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Vikings Dodged ‘Bullet’ on Bradford Deal

Posted on November 9, 2017November 9, 2017 by David Shama

A Thursday notes column…

The Vikings made the right decision in not signing quarterback Sam Bradford to a new and expensive contract earlier this year that would have committed the franchise to him starting in 2018. It could have been that general manager Rick Spielman hesitated on a new deal based on Bradford’s age and history of knee issues, despite setting a NFL completion record of 71.6 percent of his passes in 2016.

Bradford, who turned 30 yesterday, has only started two games and finished one this season because of pain and lack of mobility in his left knee. His week to week status has been somewhat of a mystery but he reportedly had arthroscopic surgery on the knee recently and yesterday the Vikings placed him on their injured reserve list.

Sam Bradford (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Spielman acquired Bradford just prior to the 2016 season to replace Teddy Bridgewater who badly hurt his knee, and was just activated to play again this week. Despite playing behind a bad offensive line last year, Bradford avoided injury and gave the team its best quarterbacking since Brett Favre in 2010.

Spielman could have let his ego dictate a new contract for Bradford during the offseason but he didn’t. A new deal would now be problematic with the quarterback’s future health uncertain. Bradford has had two ACL surgeries on the left knee and it’s uncertain when—or perhaps if—he will continue his NFL career. A big contract would have left a negative impact on the Vikings’ salary structure in 2018.

The Eagles traded Bradford to the Vikings for draft choices, willing to take a gamble on then rookie quarterback Carson Wentz from North Dakota State. Part of their strategy may also have been based on Bradford’s age and history of knee issues. The Eagles didn’t know how healthy Bradford would remain but they may have been cautious, just as it appears the Vikings were last winter.

It will be an interesting next few months and early offseason in 2018 when Spileman will have to sort out the Vikings quarterback roster. If Bradford doesn’t retire, not only will he be a free agent but so too will Bridgewater and Case Keenum who has been the team’s starter for most of this season.

After this week’s quarterback shuffling with Bradford being taken off the playing roster and Bridgewater put back on, promising rookie Kyle Sloter remains at No. 3 on the depth chart. Although he has yet to play in an NFL game, Sloter tries to stay ready on the sidelines. “I feel like mentally I am going through each and every play,” he told Sports Headliners. “I try to be part of the huddle when they call timeouts and all that kind of stuff.

“I try to stay loose over there (on the sidelines) as much as I can. You get a little tight…if you’re not moving around, or throwing the ball…around a little bit.”

Adam Thielen is sixth in total yards (627) among NFL receivers. The four-year pro wide receiver is having a breakout season with the Vikings but told Sports Headliners he can improve.

“I think there’s just little things in my game I could get better at,” Thielen said. “Whether it be the run after the catch, catching and keeping on my feet, and things like that.”

The Gophers football team has lost five of its last six games and coach P.J. Fleck hears criticism from fans. How does he handle it?

“It doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t take me off my course,” Fleck said.
“It doesn’t frustrate me but I think that as people go (over time), they’ll start to see the big picture. They’ll start to see the reason why we took the job. They’ll start to see the winning and recruiting. They’ll start to feel the difference in how this program develops, but when you don’t have a result right away, it’s hard for people that are result-oriented to jump right in and say, ‘I’m in.’ …”

Fleck respects “everybody’s opinion,” and when he was head coach Western Michigan he kept letters, both positive and negative. He is doing the same at Minnesota and predicted when success comes to the Gophers he will write and say, “Told you. ”

The Gophers, 4-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten, play a Nebraska team Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium that has lost three of its last four games. With 4-5 and 3-3 records, the Cornhuskers’ bowl hopes are about as precarious as Minnesota’s. Mediocrity is not the Nebraska way, with the Cornhuskers the winningest major college football program in America the last 60, 50 and 40 years.

Redshirt freshman J.D. Spielman from Eden Prairie has emerged as a playmaker for the Cornhuskers in his first season. As a wide receiver and kick returner he has 1,154 all-purpose yards. He is 105 yards from equaling the Nebraska freshman all-purpose yards record of 1,259 yards set by Ahman Green in 1995.

Gopher redshirt senior Ryan Santoso leads the Big Ten in punting average at 44.5 yards per kick. He averaged 48.5 yards on eight punts at rainy Michigan last Saturday.

FS1 telecasts Saturday’s Gophers-Huskers game with former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber providing analysis while working with play-by-play man Brian Custer.

Prior to last night’s Timberwolves game at Golden State, the Fox Sports North TV ratings for Minnesota’s NBA team were up 62 percent over a year ago. It was the franchise’s best ratings start in the last four years, according to Fox.

It will be a who’s who of prep basketball at the Boys’ Tip Off Classic at Hopkins Lindbergh Center Saturday, December 9. There will be 17 games with the first at 9 a.m. and the last starting at 9 p.m. Duke-bound guard Tre Jones will lead Apple Valley against Minneapolis North in one “circle it game.” Fans can also watch Gopher 2018 commits Daniel Oturu from Cretin-Derham Hall and Jarvis Omersa (formerly Thomas) of Orono go against each other in another game that begins at 7:30 p.m.

Byron Buxton, voted this week as the 2017 American League Gold Glove winner for center field, is known as baseball’s fastest player. Older brother Felton, though, might be faster. Byron said during an interview on ESPN’s Gold Glove awards show Tuesday night he might settle the matter in a foot race this fall.

Two former Gophers pitchers, D.J. Snelten and Ben Meyer, are impressing in the Arizona Fall League, according to Minnesota assistant coach Rob Fornasiere. Snelten is with the Giants organization and Fornasiere predicted he could be part of the San Francisco bullpen next season. Meyer, with the Marlins organization, had a 2.02 ERA as a starter last season pitching for two Class A teams.

Fornasiere recalled a funny story from several years ago when Gophers players, including Snelten, were preparing to lay sod at Siebert Field. Snelten was too well dressed for such a dirty job and confessed to Fornasiere he had no experience with laying grass. “The green side goes up,” Fornasiere said.

Packy Casey, the grandson of legendary Twins public address announcer Bob Casey, is in his fifth season as a Gophers assistant baseball coach.

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Gopher Ticket Sales Make Big Jump

Posted on November 5, 2017November 5, 2017 by David Shama

Sellout crowds are likely in the coming months for Gophers men’s basketball at 14,625-seat Williams Arena. Based on figures provided to Sports Headliners by the University of Minnesota athletic department, public and student season ticket sales have increased significantly.

Public season tickets, including 965 new tickets, totaled 7,102 as of late October, according to an email from the University. Those totals compared to figures of 208 and 6,192 on October 25, 2016. The renewal rate for the coming season was 97.7 percent compared with 82.7 twelve months prior.

Student season ticket sales were 2,182 as of October 25, after totaling 1,181 on the same date in 2016. The 2,182 figure represents the total inventory made available to University students.

Minnesota ranked 11th in average attendance last season in the 14-member Big Ten Conference. The Gophers averaged 10,308 fans per game and ranked No. 37 in the nation. Home attendance has been mediocre for years and annual averages contrast sharply with decades ago when Minnesota was a Big Ten and national leader.

With 9,284 season ticket holders (and more could be added in the weeks ahead), the Gophers will have about 5,300 tickets available to single game buyers for each home game. Minnesota opens its nonconference schedule at Williams Arena on Friday against USC Update, and most November and December games are unlikely to sell out because of unattractive opponents.

However, capacity home games before January 1 could include the November 29 Big Ten/ACC Challenge game against Miami and the December 3 Big Ten opener with Rutgers. Home conference games after January 1 could all sell out with the most likely to be Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern and Purdue. (The Gophers are playing their Ohio State home game January 20 in New York’s Madison Square Garden.)

In recent seasons sellout crowds have been the exception at Williams Arena but the Gophers are returning all but one of their key players from the 2017 NCAA Tournament team and have received more offseason hype than any Minnesota team this century. The Gophers have been ranked as high as No. 10 in the country, and last week the Associated Press poll had Minnesota at No. 15 (second among Big Ten teams only to No. 2 Michigan State). S.I.com, though, is more cautious ranking Minnesota No. 26 last week.

Worth Noting

The University of Minnesota athletic department reported a decline in women’s basketball public season tickets as of October 25. The total of 1,344 compared to 1,492 a year prior, according to an email from the University. There were 43 new public season tickets sold for the 2017-2018 season, versus 61 sold as of October 25, 2016.

Students are admitted free to women’s basketball games, so there are no student season ticket sales to report.

As of yesterday, tickets ($10 each) were still available for today’s exhibition game between the Gopher men’s team and Green Bay at Maturi Pavilion. All seats are general admission and tickets will be sold at the pavilion starting at 11 a.m.

The nationally ranked Gophers men’s hockey team swept Michigan State over the weekend and Minnesota is a contender to win the 2018 Frozen Four. No Big Ten program has won the NCAA Division I men’s title since 2007 when the Spartans were champions. Minnesota’s last title was 2003.

It may not be Sam Bradford’s best birthday because of knee issues, but the injured Vikings starting quarterback will be 30 on Wednesday.

Former Viking Matt Blair will sign items for a fee next Saturday at the Triple Crown Sports Card Show at Southtown Shopping Center in Bloomington. At the free admission show attendees can purchase a Blair bobblehead. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Blair’s appearance will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information about Triple Crown shows is available by emailing vikingstwinsman@gmail.com.

MLB hasn’t announced the money the World Series champion Astros will earn per player but last year the full share was reportedly $368,871 for the Cubs. The October 30 issue of Sports Illustrated listed the per player haul for champions in various sports including the Minnesota Lynx at a modest $11,025.

The Capital Club will have Anytime Fitness founders Dave Mortensen and Chuck Runyon as speakers Thursday morning at Town & Country Club in St. Paul. The two have authored a book (Love Work) regarding positive performance in the workplace. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

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Road Games May Not Slow Vikings

Posted on November 1, 2017November 1, 2017 by David Shama

A Wednesday notes column written during a week when the Upper Midwest could be in entertainment panic mode because the Vikings have a bye on the schedule Sunday.

The Vikings play four of their next five games on the road but that may not result in a bumpy ride. Two years ago Mike Zimmer’s team had a six-game stretch with four games away from home, and the Vikings were undefeated on the road. That team finished the season with an 11-5 record including five road wins and three losses.

The 2015 Vikings won the NFC North and this year’s team, with a 6-2 record now, appears headed toward another division championship. Zimmer has a veteran roster that should be comfortable playing on the road and won’t face a for-sure superior team in a five-game schedule that has Minnesota at Washington, home against the L.A. Rams and then at Detroit, Atlanta and Carolina.

Those five teams are a combined 20-16 this season in the parity-heavy NFL. In the latest ESPN.com NFL power rankings, the Vikings are No. 5, with the Rams No. 8, Carolina No. 12, Atlanta No. 13, Detroit No. 15 and Washington No. 18. Minnesota’s biggest worry, per ESPN, is sub quarterback Case Keenum remains somewhat untested after six-plus games.

What’s your guess as to the Vikings’ record after their December 10 game at Carolina? What will the record be at season’s end? What is an acceptable season and postseason?

Zimmer answering a question about trusting kicker Kai Forbath who has made 95.5 percent of his field goal attempts but just 75 percent of extra points: “Well, I’m probably not as jump off the wagon as you guys (media) are. You guys wanted me to get rid of him after he missed the extra point in the second game, or something. He’s done a really good job of kicking field goals accurately.

“He’s a good kid. He works hard. I think there’s a good rapport between [Kevin] McDermott, the holder [Ryan Quigley] and him. So yes, I feel comfortable with him.”

The Gophers’ P.J. Fleck could soon see his name mentioned in speculation about the many head coaching openings anticipated in major college football. Fleck’s contract with the University of Minnesota states neither he nor a representative can “seek, negotiate or accept other full-time employment” without first providing at least 48 hours written notice to the Gopher athletic director.

Drawing a lot of interest because of openings will be Iowa State second-year head coach Matt Campbell who at 37 is one year older than Fleck. The two coached against each other in the Mid-American Conference and both were born on November 29. Campbell was named Iowa State coach on November 29, 2015.

When the Gophers lost to Iowa last Saturday it ensured another year when Minnesota would not sweep its rivalry games against the Hawkeyes, Badgers and Wolverines. The 1967 season was the last that Minnesota captured Floyd of Rosedale, Paul Bunyan’s Axe and the Little Brown Jug.

Injuries have reshuffled the Gophers’ offensive line, but after last weekend Minnesota had allowed only eight sacks this year (tied for 11th in the nation, first in the Big Ten), and 27 tackles for loss (tied for 5th nationally, first in Big Ten).

Bleacher Report ranked the Gophers Richard Pitino No. 1 in an article last week about “up-and-coming college basketball coaches to watch in 2017-2018.” Candidates had to meet two criteria: not be older than 40, and have fewer than 100 career wins.

Pitino’s 2017-2018 Gophers are a popular top 25 preseason pick, with Minnesota fans hoping the Gophers will be playing for the Big Ten title on February 25 at Purdue in the last game of the regular season. The Associated Press preseason poll out today ranked the Gophers No. 15, with second ranked Michigan State the only Big Ten team higher in the poll that has Duke No. 1.

Pitino has reportedly offered a scholarship to Hopkins junior power forward Zeke Nnjai. While Nnjai is a talented and coveted recruit, Gopher fans might wonder if this is an acknowledgement it’s unlikely Minnesota can also land Rochester John Marshall superstar power forward Matthew Hurt in its 2019 recruiting class.

It will be interesting to see if Bemidji State’s Michael Bitzer or the Gophers Eric Schierhorn win the 2018 Mike Richter Award given annually to college hockey’s best Division 1 goalie. Bitzer and Schierhorn were recognized respectively Monday and Tuesday as players of the week in the WCHA and Big Ten. Bitzer, a senior from Moorhead, has 18 career shutouts. Schierhorn, a junior from Anchorage, has started every game since his freshman season, with his total of 83 total leading all NCAA goalies and ranking seventh in NCAA history.

Hard to see Twins center fielder Byron Buxton not being among the American League’s Gold Glove winners when award announcements are made next Tuesday.

The Big Ten reported Tuesday that based on average home attendance for volleyball, the league has four of the nation’s top five programs. Nebraska leads the country averaging 7,907 fans, Wisconsin is third with 5,969, Minnesota is fourth at 4,880 and Penn State is fifth at 3,428. The Gopher volleyball program has the potential to be a moneymaker for the athletic department.

The Minnesota Blue Ox (12-1-1), a junior team in the U.S. Premier Hockey League owned by Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, will play the Minnesota Moose (11-3), as part of a hockey fundraiser at Isanti County Arena next Monday. The junior game follows the annual U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Women’s Face-Off Classic between Bemidji State and UMD game that begins at 6 p.m.

Proceeds from both games will benefit Matt Olson, the hockey player from Isanti who suffered a serious neck injury in 2016 while playing for a team in the USPHL. Tickets for the doubleheader are $5 for students and $10 for adults, and are available at the arena beginning at 5 p.m. November 6.

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