Preps – Page 66 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Expectations Still on Rise

Posted on April 26, 2018April 26, 2018 by David Shama

Offseason optimism about the Vikings ranks with the highest in franchise history and tonight’s NFL Draft will only add to the hype. After last season’s 13-3 season and near Super Bowl, the Vikings can add a first round draft choice tonight at No. 30 and eight total selections over the next two days of the draft.

Count 16-year Vikings radio play-by-play man Paul Allen among those passionate about the 2018 team. He believes this is a franchise that can play with and defeat the NFL’s best. “Given that they upgraded at the quarterback spot and they’re going to get the return of Dalvin Cook, yeah, I believe it’s a better team already, and I really like some things I think they’re going to do in the draft,” he told Sports Headliners.

Allen agrees with the prevailing prediction the Vikings are likely to focus on offensive line prospects in the draft but adds that because general manager Rick Spielman has such a talented team he doesn’t have to be “desperate” and can select the best player available regardless of position. There certainly is no road map for NFL teams drafting over the next three days and that’s why general managers may have 50 scenarios of what can play out on their selection boards.

“…I’ve hammered so many different scenarios over the last three days,” Spielman said on Tuesday. “I can’t tell you all weekend how much film we watched and how many scenarios we have put ourselves in. Not only at 30, but if we trade back (later rounds) these players are available. Are we just as happy getting one of these players and another pick?

“We went through scenarios through to the bottom of the second and bottom of the third round right now. That’s the exciting part because you don’t know what you’re going to experience because it seems like you experience something new every year.”

Spielman made Kirk Cousins the NFL’s highest paid quarterback during the offseason, replacing Case Keenum who went to Denver. Cousins has never played on successful playoff teams but aspirations are for that to change in Minneapolis. What’s it like to be on a team with such high expectations?

“It is what it is,” Cousins said. “I don’t want to be on a team with low expectations, do I? I think that it’s part of being in this league. There is pressure on everybody. It would be immature for us to focus on the expectations.

“I am just focused on being the best quarterback I can be today. …The rest will take care of itself, and if we do our job each and every day, and having the best OTAs we can have, then the results that everyone is looking to see and care about in the fall, those will take care of themselves.”

Cousins and his teammates and coaches have been getting acquainted at the Vikings’ practice facility. What are first impressions about them and the organization? “It’s the real deal,” he said. “I wasn’t fooled on the free agency visit; what I saw then has been the truth. There’s no aloof personalities in the locker room, everybody has been very down to earth, there’s humility there.

“There’s a formula here for success. I sit in the team meetings and I see the organization. I see the attention to detail. I see the professionalism and it’s no surprise why they were successful last year, and it’s no surprise why I wanted to be here. I’m very, very impressed with what I’ve seen, but at the same time was expecting all along.”

The Vikings had an NFL Rookie of the Year candidate last season in running back Dalvin Cook but he tore his ACL in week four. In a smart move in last year’s draft, Spielman moved up in the second round selection process to secure Cook who veteran pro football writer Peter King predicted would be one of the NFL’s five best running backs by late October.

Cook is expected to make a full recovery from surgery, participate in summer training camp and be ready for the opening game in September against the 49ers. Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman has been working with Cook through the rehab process, just as he did several years ago with Adrian Peterson when he recovered from a torn ACL.

“Yes, we took some of that stuff that we did with Adrian and transferred it right to Dalvin who really has attacked his rehab with the same approach that Adrian did, and hopefully he will have the same success at the end of the day,” Sugarman told Sports Headliners.

Peterson wowed observers with his determination during rehab and Sugarman sees a similar attitude with Cook. “He (Cook) does have unbelievable spark. The thing to me is that ACL rehab is tough because it’s nine months. It gets boring. It’s tedious.

“There’s not a day that he didn’t walk in this building, or Winter Park, with a without a smile on his face. Just a pleasure to work with. Been fun to watch him go from injury to rehab, to now on the field, and hopefully scoring touchdowns in the future.”

Worth Noting

Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said teammate and wide receiver Michael Floyd is still living with Rudolph and his family in Minnesota, but also spends time in Scottsdale, Arizona. “He’s back and forth,” Rudolph said.

High school football games will be played at the Vikings’ newly opened Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan. Would Eden Prairie, the defending Class 6A champions and coached by Mike Grant, be a target for the first game there ever? Grant, son of legendary Vikings head coach Bud Grant, said he hasn’t been contacted.

Because the Eagles play only four home games, Grant said it’s difficult to give one up. The games are important, he explained, to “so many people” at the school and in the community. The home games also impact revenues through the booster club and ticket sales.

Condolences to the family and friends of Twin Cities native Mark Merrill who died earlier this month. The former Kellogg High School athlete was a second team All-Big Ten tackle for the Gophers in 1977.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners tickets remain for all Twins’ home games including the anticipated series with the Angels June 8, 9 and 10 when rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani may pitch.

Media reports are that a signed Ohtani rookie collector card is valued at over $6,000. The Japanese phenom has impressed this spring as both a pitcher and designated hitter.

St. Peter said among similar size cities, only Mobile, Alabama will have more National Baseball Hall of Famers than St. Paul when Jack Morris is inducted this summer. Morris joins St. Paulites Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield in the hall. Mobile has five enshrined in Cooperstown including all-time home run leader Hank Aaron.

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Nanne: Fletcher Did ‘Hell of a Job’

Posted on April 24, 2018April 24, 2018 by David Shama

Nobody in Minnesota has more experience in the NHL than Lou Nanne, 76, the former Minnesota North Stars coach, GM and president. With rumors circulating the last few days, Nanne wasn’t surprised to hear Wild GM Chuck Fletcher was fired Monday, a move he doesn’t agree with.

Prior to last season owner Craig Leipold said anything short of winning the Stanley Cup would be a disappointment. The Wild was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Jets Friday. While Minnesota is one of only three NHL teams to make the playoffs during the last six years, the Wild has advanced beyond the first round only twice during the time Fletcher has been in charge.

Nanne told Sports Headliners that when measured against the skills a GM needs like knowing personnel and how players contribute, Fletcher was more than successful. “Chuck did a hell of a job. I mean when you make the playoffs six years in the National Hockey League, you’re doing something right. Don’t ever kid yourself.

“St. Louis was an excellent team last year. Look at them, they missed the playoffs this year. Take a look at Los Angeles. Since they won the Cup (2014), I think they won one playoff game.

“Take a look at how many Cup winners don’t get back, and don’t make the playoffs for years after. There’s a lot of them.

“These guys (Wild ownership), I don’t think they understand how good a job the Wild has done to make the playoffs six years in a row. It’s a hard thing to do. You do it two years in a row (2017 and 2018) for 100 points (during the regular season), that’s tough. …

“Everybody wants to win the Stanley Cup. …Not an easy job.”

The new general manager will inherit a team stuck in the same annual performance gear. There are salary issues to confront and aging payers to make decisions about. There are also promising young ones like Joel Eriksson and Jordan Greenway.

Would a new GM want to let his franchise get worse before it gets better, by clearing out personnel and contracts. With losing comes better positioning in the draft and sometimes improved payroll flexibility.

Nanne said, “I wouldn’t have let him go. I am a fan of Chuck. I’d give him the opportunity if you want to tear it down and build it back up again. The fact is you almost gotta be bad before you’re good.”

Nanne said Leipold might pursue Predators’ assistant GM Paul Fenton to become only the third GM in franchise history. The two built a working relationship when Leipold was owner of the Predators before buying the Wild.

Leipold’s official statement was gracious toward Fletcher but the owner made it clear aspirations for the franchise aren’t changing. “I want to thank Chuck Fletcher for his substantial contributions to our franchise over the past nine years,” Leipold said. “Through his strong work ethic, integrity and vision, Chuck and his staff built a winning culture and a perennial playoff team. For all of that I am grateful.

“I feel it is time for a new approach aimed at delivering a Stanley Cup to the deserving fans of the State of Hockey. I wish Chuck and his family the very best going forward.”

Worth Noting

It appears guard Payton Willis saw a crowded and talented roster at Vanderbilt, and decided on transferring to Minnesota. The Commodores have one of the nation’s top recruiting classes for 2018. Willis was a reserve his first two seasons at Vanderbilt and after sitting out next season will have two more years of eligibility with Minnesota.

The 6-4 Willis started four games as a sophomore and five as a freshman for Vandy, averaging about five points per game both seasons. The Gophers have experience and depth issues with their guard roster for next season and 2019-2020.

ESPN college basketball authority Fran Fraschilla has a prediction about the Gophers next season: “I thought Jordan Murphy was on his way to All-American status this past season. If Amir Coffey takes the next logical step up, (if) Eric Curry comes back healthy and (Dupree) McBrayer can play up to his potential, I think they will be a middle of the pack Big Ten team with a chance to definitely play in the postseason,” Fraschilla told Sports Headliners.

Those four players figure to be starters, along with Isaiah Washington. Coffey and McBrayer were dealing with injuries of varying severity last winter, while Curry missed 2017-18 after preseason knee surgery.

An optimistic note about Minnesota is Big Ten leaders Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State could all take a step back after losing personnel. “I don’t expect any of the top four teams to be as good as they were this past season but they still all have great tradition,” Fraschilla said.

When Fraschilla saw the Gophers play last fall, before the Reggie Lynch suspension and Coffey’s shoulder injury, he thought the Gophers were a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 team for the 2018 NCAA Tournament.

Fraschila has been following Rochester John Marshall five-star forward power Matthew Hurt who will be a senior for the Rockets next season and is one of the most coveted recruits nationally in the class of 2019. “He’s definitely in the top 15 players in the country, without a doubt,” Fraschilla said. “He’s a big kid with really good versatility. He’s got toughness, can play inside or out. He’s destined at some point in time to play in the NBA if everything goes well and he keeps working hard.”

Gopher football players from last year’s team who have shown interest in playing pro football are Adekunle Ayinde, Vincent Calhoun, Jonathan Celestin, Merrick Jackson, Kobe McCrary, Duke McGhee, Steven Richardson, Ryan Santoso, Andrew Stelter, Nate Wozniak and Garrison Wright. A Big Ten authority told Sports Headliners he doesn’t expect any of the players to be taken during the three days this week of the NFL Draft but predicted Santoso as a free agent will earn a job as a punter or perhaps kickoff specialist.

Santoso started his Gopher career as the team’s field goal specialist. He became one of the Big Ten’s best punters, averaging 43 yards his senior season. He also had 17 touchbacks on kickoffs.

The authority also sees possible NFL camp invitations for linebacker Celestin because he runs so well, nose tackle Richardson who despite his short stature is strong, and 6-10 tight end Wozniak. “Everybody is looking for tight ends,” the source said.

As part of an NFL promotion to announce draft picks during the fourth through sixth rounds on Saturday, the Vikings will be at the St. Paul Curling Club where 2018 members of the U.S. Olympic men’s gold medal curling team will help publicize the selections.

Peter King writing yesterday for SI.com predicted the Vikings will take UTEP guard Will Hernandez with their No. 30 selection of the first round on Thursday. Referring to his “surprise” prediction, he wrote that former Chanhassen and Arkansas center Frank Ragnow (not necessarily a projected first rounder) will be chosen No. 27 by the Saints.

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Top Prospect Follows Lindsay Whalen

Posted on April 19, 2018April 19, 2018 by David Shama

Paige Bueckers, the sophomore point guard from Hopkins High School who is among the most coveted prep basketball players nationally in the class of 2020, has a Lindsay Whalen jersey and autographed Whalen shoes in her bedroom.

Whalen, the Lynx WNBA champion point guard and former Gold Medal Olympics winner, was named University of Minnesota women’s basketball coach last week. “She (Paige) is excited for Lindsay. She has been a big fan growing up,” Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff told Sports Headliners.

At this time of year, per NCAA policy, coaches like Whalen can’t contact high school sophomores. That doesn’t mean, though, Paige won’t be following the 35-year-old Whalen who not only will be in the news as Gophers coach but also while continuing her career this spring and summer for the Lynx as the team attempts to repeat as WNBA champs. “She is interested to see where Lindsay is taking the program,” Cosgriff said.

Bueckers frequently attends Gophers games so she is already familiar with the team and Williams Arena. But Cosgriff said don’t mark her down as a future Gopher yet because his all-state player is sorting through college options for now.

Those options include an offer from Connecticut’s storied program and legendary coach Geno Auriemma. He has been to Minnesota multiple times to watch Bueckers. “He’s a huge fan (of Bueckers),” Cosgriff said.

Count Notre Dame, Stanford and much of the Big Ten as schools wanting Bueckers who has been on the Hopkins varsity since eighth grade and starting at point guard for the last two seasons.

The 5-11, 150-pound Bueckers averaged 23.5 points per game for the Royals last season who finished second in the Class 4A state tournament despite her 37 points. Last season she made 54 percent of her field goals, 52 percent of her threes and 90 percent of her free throws.

Some games she scored more than 20 points by halftime. But Cosgriff said his wunderkind (she had a six to one assist to turnovers ratio) would “rather pass than shoot,” and when sitting on the bench is the Royals’ biggest cheerleader for teammates.

Fundamentally advanced for her age, and so versatile Cosgriff will even play her at center, Bueckers prompts raves when people talk about her. That starts with her coach who has been at Hopkins for almost 20 seasons, winning titles and building the Royals into a power. “She is the best I’ve had, and I’ve had some good ones,” Cosgriff said.

The roll call of great players in state history includes Nia Coffey who was terrific at Hopkins and now plays in the WNBA. Mention any legendary names to former Gopher guard and assistant coach Al Nuness and that won’t deter him from offering the highest praise to Bueckers.

“I think she will be the best women’s basketball player ever to come out of the state of Minnesota,” said Nuness who works at Hopkins as a paraprofessional.

Nuness has watched Bueckers practice and refers to her as “phenomenal”—yet he sees a player who will continue to improve. “I don’t think she is even close to reaching her potential,” he said.

Nuness predicted there will be a domino effect if Bueckers chooses Minnesota. “This is almost a must for us at Minnesota (to get her),” the former Gopher men’s captain said. “This girl is going to bring other (talented) girls.”

Worth Noting

Bueckers will have a busy offseason from high school basketball including the Boo Williams Girls Nike Invitational in Virginia this weekend where she will play for the North Tartan AAU team.

There is already speculation about how long Whalen continues her dual role of playing for the Lynx and coaching the Gophers. Will she retire from playing after this summer? There are a lot of priorities to balance between the two jobs.

The Gophers Athletic Department announced this week a goodwill tour stopping in nine communities in the state during May to visit with fans. The list of coaches from the department participating in the tour totals 14, but doesn’t include Whalen who will have preseason and regular season games with the Lynx during the month.

DeLaSalle class of 2019 point guard Tyrell Terry tweeted this week he received a scholarship offer from the Gophers. Iowa State and Stanford are among schools showing interest, too.

Birthday department: Twins first baseman Joe Mauer is 35 today and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor turns 77 tomorrow.

The Wild, down 3-1 to the Jets, will see a raucous crowd tomorrow night in Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place. “It will be as loud as any building you’ve heard,” Fox Sports North commentator Kevin Gorg told Sports Headliners.

Gorg said defenseman Nick Seeler, called up from Iowa this winter, has been a surprise and played “phenomenal.” The 24-year-old has brought aggressive play to a defensemen roster thinned by injuries.

Gotta be a big fan to buy airfare at the last minute from Minneapolis to Winnipeg for Friday night’s game. Expedia quoted a cost of $976 yesterday for round trip leaving today and returning Saturday.

With his affection for NFL Draft maneuvers, it will be fun to see what Vikings general manager Rick Spielman comes up with later this month. As of now the Vikings will watch 29 other selections be made in the first round before their turn in the first day of the NFL Draft on April 26.

Athlonsports.com predicted in a mock draft the Vikings will select Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey. Spielman has shown a liking for Fighting Irish players in the past.

“McGlinchey may eventually take over at left tackle but he’s a starter right away on the right side and would fit in well to the Vikings’ scheme,” Athlon said.

The Vikings have single picks in the first, second, third, fifth and seventh rounds, and three selections in the sixth round.

A pro football source told Sports Headliners he expects the Vikings to prioritize offensive linemen and defensive backs in the draft, and probably select a running back.

Spielman was all but destined to have a career in football. His father was a high school coach in Ohio and the family lived within a few blocks of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

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