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Spielman Playmakers Explode for Vikings

Posted on September 29, 2014September 29, 2014 by David Shama

Weekend analysis and notes on the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins.

Rick Spielman was under plenty of scrutiny last winter but yesterday at TCF Bank Stadium the Vikings general manager looked like a football savant. Spielman draft choices, including rookies Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon, led a parade of explosive plays as the Vikings out-scored the Falcons 41-28 to even their record at 2-2.

Spielman was on the spot going into the NFL Draft last spring after quarterback Christian Ponder, his first round pick in the 2011 draft, faltered in 2013 after helping the Vikings to the playoffs the previous season. Spielman chose Bridgewater late in the first round this year, even though most other teams passed on the Louisville quarterback who yesterday in his first pro start passed for 317 yards and led the Vikings offense to its best day of the season. And it was also last spring that Spielman chose an obscure running back from Georgia Southern named McKinnon in the third round. He came off the bench against the Falcons to run for 135 yards.

Receiver Jarius Wright almost matched McKinnon’s 135 yards, coming up with a career high 132 yards on eight catches. Spielman chose Wright on the fourth round of the 2012 draft and his speed blends perfectly with a giddy-up gang of young offensive talent.

That group of playmakers includes Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the NFL’s most explosive talents for catching passes and returning kickoffs. Yesterday Patterson, who probably drew extra preventive attention from the Falcons’ defense, caught two passes for 38 yards and averaged 43 yards on two kickoff returns. Patterson is one of three No. 1 draft choices Spielman maneuvered to obtain in 2013.

The Vikings showed off a think fast, move faster attack yesterday. Bridgewater processed his decisions like a veteran—sometimes tip-toed and sometimes ran away from pressure—and consistently released the football quickly and with accuracy. Several times he took off and ran with impressive foot speed, complementing the track-like acceleration and high speed motoring to McKinnon, Wright and Patterson.

Another leg came in handy yesterday, too—the right leg of third-year placekicker Blair Walsh. Yup, another Spielman find. Walsh was taken in the sixth round of the 2012 draft and replaced veteran Ryan Longwell whose leg strength was no match for Walsh. In the win over the Falcons, Walsh made four of five field goals including one from 55 yards.

The Vikings offensive line was outstanding, making it possible for the flashy playmakers to score points. And while the defense had its struggles, it was resilient enough to shut out the Falcons in the fourth quarter after Atlanta had started the period with a 28-27 lead. The Vikings made a habit of blowing games in the fourth quarter last year but that looks like a problem solved. “We hung in there and we fought,” head coach Mike Zimmer told KFAN Radio after the game.

For now why scrutinize the meltdowns of last year or Spielman’s hot seat last winter? Not after yesterday when the Vikings young offensive talent had too much juice for the Falcons.

The Timberwolves open training camp this week and players will hear owner Glen Taylor refer to Adrian Peterson. The Vikings running back allegedly abused his four-year-old son and is facing criminal charges. During the first week of training camp Taylor always talks to players about the importance of their personal conduct.

In the past Taylor’s topics included spousal abuse but not child abuse. “We hadn’t even thought of that,” he told Sports Headliners.

The NFL has provided newsmaking examples about assaults, shootings, drinking and drugs. Hornets NBA forward Jeffery Taylor, who is being kept away from his team as he awaits an October 8 court date on domestic assault charges, is a reminder that pro basketball isn’t immune from issues.

Taylor will cover various subjects in his talk including how important it is for players to be involved with the community, and also respectful toward fans. He mentioned a potential situation where a player could find himself with a fan that has had too much alcohol. “You just have to learn to walk away,” Taylor said.

Twice in the past Taylor was interested in buying the Vikings. The last time was before the Wilf family acquired the club from Red McCombs in 2005. The NFL told Taylor what it believed the franchise was worth but the Wilfs and their group of investors were willing to pay more. “I think I bid like $525 (million) and I think theirs was closer to $600 (million), and I didn’t counter,” Taylor said.

Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins is popular in Lawrence, Kansas and the Kansas City area because of his freshman phenom season for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2013-2014. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Wolves hosted an exhibition game in Kansas City in the coming years. The Missouri city was once home to the NBA’s Kings and has interest in acquiring a team again.

The Gophers’ win over Michigan Saturday was the 25th for Minnesota in the rivalry that started in 1892. The Gophers have now won more times in Ann Arbor, 13, than in Minneapolis, 12. Michigan leads the all-time series, 73-25-3.

Minnesota, 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten, will probably be favored by odds-makers to win each of its next three games—at home against Northwestern and Purdue, and then at Illinois. The Gophers could be undefeated in the Big Ten going into the Iowa game in Minneapolis on November 8. Iowa is a favorite to win the Big Ten West Division but the Gophers prompted some notice as a factor in the division race by defeating Michigan.

The Purdue game on October 18 will be part of the 100th Homecoming celebration at the University of Minnesota.

The public season tickets renewal percentage for Gophers men’s basketball for the 2014-2015 season is more than 95 percent. If Minnesota impresses during the nonconference schedule it wouldn’t be surprising to see nearly all of the Big Ten games at Williams Arena sell out.

Condolences to the family of former Gopher Jed Dommeyer who passed away earlier this month. Dommeyer led the Gophers in scoring during the 1955-1956 season averaging 19 points per game.

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer finished the 2014 season with four home runs in 455 at bats. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner had four homers in 66 at bats. Jim Kaat, perhaps the best hitting Twins pitcher in club history, hit three home runs in 83 at bats in 1964, according to Baseball-reference.com.

Former Twins players who had productive seasons included first baseman Justin Morneau who won the National League batting title with a .319 average playing his first season with the Rockies. Ex-Twin Michael Cuddyer, now a Rockies teammate, won the NL title last year. Former Twins center fielders Ben Revere and Denard Span finished fifth and sixth in the National League batting race with averages of .306 and .302. The two tied for the league lead in hits with 184 each. Revere was third in stolen bases with 49, and Carlos Gomez, another ex-Twins center fielder, had 34 to finish fourth. Span, with 31, was fifth.

No one close to the Twins will be surprised if a decision comes this week on manager Ron Gardenhire’s future. He has a record of 199 wins and 291 losses the last four seasons, losing more than 90 games per year. Gardenhire has one season remaining on his contract.

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Wolves May Intro New Players at Fair

Posted on August 22, 2014August 22, 2014 by David Shama

It sounds like the Timberwolves will introduce some new players at the State Fair next Tuesday. Owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners during a telephone interview he’s been asked by his NBA club to keep the day open and appear at the Wolves’ State Fair location.

“I don’t have (details) exactly what is going to happen, but I have held Tuesday open…(in) anticipation of going up to the State Fair and being involved in some kind of an announcement we would hold over there,” he said yesterday from Mankato.

Media reports have speculated the Wolves will trade All-Star power forward Kevin Love to the Cavs tomorrow, or soon thereafter. The Cavs’ Andrew Wiggins, the overall No. 1 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, will be eligible under NBA rules to be traded tomorrow—30 days after he signed his rookie contract.

Wiggins, a small forward, is regarded as an extraordinary athlete who must prove his basketball skills. The Wolves may also receive Cavs’ power forward Anthony Bennett and a future No. 1 draft choice, according to media reports circulating for weeks.

Taylor said his club hopes to “be in position to get things done” on Saturday. “That would be my preference, that we just get it done as soon as possible,” he said. “We’re going to look at possibly doing a three-team trade.”

Taylor said basketball president of operations and coach Flip Saunders has talked to the Cavs and also to the 76ers. The 76ers have a veteran power forward in Thaddeus Young who might be coming to the Wolves. “I did not know Thaddeus Young myself,” Taylor said. “I just only watched him on TV, so I called some players and talked to them about him, and I’ve only gotten really kind of…glowing reports back as to the type of person (he is)—a hard worker. I look forward to meeting him and getting to know him too.”

It seems likely the Wolves will deal away more players besides Love but Taylor didn’t offer names. The remaining roster after the trade or trades will include a core of promising players who have yet to reach their 23rd birthdays. Taylor said he and Saunders are excited about the potential and he didn’t sound discouraged about reorganizing his team yet again—a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2004.

“Probably, if you really kind of look at our starters, we could sort of almost start the same team as we did last year with Thaddeus Young replacing—if that trade goes through—Kevin,” said Taylor who has owned the team since 1995. “But then what is so interesting would be the second five guys that you would have on your team who all probably have the potential of being starters at some time.”

Taylor is talking about a second unit with Gorgui Dieng, 24, at center, with forwards Bennett and Wiggins, who are 21 and 19, and guards Shabazz Muhammad and Zach LaVine, 21 and 19. “You have five kids who were drafted really high with high potential all coming off the bench…with the potential of working into starting lineups,” Taylor said.

Those athletic players would complement point guard Ricky Rubio, the team’s passing whiz who turns 23 in October. Taylor offered Rubio a four-year contract extension earlier this summer but nothing is happening now in negotiations.

The Wolves signed Love to a four-year extension in 2012 instead of a five year deal—a decision that has played a role in the anticipated departure of the 25-year-old who is one of the best players in the world. Taylor said “I am not going to say to you I absolutely won’t change” regarding eventually offering Rubio a five-year contract.

Worth Noting

After visiting all 14 Big Ten Conference football camps, Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said on Wednesday night the Gophers, Illinois and Rutgers are the league’s most improved teams. The Gophers are receiving praise from BTN commentators for building quality offensive and defensive lines.

Cordarrelle Patterson, who tied an NFL kickoff return record with a 109-yard touchdown last year, might return a kick tomorrow night for the Vikings in their preseason game with the Chiefs in Kansas City. Special teams coach Mike Priefer said he hopes so but the decision whether to use Patterson in that role is up to head coach Mike Zimmer.

What makes Patterson so effective? “Size, speed, strength,” Priefer said. “He’s got great quickness and, like a lot of the great returners in this league, he’s got great vision. I’ve coached some guys that have the size and speed before, and didn’t have good vision. They just kind of ran into blocks and stuff, but he has an innate ability to see things right before they happen and he’s very good at that.”

Defensive tackle Shariff Floyd could become a starter for the Vikings in his second season. Going into tomorrow night’s third preseason, game defensive coordinator George Edwards will continue to evaluate Floyd.

“We were really pleased last week, he got some pressure up inside,” Edwards said. “Did a good job of pushing the pocket, those kinds of things. He’s been pretty consistent in his run stuff, but last week was the first time he really got good as far as pushing the pocket inside as far as the pass rush.”

Phil Hughes, the winning pitcher for the Twins in their game against the Indians yesterday at Target Field, has won four consecutive games and is now 14-8. In those four games he is 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA.

Rookie DH and first baseman Kennys Vargas hit his fourth home run yesterday. He has only played in 19 games for the Twins but has 17 RBI.

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Smith Shadow Still Relevant to Wolves

Posted on August 11, 2014August 11, 2014 by David Shama

Remember forward Joe Smith? You can be sure the Timberwolves do, and his shadow could be hanging over the rumored trade with Cleveland—for both the Cavs and Minnesota.

The Timberwolves were punished years ago by the NBA for signing Smith to a contract in violation of the league’s salary cap. Glen Taylor was the Timberwolves owner and had to live through a difficult period when his franchise wasn’t allowed annual first round draft choices because of a league reprimand.

Today Taylor still owns the Timberwolves and media reports indicate his club has agreed to trade All-Star forward Kevin Love to Cleveland on or shortly after August 23. Andrew Wiggins, the overall No. 1 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, will be eligible to be traded by the Cavs on that date—30 days after he signed his rookie contract. The Wolves will also reportedly receive another Cavs forward, Anthony Bennett, and a future No. 1 draft choice.

Basketball fans are convinced this trade will happen. But the deal would later be vetoed by the NBA if there were any violation of league trade rules prior to August 23—involving teams or players including Love. In addition to the Smith fiasco, the league has some history of taking assertive action with trades.

It doesn’t take any assumption to believe Taylor and the Wolves don’t want a problem. During an interview with Sports Headliners last week Taylor insisted no trade involving Love has been agreed to and multiple trade partners are in the mix.

Taylor described August 23 as a “trigger point day” with the Cavs or another club. “I think it (the trade) could come together in one or two days,” Taylor said. “We could give ourselves until October 1 (early days of training camp) but I don’t really see it falling that way.”

Taylor said Cleveland, Chicago, Golden State and Philadelphia have been involved with trade talks. Love has made it known he wants to be traded rather than re-sign with the Wolves when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Taylor gave the impression that on August 23 or 24 the Wolves might allow teams one final and best offer for the coveted 25-year-old power forward. A Love trade could also involve a third team—one that would send a power forward to the Wolves.

Worth Noting

The Wolves are on the spot to sign point guard Ricky Rubio—their No. 2 box office attraction after Love—to a contract extension. Rubio isn’t half the player Love is but he has plenty of upside and few NBA players have his flair in the open court.

With former Washburn four-star running back Jeff Jones now admitted to Minnesota it is certain he will not attend Iowa Western Community College even if the NCAA doesn’t grant him eligibility to play for the Gophers this year. Jones and the Gophers are awaiting word on an appeal made to the NCAA about whether Jones can be academically eligible in 2014. Even if Jones isn’t eligible this year he can work on his grades as a freshman at the University and become eligible for 2015, whereas if he attends Iowa Western he will need to earn a two-year degree before gaining eligibility to play for a FBS school.

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher arranged a lunch last week that included ex-Gophers Randy Breuer, Flip Saunders and Jim Petersen. Also attending was Dutcher’s son, Brian Dutcher, a University of Minnesota alum and now associate head coach at San Diego State.

Jim Dutcher coached 11 seasons at Minnesota and was also head coach for six years at Eastern Michigan. In each of those 17 seasons he always had a center that went on to play in the NBA including Breuer and Petersen.

A look at Sports Illustrated’s fantasy rankings of NFL players from the magazine’s August 4 issue could put a scare in Vikings fans. The Vikings gave up 480 points last season, the most in the NFL, and improvement will be needed to slow down all the offensive weapons in the NFC North.

In the fantasy rankings of quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers from the Packers is ranked No. 1 while the Lions’ Matthew Stafford is No. 4 and the Bears’ Jay Cutler is No. 11. Vikings’ rookie Teddy Bridgewater is ranked No. 28 among 32 quarterbacks listed.

Calvin Johnson of the Lions is No. 1 among wide receivers with the Bears’ Brandon Marshall No. 2. The Packers’ Jordy Nelson is No. 6 and fellow wideout Randall Cobb No. 10. The top Viking is Cordarrelle Patterson at No. 25. Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph is the highest ranked NFC North tight end at No. 10.

Four players from the division are in the top 15 among running backs with Matt Forte from the Bears No. 2, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson No. 3, the Packers’ Eddie Lacy No. 5 and Reggie Bush of the Lions No. 15.

Anthony Barr, the former UCLA linebacker who was the Vikings’ top first round pick with the No. 9 selection this spring, was rated the best athlete in the country coming out of high school in Los Angeles by prep recruiting authority Tom Lemming. Barr started in the 10-6 win over the Raiders in the Vikings’ first preseason game last Friday night.

Adam Thielen, who signed with the Vikings as a free agent last year and played on the practice squad, made an impression Friday as a receiver, punt returner and special teams tackler. The former Minnesota State player attended Detroit Lakes High School where he not only played football but was on the Lakers’ state championship golf team as a senior.

Trevor May’s name is on the Twins’ blueprint for a winning future so the right-hander’s pitching debut Saturday against the Athletics was disappointing. He lasted only two innings and walked seven batters in an apparently nervous debut. At Triple-A Rochester the 25-year-old made 17 starts for the Red Wings, going 8-6 with a 2.93 ERA (95.1 innings pitched, 31 earned runs) and 91 strikeouts and only 37 walks.

Minneapolis area resident and former pro tennis star David Wheaton has a book coming out called, My Boy, Ben. It’s the story of Wheaton’s close companionship with a yellow lab by that name.

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