the news conference, Kaler called Carter. “(Kaler) said they hired a superstar,” Carter told Sports Headliners. “Those are his words, and (he) asked me to greet the new man warmly.

“Then a couple days after Coyle got the job he was nice enough to call, which I was impressed with. I would expect it if a guy was good…he would call the people like me that have voiced lots of disagreement with Kaler and with the way the athletic department is being run. …

“So he did reach out to say let’s get together for a cup of coffee. Wanted to introduce himself over the phone. I congratulated him on getting the job, and I would guess that we’ll get together and get a chance to meet in person.”

The Coyle hire has been applauded by fans, media and others. The 47-year-old Iowa native has an impressive background in athletics administration that includes stops at Boise State, Kentucky and Syracuse. He was the AD at both Boise and Syracuse, and while at Kentucky reportedly helped raise more than $140 million. Before going to those schools Coyle worked in the Gophers athletic department with responsibilities that included marketing, licensing and sponsorships.

“I am sure he is a talented guy,” Carter said. “As you know, I was favoring hiring a person not in the (college athletic director) ranks, or working their way up as assistant AD. I would have much preferred an M man (U letter winner) …somebody that has been in (private) business.

“Having said all that, this looks like a good candidate. We’ll see. It’s still early on. What he (Coyle) does with that Pitino thing, I think we’ll know right away.”

Pitino is under intense scrutiny because of off-court incidents involving his players, and a school worst ever Big Ten record last season of 2-16. Before Kaler introduced Coyle at the news conference he spoke about how “profoundly disappointed” he is with the basketball program.

Don’t Expect Kill to Replace K-State Coach

Former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill starts his new job as an administrator, assisting with the Kansas State football program in July. As associate athletic director, Kill’s job will be to help the program any way he can including directly for legendary head coach Bill Snyder.

Snyder will be 77 in October. Could Kill some day replace him?

“I don’t want to coach (again),” Kill told Sports Headliners on Friday. “It’s not worth the risk.”

The risk, of course, is Kill’s health including his fight with epilepsy. Health issues prematurely ended his era (2011-2015) as Gophers coach last fall. He rebuilt the Gophers into a respected Big Ten program that had various highlights including taking his 2014 team to its first New Year’s Day Bowl game since 1962.

Asked about Power Five Conference offers to coach elsewhere when he was with Minnesota, Kill said there were “one or two” jobs he could have had. Kill didn’t identify those schools but one might have been Nebraska after coach Bo Pelini was let go following the 2014 season.

Carter is among those who believe Nebraska did have conversations with the Gophers coach. If true, Kill turned down the Cornhuskers out of loyalty to Minnesota. That loyalty remains in place toward new Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys, his assistants and players. Kill refers to them as “my guys” and said it will be a “passion” for him to help the program whenever he can.

Carter knows Kill well and while voicing his own perspective didn’t dismiss the possibility the 54-year-old Kansas native might one day find circumstances different than now and want to coach. “…Kill hasn’t indicated any different to me than he has (said) publicly and to the press. He said the same thing, that he is done coaching.

“It’s my personal opinion that Kill is through and through a head football coach. It would not surprise me to see him coach again, and even at the Power Five Conference level because he is a young man and he’s got a lot of energy. If his health keeps continuing to be good, it would not surprise me to see him be a head coach again.”

These days Kill is enjoying a more relaxed schedule than the nearly 24-7 grind he had as Gophers coach and fundraiser for the athletic department. He pays close attention to his diet and exercise routine. He is even playing golf for the first time in 14 years.

Kill is keeping his office open in Minneapolis for the Chasing Dreams Fund through the Epilepsy Foundation, and will return to Minnesota in a few months to promote a new book about his life. Kill’s daughter Krystal lives in the metro area so there are multiple reasons for him to come up this way. “It’s only a seven hour drive from Manhattan to the Twin Cities,” he said.

Kill will keep a connection to Minnesota, and that’s good news for his many friends and admirers.

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Status Undecided on Wolves Leaders

Posted on April 6, 2016April 6, 2016 by David Shama

Glen Taylor will soon decide Sam Mitchell’s status as Timberwolves coach. The Wolves owner told Sports Headliners the final decision will be his, and Taylor said he also is undecided about the franchise’s long term commitment to general manager Milt Newton.

Both Mitchell and Newton unexpectedly found themselves with increased responsibilities after the death of Flip Saunders last October. Saunders was not only the team’s coach, but also the boss of player personnel including the NBA Draft and roster makeup.

Taylor relied heavily on Saunders for all things basketball in the organization. Without Saunders, he elevated Mitchell from assistant coach to interim head coach. Newton carried the title of general manager before Saunders died but his authority to run the basketball department increased last fall.

In the weeks ahead, Taylor will determine if Mitchell and Newton continue in their current roles. The Timberwolves’ season ends next week and Taylor said within a “couple of weeks” he will decide on Mitchell. “I think that’s probably the appropriate time that I would make a decision,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s process will include analyzing Timberwolves statistics from the 2015-2016 season and from talking to others—perhaps sources from both inside and outside the organization. Sometimes in professional sports the input of a franchise’s general manager about a coaching decision is the final word but Newton’s interim authority apparently places him in a different position.

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to push that on Milt (deciding on Mitchell) at this point,” Taylor said. “I think it’s Glen’s (mine). I am going to ask him (Newton) for his opinion and why.”

During an interview Taylor gave no indication whether Mitchell or Newton will be retained. The Timberwolves had a 16-66 record last season and with four games remaining this year are 26-52 including a highlight video overtime win over the Warriors last night in Oakland. The team has a promising young roster that includes four players 21 or younger. No starter is over 26.

That roster was assembled by Saunders, and Taylor has to decide who will guide the development of a team he believes can be a champion. “We just have to put all the rest of the elements into place and be a little patient and drive towards that,” he said.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to easily win this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Forward Andrew Wiggins won the award last season. Because of the franchise’s talented young roster, there could be an impressive list of potential coaches Taylor can talk to if he decides to let Mitchell go.

Taylor has been contacted by representatives of coaches who might be interested, but not directly by a potential coach. “No coach has called me up and said at this point, ‘I want the job,’ “ Taylor said.

The NBA Draft will be held June, 23, 2016. Taylor will allow Newton and his staff to determine who the Timberwolves choose in the first two rounds and what college free agents the club will pursue. “He’s got the same people internally that Flip would have had, so I just ask him to proceed,” Taylor said.

But Newton knows his status and authority with the Timberwolves are uncertain, and seems likely to be decided after the draft. “At some point I have to let him know if it’s going to continue or not continue,” Taylor said.

Worth Noting

Taylor said Wolves starting point guard Ricky Rubio will play for the Spanish Olympic team this summer. Taylor said he is pleased with the development of the fifth-year NBA player.

“I know that he has played with an ankle that hasn’t been 100 percent, but you wouldn’t necessarily notice that with…how hard he plays,” Taylor said. “So he does some really wonderful things. His assists, his steals, his defense. He’s one of the top guards in all of these areas in the league.”

Glen Taylor (Photo courtesy of Timberwolves)

Taylor’s 75th birthday is April 20. How does he feel about it? “About the same as 74,” he answered. “It goes too fast.”

The Gophers’ spring football practices end this week. After Saturday’s Spring Game at TCF Bank Stadium head coach Tracy Claeys might still be looking for personnel. He said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle last Sunday the offensive line lacks depth and he may recruit a junior college transfer. A few months ago the Gophers added offensive linemen Vincent Calhoun and Garrison Wright, both junior college transfers and potential starters next season.

Former Chanhassen High School all-state lineman Frank Ragnow will be a junior next season at Arkansas and Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema praises Ragnow’s skills. “In my career he is one of the more talented interior linemen I’ve ever been around,” Bielema told Sports Headliners. “He’ll play next year (for Arkansas in 2016), his third year. My guess is he’ll have a decision to make at the end of that (about entering the NFL Draft).

“He’s a very, very talented player that knows football very, very, well. He’s steadily put on good solid weight. He’s come in at a 280 pound guy…(now) 315 to 320 ballpark. Extremely intelligent. He’s a coach’s dream.”

Ragnow is the lone Minnesotan on Bielema’s roster but he’s looking for more. The former Wisconsin coach recruited Minnesota for many years and is particularly interested in finding big high school linemen from this state.

“We’re kind of looking for (more) Franks,” Bielema said. “We’re looking for guys that are in that 6-4 ballpark, that can run, are very agile, very moveable players that fit into our offense very well.”

Philip Nelson, the former Mankato West High School star who played for the Gophers, is trying to win the East Carolina starting quarterback job this spring. Nelson, who will be a senior next season, is in a two-man competition to become the Pirates’ starter after sitting out last season as a transfer.

East Carolina athletic director Jeff Compher told Sports Headliners Nelson has made a positive impression on and off the field including academically last semester. “I believe he had a 4.0 (GPA),” Compher said.

Major League Football has decided to hold off on the formal start of its initial season until next year. Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is an executive with the league that believes there is a spring market for pro football.

The Twins (0-1) play their second game of the season tonight against the Orioles. Joe Mauer has hit safely in 11 straight games against the Orioles, batting .348 (16-for-46). Trevor Plouffe is hitting .315 (35-for-111) with 12 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored in 30 career games against the Orioles. Brian Dozier has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games against Baltimore, batting .296 (21-for-71) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored.

The NHL will announce schedules Sunday for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Wild has qualified for a fourth consecutive season.

Promoters of the new U.S. Bank Stadium hope to some day book the pro wrestling extravaganza known as WrestleMania, and with good reason. The WWE’s WrestleMania 32 drew an event record attendance of 101,763 on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Former Gophers basketball captain Al Nuness is doing consulting work for Jostens, and is also involved with supervising students at Hopkins High School.

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Dozier May Fill Twins’ Leadership Role

Posted on April 4, 2016April 4, 2016 by David Shama

The Twins start the regular season today and insiders will watch to see who fills the leadership void left by the retirement of Torii Hunter. A source close to the club told Sports Headliners he thinks it will be second baseman Brian Dozier.

Dozier begins his fifth season with the Twins this afternoon in Baltimore against the Orioles. To be a leader, a player has to be a success on the field. Last season was a breakthrough year for the second baseman who played in his first All-Star Game. He led the Twins in home runs with 28 and runs scored, 101.

The source described the 28-year-old Dozier as someone who plays hard and is a potential leader in part because he produces on the field and at the plate. “He is the kind of guy that cares,” the source said. “To be a leader you have to care.”

Hunter could be confrontational with underachieving teammates. While Dozier isn’t an in-your-face guy, he is willing to speak out when something is wrong, the source said.

The Twins had lost 90-plus games for four consecutive seasons when Hunter joined the team as a free agent for 2015. He found a dreary clubhouse where players weren’t enjoying the experience of playing baseball. “Losing a game isn’t life and death,” the source said.

Hunter focused on winning games but also wanted a locker room atmosphere that was fun. His clubhouse dance parties following games symbolized the new attitude of the Twins, who earned an 83-79 final record and second place finish in the AL Central.

“You’ve got to have some life in the locker room,” the source said. “If you treat everything so serious, it takes away a lot of the enjoyment of playing the game.”

Worth Noting

The Orioles project to be among the mediocre teams in the American League. Last season the Orioles’ record was 81-81 and the Twins were 7-0 against them.

The Twins tried for years to fill their shortstop position after trading J.J. Hardy to the Orioles during the 2010 offseason for a pair of minor league pitchers who never contributed. Hardy is still the Orioles’ shortstop, and hit .265 with three home runs and six RBI in spring training.

Former Twin Vance Worley was fourth on the Orioles in innings pitched during spring training and had a 1-1 record with a 4.32 ERA.

Temperatures could reach the low 70s with some precipitation for this afternoon’s game in Baltimore, according to Accuweather.com.

Twins’ TV analyst Bert Blyleven, who likes to talk about his birthdays, could well reference it on today’s Fox North telecast. Blyleven will be 65 Wednesday.

Jim Dutcher, the former Gophers coach who correctly predicted North Carolina would be a Final Four team, told Sports Headliners yesterday he believes Villanova’s defensive pressure will be too much for Carolina’s guards and the Wildcats will win tonight’s NCAA championship game 82-80.

Former Gophers football coach Jerry Kill received a standing ovation Friday night at the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. Kill was presented with the MFCA’s Power of Influence Award that has been renamed the Jerry Kill Power of Influence Award.

Author Jim Bruton said the book he and Kill are writing is complete, and it’s now ready for editing. As part of researching the book, Bruton travelled to places Kill has coached and saw how much he is revered. “He is a god,” Bruton said. “Chasing Dreams, Living My Life One Yard at a Time” will be released next fall.

The MFCA’s Tackle Cancer initiative has raised $774,000 for research in four years. Prep football coaches in various parts of the state designate a home game as a fundraiser. Proceeds go to the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund.

Players from the Gophers’ 1967 Big Ten championship football team will be in town for a reunion April 22. They will gather at J.D. Hoyt’s Supper Club starting at 2 p.m.

WCHA commissioner Bill Robertson will meet with Arizona State officials at the Frozen Four in Tampa later this week to discuss the future conference affiliation of the Sun Devils. ASU may announce this summer which college hockey league its program will join and what the first year of participation will be. The Sun Devils are currently an independent.

Robertson has been talking to the Big Ten about preseason and postseason games involving that league and his WCHA. Plans might become finalized next fall. Robertson has proposed schools from the two leagues match up teams in the preseason similar to basketball’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge. In the postseason a single site would host separate WCHA and Big Ten tournaments.

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