Stadiums – Page 34 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers Roster: 3 NBA First Rounders

Posted on October 24, 2012October 24, 2012 by David Shama

Tubby Smith told Sports Headliners he has three potential NBA first round draft choices on his roster in senior forwards Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams, and sophomore point guard Andre Hollins.

Hollins is from Memphis while Mbakwe and Williams are Minnesota natives, and to Smith they are examples of the quality high school players produced in the state. While Smith can’t talk about individuals who are current Minnesota high school prospects because of NCAA rules, it’s no secret he’s impressed with the top players.

If the Gophers could consistently enroll the best Minnesota high schoolers, would Smith compete for Big Ten titles? “Absolutely. I think that we could,” he answered.

Smith left the University of Kentucky to take the Gophers job in 2007 and he’s known about the quality of high school talent in Minnesota for many years. “I was very impressed from day one—even before I got here. The quality of coaching is just outstanding. The high school coaches are outstanding, because that’s where you develop them (the players). The (state) AAU program is second to none around the country.”

New athletic director Norwood Teague gave Smith a contract extension last summer. In five seasons under Smith the Gophers have yet to contend for a Big Ten title and Minnesota’s best record in league play is 9-9. The last two seasons have been major disappointments with injuries and player transfers impacting results.

Does Smith feel more pressure heading into the 2012-13 season that begins a week from Thursday with a home exhibition game against Minnesota State, Mankato? “There’s always pressure,” he said. “I don’t ever feel more pressure or less pressure, to be honest with you. We had a tough two years. We’re 12 and 24 in two years in the Big Ten. Nobody expected that. …”

Worth Noting

MarQueis Gray wasn’t expected to practice yesterday but he plans to play wide receiver in Minnesota’s game at home against Purdue on Saturday. Freshman Philip Nelson will make his second start at quarterback. Left tackle Ed Olson, probably Minnesota’s best offensive lineman, is still injured and won’t play Saturday, coach Jerry Kill said.

Nelson took a solid hit from Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland last Saturday. “My knee, it did kind of buckle in a little different way,” Nelson said yesterday. “The trainers they took care of me. I am feeling great and I am going to go to practice just like normal.”

Michael Floyd saw James Onwualu, the Cretin-Derham Hall receiver who has verbally committed to Notre Dame, at the Irish’s game against Miami in Chicago earlier this month. Floyd, a Notre Dame and Cretin-Derham Hall alum, gave Onwualu “words of encouragement” and told him to “stay on top of things” as he makes the transition from high school to college.

The Gophers wanted Onwualu but it looks like he will reject Minnesota just like past high profile Cretin-Derham Hall players including Floyd and offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson who chose Miami for college. “Everyone has different choices why they chose their school,” Floyd said. “Nothing against Minnesota. It’s a great school, but sometimes you just don’t want to stay home.”

The Bucs team (2-5) that plays at Mall of America Field tomorrow night against the Vikings (5-2) is led by NFL rookie head coach Greg Schiano. He’s been criticized this season for overly aggressive coaching.

The surprising Vikings record is attributed to various factors including unselfishness by the players. “You can’t be egotistical around this team,” defensive end Brian Robison said. “It has to be all about the team, not about yourself because bottom line is you gotta play good as an individual, but collectively is when you start winning those ball games. That’s what we’ve been preaching forever is just playing good team ball.”

The back part of the defense has improved this season, partly because of rookie safety Harrison Smith who ran an interception back for a touchdown on Sunday against the Cardinals.

“He’s a tremendous athlete back there for us,” Robison said. “The things you see he does, helps our defense tremendously. If he can keep playing the way he is playing, the sky’s the limit for us.”

Steve LaCroix, the Vikings vice president of sales and marketing, said a survey regarding personal seat licensing for the team’s new downtown stadium will begin soon and be completed by year’s end. Such licensing means fans pay fees beyond the cost of tickets for specific seat locations.

LaCroix said the Vikings will play at Mall of America Field next year but eventually will host some games at TCF Bank Stadium during the construction phase of the new stadium. TCF Bank Stadium, with a capacity of 50,806, isn’t large enough to accommodate all the Vikings season ticket holders, about 52,000. LaCroix said seats will be added in the “plaza” end of the Gophers stadium.

The Vikings will play a home game in London next year, September 29, at Wembley Stadium against the Steelers. The Vikings have season ticket holders from England, although LaCroix didn’t know the exact number. “We’re going to them,” he said.

LaCroix is in the unusual position of marketing Vikings football in four stadiums—Mall ofAmerica Field, TCF Bank Stadium, the new downtown stadium and Wembley Stadium.

The October 22 issue of Sports Illustrated refers to Chris Kluwe as the “NFL’s nerdiest player” and offers this headline on a feature story: “The Vikings’ punter is a troll rogue named Loate.”

Vikings Jamarca Sanford and Jasper Brinkley are scheduled to greet fans at the Taste of the NFL Mid-season Rally next Tuesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Bar Abilene in Uptown. The event is free and open to the public with attendees encouraged to make donations to support Minnesota’s Second Harvest Heartland Foodbank.

David Jones will speak to the C.O.R.E.S. group at a noon luncheon on Thursday, November 8 in Bloomington. Jones is known for his presentations on historical figures and will talk to C.O.R.E.S. about factors influencing ongoing discussion and debate of President John Kennedy’s assassination. Anyone interested in further information can contact Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net.

Other C.O.R.E.S. programs will be with Dave Mona, January 10; Ted Mondale, March 14; and Norwood Teague, May 9.

The Big Ten Network (BTN.com) will stream live news conferences beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow of the 24 men’s and women’s basketball coaches from the Big Ten basketball media day in Chicago.

Former Hopkins High School All-American Royce White is averaging 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in two preseason games for the Rockets. He’s averaging 14 minutes per game.

Ex-Timberwolves players on the Jazz coaching staff are head coach Tyrone Corbin and assistant Sidney Lowe.

Rachel Banham, the Gophers guard who was Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, was cleared yesterday to participate in full practices. In July doctors had discovered a blood clot in her lung.

Since being traded during the 2011 season by the Twins to the Tigers, Delmon Young has four home runs and nine RBIs in 32 at bats in two American League Championship Series. The Tigers open the World Series at San Francisco against the Giants tonight.

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Here’s a ‘Vote’ for U Win Saturday

Posted on October 12, 2012October 12, 2012 by David Shama

Winning won’t be easy but it seems like there are too many valid reasons not to predict the Gophers (4-1) will defeat Northwestern (5-1) tomorrow at TCF Bank Stadium.

Odds-makers believe the Wildcats will win by about three points. Sports Headliners predicts a fourth quarter field goal—perhaps wind aided—sailing over the goalpost crossbar to give Minnesota a 30-27 victory on Homecoming.

There’s no doubt a team takes on the personality of its head coach and Minnesota’s players are likely to play Saturday’s game against the Wildcats with a lot of passion. Gophers coach Jerry Kill stewed over the Iowa loss two weeks ago and was critical of himself, not just the team.

Wide receiver A.J. Barker was asked about Kill’s emotions after the Iowa loss and since then: “He gets on us when we win and he gets on us when we lose,” Barker said. “He’s very consistent and you know what to expect with him and the staff. He did a great job coming off this loss, just motivating us, keeping the foot on the gas and moving forward.”

The Gophers will have more than emotion and focus going for them on Saturday. Because of a bye in the schedule, Minnesota had two weeks to prepare for tomorrow’s game while Northwestern has not. Kill used the extra time not only to strategize against the Wildcats, but last week put an emphasis on fundamentals.

That mid-season tune-up should help the Gophers. “Sometimes we forget blocking and tackling, and using your hands, and playing with good technique and having leverage on the ball and those kind of things,” Kill said.

The extra time off helped injured players recover. Among those who didn’t play against Iowa but could be on the field tomorrow, even if in a limited role, is quarterback MarQueis Gray.

Gray’s return is a must for Sports Headliners to write its prediction in ink, rather than pencil. The senior quarterback is one of the nation’s best running quarterbacks. In spot duty tomorrow he could potentially throw Northwestern defense off balance. The Wildcats won’t look forward to stopping Gray’s runs, something Iowa didn’t have to contend with against Minnesota’s pass-oriented quarterback, Max Shortell.

Shortell, who replaced Gray in the first half of the Western Michigan on September 15, was asked about the offense that has produced just four touchdowns in the last two games. “We need to make plays as an offense. We need to convert on third downs,” he said. “Keep sustaining drives, and I think scoring touchdowns in the red zones. We can’t settle for field goals. That will really help our points per game.”

Gray’s presence on Saturday, for a few plays here and there, could not only help produce more points for the slumping offense but take minutes off the game clock. The Gophers want to have more time of possession than Northwestern, a team whose strength is on offense. The Wildcats rank 14^th nationally in rushing yards per game, 233.50, and No. 43 in total offense, averaging 432.50 yards per game.

In Minnesota’s favor, though, is Northwestern uses a spread offense similar to what the Gophers have faced in four of their first five games. And Minnesota’s defensive unit has played better than the offense or special teams this season. The Gophers rank No. 23 nationally in total defense giving up 320.80 yards per game.

Northwestern is a formidable team. The Wildcats proved that with nonconference wins over BCS opponents Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Boston College and Indiana. Pat Fitzgerald, only 37 years old, is one of the Big Ten’s better coaches, but the Gophers staff is impressive too, including a group of assistants that Kill probably frets about losing to better paying BCS schools.

May be the difference tomorrow in Minnesota’s favor is simply playing at home. With the parity of talent in the Big Ten, the home field and a noisy crowd is meaningful.

Worth Noting

The No. 1 ranked FCS North Dakota State football team, 5-0, has over 30 Minnesotans listed on the roster. Former Totino-Grace running back John Crockett leads the Bison in rushing with 432 yards. The Bison have outscored opponents 221 to 42.

North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl, a former Nebraska assistant, will surely have his name mentioned if the Cornhuskers head coaching job opens up.

Zach Zenner, formerly from Eagan High School, has rushed for 1,077 yards, averaging 215.40 yards per game for South Dakota State. He leads all FCS players with both totals.

Roy Terwilliger told Sports Headliners the Minnesota Sports Facilities Commission retained the HKS architectural firm a few years ago to do preliminary work on the Metrodome as a potential site for a new Vikings stadium. The firm concluded the 20 acre site was sufficient for such a facility, according to Terwilliger, the former commission chairman.

Now HKS has been retained to design the new stadium. Terwilliger refers to HKS as a “great firm” and said the company also designed acclaimed NFL stadiums in Indianapolis and Arlington, Texas. “I am pleased they (the Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority) hired them,” Terwilliger said.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin, who currently ranks second in the NFL with 38 receptions, was passed over by a majority of teams in the league before the Vikings took him with the No. 22 pick in the first round of the 2009 draft. Credit front office executive Rick Spielman, then head coach Brad Childress and wide receivers coach George Stewart with taking Harvin.

When the Vikings play the Redskins on Sunday they will see former Minnesota defensive backs Cedric Griffin and Madieu Williams. This will be the third consecutive season the Vikings have played the Redskins in Landover, Maryland.

Next Tuesday, October 16, is the NFL trade deadline.

John Gagliardi, now in his 60^th season coaching Saint John’s, is off to a 2-4 start and the Johnnies have lost four straight. His Saint John’s teams have never lost more than four games in a season and he’s had only two years when the Johnnies lost more games than they won. Saint John’s has four games remaining this season including tomorrow’s home game with Carleton.

Augsburg quarterback Ayrton Scott is second among Division III players in per game total offense, 366.20 yards, and seventh in rushing yards, 150.20. The Auggies last Saturday beat the Johnnies in consecutive years for the first time since 1926-27.

Former NBA coach Flip Saunders said the Timberwolves are “potentially a playoff team.” The difference in whether the Wolves qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004 will have much to do with how fast and effectively point guard Ricky Rubio recovers from his ACL injury, Saunders told Sports Headliners.

“I think right now you look at the West (Western Conference), there are seven teams that are playoff locks,” Saunders said. “And at that eighth spot, there’s probably about five teams that have a chance to get to that spot, and I think they’re (the Wolves) one of those teams in there.”

Who does Saunders, the former Wolves head coach, believe will be in the NBA Finals? “I think it will probably be the Lakers and Miami,” he said. “I think those are the two best teams.”

Saunders said with forward LeBron James and guard Dwayne Wade the Heat has two of the five best NBA players for closing out games. He also said Miami is “maybe the best team in the league defensively.”

Saunders, though, “wouldn’t be surprised” if the Lakers won the NBA title. “They’ve got great balance, size, a little bit of everything,” he said.

Saunders last coached in the NBA with the Wizards during the 2011-2012 season and he isn’t employed by a league team now. He’s interested in getting back into the NBA but wouldn’t say if the Wolves might one day be a possibility. Saunders could interest NBA teams as either a coach or general manager.

How about the following for TV ratings competition? The second Wolves telecast of the fall will be next Tuesday night in a preseason home game against Maccabi Haifa, the same evening of the presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

Single game tickets for the WNBA Finals at Target Center range from $20 to $225. The Lynx host Indiana in game one on Sunday night starting at 7 p.m. ESPN2 will televise the game.

The Aeros, the Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate, open their season tomorrow night in Houston against Charlotte. In the Aeros’ last preseason game Mikael Granlund scored four goals as part of a five point night as Houston defeated Oklahoma City, 6-2.

The Aeros play Rockford on November 18 at the Xcel Energy Center in a regular season AHL game. Tickets are on sale via www.wild.com.

The estate sale last month for Dark Star, the former WCCO Radio personality who passed away in June, generated over $75,000 with some of the proceeds dedicated to the new Gophers baseball stadium.

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Multi-Use Priority Over Retractable Roof

Posted on August 27, 2012August 27, 2012 by David Shama

The new downtown Vikings stadium might have a retractable roof in its eventual design but that amenity won’t come at the expense of baseball and other varied events planned for the facility.

Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority executive director Ted Mondale told Sports Headliners that financing for the $975 million stadium was approved without including specific funding for a retractable roof. The facility was positioned as a “peoples stadium” in political campaigning and the facility must accommodate the same varied events the Metrodome has since 1982.

Those events include amateur baseball with a 100 to 150 games per year, according to Mondale. Other sports and attractions are expected to use the new stadium like the Metrodome, hosting everything from golf shows to Final Fours to rollerblading to a Super Bowl.

Mondale is not saying “no” to a retractable roof but is voicing caution. “There’s no extra public money,” he said. “It would be a nice feature to have.”

A stadium architect will be chosen soon and the facility design will follow. If the stadium is open to the elements because of a retractable roof that changes how the entire stadium is designed “right down to the footings” Mondale said, and also dramatically increases the total project cost, perhaps by close to $200 million.

Mondale expects a decision before year’s end on the retractable roof. But even without a retractable roof, it’s likely the stadium will be creatively designed to bring light and ambience into the building which is scheduled to open in 2016.

Vikings stadium executive Lester Bagley told Sports Headliners the team would like to have some kind of “retractable feature” in the new stadium. But the NFL franchise has made no commitment to increase its $477 million share of the $975 million budget to make sure a retractable roof will be included for what now is planned as a fixed roof facility. While it isn’t likely sufficient money can be found in the budget to have a retractable roof, Bagley is hoping there’s enough funding fort a retractable feature like a “window to the skyline” or doors that open to the stadium plaza.

Bagley said that the Vikings financial commitment to the stadium is the fourth largest by an NFL team in league history, and the $975 million budget is less than the cost of other new stadium projects around the country.

Mondale said the stadium authority and Vikings will look at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis as a model. That facility has a retractable roof but he said the stadium roof is open only “three to four times per year.”

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