Twins – Page 188 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

U Scheduling Keeps Evolving

Posted on October 17, 2012October 17, 2012 by David Shama

Norwood Teague knows the decision to pursue opponents from non-major conferences for future Gophers football schedules is drawing negative feedback but Minnesota’s athletic director tried to explain the decision yesterday.

The Gophers announced this week they are cancelling future games against North Carolina. Now the Gophers don’t have any opponents from the ACC, Big East, Big 12, SEC or Pac-12 on their nonconference schedules for 2013-2016. Many fans and media see the schedules as unattractive, and lessening the value of tickets while setting the on-field competitive bar too low for the Gophers.

Media questioned the wisdom of a soft schedule at Teague’s news conference yesterday. In addition to perception, getting out of the North Carolina games will reportedly cost the Gophers $800,000, although that cost will presumably be at least partially offset by an additional home game. “We feel strongly that in order to build a program in the Big Ten at this level that your kids (players) gotta have confidence, and you don’t want to take on a BCS opponent in your first two to three years out of conference,” Teague said. “We decided to move on (from North Carolina).

“I appreciate the facts and I appreciate the feedback (from fans). I’ve gotten some pretty hotly contested emails and some phone calls, and I understand that.

“We haven’t exactly won at the highest levels of football in the last 45 years. We’re gonna have to make tough decisions. That’s the way it works.”

Gophers coach Jerry Kill, now in his second season at Minnesota and trying to revive a program that hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 1967, believes in a nonconference schedule built around winnable games. Teague arrived last summer as the Gophers athletic director and Kill’s been lobbying his philosophy for awhile now. The result is the Gophers will be playing home games in the coming years against teams like Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, Indiana State, Kent State and South Dakota State.

Kill’s scheduling philosophy is the same as Bill Snyder, the Kansas State coach who years ago inherited perhaps the worst major college football program in the country and made it a national power. For many seasons Snyder scheduled some of the softest “cupcakes” in America, using the approach as part of his formula to build a program.

The “cupcake” philosophy says your program cannot only pile up wins and team confidence, but probably will minimize injuries and provide more playing time to second and third stringers. Valuable starters log fewer minutes and don’t have so many nasty collisions playing against inferior athletes, and replacements build up experience while adding to team depth.

The ultimate goal is to turn the Gophers into one of the more successful programs in the Big Ten. But Gophers followers know Glen Mason had the same scheduling approach as Kill and Snyder. However, things didn’t work out for Mason who was fired in January of 2007. He had a nonconference record of 29-5 and coached Minnesota to eight bowl games, but his Big Ten record was 32-48. During the Mason era from 1997-2006, the Gophers finished fourth three times but otherwise never placed among the top five teams in the conference.

Mason’s successor, Tim Brewster, had a different approach. He talked about playing a couple of major conference teams during the nonconference schedule each year, including one big name school like Texas. Brewster didn’t win enough to stick around but said his approach would help recruiting and sell lots of tickets.

Teague is a smart administrator and he will watch how scheduling develops in all the high profile sports at Minnesota. After the news conference he told Sports Headliners he wants to be supportive of his coaches but there are limits.

“I will manage it (scheduling) when I think we’re out of bounds on going too far one way or the other,” Teague said. “It’s a tough thing for an AD to manage but I will do the best I can.”

Teague is open to considering more challenging nonconference football opponents further into the future. “We’ll keep working at it,” he said. “I‘ve only been here for three months.”

Worth Noting

Kill said yesterday injured quarterback MarQueis Gray’s availability for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin is in doubt. He also said it’s a “question” whether several others will play including receivers Isaac Fruechete, Marcus Jones and Devin Crawford–Tufts, and also offensive tackle Ed Olson and defensive tackle Roland Johnson. Offensive lineman Foster Bush is “out” for the game while Kill hopes safety Derrick Wells can play.

Kill, who had a seizure reoccurrence on Saturday, looked fit yesterday but he won’t be able to drive a car for awhile because of state motor vehicle law. Dan O’Brien, director of football operations, does much of Kill’s driving anyway.

Perhaps the two most famous living Minnesotans who have experienced seizures are Kill and music superstar Prince.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see new Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague soon add a high profile woman to the re-organized athletic department.

The Wild are sending another communication to season ticket holders this week to RSVP for free admission to the November 18 American Hockey League game at Xcel Energy Center between Houston and Rockford. Houston’s roster includes highly anticipated center prospect Mikael Granlund and Minnesotans Jarod Palmer and Chad Rau. Former Gopher Nick Leddy plays for Rockford and has two assists in two regular season games.

Look for the Gophers to provide playing time to junior Michael Shibrowski and freshman Adam Wilcox early in the season, according to comments made by coach Don Lucia on WCCO radio’s “Sports Huddle” on Sunday. The two goalies each started a game last week when Minnesota earned two wins over Michigan State. The Gophers have their first road series this week, playing at Michigan Tech Friday and Saturday.

Mark this date down for perhaps the best prep boys’ basketball game in December: Tuesday, December 18, Hopkins at Apple Valley.

Pitcher Aroldis Chapman and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes have made headlines for the Reds and Athletics after defecting from Cuba but no one should expect the flood gates to open for baseball Cubans to emigrate to the United States. Cuban born former Twins outfielder Tony Oliva said it’s not easy to leave Cuba but he recalled that “back in the 1950s and 60s Cuba was the No. 1 (foreign) place” where major league baseball players came from.

Oliva, who tries to visit Cuba annually and see relatives, predicted one day the extensive baseball talent in the country could make Cuba a top three provider of talent amomg Latin American nations along with the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

Oliva played in the minors with Jim Rantz, a former Twins pitcher and longtime farm system executive who announced his retirement on Monday. “He’s so nice it’s unbelievable,” Oliva said. “He’s the same way today he was 50 years ago. Sometimes things change, but he’s the same.”

Former Timberwolves center Darko Milicic is on the Celtics pre-season roster. His uniform number is No. 99. Not a common number but the same as worn by NBA Hall of Famer and former Minneapolis Lakers center George Mikan.

Wolves coach Rick Adelman purchased 500 upper level tickets to give away to fans for tonight’s WNBA Finals game at Target Center between the Lynx and Fever.

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Spielman Earns Praise for Drafts

Posted on October 15, 2012October 15, 2012 by David Shama

With yesterday’s loss to the Redskins, the Vikings, 4-2, are still off to the club’s second best start since 2006. That team also started the season 4-2 while the 2009 Vikings won their first six games.

Losing 38-26 yesterday to the Redskins and freakishly talented quarterback Robert Griffin III is nothing to sob about. Griffin probably would have challenged most any NFL defense on Sunday. Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder had his plus moments but a fumble and interception led to two Redskins’ scores.

The Vikings have won more games already than all of last season (3-13) and almost anyone who says the team’s impressive 2012 performance was expected isn’t telling the truth. The fast start has come despite shakeups in the roster and lineup.

Since the 2009 season the Vikings have replaced eight offensive starters and seven regulars on defense. General manager Rick Spielman has done an impressive job of rebuilding the team, mostly via the NFL college drafts.

The Vikings have 11 starters from the 2009-2012 drafts. Included in that total are four regulars from the 2011 draft — Ponder, tight end Kyle Rudolph, guard Brandon Fusco and safety Mistral Raymond. The 2009 draft also contributed three starters, including the team’s MVP so far this season in wide receiver Percy Harvin, plus tackle Phil Loadholt and linebacker Erin Henderson.

Even the 2012 draft has three frontline contributors as rookies, tackle Matt Kalil, safety Harrison Smith and placekicker Blair Walsh. Cornerback Chris Cook is the only starter from the 2010 draft, although that draft has important contributors off the bench in running back Toby Gerhart and defensive end Everson Griffen. Other reserve contributors include safety Jamarca Sanford (2009 draft), No. 2 quarterback Joe Webb (2010) and rookie cornerback Josh Robinson.

Longtime pro football authority Paul Wiggin praised Spielman’s work. “I think Rick Spielman is doing a dramatic job, an incredible job,” said Wiggin, former Chiefs head coach and now a Vikings personnel consultant. “I think he will go down in history as a top-notch general manager. I think he leaves no stone unturned.”

Spielman and his staff have tried to acquire players with not only talent but character. Egos seem to be in control and the team plays for one another.

“It’s definitely a group of team first guys, and that’s a testament to our scouting team, and Rick Spielman and the entire organization making sure they bring in the right types of people,” said Vikings center John Sullivan.

Worth Noting

Jim Rantz, the Twins 75-year-old senior director of minor league operations, announced this morning he will retire at year’s end. Rantz has been with the organization since its inception, first as a player and later as an executive. He’s a member of the Twins Hall of Fame.

Vikings punt returner Marcus Sherels lives in the basement of his brother Mike’s Twin Cities home. Mike, the former Gophers linebacker, is a graduate assistant for the Gophers and pursuing a coaching career. “Talking football with him day in and day out,” Marcus said. “He’s been a good big brother.”

Joe Webb, the Vikings No. 2 quarterback, has extra incentive in looking forward to next month’s team bye in the schedule. It will be the first time during his pro career when his birthday comes up during the bye week. Webb turns 26 on Wednesday, November 14 and the Vikings don’t practice that week. “Now I finally get to celebrate (the birthday),” he said.

Webb talking about playing behind Christian Ponder: “I am all for Christian. He’s a great guy to work with.”

Blair Walsh, the Vikings rookie placekicker, said no fake field goal plays have been put in the playbook calling for him to throw the football. He said people “have made fun” of his throwing motion.

The Wisconsin football team the Gophers play in Madison is now 5-2 after consecutive wins the last two Saturdays by scores of 31-14 over Illinois and 38-14 against Purdue. The Badgers were much criticized early in the season when they were 3-2 but the two losses were by a combined six points. Minnesota (4-2) hasn’t won in Madison since 1994 and the Badgers have won eight consecutive games in the series.

Although the Gophers are redshirting most of their 2012 recruiting class, the coaches took the redshirt off two players last Saturday in their loss to Northwestern, running back Rodrick Williams and tight end Lincoln Plsek.

The October 15 issue of Sports Illustrated reports that Big Ten football teams are 5-9 in nonconference games against BCS teams and “the league has slipped in recent years” because of population decline in the Rust Belt and Midwest.

College football lost one of its most colorful characters and dedicated fans when ESPN commentator Beano Cook, 81, died last week.

Luke Winn, writing last week for sportsillustrated.com, lists the Gophers No. 26 in his national rankings of college basketball teams. Big Ten teams ahead of the Gophers are No. 1 Indiana, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 9 Michigan, No. 11 Michigan State and No. 16 Wisconsin.

Gophers coach Tubby Smith will take point guard Andre Hollins and forward Rodney Williams to the Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on October 25. Obviously left at home is senior forward Trevor Mbakwe who although he is one of the nation’s top power forwards has experienced a series of off-court incidents including a recent conviction for a DWI.

The Gophers and Ball State were showing interest last week in Osseo High School 6-9 junior Ian Theisen, according to an email from prep basketball authority Ken Lien. He also wrote that former Hopkins High School guard Siyani Chambers is likely to start as a freshman for Harvard.

Ex-Timberwolves player and front office executive Fred Hoiberg, now head coach at Iowa State, turns 40 today.

Gregg Wong, former Pioneer Press sportswriter, emailed that Rochester native Eric Butorac and Philipp Petzschner defeated the world’s No. 1 tennis doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan 6-4, 3-6 (10-6) in the second round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters tournament last week. The victory was the first ever for Butorac, one of the best doubles players in the world, over the Bryans. On November 17 Butorac will see the Bryans again when he teams with his 2011 partner Jules Rojer in the Minnesota Tennis Challenge at Lifetime Athletic Club in Eden Prairie. More at www.ebmntc.com.

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Expect MarQueis Gray to Play Saturday

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

Unless MarQueis Gray has a setback in recovering from his ankle sprain and knee injury, the opinion here is the senior quarterback will see game action on Saturday when the Gophers play Northwestern at TCF Bank Stadium.

Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said yesterday he is “cautiously optimistic” Gray will “possibly” be available for spot duty. Kill didn’t elaborate as to when and how much Gray might play. “He’s still running a little bit with a limp,” said Kill.

The coach reported Gray didn’t practice last week but did on Sunday. If Gray is to participate on Saturday, he will need to practice the balance of this week.

He hasn’t played since being injured on September 15 against Western Michigan. The Gophers are 1-1 without him as the starting quarterback. He is one of college football’s better running quarterbacks and Kill’s guarded optimism about Gray playing on Saturday sends a message to Northwestern coaches they need to prepare for two types of Minnesota quarterbacks. Max Shortell is a lumbering runner, inferior to Gray, but a superior passer.

Gray averages 5.2 yards per rush. Shortell averages 2.3. Gray has thrown five touchdown passes and is averaging 132.7 passing yards per game. Shortell’s numbers are six TD passes and 172 yards per game.

How effective will Gray perform Saturday? Physical stamina and also timing on passes will be two major concerns after missing the Syracuse game September 22 and Iowa game September 29, and not practicing during Minnesota’s bye week last week.

The Gophers’ offense is neither as versatile nor effective without Gray. Minnesota has produced just four touchdowns in its last two games.

Gray is one of the Big Ten’s better athletes. He probably will make an NFL team one day as a receiver. Unfortunately for the Gophers he’s been sidelined more so far this season than any starting quarterback in the Big Ten.

Look for his comeback to begin on Saturday, limited as it may be.

Packers Falter, Harvin & Greenway Vikings’ MVPs

No one foresaw a 2-3 start for the Packers, a team considered a Super Bowl favorite back in August. Fans at Mall of America gave their enthusiastic approval on Sunday when the score was announced the unappreciated Colts beat the Packers 30-27 in Indianapolis.

What’s wrong in Packerland? Dean Dalton, the former Vikings assistant coach who hosts a weekly NFL show on Sirius Satellite Radio, said “there’s a lot of little things wrong” but nothing “glaring.”

For starters, the Packers may well be a distracted, unfocused team. The success of past seasons resulted in a lot of adulation and commercial opportunities for players.

“Every single one of the frontline Packers have some sort of endorsement in Wisconsin,” Dalton said. “Many of the star Packers has national endorsements. They (the endorsements) become a distraction.”

Dalton said the Green Bay offensive line has been inconsistent. Problematic, too, is that in the mission to upgrade the running game and balance the offense, the Packers seem to have moved away from a passing attack that’s been the envy of the NFL. “They haven’t been sticking to the formula” and the Packers lack the explosiveness of past years, Dalton said.

On defense, Dalton sees an improved unit. But consistency is lacking and that was evident when the Packers couldn’t hold a 21-3 halftime lead against the Colts. That speaks of missing a killer instinct, perhaps by both the Green Bay offense and defense.

The 4-1 Vikings have received contributions from many players but few observers will argue that the early season offensive and defensive Most Valuable Players are wide receiver-running back-kickoff returner Percy Harvin and linebacker Chad Greenway.

Harvin has scored touchdowns rushing, receiving, and on a 105-yard kickoff return. The fourth-year speedster, juker and tackle breaker has produced so many raves locally and across the country that Harvin is an early season candidate for league MVP, always a formidable challenge for a non-quarterback.

“I think he’s as complete a player as there is in the NFL,”Dalton said “He means so much to this team.”

Dalton admires Harvin not only for his physical skills, but also for his “excellent” football intelligence. Greenway talked about another aspect of Harvin’s value to the Vikings.

“The way he’s stepped into a leadership role I think is something that has gone unnoticed. He’s quiet but he leads by doing things the right way every day, and the young guys are here to watch that.”

Greenway, now in his seventh season with the Vikings, is probably playing the best football of his career. “He’s truly a complete every down linebacker playing at a Pro Bowl level,” Dalton said.

Greenway revealed early this year his dad has cancer. The crisis impacted Greenway’s perspective on football and has helped him play at a high level.

“(I am) keeping the game simple,” he said. “What I went through this offseason with my dad, I am just going to have fun and play. You never know when things can change.”

Worth Noting

The Gophers have had various lineup changes on offense through five games but only one on defense. Linebacker Lamonte Edwards replaced Aaron Hill for one game.

The athletic department is promoting a special ticket offer for the Northwestern game on Saturday. Tickets for $20 each are available for purchase including via www.mygophersports.com. Saturday’s game is Homecoming at Minnesota.

Dan O’Brien, former football coach and athletic director at Concordia, St. Paul, was inducted into that school’s Athletic Hall of Fame last Friday night. Even though it was a rare bye week for the Gophers, coach Jerry Kill and wife Rebecca took the time to attend the hall of fame event where O’Brien, the Gophers director of football operations, was honored.

It’s been a difficult fall for former Michigan State head football coach John L. Smith, now interim head coach at Arkansas. Considered a preseason possibility for the national title, the Razorbacks are 2-4. Maybe worse, Smith referred to Arkansas as “Alabama” when speaking before a Razorbacks’ booster group last month. See YouTube coverage.

Joe Mauer had back pain during the last few games of the season, according to Jake Mauer, his grandfather. Because of the problem Mauer chose to be a designated hitter and wanted to be in the lineup competing for the American League batting title rather than sitting on the bench.

Mauer finished fourth in the AL batting race, hitting .319. He hit .222 in his last 10 games and had just one hit in the final 10 at bats. Jake said his grandson had trouble hitting the “low ball.”

The back isn’t expected to be a long term problem and Mauer was entertaining at a stag party last weekend near Braham. Jake said about two dozen guests enjoyed archery, trapshooting, bowling and other activities.

Among the guests was Twins pitcher Glen Perkins. Both Perkins and Mauer are supporters of pitching coach Rick Anderson who survived the organization’s dismissal last week of various coaches. “He (Joe) likes Rick and Perkins does, too. They’re glad he stayed,” Jake said.

Joe and fiancée Maddie Bisanz will be married on December 1 in St. Paul. Jake said wedding invitations have yet to be mailed.

“Sports Standouts,” a new 30 minute show, will debut on KSTC next Saturday at 1 p.m. The show offers inspiring stories about regional athletes and coaches. The program co-hosts are former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton and TV personality Libby Floyd.

Mario Lucia, a 2011 Wild draft choice and son of Gophers coach Don Lucia, is a freshman at Notre Dame but not playing because of a broken leg.

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