Recruiting – Page 70 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikes Group Aims for Winner’s Circle

Posted on July 11, 2016July 12, 2016 by David Shama

A horse named Tiger D is on a deadline at Canterbury Park this month. The five-year-old thoroughbred will make its six-man ownership group happy if he can earn a win before the Vikings head to training camp by the end of July.

Track announcer and Vikings radio play-by-play man Paul Allen heads an ownership group that also includes Vikings coaches Norv and Scott Turner, offensive lineman Brandon Fusco, trainer Eric Sugarman and Wild goalie Alex Stalock. They purchased Tiger D in Florida last spring and have yet to see the horse win a race at Canterbury Park.

Because of illness Tiger D won’t run in races at the Shakopee race track this week. The horse has been unable to run for awhile, and Allen told Sports Headliners Tiger D’s owners are very much anticipating his return to health.

Tiger D has third, fourth and fifth place finishes but no firsts. “(But) we haven’t been despondent,” Allen said.

Allen put up the largest share of the $16,000 purchase price for the horse, while the five others invested equal amounts. There are also other costs involved with owning a race horse but Allen said return on investment isn’t the No. 1 motivator for him and his partners.

“The most important thing to us is a winner’s circle,” Allen said.

The Vikings report to training camp in Mankato on July 28. Tiger D’s owners want to be present for the first win and stand in the winner’s circle to celebrate. That means Canterbury Park’s live racing dates of July 21, 22, 23 and 24 are final opportunities for Tiger D’s owners—at least for awhile.

If Tiger D gets that initial triumph later in the summer, even Allen might not be around to cheer on his favorite horse. Allen will be out of town for two Vikings preseason games in August and the thought has crossed his mind he won’t be available to pose for a photo in the winner’s circle with Tiger D.

Allen has called nearly 25,000 races as a track announcer, working a few years in California and 22 at Canterbury Park. A sports talk show host at KFAN for 18 years, Allen starts his 15th year as the Vikings radio play-by-play man this summer. He will call his 300th Vikings game during 2016.

Growing up in southern California in the 1980s, Allen listened to radio play-by-play legends Chick Hearn of the Lakers and Vin Scully of the Dodgers. The two men left lasting impressions on Allen. The now deceased Hearn was known for his enthusiasm and creative expressions—e.g.“Elgin Baylor yo-yoing the ball near the top of the circle.” Scully, with his soothing voice, is still calling games for the Dodgers and describing baseball like a Pulitzer Prize winning author.

Allen is known for his passion and flair behind the microphone. “I am not afraid to describe things in an unconventional way,” Allen said.

Watch Allen call a race at Canterbury Park and you will see him following the horses with powerful binoculars. He also uses that tool while describing Vikings games. “I may be the only announcer in the NFL using binoculars,” he said.

The transplanted Californian has made a lot of friends here including at Winter Park where the Vikings train most of the year. A regular visitor there, including during the offseason, Allen was in the complex last winter when a conversation with Norv Turner quickly led to a six-man partnership to buy a racehorse.

Now all that’s left is a trip to the winner’s circle. At least once—and preferably before July 28.

Worth Noting

A local basketball source told Sports Headliners that highly recruited shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. “definitely” will not play his senior season at Apple Valley High School. Trent could name his college destination, and apparently he and his family believe an out of state high school can better prepare him for NCAA and NBA competition.

The decline of Gophers basketball in the 21st century means Minnesota apparently has the most minimal of chances to recruit Trent who is the son of former Timberwolves forward Gary Trent Sr. Junior seems likely to end up at a legendary college basketball school like Duke. That possibility is discouraging to Gophers fans who have watched Minneapolis area legends Khalid El-Amin, Cole Aldrich and Tyus Jones win national titles at Connecticut, Kansas and Duke.

Sports Headliners is told Jones has added about 10 pounds and lost approximately two percent of his body fat during offseason training. Jones, 20, was a first round draft choice of the Timberwolves in 2015 and his status for making the roster next season could be uncertain since the team used its No. 1 pick in June to select point guard Kris Dunn and also has five-seasons veteran Ricky Rubio. It’s not unusual, though, for NBA teams to carry three point guards on the roster.

Marcus Fuller, the Gophers basketball beat writer for the Pioneer Press, is moving from that newspaper to the same assignment at the Star Tribune. He replaces Amelia Rayno who will leave the sports department but remain with the Star Tribune and write about food.

Clyde Turner, a star on the Gophers 1972 Big Ten championship, is in his 30th year of running local basketball camps. Over 10,700 campers have participated including El-Amin, Jones, Devean George and Rashad Vaughn.

Schedule makers for the Iowa Hawkeyes found a “pastry shop” to their liking this summer while lining up the team’s upcoming nonconference basketball schedule that includes “cream puffs” Delaware State, Kennesaw State, Regis, Stetson, Savannah State and Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The Twins’ front office has often stumbled making player acquisitions but Eduardo Nunez can make club officials smile this week, although it wouldn’t be shocking if his name comes up in trade talks. The 29-year-old infielder plays in his first MLB All-Star Game tomorrow night after a spectacular first half of the season including a .321 batting average—10th highest in baseball.

Nunez entered this season as a nonstarter and a career .267 major league hitter. The Twins acquired him in a 2014 trade with the Yankees, giving up left-handed pitcher Miguel Sulbaran who is with Trenton in the Double A Eastern League and on the disabled list. With all-star status and a reported $1,475,000 salary, Nunez could be attractive to a contending team that wants to make a trade with the Twins this month, perhaps offering a super prospect or two.

The Twins might have another success story developing with 24-year-old first baseman-outfielder Daniel Palka who they acquired from the Diamondbacks last November, giving up catcher Chris Herrmann. Palka, recently promoted to Triple A Rochester, hit 21 home runs and drove in 65 runs at Double A Chattanooga. In four games with the Red Wings, Palka has two home runs and is hitting .400. Herrmann, now in his fifth major league season, looks like a journeyman catcher but he is having a career best average at the plate with the Diamondbacks hitting .291.

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Claeys: U Football in Place to Win

Posted on June 30, 2016June 30, 2016 by David Shama

Tracy Claeys sat in his office last week and pronounced the Gopher football program as “very close” to competing for Big Ten titles every year. Claeys believes that more than five years after head coach Jerry Kill and his assistant coaches arrived in Dinkytown, the resources are in place to challenge for championships in the West Division and advance to the conference’s title game in Indianapolis.

Claeys can look out his office window and see the construction of the Athletes Village project that will include much needed new football facilities. Better places to practice indoors, train and develop players, and impress recruits with a state-of-the-art work place was the last impediment to overcome in rebuilding a program that hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 1967, Claeys said.

Officially known as the Football Development Center, there will be two buildings when construction is finished—the indoor practice facility and the performance center, with the latter offering locker room space, team meeting rooms, strength and conditioning equipment, and a recruiting room.

The Gophers already have other major resources in place, including one of college football’s newest stadiums. The roster of players, Claeys said, has improved over the years because of better recruiting. Recruiting resources include the vibrant Minneapolis-St. Paul area and fan loyalty because the University is the only major football program in the state.

Claeys joined up with Kill in 1995 as an assistant coach at Saginaw Valley State, handling the defensive line. When Kill resigned for health reasons as Minnesota’s head coach during the 2015 season, Claeys was promoted from associate head coach-defensive coordinator to interim head coach. Soon after that the University administration made him the permanent head man with a three-year contract.

With all those years working with Kill, it’s no surprise that when Claeys was asked by Sports Headliners about his vision for the program, he quickly referenced his former boss of more than two decades at various schools including Minnesota.

“Really, it’s just what we’ve been doing with coach Kill,” Claeys said. “I think that’s why I was with him for so long, for 21 years. We both had a lot of the same goals and the same principles. We both wanted the opportunity to coach college football at the highest level that (it) was played, and so we got hired here at the University of Minnesota. That was kind of both our goals.

“You can ask the kids now (about differences between Kill and him). There’s a couple personality things they’d probably tell you is different, but for the most part we feel good on the base that we’ve set. I believe in everything we’ve done with coach Kill. We’re on the path of what we need to do to be able to compete for a Big Ten championship. I believe that.

“There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to compete for the Big Ten championship, especially now with the new facility. That’s the one piece I think we were missing, whether people understand that or not. The Twin Cities are great. The school—you get a great education—and the stadium is tremendous. We just didn’t have as good a facilities (in the past) where the kids spend 70 to 80 percent of their time day to day—and we’re going to have that.

“Everybody can argue who has the best (facility) or is going to have the best. At least we’ll be up there and we’ll have as good a facilities as anybody. So that should pay huge dividends for us to consistently be able to compete for a Big Ten (title).”

The 2014 Gophers team had a 5-3 Big Ten record, the best at Minnesota since 2003. Last season things got off track because of injuries and other factors. The Gophers were 2-6 in conference games (6-7 overall), but several prominent players return on offense and defense this year including Mitch Leidner who has drawn offseason mention as a senior quarterback prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Claeys wants his teams, starting with the 2016 group, to be in the “discussion” at the end of November each year for a division title and path to Indy for the league’s championship game against the East Division. “Eventually we gotta get it done, every now and then,” he said. “Two years ago if we beat Wisconsin in the last game of the season, we go to Indianapolis and play Ohio State.

“I don’t think we’re that far off from where we want to be. This last season there was a lot of strange things that happened. I mean injuries were one of them, but then with what happened to coach Kill. I mean I thought those kids did a tremendous job, and so we didn’t finish out the year in a position that we wanted to be, but you lose seven games and six of those teams win 10 games or more. That’s a pretty good schedule that you played. A lot of those games in the fourth quarter we still had opportunities…to win, and so we gotta finish some things better and play better at certain times. …”

Iowa and Wisconsin certainly stand between the Gophers and more success in the West Division. The Hawkeyes won the division last season, the Badgers the year before. Minnesota’s record against Iowa since 2000 is 5-11 and the Gophers are winless in Iowa City. Dating back to 1990, the Gophers are a dismal 5-21 against Wisconsin including 12 consecutive losses beginning in 2004.

Visions of winning Paul Bunyan’s Axe back from the Badgers have turned into nightmares for Gophers fans. The argument can be made the series between the two programs isn’t even a rivalry any more. Claeys is annoyed too about all the losing to Wisconsin.

“They made decisions to advance their football program farther, earlier, than what the University of Minnesota did…but I feel like we’re making progress,” Claeys said. “The first time we show up and play four quarters, and play better than they do for four quarters, than we’ll get that axe back and deserve to win.

“We haven’t been able to do that since we’ve been here. It bothers the hell out of me. We’re on our way to try to get that back to where it’s a rivalry. We gotta win sooner or later for it even to be considered a rivalry anymore.”

There is one trade-off Claeys will make that would have the Gophers continuing to lose games against the Badgers. “I can also tell you this…I’d sleep pretty good at night if that’s the one game we lose and we still go play for the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis. But there’s no question that for the fans and everybody…it’s always fun to win the rivalry games, and we need to get back on top of that one.”

Worth Noting

Big Ten teams will each play nine conference games this season, not eight as in the past. Schools in the West Division will play four at home, five on the road. East Division teams have five at home, four on the road. That scheduling flips next year, and Claeys suggests the unbalanced home and away games will factor into final results.

Almost all of the Gophers’ players had recruiting rankings of three stars or less coming out of high school. “People think we don’t try and recruit four and five-star players,” Claeys said. “That’s not true but there has to be an interest both ways. You recruit the kids that want to be here.”

True Thompson, formerly of Armstrong High School, plans to play football this fall as a wide receiver for Iowa Western Community College. True is the son of Gophers’ career leading rusher Darrell Thompson.

Race Thompson, who will be a junior this fall at Armstrong, is an outstanding 6-8 basketball player who has received scholarship offers from multiple schools including Minnesota and Marquette, according to his dad.

Former Gophers football player Jim Brunzell, who made a career as a professional wrestling star, will sign copies of his Matlands book at the St. Paul Saints baseball game July 17. “I’m also throwing out the first pitch!” Brunzell wrote via email. “I’ll do my best impression of Ryne Duren, flame-thrower from the Yankees, early 60’s.”

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Status Undecided on Wolves Leaders

Posted on April 6, 2016April 6, 2016 by David Shama

Glen Taylor will soon decide Sam Mitchell’s status as Timberwolves coach. The Wolves owner told Sports Headliners the final decision will be his, and Taylor said he also is undecided about the franchise’s long term commitment to general manager Milt Newton.

Both Mitchell and Newton unexpectedly found themselves with increased responsibilities after the death of Flip Saunders last October. Saunders was not only the team’s coach, but also the boss of player personnel including the NBA Draft and roster makeup.

Taylor relied heavily on Saunders for all things basketball in the organization. Without Saunders, he elevated Mitchell from assistant coach to interim head coach. Newton carried the title of general manager before Saunders died but his authority to run the basketball department increased last fall.

In the weeks ahead, Taylor will determine if Mitchell and Newton continue in their current roles. The Timberwolves’ season ends next week and Taylor said within a “couple of weeks” he will decide on Mitchell. “I think that’s probably the appropriate time that I would make a decision,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s process will include analyzing Timberwolves statistics from the 2015-2016 season and from talking to others—perhaps sources from both inside and outside the organization. Sometimes in professional sports the input of a franchise’s general manager about a coaching decision is the final word but Newton’s interim authority apparently places him in a different position.

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to push that on Milt (deciding on Mitchell) at this point,” Taylor said. “I think it’s Glen’s (mine). I am going to ask him (Newton) for his opinion and why.”

During an interview Taylor gave no indication whether Mitchell or Newton will be retained. The Timberwolves had a 16-66 record last season and with four games remaining this year are 26-52 including a highlight video overtime win over the Warriors last night in Oakland. The team has a promising young roster that includes four players 21 or younger. No starter is over 26.

That roster was assembled by Saunders, and Taylor has to decide who will guide the development of a team he believes can be a champion. “We just have to put all the rest of the elements into place and be a little patient and drive towards that,” he said.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to easily win this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Forward Andrew Wiggins won the award last season. Because of the franchise’s talented young roster, there could be an impressive list of potential coaches Taylor can talk to if he decides to let Mitchell go.

Taylor has been contacted by representatives of coaches who might be interested, but not directly by a potential coach. “No coach has called me up and said at this point, ‘I want the job,’ “ Taylor said.

The NBA Draft will be held June, 23, 2016. Taylor will allow Newton and his staff to determine who the Timberwolves choose in the first two rounds and what college free agents the club will pursue. “He’s got the same people internally that Flip would have had, so I just ask him to proceed,” Taylor said.

But Newton knows his status and authority with the Timberwolves are uncertain, and seems likely to be decided after the draft. “At some point I have to let him know if it’s going to continue or not continue,” Taylor said.

Worth Noting

Taylor said Wolves starting point guard Ricky Rubio will play for the Spanish Olympic team this summer. Taylor said he is pleased with the development of the fifth-year NBA player.

“I know that he has played with an ankle that hasn’t been 100 percent, but you wouldn’t necessarily notice that with…how hard he plays,” Taylor said. “So he does some really wonderful things. His assists, his steals, his defense. He’s one of the top guards in all of these areas in the league.”

Glen Taylor (Photo courtesy of Timberwolves)

Taylor’s 75th birthday is April 20. How does he feel about it? “About the same as 74,” he answered. “It goes too fast.”

The Gophers’ spring football practices end this week. After Saturday’s Spring Game at TCF Bank Stadium head coach Tracy Claeys might still be looking for personnel. He said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle last Sunday the offensive line lacks depth and he may recruit a junior college transfer. A few months ago the Gophers added offensive linemen Vincent Calhoun and Garrison Wright, both junior college transfers and potential starters next season.

Former Chanhassen High School all-state lineman Frank Ragnow will be a junior next season at Arkansas and Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema praises Ragnow’s skills. “In my career he is one of the more talented interior linemen I’ve ever been around,” Bielema told Sports Headliners. “He’ll play next year (for Arkansas in 2016), his third year. My guess is he’ll have a decision to make at the end of that (about entering the NFL Draft).

“He’s a very, very talented player that knows football very, very, well. He’s steadily put on good solid weight. He’s come in at a 280 pound guy…(now) 315 to 320 ballpark. Extremely intelligent. He’s a coach’s dream.”

Ragnow is the lone Minnesotan on Bielema’s roster but he’s looking for more. The former Wisconsin coach recruited Minnesota for many years and is particularly interested in finding big high school linemen from this state.

“We’re kind of looking for (more) Franks,” Bielema said. “We’re looking for guys that are in that 6-4 ballpark, that can run, are very agile, very moveable players that fit into our offense very well.”

Philip Nelson, the former Mankato West High School star who played for the Gophers, is trying to win the East Carolina starting quarterback job this spring. Nelson, who will be a senior next season, is in a two-man competition to become the Pirates’ starter after sitting out last season as a transfer.

East Carolina athletic director Jeff Compher told Sports Headliners Nelson has made a positive impression on and off the field including academically last semester. “I believe he had a 4.0 (GPA),” Compher said.

Major League Football has decided to hold off on the formal start of its initial season until next year. Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is an executive with the league that believes there is a spring market for pro football.

The Twins (0-1) play their second game of the season tonight against the Orioles. Joe Mauer has hit safely in 11 straight games against the Orioles, batting .348 (16-for-46). Trevor Plouffe is hitting .315 (35-for-111) with 12 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored in 30 career games against the Orioles. Brian Dozier has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games against Baltimore, batting .296 (21-for-71) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI and 14 runs scored.

The NHL will announce schedules Sunday for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Wild has qualified for a fourth consecutive season.

Promoters of the new U.S. Bank Stadium hope to some day book the pro wrestling extravaganza known as WrestleMania, and with good reason. The WWE’s WrestleMania 32 drew an event record attendance of 101,763 on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Former Gophers basketball captain Al Nuness is doing consulting work for Jostens, and is also involved with supervising students at Hopkins High School.

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