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

Vikings Coach Not Hyping Denver Altitude

Posted on September 28, 2015September 28, 2015 by David Shama

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer talked about Denver’s altitude, team identity, injuries and more at his news conference this afternoon at Winter Park.

The Vikings play the Broncos in Denver next Sunday. The Mile High City has an altitude of over 5,000 feet but Zimmer isn’t offering negative thoughts about oxygen to his players who will make a quick trip in and out of Denver. He said it’s scientifically proven that in a 24 hour period the altitude there isn’t problematic.

The Vikings’ challenge next Sunday will be to clarify their identity. After losing 20-3 to the 49ers in their opening game earlier this month, the Vikings have come home to play impressively in wins over the Lions and Chargers. Zimmer said the team he watched play poorly in California isn’t the club he saw in training camp and during the last two weeks. The Vikings he wants to continue seeing are a good football team, a physical and attacking group that yesterday punished the Chargers defensively and offensively.

“I do like the physical nature of our team the last couple of weeks,” Zimmer said. “Football has been around so long and it always comes down to a physical game at the end. I want us to continue that way. I hope that that is our identity going forward, but we’ll see. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

The Vikings need to prove they can play at a high performance level away from Minneapolis. Part of the test, too, is the Broncos appear to be the best team Minnesota has faced so far. The Broncos are 3-0, winning by six points at home against the Ravens and earning seven and 12 point victories on the road at Kansas City and Detroit. The Broncos defense has been outstanding versus both the run and pass. Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning and the offense have struggled. Still, most NFL authorities would put the Broncos on a short list of Super Bowl favorites.

The Vikings defense pounded Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers yesterday in a surprisingly easy Minnesota win, 31-14. The intense pressure and physical play of the front four literally had Rivers trying to catch his breath. That could be a bad omen for the 39-year-old Manning and his aging arm.

Zimmer praised his front four and has observed they like to please. “They’ve got a lot of pride amongst themselves,” Zimmer said.

Regarding injuries, Xavier Rhodes suffered a concussion yesterday but Zimmer said his starting cornerback is “feeling great today” and indicated he could play at Denver. Wide receiver Charles Johnson has injured ribs and Zimmer didn’t predict his availability.

Adrian Peterson gained 126 rushing yards yesterday, his second consecutive 100-plus yards game this season. Zimmer said Peterson put in extra work last week and expects additional efforts to follow.

“He looks good to me and I like what he brings to this football team, the mindset, the intensity, the viciousness that we have,” Zimmer said. “I think it carries over throughout the team.”

Worth Noting

It will be interesting to see ESPN.com’s NFL power rankings when they come out tomorrow. Last week the Chargers were ranked No. 13, three spots ahead of the Vikings. The Broncos were No. 5.

The Broncos sell their media guide to the public for $28. The publication is 696 pages and has so much information it’s more than one inch thick.

Mike Wallace (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Mike Wallace is in his seventh season in the NFL and was asked what factors cause a team to play poorly. “Chemistry, confidence and injuries,” the Vikings wide receiver said.

How does Wallace define chemistry? Whether players get along and are concerned about each other, he said.

Terence Newman, the Vikings 37-year-old cornerback, hasn’t decided how many more NFL seasons he will play. He emphasizes rest while at home and said that helps a lot with the physical demands of football.

Although there was speculation coach Jerry Kill would use true freshman quarterback Demry Croft for the first time against Ohio last Saturday, it didn’t happen. Redshirt junior Mitch Leidner played the entire game in Minnesota’s 24-21 win. Leidner has played all but a few snaps in Minnesota’s first four games as Croft, redshirt sophomore Chris Streveler and redshirt freshman Jacques Perra have watched from the sidelines.

All the quarterbacks on the roster have remaining eligibility and the Gophers have a verbal commitment from Lansing (Mich.) Catholic High School star Tony Poljan. Kill is believed to be high on Poljan’s potential but can’t talk about high school players because of NCAA recruiting policy.

Recruiting authority Ryan Burns praised Croft a year ago and likes the athletic 6-7, 230-pound Poljan just as much. He told Sports Headliners Michigan and Michigan State have quarterback commitments for their 2016 recruiting classes, and that helped create an opportunity for the Gophers who offered the dual-threat Poljan a scholarship awhile ago. Poljan also received Division I basketball offers.

Burns believes Poljan will be physically ready to play as a freshman, but the learning curve is a challenge for a first-year quarterback. “I really like what this kid could be,” said Burns who is publisher of Scout’s GopherDigest.com.

Frank Solich, the Ohio head coach, almost got the Minnesota job after the 1996 season, according to Mike Max. The WCCO TV sports anchor told his audience on Friday night Solich, then an assistant coach at Nebraska, was going to be hired at Minnesota until Kansas coach Glen Mason became available.

Congratulations to Rochester Lourdes head coach Mike Kesler on his 100th career win achieved Friday night in a 52-42 victory over La Crescent. His career record over 11 seasons (all at Lourdes) is 100-25.

The Timberwolves, who open training camp tomorrow at their new downtown practice facility, will have a free scrimmage open to the public on Monday, October 5 beginning at 7 p.m. Fans must reserve tickets in advance at Timberwolves.com.

NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who has type 2 diabetes, speaks about his experiences at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes EXPO on Saturday, October 10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. His father and grandfather also had diabetes. Admission to the EXPO is free.

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A.P. Likely to Show Little Rust Tonight

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

How sharp will Adrian Peterson be tonight when a national TV audience watches him make his return to the NFL?

Peterson will be a major storyline and is part of the reason ESPN chose the Vikings-49ers game in California as part of a Monday night TV doubleheader. The Vikings famous running back played in only one regular season game last year because of the incident involving his four-year-old son. He also didn’t participate in any of the team’s five preseason games this summer.

Darrell Thompson, the Rochester native and Gophers all-time leading career rusher, played five seasons in the NFL for the Packers. Thompson expects there will be some “rust” in Peterson’s play tonight but it will likely be subtle—things observers won’t even notice.

Adrian Peterson (Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

“Maybe miss a cut (running) that…he might see that we probably wouldn’t really notice,” Thompson said. “He’s always in great shape, so he will attack the line of scrimmage. He’s going to attack the tacklers. I think he’ll do fine.”

Thompson’s last season in the NFL was 1994 and he retired at age 28. He couldn’t pass a physical examination and his problems included arthritis. He had been through four demanding years with the Gophers and six more in Green Bay. “Ten years of pretty hard wear and tear on your body doesn’t leave you in very good shape,” he said.

Peterson is 30 and that number can be labeled old age for NFL running backs. But Peterson has shown remarkable conditioning and resiliency including his comeback season in 2012 when he rushed for 2,097 yards after offseason knee surgery.

Thompson said NFL players, including running backs, are taken care of better than when he played—another factor in Peterson’s favor as he enters his 30s. Those factors include less contact and running in practices, better rehabilitation resources, and improved nutrition.

“I would say he’s got a good three to maybe four, or even five years (left),” Thompson said about Peterson. “But probably a minimum of three.”

Peterson’s career-best season for rushing was in 2012 and six times he has gained over 1,200 yards since coming into the NFL with the Vikings in 2007. Thompson isn’t ruling out a 2,000 yard season but at a “minimum” expects 1,200 to 1,500 yards for Peterson.

“I like the way he plays. He plays hard,” Thompson said. “If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to play hungry, with a little bit of a chip (on your shoulder). You would think someone told him he’s not a good running back. Every time he touches the ball he pretty much expects to score. …”

Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had to play his rookie season in 2014 without Peterson. He let it be known last week how excited he is to have Peterson back on the team. “Man, you can just feel his presence from the moment he walks into this (training) facility that he’s ready to play. He’s had an entire year off and we’re excited for him. We can’t wait to watch him running wild on Monday.”

Worth Noting

Thompson was among the celebrities participating in the annual Bruce Smith Golf Classic at Faribault Golf Club earlier this year. About 100 golfers helped generate a profit of $8,500 to benefit Faribault schools. Since 1990 almost $201,000 has been raised for the schools. The classic is named after Smith, the only Gophers football player ever to win the Heisman Trophy.

Levi’s Stadium, the site of tonight’s Vikings-49ers game, is in Santa Clara, a city about 45 miles from San Francisco. When the 49ers moved out of Candlestick Park in San Francisco after the 2013 season the club kept the name San Francisco 49ers even though there has probably never been an American professional sports franchise that has its permanent home so far away from the city it represents.

Vikings punter Jeff Locke is also the holder for placekicker Blair Walsh who struggled with accuracy during the preseason. Locke said during practice last week Walsh was perfect on a string of eight field goals. “Absolutely killing the ball right now,” Locke said on Thursday. “I think going forward we’re going to see the Blair we know and love.”

Locke said it’s vital to place the ball on the ground at just the right distance for a placekicker’s approach on a field goal attempt. “If I miss a spot by half an inch (placing the ball), I am pissed,” Locke said.

Everson Griffen remains friends with former Vikings defensive line teammate Jared Allen, now with the Bears. Griffen visited Allen during the offseason in Arizona and the two worked out in Scottsdale.

Allen is involved with the Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen in Fort Collins, Colorado. A part owner, he was on camera last Friday night during a “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” Food Channel segment promoting the popular restaurant.

Four Minnesotans are listed in the Rivals.com top 150 prep basketball players for the class of 2017—possibly a record number for the state. The rankings posted last Wednesday include No. 14 Gary Trent, Apple Valley; No. 110 Goanar Mar, DeLaSalle; No. 113 Theo John, Champlin Park; and No. 147 McKinley Wright, Champlin Park.

Dick Jonckowski begins his 30th season of Gophers basketball public address announcing this fall. In the history of Williams Arena only Jonckowski and the late Jules Perlt have been full-time public address announcers for Gophers games there. It wouldn’t be surprising if Jonckowski is honored by the Minnesota athletic department during a game next season.

Jonckowski, who will start his 28th season of public address work for the Gophers baseball team next year, has for many years emceed banquets while entertaining with his storytelling. Last month he was the public address announcer at the American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina and he also worked the series banquet.

The Twins begin an 11-game homestand tonight against the Tigers, then play the Angels and Indians. The Twins are 42-26 at home and 32-42 on the road. After this homestand, the club has only one series at home before the schedule ends so the most immediate games ahead will determine a lot about Minnesota’s wild card chances.

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer has reached base in 33 consecutive games.

Saints owner Mike Veeck said during the regular season his franchise drew 405,000 fans and played to 113 percent capacity in CHS Field, the new downtown St. Paul ballpark. The Saints were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday, losing 3-1 in a best of five games series with Sioux City. Veeck said this year’s team had the best chemistry of any Saints club he’s owned. “We’ve won with some clubs I didn’t like,” he told Sports Headliners.

Veeck described actor and comedian Bill Murray, another Saints owner, as “one of my best friends.” Veeck resides in Charleston, South Carolina and convinced Murray to live there too.

Canterbury Park’s racing season, the longest since 1992, ended on Saturday with an 11.3 percent gain in all-sources handle, the money wagered on Canterbury races both on track and out of state. The all-sources total, $41.13 million, was a record for the Shakopee facility. More than $14.1 million in purses was paid in 2015, an increase of 7.9 percent over 2014. The per-day purse average was a record $202,172. Average daily attendance increased 5.3 percent to 6,695.

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ESPN’s Mark May: Gophers to Go 9-3

Posted on September 4, 2015September 4, 2015 by David Shama

Longtime ESPN football analyst Mark May told Sports Headliners last night he believes the Gophers will finish the season with a 9-3 regular season record. May made the prediction at TCF Bank Stadium prior to kickoff but he indicated win or lose he is buying into the program, saying a “win tonight catapults them into the national title picture.”

The Gophers lost 23-16 to No. 2 ranked TCU, a team that was 12-1 a year ago and a favorite to win the national championship. Nobody will have Minnesota in national title discussions anytime soon but May expects the Gophers to be better than last year’s 8-4 team and to contend for the West Division championship in the Big Ten Conference.

May praised Minnesota’s fifth-year coach Jerry Kill who inherited a bottom-feeder program in 2011. “I think you’ve got the right guy, for the right job,” he said about Kill who has made a career out of rebuilding programs.

There’s no reason for Gophers fans to be too discouraged about last night’s loss, despite the usual irrational comments from some disappointed fans who had unrealistic expectations. TCU is one of college football’s best teams and was favored by about 16 points. The Gophers, not even ranked in the top 25 nationally in polls, came within seven points of winning. Near the game’s conclusion Minnesota was within one long touchdown of tying the game and going ahead with an extra point.

Minnesota’s defense, predicted to be among the best in the Big Ten, exceeded expectations. TCU averaged 46.5 points per game last season and returns 10 of 11 starters including Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Trevone Boykin. But the Horned Frogs could produce only two touchdowns and three field goals last night. One of the touchdowns came after Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner fumbled, setting up an easy Horned Frogs touchdown starting at the Gophers’ 15 yard line.

Playmakers on defense were numerous including true freshman outside linebacker Julian Huff who made an impact rushing Boykin. Another Gopher in his debut game, redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Cody Poock, had seven tackles. Redshirt senior cornerback Briean-Boddy Calhoun made nine tackles (seven solo).

As expected, the Gophers’ offense looked like a project and the challenge of producing points was made more difficult playing without two of the best offensive linemen, redshirt senior tackle-guard Josh Campion and redshirt junior tackle Ben Lauer. The blocking was inconsistent, a word that described the work of the entire offense.

The Gophers are in search of playmakers and are without two of their stars from 2014, running back David Cobb and tight end Maxx Williams who have moved on to the NFL. Last night senior wide receiver KJ Maye caught four passes for 73 yards including a 22-yard catch in the fourth quarter that made the score 23-17. Redshirt freshman running back Rodney Smith showed changes of speed and elusiveness in the open field like Cobb did last season. Smith, replacing senior Rodrick Williams whose first half fumble in the TCU was another game-changing miscue, ran for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Redshirt junior quarterback Mitch Leidner was impressive at times including on that late fourth quarter drive putting his team within seven points of going ahead. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 197 yards. He had some poor throws but despite challenging moments he demonstrated leadership and a strong will.

On both sides of the ball last night, and on special teams, the Gophers showed grit. That will be a key ingredient if they’re to make good on May’s prediction of a 9-3 season.

Worth Noting

Scout ranks the Gophers No. 35 in the national recruiting listings for 2016. Under Kill Minnesota has never finished that high in the rankings. Ryan Burns, publisher for Scout’s GopherDigest.com, told Sports Headliners the close game last night is “something they (Gophers recruiters) can point to” in building further momentum.

Burns said nine players the Gophers are recruiting will be on campus for the Michigan game at TCF Bank Stadium on October 31, Halloween night.

TCF Bank Stadium football capacity is 52,525 but a record crowd of 54,147 attended the game including fans who paid $40 for standing-room only tickets.

The M Club Room in the stadium where University of Minnesota letter winners and their friends and families socialize for Gophers games can accommodate about 200 people. On the walls are the names of about 7,000 individuals who have lettered in athletics at Minnesota.

The fourth season of selling beer and wine at the stadium for Gophers football games began last night. The commission revenues the previous three years were: $185,023, $325,567, and $557,597 last season. Athletic department spokesman Chris Werle said alcohol is provided as a service to fans and issued this statement via e-mail:

“Our philosophy is to provide the best in-game experience to our many fans and given that we reside in a market with multiple professional sports teams that serve beer at their events, our fans prefer that we do as well.”

Sports Illustrated describes the Vikings as “the sleeper’s sleeper” in its NFL preview issue that came out this week. The magazine predicts the Vikings, 7-9 last season, will finish at 10-6 and in second place in the NFC North but will just miss the playoffs. Writer Chris Burke praises the defense but frets about the offensive line.

S.I. forecasts the Packers winning the division at 12-4, followed by the Vikings, Lions (8-10) and Bears (3-13). The Ravens will defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 50.

College basketball coaches are cautious about the number of quality opponents they schedule for nonconference games. Gophers fans want to see nonconference games between Minnesota coach Richard Pitino and his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino. It probably doesn’t enhance the likelihood of a multi-game series between the two now that Louisville has made a three-year commitment to play Indiana in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Gophers prep basketball recruits Eric Curry and Amir Coffey attended last night’s Minnesota-TCU football game on official visits to campus. Curry, a power forward from Little Rock, is a Rivals.com three-star recruit while Coffey, the shooting guard from Hopkins High School, is a four-star.

During the last school year 989 MIAC student-athletes were academic all-conference, achieving at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average. More than 6,000 athletes—over 70 percent of them coming from the state of Minnesota—are expected to participate in MIAC sports again in 2015-2016.

The first game of the season involving an MIAC football team was played last night when Bethel won a nonconference matchup at Wisconsin-Stout, 35-20 as the Royals rallied with three fourth quarter touchdowns. Saint John’s, the preseason favorite to win the MIAC title as voted in a coaches poll, opens at home on Saturday against Buena Vista in another nonconference game.

Morning show host Dave Lee congratulated Sid Hartman earlier this week on his 60th anniversary of being on WCCO Radio. Hartman, who has been writing for Minneapolis newspapers even longer, turned 95 last March.

Wild regular season single game tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. on September 19, exclusively at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. Beginning at noon that day, they will also be available at Ticketmaster locations and Wild.com. Tickets for preseason games are on sale now.

The four newest members of the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame will be honored in a ceremony Saturday. They are former jockey Tad Leggett; Minneapolis Star Tribune sports reporter Rachel Blount; state veterinarian Dr. Richard Bowman; and retired thoroughbred Wally’s Choice who ranks third all-time in earnings at Canterbury. “Wally the Beer Man” (Wally McNeil) and his wife Joyce McNeil and Canterbury Park board chair Curtis Sampson have been longtime owners of Wally’s Choice.

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