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Most Pressure to Win in This Town? It’s not the WNBA Lynx

Posted on September 26, 2025September 26, 2025 by David Shama

Our town demands little in terms of championships from its pro teams and the Golden Gophers. Maybe that’s part of why the championship cupboard is so bare.

Minnesota fans aren’t so nasty they would threaten a serious boycott of a team, or boo Santa Claus like the City of Brotherly Love once did.

With a population here raised on “Minnesota nice” and minds filled with sensitivity training, I question whether some state natives would even unanimously hiss and jeer Vladimir Putin!

The Lynx are favorites to win the WNBA title this fall but think again if you believe there’s public pressure on the Lynxers to win it all. Nope for a couple of reasons.

The Lynx have already produced four WNBA championships, and they keep exceeding expectations. Then, too, the public interest in the club isn’t as widespread, nor as deeply intense as for several other outfits in town.

The team that should be feeling the most pressure to rise ASAP to an elite level is the Twins. The struggling franchise that passed on the opportunity to take a step forward two years ago after exciting patrons with its playoff run has both pissed off and launched fans into anger and apathy.

The Twins close the regular season on Sunday as a franchise viewed by the public and media as in disarray. David Schoenfield, writing for ESPN.com Wednesday, graded the 30 MLB teams on their 2025 seasons. No one in Twins Territory should be surprised the Pohlad owned franchise was given an F.

Schoenfield wrote: “This is the kind of season that can set an organization back five years, where it kind of feels like the whole organization has given up. Ownership/management punted at the trade deadline, dealing away 10 players. …As always, the Pohlads never disappoint in their willingness to pinch pennies.”

It’s interesting that while the Twins head toward a final record of about 22 games under .500 (after plummeting with a second consecutive late season collapse), the Brewers from neighboring Wisconsin received the best grade of the season from Schoenfield. Playing in a similar size market, the Brewers will finish with close to 100 wins and easily the best runs differential in MLB.

The Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Gophers football have no elite hardware to showcase this century, but they don’t face the scrutiny of the Twins who need a massive turnaround and pursuit of no less than an American league pennant.

Measure fan interest by game attendance, TV viewership, merchandise sales and sponsorship, and no one in this town likely comes close to the Vikings in decibel blowing devotion. On Sundays, it feels like only the newborn and comatose among us aren’t following the Purple heroes.

The franchise hasn’t been to the Super Bowl since Jimmy Carter was in the White House, but there’s not a win it all demand by the fanbase or “we’re done with you.” A competitive team, with entertaining players, is enough for the Skol-mad and beer fueled fans to rock all fall.

The Wolves and Wild claim no league titles in their histories which date back 35 and 25 years respectively. Yeah, Wolves fans would love to see coach Chris Finch hoisting the NBA championship trophy on a parade down Hennepin Avenue. But the fanbase of this mostly forlorn franchise is mesmerized by the last two springs when the club made the Western Conference Finals. Pressure to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy? Nah, not when the fanbase is honeymooning right now in unknown success.

The Wild fanbase is passionate and darn loyal, win or lose. Patrons would love a Stanley Cup but for starters many will welcome a deep playoff run next spring. Past post season success has been too minimal as has goal scoring. Disappointed fans have a way of returning for the next season and for now are preoccupied with seeing the contract of superstar Kirill Kaprizov extended. That’s where the franchise’s public pressure is for now. If Kaprizov departs and the club performs poorly for a season or two, then the pressure will be on like never before in the building we used to call the X.

Gopher football hasn’t shared a Big Ten championship since 1967. Minnesota couldn’t even win a division title earlier this century when it was grouped into the mediocre Big Ten West. Win-some, lose-some results in Big Ten games for a long time has driven away fans. Apathy hangs over this once proud program that during the first 70 years of the last century was a national power. A berth in the 12-team college football playoffs one day would bring a lot of fans out of the closet for the home state Division 1 football.

Not saying there isn’t pressure to win for this town’s teams, but nobody should be feeling it like the Twins! Santa Claus, though, probably wouldn’t get booed at Target Field. Tim Walz or Scott Jensen, maybe.

Worth Noting

Lindy’s Sports College Basketball Magazine is on newsstands and forecasts a 16^th place finish for Minnesota in the 18-team Big Ten standings. Concerns about coach Niko Medved’s first team at Minnesota include how well incoming players from mid-major programs will fare in the Big Ten.

The magazine’s top 10: Houston, Purdue, Florida, Michigan, Duke, Kentucky, St. John’s, Iowa State, Alabama and UConn.

The public is invited to a free men’s basketball Maroon and Gold Open Scrimmage at Williams Arena on Saturday, October 11. Start time will be 2 or 2:30 p.m., four hours before the start of the home football game with Purdue. That game time will be either 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. and decided later. Following the one-hour scrimmage, players will sign autographs near the Williams Arena court.

Fans can enter the arena through the Maturi Pavilion Daily Entrance, located at 1925 University Ave. Tailgate lots for the Gopher football game are scheduled to open at noon or 12:30 p.m. that day

News came yesterday that 6-8 forward Erick Reader, the sophomore forward from Bloomington and New Life Academy who played minimally in the past for the Gophers, is leaving the program to focus on academics. He is replaced by 6-3 walk-on guard RJ Spencer from Blaine and Totino-Grace.

Congratulations to hockey icon Lou Nanne who will be inducted Tuesday into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame at the JX Event Center in Stillwater. The former Gophers All-American, North Stars player, GM and president, has an impressive broadcast resume.

Nanne’s broadcast experience includes the Stanley Cup, Olympics, NCAA Frozen Four and the Boys’ State High School Hockey Tournament. He offered game commentary for 60 years of Minnesota high school state tournament games. He makes a KFAN radio appearance one day a week with Dan Barreiro.

Saint John’s senior defensive end Zach Frank and St. Olaf senior linebacker Noah Barret are semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® which is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award.

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Vikings & Rodgers Meet Sunday After Off-Season Flirtation

Posted on September 22, 2025September 23, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Monday notes column.

It looks like a soap opera season regarding the Vikings quarterback position after journeyman Carson Wentz was more than serviceable yesterday in subbing for injured first-year QB J.J. McCarthy. Wentz, starting for his sixth NFL team in six consecutive years, looked settled in the pocket and threw two touchdown passes while completing 14 of 20 throws in Minnesota’s 48-10 win.

Wentz’s poise, decision making and performance contrasted to the mostly skittish play of the 22-year-old McCarthy in the team’s first two games. His high ankle sprain perhaps will keep him sidelined until after the team’s next two games in Europe and bye week of October 12.

Since the 2-1 Vikings passed on veteran options during the past offseason to anoint McCarthy with the job, it will be interesting to see if head coach Kevin O’Connell puts Wentz back on the bench upon McCarthy’s return to the active roster. Does that happen even if the Vikings defeat the Steelers in Dublin next Sunday and take down the Browns the following Sunday in London?

Ironically, the Vikings face future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Dublin. The not so well known truth is there was considerable mutual interest between the Vikings and Rodgers during the offseason about having him play for Minnesota in 2025.

It’s believed Rodgers would have preferred Minneapolis to Pittsburgh. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, ownership and O’Connell looked at the possibility but in the end the coach apparently decided McCarthy was his first choice.

That decision could end up being highly supported or criticized. Same with an October decision to either continue on with Wentz or bench him upon McCarthy’s return. Remember, too, the Vikings had off-season options to retain 2024 star Sam Darnold or even turn to 2024 late season acquisition Daniel Jones, another veteran with a career of mixed results.

“As the World Turns on the Purple Quarterback Stage.”

Rodgers, 41, had two touchdown passes in the (2-1) Steelers’ 21-14 win at New England yesterday. He has 510 career regular-season touchdown passes and has surpassed Brett Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most in NFL history.

O’Connell said after the thorough beat down of the Bengals he was pleased with the response of his team after losing the previous game to the Falcons. He’s impressed with the leadership on the team.

“…It’s not just our eight captains. We’ve got nearly 30 players (who) received votes to be captains this year, and I can name player after player that showed up today and were phenomenal for their team, and just so proud of those guys.”

Credit Minneapolis attorney and sports historian Marshall Tanick with asking the question about who was the last University of Minnesota former quarterback to play in a regular season NFL game prior to yesterday. On Sunday Max Brosmer entered the Viking game in the fourth quarter and became the first former Gopher to do that since Cory Sauter. Playing for the Bears in the 2002 regular season finale, the Hutchinson native completed 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards in the game.

Star wide receiver Jordan Addison returns for the Steeler game after serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He had 885 receiving yards last season, second on the team to superstar WR Justin Jefferson.

Yesterday showed how topsy-turvy the NFL can be. The Bengals, now 2-1, lost their first game of the season while the Vikings made up for a poor performance in Week Two against the Falcons who struggled so much yesterday against the Panthers that starter Michael Penix, Jr. was benched and Atlanta fell to Carolina, 30-0. The Packers, after two games almost coronated as Super Bowl champs, were upset by the lowly 1-2 Browns in Cleveland.

The Gophers, 2-1, have almost a must win on Saturday at home against 3-1 Rutgers. Minnesota needs a win to keep hopes in place of having an above .500 season and quality bowl invitation.

Athan Kaliakmanis, the former Gopher starting quarterback, looks much improved in his second season leading Rutgers. He is second in Big Ten passing yards with 1,150 (USC’s Jayden Maiava is first with 1,223). Kaliakmanis was on target throwing the ball for a while in a 38-28 loss to Iowa last week, but his production fell off in the second half as the Hawkeyes defended him with more pressure.

Kaliakmanis departed the Gophers after a so-so 2023 season. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was asked today about his emotions regarding his former starter going into this week.

“Listen, this is Rutgers versus Minnesota. I got a lot of respect for what they do and how they do it. He’s playing really well in his fifth year in that type of same system. You’d expect to see that type of growth that he has shown, and has played in. He’s playing at a high level.”

The Gophers men’s basketball team opened fall practice today at Williams Arena where coach Niko Medved expects his team will hold workouts a couple times per week. Cal transfer B.J. Omot, a Mankato native, will be available for practice after late spring surgery for a leg issue. Omot, a 6-8 redshirt junior forward, figures into what Medved predicts will be a nine-man rotation in games for the Gophers.

Redshirt 6-3 junior guard Chance Stephens, the transfer from Maryland, has been dealing with an illness and Medved said today “he has not been able to do anything yet.” The coach said Stephens’ return plan is uncertain.

Max Gizzi, the fifth year transfer 6-1 guard from NAIA Huntington University, impressed Medved during the summer but then broke his foot. The coach estimated another six weeks or so before he returns to practice.

Guard Isaac Asuma, from Cherry, Minnesota, had extensive playing experience last season and Medved gushed about him. Not only is the 6-3 guard talented but is “just an exceptional dude” with his personality and attitude.

The Gophers have an exhibition opener at home October 16 against North Dakota State. The first game is also at home, November 3 against Gardner-Webb.

Medved’s 2026 high school recruiting class of verbal recruits is ranked No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports. He is “pretty happy” with the three-player class but said “potentially one more” recruit could be added.

Tim Connelly, president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves, speaks to the Capital Club on October 4 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Publicity ramps up on the Timberwolves next week with the team holding Media Day next Monday.

The Wild is making a number of training camp practices at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul open to the public. Fans need to register at http://wild.com/openpractices to attend an open practice.

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Vikings Reserve QB Roster Battles Command Attention

Posted on August 10, 2025August 10, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Sunday notes column.

J.J. McCarthy is rock solid as the Viking starting quarterback but better believe the jockeying for status behind him is a competitive situation.

McCarthy played briefly in the first quarter of Saturday’s opening preseason game, a 20-10 win over the Texans in Minneapolis. Head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated after the game he was more than satisfied with how his 22-year-old leader ran the offense.

Before the first quarter was over Sam Howell relieved McCarthy. Then later in the game the Vikings turned to another veteran, Brett Rypien, before having rookie Max Brosmer finish up.

Howell completed 11 of 13 passes for 105 yards. Rypien was 1 of 4 for six yards while Brosmer, 5 of 8 for 47 yards, threw the lone Minnesota touchdown pass of the game.

O’Connell thought Brosmer “did a pretty darn good job coming in…and putting the ball in the end zone there.” Brosmer had a 118.2 rating, the highest of the Viking quarterbacks.

Minnesota may decide to keep Brosmer on the 53-man roster to start the season. Whether it’s been FCS New Hampshire, the Big Ten Golden Gophers or the Vikings, the likeable and football savvy Brosmer attracts admirers. Don’t be surprised if the eventual QB roster looks like this: No. 1 McCarthy, No. 2 Howell and Brosmer No. 3, with Rypien cut from the team.

If the Vikings don’t place Brosmer on their roster they take a major risk of another team picking him up.

McCarthy said this about Brosmer earlier in training camp: “Max is the man. Just super detail oriented, works his butt off. I can’t say enough good things about that guy. He is just an awesome human being. …”

Ben Solak, writing for ESPN earlier this month, ranked the Vikings coaching staff No. 1 among the 32 NFL teams. Solak’s approach was to evaluate not only the head coach, but also analyze offensive and defensive coordinators. He is especially an admirer of O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

“O’Connell has easily leaped into that utmost echelon of offensive designers, and Flores remains the cream of the defensive crop,” Solak wrote. “There are always little things to wonder about– scheming for a rookie is different from scheming for a veteran, even if that veteran had never been successful elsewhere — but there is no doubt that O’Connell & Co. elevate players more than any other coaching staff in football.”

David Hale, writing recently for ESPN.com on college football, placed the football Gophers among five under the radar teams who may exceed expectations. “Not counting the 2020 COVID-19 season, Minnesota is one of just 15 teams to win 60 percent of its Power 5 games. That’s more impressive than it sounds. It’s better than Washington, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami and Texas A&M.

“The Gophers enter 2025 with a ton of intriguing options led by Koi Perich and Darius Taylor, and while the schedule includes road trips to Ohio State and Oregon, there’s certainly a path for P.J. Fleck to get Minnesota back to the 10-win plateau (last achieved in 2019).”

The Twins try to win their three-game series at home today against the Royals who Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli has a 60-42 career record against. That’s his most victories over any team.

University of St. Thomas Athletic Director Phil Esten will be joined by head men’s basketball coach Johnny Tauer and men’s hockey coach Rico Blasi at a meeting of the Capital Club at Mendakota Country Club on August 27. They will discuss UST’s transition from DIII to DI, the new campus arena, NIL and potential competition with the Gophers. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Twin Cities Business has honored Patrick as one of 25 Notable Marketing Leaders for 2025 for his work on behalf of clients.

Tomorrow, August 11, will be the 22^nd anniversary of Herb Brooks’ death in a car accident. The legendary hockey coach’s gravesite at Roseville’s Roselawn Cemetery is frequently visited by admirers who remember his extraordinary career that included the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” at the Olympics.

Former Viking and NFL Hall of Famer John Randle will be the celebrity golfer tomorrow at the Ben & Adith Miller Golf Classic benefitting the Winona Health Foundation. The event will be at the Cedar Valley Golf Course in Winona.

Former Hopkins superstar Paige Bueckers is a huge favorite to win WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. Playing for the Dallas Wings (8-23 record), Bueckers is averaging 18.6 points per game, 5.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds from her guard position.

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