Preps – Page 91 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Flip’s Setback Surprised Wolves Owner

Posted on October 19, 2015October 19, 2015 by David Shama

Highlights from an interview with Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor regarding various subjects:

Taylor said the setback in Flip Saunders’ health last month surprised him, and he acknowledged the return of his coach and basketball president is completely unknown. Reports in August were the 60-year-old Saunders had Hodgkin’s lymphoma but that it was treatable and curable. However, now sources are saying he has been hospitalized because of a serious—perhaps life-threatening—infection.

“We’re just patiently waiting and hoping that he recovers,” said Taylor, who wouldn’t confirm Saunders is hospitalized. “…You think he is coming along and all of a sudden he’s just had a setback and now we just have to wait.”

Earlier this month Taylor gathered Wolves players, coaches and others with the organization at his Mankato home for the annual lasagna feed. He spoke about the group being family and how Saunders had brought so many players and staff to the organization. “I just talked about the importance of him and how we missed him,” Taylor said. “How we’re going to pray for him, and how we’re all going to do well.”

Kevin Garnett is one of the players brought to the Wolves by Saunders who acquired the 39-year-old former superstar in a trade last February with the Nets. Garnett, who originally had been drafted by the Wolves as a teenager, has expressed interest in team ownership some day but Taylor said no deal is in place and can’t be because of NBA policy.

“No, it’s not something I can talk to Kevin about,” Taylor said. “He’s a player and I am an owner, and that would be a conflict of interest. I’ve never talked to Kevin about that issue. All I know about it is that I think that he has stated a couple different times that he would be interested in that when the opportunity comes. We have to just wait until that opportunity is there and it won’t be while he is playing.”

While the Wolves haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 2004, Taylor’s WNBA Lynx have won three league titles in five years with the latest earned last week. “It still just feels wonderful,” he said about winning another championship.

Although Taylor didn’t have the figures in front of him, his “sense” is the franchise may turn about a $1 million profit because of its successful season. That’s likely the best year financially ever for the Lynx and stands in contrast to most WNBA clubs that lose money.

Minnesota native Lindsay Whalen, a key contributor to the Lynx championships, was frustrated with injuries this past season and is 33 years old. Taylor hasn’t spoken to the point guard about how long she will continue playing. He is a Whalen admirer and thinks she could eventually have other responsibilities in the organization. “It’s not something we’ve discussed (though),” Taylor said.

Taylor is committed to partnering with Dr. Bill McGuire and others in an ownership group to bring an MLS franchise to Minnesota. Taylor, who operates his Wolves and Lynx at city-owned Target Center, thought Minneapolis elected officials would show more interest in having a soccer stadium built in the Farmers market area, a project and site that could create jobs and offer other benefits to the city economy.

Taylor said he sent a letter to Mayor Betsy Hodges awhile back about a Minneapolis soccer stadium. “I didn’t even get a reply, so I assume that’s telling me something—that they don’t see it as a possibility or they aren’t encouraging it,” said Taylor, who is now supportive of the proposed Midway stadium location in St. Paul.

Taylor owns 17,000 acres of farm land in Minnesota and Iowa. Raised on a farm in Minnesota as a youngster, he still likes to be close to the land and planned to spend part of last weekend riding in a combine on one of his farms.

Worth Noting

The Lynx were honored by the Vikings at their game with the Chiefs yesterday at TCF Bank Stadium. Maya Moore sounded the Gjallarhorn prior to the game. Against three different opponents in the playoffs, Moore averaged 23.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists. She has experienced a remarkable first five years as a pro. She has been WNBA Rookie of the Year, league MVP and a force on three WNBA championship teams.

Augsburg alum Roger Griffith is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Lynx. He has been a part of the Timberwolves/Lynx organization since 1994.

Former Gophers Big Ten championship basketball coach Jim Dutcher will speak at the next CORES luncheon on November 12 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington, 1114 American Blvd. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans. More information about CORES is available by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

While the Gophers men’s hockey team is off to a 0-3 start, the No. 1 ranked women’s team is 6-0.

The office of former Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague is being used as a conference room in the Bierman Field Athletic Building. Interim athletic director Beth Goetz’s office is nearby.

The late Steve Wilkinson, the Gustavus legend and winningest head coach in collegiate men’s tennis history, was honored by the USPTA when the organization named one of its top awards the “Steve Wilkinson Collegiate Coach of the Year Award.”

Congratulations to prep football coaches Jeff Gronner from Cromwell and Dan Essler of New London-Spicer for achieving 100 career wins this month. Gronner’s record is 100-34 in 12 seasons. Essler’s record is 101-64 in 16 years.

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U Basketball Recruit Coffey, Mr. Versatile

Posted on October 14, 2015October 14, 2015 by David Shama

Amir Coffey is so versatile his coach may ask him to guard other players this coming season—regardless of their height, weight and playing positions. Hopkins High School coach Ken Novak Jr. is also hopeful the 6-6, 170-pound guard will average a triple-double in points, rebounds and assists.

Coffey was a big get for Gophers coach Richard Pitino last month when the Rivals.com four-star high school senior verbally committed to his home-state school. Coffey is the elite senior prospect in Minnesota, and giving his word to play for the Gophers is a step in the right direction for Pitino’s struggling program—6-12 in the Big Ten last season and in rebuilding mode.

Novak has coached high school basketball for more than 30 years. At Hopkins he has coached championship teams and great players including Siyani Chambers, Joe Coleman, Kris Humphries and Royce White. Novak considers Humphries, who was a rebounding whiz along with other skills, to be his best player ever, but said Coffey is unique. “I am not saying he’s (Coffey) the best player. He’s definitely the most versatile player,” Novak told Sports Headliners recently.

Novak wants defensive improvement out of Coffey this season. His ability to defend at a high level will go a long way toward determining the Royals’ success. “For us, Amir is going to have to be guarding the best player most of the time, and he has the smarts to be able to do that,” Novak said.

Coffey tore his left ACL last season and missed most of the Hopkins schedule. Novak said the injury and resulting surgery lessened his player’s explosiveness. “His strength in his legs aren’t quite what they were but…he will get that back,” Novak said.

The Royals begin practice for next season on November 9 and Novak has high expectations for Coffey. “He’s one of those guys that could average a triple-double,” said Novak who will be starting his 26th season at Hopkins.

Novak admits not being sure if he ever heard of a high school player averaging a triple-double but that’s his objective for Coffey. “I think scoring won’t be a problem,” the coach said. “I think assists and rebounding will be tough to average. …That would be a goal (triple-double).”

Although Coffey is tall, he is a good ball handler and his passing prompts raves from the coach. “He’s a phenomenal passer,” Novak said. “Passing ability is what he does best. Vision wise, as good a point guard as you will find.”

Coffey’s dad, Richard Coffey, was a 6-4 undersized, overachieving forward and center for the Gophers from 1986-1990. Richard was all about the team and probably nobody ever graded him less than A+ for attitude.

Novak said Amir is also about teammates first. “He’s a really unselfish kid,” Novak said. “He’s not a kid that’s looking to try and go out and get 30 points. He likes to set people up and he does it all the time.”

Novak believes Coffey could become a superb shooter and scorer because he has “great hands.” In college he likely will need to shoot long range in Pitino’s offense emphasizing three-pointers. With his scoring, passing, rebounding and defending potential, Coffey could eventually be a special college player but he will have to polish his total game and become physically stronger.

“He’s not coming in and dominating Big Ten basketball with his size,” Novak said. “Can he in a few years? Yeah, I think he can in a few years. …”

For the more immediate future, Novak, Coffey and the rest of the Royals can focus on the season ahead and trying to win a 4A state championship. Hopkins has three starters back including Mr. Versatile. That’s a good start but Novak knows there are challenges ahead including defending 4A state champion Apple Valley led by junior wing Gary Trent Jr. and sophomore point guard Tre Jones.

“Apple Valley, I think, is by far the best team,” Novak said. “They’ve got two guys offered to Duke. I don’t know if this state has seen a team that probably is as talented as they are, and they’re young too. And for anybody to beat them, they’re going to have to play well. You’re going to have to be an awfully, awfully good team.”

Worth Noting

Shannon Brooks, the freshman Gophers running back who rushed for 176 yards last week against Purdue, didn’t command a lot of interest from big time college programs coming out of Pickens High School in Jasper, Georgia. Georgia Tech was interested but he didn’t like the Yellow Jackets’ triple option offense, preferring Minnesota’s multiple set scheme. He said the University of North Carolina at Charlotte would have been his choice if it wasn’t for the Gophers scholarship.

Obviously a lot of recruiters missed on Brooks. Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover recalled one of his best friends is a high school coach in Atlanta (about a one hour drive from Jasper) and he knew Brooks was a special running back. Limegrover said the coach told him, “I thought that was the best kid I had seen in the state the past two years.”

Senior Jon Christenson, one of the Gophers best offensive linemen, returned from injury for part-time duty against Purdue. Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said Christenson will continue to split time with senior Joe Bjorklund at left guard.

“We have two kids that have knee injuries…Joe Bjorklund and Jon, and there’s no way they can play 50, 60 plays a game,” Kill said. “So we played them pretty much evenly in the (Purdue) game, which helps both of them. We substitute them more than we ever have.”

A Gophers spokesman said Saturday’s Minnesota-Nebraska game is “close” to a sellout at TCF Bank Stadium. If there is a capacity crowd, it will mean the Gophers have sold out all four home games so far—the first time a sellout streak has reached that total since 2009.

Twins telecasts on Fox Sports North in 2015 increased 24 percent from last year and had the 10th highest viewership among MLB teams on regional sports networks with a 4.12 average household rating. Twins telecasts were No. 1 on cable and No. 3 in primetime for all Minneapolis-St. Paul TV programming during the past season.

“Twins Season Review 2015,” a 30-minute program, debuts Thursday night on Fox Sports North starting at 8 p.m.

Jim Bruton, the former Gophers football player who has written books with Minnesota sports legends, has a new book called I’m Alive, an inspiring story about Duke Pieper. Almost six years ago Pieper, then a freshman hockey player on the Hill-Murray varsity, “suffered a brain bleed before his first game,” according to an e-mail from Bruton. “On two occasions, the family asked Bill Lechner, HM coach, to be a pallbearer for Duke’s funeral. His doctor told the family ‘it was time to let him go.’ Duke lived after having only a five percent chance to survive surgery.”

The Wild has interesting road games coming up including Sunday evening in Anaheim against a Ducks team that is a popular choice to win the Stanley Cup. The Wild lost all three regular season games to the Ducks in 2014-2015. All three losses were by one goal.

The Wild will see Marian Gaborik playing for the Kings on Friday night in Los Angeles. Gaborik, the former Wild star, is the franchise’s all-time leader in goals with 219. Tomorrow evening the Wild play the Coyotes in Arizona where Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk faces the team he played for part of last season (9-5-2 record, 2.72 GAA).

Skilled marketer and WCHA men’s commissioner Bill Robertson is promoting all-tournament ticket packages for the 2016 Final Five in Grand Rapids, Michigan on March 18 and 19. Priced at $69 each, a ticket package provides admission to the two semi-final games on March 18 and the Broadmoor Trophy championship matchup the next day. Tickets are available via multiple sources including Ticketmaster. “As we saw last season with three nationally-ranked teams competing, the Final Five remains the sport’s finest conference tournament,” Robertson said in a news release on Monday.

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Twins President Wants Hunter Back

Posted on October 5, 2015October 5, 2015 by David Shama

Torii Hunter didn’t play yesterday as the Twins ended their 2015 season at Target Field, losing 6-1 to the Royals. It might have been Hunter’s final game as a major leaguer because the 40-year-old was indefinite about his future when interviewed yesterday morning on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle.

Hunter will talk during the offseason with his family about his future and added if he had to decide now it’s probable he will retire. Hunter, who mentioned he doesn’t want to take anti-inflammatory substances, said his plans after baseball aren’t certain but he wants to remain part of the Twins organization.

Hunter played regular right field for the Twins and hit .240 with 22 home runs and 81 RBI (second best on the team). His clubhouse leadership for a team that ended four years of 90-plus loss seasons in 2015 is well documented. The Twins finished with an 83-79 record and chased a wild card spot almost to season’s end.

“I’d love to have Torii back,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners today. “I’d love Torii to be in our clubhouse into perpetuity. He’s just a tremendous asset. He’s somebody that makes teams better. He’s a winner.”

Dave St. Peter (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

Even if Hunter decides to retire, St. Peter wants to see more of the outfielder who came up through the organization and played part or all of 12 seasons in a Twins uniform. “Ultimately, I’d be hopeful, whether he’s playing or not, that long term he’s going to be part of our organization in some way because I think in his heart he’s a Twin,” St. Peter said.

St. Peter is under the impression Hunter won’t do anything regarding a decision for 2016 until November at the earliest. St. Peter expects clarity on the issue before year end.

Hunter reportedly was paid $10.5 million this season on a one-year deal. St. Peter doesn’t know if the Twins will offer the same compensation but doesn’t expect next year will be about money. It will be about how Hunter is physically, how he feels he can contribute to team success and what his role will be with the club.

With Hunter’s career success and charisma, his post-baseball options appear numerous. He could be in demand by both national and local media for broadcast work. Also, St. Peter sees Hunter as a “powerful” influence as a Twins minor league consultant working to develop players. He also said Hunter has expressed interest in learning about front office responsibilities as a club general manager or president.

In the coming weeks Hunter will have to weigh the pros and cons of continuing his career including the physical demands of a long season. “Torii is in remarkable shape,” St. Peter said. “He takes care of his body, but only he knows the toll of a baseball season and what it takes on him.”

Worth Noting

Twins rookie DH and third baseman Miguel Sano hit 18 home runs and drove in 52 runs in 275 at bats. In a full season he might have doubled all three of those numbers.

Miguel Sano (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

Sano and center fielder Byron Buxton gained major league experience this season. St. Peter said Sano is interested in playing winter baseball but it’s not decided whether he will. Buxton will not, focusing on gaining strength and training during the offseason. In 129 rookie at bats Buxton hit two home runs, with six RBI and a .206 batting average.

Twins second baseman Brian Dozier and third baseman Trevor Plouffe delivered career years at bat. Dozier hit a team-best 28 home runs and drove in 77 runs, while Plouffe hit 22 homers and led the club with 86 RBI.

Although Ervin Santana lost his last game of the season Friday night, next year he could be the staff ace the Twins have been in search of for a long time. Santana missed the first 80 games of the season because of a suspension by MLB but he finished 2015 impressively. The loss Friday night was his first since August 19. He pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits. He finished the season with seven straight quality starts, going 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 50 innings, with 14 walks and 47 strikeouts.

Although it’s a minimal decrease, Twins home attendance declined for a sixth consecutive season. The club attracted 2,220,054 fans after drawing 2,250,606 last year.

Former Gopher and Twin Dave Winfield, whose big baseball career ended with the Indians 20 years ago, had his 64th birthday last Saturday.

Duluth Huskies pitcher Toby Anderson is one of nine Northwoods League players who won the Rawlings “Finest in the Field” Award for the 2015 season. Anderson, who will be a sophomore contending for a starting pitching role with the Gophers next season, had a 1.000 fielding percentage. That’s the same percentage he had last season with the Gophers.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer likes his team but isn’t ready to proclaim it a “good team” after four games and a 2-2 start including yesterday’s 23-20 loss to the 4-0 Broncos. He wants his players to execute better and focus on doing their assignments.

Asked about defensive lineman Linval Joseph at his news conference today, Zimmer praised him as “unselfish.” He said Joseph is interested in a team approach and doesn’t put himself first. Joseph, now in his second season with the Vikings, said he is more comfortable with the defensive system than last year.

The Broncos are one of the NFL’s best teams and Joseph was encouraged about the game. “I feel like yesterday showed us a lot about our team,” he said. “We’re going to fight to the end. We’re not going to give up.”

The Broncos led the Vikings 13-0 in the first half but by late in the game it was 20-20 before Denver made the winning field goal. The Vikings still had a chance before Broncos safety T.J. Ward caused quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to fumble under pressure. The Vikings allowed seven sacks and today Zimmer was asked about the pass protection of Adrian Peterson. Zimmer said his All-Pro running back is successful at pass protection and works at it.

The Vikings won’t practice after Wednesday and are off until next Monday because of their October 11 bye in the schedule. Defensive back Brock Vereen, the former Gophers safety added to the Vikings practice squad last week, said he will stay in town and work with coaches to learn the defense.

Eden Prairie High School football coach Mike Grant and his staff have led the Eagles to 37 straight wins. Senior linebacker Carter Coughlin said the coaches have taught the players about more than winning. “The coaches are all men of character, and they’re all men that all the players respect. They don’t encourage us to cheap shot ever, (or) do any of that other crap.”

The Amazing Hondo, the popular Minnesota-based magician, performed recently at a golf charity event in San Diego where he met one of his basketball heroes, Hall of Famer Bill Walton. “He is taller than tall,” Hondo said via e-mail. “When I brought up my favorite point guard, Steve Nash, his eyes lit up and he quipped, ‘Steve Nash—too small, too weak, too slow—defied all the naysayer odds. He was my favorite player to watch. He made everyone around him better—the mark of a true point guard.’ “

St. Paul resident and veteran official Kristine (Langley) Morrison, who has worked four NCAA Women’s Frozen Four tournaments, was part of the officiating crew for the Ferris State men’s intrasquad game last Saturday and the team’s exhibition game against the University of Lethbridge Sunday. That’s a first, involving a female on-ice official for a Division I men’s game.

“We are exploring new evaluation and development paths for our female officials,” said WCHA Men’s Commissioner Bill Robertson and Women’s Commissioner Aaron Kemp in a joint statement. “Kristine has consistently been rated among the top on-ice officials in the women’s league and is certainly deserving of this opportunity for continued professional growth.”

The October 5 issue of Sports Illustrated noted that the late Roy Griak didn’t see his namesake cross-country meet last month for the first time in 30 years. Griak, who died in July at age 91, won Big Ten track and cross-country championships as Gophers coach. The Roy Griak Invitational is one of the best-known cross-country events in the nation.

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