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Walters Wants More Time for Family

Posted on April 30, 2014May 1, 2014 by David Shama

Charley Walters decided it’s time to stop going to bed every night with three telephones nearby.

The Pioneer Press sports columnist will end his full-time career of almost 39 years with the newspaper at the end of May. The demands of a 24-hour news cycle and desire to have more time for family and personal interests convinced Walters to step away from a career he thought about even as a kid growing up in Minneapolis.

“I just turned 67 and there are a lot of things Paula and I want to do,” he told Sports Headliners recently. “I love my career, and the St. Paul paper has been terrific to me. But I want to ride bicycles, go for hikes, read the 10 books I am only 20 to 30 pages into (and) visit my kids.

“We want to see all the national parks. We’ve done a lot of travel and want to do a lot more of that. I don’t have time with this column.”

Walters’ wife Paula is a Twin Cities pediatrician and is also retiring soon. The couple has three grown children, with two of them living out of state. The children are a priority for Walters and so too is 92-year-old mother Bertha Walters. “Paramount (to having more time) is being able to see mom in eldercare,” he said.

Walters has extensive contacts and his newsy notes column has been a must-read for Minnesota sports fans. Admirers will be happy to know the column won’t be completely disappearing. After he told newspaper bosses a couple of weeks ago he was retiring, they asked him to become a part-time employee and write Sunday columns. He agreed and that means continuing to make good use of 3,500 phone numbers accumulated during nearly four decades of journalism.

A journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota, Walters said his “proudest moment at the newspaper” came when he played a role in the Pioneer Press investigative reporting of the academic fraud scandal in the Gophers men’s basketball program. The newspaper’s lead reporter on the story, George Dorhmann, won a Pulitzer Prize but Walters got things started, although he still won’t say how he did it.

Knowing what’s going on in Minnesota sports has interested Walters since he was a kid delivering the Minneapolis Tribune at 5:30 a.m. His enthusiasm for news and competitiveness to find scoops is evident when he talks about his career. “Sometimes I will make a dozen phone calls just to get a one sentence item in the newspaper,” he said. “The best part (of the job) is people seem to enjoy it. It’s a lot of work but I have no problem filling space.”

Walters began his newspaper career after a few years of professional baseball. Included were several big league games pitching for the Twins in 1969. “There were only two things in my whole life I wanted to do,” Walters said. “One was to play major league baseball and the other was to be in the newspaper business. I’ve been able to do those things.”

Among his peers, Walters will be missed for more than newsy columns. He has never become caught up in self-importance. He greets friends with a secret handshake and is ready to tell or hear a good story. His humble personality is what you might expect from a guy who grew up in working class northeast Minneapolis.

“I don’t care for self-promoters,” Walters said. “I don’t think that gets you anywhere. I think your work gets it done.”

Worth Noting

Shattuck-St. Mary’s hockey coach Tom Ward has been following the Faribault prep school’s many alumni participating in the NHL playoffs. Among them are Wild forwards Erik Haula (2008-2009) and Zach Parise (2000-2002).

Ward is particularly close to Parise with the two talking and texting regularly. “We talk about hockey a lot,” Ward told Sports Headliners.

The Wild play the Avalanche tonight in Denver with their best of seven series tied at three games each. The Wild have struggled trying to shut down Nathan MacKinnon, the 18-year-old forward who is also a Shattuck-St. Mary’s alum. He has 10 points on eight assists and two goals in the series.

MacKinnon left Shattuck after his sophomore year so he never played for Ward, the varsity head coach. “He was always a fast, energetic player,” Ward said. “He’s really rounded out his game since he left here.”

Ward is proud of all his Shattuck-St. Mary’s alums who are in the playoffs. “They’re all humble, hard working guys. Team first guys,” Ward said.

Former North Stars general manager Lou Nanne said on KFAN Radio with Dan Barreiro last night if Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper has his best game of the series Minnesota will win.

Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman will be drafted No. 16 in the first round by the Cowboys, according to Chris Burke’s NFL Mock Draft in the May 5 issue of Sports Illustrated. “His motor ran hot and cold for the Gophers,” Burke wrote. “When he’s on, though, few can disrupt the pocket like this 6’6” monster.”

Former Gophers linebacker Mike Rallis has signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and is training for his wrestling career in Florida.

Ex-Gophers defensive back and Jim Thorpe Award winner Tyrone Carter is promoting a football camp on Saturday and Sunday at Woodbury High School where scheduled instructors include former Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss. The Tyrone Carter Elite Training Schools Camp is for participants who are in the 8^th thru 12^th grades this school year.

Position-specific training is offered, and scheduled coaches include ex-Vikings David Dixon and Everett Lindsay, and former Gophers Phil Archer, Duane Bennett, Michael Carter, Ukee Dozier, Ron Johnson, Tellis Redmon and Darrell Reid. There is a registration discount code, “Elite.” More camp information at Tcelitetraining.com.

Congratulations to Mark Sheffert, former Gophers football walk-on, who is part of the 2014 Minnesota Business Hall of Fame class that will be honored by Twin Cities Business Magazine on July 23 at the Hilton Minneapolis. Sheffert is chairman and chief executive officer of Manchester Companies. He has over 40 years of business experience and was president at First Bank System (now US Bancorp).

It wouldn’t be surprising if former Timberwolves assistant coach Eric Musselman, who has also been an NBA head coach with two teams, has been in contact with Flip Saunders. Musselman resigned this spring as an assistant at Arizona State. His connection with Saunders, the Wolves president of basketball operations, dates back to when Eric’s father Bill Musselman was Gophers head coach and Flip was a Minnesota player. The Wolves are reviewing candidates to succeed Rick Adelman who resigned earlier this month.

Saint John’s head baseball coach Jerry Haugen increased his career win total to 702 last week with four victories. His record is 702-589-5 record (.543) in 37 seasons at Saint John’s.

The National Senior Games website says Minneapolis has been described as the “healthiest city in America” and refers to 22 city lakes and 6,000 acres of park land. The Games will be hosted by Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul July 3-16 of next year. There are 19 sports involved and past competitors have been in their 90s and older.

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Matt Birk on Mission with New Book

Posted on April 21, 2014April 21, 2014 by David Shama

Matt Birk’s book has been in circulation for a couple of months and about 10,000 copies have been sold. He told Sports Headliners the book has changed his life and those who have read it.

All Pro Wisdom: The 7 Choices That Lead to Greatness is co-authored by Birk and leadership expert Rich Chapman. It’s a book, Birk said last week, to help people improve themselves because “everybody is going through something.”

People struggle to identify what they want, or to accomplish what’s important to them. “A lot of people just aren’t growing,” Birk said.

All Pro Wisdom asks readers questions and suggests how they can change their lives. Those questions include subjects such as self-identity, purpose and where to find strength and guidance.

Birk preaches we all have choices and decisions that impact our lives. He tells the story of “Easy Eddie” O’Hare who was mobster Al Capone’s lawyer. O’Hare’s job was to keep Capone out of jail, but “Easy Eddie” was bothered by the ethical example he was setting for his son. O’Hare decided to work with federal authorities and helped send Capone to prison. Later O’Hare was murdered, presumably by gangsters loyal to Capone.

Choices are important. Decisions have consequences.

During World War II O’Hare’s son Butch O’Hare was a pilot and war hero. Butch was a man of courage and integrity, a son “Easy Eddie” could be proud of. Butch died during the war but is not forgotten. The largest airport in Chicago is named after Butch O’Hare, a Medal of Honor recipient.

Choices are important. Decisions have consequences.

Birk played 15 seasons in the NFL, 11 of them for the Vikings, before retiring from the 2013 Super Bowl champion Ravens. Now 37, he is on a mission to spread the word about his book and help people.

“Right now it’s so rewarding,” Birk said. “It’s what we’re supposed to be doing—taking this message out and sharing it with groups and sharing it with people.

“It’s not about how many books we sell, but every day getting emails and notes from people telling us how much they appreciate the book. How the book was so appropriate at this point in their lives and what they’re going through, what they’re dealing with.”

Birk is speaking to youth groups, churches and Fortune 500 companies in various parts of the country. The message isn’t always about the book but often is. The opportunity to talk in front of so many people, and diverse audiences, is something he welcomes more than ever.

“For a lot of my career, for a lot of my life when I was younger, I made it all about me,” Birk said. “Pretty selfish. I took a lot (but) I didn’t give a lot. There are a lot of people that helped me along the way. Didn’t have to. Just wanted to help me out so I am grateful for that.

“You know what? I’ve eaten enough. Now it’s time for me to feed some people to try to help them out. It doesn’t matter to me what I do, as long as I feel I can have an impact and make a difference in people’s lives, and that’s what the 7 choices is allowing me to do right now.”

If Birk sounds like a man of faith, it’s because he is. Raised a Catholic in Saint Paul, Birk and his family attend services at the Church of St. Joseph in West St. Paul. When asked about his identity, Birk doesn’t talk first about his career as a football player that included six Pro Bowl selections. Birk identifies himself and all of humanity as “spiritual beings” who can know themselves and make their most important life choices and decisions by realizing they are “children of God.”

In addition to speaking engagements, Birk is an NFL appeals judge for the NFL, deciding whether players will be disciplined by the league. “I am fortunate to do that,” he said. “It’s hard work but it’s important work.”

Birk and his wife Adrianna have six children. The family spends much of the year in Naples, Florida but also returns to Minnesota. He considers his responsibilities at home—being a “good husband and father”—his most important role.

But that doesn’t mean he plans on being a homebody. “As my wife will tell you, I am not much for sitting still,” he said. “I don’t really watch TV. I like doing stuff. I like trying different things and trying to make a difference.

“I am so stupid I think I might actually be able to change the world. I think that we can change the world. That is what I am trying to do.”

Worth Noting

Birk was a sixth round draft choice of the Vikings in 1998, a long shot to make the roster after playing for Harvard in the Ivy League. When asked about the NFL Draft today, he said there’s more to identifying a player than assessing physical skills.

“Well, I guess it’s still pretty amazing that (with) all of the time and money and human resources that can be pumped into scouting good players, at best it’s still a 50-50 proposition at the end of the day. You can’t measure heart. You can’t measure what’s inside a person.”

The Vikings have the No. 8 pick in the first round on May 8. What is Birk’s advice for his old team? “The biggest position they’ve got to get figured out is quarterback. I think they’ve done a good job in other places in filling the team. You have a great running back (Adrian Peterson), the finest football player I’ve ever played with in my career.”

The Wild, trailing the Avs 2-0 in the playoffs, will hold a pre-game party outside Gate 2 of Xcel Energy Center this afternoon starting at 4 p.m. NHL alumni Henry Boucha, Dan Mandich, Shjon Podein and Tom Younghans will be available for autographs from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. “Five Man Advantage” will provide music for the 90 minute party preceding the 6 p.m. game.

Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor had his73^rd birthday yesterday.

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation will recognize eight scholar-athletes at the seventh annual Minnesota Football Honors Awards May 4 at the Hilton Minneapolis. The following individuals were chosen for academic excellence, outstanding leadership and commitment to their communities:

Andrew Blake, Pine City High School linebacker; Brett Brenden, Rothsay running back and linebacker; Bronson Bruneau, Lakeville North long snapper and tight end; Jack Dummer, Edina cornerback and strong safety; Tobias Knight, Washburn outside linebacker and fullback; Josh Sitarz, Totino-Grace linebacker; Michael Strand, Barnesville running back, defensive back and punt returner; and Austin Swenson, Spring Lake Park quarterback.

The Minnesota Chapter’s mission is to serve the state and nation “by developing leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit, and academic excellence in America’s youth through promoting amateur football.” The awards event, presented by the Minnesota Vikings, is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.nffmn.org.

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U Coordinator Raves about WR Recruits

Posted on April 14, 2014April 14, 2014 by David Shama

The statistics make a point.

Last season the Gophers had only 12 touchdown receptions in 13 games. Five were caught by redshirt freshman tight end Maxx Williams, and five more came from senior wide receiver Derrick Engel. Freshman wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky and junior tight end Drew Goodger each caught a touchdown pass.

The 2013 Gophers were last in the Big Ten Conference in touchdown passes. Not only that but Engel has used up his eligibility, leaving Minnesota with one wide receiver, Wolitarsky, who caught a touchdown pass last season. As the Gophers went through their spring practices, offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover watched the returning wide receivers and saw improvement—although none of them caught more than two passes or had long gains in the annual spring game on Saturday.

Competition makes players better and not only do the Gophers returnees have each other to face but they’re aware of three freshman wide receivers who will join the team next season—Melvin Holland, Isaiah Gentry and Conner Krizancic.

“I think our receivers know we recruited three phenomenal freshmen,” Limegrover told Sports Headliners in late March. “Those kids are going to be able to come in and compete right away.

“Those guys who are here understand they have an advantage because they’re here and they’re getting those reps and doing those things. …I’ve seen them take a step up as far as how they’re trying to approach things and what they’re (supposed) to do now because they know some young guys are gonna come and be pushing them.”

Holland is from Ashburn, Virginia, Gentry from Cincinnati and Krizancic is from Mentor, Ohio. Limegrover believes their commitment to attend Minnesota represents a recruiting milestone for the Gophers.

“We’re really, really fortunate,” Limegrover said. “Those are guys that in the past wouldn’t have made their way to Minnesota—that (would) have gotten gobbled up by somebody else and we would have been left trying to find the scraps at the bottom of the heap. The stars aligned for us recruiting those three kids and we’re pretty excited about them.”

Limegrover has been an assistant coach for Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill for 15 years. He admits being as excited about Holland, Gentry and Krizancic as any recruits he’s been involved with.

“Yeah, you know why? Because they were all three kids that when we looked at them we said, ‘These are legit guys that can come in and they can make us a different offense as soon as we can get them up to speed. As soon as they can get themselves on the field.’ …”

The Gophers want to improve their 2013 scoring offense of 25.7 points per game, second to last in the Big Ten. Minnesota’s total offense of 343.3 yards per game also ranked 11^th in the 12 team Big Ten. Whether it’s the quarterback position, wide receivers, tight ends, or running backs, the offense is being targeted for improvement in 2014.

“We need more playmakers,” Limegrover said. “We need more guys that can threaten opponents in a lot of ways.”

Any offense starts with the quarterback. Philip Nelson, who threw nine of the 12 touchdown passes last season, has transferred to Rutgers leaving Mitch Leidner as the No. 1 QB.

Leidner, a redshirt sophomore next fall, threw three touchdown passes last season. He was a part-time starter but that experience is valuable while none of the quarterbacks behind him has ever played in a game for the Gophers. Limegrover feels “good about the group of guys” he has but admits not having the experience of Nelson, who was a starter for two seasons, presents a challenge.

“It would be great (to have him) but nobody on our staff begrudges Philip because he had to make a decision that was best for him,” Limegrover said. “We all understand that and we wish him all the best. Of course you feel a little better having more experienced guys at every position, but at the same time you also want guys that want to be there. …”

Worth Noting

Ra’Shede Hageman’s Washburn High School football coach, Giovan Jenkins, will be among his guests at the NFL Draft in New York on May 8. Hageman, the former Gopher defensive lineman, could be selected in the first round. The NFL covers expenses for up to five guests of a high potential draft choice, Jenkins told Sports Headliners.

Expect an announcement today or later this week that Adam Weber will be joining a Canadian Football League team. The former Gophers quarterback has been unable to receive a commitment from the NFL including this spring with the Bears and he told Sports Headliners he’s headed to Canada but wouldn’t identify the team yet. “I just want to play,” he said.

Ex-Gopher tight end Matt Spaeth, now with the Steelers, was in Minneapolis the last few days. Gophers coach Jerry Kill invited Spaeth to attend team meetings. “He’s awesome,” Spaeth said of Kill.

During Saturday’s Gophers spring intrasquad game 6-foot-9 tight end Nate Wozniak lined up next to 6-foot-9 offensive right tackle Jonah Pirsig. The Gophers may not play a team next fall that positions two players almost 7-feet tall next to one another.

Former 1965 Gophers All-American forward Lou Hudson died last week but will be remembered forever by those who saw him play. The 6-foot-5 Hudson, who averaged 24.8 points per game as a junior, had athleticism and basketball skills that exceeded perhaps anyone who ever played for Minnesota. He just teased defenders with his smooth movement and ability to score, both away from and near the basket. He had the skill to play defense, too, but it was on offense that he stirred Gophers fans including after a broken right wrist forced him to play with a cast. He lit up opponents with his left hand and brought down the “Barn.”

Ryan James from GopherIllustrated.com wrote Friday that new Gophers basketball commit Gaston Diedhiou, 6-9, 225, is an inside player offensively but has the ability to defend on the perimeter. He also reported Diedhiou, who is from the Canary Islands by way of Senegal, will be 21 when he plays his first game as a freshman next fall.

New Gophers women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings has been an assistant or head coach at seven schools since 2000. Minnesota senior associate athletic director Beth Goetz, who oversees women’s basketball, told Sports Headliners she isn’t worried about Stollings having a brief tenure with the Gophers.

“Honestly, I don’t have any concern at all,” Goetz said. “If you look at her track record, every move she’s made has been up the ladder. She’s put herself in a position to coach at the highest level and the best institutions. Personally, I am not sure I think there’s a better place to be than the Big Ten and at the University of Minnesota.”

Goetz is impressed with Stollings in multiple ways including recruiting. Stollings has put together top-45 national recruiting classes in the past and attracted two top-100 recruits. “Her history shows she’s been great at recruiting,” Goetz said.

The WNBA Draft is tonight but Lynx owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners he expects his franchise will obtain players who will develop later rather than contribute next season. The Lynx have the No. 12 and 15 draft choices.

Media and sports executives applauded the recent announcement that Saint Paul native Bill Robertson will be the new WCHA commissioner succeeding Bruce McLeod who called the hire a “home run.” Look for Robertson, a former executive with the Wild, to relocate the league offices from Denver to downtown Saint Paul.

Robertson graduated from Cretin High School in 1979 with Saint Paul mayor Chris Coleman who attended last week’s news conference announcing the new commissioner. Robertson, who begins his position in mid-May, referred to Coleman as one of the school’s great soccer players. The mayor interrupted and quipped, “I am beginning to question the (commissioner selection) decision.”

The Wild sold out its 25^th consecutive game last night at Xcel Energy Center. The local NHL team has sold out 34 of 41 regular season home games. The Wild lost to the Predators in Minnesota’s final regular season game of the year last night and opens its playoff series with the Avalanche in Denver on Thursday evening.

Wild single game playoff tickets went on sale Saturday and the club is expected to play in front of sellout home crowds during the postseason including for next Monday night’s home opener. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase this week. Check the team’s website, Wild.com, for more information early in the week.

The Twins swept their three-game series with the Royals by winning 4-3 yesterday despite having only five hits. Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, who had two hits in four at bats, stole his first base since August 26, 2012. Mauer’s 31^st birthday is Saturday.

The A’s team that swept the Twins last week at Target Field is predicted by Sports Illustrated to play in the World Series representing the American League. In the magazine’s March 31 baseball issue S.I. projected the A’s will lose to the Nationals in the World Series. The A’s are 9-1 against the Twins since the start of the 2013 season.

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