Twins – Page 27 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Past Offered Clues about Now Failed Vikes-Cousins Deal

Posted on March 11, 2024March 11, 2024 by David Shama

The past provides insights into the likelihood of something happening in the future. Hello, free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Vikings.

News broke this afternoon Cousins is headed to the Falcons on a four-year deal. He and his representation have long been patient, savvy negotiators insistent on mega guaranteed multiyear deals including a no-trade provision. They struck the jackpot in Atlanta.

The new contract is for $100 million in guaranteed money, per a story from Nick Shook of NFL.com. The total deal is worth $180 million for the 35-year-old.

Cousins and the Vikings were on record about mutual affection and respect for one another, but the last 10 months have hinted at limits with the partnership. It was reported last May that despite Cousins having only the 2023 season remaining on his contract, an extension wasn’t imminent, and nothing ever was finalized.

It’s believed the Vikings were willing to offer guaranteed money for one or two more seasons. Perhaps at $50 million per season. Cousins had talked about finishing his career as a Viking and presumably wanted ownership and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to show maximum commitment, perhaps at least three guaranteed years and maybe consideration to play beyond then.

“After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings,” Mensah said in a prepared statement this afternoon. “Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife, Julie, and their children all the best.

“Our approach heading into free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship.”

Cousins got a dream deal from a team needing a quarterback to complement a roster that otherwise looks promising. His wife Julie is a Georgia native and from the Atlanta area but that most certainly didn’t have much to do with Cousins moving on. It’s a nice perk to play where the family has roots but that doesn’t drive deals of this magnitude. This is all about the bucks and security.

The Falcons are taking a major gamble with their commitment to an aging quarterback. Cousins, generally regarded as a top 12 NFL QB in recent years, had a remarkable stretch of playing without serious injury until he tore his right Achilles on October 29 last year and missed the last nine games of a season that resulted in the Vikings failing to make the playoffs.

There’s not much doubt Cousins will recover from his Achilles injury and be able to play next season. However, think about his age and the pounding he has taken in 12 NFL seasons with first the Commanders and now the Vikings. It’s clear an aging Cousins is more susceptible to injuries and being sidelined as the clock ticks toward his 40^th birthday.

Cousins takes a risk too leaving the comfort zone he had with head coach Kevin O’Connell. They spent two seasons together in the coach’s quarterback friendly environment and bonded.

Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings seem calculated and even cautious in contract negotiations. Processes have been drawn out with not only Cousins but with superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and sack master Danielle Hunter. Of the three, only Jefferson is a near lock to be with the club in 2024.

Worth Noting

Three of four players with Vikings ties top The Athletic’s list of the NFL’s best free agents. Hunter is No. 1, Cousins No. 3 and former Vikings edge rusher Za’Darius Smith No. 4. Giants running back Saquon Barkley is No. 2.

Media mogul Sid Hartman, who passed away in October of 2020, would be 104 this Friday, March 15. Dave Mona, the longtime co-host of the WCCO Radio Sports Huddle program, reminded Sports Headliners the final show was on Hartman’s 100th birthday, March 15, 2020.

Hartman had an intense work ethic all his life and even in his final years was feisty, competitive and active on the local sports beat. His professional life as a Star Tribune columnist and radio personality dominated his days until the pandemic shut down the state and changed his life.

“I still think it was COVID that killed him,” Mona said. “Even though he didn’t have COVID, it ruined what he did, and he just couldn’t live under those circumstances.”

The Gophers basketball team split its two regular season games against Michigan State. When the two clubs play in their opening Big Ten Tournament game Thursday morning at Target Center watch the number of shots near the basket and inside scoring. The Spartans, under good-guy legendary coach Tom Izzo, have long been known for their aggressive play including inside the lane. In a 76-66 win over Minnesota, the Spartans had 44 points to Minnesota’s 12 “inside the paint.” When the Gophers won at home, 59-56, each team had 20.

Former University of Minnesota football player Jim Brunzell is organizing an early June tribute in the Twin Cities for former teammate Jim Carter who passed away last November. Carter, who captained the 1969 Gophers, was a strong leader who stayed in touch with teammates, and he will be remembered fondly by them when they gather at a local venue on either June 3 or 10.

The U holds its annual Pro Day Thursday with the following 2023 Gophers expected to participate: Tyler Nubin, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Chris Autman-Bell, Corey Crooms Jr., Sean Tyler, Kyler Baugh, Tre’Von Jones, Chris Collins and Brady Weeks.

Twins’ owner Jim Pohlad turned 71 Sunday, March 10.

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Nanne Steps Away from Mic But Comeback Possible

Posted on March 10, 2024 by David Shama

In the “never say never” category put this down: Lou Nanne, 82, might not have worked his last State High School Boys Hockey Tournament on local TV.

Multitudes assume Nanne retired last night after 60 years of providing entertaining tournament commentary as viewers watched Edina win the Class 2A championship against Chanhassen. Except in 10 years or so, a great grandchild, or two or three, could be playing in the tournament and that could mean a comeback to the microphone.

“If they make it, I’ll come back and make a guest appearance,” Nanne told Sports Headliners.

And Dave Stead believes the man known as the Godfather of Minnesota hockey would be greeted with open arms. “That would be great, and I think that he’d be welcomed to make that comeback,” said Stead who was the Minnesota State High School League’s executive director for 32 years.

Now retired, Stead plans to suggest the MSHL invite Nanne back to next year’s tournament and those that follow. Encouraging the former Golden Gopher, Olympian and North Star to be in the press box and visible at the tournament is a winning idea. His name is synonymous with hockey including on the high school level where he has been an advocate for the ages.

“Minnesota hockey is fantastic and with Lou involved it just elevated it to a different level,” said Stead. “When you heard the voice, you knew exactly what was happening at the hockey tournament.”

When family members played in the tournament for Edina High School, they created special memories during Nanne’s 60 years behind a microphone. Son Marty scored the winning goal in the title game and years later his sons, Louie and Tyler, won championships. “Those are the favorites (tourney memories),” Nanne said.

Nanne (right) with well-wisher Bill McReavy.

Nanne is a senior managing director for RBC, working with companies and labor unions. He isn’t retiring from his position with the diversified financial services company, nor is he giving up his weekly guest appearances on KFAN Radio with drive time host Dan Barreiro, and he will continue into next season doing TV color work on a select number of Wild games.

Nanne won a battle with prostate cancer over 40 years ago. He goes to the gym multiple times per week, eats “what I want,” and is pleased with his health. “I got a great report from the Mayo (Clinic) last year. Every year I go. Been going every year since ’87.”

So why retire from the state tournament gig? “I just think it’s time to move on. Sixty is a nice round number.”

Asked several days ago what he anticipated his thoughts would be as he left the Xcel Energy Center last night, Nanne said: “Well, I feel sad that it’s over, but I am also happy that it’s over. I think it’s the right time to do it. I am going to treasure the moments that I had and think about all the good memories I had but know that it’s time to move on.”

Nanne was emotional last night as the crowd and even players paid tribute to his remarkable career including 60 years of analyzing tournament games. It was a retirement scene that Hollywood might have scripted.

Yes, change happens to everyone, even Nanne who for nearly 25 years was the face of the North Stars franchise as a player, coach, GM and president. Ironically, the man who grew up in Canada and lived most of his adult life in Minnesota never did like ice and cold. He has become a Florida resident while spending many days in Minnesota and Wisconsin where the family has a lake home.

Lou Nanne doesn’t make many changes but when the time is right, he pulls the trigger, even taking up residence in sunny Florida.

Worth Noting

It could be one of two veteran right handers, either Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha, who will be the Royals’ opening day pitcher March 28 in Kansas City. If so, left-handed hitting first baseman Alex Kirilloff is likely in the Twins’ lineup, with probably newly acquired switch hitting free agent Carlos Santana filling the DH spot.

Other probable Twins starters are left fielder Matt Wallner, center fielder Byron Buxton, right fielder Max Kepler, third baseman Royce Lewis, shortstop Carlos Correa, second baseman Eduardo Julien, catcher Ryan Jeffers and pitcher Pablo Lopez.

Do-Hyoung Park wrote a few days ago on MLB.com that Julien, who grew up speaking French in Quebec and went off to college at Auburn not knowing English, has become a popular player with teammates in his second season with the Twins.

If North St. Paul’s Louie Varland makes the Twins roster, he would be the third native Minnesotan on the 2024 roster along with Wallner and pitcher Caleb Thielbar. He could also be the St. Paul Saints opening day starting pitcher.

Renovations to Xcel Energy Center remain a priority for the Wild with word that St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter is supportive.

The International Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championship will stage games in December of 2025 and January of 2026 at 3M Arena at Mariucci and Xcel Energy Center. The event has been wildly popular on Canadian TV for years, annually drawing millions of viewers.

While the University of Minnesota basketball team has no certain NBA prospects, guard Cam Christie, a candidate for Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten, could inquire this spring if pro teams project him as draft worthy. The smooth shooting guard, who is remindful of U All-American and former first round draft pick Lou Hudson, has the potential to improve his draft status next season.

Among regulars in the crowd at Williams Arena for Gophers games is former MLB umpire Tim Tschida, the St. Paul native.

The March issue of Sports Illustrated, writing about fragile coaching security in the NFL, points out there is not one offensive coordinator in the league who was with the same team in 2021.

Legendary Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and former Gophers defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel, now head coach at Wyoming, will speak at next month’s Minnesota Football Coaches Association Clinic. Speakers also include Gophers’ head coach P.J. Fleck and his assistants. The April 4-6 clinic is held at the DoubleTree in St. Louis Park and on the U campus.

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Coach Ben Johnson’s Job Security Looks Like a Lock

Posted on March 3, 2024March 3, 2024 by David Shama

If there was any doubt about Ben Johnson returning as the University of Minnesota head men’s basketball coach, it was erased yesterday with the team’s ninth Big Ten win of the season. The Gophers overcame a 23-point first half deficit to defeat Penn State, 75-70, at Williams Arena.

The victory left Minnesota with a 9-9 league record with two games remaining in the regular season. The Gophers are tied with Michigan State for fifth place in the Big Ten standings, and have an opportunity to finish 11-9 if they defeat Indiana at home Wednesday night and win at Northwestern next Saturday. The overall record is 18-11, with a 20-win season possible for the first time since 2019.

Pretty upbeat status for a team that was a popular pick before the season to finish last in the Big Ten. That outlook last fall only added to the gloom from at the bottom conference finishes the prior two years (6-33 record). Those were discouraging starts to Johnson’s head coaching career and caused loud grumbling about him heading into the season five months ago.

Johnson could currently be bought out of his contract for $6,519,340. Other media have reported a lower figure but the above is the correct number. A disastrous season this winter presumably would have caused athletic director Mark Coyle to think hard about staying with the Minneapolis native, former Gopher guard and the Big Ten’s youngest head coach at 43.

Many years of mediocre and sometimes bad basketball at the U has lowered expectations inside the school and decreased pressure from fans, many of whom have become disinterested in the program. Even a month of March that includes a 9-11 final regular season record, with perhaps no wins in the Big Ten Tournament and a postseason invite to the NIT will almost assuredly be enough to continue Coyle’s confidence in Johnson.

The elephant in the room for the Gophers is men’s basketball once was a huge money maker for the financially self-supporting athletic department. Ticket sales for years have generally been in free-fall and revenues aren’t close to their potential. A Big Ten contending team in this market could command among the higher ticket prices in college hoops and those revenues would shoulder a big load in a department where the only programs making money are football, men’s basketball and men’s hockey.

Johnson and his staff improved the roster during the last off-season. All the key players are potentially back for next year except senior forward Parker Fox. Potentially is the operative word in the wild world of college basketball where players change schools on a dime. And sometimes for a bigger dime because of Name, Image and Likeness money.

Contrary to some voices, Johnson has NIL money to work with, so the cupboard isn’t bare. Resources don’t match the blue blood programs but there has been success by the Dinkytown Athletes collective, and the potential is significant if the Gophers can take over the town like they did in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Johnson and his staff have coaching chops and can motivate players. Their Xs and Os can be interesting, and it’s been impressive to see how often Minnesota comes out of a timeout with a savvy play to score a bucket. The coach’s judgment on personnel has usually worked although it’s still annoying to recall how in November the ball was put in freshman guard Cam Christie’s inexperienced hands to make the winning play in a 70-68 home court key nonconference loss to Missouri.

And Fox, who had 11 points, six rebounds and four blocks on Senior Day against Penn State, probably should have received more playing time this season. His inside scoring, rebounding, shot blocking, unselfishness and energy merited more. Yesterday he not only started a game for the first time this season but played a rare 28 minutes and was on the floor at the end when Minnesota finished its gutsy comeback.

Johnson, a high character guy, made a classy move in the closing seconds by taking Fox out to receive recognition from the fans. Those same patrons want their hometown coach to be deserving of their applause in the future, and he will if he can add talent in future off-seasons like he did in the last one.

Worth Noting

The Gophers trailed by 12 points at halftime against Penn State. “The first 20 minutes was just flat, for whatever reason,” Johnson said at his news conference where he added the second half strategy was to tighten up on defense and “chip away” at the deficit.

If the Gophers can win their yet to be determined opening game in the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center next week, the town could get amped. In game two the Gophers would feel the adrenaline and maybe make a tournament run. Minnesota’s talent is similar or better than most of the Big Ten except Purdue and Illinois.

An overflow crowd of more than 300 heard from Paul Molitor, Glen Perkins and John Anderson at the recent Minnesota Breakfast Club gathering in Naples, Florida, per an email from event attendee Marshall Tanick. Molitor, the former Twin and Hall of Famer, is excited about the potential of 2023 first round draft choice and outfielder Walker Jenkins. Perkins, who played for Anderson with the Gophers before joining the Twins, lamented the pitch counts in MLB that limit innings by quality starters and strain bullpens.

Perkins praised Anderson as a “molder of men,” according to Tanick. He noted the coach’s emphasis on academics and graduating players. Anderson is in his final season as Gopher coach after taking over in 1982. The program has struggled of late but the Big Ten’s all-time winningest baseball coach told the gathering he sees improvement in 2024 with a “deeper and more talented pitching staff.”

Former Twins TV broadcasting icon Dick Bremer turned 68 last Friday.

Lou Nanne, the 82-year-old Mr. Minnesota Hockey icon who retires this month after 60 years of TV commentary at the boys’ state hockey tournament, speaks to the Twin Cities Dunkers at Interlachen Country Club Wednesday morning—the same day the Timberwolves Chris Finch, among candidates for NBA Coach of the Year, talks to the Capital Club at Mendakota Country Club.

Prep football coaching legend Ron Stolski emailed a note that registration for the annual MFCA Football Clinic April 4-6 in St. Louis Park is on a “record pace.”

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