Category: Timberwolves

 

Whether Dalvin Cook reports to the Vikings opening of training camp tomorrow is one of the NFL’s trendy stories this week.  The gifted running back, after three seasons with Minnesota, wants a new contract presumably paying him $13 million or more annually.

That the Vikings leadership, including general manager Rick Spielman, hasn’t made a deal with Cook and his agent in the offseason indicates how far apart the parties involved appear to be. The Vikings recognize Cook, whose 1,135 yards rushing was 10^th best in the league during the regular season last year, is an impact talent, and at 24 years old isn’t even near his peak as a rusher, but there are factors giving them pause including salary cap issues.

Although Cook is the team’s most dynamic player on an offense built for running, he isn’t going to command the NFL’s top salaries for running backs that are reportedly $15 to $16 million. Not only do the Vikings have cap issues, but Cook’s NFL career has been marked by both spectacular performance and injuries that have sidelined him.

Then, too, the Vikings have an NFL caliber starting running back in Alexander Mattison.  As a rookie last season playing behind Cook, he rushed for 462 yards and his 4.6 yards per carry was similar to Cook’s 4.5.  Mattison may not be as explosive as Cook, but he is a quality runner and was a third round steal from the 2019 NFL Draft.

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme is favorable to runners.  He proved that not only in his first season with the Vikings, but in prior years with the Broncos in Denver.  Cook is fortunate to play in a scheme that can showcase his talents of running inside and outside, plus catching passes (53 receptions last year, 9.8 average).

NFL players are fined for not being in training camp.  That’s hardly an incentive for Cook to miss much, or any time, with the Vikings in coming days or weeks.  It just might be that all involved could agree on a multi-year deal that pays Cook in the range of $10 to $11 million annually.

Although it’s been speculated the Vikings might trade Cook for a high future draft choice, that seems improbable and foolish.  The Vikings need Cook in 2020 and the seasons beyond with their focus on the running game.  A Cook-Mattison tandem takes a lot of pressure off skittish quarterback Kirk Cousins and a receiver group trying to recover after the offseason trade of star Stefon Diggs.

Worth Noting

Friends and former teammates of Noel Jenke were saddened last weekend to hear of his death.  Noel, 73, died of unknown causes several days ago in Wisconsin, and the Owatonna, Minnesota native is remembered as one of the Gophers’ greatest athletes ever.

Noel earned seven letters at Minnesota, with three each in football and hockey, and one in baseball.  He was an outstanding linebacker on the Gophers’ 1967 Big Ten championship football team.  Teammate Jim Brunzell said this via email: “God, what a great athlete and human being.  He was one tough linebacker!”

Another football teammate, Jim Carter, played with Noel at Minnesota and in Green Bay with the NFL Packers.  “He had lots of heart and he was fun to be around,” Carter texted.

Noel played five seasons in the NFL with three teams, the Vikings, Falcons and Packers.  Baseball might have been his best sport but football coach Murray Warmath wouldn’t let him play because of the conflict with spring football.  As a senior, and after his football eligibility expired, Noel played college baseball for one season and hit .402.  It was 50 years ago last summer he made his minor league debut as an outfielder in AAA for the Red Sox’s Louisville farm team, but he never made it to the majors.

A celebration of Noel’s life will be held for family only tomorrow (Tuesday) at a church in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Ruttger’s, located near Deerwood, Minnesota, opened its 9-hole golf course 99 years ago this year, becoming the first resort golf course in Minnesota. The course was rough by today’s standards with sand tee boxes, dirt greens and fairways “mowed” by the resort’s livestock. The course was the brainchild of long-time resort guest Hans “Zig” Ziegler, who convinced owner Alec Ruttger to convert some of the resort’s pasture land into a golf course, and it opened to the public in 1921.

The course has had many names through the years, starting with Ruttger’s Golf Links, but is now known as Alec’s 9 in honor of Alec Ruttger. Much of the 2,135-yard par 33 layout of the course has been maintained, but brought up to modern standards. In other words, the tee boxes are neatly mowed grass, and you won’t see any cows on the fairways.

Among pregame activities for the Minnesota Twins home opener tomorrow night will be the playing of both the “Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black national anthem.

Happy birthday to former Vikings running backs coach Dean Dalton who is 57.

Anonymous Sports Headliners reader with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Minnesota Timberwolves: “I’ll admit it took me awhile to figure it out, but I’ve recently come to the realization that the T-Wolves defense this season was ahead of the curve in practicing social distancing on the court.”

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A sports industry authority, speaking anonymously, said he was told by someone inside the Minnesota Vikings organization the club is expecting some of its players to take a knee during the national anthem if games are played this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked how many Vikings may participate in social justice protesting at games, the source said, “More than a couple for sure.” Kneeling players aren’t expected to be fined or disciplined.

With speculation even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell might take a knee in protest over social wrongs and cultural practices, it seems certain there will be controversy at league games this fall with the possibility players from all 32 teams will protest by not standing for the Star Spangled Banner and presentation of the flag. Former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, now with the Washington Redskins, said via online stories he will “without a doubt” protest by taking a knee.

The Sports Headliners source predicted over 50 percent of Vikings season ticket holders will react negatively to players taking a knee in what those fans view as disrespect for America. He guessed “10 to 15 percent” could end their ticket commitment to the club.

In these controversial and changing times former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has received more acceptance of late than he ever did in 2016 when he chose not to stand for the national anthem while creating a firestorm of criticism. Former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, speaking on TMZ Sports last Sunday, compared Kaepernick and the late Pat Tillman, a U.S. Army hero who left the NFL after 9/11 to fight for his country. A national civil rights advocate, Kaepernick supporters contend he was blackballed from the NFL because of his views and willingness to sacrifice a football career for his cause.

That comparison by Favre, including the source it came from, may startle many Americans but there is no predicting who will say what next. A Saturday online story by the New York Post quoted Muhammad Ali’s son as critical of the Black Lives Matter organization and protesters who destroyed property.

Referring to the organization as “racist” for pitting different groups against one another, and describing looters as “devils,” Muhammad Ali Jr. said his famous father would have been disturbed by the violence in America since the brutal death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Don’t bust up s–t, don’t trash the place,” he told The Post. “You can peacefully protest. …”

Ali, a Muslim like his father, made it clear in the article he is a supporter of law enforcement. “Not all the police are bad, there’s just a few. There’s a handful of police that are crooked, they should be locked up. I never had a bad scene with a cop. They’ve always been nice and protect me. I don’t have a problem with them.”

Worth Noting

Former Gopher basketball player and now Timberwolves executive John Thomas has a byline story in the current issue of Sports Illustrated about race in his hometown of Minneapolis and across the nation. “…People have a bunch of questions or biases about Black culture,” he told writer Chris Mannix. “Talk about them. Ask. The more we can humanize our approach, the more we can show empathy, the more we can have the right conversations, the better.”

The likelihood now of at least having a 60-game season is a good development for Minnesota Twins DH Nelson Cruz who turns 40 a week from Wednesday. It’s a short list of big leaguers who have ever played at a high level past the age of 40.

When Cruz hit .311 for the Twins last season it was his highest average in the big leagues since his .318 with the Texas Rangers in 2010. His 41 home runs with Minnesota was the third highest total of his MLB career that began in 2005. Known for his dedication in preparing his body and mind to play baseball, Cruz is an outlier but it’s unfortunate he and other big leaguers will see their playing time either reduced to less than half a season in 2020.

The Twins value Cruz for his first season production at the plate in 2019 and also his extraordinary leadership in the clubhouse. The commitment of front office executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine is influenced, though, by Cruz’s age and the Dominican Republic native has only a one-year deal with the club. The next season or two will show whether Cruz can join a group that includes Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, David Ortiz and Ted Williams who could still terrorize pitchers in their early 40’s.

Cruz made national headlines Sunday night winning the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award as part of television’s ESPYS honors. The award, per a statement from the Twins, recognizes an athlete “whose continued, demonstrated leadership has created a measured positive impact on their community through sports.” Cruz has been praised for years in recognition for his charitable work in Latin America and the United States.

Other candidates for the award Cruz won included former Minnesota pro basketball stars Kevin Love and Maya Moore.

The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame recently announced candidates for the class of 2021 but no former Golden Gophers are on the ballot. Greg Eslinger meets the criteria and should be a candidate after one of the most honored careers for a lineman in Gopher history.

Eslinger won the prestigious Outland and Rimington awards in 2005 for his superb blocking as Minnesota’s center. He was named to two All-American teams in his junior season of 2004, and made six such teams in 2005.

Former national championship and Big Ten title coach Murray Warmath was at Minnesota for 18 seasons. He isn’t in the hall of fame because criteria for coaches includes a winning percentage of .600 or better. His winning percentage was .526.

New co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson on who is going to be calling the defense during games: “It’s up to the boss (head coach Mike Zimmer).”

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