Preps – Page 129 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on April 6, 2012April 6, 2012 by David Shama

Maturi said the contract hasn’t been signed but it’s likely the Gophers will play a major conference opponent that will be a local box office draw as part of next fall’s nonconference schedule. The Gophers nonconference home schedule is frequently criticized for not having marquee opponents.

The Big Ten and ACC annual series has helped enhance the nonconference schedules for teams in both leagues. A new alliance between the Big Ten and Pac-12 might lead to an annual basketball series, further improving nonconference schedules.

A Monday article in the Wall Street Journal ranked the Gophers as the 10^th most valuable Division I college basketball program in the country. Citing a study by Ryan Brewer, an assistant professor of finance at Indiana-Purdue Columbus, the publication listed Louisville ($211.5 million) No. 1 followed by Kansas, Indiana, Ohio Sate, Arizona, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, UNLV and Minnesota ($87.9 million). The study included a formula using current revenues and expenses, and also other data. The Gophers and fellow Big Ten schools Indiana and Ohio State benefit from the lucrative Big Ten Network revenues.

Jerry Robertson, grandfather to Gophers forward Rodney Williams, said his grandson benefitted from playing near the basket when inside players Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson III weren’t able to play because of injuries. Williams had three straight 20 point games in the NIT. “Rodney was forced to step up his game instead of deferring to Mbakwe and Sampson,” Robertson said.

Robertson, who coached Williams in AAU basketball, thinks his grandson will come back for his senior season rather than pursue the NBA draft.

Redshirt freshman center Elliott Eliason, a business management major, was the only Gopher basketball player to make Academic All-Big Ten this past winter. Minnesota and Ohio Sate were the only schools to have just one selection while Purdue and Indiana had a league-leading seven each. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, student-athletes must be letter winners who are in at least a second academic year at their institutions and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Don’t be surprised if the basketball Gophers lose one or more players with remaining eligibility who decide to transfer.

The Gophers women’s swimming and diving team had 23 Academic All-Big Ten student-athletes. The men’s gymnastics team 13, the men’s swimming and diving team 11, and the women’s basketball team 10.

Timberwolves president Chris Wright said the franchise has renewed 98 percent of its Target Center lower bowl season ticket holders, and 94 percent overall. The club has sold over 900 new full season tickets and hopes to reach 2,000 by next season. That would push the total on full season tickets to more than 8,000, Wright said.

Timberwolves rookie point guard Ricky Rubio tore his ACL on March 9. The Wolves were a .500 team with him but their record is 4-11 since he’s been unable to play.

The Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced tonight from Tampa as part of the Frozen Four. The finalists for the award honoring college hockey’s best player are Spencer Abbott, senior forward from the University of Maine; Jack Connolly, senior forward from the University of Minnesota-Duluth; and Austin Smith, senior forward from Colgate University. The announcement will be aired live on the NHL Network and on the Hobey Baker website at 5 p.m. Minneapolis time.

WCCO TV’s Mark Rosen signed copies of his new book, “Best Seat in the House,” for two hours last week at the downtown Barnes & Noble store. Chapters include one devoted to former Vikings coach Bud Grant who signed copies of the book at the store and surprised Rosen by staying for 90 minutes. “I would have been happy if he had stayed 15 minutes,” Rosen said.

No dates and times yet but the Vikings will play preseason games (in this order) at San Francisco, home against Buffalo and San Diego, and at Houston.

Congratulations to St. Croix Lutheran’s Carl Lemke, honored as the 2011 MFCA Coach of the Year at the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic last week. St. Croix Lutheran won the Class 3A state championship last fall. Lemke was also recognized as the Class 3A coach of the year. Other coach of the year winners by class: Class 5A, Mike Grant, Eden Prairie; Class 4A, Mike Rowe, ROCORI; Class 2A, Brent Schroeder, Caledonia; Class 1A, Cory Larson, Dawson-Boyd; Nine Man, Andrew Fleischman, Edgerton/Ellsworth.

Wally McNeil, “Wally the Beerman,” said racehorse Wally’s Choice is retired. McNeil was a part owner of Wally’s Choice, a horse that earned the second most money ever for a Minnesota bred racehorse.

Comments Welcome

Worth Noting

Posted on April 2, 2012April 2, 2012 by David Shama

Joe Mauer is ranked the 39^th best player in baseball by ESPN.com. Justin Morneau is the second highest ranked Twin at No. 196. ESPN.com has been counting down baseball’s top 500 players since March 20 with the top 25 to be announced today and tomorrow.

Wally McNeil (“Wally the Beer Man”) said he will again be a celebrity bartender at Sneaky Pete’s before and after Twins home games. He plans to work some St. Paul Saints games, too.

Ron Stolski said there were over 1,400 registrations for the Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic last week, a number that “quadrupled” the total four years ago. Stolski is executive director of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association, the organization administering the annual clinic.

The MFCA and the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund are partnering to promote “Tackle Cancer Month” in September. High school football programs are being asked to collect donations at their home games to benefit the fund.

Shaver, the KARE 11 sportscaster who is a cancer survivor, told the clinic audience less than 10 percent of the fund’s budget goes for operating costs, with the balance funding research and other programs such as cancer prevention. Through the years he’s helped raise over $4.5 million for the cancer cause, primarily through his annual celebrity golf event.

Among the clinic speakers was Gophers coach Jerry Kill who gave a rousing speech to the high school coaches in attendance. “We want to win for you,” Kill told them.

Kill said he and his staff try to understand all they can about their players. This includes how players learn and some have admitted it’s difficult to pay attention in meetings for more than about 20 minutes. The players have also said they want more team building and camaraderie activities during summer months.

Glenn Caruso was awarded the MFCA’s Tom Mahoney Man of the Year Award at the clinic. The St. Thomas coach has a 43-7 record during four years and his 2011 team was one victory from the Division III national championship game. Caruso told Sports Headliners he’s proud that 96 of his 125 players are from Minnesota schools and all eight assistants are natives of the state.

The Tommies will play a spring football game against a Canadian club team on May 20 in Winnipeg. That day will be Caruso’s 38^th birthday.

Among Division III programs nationally, St. Thomas athletics ranks No. 8 in the latest Leerfield Sports Director’s Cup standings. St.Olaf ranks No. 25. The final 2011-12 standings are expected to be released in early June.

Freshman point guard Andre Hollins scored 20 or more points in four of the Gophers last eight games. Hollins made 90.4 percent of his free throws this season and could have led the nation but didn’t have enough attempts to qualify.

Those close to new University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler are impressed with his attitude toward Gophers sports and his commitment to winning.

The 2012 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced Friday from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa during the NCAA Frozen Four. The finalists for the award honoring college hockey’s best player are Spencer Abbott, senior forward from the University of Maine; Jack Connolly, senior forward from the University of Minnesota-Duluth; and Austin Smith, senior forward from Colgate University. The announcement will be aired live on the NHL Network and on the Hobey Baker website at 5 p.m. Minneapolis time.

The Minnesota Stars will play FC Edmonton today in an exhibition match at Parade Stadium. The event begins at 1 p.m. and admission is free. The Stars open their NASL regular season schedule at home on Saturday night (7:30 p.m.) against Carolina at the Metrodome.

Comments Welcome

Worth Noting

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

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners Ricky Rubio’s torn ACL was “pretty serious” and he anticipates the team’s starting point guard will be playing in six to eight months following last week’s surgery. Taylor was impressed with Rubio’s first season in the NBA, and not just for the Spanish guard’s playmaking including 8.2 assists per game.

“He’s so positive,”Taylor said. “He doesn’t talk about his own personal goals. He’s into helping others and seeing the team do well.”

Without Rubio, the Wolves likely won’t qualify for the playoffs despite the headline making season of Kevin Love. In Love’s fourth season he has frequently drawn praise as the NBA’s best power forward.

“He’s developed much faster and further than I think the real basketball people anticipated, and even those who saw all the potential,”Taylor said.

Former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg called him to ask about how several years ago Saunders used 6-11 forward Kevin Garnett as a ball handler and facilitator of the offense. Hoiberg featured 6-8 forward Royce White in a similar way this past season.

Jabari Parker, a junior guard-forward from Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, has been named Mr. Basketball in Illinois. Parker is pals with Apple Valley sophomore point guard Tyus Jones. The two are among the most recruited young players in the country and there’s speculation Parker and Jones will attend college together.

Siyani Chambers from Hopkins High School was named Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball. He will attend Harvard. The four finalists and their college choices: Joey King, Eastview High, Drake; Sanjay Lumpkin, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, Northwestern; Johnny Woodard, Duluth East, undecided; Isaiah Zierden, Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Creighton.

Jay Pivec, National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame coach and head coach at Dakota County Technical College, will speak on the topic of “Play More Zone, Win More Games” on Sunday at the National Association of Basketball Coaches annual convention in New Orleans. He will be the only NJCAA coach speaking.

Twins starter Francisco Liriano ranks second in strikeouts (26) among all major league pitchers in spring training.

The CBS Evening News reported on Tuesday one of the remaining sixty 1909 Honus Wagner baseball cards is being auctioned this spring and could command a price of $1.5 million.

MIAC coaches’ polls predict St. Thomas will win the conference baseball and softball league championships.

Coach John Anderson’s Gophers baseball team opens the Big Ten schedule today against Michigan, with additional games on Saturday and Sunday against the Wolverines. All games are at the Metrodome.

Tweet from Gophers offensive lineman and Minnesota native Jimmy Gjere: “If you attend the U of M don’t wear other schools clothes like that W word across the border or the O state place.”

Augsburg running back Tyler Maxwell, who tore his ACL late last season, is expected back for the first game in 2012, according to an MIAC source. As a freshman he rushed for 121.3 yards per conference game, best in the MIAC.

According to a Minnesota Swarm news release, the local pro team runs the largest youth box lacrosse league in America with nearly 900 participants. Quoting a 2011 Sporting Goods Manufacturer Association participation report, lacrosse is America’s fastest growing sport. Minnesota has 83 boys high school lacrosse teams and 71 girls.

Comments Welcome