NCAA – Page 134 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Playoffs, Super Bowl in Vikings Future

Posted on September 8, 2015September 8, 2015 by David Shama

Bob Lurtsema has come within one game of correctly predicting the Vikings’ records in two of the last three seasons, so he’s certainly worth listening to regarding 2015 wins and losses.

The Vikings finished 10-6 in 2012—exactly the number of wins and losses predicted by Lurtsema in a Sports Headliners interview before the season started. Last season he projected an 8-8 record after Minnesota had finished 5-10-1 in 2013. The Vikings, playing under new head coach Mike Zimmer, surprised most observers by going 7-9.

Lurtsema, 73, remains close to the team and talks with Vikings players. He is enamored with Zimmer who he likens to Vikings coaching legend Bud Grant. “He won’t tolerate mental mistakes, just like Bud,” Lurtsema said of Zimmer, the former Bengals defensive coordinator. “He’ll cut you. You see a good athlete getting cut, you know he made mental mistakes.”

Grant coached the Vikings to four Super Bowls including the last appearance by the franchise in 1977. “They’ll be in the Super Bowl in 2017,” Lurtsema said.

Lurtsema predicts a 10-6 record for this season. The playoffs? “They’ll sneak in the back door,” he said.

It takes more than the presence of a coach to fuel long-range Super Bowl optimism and Lurtsema knows that. He likes the Vikings’ talent on both defense and offense.

The Vikings jumped from 31st in NFL total defense in 2013 to 14th last season. Lurtsema raves about how Zimmer coached teams pursue ball carriers and gang tackle. “The defense is so strong,” the former defensive end said.

Offensively the Vikings showed improvement in 2014 despite working through a season of injuries and the absence of superstar running back Adrian Peterson. Both defensively and offensively the Vikings have drafted promising talent and the parade is led by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater who started 12 games last season and set almost every franchise record for a rookie quarterback.

Mike Wallace (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Of course, Lurtsema knows the Vikings’ drive to an improved record in 2015 and eventual trip to the Super Bowl could be derailed by problems including the need for a better passing game. During the offseason the team acquired speedy wide receiver Mike Wallace from the Dolphins to open up the vertical passing. Lurtsema stressed the offense needs a big play receiver who can combine with Bridgewater on long passes.

“The biggest thing (needed) is they’ve got to have a deep threat,” Lurtsema said. “If you don’t have a deep threat, the corners can press you more. If they press you more, that affects your running game, even your short passes.”

Other concerns for the Vikings include an offensive line that had to be shuffled during the preseason because of injuries, and a schedule of opponents which includes seven teams ranked among the top 15 in ESPN.com’s NFL power rankings. Lurtsema, looking for positives, expects the line to get a boost with an improved performance from left tackle Matt Kalil who played injured last year.

What about the schedule? “That’s the part that kind of throws a curveball at you,” Lurtsema said.

The Vikings open their season away from home, playing in Santa Clara next Monday night against the 49ers. Lurtsema said NFL teams and players are annually primed for opening games and thinking about a successful season. “Home field advantage doesn’t really come into play on the first game of the season, so I’ve always liked starting on the road,” Lurtsema said. “It works out so well for a player’s psyche.”

Lurtsema offered one more prediction—this one about the outcome of Monday night’s game against a 49ers team labeled mediocre. “They (the Vikings) will win,” Lurtsema said. “You can put that down.”

Worth Noting

Lurtsema disagrees with critics of NFL preseason games who see the exhibitions as too numerous and unimportant. He said the games are important for the role they play in developing player endurance, toughness, and setting team expectations. “Winning is a habit,” he said.

The ESPN.com power poll out today has the Vikings No. 17 among 32 NFL teams. The seven teams in the top 15 who the Vikings play are the No. 1 Seahawks, No. 3 Packers, No. 5 Broncos, No. 10 Cardinals, No. 12 Lions, No. 13 Chargers and No. 14 Chiefs.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said offensive lineman Josh Campion who missed the TCU game last Thursday because of a concussion has resumed practice. Ben Lauer, another key offensive lineman, played some in the game but has struggled with a knee injury and didn’t practice yesterday.

Kill said Jonah Pirsig may start on Saturday at the left tackle position that he, Campion and Lauer have all played recently. The interior offensive starters at Colorado State could be Pirsig and Campion at tackles, left guard Jon Christenson and right guard Connor Mayes, with Brian Bobek at center.

Sophomore wide receiver Jake Wieneke from Maple Grove High School was a major contributor last Saturday when FCS South Dakota State earned its first win ever over an FBS team, defeating Kansas 41-38 in Lawrence. Wieneke had five catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns by early in the second quarter as the Jackrabbits jumped off to a 31-7 lead.

As a freshman last season he led the team with 73 receptions for 1,404 yards and a school-record 16 touchdowns.

Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber provided the color commentary on the FSN telecast of the Kansas-South Dakota State game. Ex-Vikings offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson provided commentary on Sunday’s Marshall-Purdue game on FS1.

Zach Zenner, the former Eagan football player who starred at South Dakota State, made the Lions’ final 53-man roster after leading the NFL in rushing during the preseason with 183 yards. Zenner, a rookie, was an undrafted free agent.

There is a lot of buy-in St. Paul will be the site of a new soccer stadium intended to host a Twin Cities MLS team some day. That may prove to be true but the media and public should know after following baseball and football stadium site fights for more than 40 years that such sagas can have multiple storylines and outcomes.

That’s former Gophers and Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz appearing on the Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” program Monday-Friday starting at 6 a.m. Central Daylight time. Holtz has long been an avid player and describes golf as “the greatest game in the world.”

Holtz is also working for Sirius XM, hosting college football shows (Friday and Saturdays) and a golf show (Tuesdays). When Holtz was an assistant football coach at William & Mary decades ago, he was also the school’s golf coach.

Minnesota native Ron Rabinovitz, who made friendships with baseball great Jackie Robinson and president John Kennedy, will speak to the “Breakfast with Leroy” group on Saturday at the Bloomington Knights of Columbus, 1114 American Blvd West. A breakfast buffet starting at 9 a.m. precedes Rabinovitz’s remarks, with more information available by contacting Pat Rickert at 612-861-3981. Group attendees are mostly athletes from the Minneapolis public schools in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, many of whom went on to college and professional careers.

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Experts Doubt U Will Win West Division

Posted on July 19, 2015July 20, 2015 by David Shama

Four of the leading college football magazines predict the Gophers won’t duplicate last year’s second place finish in the Big Ten’s West Division. Athlon Sports College Football, Phil Steele’s College 2015 Football Preview and Sporting News College Football all forecast a third place finish for Minnesota while Lindy’s College Football has the Gophers finishing fourth in the seven-team division.

All four publications predict Wisconsin will win the West, just like last year when the Badgers finished first and the Gophers tied Nebraska for second place. Writers don’t disrespect Minnesota (5-3 in the division and 8-5 overall last season) but there is concern about the team’s offense because of inconsistent quarterbacking in the past and the departure of two major playmakers in 2014, running back David Cobb and tight end Maxx Williams.

Lindy’s write-up on the Gophers includes this: “Touchdowns matter. Minny won’t score many.”

But coach Jerry Kill, his staff and players have a way of producing better than expected results including surprising and consecutive eight win seasons. Last year the Gophers played Wisconsin in the final regular season game with an opportunity to tie for the West Division title. “I would not be surprised to see that Nov. 28th game against border rival Wisconsin being a big one once again,” Phil Steele wrote.

Steele ranks the Minnesota special teams fourth in the nation and the Big Ten’s best. A major contributor is returning senior punter Peter Mortell who is a fourth team All-American in Steele’s publication. All four magazines list Mortell, who has averaged over 43 yards per punt the last two seasons, as their first-team All-Big Ten punter.

Among college juniors and seniors this fall, Steele ranks Gophers Eric Murray and Briean Boddy-Calhoun as the No. 11 and 12 cornerbacks in the country. Sporting News includes Calhoun on its All-Big Ten first-team.

Those two, along with other standouts, lead a defense that will be challenged much of the season including games against offensive machines from Ohio State and TCU. Among the four publications, only Athlon doesn’t have the Buckeyes and Horned Frogs ranked No. 1 and 2 in the country, and all the magazines have OSU No. 1. The Gophers play TCU in Minneapolis on September 3 and then face the Buckeyes November 7 in Columbus.

The Gophers also play the Badgers, Nebraska and resurgent Michigan with new wonder coach Jim Harbaugh. All three games are at home. In Steele’s ranking of the most difficult schedules in the nation, the Gophers are 25th and listed before any other Big Ten school.

Any final thoughts about the Gophers after spending $36.96 (including Steele’s price of $12.99) on these publications? Well, nobody is raving about the collective talent on the roster and everybody frets at least a bit about the offense, and there’s no denying the schedule is for big boys only, but there is a hint of guarded optimism. Why? Because Kill and his assistants can coach, the Gophers minimize mistakes, play sound defense and excel on special teams.

“If the offense finds a way, this won’t be a fun team to play,” Athlon concluded on its Gopher page.

Worth Noting

College football in the state could command attention beyond the borders this fall. The Gophers are a possibility to be nationally ranked, while in Division II Minnesota State or UMD might be headed for a national championship. Lindy’s has the Mavericks ranked No. 1 while UMD is No. 3. Sporting News lists UMD No. 1 in the country with Minnesota State No. 6. The two teams play in Mankato on September 3.

If Lindy’s and Sporting News are correct, Saint John’s is back as a national power in Division III. The Johnnies are ranked No. 4 in the country by Lindy’s while Sporting News has them at No. 7. Both publications have Johnnies running back Sam Sura as a first-team All-American.

Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph worked with the ProCamps organization Monday hosting a camp at Edina High School for kids in grades 1-8. Scholarships were provided to disadvantaged youngsters. Vikings teammates Chad Greenway and Harrison Smith stopped by the Northwestern Mutual Kyle Rudolph Football ProCamp to see Rudolph. Rudolph is interested in working with ProCamps on a camp in his home town of Cincinnati.

The Capital Club featuring local sports figures as speakers hosts Vikings general manager Rick Spielman Tuesday at Town & Country Club in St. Paul. For more information about membership, contact Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

Saints owner Mike Veeck spoke to the club earlier this year when the gathering was at St. Paul’s new CHS Field. When asked for a tour of the new ballpark, the personable Veeck said to heck with formalities, and told guests to go where they pleased including perusing the dugouts and running the bases.

The WNBA, now in its 19th season, holds its All-Star Game on Saturday in Uncasville, Connecticut. While the league reportedly has some franchises that don’t lose money, the WNBA still has plenty of potential upside with the public and media. Like it or not, there are advocates for changes including lowering the rim from 10 feet.

A June 2 New York Times article reported Val Ackerman regretted not experimenting with a lower rim when she was WNBA president. She said in the story lowering the rim even by half a foot would result in fewer missed layups and a “more fluid game.”

Depending on how far the rim is lowered, dunking could become routine in WNBA games. Men in college and the NBA are about seven inches taller than women pros, according to Asher Price’s Times article.

Those who are advocates of keeping things the same for both men and women in sports certainly won’t be receptive to lower rims. But it could be argued the change would further help the WNBA brand to be distinctive, and also result in a more exciting product.

Another topic is the suggestion WNBA players should wear sexier uniforms. But that doesn’t’ seem realistic in today’s sports world and national culture. About as likely to happen as the Confederate flag flying again over the State House in South Carolina.

The WNBA is an ongoing success story, and part of the validation is that next Saturday’s game will be nationally televised live by ABC starting at 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis time. Fans voted Lynx players Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus to the Western Conference All-Star team. Augustus won’t play because of surgery on her right knee yesterday that will sideline her indefintely. Reserves will be announced on Tuesday.

According to ESPN.com’s listing of NBA salaries, there are only 23 NBA players earning less than $1 million. The entire payroll for each WNBA team is capped at less than $1 million.

Timberwolves rookie and former Apple Valley High School star Tyus Jones will earn $1,282,000 in salary, according to ESPN’s listing. Wolves rookie and overall NBA No. 1 draft choice Karl-Anthony Towns will receive a salary of $5,703,600.

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GM Ryan: Molitor Doing ‘Heck of a Job’

Posted on June 29, 2015June 29, 2015 by David Shama

New Twins manager Paul Molitor and a revised coaching staff from 2014 received praise from club general manager Terry Ryan during an interview with Sports Headliners. The Twins, who lost 90-plus games the four previous seasons, had a losing record a year ago but today are 40-35 and 5.5 games out of first place in the AL Central Division.

The work of Molitor and his staff ranks with the most effective managing and coaching performances in MLB so far this season. “I’ve been impressed. I’ve been pleased,” Ryan said last week. “I think the players respond to all the staff. We’re in a good spot. We’ve got chemistry, camaraderie, and leadership and all that stuff, and more often than not you have to point to the manager. Give him the credit where credit is due.

“We’re playing very good, competitive baseball, almost on a daily basis. We haven’t gotten too giddy and we don’t get too far down when things aren’t going so well. He’s (Molitor) done a heck of a job here leading this thing. I am very happy for him, especially because he’s taken on a big responsibility here and he’s done something with it.”

The Twins are within six games of being halfway through the 2015 schedule. Ryan said the Twins can contend for the Central Division title and playoffs. “We’re in better shape than we’ve been the past four years by far,” Ryan said of a franchise that was last in the playoffs in 2010.

Ryan has been pleased with the team’s improved defense (including more athleticism in the outfield) and the starting pitching. His optimism about the club’s possible playoff participation is also based on what has been an under performing offense.

“We’re a better offensive club I think than what we’ve shown,” Ryan said. “Some of the guys that have produced the last year or two are still not back to even. That just gives me some sort of optimism we should be able to score more runs here and give our team the ability to take a little of that pressure off that pitching staff. That pitching staff has done a good job here.”

The performance of the starting pitching staff (including three starters with ERAs under 3.60) has surprised even the general manager and that’s boosted the overall pitching. “It’s not one guy (of the starters) that’s rebounded here,” Ryan said. “We’ve got a handful all of a sudden. (And) the bullpen has been pretty decent really from start to finish. We’ve had a couple of gaps but not too many.”

When former regulars Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana are ready to return from absences, the club will have too many starters. Ryan isn’t prepared to say now who fits in and who doesn’t. “We’ve got some difficult decisions to make, but they’re awfully good decisions because we’ve got a lot of competition for those slots,” he said.

The offense will be jumpstarted if Joe Mauer can hit like he did a few years ago. Ryan said Mauer’s rib injury diminished results last year that included a career low .277 average. The general manager said Mauer’s health this year isn’t an issue but the former three-time American League batting champion, who entered the season with a career average of .319, is batting just .260. He has 37 RBI (tied for third best on the team) and four home runs.

Mauer is hitting .240 in the last 30 games—indicative of his struggles this spring—but in his last seven is batting .323. With the season approaching the halfway place on the Twins schedule, Mauer will have to produce an avalanche of hits to finish with a .300 or better average. Ryan thinks it could happen.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t put that (.300) by him,” Ryan said. “I know he isn’t anywhere near that right now but I would not put that past him because he’s always shown the resiliency (to bounce back). He’s had a little bit of a tough year last year. We all admit that, but as long as he’s healthy—and he looks very healthy to me right now—I wouldn’t be surprised because there’s no reason, (with) his swing, his health.”

Mauer was a catcher his first 10 years with the Twins before moving to first base last season. Catching is the most physical and punishing position in baseball. Because of all the games Mauer caught, is he an old 32? Could that explain his decline at the plate?

“I don’t think so,” Ryan said. “In fact I think he’s a young 32 because he takes care of himself. …He knows what it takes to be prepared and he has done a good job of that.”

Worth Noting

Ryan talking about closer Glen Perkins (first in AL saves with 24), who could the Twins lone representative in next month’s All-Star Game: “Perkins has done nothing but impress this year and he’s put himself in a good position.”

Gary Trent Jr., the Apple Valley High School basketball player who will be among the most coveted college recruits nationally in the class of 2017, is among six “Faces in the Crowd” athletes featured in the June 29 issue of Sports Illustrated. Trent was recognized for his 19 second half points leading the U.S. 16-and-under team to a victory over Canada in the gold medal FIBA Americas game in June. The magazine also reported Trent was named tournament MVP, and earlier this year led Apple Valley to the Class 4A championship with a win over Champlin Park.

Bill Robertson, the men’s WCHA commissioner who offices in suburban Minneapolis, hopes to meet with Arizona State Athletic Department officials in Tempe this summer to discuss ASU joining his hockey league. It’s believed the Sun Devils are also being courted by the Big Ten and NCHC.

The Sun Devils have been playing club hockey but plan to be affiliated with a conference starting with the 2017-2018 season. Robertson said the ASU brand is “tremendous” and among the many reasons he is intrigued about the Sun Devils being in the WCHA is TV exposure from the Pac-12 Network. The Pac-12 is the conference home for other ASU sports but doesn’t offer hockey competition.

Among ASU officials is athletic director Ray Anderson who at one time was the agent for former Vikings coach Denny Green. Robertson sees the western United States as a “real growth area” for college hockey with the possibility some day of two major hockey schools on the West Coast—along with the two Alaska schools already in the WCHA.

Nearly 10,000 athletes from every state will compete and vie for medals in 19 sports during the National Senior Games that start here next month. Presented by Humana, this is the largest multi-sport event in the world for senior (ages 50+) athletes. The 800 competitions will take place July 3–15 at 26 venues in Bloomington, Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Events are free and open to the public. More at NSGA.com.

Volunteers, including scorekeepers in archery, badminton, basketball and volleyball, are needed. Airport greeters are also sought. More at TeamMNvolunteer.com.

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