Timberwolves – Page 92 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wolves Lineup Age Matches Gophers

Posted on January 15, 2015January 15, 2015 by David Shama

When it comes to youth, the Big Ten’s Golden Gophers don’t necessarily have anything on the NBA’s Timberwolves. Consider this:

The Gophers starters usually are 21-year-old Joey King, 23-year-old Mo Walker, and three 22-year-olds—Andre Hollins, DeAndre Mathieu and Carlos Morris. Those five average 22 years of age. Key reserves are Charles Buggs, 21, and Elliott Eliason, 23.

Because of injuries and searching for productive players, the Timberwolves have used many starting combinations but nine times the opening lineup has been: Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins, both 19; Shabazz Muhammad, 22; Gorgui Dieng, 24; and Thad Young, 26. Again, average age is 22. Other young players on the roster include a pair of 21-year-olds, Anthony Bennett and Glenn Robinson III.

What to make of this?

Well, the Gophers “grey beards” haven’t collectively been able to make enough plays to prevent a 0-5 start in Big Ten games. But Minnesota has been competitive, losing two games by two points each, and two more by four and five point margins.

The Timberwolves have been a mess, losing 15 of their last 16 games while compiling a record of 6-31—flirting with the worst showing so far in the NBA. And what were the results with the youthful and inexperienced LaVine and Wiggins group? A winless 0-9.

The overall record is certainly no surprise since the Wolves have been playing most of the season without four starters from 2013-2014. All-Star Kevin Love has relocated to Cleveland while Kevin Martin, Nikola Pekovic and Ricky Rubio have missed most of the season with injuries.

Coach Flip Saunders has been left with a roster that isn’t ready to play consistently—never mind win games. The record so far leaves them well positioned for a high first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and the addition of more young talent to the roster.

It is somewhat surprising a team with as much experience as the Gophers has struggled to close out and win tight games. The Gophers not only have starters but bench players who have past Big Ten experience.

Hollins was a three-year starter coming into this season and his teammates aren’t exactly without game experience. Seniors Eliason and Walker averaged 21.5 and 18.5 minutes per game last season, while Mathieu, a junior college transfer at Minnesota in 2013-2014, averaged 30.2. King averaged 19 minutes per game two years ago at Drake and 22.4 minutes with Minnesota last season. Morris has the least major college experience but he is a junior college transfer, not a player just out of high school. Mathieu is a senior, while King and Morris are juniors.

After Tuesday night’s loss to Iowa, some Gophers were crying in the locker room. Disappointment has reached that level. Hollins said this 0-5 start is the most difficult period for the team since he became a Gopher.

Hollins is dating Gopher Rachel Banham, the preseason choice in women’s basketball for player of the year in the Big Ten. Her season ended in December when she tore an ACL. What message of encouragement has Hollins offered? “Stay strong. Come back stronger than ever.”

Hollins and the Gophers have 13 remaining Big Ten regular season games including Saturday at home against Rutgers. Hollins might offer his teammates the same advice he shared with his girlfriend.

The Wolves traded Love last summer and knew they would have to adjust without their All-Star power forward but the absence of Martin, Rubio and Pekovic due to injuries is as surprising as the Gophers 0-5 Big Ten start. Martin was counted on to replace some of Love’s scoring and be a prime option for clutch shots. Rubio’s performances early in the season before he was injured indicated he might be ready for his best year as a playmaker. Pekovic, when healthy, is among the NBA’s top low post scorers.

Pekovic, though, is fast gaining a reputation more for his run of injuries than his brute strength and low post scoring. He has only played in nine games this season. He missed 28 of the team’s final 38 games last season.

Pekovic reportedly accepted a five-year, $60 million contract from the Wolves before the 2013-2014 season. When Sports Headliners asked Glen Taylor about trading the 29-year-old, 295-pound center, the Wolves owner said: “At his salary, I wasn’t planning on trading him, but even if I was I don’t think I could be thinking about it now until he shows he’s a guy that can play consistently. Otherwise, he’s paid too much money.”

Taylor said fans are appreciative of the potential shown by young players like Wiggins but for now all the losing has put a dent in gameday ticket sales at Target Center. The Wolves rank last in attendance in the 30-team NBA, averaging 13,818 fans per game, according to Espn.com.

Taylor said the franchise may lose a “couple million dollars” this season but it is 2015-2016 that concerns him more financially. He wants to see the Wolves get their three veterans back in the lineup and play with the young talent. Win some games and show fans “the injuries were the reason that we didn’t win” while creating hope for the future. Positive momentum closing out this season can help retain and even grow the season ticket base for 2015-2016.

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Zimmer ‘Glad’ Teddy Playing as Rookie

Posted on December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 by David Shama

Mike Zimmer is now comfortable with the decision to make Teddy Bridgewater his starting quarterback. The Vikings coach has seen rookie quarterbacks “get the heck beat out of them” and the resulting damage to their careers.

When Zimmer lost veteran Matt Cassel to a season ending injury in September, he was concerned about exposing Bridgewater, his first year QB, to the learning curve and pressures of the NFL. “I know this guy’s got a chance to be the guy for a long, long time here, and what I was nervous about at the beginning of the year is I didn’t want to get him beat up,” Zimmer said. “I didn’t want to get him a bunch of bad outings where he didn’t have that confidence and that attitude (to be successful). …”

The Vikings have tried to create an environment where Bridgewater, despite his inexperience, can avoid trauma and progress positively. “I think in the long run his playing and going through all of these experiences, and getting a chance to play against Green Bay and Chicago and Detroit, will be a big factor for us in the future because he’s been through these things now,” Zimmer said. “It’s not new.”

Zimmer has seen Bridgewater learn from being on the field and is “glad” the 2014 first round draft choice is playing so soon. Bridgewater has quarterbacked the team to five wins and six losses. Yesterday he had interceptions on consecutive possessions in the first half and that changed the momentum of a Vikings lead but overall he made plays with his arm and legs. He completed 31 of 41 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. He ran three times for 30 yards. Two of his last three games his passing rating has impressively been over 115.

Bridgewater has helped lead the Vikings, 6-8 overall, to comeback wins in previous weeks but couldn’t yesterday. The game ended with a 16-14 loss to the Lions when Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed what would have been an NFL record field goal of 68 yards. Walsh said this afternoon he “lobbied” for the opportunity to try the kick.

Although it’s not reasonable to expect a record game winner, the last two weeks—by Walsh’s admission—have been “tough.” He missed a potential 56 yard game winner in regulation a week ago Sunday against the Jets before the Vikings scored a touchdown to win in overtime. He was one for three on field goals in that game and yesterday didn’t connect in three tries including a 26-yard attempt that was blocked.

“I don’t feel like I am hitting the ball poorly but the results say otherwise right now,” he said. “So it’s something I gotta get shored up and fixed.”

Trailing 16-14, the Vikings didn’t make enough productive offensive plays on their final drive—and really all game—to defeat the Lions, now 10-4 and tied with the Packers for first place in NFC North. But Zimmer did praise his rebuilt offensive line that is without three starters. “I thought they battled their rear ends off,” Zimmer said. “I think they competed. I thought they fought like crazy to give us the opportunity to get the ball in the right place.”

One replacement is Mike Harris who has taken over at right tackle for Phil Loadholt. Harris said the coaches gave his work yesterday the best evaluation he’s received this season. He thought his run blocking and physical play was evident against the Lions.

“My pass blocking was okay,” Harris said. “It‘s something I continue to work on with timing, with my punch.”

Worth Noting

When the Vikings prepare this week for the Dolphins, Minnesota defensive coordinator George Edwards will have knowledge of Miami’s personnel since he was that team’s linebackers coach last season.

Rookies Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon have received more attention but the Vikings have other first-year players they like, too, including seventh round pick Shamar Stephen. A defensive tackle at 6-5, 310, Stephen was in on 10 tackles in the game against Carolina last month and he has become a starter replacing the injured Shariff Floyd.

Jerry Kill gave an answer that couldn’t resonate better with Gophers football fans when asked by L. Jon Wertheim in the December 1 issue of Sports Illustrated about the program’s long-term goal. “Our long-term goal is to continue to get better. Our mission is to win the Big Ten championship. It’s not easy to do, but that’s what our mission is.

“The next stage is, we haven’t been to the Rose Bowl—I get reminded every day—since (1962). So everybody wants to get that accomplished. The ultimate thing is to win it all. But we’ve got to take steps. We have to improve our operating facilities because in recruiting that’s what kids look at. …”

The Big Ten Conference has 10 teams in bowl games, a total that ties the league’s previous high set in 2011. A difference, though, is three years ago the conference had 12 teams and now has 14.

After bowl matchups were announced, odds-makers had all of the Big Ten teams as underdogs in the 10 games. Dating back to 2000, the conference is 38-62 in bowl games.

Bobby Bell ranks among the greatest Gophers football players ever. He was a two-time All-American tackle and 1962 Outland Trophy award winner. Yesterday he posted the following news on Facebook: “I went back the past seven months to the University of Minnesota after 52 years in order to complete my college degree. It feels so good to be a college graduate. …”

Dave Stead, executive director of the Minnesota State High School League, said he doesn’t have a final figure but he expects ticket sales revenue from the 2014 Prep Bowl to be down about 50 percent. Attendance and ticket revenues will significantly increase when the Prep Bowl leaves outdoor TCF Bank Stadium for the enclosed Vikings stadium in 2016. Stead said although the Prep Bowl normally is a profitable event, he’s not sure if it will be in 2014.

Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins is on the cover of Mpls.St. Paul Magazine’s best of the year issue. The article on Wiggins, who last June was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, discusses the 19-year-old’s life as a professional and living in a new community.

While Wiggins has been a regular starter, rookie guard Zach LaVine, also 19, has started just 11 games. But that is 10 more than at UCLA last season, and before the Timberwolves made him a first round choice.

A local pro hockey source said Thomas Vanek’s slow start scoring goals for the Wild can be explained by off-ice distractions including his transition back to Minnesota where he knows so many people. He predicted Vanek could be productive, though, by playoff time when things have settled down and the 30-year-old forward knows his teammates better. Vanek has only three goals in 28 games but does have 14 assists and is fourth on the team with 17 points.

The same source said the Wild have been looking for goalie help and doesn’t believe the team is committed to starter Darcy Kuemper. The franchise decision makers, though, are “solid” in their commitment to fourth season coach Mike Yeo and the players like him.

It wouldn’t be surprising if former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who has been offered a role with Minnesota, ends up working for the Rangers, Astros or Mets. Gardenhire grew up in Oklahoma and the two Texas teams, the Rangers and Astros, provide proximity to home while the Mets were the team Gardenhire played for in the major leagues.

Former Gustavus Adolphus golf coach Whitey Skoog was recently inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Skoog, who retired in January of 1995 after 22 seasons, coached the Gusties to 17 MIAC titles and 12 NCAA Division III tournaments including second place finishes in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The former Gophers All-American basketball player also coached basketball at Gustavus after his NBA career with the Minneapolis Lakers.

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Teddy B. Aware of Holding Ball too Long

Posted on November 12, 2014November 12, 2014 by David Shama

Unloading a lot of quotes and notes from various sources:

Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater makes his sixth pro start on Sunday in Chicago against the Bears. He wants to improve in not holding the ball too long before passing.

“I have a tendency of wanting to see wide receivers open before I throw the football,” he said. “Sometimes I have to just feel it and trust that a guy is going to be in the right area at the right time.”

According to Monday’s USA Today, the collective record of four NFL starting rookie quarterbacks through last Sunday’s games was 4-19. Bridgewater, 3-2, is the only QB among Blake Bortles, Derek Carr and Zach Mettenberger with a winning record.

All three of Bridgewater’s wins have been in come-from-behind situations. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer praised his quarterback’s makeup. “Composure is big. We’d like for him to be ahead a little bit more but I just think that the game is not too big for him. He sits in there and understands what he has to get done and you know there is a heightened sense of urgency–and not just with Teddy but with everybody.”

The Bears, 3-6, have only played one home game since September 28. They are 0-3 at home this season.

Jerry Trestman and his wife Sharon, who live in the Minneapolis area, don’t plan to attend Sunday’s Bears-Vikings game. Since their son Marc Trestman became Bears coach the couple has seen two games in Chicago, the season openers in 2013 and 2014.

Jerry told Sports Headliners he usually talks to Marc “two or times per week” by telephone. “He usually calls at night after practice,” Jerry said.

Ohio State is ranked No. 8 in the AP poll and the Gophers haven’t faced a top 10 team since they played the Buckeyes in Minneapolis four years ago. The Buckeyes, 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten, scored 49 points on Michigan State’s proud defense last Saturday and in five of their last six games are averaging 52.4 points per game.

Could the Gophers be in awe, or intimidated when the two teams play at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday? Senior defensive tackle and team leader Cameron Botticelli said no.

He told Sports Headliners players and staff put extraordinary effort and time year-round into preparing for games like Saturday’s. “We invest a whole lot of work, so to make that investment and then come into TCF Bank Stadium and be intimidated or in awe of someone, I don’t think that’s within the realm of possibility.

“Definitely we’ll respect our opponent this week because they are a talented football team, but I wouldn’t say shock or awe. More like respect and (facing) another competitor.”

The Buckeyes, who are about a two touchdown favorite against Minnesota, have won a national-best 12 consecutive road games and are undefeated in their last 21 Big Ten regular season games. They also have won seven straight since losing to Virginia Tech at home in a nonconference game on September 6. That was before freshman J.T. Barrett established himself at quarterback and since then the Buckeyes have gone on to become arguably the hottest offensive team in the country.

Gophers junior wide receiver KJ Maye talking about playing the favored Buckeyes and being an underdog: “We play better when we’re like that.”

Ohio State totaled 568 yards against Michigan Sate, nearly 300 more than the Spartans had been giving up per game. Gophers coach Jerry Kill realizes how good Michigan State’s defense is. “I didn’t think they would be able to put that many points on the board (against MSU),” Kill said.

The Gophers gained momentum going into the Ohio State game with a surprising 51-14 win over Iowa last Saturday. A close score was anticipated, but after the one-sided win Kill danced in front of his players in the happy locker room. “Sometimes kids need to see that you’re human,” Kill said. “It’ll probably be the last time—because I figured out I’m stiff, old, and…I’m not a kid anymore.”

Tickets remain, starting at $50, for Saturday’s Ohio State game that will be televised on ABC. The game is the last of the season at home for the Gophers and will be among the most lucrative in gate receipts (prices can vary by game). In the Big Ten Conference the home team retains revenues from ticket sales.

Gophers defensive tackle Steven Richardson is among the Big Ten’s best true freshman linemen. He’s listed at 6-feet and 295 pounds. Some schools stayed away from recruiting Richardson because his height is less than they demand but the young lineman has already shown what he can do as a run stopper and is coming along as a pass rusher. He had a sack against Iowa.

“If you look at the way the kid’s built, he’s a rock and he’s explosive,” said defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys. “I mean he can play anywhere (team) in the country.”

It will be 60 years ago tomorrow that Bob McNamara made his famous 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against border rival Iowa that deserves a place among the most determined efforts in program history. McNamara shook off Iowa tacklers, refusing to go down to the ground in the November 13 game that Minnesota won 22-20. Gophers coach Murray Warmath said in his biography, The Autumn Warrior, that McNamara’s run in Minneapolis was indeed the stuff of legends. “It was the finest example of brilliance and desire I have ever seen,” the coach praised. McNamara died last summer.

In last Saturday’s Tyler Dunne online story for the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, Brett Favre said if he had a son he probably wouldn’t let him play football “because of what I know.” The former Packers, Vikings and Jets quarterback is concerned about his memory in 10 or 20 years.

Favre turned 45 last month and is now eligible to draw his NFL pension.

You may not have read it before but neither the Gophers nor Louisville receive an appearance fee for participation in Friday night’s Armed Forces Classic in Puerto Rico. Expenses for the two schools are paid for by ESPN Regional Television, owner and operator of the basketball game that honors the military. The Classic will be played in front of military personnel with no admission cost and televised nationally by ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Si.com’s college basketball preview of conferences ranks the Gophers ninth in the Big Ten, predicting Minnesota will finish with a 9-9 record (same as Nebraska and Illinois). Projected to have better conference records are Wisconsin,15-3; Ohio State, 12-6; Iowa, 11-7; and 10-8 records for Michigan State, Michigan and Maryland.

Draftexpress.com projects Minnesota natives Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn will be selected No. 14 and 21 respectively in the first round of next year’s NBA Draft. Both are college freshmen, Jones at Duke and Vaughn at UNLV.

Voting opened Monday in the USA Today High School Sports contest to determine the best high school football program in the country. A total of 255 programs are eligible after being determined by a panel. Minnesota programs are Blooming Prairie, Eden Prairie, Hutchinson, Rosemount and Totino-Grace. More at Usatodayhss.com.

J.D. Spielman, son of Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, played every snap offensively and defensively in last Friday night’s Eden Prairie High School football playoff win over East Ridge. Spielman, a junior, has a lacrosse scholarship offer from Ohio State but his father said the understanding is his son can change that verbal commitment to play football at a major college if he chooses.

Camden Mona, Dave and Linda Mona’s grandson, celebrated his seventh birthday yesterday. The sixth annual Camden’s Concert at the Hopkins Center for the Arts will be held July 13 next year featuring The Wright Brothers who were popular at this summer’s event helping to generate over $52,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The record amount increased the five year total from the event to more than $200,000.

Dave Mona said the National Senior Games will bring about 13,000 participants and approximately 25,000 total visitors to Minneapolis-St. Paul for competition in various sports next summer—July 3-16. Mona, the WCCO Radio “Sports Huddle” co-host, is co-chair for the games with Susan Adams Lloyd, the Clear Channel Outdoor executive.

Kevin McHale and Flip Saunders coach against each other tonight when the Rockets and Timberwolves play in Mexico City. The two former Gophers were close friends for many years and it was McHale that hired Saunders to work first in the Wolves front office and later as head coach. However, a distance has lingered between the two since McHale, as Wolves general manager, fired Saunders as coach in 2005. “It’s not that they’re (still) upset at each other, they just don’t get together,” a mutual friend told Sports Headliners.

With Garth Brooks performing at Target Center over a period of two weeks, the Wolves are in the midst of a road trip that has them without a home game from November 2 until November 19. With a long road trip, young team, 2-4 record and point guard Ricky Rubio being sidelined with an ankle sprain until perhaps next year, the Wolves are on the spot to win at least a few games this month.

The NBA has long been a leader in diversity and this season is using two female referees, Lauren Holtkamp and Violet Palmer. Dee Kantner, who once worked NBA games, is now the WNBA supervisor of officials.

The Wild will host Military Appreciation Night–presented by Thomson Reuters and benefitting Defending the Blue Line–tomorrow night when Minnesota plays the Sabres at Xcel Energy Center. More than 1,000 active or retired military members are expected to be in attendance. The Wild, along with Thomson Reuters, offered military members a lower level ticket, hot dog, chips and soda for $50.

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