Timberwolves – Page 108 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Jerry Burns: Fans Unfair to Ponder

Posted on December 10, 2012December 10, 2012 by David Shama

It’s been a fall of boos and other criticism directed at Vikings second-year quarterback Christian Ponder, but former Vikings head coach Jerry Burns said Ponder receives too much blame.

The Vikings’ passing game has faltered much of the season including in yesterday’s 21-14 win over the Bears. The offense produced one touchdown drive and that was courtesy of Adrian Peterson’s running on the game’s opening drive including a 51-yard run. Otherwise, the Vikings used a first quarter Josh Robinson 44-yard interception returned to the Bears’ five yard line to set up their second touchdown, and in the third quarter Harrison Smith ran back an intercepted pass 56 yards for Minnesota’s third and final touchdown.

Ponder, who completed 11 of 17 passes for 91 yards, heard from the boo-birds in the stands, and media critics who have found fault with him this season will no doubt rip him again.

Burns, who was Vikings head coach from 1986-1991 and before that a revered NFL offensive coordinator, said critics don’t understand all the elements responsible for the Vikings’ passing attack that ranks with the NFL’s most anemic (last in yards per game at 172.6). “I just feel sorry for Ponder,” Burns told Sports Headliners on Saturday, a day before the Vikings defeated Chicago and improved their record to 7-6.

Burns said the offensive line isn’t consistent in giving Ponder enough time to throw. Sometimes a formation with an additional blocker in the backfield would help, perhaps adding a precious second allowing Ponder to set his feet.

With defenses sometimes storming Ponder, Burns suggested the Vikings might benefit from more use of screen passes and draw plays with Peterson or Toby Gerhart, his substitute. That kind of action, combined with more rollouts and bootlegs by Ponder using his athleticism, could help make the offense less predictable and keep the defense off balance.

In yesterday’s game wide receiver Michael Jenkins had two second half third down receptions to sustain drives. Big plays from wide receivers have been MIA for the Vikings most of the season, a reality not lost on Burns who attends games and remains a passionate supporter of the franchise.

“I haven’t seen a diving catch, a great catch,” Burns said. “Going up and taking the ball away from people. A guy you can go to.”

Burns isn’t arguing Ponder doesn’t sometimes make bad decisions, throw inaccurately and occasionally have minimal zip on the ball. He is saying that in a team sport the quarterback plays the lead role but the surrounding personnel and play calls make a difference too.

Head coach Leslie Frazier has Burns’ support and he likes the commitment of not sending Ponder to the bench, replacing him with Joe Webb. “It might make things worse at this point,” Burns said. “Now (by benching) you’re bouncing back and forth.”

The Vikings are still in the playoff race with three games to play. It may be unlikely they can win enough games the rest of the way with their limited offense to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 but the franchise’s future at quarterback seems tied to Ponder.

While some NFL quarterbacks have early first and second year success, others develop more gradually. Burns believes Ponder can be effective in the future with maturity and having the right support around him.

“I think he will be fine,” Burns said.

Worth Noting

What a birthday present on Saturday. St. Thomas quarterback Matt O’Connell turned 20 while running for two touchdowns and passing for one as the Tommies defeated UW-Oshkosh, 28-14, in a Division III semifinals playoff game. Next up for the Tommies is a first ever trip to the Division III national championship game on Friday night against Mount Union in Salem,Virginia. The game starts at 6 p.m. Minnesota time and will be televised on ESPN U.

The Gophers football team has 31 fall Academic All-Big Ten selections, 13 more than last year and second in the conference to Northwestern’s 34. Among the Gophers honored are defensive starters Michael Amaefula, Cameron Botticelli, Keanon Cooper, Aaron Hill, Mike Rallis and Brock Vereen, and offensive starters Jon Christenson, Derrick Engel, Drew Goodger, Ed Olson, Tommy Olson and John Rabe.

With Max Shortell transferring to another school, the Gophers will have only two quarterbacks with game experience for their Meineke Car Care Bowl matchup on December 28 against Texas Tech, Philip Nelson and MarQueis Gray. Coach Jerry Kill told Sports Headliners he won’t take the redshirt status off reserve backup Mitch Leidner for the game.

Kill likes what he’s seen of Leidner in practices this fall. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Leidner has various attributes including physical toughness. “He’s a very competitive kid,” Kill said.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl is played in Reliant Stadium, the same facility that is home to the NFL’s Texans who host the Vikings on December 23. “It’s a beautiful stadium,” Kill said.

No one expected Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville to accept the Cincinnati coaching job on Saturday but Stewart Mandel writing on SI.com said Tuberville wasn’t a good fit in Lubbock during his three seasons stay. Suggesting Cincinnati was a convenient place to escape and rebuild the resume Tuberville had at Auburn, Mandel wrote on Saturday: “Tuberville was an underwhelming 20-17 in three seasons in Lubbock. The locals never warmed to him, and he never warmed to Lubbock.”

The Timberwolves’ 9-9 record matches the franchise’s best start through 18 games since 2006-07 (also 9-9).

Don’t be surprised if point guard Ricky Rubio makes his season debut Wednesday night at Target Center against the Nuggets, the Wolves’ next game. If not then, Saturday evening at home against the Mavericks might be his return game, although there’s been no official announcement from Rubio or the team.

Wolves All-Star forward Kevin Love has double-doubles in eight of his last nine games and 120 in his past 139.

Love, Rubio, forward Andrei Kirilenko and center Nikola Pekovic are on the NBA All-Star game ballot. A total of 120 players are on the ballot to determine all-stars for the February 17 game in Houston. Various sources are available for fan voting including Twitter and Facebook.

The North DakotaState team playing the 10-1 Gophers tomorrow night at Williams Arena is 8-2 and lost 87-61 to No. 1 ranked Indiana at Bloomington. Forward Marshall Bjorklund (Arlington, Minn.) and guard Mike Felt (Redwood Falls, Minn.) are NDSU’s second and third leading scorers at 11.4 and 10.9 points per game.

The St. Thomas men’s basketball team, a unanimous preseason choice by league coaches to win the MIAC, is 4-0 in conference games and 7-0 overall. Gustavus, the second place choice, is off to a 1-3 start in league games and is 2-5 overall.

Coach Brad Frost’s 20-0 Gophers women’s hockey team is dominating opponents. The Gophers have scored 114 goals to their opponents 12, an average of 5.7 per game versus 0.6. Amanda Kessel has 25 goals and 29 assists, while teammate Hannah Brandt totals 19 and 29. Minnesota doesn’t play again until a two-game home series on January 11 and 12 against North Dakota.

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‘Superman’ Inspires, Breaks Record

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

Maybe it was fate that Adrian Peterson broke a Vikings’ rushing record yesterday against the Lions.

The All-Pro running back went over 1,000 yards for the fifth time in a season and broke a tie with Robert Smith for the franchise record of most 1,000 yard seasons. Peterson ran for 171 yards in a 34-24 win over the Lions, including a 61-yard touchdown run. It was the fourth consecutive game that Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher, has totaled over 100 yards this season.

Peterson, now in his sixth pro season, is a clear choice as the franchise’s best running back ever. He plays in a division, the NFC North, that has three other franchises with legendary running backs. During their eras Barry Sanders (Lions), Walter Payton and Gale Sayers (Bears), and Jim Taylor (Packers) were superstar runners. Sanders is regarded by some historians as the greatest running back of all-time.

At 27 years old and healthy again after last season’s ACL injury, Peterson is on track to join Sanders, Payton and Taylor in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After yesterday’s win, Peterson’s teammates talked about him like he’s already a legend.

Yes, they described him as the “best back in the league” but the praise went beyond that. “Adrian is kind of a Superman,” left guard Charlie Johnson said. “He’s a freak. You would never think that an injury like that would happen to him. But it happened, and the way he fought back, it is inspiring to us.”

Peterson has been playing since the opening game of the season despite the brutal injury he suffered. He’s his old self running with power, making superlative cuts and possessing the straightaway speed to race past secondary defenders.

“He’s pretty darn good, huh? Best back in the league right now,” center John Sullivan said. “Those all-time discussions (best runner ever) are always going to be debatable. What he’s doing—especially in a pass happy league—is fantastic.”

Johnson agrees there’s no lasting impacting from the ACL injury. “He’s unbelievable. I really don’t think you can tell if he got hurt or not. It’s just the way that he’s running, and seeing the field well. It’s fun to block (for him).”

Johnson said Peterson’s ordeal of suffering the injury and then coming back so dramatically to reclaim his spot as the NFL’s premier running back set an example for the other Vikings. “He means a lot. For him to get hurt last year and for him to attack his rehab the way he did, that gets our attention. That the guy…had a major knee injury and he’s back way ahead of when everybody thought he was, that makes you work hard. It makes the whole locker room want to work hard and get better every day seeing that.”

The Vikings have a bye next week and for now they can celebrate being 6-4, ending a two-game losing streak. There were contributions from many Vikings on both offense and defense yesterday in beating the Lions (4-5) in a key division game but the main donor was No. 28.

Four of the Vikings’ six remaining games are on the road. Vikings marketing executive Steve LaCroix said small numbers of tickets are still available for the team’s last two home games, December 9 versus the Bears and December 30 against the Packers. Both games will sellout. Information on tickets: www.vikings.com.

Gophers, Wolves & Other Notes

The Gophers are bowl eligible for the first time since 2009 with their 17-3 win over Illinois on Saturday, winning the game with a reshuffled offensive line and using several true freshmen including quarterback Philip Nelson who had a difficult day facing Illini blitzes that seemed to have him and his receivers off balance.

Nelson passed for 78 yards. It didn’t help that two of his most reliable receivers, A.J. Barker and Derrick Engel, were injured and didn’t play.

Coach Jerry Kill has been shuffling personnel on the offensive line all season including having to replace starting left tackle Ed Olson and left guard Tommy Olson. At Illinois, injuries forced the Gophers to play three different centers.

In addition to Nelson, the Gophers received significant minutes from these true freshmen: defensive tackle Scott Ekpe, defensive end Alex Keith, wide receiver Andre McDonald, tight end Lincoln Plsek and running back Rodrick Williams.

Much of the Timberwolves’ fast start this season can be attributed to the team’s defensive play. The Wolves, despite a run of injuries that has sidelined multiple players, have a 4-2 record. They rank fifth among NBA teams in fewest points given up per game, 89.5, and third best in lowest field goal percentage allowed, .415.

But on Friday night before the Wolves earned their fourth win of the season, forward Andrei Kirilenko told Sports Headliners there’s much potential for improvement. “I still think we’re far from playing great defense but I think we’re doing a very good job in the mental effort. Everybody (is) trying to play defense. A lot of things when you play on defense, comes from the state of mind. …”

Kirilenko is a former all-NBA defense first and second team selection. He said it can take years for teams to maximize their defensive effectiveness as they learn assignments, how to help each other and develop the required work ethic.

Kirilenko said his wife, former Russian pop singer Marina Masha Lopatova, is living with him in Minnesota. Can Kirilenko sing? “I can sing in the shower,” he said.

The Wolves other Russian player, 23-year-old rookie guard Alexey Shved, has improved his English in the last few months. “I tell them you’re in America now, you have to speak English,” teammate Chase Budinger joked.

Budinger suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee on Saturday night against the Bulls in Chicago. Surgery will be scheduled later this week.

The November 12 issue of Sports Illustrated includes the magazine’s annual college basketball preview. The Gophers are ranked No. 31 in the country and forecast to earn a win in the NCAA Tournament. Indiana is No. 1, with two other Big Ten Conference schools in the top 10, No. 6 Michigan and No. 7 Ohio State.

The magazine includes former St. Cloud Tech High School guard Nate Wolters among its three players who are potential “game changers”—players from lesser known schools that could make a big impact this season. S.I. reports the South Dakota State point guard is a potential NBA draft choice, and last season accounted for 27.2 percent of his team’s field goals and 33 percent of the free throws.

The NHL lockout could end soon as players feel the pressure of continued lost paychecks. Meanwhile, players from the Wild work out at rinks in Edina, Orono and Wayzata knowing they have to be in shape and keep their skills sharp, or they will be at a competitive disadvantage if training camp and the season starts. It’s presumed NHL training camps will last only seven to 14 days.

The 2013 NHL Winter Classic scheduled for Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor has been cancelled but look for the site to host the game in 2014. The 2015 game? It’s worth a bet Target Field will be the site.

Gophers hockey reunions are planned for February 23 and March 2 recognizing the 10^th anniversary of the 2003 national championship team and the 30^th anniversary of the 1983 WCHA title team. The Gophers athletic department is inviting former team members, coaches and staff to receptions prior to Minnesota’s home games on those dates with Minnesota-Duluth and Denver. There will also be on-ice recognition of the anniversary teams during the games.

Twins president Dave St. Peter will speak at the Minnesota Minute Men Holiday Event on December 3 at Jax Café. The Minute Men welcome prospective new members at the 6 to 8 p.m. event that will include complimentary beverages and appetizers. RSVP at www.minnesotaminutemen.com.

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Losses Pile Up But Jug Special

Posted on October 31, 2012October 31, 2012 by David Shama

Michigan comes to Minneapolis on Saturday for the 93rd game when the Wolverines and Gophers play for one year ownership of the Little Brown Jug. It’s been 35 years since Minnesota defeated the Wolverines in the Gophers’ home stadium, and took possession of the jug that Wikipedia says represents the oldest trophy series in college football.

The Gophers and Wolverines have been playing for the trophy since 1909. The prize came about when the Wolverines inadvertently left their water jug behind after a game in Minneapolis. Michigan wanted the jug returned but a Gophers official said, “If you want it, you’ll have to win it.”

And win it the Wolverines have, with 67 victories. The Gophers have 22 wins and there have been three ties in the Little Brown Jug series. The Gophers won nine straight games in the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1960s Minnesota won six of eight including four games at Memorial Stadium.

But what a drought it’s been since 1967 with the Gophers winning the jug only in 1977 in Minneapolis, and 1986 and 2005 in Ann Arbor. The lopsided results have removed much of the luster from a rivalry that once was among the most glamorous in college football.

Minnesota has more talk about games now with Iowa and Wisconsin, two other famous trophy games. Michigan fires up for games with Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Former Michigan running back Mike Hart, who played for the Wolverines a few seasons ago, told ESPN.com last year that competing against Minnesota is just another game.

“There are so many important games to us that that’s not really a big rivalry game,” Hart said in a September 29, 2011 article on ESPN’s WolverineNation. “It’s more or less just another game to us that has a trophy involved.

“It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’re getting the Jug.’ I personally never saw it as that. I saw it as another Big Ten team we were playing.”

Just another game? That will make Butch Nash roll over in his grave. Nash, from northeast Minneapolis, played for the Gophers in the 1930s, then was an assistant coach over five decades. He reveled in the Michigan-Minnesota Little Brown Jug rivalry.

It was Nash who spoke from the heart before Gopher wins in 1977 and 1986. The 1977 victory was particularly memorable because the Gophers rocked the college football world on October 22 of that year when they thoroughly dominated and punished then No. 1 ranked Michigan 16-0 in Memorial Stadium.

The victories in 1986 and 2005 were much closer. In 1986 quarterback Rickey Foggie’s fourth quarter running set up a game-winning Chip Lohmiller’s field goal for a 20-17 win over No. 2 ranked Michigan. In 2005 running back Gary Russell’s 61-yard sprint down the sidelines positioned Jason Giannini for a game-ending field goal and a 23-20 Minnesota win.

The Gophers aren’t expected to win on Saturday in TCF Bank Stadium. Sports Headliners has the Gophers as a 10 point underdog and losing to Michigan for the 28th time in the last 35 years (the teams haven’t played each year since 1977).

The Gophers would be well advised to talk to Darrell Thompson who played for the 1986 Gophers and heard Nash’s fiery words. “He talked about the tradition and history of the game,” the former Gophers running back told Sports Headliners. “The thing that stuck with me out of his speech was to leave nothing out on the field. Only you know if you have given everything, and then you can feel very good about your effort.”

Thompson, who is close to the program as the radio analyst on the Minnesota games, said the current Gophers are well drilled about the importance of their rivalry games including the Little Brown Jug. He thinks the jug means a lot to the Minnesota players. “When they win (it), they will understand even more (the importance),” he said. “It hurt when we lost it in 1987.”

Mauer Wedding, Wolves Outlook & More

Invitations have been mailed for the Joe Mauer–Maddie Bisanz wedding on Saturday, December 1 at a church in St. Paul. Mauer’s grandfather, Jake Mauer, told Sports Headliners the invitation asks guests not to give wedding gifts but instead make donations to a Twin Cities nonprofit benefiting teens and adults with disabilities. Joe’s brothers Jake and Bill will be co-best men.

The wedding will be followed by a reception and dinner with 720 invitees—many more guests than can be accommodated at the church, according to Jake. There will be various activities for guests on Thursday and Friday leading up to the wedding including a skating party. “It will all cost over $300,000.00,” Jake said.

Bisanz is a Twin Cities nurse who plans to continue her career after marrying the Twins All-Star catcher, according to Jake who said the couple is in southwest Florida for several weeks. Honeymoon plans aren’t decided yet. “Joe wants to go to Paris,” Jake said.

Some Wolves fans may choose to hibernate until box-office stars Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love return from injuries, but the team’s regular season schedule starts on Friday night at home against the Kings. Like it or night, the Wolves have 27 games scheduled between now and year’s end. The Wolves probably will play most or even all of those games without the Big Two.

Only eight of those games are against the better teams in the NBA, with the remaining opponents being mediocre or worse. Down-trodden teams on the Wolves schedule are the Bobcats, Cavs, Hornets, Kings, Magic, Raptors and Warriors. The Wolves will play a balanced home-away schedule during the first two months, with 13 games at Target Center and 14 on the road.

Take an upbeat approach to November and December because of coach Rick Adelman. He’s among the NBA’s better coaches ever and has plenty of experience working with underwhelming talent over the last 20-plus years. He will expect a cast of Wolves role players to play hard and do their jobs. Translation: don’t try to be Love or Rubio.

Take a skeptical approach to November and December because NBA games are frequently decided in the fourth quarter—and the Wolves may not have any players who can consistently close out games. Shooting guard Brandon Roy may want to say, “Boys, jump on my back and I’ll carry us home.” But the burden could be too much for Roy who hasn’t played a regular season game since 2010-2011 because of troublesome knees.

Love and teammate Lou Amundson will be taking 10 children from HopeKids to the World’s Largest Trick-or-Treat event at Mall of America tonight from 5 to 6 p.m. HopeKids benefits families with children who have cancer or other life-threatening medical conditions.

Former Gopher Mychal Thompson’s son Klay Thompson starts his second season with the Warriors and is one of the NBA’s most promising three point shooters, making 0.488 percent of those shots in preseason while averaging 14 points per game.

In the October 29 issue of Sports Illustrated the magazine makes its NBA predictions and picks the Heat to defeat the Lakers in the playoff finals. S.I. predicts the Wolves are a possible playoff team but no cinch.

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill said his offensive line played its best game of the season in last Saturday’s 44-28 win over Purdue. Ed Olson, probably the team’s best offensive lineman before the season started, was injured and didn’t play against Purdue, and Kill doesn’t expect him back for Saturday’s game with Michigan.

Three Minnesota prep football coaches earned milestone career wins earlier this month. Congratulations to Dean Taylor from St. Cloud Cathedral on his 200^th career win, and Jack Drews of Rochester John Marshall and John Clark Jr. from Mahnomen on their 100^th career victories.

The football Prep Bowl will be Friday, November 23 at the Mall of America Field. Last year’s champions were Eden Prairie, Class 5A; ROCORI, Class 4A; Saint Croix Lutheran, Class 3A; Caledonia, Class 2A; Dawson-Boyd, Class 1A; and Edgerton/Ellsworth, Nine-Man.

Former Vikings head coach Jerry Burns worked for legendary coach Vince Lombardi in Green Bay. The stage play “Lombardi” has been at the History Theatre in St. Paul this fall with the final performance on Sunday, November 4. Burns attended the production on opening night and spoke at a special dinner prior to the performance. He recommends the play including the portrayal of the Hall of Fame coach by James Detmar.

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