Timberwolves – Page 54 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikes Look ‘Cooked’ with No Dalvin

Posted on December 29, 2019December 29, 2019 by David Shama

The Vikings, 10-5, play their final regular season game today in Minneapolis against the Bears, and then start preparations for next weekend’s opening playoff game. The Vikings, a No. 6 seed in the NFC, are unlikely to win in the postseason without running back Dalvin Cook, whose shoulder injury sidelined him in the December 23 loss to the Packers and will keep him off the field today.

Cook, the 24-year-old third season playmaker extraordinaire, has produced a breakout performance in 2019, and the guess is he will be available next weekend. He is clearly the offense’s most indispensable player with his ability to gain difficult yards with minimal blocking, and also outrun tacklers. With 1,135 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns (no other Viking is even in double digits), he is among the NFL’s leading runners.

Injuries sidelined Cook for 17 games the past two seasons but the team’s coaches knew what a special playmaker they had in the former second round draft choice (he excels as a wide receiver, too). That’s why after seeing the limitations of quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2018, the offense was refocused to emphasize the running game. Using zone blocking with a run game featuring Cook, the Vikings have improved their offense and at times Cousins has flourished.

But against the Packers, without Cook, the offense was a dud, producing only seven first downs. The Packers kept their defensive ends “home” and discouraged the rollouts and bootlegs that have worked well for the passing game this fall. The offensive line, including the left side with tackle Riley Reiff and guard Pat Elflein, had a long night in the 23-10 loss.

Schemes are one thing but they are a lot more successful with playmakers, and Cook is one of the NFL’s best. Football is the ultimate team game but Cook is so fast, strong, and elusive he can make plays on his own.

“The clock in your head is saying this play might be over, but it probably isn’t,” offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski said in a December 2 Sports Illustrated story. “Go to the next level, get that last shove in there and give this kid a crease, because you just never know with him.”

At times Cousins looked anxious without Cook and a successful running game in the Packer loss. The quarterback has a history of not being able to carry a team late in the season. The offensive line, while improved over its most recent predecessors, is no award winner. Star wide receiver Adam Thielen, who missed multiple games with a hamstring problem, is trying to find his way back into production. The Vikings have offensive issues as they near the playoffs. They can’t afford to be without their Cook.

Worth Noting

T-shirt seen at a local health club last week predicted the Packers are going to the next Super Bowl and showed the Lombardi Trophy. The front of the shirt also said the Vikings are bowl bound, with a toilet illustration.

The 2010 Packers were a No. 6 seed, won all their playoff road games and emerged as 2011 Super Bowl champions.

The Minnesota Wild may learn as soon as Tuesday whether the NHL is choosing Target Field as the playing site for the January 1, 2021 NHL Winter Classic. Wild owner Craig Leipold told Sports Headliners awhile ago his franchise is competing for the prestigious outdoor game that has never been held in Minnesota.

The 2020 Winter Classic is at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and an announcement about the 2021 playing site will come next month. The Wild is competing with another city (name not publicized) for the game. The opponent for the Target Field game might be either Chicago, Colorado, St. Louis or Winnipeg.

Speculation is that elusive wide receiver and kick returner JD Spielman, the former Eden Prairie star and 2015 Minnesota prep Mr. Football, might transfer from Nebraska to the Gophers. Maybe so, but Sports Headliners is told Spielman won’t have his degree until next summer and couldn’t be a graduate transfer until then.

Cincinnati.com reports former Gophers deputy athletics director John Cunningham will earn $475,000 in base salary as the University of Cincinnati’s new athletics director. That is reportedly $77K less than previous Bearcats boss and now USC AD Mike Bohn. Gophers AD Mark Coyle’s compensation is $850,000. Cunningham oversaw the Minnesota football and men’s basketball programs, and he had worked with Coyle at Syracuse before both came to Minneapolis in 2016.

Chris Snow, the former Minnesota Wild beat writer for the Star Tribune who segued his career path into an NHL front office career, is in the early stages of battling ALS. Snow, who initially worked for the Wild after leaving the Minneapolis newspaper, is assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames.

The losing ways of the Timberwolves (lost 12 of their last 13 games) likely won’t threaten the job security of first-year head coach Ryan Saunders. But if Saunders were to be let go during the season by Gersson Rosas, the first year president of basketball operations, he could consider Staples, Minnesota native Dave Joerger, a veteran NBA head coach who was fired by the Sacramento Kings after last season.

Another option if a change was made during the season might be naming an assistant on the Timberwolves staff as interim head coach,, perhaps Pablo Prigioni. In the spring Rosas could review a list of candidates including lead Houston Rockets assistant Elston Turner. The two worked together several years ago in the Rockets organization.

Twins president Dave St. Peter speaks to the CORES lunch group Thursday, January 9 at the Bloomington Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. More information is available by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. Reservations must be made by January 6. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Retiring Minnetonka High School football coach Dave Nelson is one of four national candidates for the American Football Coaches Association’s Power of Influence Award that will be given out at next month’s convention.

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No Twins Are Trade Untouchables

Posted on December 15, 2019December 17, 2019 by David Shama

MLB’s Winter Meetings have come and gone with no big moves by the Minnesota Twins to improve their roster. This doesn’t come as a surprise since the organization under the Pohlad family ownership has consistently been deliberate in making outside personnel changes, whether by free agency or trade.

While some teams used the gathering at the Winter Meetings to improve their clubs, there is still a lot of time to see what develops in Major League Baseball before next season including with the Twins. In an interview with Sports Headliners, team president Dave St. Peter spoke about the ongoing process to improve his roster. “We are obviously open-minded as to how we get better,” St. Peter said while indicating the possibility of acquiring players via free agency or trade.

The Twins improved so much last season they transformed themselves from mediocre into one of MLB’s better clubs. The Twins can court potential newcomers with a storyline that not only includes a talented team but also features a players manager in Rocco Baldelli.

“We think our story has gotten incrementally better over the course of the last 18 months,” St. Peter said. “We think that we have a great, compelling ball club for 2020 and beyond, and we are optimistic that one way or another we’re going to be able to add pitching.”

St. Peter mentioned pitching without being prompted, an indication of how Minnesota has prioritized finding offseason help on the mound. The Twins reined down home runs last season, setting a MLB record with 307. Every off season story on how the Twins will get better in 2020 and go beyond AL Central champs to a successful postseason run has Minnesota needing to improve the starting staff.

Who will the Twins offer up in trades for either pitchers or other players? St. Peter said the club doesn’t so much target specific individuals in their organization for potential trades as it does looking at where the organization has strength and depth. Although he didn’t mention left fielder Eddie Rosario as trade bait, Sportingnews.com reported three days ago other teams are asking about Rosario, and the Twins do have a terrific minor league prospect and possible replacement in outfielder Alex Kirilloff. It appears sooner (perhaps next year) or later Minnesota will need to make room for the 22-year-old Kirilloff who has a .317 minor league career batting average.

When asked, St. Peter couldn’t think of any Twins currently under contract who have no-trade clauses in their contracts. Does he believe any Twins are untouchable? “No, I don’t think so,” he answered. “…The reality of it is, there’s probably some players that practically speaking you’re just probably not going to move because I’m not sure that another team could offer us enough.”

Twins front office personnel decision makers Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have won St. Peter’s confidence since being hired in 2016. St. Peter said their relationships with other front office leaders are so important to the Twins as they search to make a team with 101 wins last season even better.

Although, loaded with offense a rumor is the Twins will sign free agent third baseman Josh Donaldson who hit 37 home runs last season for the Atlanta Braves. His acquisition would presumably send Miguel Sano from third base to first base and improve the infield defense.

Not referencing Donaldson, St. Peter was asked about the idea of moving Sano to first base. “It’s a possibility. We have not made that decision,” St. Peter said. “Right now Miguel is still penciled in at third base and we will be fine with that if we go to spring training. He is a difference-maker…particularly at that position. Yeah, we have to be open-minded for ways to get better. We talked about our infield defense maybe being an area that we could shore up. …”

Worth Noting

Tickets are on sale for TwinsFest at Target Field Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25. The annual event has typically been three days but next year will be held over two days. The Twins will be celebrating their 60th season of play since moving to Minnesota as the Washington Senators.

St. Peter is a college football fan and enjoys travelling to games. This fall he saw a game at Mississippi and last year was at Georgia.

LSU’s Joe Burrow won the famed Heisman Trophy last night, the award annually honoring college football’s best player. Bruce Smith is the only Golden Gopher who ever won the Heisman, doing so in 1941. In 1953 Minnesota’s Paul Giel finished second in Heisman balloting and seven years later the Gophers’ Tom Brown also was voted runner-up. In 1962 balloting Minnesota’s Bobby Bell finished third in the voting.

Condolences to family and friends of former Gophers and South St. Paul hockey coach Doug Woog, who passed away Saturday afternoon. A beloved hockey leader for decades, the 75-year-old Woog had been dealing this year with health care issues including Parkinson’s disease.

Former Timberwolves superstar Kevin Garnett “is a central figure” in a new Adam Sandler movie, according to a story in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. In the film Uncut Gems Garnett seeks to acquire an Ethiopian black opal.

No one seems to know when, or if, former Lynx star Maya Moore will resume her career. She didn’t play last season and continues to focus on helping others via criminal justice reform.

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Rhodes 2020 Vikes Status Appears Iffy

Posted on December 3, 2019December 3, 2019 by David Shama

A Tuesday notes column including commentary on the Vikings following last night’s loss to the Seahawks in Seattle.

It seems probable this will be cornerback Xavier Rhodes’ last season with the Vikings. He had a glaringly inconsistent performance last night that included an apparent communications mix up leading to a Seahawks touchdown in the 37-30 loss. He also clearly showed poor judgment in committing a personal foul leading to a first half Seattle touchdown. He lost his temper on the sidelines during the game and for awhile was replaced by Mike Hughes.

The 29-year-old Rhodes is paid like one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks with a reported $70 million deal he signed in 2017. He had a disappointing season in 2018 and has been inconsistent this year, including some poor moments. He has obviously tested the patience of head coach Mike Zimmer.

The Vikings will enter the 2020 offseason with challenging salary cap numbers. At Rhodes’ age, and with his sizeable contract and recent performances, he looks like an easy cut from next season’s payroll.

A couple of team stats stand out from last night’s game. The Seahawks’ time of possession was 39:45, the Vikings’ 20:15. It’s difficult to win when one team is so in dominant controlling the football.

The game officials allowed an aggressive style of play. Each team had just 30 yards in penalties, with Vikings fans not happy with the officiating.

With an 8-4 record the Vikings face a favorable remaining schedule that could see them win their final four games. “I kind of think they will,” former Viking Matt Birk told Sports Headliners this morning.

Three of the last four games are at home, with the Green Bay Packers appearing to be the only team who might be favored against Minnesota.

The Seattle loss was costly, though, because even if the Vikings make the playoffs they may not have home field advantage. Right now several NFC teams, including the Packers who lead the NFC North, have better records than Minnesota.

The Vikings need to have key players heal up soon from injuries including wide receiver Adam Thielen who missed last night’s game, and running back Dalvin Cook who was injured in the second half. Left tackle Riley Reiff was injured in the first half and replaced by Rashod Hill who appeared to struggle in his performance.

Zimmer could provide injury updates at his 4 p.m. news conference today.

Zimmer refers to Cook as a “model citizen” in the December 2 issue of Sports Illustrated. A feature story on the star running back looks back at Cook’s off the field problems as a teen and how his “rap sheet” deterred teams from taking him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In the pre-draft interview process Vikings GM Rick Spielman became confident enough in Cook’s character to select him in the early second round.

“I can’t even fathom a time when there has been a question about this kid’s dedication to what we are trying to do,” offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski told S.I. “There’s been no prodding with Dalvin Cook.”

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is now 0-7 in his NFL career playing in Monday night games.

Renaissance man Matt Birk is the latest guest on “Behind the Game,” the Twin Cities cable TV program co-hosted by Patrick Klinger and Bill Robertson. Birk, the former All-Pro NFL center, has led a varied life since retiring as a player. He has worked for the NFL, started a Catholic High School in Burnsville, done standup comedy, written a book, spoken to groups as a corporate speaker, and been linked to a possible future in politics. He and wife Adrianna have eight children. “Behind the Game” episodes can also be viewed on YouTube.

A popular projection is the Gophers will play in the January 1 Outback Bowl in Tampa. That’s a desirable destination because the Gophers have never been to the Outback Bowl, Tampa is an easy direct flight from Minneapolis, many retired Minnesotans live on the Gulf Coast and a prestigious SEC opponent awaits. As do sun-splashed beaches.

Via email former Gopher Scott Mullen on the possibility SEC powerhouse Alabama could be the bowl opponent: “If that’s the case, best ditch the oars and get an outboard motor for the boat.”

Mike Nealy, a Roseville native and University of Minnesota alum, is executive director of the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona that hosts a College Football Playoff semifinal game December 28. The Fiesta Bowl could be a Gophers destination in future years, as might the Arizona-based Cheez-It Bowl that Nealy is also executive director for.

Nealy was in Minneapolis last weekend and owns four Gopher football season tickets.

The Gophers finished with a 10-2 regular season record and had good fortune with keeping most of their key players healthy and available to play. Head coach P.J. Fleck labels his Dan Nichol “the best strength coach in America.”

The Gophers value strength and conditioning, but there’s more in their pursuit to stay healthy. “I also think it has a lot to do with the mental health as well,” Fleck said. “It’s not just the physical health. It’s the mental health, emotional health of your football team. Are they in the right place mentally, emotionally, to be able to perform at a high level? A lot of times that keeps players out almost more than the physical injuries these days.”

With Minnesota’s season ending loss to Wisconsin, Fleck didn’t get the birthday present he wanted when turning 39 last week.

Big Ten football teams played 96 home games this season but only 32 were sellouts. The Gophers had two sellouts at TCF Bank Stadium, reflecting the Big Ten and major college football status of struggling to fill seats.

With the Minnesota Twins not bringing back C.J. Cron, they could move Miguel Sano from third to first base and potentially tighten infield defense.

The new Minnesota Timberwolves City Edition uniforms may seem a little familiar to those who watched the Minneapolis Lakers play in the early years of the NBA. The uniform is baby blue and bears the letters MSP on the front. “The design pays homage to the Lakers but is done indirectly,” Wolves executive Ted Johnson wrote via email. “That is because the Minnesota Timberwolves do not have the rights to the Lakers logos, colors or historical uniform designs. All of that belongs to the current franchise located in Los Angeles.”

Wolves ticket marketers have been aggressive in recent days with a full page Star Tribune newspaper ad Thursday promoting 50 percent off single game tickets and a Cyber Monday offering of 25 to 50 percent discounts for December game tickets.

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