RICHARD PITINO – Page 41 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

U Not Gaining or Losing in Tyus Chase

Posted on May 6, 2013May 6, 2013 by David Shama

Debbie Jones told Sports Headliners her son Tyus remains interested in the Gophers. She also said the highly coveted Apple Valley junior point guard may choose a college as part of a group decision with Jahlil Okafor from Chicago and Justise Winslow from Houston.

Tubby Smith and his staff spent time pursuing Tyus but Smith was fired as Gopher coach in March. During the search process for a new head coach it appeared Flip Saunders might succeed Smith. Saunders, a former point guard who made a career coaching in the NBA, knows Tyus and local recruiting observers thought Saunders might win a recruiting derby for Debbie’s son who could be the best player nationally in the prep class of 2014.

With a new Gopher coach in Richard Pitino, who is only 30 with one year of head coaching experience, are the Gophers behind or ahead where they once were in the recruiting process with Tyus?

“I think they’re the same as they always have been,” Debbie said. “Tyus has it narrowed down to seven schools and Minnesota is one of those seven. They were there kind of regardless of who is coaching there. I think the new coach, coach Pitino he’s reached out and we’ve had a number of conversations. They’re still in the running.”

The seven schools are Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State. Pitino is no power coach like Mike Krzyzewski, Bill Self, John Calipari, Tom Izzo and Thad Matta but the Gophers are the hometown team. Coach Scott Drew and Baylor in faraway Waco, Texas might seem like an unusual final seven choice.

On the Baylor staff is former Hopkins High School standout Jared Nuness, a distant cousin of Tyus. He has long admired Nuness. “It’s family and so you know…it’s a consideration,” Debbie said. “It’s always nice to know somebody and stuff like that.”

Does Pitino’s lack of experience as a head coach work against him in eventually convincing Tyus to become a Gopher? “Well, I guess it’s just something you take into consideration as he (Tyus) goes through this process and we’re looking at all the schools,” Debbie said. “You kind of take everything into consideration. I don’t know that that will be a determining factor but you consider all the things when you look at the seven schools.”

In the Rivals.com top 150 for the national high school class of 2014, Okafor, a center, is rated No. 1 while Tyus is No. 3 and Winslow, a forward, is No. 10. If those three decided on the same university, boosters would immediately make airline and lodging reservations in Indianapolis for the 2015 Final Four. How much credibility is there about a possible Tyus-Okafor-Winslow package?

“I know Tyus and Jahlil talk about it frequently and I really believe that that will happen,” Debbie said. “Justise from Texas is another one — that they’ve talked about going somewhere together. I do see that happening. So as we get right down to it and taking some official visits, narrowing things down, I think it’s a real possibility.”

Worth Noting

Tyus Jones’ grandfather, Dennis Deutsch, may have a kidney transplant but must have more tests. Deutsch and Tyus have a close relationship.

Will Rashad Vaughn, the shooting guard who is rated the No. 6 player in the country by Rivals.com for the class of 2014, play his senior year for Robbinsdale Cooper or go elsewhere? Perhaps to a prep school outside Minnesota?

Each Wild home playoff game is worth about $5 million to the franchise, according to a pro hockey source who asked not to be named. The Wild hosts the Blackhawks tomorrow night for their second 2013 home playoff game. Revenue sources include mostly ticket sales but also suites, merchandise and local TV broadcasts.

Another hockey source, FSN’s Kevin Gorg, said the key for the Wild to even the series at two games each tomorrow night will be for Minnesota to “slow down” the pace against the more talented Blackhawks. Gorg said Wild veteran Pierre Marc-Bouchard probably played his best game ever for Minnesota in its win yesterday.

A Timberwolves’ official said new president of basketball operations Flip Saunders will be paid a “mid-market” NBA salary. That might mean compensation in the range of $2.5 to $3.5 million.

Although Saunders has more than 13 years of NBA head coaching experience, he wasn’t hired as a potential emergency replacement for Rick Adelman if the 67-year-old Wolves’ coach abruptly decides to retire because of his wife’s health concerns.

“I think Flip would have the potential of finding us the right coach,” said Wolves’ owner Glen Taylor. “That’s how I really have looked at it. But at this point I have only looked at Rick as our coach. I have a high degree of confidence that he is going to stay. I didn’t ask Flip to come here because he could coach. That was not part of my consideration.”

With a devastating run of injuries that turned the Wolves into a team that had a 31-51 record, the team’s TV ratings for 2012-13 averaged 2.2, a decline from 2.9 the previous season. A Wolves’ spokesman emailed that information and said a playoff contending club could produce numbers two and three times the 2.2.

Vikings’ defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, the team’s first selection in the first round of last month’s NFL draft, said his sleeve length is 31 inches. Draft observers have questioned his ability to pass rush because of short arms but Floyd told Sports Headliners that’s “not a factor at all.”

Floyd, 6-3, 297, has asked for help from retired Vikings’ defensive lineman Pat Williams who played at 6-3, 317. Williams has agreed to mentor Floyd.

Cordarrelle Patterson, another of the team’s first round draft choices, said the playbook has already been more manageable for him than expected because he’s been given time to absorb the material and coaches have been helpful. He’s open to whatever assignments the team gives him as a wide receiver, punt returner or kickoff returner.

Community involved former Viking and St. Paul native Matt Birk is the honoree at the annual Bobby Jones dinner tonight at Interlachen Country Club in Edina.

Murray’s Restaurant owner Tim Murray has another summer baseball trip planned with friends. This year’s itinerary will feature games in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Paul Allen, the radio play-by-play voice of the Vikings, will speak to the C.O.R.E.S. group on Thursday at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington. Author Jim Bruton and former Viking Dave Osborn will autograph copies of Bruton’s book on the Vikings’ 50 greatest players. Anyone interested in attending the luncheon and program should contact Jim Dotseth by Tuesday, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Allen is the track announcer at Canterbury Park where the Shakopee racing facility had an estimated 11,000 patrons on Saturday for the Kentucky Derby and set a simulcast wagering record of more than $1.61 million. The previous record of $1.48 million was set in 2004 on Derby Day.

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U to Dial Back Quarterback Runs

Posted on May 1, 2013May 1, 2013 by David Shama

The Gophers apparently will minimize the number of hits their quarterbacks will be exposed to next fall. “I think there’s a lot of the quarterback run game that we kind of got rid of,” Philip Nelson said.

Fewer hits on Nelson and his backups can mean less chance of injuries. The Gophers have minimal game experience at quarterback. As a freshman, Nelson started seven games last year in relief of injured quarterbacks MarQueis Gray and Max Shortell.

Behind Nelson now on the quarterback depth chart is redshirt freshman Mitch Leidner and true freshman Chris Streveler.

The rushing game responsibility will focus on the running backs. Nelson was encouraged by the Gophers’ rushing game in the Meineke Car Care Bowl loss to Texas Tech and sees the performance as a predictor of success in 2013. Running backs Donnell Kirkwood and Rodrick Williams were the team’s leading rushers in the game with 77 and 60 net yards, part of a team total of 222. “I think our running game will be tremendous this year,” Nelson said. “No doubt about it.”

In Big Ten Conference games last season the Gophers ranked No. 9 in rushing at 127.2 yards per game. Minnesota is counting on an improved offensive line and better performances by the running backs including incoming freshman breakaway talent Berkley Edwards to inflate the rushing stats this fall.

Coach Jerry Kill knows that a better rushing game will buoy his young quarterbacks, causing defenses to respect both the run and pass. “You help quarterbacks by running the football,” Kill said.

After 15 spring practices that ended with last Saturday’s spring game, Nelson is the starting QB but with emphasis on constant competition and evaluation there are no guarantees. “Somebody has to take Philip’s job (for there to be a change),” Kill said. “Right now it’s his job. Somebody has to take it.”

Kill is confident about his quarterback roster. “I feel very good about that position,” he said.

The coach said it’s too soon to decide if Streveler will be redshirted. The Illinois native enrolled in school last winter to participate in spring football.

The Gophers were 6-7 overall, 2-6 in the Big Ten last season including the bowl loss. Nelson believes the team is much improved on both offense and defense. How many games can the Gophers win?

“I think we can win them all, to be honest with you,” Nelson said. “We’ve got a great squad. As long as we stay healthy we’ve got a pretty dangerous team.”

Worth Noting

Former Gopher Adam Weber is with the NFL Bucs where he expects to compete against three or four other quarterbacks for a roster spot. The last two seasons Weber has been on practice squads with the Broncos and Bucs where he earned about $100,000 per year.

Under league rules, a player can only spend three years on a practice squad so this is a big year for Weber. “I am tired of being on the practice squad,” Weber told Sports Headliners. “I want to play. I want to be part of a team. I want to help a team win.”

Weber said it’s a misperception that while offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch was coaching Weber at Minnesota his throwing mechanics were messed up. “No, not at all. I owe a lot to Jedd Fisch. He showed me a lot of things of what it takes to be a quarterback. …I wouldn’t even be where I am at if it wasn’t for Jedd.”

Weber, 25, did color commentary on the radio broadcast for the Gophers’ spring game last Saturday. He’s undecided about post-football plans but broadcasting might be a possibility.

Former Vikings’ defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema, who is a sharp talent evaluator, labeled Vikings’ fourth round draft choice Gerald Hodges “the one to watch” and a “sleeper.” Hodges is a former college safety turned linebacker and Lurtsema likes the field awareness and speed of the ex-Penn State player.

Hodges talking about what it was like to play for coaching legend Joe Paterno: “It was a blessing. It was like being coached by — not a God because no one is higher than God — but it was like being coached by a legend while he was still coaching. That was a blessing to even be in his hands. He was more of a father figure than I would say coach. He taught a lot (about) football, but at the same time, he taught us a lot about how to be a man and how to show respect.”

The super-prep foursome of Apple Valley’s Tyus Jones, along with Houston’s Justise Winslow, and Jahlil Okafor and Cliff Alexander, both from Chicago, are talking about attending the same university starting in 2014-15, according to a Sunday story from the Courier-Journal.com. The Louisville newspaper’s website story said the four high school juniors are talking about winning a national championship together.

Chris Monter, the local basketball writer, was asked last weekend how strong he thought the long-held plan was of Jones and Okafor attending school together. “I would be surprised if it didn’t happen,” Monter said.

University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler is impressed with what he’s hearing about new basketball coach Richard Pitino. “Everybody I’ve talked to is excited about his energy, excited about the people he’s brought so far, and I am looking forward to him having a good run at Minnesota,” Kaler told Sports Headliners.

Flip Saunders was a hometown favorite among fans for the job but turned it down. Kaler wouldn’t elaborate on discussions with Saunders. “I haven’t and don’t intend to make any comments about the coaching process selection. I think we wound up with a really super guy and we’re focusing on his success.”

An athletic department spokesman e-mailed that “102 new deposits for season tickets” have been accepted since Pitino’s hiring.

St. Thomas ranked No. 11 nationally in the unofficial winter Division III Learfield Sports Director’s Cup standings released last week. Other MIAC schools in the top 50 were St. Olaf at No. 31 and Gustavus Adolphus, No. 37. Concordia, Carleton and Saint John’s also placed in the first 100.

Eleven of the MIAC’s 13 schools ranked among the leading 213 schools in the standings — second most for any Division III conference. The Learfield standings measure each institution’s combined performance at national championship tournaments and events. The final standings for school year 2012-13 will be announced June 6.

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Mauer Turns 30 with Critics & Admirers

Posted on April 19, 2013April 19, 2013 by David Shama

Joe Mauer’s 30^th birthday is today. A cynic might suggest the Twins’ catcher will receive more well wishes from across the country than here in Minnesota.

“He’s under appreciated in his own market,” said Dave Mona, co-host of WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle. “Talk shows rip on him all the time.”

The rant over Mauer is about his $23 million salary, minimal home run production and the losing ways of his team. In 2009 his future with the Twins was uncertain until he signed a contract that puts him among a half dozen or so of the best paid players in major league baseball.

Mauer’s critics argue the hometown hero makes the list of baseball’s best paid players but he isn’t a top five player. Some baseball authorities wouldn’t even grant Mauer No. 1 status among catchers, preferring the Giants’ Buster Posey or the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina.

But how is it fair to blame Mauer for having leverage with the Twins back in 2009 to command one of baseball’s richest contracts? “I do believe the Twins had to sign him to a large contract because they were moving into a new ballpark and needed the fan base to be on board that they were going to build a winner,” said a sports marketing authority who spoke anonymously.

In two of their three seasons at Target Field the Twins have finished last in the Central Division. While injuries sidelined Mauer for much of the disastrous 2011 season (99 losses), he came back last year to play in 147 games and the team still lost almost 100 games. Mauer doesn’t deserve blame for a franchise whose front office let the talent pool dry up, led by a pitching staff that nosedived to among the worst in baseball.

Home runs? The casual fan looks at the 6-5, 230-pound Mauer and wonders why has he hit only 22 home runs during the last three seasons, including just 10 last year in 545 at bats. “I know people want more home runs and I think he could do it,” said Gophers’ assistant baseball coach Rob Fornasiere. “But that’s not who he is.”

Fornasiere said that in over 30 years of high school recruiting in Minnesota Mauer is the best player he’s seen, and the former Cretin-Derham Hall three-sport star has the same beautiful batting swing he had as a sophomore. “From a mechanical standpoint he’s just so consistent,” Fornasiere said.

Mauer has been in birthday celebration mode this week. After consecutive four hit games on Monday and Tuesday nights, he is on a nine game hitting streak — .462 average with two home runs and seven RBI. The hitting party has raised his batting average for the season to .386.

This week Mauer looks like the hitter who batted .365 in 2009, whacking balls up the middle, finding the gaps in the outfield, and sending balls into the left field corner. His batting average that season was the highest ever for a major league catcher. He led the American League in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage — something no catcher had ever done before in MLB history.

Mauer has three batting titles since his big league career began in 2004. He won the AL MVP Award in 2009. Coming into this season he had the highest batting average in the major leagues since 2006 (.328) and his on-base percentage of .411 was fourth best.

For those who study baseball, Mauer’s prowess hitting the ball is even more remarkable because of the position he plays. Catching is the most physically demanding position on the field. It’s a punishing job squatting behind the plate, subjecting legs to constant stress while hands, fingers and other body parts are targets for foul tips.

Mauer has always liked being back of the plate, helping to dictate the game. His knowledge about opposing hitters helps get the most out of the Twins’ pitching staff, and his strong throwing arm is a deterrent to base runners.

Spoken like a career baseball man, Fornasiere said good baseball teams are built on quality position players in the middle of the field starting with the catcher. “There’s not a team that wouldn’t take him (Mauer),” Fornasiere said.

If critics don’t like Mauer, then Fornasiere probably has it right when he said, “You’re dealing with other people’s expectations.” Those who admire Mauer have their own expectations about him including one day seeing him inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

“He’s already done things no other catcher in the history of baseball has done,” said Mona.

And Mauer is only 30 years old.

Worth Noting

A ceremony Sunday at Siebert Field will recognize Gophers’ baseball coach John Anderson for his 500^th career Big Ten win last weekend at Northwestern, according to assistant Minnesota coach Rob Fornasiere. Anderson, who started coaching the Gophers in 1982, is the all-time winningest Big Ten baseball coach — 87 wins ahead of retired Ohio State coach Bob Todd and 205 more than ex-Minnesota coaching legend Dick Siebert. Fornasiere said that since the fall of 1981 there have been 37 head baseball coaches in the Big Ten.

The Gophers play a series against Michigan State at Siebert Field this weekend including Sunday’s game starting at 1:05 p.m. Fornasiere said the Spartans’ leadoff hitter and center fielder is freshman Cam Gibson who is batting .297. He is the son of Kirk Gibson, the Diamondbacks’ manager and former major league star.

The Gophers, 23-13 overall and 7-2 in conference games, are tied for first place with Michigan in the Big Ten standings. Minnesota pitcher Tom Windle, 5-2 with a 1.35 ERA, leads the conference in strikeouts with 57 in 60 innings.

New Minneapolis public schools athletic director Trent Tucker has known Gophers’ basketball coach Richard Pitino since Pitino was five years old. Former Henry football coach Jim Dotseth said Tucker attended a meeting of retired city coaches on Wednesday and Tucker remembered young Pitino from his days playing for the Knicks and coach Rick Pitino, Richard’s father.

I don’t know by how much, but the odds of the Gophers convincing DeLaSalle junior Reid Travis to attend Minnesota went up when Pitino hired former Islanders’ star Ben Johnson as an assistant coach.

But not so sure about Minnesota’s chances for landing Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones and Cooper shooting guard Rashad Vaughn, both juniors. Elite prep players often want to know how their college experiences can help them earn a roster spot in the NBA. Pitino, at 30 years old, can’t talk about any players he sent to the next level as a head coach. Tough competition against power coaches like Kentucky’s John Calipari and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

In a somewhat surprising prediction, Dane Brugler from Cbssports.com has quarterback Ryan Nassib from Syracuse going No.8 to the Bills in his NFL mock draft. The Gophers beat Nassib and the Orange 17-10 last year at TCF Bank Stadium. None of Brugler’s other colleagues have Nassib being selected in the first round of their mock picks.

Former Star Tribune Vikings writer Don Banks posted his mock draft for SI.com with Minnesota selecting Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant at No. 23 in the first round and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o at No 25.

In a mock NBA draft, NBAdraftnet.com projects the Timberwolves choosing shooting guards Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA) and Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan) with the No. 9 and 25 picks in the first round. The projections also include former Gophers Rodney Williams and Trevor Mbakwe going to Dallas and Utah with the No. 43 and 44 picks.

In a comparison worthy of shoot-first former Gopher Kris Humphries, Muhammad had 27 assists in 32 games for the Bruins last season.

Former Saint John’s national championship coach John Gagliardi and his son Jim Gagliardi will speak Tuesday evening at the MVP event at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater. Together they helped coach the Johnnies to the 2003 Division III national title. MVP stands for men, value, purpose. MVP gatherings celebrate sports with food, fellowship and inspiration. More information is available at Trinitylc.org.

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