Preps – Page 128 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Super Bowl & Other Notes

Posted on February 6, 2012February 7, 2012 by David Shama

Vikings second-year quarterback Christian Ponder can find inspiration in the two quarterbacks who played in last night’s Super Bowl. New England’s Tom Brady struggled during his college career at Michigan and New York’s Eli Manning was highly criticized during his early NFL years.

Former Vikings defensive end Chris Doleman will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August and he was introduced with other 2012 inductees before last night’s Super Bowl. “Doleman is one of those rare guys–maybe one of four or five that I played against during my career–right there with Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, that you had to know where they were and set your protection accordingly,” said former NFL quarterback Warren Moon. “You had to know if you were going to help the tackle out with a tight end or running back to chip on those guys. Doleman was someone you always had to worry about because you knew he could get to the quarterback. …”

NBClosangeles.com reported on Friday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league has no plans for expansion and doesn’t want to relocate existing teams. A new stadium plan in Los Angeles hasn’t been finalized as a potential home to the Vikings or another NFL team.

The Lucas Oil Stadium where last night’s Super Bowl was played will be among the facility models that planners for a new Vikings stadium will study.

Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl in 1992 and a new Vikings stadium is almost certain to be the site of a future Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl will be in New Orleans next season, then at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for outdoor football in 2014.

Since 1988 the NFC has won the Super Bowl every year during a presidential election year except 2004.

Among the TV competition for the Super Bowl is Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl. The annual show achieved a ratings record last year with 9.2 million viewers, according to Huffingtonpost.com. The 2011 Super Bowl had a record 111 million viewers.

The 17^th annual Vikings Arctic Blast Snowmobile Rally, scheduled at Lake Mille Lacs next Saturday and Sunday, will feature current and former Vikings players along with coaches and team executives. Among those scheduled to participate and help raise money for the Vikings Children’s Fund are quarterback Joe Webb and running back Toby Gerhart.

Allen Trieu of Scout.com speaking on the Big Ten Network about Gophers football recruit Ben Lauer from Wayzata High School: “Watch out for Ben Lauer, an offensive tackle that I don’t think gets talked about enough from right there in their backyard.”

Gophersillustrated.com’s Zach Johnson said Gophers coach Jerry Kill works his tail off recruiting.

In addition to discussing Kill, Johnson told Sports Headliners assistant coaches Bill Miller and Jay Sawvell were most instrumental in recruiting the 2012 class announced last week. Miller, the Gophers only assistant with BCS recruiting experience, specializes in south Florida. Sawvell was active in the Deep South and North Carolina including recruitment of highly regarded wide receiver Jamel Harbison from Charlotte.

Wisconsin has won consecutive Big Ten football championships but only twice in the last 10 years has Rivals.com ranked the Badgers recruiting classes among the top half in the conference.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that sophomore Apple Valley High School point guard Tyus Jones received a scholarship offer from Duke.

The start time for the Wild game against the Bruins atXcel Energy Center on Sunday, February 19 has been changed to 2:30 p.m. from 2 p.m. The game will be televised nationally as part of “Hockey Day inAmerica” coverage on NBC.

Comments Welcome

U Football & Other Notes

Posted on February 3, 2012February 3, 2012 by David Shama

Hired as Gophers coach about 14 months ago, Jerry Kill’s leadership is becoming more evident. How do you measure it?

The classroom attendance and grades by his players are improving. Academics were much more of a problem on the team when Kill and his staff first came here. For fall semester the football team earned an impressive overall 3.1 G.P.A. Expect more positive future news about football G.P.A.’s.

Although no major college football program is bullet proof, the Gophers haven’t been in the news for major off the field behavior problems and scandals. There’s a code of conduct emphasized by the staff and plenty of reminders.

Most of the sports public is still apathetic about Gophers football but Kill has won many admirers among boosters, media and high school coaches since he came here in December of 2010. His straightforward manner has earned him friends and is in contrast to his outspoken predecessor, Tim Brewster.

Kill has shown commitment to making the Gophers much better than a Big Ten bottom feeder with his tireless work on the job. He has also demonstrated courage in dealing with his seizures. Whether it’s coaching in front of a regional TV audience, or talking to a recruit in his home, Kill hasn’t let his history of seizures deter him.

At a Signing Day news conference on Wednesday, Kill said he’s still not driving a car. His wife Rebecca accompanied him on recruiting trips to help out.

Signing Day on Wednesday was another indication that Kill will build his program similar to Wisconsin’s. The Gophers signed 10 players from Minnesota to national letters of intent, compared to five in 2011 and three in 2010. The Badgers roster, including stellar offensive linemen, has for years listed a dominant number of Wisconsin high school products.

Kill and his staff will continue to recruit plenty of players from beyond the Minnesota border but expect higher numbers of Minnesotans than in the past. Kill knows there are good players here, just not enough to completely fill the roster of a contender.

Among the 27 signees are high-profile Hopkins wide receiver Andre McDonald and Mankato West quarterback Phillip Nelson. McDonald, an ESPN four-star recruit, is a “tremendous talent,” Kill said. MaxPreps’ Tom Lemming rates Nelson the No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the country and National Sleeper of the Year.

Tim Salem, the former Gophers quarterback, has been hired as running backs and special teams coordinator at Illinois.

Gophers junior player Rodney Williams isn’t included among players projected to be drafted next June by an NBA team, according to nbadraft.net. In 2010 the website predicted Williams would be among the first 10 picks in the 2011 NBA draft.

There’s speculation the Vikings will take USC left tackle Matt Kalil with the No. 3 choice in the first round of the upcoming college draft. He’s listed as the second best player in the draft after Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck by ESPN.com-Scouts Inc.

It was 40 years ago this winter the Vikings re-acquired Fran Tarkenton, pulling off a major trade with the Giants to bring the quarterback back toMinneapolis. Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls in the 1970s.

Seven new affiliates have joined the Timberwolves Radio Network, bringing the total to 26, the most since the 2006-07 season. The new affiliate stations in Minnesota are Aitkin/Brainerd, Mankato and Montevideo. New in North Dakota are Carrington, Jamestown, Oakes andValley City.

Former North Stars executive Dean Lombardi, now general manager of the Kings, is earning praise for his decision to replace coach Terry Murray with Darryl Sutter. The Kings are second in the NHL’s Pacific Division.

Herb Brooks, who coached the Gophers to three national championships and America’s “Miracle on Ice” in the 1980 Olympics, is included on the short list of the Big Ten Network Icons series that includes Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler and Dan Gable.

St. Olaf hockey seniors Ben Leis, Charlie Raskob and Jeff Warren made the right impressions during summer internships and have full-time employment waiting after graduation. Leis and Warren will be joining Best Buy as Demand Planning Analysts later this year. Raskob will work for Target as a Business Analyst.

Comments Welcome

No ‘Chance’ McDonald to Drop U

Posted on January 30, 2012January 30, 2012 by David Shama

Gophers coach Jerry Kill received a rare four-star commitment (ESPN.com) late last week when All-State Hopkins High School wide receiver Andre McDonald announced he will sign a national letter of intent with Minnesota on Wednesday. McDonald committed to the Gophers last year, but then changed his pledge to Vanderbilt in the fall.

Will he switch again in the next 48 hours? “I don’t think there’s any chance of that,” said John DenHartog, Hopkins coach. “I think he’s excited about the decision. Minnesota is the best place for him. He can help the program.”

DenHartog said McDonald gave up Vanderbilt this winter after the wide receivers’ coach left to join a new coaching staff at Illinois. Chris Beatty then recruited McDonald aggressively as did Iowa.

The Gophers are neither deep in bodies or talent at wide receiver. McDonald is about 6-3 and 205 pounds, and was a dangerous receiver in high school. “He’s got some unique skills,” DenHartog told Sports Headliners. “He can be a difference maker. He can make moves in tight spaces and make people miss and turn in big gains.”

DenHartog said McDonald “has unlimited potential” but that Kill didn’t promise a starting job. “Andre knows he’s going to have to work hard,” DenHartog said.

The Hopkins coach has been impressed with the forthrightness and caring of Kill. He also likes the longevity Kill and his staff have with one another. DenHartog is optimistic about the downtrodden Gophers program.

“If anyone (a coach) is going to do it, I believe he’s the one,” DenHartog said. “His intensity and honesty are really refreshing. The majority of time people are trying to sell a dream but coach Kill, he’s going to be forthright and the kids appreciate that.”

McDonald is playing in the International Bowl in Austin, Texas on Wednesday night. He’s expected to sign his paper work committing to the Gophers that day.

Comments Welcome