Twins – Page 63 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Humble ‘Billy Rob’ Still a Commissioner

Posted on June 21, 2021 by David Shama

Friends call him “Billy Rob.” It’s a nickname you might expect to hear when kids are choosing teams for a hockey game at a neighborhood pond. “Yeah, Billy Rob, you play goalie, okay?” When spoken by adults, the nickname shows how comfortable people are with Robertson who has a decorated behind-the-scenes career in professional sports.

Bill Robertson has many friends and admirers, and they celebrated his success a few days ago when the United States Hockey League announced that the St. Paul native is its new president and commissioner. Facebook, text, telephone and in-person messages congratulated Robertson on his new assignment to lead one of the world’s best junior hockey leagues. The total may have been about 1,000 well wishers including the likes of hockey’s Ryan Suter and baseball’s Paul Molitor.

Two years ago Robertson, then commissioner of the men’s WCHA, sat with a friend in a Bloomington restaurant and wondered what he might be doing in the summer of 2021. Most of the member schools in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association had announced in 2019 they were forming a new league for the 2021-2022 season. The end of the historic WCHA was more than a possibility. In the months following that Bloomington lunch Robertson continued to lead the WCHA, hoping to secure new members, but knowing that in June of 2021 and beyond he could be with another organization.

Several career possibilities were in play this spring, with Robertson telling Sports Headliners he had been talking with the USHL since the beginning of the year about succeeding his friend Tom Garrity as league commissioner. “When they told me several weeks ago that I was their candidate, and they would be forwarding me an agreement, there was a big sigh of relief,” Robertson said. “I sat in my chair for a few minutes, and put my head down, and thanked God for watching over me. To be honest…I wasn’t sure where I was going to end up next.”

Dave Mona, who built a public relations empire in Minnesota, wasn’t surprised Robertson landed with another hockey league that will have its leader based in the Twin Cities. “Bill is very good at what he does and he makes friends along the way,” Mona said. “So I think he’s on everyone’s list when someone says, ‘Hey, there’s an opening, do you know somebody?’

“Bill’s got a pretty board skill-set and I think he’s been extraordinarily skillful… making friends at all levels, people who enjoy being with him. He does what he does well. I don’t think he has to apply for a lot of jobs. People say, ‘Well, what about Bill Robertson?’ ”

During seven years leading the WCHA, Robertson successfully brought playoff games back to campuses, introduced the 3-on-3 overtime and shootout format to league games, and championed safety provisions. His commitment to a fan-friendly league that included overhaul of the WCHA’s digital operation, and he developed external corporate partnerships and sponsorships.

With the USHL, the 60-year-old Robertson will contribute extensive marketing experience and one of his initiatives will be how to grow the sport, not just for his 16 league franchises, but hockey in its entirety. He wants to see the expense issue of playing hockey addressed and with the best initiatives there will be more participation by both boys and girls. USA Hockey, the NHL and colleges are partners he looks forward to working with.

Robertson’s ties with hockey go back to childhood as the son of Norbert Robertson who played collegiately for both Minnesota and St. Thomas. Brother Mike played hockey at Boston College in the late 1960s. Bill was an executive with the startup Minnesota Wild from 1998-2011.

It was in those early Minnesota Wild years that Robertson and Patrick Klinger became acquainted. Klinger worked for the RiverCentre event complex in St. Paul and later became an executive with the Minnesota Twins. “We very quickly became fast friends and have been best of friends ever since,” Klinger said.

How did the bond form and stay in place all these years? “He’s such a high integrity individual,” said the 57-year-old Klinger. “You know, we share a lot in common. We have two children. Each of us has one that has special needs. We sort of grew up in the sports industry together…and here we are 20-plus years later, and my admiration and respect for Bill is greater than it ever has been.

“We play a ton of golf together. We talk, we go out to dinner. We do a (cable) television show together. I love the man, I really do.”

Klinger recognizes a flaw or two in his pal. “He’s an awful, awful putter. I am telling you what, Stevie Wonder would putt better. Watch him get to the green and then putt, and putt again, and a third time. Sometimes we just have to bite our lips. You know, he gets a little feisty.”

Klinger fondly recalls an “epic match” involving the two at a Hastings, Minnesota golf course. “There was some money on the line and it got to the 18th hole,” Klinger said. “Bill had literally like an 18-inch putt, maybe not even that much to tie the match, to tie me. It would have gone into sudden death. I wouldn’t give him the putt. Of course, he missed it. He’s never let me forget it.”

Robertson recently celebrated his USHL hire in South Carolina, with daughter Brooke, and son Brett and his wife Maritza. The trip had been planned for awhile to get in some long overdue family time, and turned out to be more special than anyone could have imagined.

“I don’t think there’s any greater gift than to have children, and I have two wonderful people,” Robertson said. “One is in his late 20s, my son, and my daughter is in her mid-20s. The thing that made me just tickled as a father was the fact that I watched the two together…in South Carolina and how they meshed together like when they were really young. It was so wonderful to see. I had some tears in my eyes watching how they interacted and how the older brother helped the younger sister with a lot of tasks. Just trying to help her continue to develop more skills and her independence.”

In recent days Robertson might have reflected on his career in the sports industry. He was Director of Communications with The Walt Disney Company, and in that role he led communications efforts for the Mighty Ducks of the NHL and Anaheim Angels of MLB. Before that he was the media relations boss of the NBA expansion Minnesota Timberwolves in the early 1990s.

Mona commented that media folks are often a cynical bunch but Robertson didn’t treat reporters, columnists and talking heads as adversaries. “They all speak highly of him, even though they may have known him two or three jobs ago,” Mona said. “They have lunch with him a couple times a year. When their kids graduate from college and you read the Facebook comments, one of the first comments is from Bill Robertson. He’s got really good people skills and he’s got…a knowledge of, and a track record of, being able to bring people together and get things done.”

Klinger has long observed how Robertson relates to people in various positions. How he treats individuals with authenticity and sincerity, no matter who they are.

“What you see with Bill is what you get,” Klinger said. “He really genuinely cares about people. …

“He knows that I am going through a difficult time with my back. He’s the guy that’s gonna pick up the phone, call me almost every day to check in, or send me a text. If something else is going on in life, in business, in family, I know I can call Bill and he’ll drop everything. We’ll get together and talk things through. And vice versa. We’ve done that for each other for a long time.

“He’s just that person that’s authentic and genuine and kind-hearted. He’s somebody that will do anything for his friends and family.”

While growing up in St. Paul, Robertson dreamed of having a baseball career, perhaps becoming the next Paul Molitor. He was passionate about the sport as an infielder at Cretin-Derham Hall.

His passions also include the city he reveres. “You know, he was born and raised in St. Paul, on St. Paul Avenue,” Klinger said. “Went to Cretin, loves the city. He’s in the Mancini’s (Sports) Hall of Fame. St. Paul is in his blood.”

So is hockey.

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3M Open Pursuing Phil Mickelson

Posted on May 26, 2021 by David Shama

Phil Mickelson is the biggest name in sports this week after becoming the oldest player ever to win a major golf championship on Sunday. Hollis Cavner, who runs the 3M Open, is optimistic the 50-year-old Mickelson will be part of the field at TPC Twin Cities July 22-25.

What are the odds? “I’d say very good,” Cavner told Sports Headliners.

Cavner and his company run various golf tournaments in the United States. He and his team are on the road much of the year recruiting players including the now hottest golf name in the world. So far Mickelson is noncommittal about the 3M, a regular stop on the PGA Tour. “He’s pretty direct,” Cavner said.

Cavner and Mickelson have a long friendship. In 2010 the two played together in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with Cavner participating as an amateur. “He’s a helluva good guy,” Cavner said.

That relationship will be helpful in continuing to pitch Mickelson but winning the PGA Championship Sunday is a game changer for “Lefty’s” schedule. Cavner said Mickelson might receive an invitation to play for the U.S. in the Tokyo Olympics scheduled in late July and early August. Even if that doesn’t happen, the British Open is just a week before the 3M. He won the Open in 2013 and his appearance in Scotland would be important to his international fame and brand.

Mickelson’s life is a whirlwind now and over the next few weeks with various requests including TV and personal appearances. Cavner said Mickelson will be “inundated” with opportunities after shocking the golf world by winning the PGA. He entered the tournament ranked 115 in the world and Fox Bet had him at 400-to-1 odds to win in Kiawah, South Carolina at the Ocean Course.

Cavner runs the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte. He saw Mickelson in comeback mode at his tournament. With a slimmer and stronger body, more relaxed mental approach and willingness to play safer shots, Mickelson was re-engaged.

He was on a mission to improve his performance the week of the Wells Fargo, with Cavner observing Mickelson “working his butt off” in practice hitting buckets and buckets of balls at the range. “…He was really working on his game that week and I guarantee he beat more balls that week than anybody out there,” Cavner said.

Mickelson shot a round of 64 at the Wells Fargo and although he didn’t win the tournament, the resurgence in his game was evident to insiders. “He was gearing for this (excelling at the PGA),” Cavner said.

Sunday was remarkable, with Mickelson shocking the sports world at almost 51 years of age and winning his first golf major event since 2013. “He is so driven to be good,” Cavner said. “He doesn’t want to be second ever. He’s always been that way. When you’re that good, some people are going to love you, some people are not.”

Critics have said Mickelson is cocky but Cavner doesn’t see it that way and views his friend as a great athlete who believes in himself and has done a lot to help others including through charity. “It wasn’t cocky. He was good at what he did, and he knew it and he tried to prove it every week,” Cavner said.

Cavner can see Mickelson contending for more major titles this year and in 2022. “If he continues to play like he is, it wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Cavner said.

In his 40s Mickelson didn’t want other players to hit longer off the tee than he did. The result was trouble on the fairways, sometimes hitting 50 yards off target. “It hurt his game,” Cavner said. “Now he’s dialed it back. (But) he’s still hitting it tremendously long.”

Mickelson has now won six majors, something that will secure his place on the Mount Rushmore of golf legends. “He’s definitely in the top 12 of all time,” Cavner said.

Ticket sales via the 3M Open website were to Cavner’s liking even before Mickelson’s historic Sunday. Despite possible COVID restrictions, crowds of 20,000 per day are predicted. With or without Mickelson, the tournament field will have appeal.

“There’s a lot of guys who played in the PGA Championship that are coming,” Cavner said. “Some of them that were on the leader board (at the PGA) in the last couple days.”

Worth Noting

A hockey authority, speaking anonymously, sees the Minnesota Wild as “50-50” in earning a win tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights. A win ties Minnesota and Vegas at three games each in the best of seven playoff series. The source believes the Wild need to take an early lead to win the game at Xcel Energy Center. “I don’t see them coming from behind to win. They need momentum out of the gate.”

The Wild received an unexpected lift from veteran Zach Parise in Monday night’s win. He scored a goal after mostly being a non-contributor of late. “They need a spark (tonight) like Parise,” the source said.

Don’t be surprised if Parise is playing elsewhere next season.

With COVID-19 restrictions, the Wild has been limited to 4,500 fans for first round playoff games. That might translate to about $450,000 in gross ticket receipts, much different than capacity crowds generating revenue of $1.2 to $1.5 million. If Minnesota could advance to the second round of the playoffs and stage sellouts, it would help the franchise’s finances that have taken a major hit because of the pandemic.

Deep condolences to Mike Wilkinson following the death Sunday of wife Susan Wilkinson, 76, who struggled for years with muscular dystrophy and asthma. Mike is a passionate Golden Gophers football follower and author of the Murray Warmath biography, The Autumn Warrior.

The Minnesota Twins, a preseason favorite to be 2021 AL champions, are No. 26 in MLB.com’s latest power rankings of 30 teams.

Speculation: Tampa Bay Rays interested in acquiring Twins’ Nelson Cruz; Toronto Blue Jays looking at Minnesota’s Jose Berrios.

Outfielder Matt Wallner, the Forest Lake, Minnesota native, is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week. The 23-year-old played in six games last week for Single-A Cedar Rapids, hitting .400 (10-for-25) with two home runs and four RBI, including a four-hit game on Thursday against Beloit. He was drafted by the Twins in the first round (39th overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Southern Mississippi.

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Clarifying Trey Lance & Gophers Saga

Posted on May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 by David Shama

Ever heard of Brennan Armstrong? If it wasn’t for him, Trey Lance might have been a Golden Gopher.

Armstrong is the starting quarterback at Virginia and last season he tied for the FBS lead in games passing for over 200 yards and rushing for over 45 yards. During the winter of 2017 the Shelby, Ohio native was verbally committed to the University of Minnesota recruiting class for 2018. That same winter Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck and his staff were recruiting Lance, the Marshall, Minnesota native who ultimately went to North Dakota State and last month was the third quarterback chosen in the NFL Draft when the 49ers selected him with the third overall pick of the first round.

Ryan Burns, the recruiting authority from GopherIllustrated.com, knows the background of the mutual interest there once was between Lance and the Gophers. Burns told Sports Headliners Fleck had a candid conversation with the athletic Lance, who drew interest from college programs for his potential to play multiple positions.

During that conversation, according to Burns, Fleck told Lance, then a junior at Marshall, the Gophers liked him as a quarterback but had promised Armstrong he was going to be the only QB in the 2018 recruiting class. Fleck, though, said the Gophers wanted to continue recruiting Lance and encouraged him to participate in Minnesota’s June camp for promising high school players. Lance had the attention of the Gophers and other major programs as a quarterback but also as a safety and wide receiver.

“So he never camped at Minnesota,” Burns said. “But did Minnesota want to see him potentially at safety? Sure. So did Iowa. So did Iowa State. So did everywhere else.”

Lance had a strong interest in the Gophers but playing QB in college was a priority and FCS North Dakota State offered an opportunity. Power Five schools were cautious about the small town quarterback, including because of a Nike camp performance. “Trey didn’t have a great day,” recalled Burns who was at the camp. “That’s okay. He was a little wide-eyed, I think, by the experience.”

In November of 2017 Armstrong de-committed from Minnesota. If Lance had been patient with his home state university an opportunity might have opened for him in the recruiting class of 2018 at Minnesota. Logic suggests the Gophers would have at least offered Lance a scholarship as a multi-positional prospect and given him a look at quarterback once on campus. From there, his superb throwing and running potential likely would have won over the coaches.

Worth Noting

The Twins, with a 12-20 record, have only been out scored by two runs this season. That kind of slim differential is often indicative of a team playing about .500 baseball, not a club that has lost eight more games than it has won. Minnesota has struggled early in the season for multiple reasons including injuries and COVID that have sidelined regulars, but no problem has been as glaring as the bullpen.

Eleven losses are attributed to the pen. The performance of Twins relief pitchers in allowing “inherited runners” to score ranks among the worst in MLB, allowing 27 of 43 runners to reach home plate. That’s true, too, for home runs allowed by Minnesota relievers. Alex Colome, Cody Stashak and Caleb Thielbar are among those who have been frequent long ball victims.

The Twins couldn’t have forecast their bullpen struggles, or that of starter Kenta Maeda who finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting last season. Maeda has a 5.02 ERA this spring and for Minnesota to win the Central Division title he will have to pitch much better.

Minnesota begins a three-game series in Chicago Tuesday night against the division leading White Sox who offer an imposing lineup of starters: Dylan Cease, 2-0, 2.37 ERA; Dallas Keuchel, 1-1, 3.79 ERA; Carlos Rodon, 5-0, 0.58 ERA.

Hall of Famer Willie Mays celebrated his 90th birthday last Thursday. A candidate for any discussion of the greatest baseball player of all-time, Mays was playing in Minneapolis for the Millers 70 years ago this spring.

It was in late May of 1951 that the parent New York Giants called up Mays from their Minneapolis Triple-A farm club. The shy 20-year-old Alabama native doubted he was ready for the everyday lineup of a National League contender but the Giants thought his .477 average in Minneapolis told a different story about their future center fielder.

Retired Preston High School football and baseball coach Frank Jaszewski also recently turned 90. He coached both football and baseball for the Preston Blue Jays from 1957 until his retirement in 1990. He is a legend in the Preston area.

If the Vikings sign future Hall of Fame wide receiver and free agent Larry Fitzgerald management will have confidence in who they are dealing with. The Minneapolis native, who has played his entire NFL career with the Cardinals, doesn’t have an agent and represents himself.

Local author Jim Bruton’s book with former Vikings linebacker and front office executive Scott Studwell is near completion and expected to be on sale in the fall. Studwell offers insights about scouting and coaches he played for including Bud Grant.

The Vikings have a rookie minicamp scheduled May 14-16; OTA’s May 24-26, June 1-3 and 8-11; mandatory minicamp, June 15-17. Among storylines to follow will be whether the Vikings are moving toward two rookie starters in the offensive line next season, tackle Christian Darrisaw and guard Wyatt Davis.

The St. Thomas Academy director of athletics and activities job remains open and in the search process after the departure this spring of Dan O’Brien, the former Gophers assistant football coach, now working in the private sector.

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