Preps – Page 43 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

NFL Insider: Kendricks Vital to Vikings

Posted on December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 by David Shama

Vikings veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks didn’t play last Sunday because of a calf injury. Former NFL executive Jeff Diamond thinks it’s all-important for the Vikings to have him available against the Tampa Bay Bucs next Sunday in a vital game to the playoff chances for both teams. Kendricks didn’t participate in practice yesterday.

“They’ve gotta have Eric Kendricks this week,” Diamond told Sports Headliners. “They got by without him last week, barely. I know (sub) Todd Davis played pretty well, but you’re talking about one of your best defensive players, if not your best defensive player, in Eric Kendricks.”

Diamond was Vikings general manager in the late 1990s and after the team’s 15-1 season in 1998 was named NFL Executive of the Year. He later was president of the Tennessee Titans. While living in the Minneapolis area now, he is involved with varied work assignments including senior consultant with the Institute for Athletes sports management firm that represents NFL players such as Adam Thielen of the Vikings.

Diamond offered a prediction on the outcome between the 6-6 Vikings and 7-5 Bucs. “I think it’s going to be a close game, but if I had to make a pick, I would pick Tampa by three. …I think the key (for the Vikings) is they’ve gotta get some pressure on (quarterback Tom) Brady. The pass rush has been just so-so, and in order to get pressure they’ve had to blitz. Brady is not exactly the guy you want to blitz because he sees things so fast.”

Not only is the (arguably) GOAT a challenge Sunday, but so, too, are his outstanding receivers. Diamond predicted the inexperienced Vikings cornerbacks are going to be “severely” tested. Rookie corner Jeff Gladney sustained a reported calf injury in last Sunday’s close win over the 1-11 Jaguars, and Diamond said the Vikings need him in Tampa. Otherwise, he believes the team is reaching too deep into its cornerback pool and that will send reserve corners on the field who he describes as “shaky.” Gladney was limited in what he did in practice yesterday.

Diamond likes the improvement of Gladney and Cameron Dantzler, another rookie corner showing development. They are part of the reason why Diamond is bullish on the club’s future.

Diamond said: “A team that I think is going to be better next year when you get Danielle Hunter back. You have these young players, the rookie class, that is looking like it could be outstanding with (Justin) Jefferson, (Ezra) Cleveland, Gladney and Dantzler already starting. (Rookie reserve) D.J. Wonnum making big contributions as a pass rusher.

“This (2020 draft) could wind up being one of the great Viking drafts of all-time. You get all those players in their second year (2021) where they are going to continue to improve and have a full off-season. … You get back Michael Pierce (who) sat out this year for COVID, as a run-stopper inside. And Anthony Barr (injured vet not playing this season), we will see what happens there. I think they may free up some cap space with him, and I am not sure he is going to be here next year. I think the future is very bright for this team, so I am excited for the future.”

The opinion of fans on head coach Mike Zimmer is varied but Diamond credits ownership for being smart in giving Zimmer a contract extension earlier in the year. Zimmer has been the team’s head coach since 2014 with highlights that include two NFC North Division titles and a 13-3 regular season that saw the Vikings advance to the NFC championship game. His record is 63-44-1, with total wins and winning percentage ranking third in franchise history behind Bud Grant and Dennis Green.

Diamond said the more successful NFL franchises have stability and continuity. The Pittsburgh Steelers have employed three head coaches in the last 50 years. The Vikings have had five head coaches in the last 25 years, including Zimmer.

This season no team has a better record than the 11-1 Steelers. The Steelers head coach is Mike Tomlin, the former Vikings defensive coordinator, who took over in Pittsburgh in 2007. He has won a Super Bowl and might win another in 2021.

There have been ups and downs for Tomlin in Pittsburgh but Diamond said the African-American coach can lead his team without fear of losing his job. The organization has a culture prioritizing stability and valuing longevity. The Steelers have been owned for generations by the Rooney family. Diamond knew the late Dan Rooney and present boss Art Rooney II. “They’re just sold guys that are going to give their coaches a chance, and they select the right coaches in the first place,” Diamond said.

Worth Noting

Diamond’s varied activities include assignments for WCCO Radio, and speaking to college and business audiences about his NFL career and other subjects such as leadership, negotiation and sports management. He is working with Richfield native Michael Clements who is commissioner of the startup Minneapolis-based National Rugby Football League expected to be operational in two years.

Eric Kendricks is the Vikings’ nominee for the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. Each of the league’s 32 nominees were announced today.

In the last three weeks Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins ranks second in the NFL with nine touchdown passes. He ranks third with 926 passing yards. In each of his last three games, Cousins has produced at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes.

With at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes next Sunday against the Bucs, Cousins will tie Patrick Mahomes (four consecutive games in 2018) and Peyton Manning (four straight games in 2012) for the second-longest streak of games with those numbers in a single NFL season. Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young (five consecutive games in 1998) has a longer streak.

Rumors persist that Twins DH extraordinaire Nelson Cruz might use his free agent status to join the White Sox who could emerge from the off-season as the favorite to win the AL Central. MLB.com named Cruz second team All-MLB today at DH. Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda also is on the second team.

As mentioned in this space recently, it could be multi-positional Kiké Hernández of the Dodgers remains a potential free agent signing by the Twins.

Hopkins is No. 1 in ESPN’s top 25 national rankings of girls high school basketball teams. ESPN has Royals junior forward Maya Nnaji as the No. 7 prep prospect in the class of 2022.

The Vikings and Minnesota Football Coaches Association sponsor the Mr. Football Award and the ten 2020 finalists are: Shea Albrecht, Orono; Joe Alt, Totino-Grace; Cameron Anderson, Blue Earth Area; Trey Feeney, Moorhead; Nick Flaskamp, Minneapolis Southwest; Marcus Hansen, Waseca; Eli Mau, Chanhassen; Jake Ratzlaff, Rosemount, Garrison Solliday, St. Thomas Academy; Adam Tonsfeldt, Barnesville. An announcement date disclosing the winner has yet to be made public.

Charley Walters, the newsy Pioneer Press columnist with thousands of sports world contacts, is the latest “Behind the Game” guest with co-hosts Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson. The program is available for viewing on the “Behind the Game” YouTube Channel and via cable access throughout the state.

Klinger is organizer of the membership-only Capital Club that will hear from Vikings chief operating officer Andrew Miller via Zoom next Wednesday.

Sign of the times: the New Mexico Bowl is relocating for one year from Albuquerque to Frisco, Texas.

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Zimmer “Tired” of Special Teams Woes

Posted on November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 by David Shama

Mike Zimmer expressed frustration with the Vikings’ special teams after last night’s 19-13 win over the Bears in Chicago. Cordarrelle Patterson ran a kickoff back for a 104-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 13-7 third quarter lead. In Minnesota’s previous game against the Lions, Zimmer saw his team have two punts blocked.

“We weren’t very good tonight (on special teams),” Zimmer said on KFAN. “We weren’t supposed to kick the ball to Patterson and we did, and that was bad. We’re going to have to really look at our personnel on that. See if we can change some things up. This is not good. It’s been bad the last two weeks, and quite honestly I am tired of it.”

Patterson, the ex-Viking who goes by the nickname “Flash,” might be the best kickoff returner in NFL history. He just whizzed by defenders on his long run, with the last potential tackler Viking kicker Dan Bailey—a total mismatch. As Zimmer watched on the sidelines he was livid.

Without the kickoff touchdown, the game wouldn’t have been close. The Bears produced two field goals with their inept offense that relies on replacement players because of injuries. A first down was worthy of high-fives from Chicago fans.

Zimmer took advantage of the incompetent Bears with blitzes. He wasn’t hesitant to ask his inexperienced secondary to cover one-on-one. He said after the game on the radio those players and the entire improving defense is gaining confidence as the Vikings earned their third consecutive win.

Nobody on the Vikings looked more excited toward the game’s end than quarterback Kirk Cousins who for the first time in his career was on the winning team for television’s Monday Night Football. He was pumping a fist and showing thumbs up as the Vikings kept playoff ambitions alive while his MNF record improved to 1-9. He completed 25 of 36 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns (both to Adam Thielen).

The 4-5 Vikings play their next three games in Minneapolis against the Cowboys (2-7), Panthers (3-7) and Jaguars (1-8). After last night Minnesota clearly has momentum and a favorable path to a 7-5 record by early December.

“We’ve got three in a row. Keep it stacking, and get back to it,” Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks said on KFAN last night.

St. Paul Saints Deal Pricey

After talking with sources, it looks like the Minnesota Twins might have to write at least one large check to make the St. Paul Saints their Triple-A affiliate starting in 2021. Sports Headliners speculates a deal could be finished by January 1, with the Saints ownership holding most of the leverage in negotiations that may see ownership transferred to the Twins.

Although a deal is not for sure, it’s a perfect move for the Twins to have their highest minor league affiliate located within a bike ride from Target Field. Saints Triple-A call-ups could arrive at the big league ball park within 25 minutes from downtown St. Paul. The Saints are presently members of the American Association, a league that has long operated without MLB affiliation.

Any new Saints owner would project continued sellouts at CHS Field where offerings include low price tickets, quirky promotions, sun-splashed beer-drinking and baseball players (cheap payroll) not wanted by big league clubs. A wise move by the Twins, if they become new owners, will be keeping prices for tickets and concessions at 2020 levels.

Throw in creative promotions and a big upgrade in baseball talent where Twins fans can see the organization’s future stars, and it seems the Saints could continue to be profitable. And that doesn’t begin to factor in the business synergy of having two franchises with the same ownership in the same market where there can be crossover ties in ticket sales, radio-TV rights, corporate sponsorships, promotions and advertising.

But what’s in this for the Saints ownership whose public face is Mike Veeck? He is 69 now and “Mr. Fun Is Good” has worked hard building the Saints into a model minor league franchise. Veeck has been at this since 1993 and hit a “home run” convincing St. Paul and other public officials to build CHS Field, allowing them to abandon archaic Midway Stadium.

It’s logical to believe Veeck and partners will walk away from their ownership stake if the Twins or someone else will meet their price. A sports industry source told Sports Headliners the Saints ownership paid about $1 million for a franchise startup fee in the independent Northern League back in 1993. Today he thinks the franchise, despite losing a lot of money because of the pandemic this summer, could command $20 million as a sales price.

That’s a big number but check writing doesn’t stop there if the Saints are to transition from their status of a baseball independent in the American Association to a MLB affiliated Triple-A operation. There is a cost that MiLB (Minor League Baseball) and MLB are working out for franchises to switch from independent status to affiliation with a big league club. An estimate right now is $10 to $20 million. It seems preposterous to think the Saints present ownership would be interested in paying $10 million or more for that status and continuing to operate the St. Paul franchise.

MLB teams do own minor league franchises so a Twins operation in St. Paul wouldn’t be unprecedented. But the move to St. Paul (the Twins have severed ties with their Triple-A Rochester, New York team) could be predicated on a spending spree by the Twins Pohlad ownership group that might total $30 million or more.

Maybe there’s a buyer other than the Twins for the Saints. In that scenario it would be prudent for the Twins to cover much of the franchise fee needed for the transition of the Saints to Triple A.

Worth Noting

Last fall after the Vikings lost 16-6 to the Bears in Chicago, star wide receiver Stefon Diggs made news expressing public frustration with the offense. Now, following an offseason trade to the Bills, Diggs is playing with a hot quarterback in Josh Allen and could finish the season leading the NFL in receptions and receiving yards.

In Wednesday night’s NBA draft the Timberwolves, with the first overall choice, will take Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards and then with their 17^th pick in the first round will acquire Memphis forward-center Precious Achiuwa, per yesterday’s SI.com mock draft. With their second round choice at No. 33, the Wolves are projected to choose former Hopkins standout Zeke Nnaji, the forward-center who was a freshman last season at Arizona.

The Nets, with the No. 19 pick in the first round, will take former DeLaSalle star Tyrell Terry, a freshman guard at Stanford last season. Former Apple Valley and Duke point guard Tre Jones is projected at No. 35 in the second round, going to the Sacramento Kings. Daniel Oturu, the ex-Cretin Derham-Hall and Gopher center, will be drafted at No. 42 in the second round by the New Orleans Pelicans, per SI.com.

The cell phone mailbox of David Holmgren is full and not accepting messages these days. His son, Chet Holmgren, is the nation’s No. 1 or 2 senior prep basketball prospect while playing for Minnehaha Academy. Chet is waiting until next year to announce a college choice, with minimal likelihood (my opinion) he plays at dad’s alma mater, the University of Minnesota.

Because of COVID-19 don’t expect Monster Jam and AMA Super Cross, two popular events scheduled at U.S. Bank Stadium in February, to take place.

Also because of the pandemic no season media passes are being issued for Gophers men’s hockey; only single game requests on a restricted basis are being granted.

Today (Tuesday) is the deadline for WCHA men’s hockey members to announce opting out for the coming season because of the pandemic. Alaska Anchorage isn’t competing in any winter sports including hockey, leaving the WCHA as of now a nine-member league for 2020-2021. Could the University of Alaska also opt out?

Don’t expect regular coverage of this “sport” here, but a Belgian racing pigeon was auctioned off for $1.9 million Sunday, per the Associated Press.

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Glorious U Win 60 Years Ago Today

Posted on November 5, 2020 by David Shama

It was a game of the century by our standards, a matchup for the ages when 60 years ago today No. 1 ranked Iowa came to Minneapolis to play No. 3 Minnesota at Memorial Stadium. A potential national championship, Rose Bowl invitation and Big Ten title meant the rewards couldn’t be better for the winner on November 5, 1960.

The energy at the stadium was beyond electric. The rivalry to gain possession of Floyd of Rosedale always made Minnesota-Iowa an emotional day for the two teams and states, but never before had there been a Golden Gophers-Hawkeyes matchup like this. There were an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Iowa fans in the stadium and they were loud and sometimes obnoxious. The Gophers fans, though, answered back in the noisy “Brickhouse” that housed a season record crowd of 65,610, with the turnstile count way over capacity and fans sitting in the aisles.

The buildup to the game and demand for tickets was so intense newspaper columnist Sid Hartman pleaded not to bother him anymore for tickets. Scalping prices were reportedly as high as $100—big money in those days. This wasn’t just a local or Big Ten phenomenon, Minnesota-Iowa was a national story that included major coverage by Sports Illustrated.

After a 2-7 record in 1959, Minnesota was 6-0 and the surprise of college football in the fall of 1960. Insiders had seen the success coming. Coach Murray Warmath had expanded his recruiting to far away places like Pennsylvania and North Carolina. He opened a pipeline for Black players that included the likes of quarterback Sandy Stephens and tackle Bobby Bell.

Stephens was a junior, Bell a sophomore in 1960. To this day, they remain two of the most gifted football players in Gopher history. They were impact players on a roster anchored by a heavy dose of players from Minnesota, with none more important than Minneapolis native and nose guard Tom Brown who won the 1960 Outland Trophy recognizing the nation’s best lineman. He finished second in Heisman Trophy voting—a remarkable achievement for a lineman.

Dana Marshall, from Braham, Minnesota, became a Gopher football student manager starting with the 1957 season. That team was a preseason favorite to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Minnesota began 3-0 but collapsed, finishing the season 4-5 overall, 3-5 in Big Ten games. Marshall recalled in a phone interview the Gophers went on to lose 20 of their next 24 games after that 3-0 start.

In 1960 Marshall was the senior student manager. The season would be the last for redemption for seniors like Brown and captain Greg Larson, another Minnesota native and one of the Big Ten’s best centers. Marshall remembered the morning of the Iowa game there was a players-only meeting at the St. Paul Hotel. Larson spoke and so did Stephens whose words are remembered to this day by Marshall, now retired from a Minneapolis business career and living in Las Vegas.

“Everything we’ve hoped for, or dreamed of, is here before us today,” Stephens told his teammates.

Stephens (front seat) with Bell behind him and RB Bill Munsey.

Make no mistake Stephens had big days in mind when he came to Minnesota. He was a prize recruiting catch for Warmath. Woody Hayes wanted him at Ohio State. Ara Parseghian, coaching at Northwestern, badly wanted Stephens who was a high school superstar in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Gopher historians might tell you that never in the history of Minnesota football has the school landed a more sought after recruit than Stephens, who as a dual-threat star made All-American in 1961 and was named by the Chicago Tribune as the Big Ten’s MVP.

But if November 5, 1960 belonged to any single player, it was Brown. The undefeated Hawkeyes had an explosive offense led by a group of running backs who probably were all faster than any of the Gophers. This game, however, was defined by strength, cunning and sheer will as Brown and Company shut down the Hawkeyes. “Players were just in awe watching Brown because he was so strong,” Marshall said.

Brown made his presence known early in the game, rattling Iowa center Bill Van Buren whose bad snap on a first quarter punt led to a short drive for a Minnesota touchdown. Marshall said word was a frustrated Van Buren uttered the following on that Saturday afternoon years ago: “I’ve got a second half to play against that son of a bitch.”

Minnesota had a 7-3 halftime lead and Iowa scored a touchdown in the third quarter to go ahead 10-7 . But the Gophers led 13-7 entering the fourth quarter and added two more scores to make the final 27-10 for the nation’s new No. 1 team. Marshall said the fourth quarter domination was typical of Minnesota’s performance late in games all season.

Warmath was a hero and was hoisted on to the players’ shoulders in the delirious moments after the game. In the coach’s biography, The Autumn Warrior, author Mike Wilkinson reported “the crowd went crazy” and fans hoisted up reserve quarterback Joe Salem who had come off the bench to provide key plays in relief of Stephens.

“This is the greatest moment of my life. Nothing comes close,” Larson said in a quote from the Warmath book. A modest Brown said, “I guess I got in my licks.”

Minnesota stumbled at home the next Saturday, when Purdue got out to an early lead and the Boilermakers went on to a 23-14 victory that quickly took the Gophers out of the No. 1 spot in the nation. The Gophers then went to Madison for the season finale and got an impressive 26-7 victory over Wisconsin on November 19.

Marshall recalled that the win over the Badgers had the Gophers wondering if they still could become national champions. No. 1 Missouri was upset by Kansas the same day Minnesota was winning in Madison. In late November when the final polls came out Minnesota was back on top at No. 1 in the country.

Back then the Associated Press and United Press International named their national champions before bowl games and didn’t change rankings afterwards. Minnesota’s record was 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten. Iowa, also with an 8-1 record, finished No. 2 in the UPI poll and No. 3 in the AP.

The Gophers had a better conference record than Iowa’s 5-1 but the two teams were declared co-Big Ten champs. One of Minnesota’s league wins was against an Indiana program on NCAA probation, so the victory wasn’t credited to the Gophers in determining the Big Ten champion. “We precariously got punished for Indiana’s problems,” Marshall said.

The Gophers had won their first league and national titles since 1941. They earned the school’s first ever Rose Bowl invitation. Although Minnesota lost to Washington in Pasadena, the 1960 season was the start of a glorious three-year run where the Gophers compiled a 22-6-1 record. Through it all, no game had higher stakes than November 5, 1960.

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