Vikings – Page 148 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Physical Teams Take It to Gophers

Posted on January 12, 2017January 12, 2017 by David Shama

The Gophers have surprised their critics this season with 15 wins in their first 18 games but there is a message in the three losses. Minnesota, winners of only two Big Ten games last season and now much improved, has lost those three games to more physical and aggressive top 20 ranked teams.

Michigan State, after last night’s drubbing of the Gophers in East Lansing, has now defeated Minnesota twice. The Gophers other loss was to Florida State, a team with big guards and four front court players 6-9 or taller including 7-1, 304-pound center Michael Ojo and 7-4 (not a typo) center Christ Koumadje.

Few teams, if any, can match the size of Florida State but Michigan State has bruising freshmen Nick Ward (6-8, 250) and Miles Bridges (6-7, 230). And what the Spartans may lack in inches and heft is made up for in aggression.

Last night the Spartans flummoxed the Gophers, shutting down driving lanes and contesting shots. When the Gophers did have decent looks at the basket they couldn’t make enough shots. The Spartans also beat up Minnesota on the boards and made more hustle plays.

“We just could not find a way to get an easy basket,” Gophers coach Richard Pitino said during his postgame interview on 1500 ESPN. “I thought we had a couple decent looks, but you know overall we’re not the toughest team, even from an offensive standpoint of screening, being strong with the ball. …”

It doesn’t help when Minnesota’s most physical player, 6-10, 260-pound junior center Reggie Lynch, is consistently in foul trouble and on the bench. Last night in the 65-47 loss Lynch fouled out for the fourth time in the last five games. He has fouled out of both games against the Spartans.

The Gophers were behind 39-17 at halftime and looked frustrated. Maybe there was a hangover feeling from the overtime loss to the Spartans in Minneapolis on December 27. Minnesota led 39-26 at intermission and was clearly the superior team in execution, if not effort. The Spartans, though, were by far the more assertive players in the second half. Among the telling final stats was MSU scored 12 more points in the lane than the Gophers.

The Gophers, now 3-2 in Big Ten games, face a momentum test Saturday at Penn State. Minnesota needs to stop its losing streak at one against a Nittany Lions team that has been at home all week preparing for Saturday’s game. With an 11 a.m. Minneapolis start time, the Gophers won’t have to wait long to see how things go against a 2-2 PSU group team that defeated MSU last week, 72-63.

Worth Noting

Tom Izzo has been Michigan State’s head coach since the 1995-1996 season. Early on he competed against Minnesota coach Clem Haskins, and he got to know legendary Minneapolis newspaper columnist and radio personality Sid Hartman. When Izzo was in town a couple of weeks ago he was asked about the 96-year-old Hartman, who is recovering from a broken hip.

“I get a kick out of Sid,” Izzo told Sports Headliners. “…He always was good to me. There were wars when Clem was here, when I first started, and Sid always had something to say. He wasn’t afraid to tell you how he felt, but I thought he listened and understood. There are a couple people up here (in Minneapolis) I really appreciate and he’s one of them.

“He’s still an ornery (guy). He still doesn’t belong in heaven yet. That’s why he’s not there, because God is negotiating the terms. But someday he’ll end up there and I just hope it’s not for a few years yet.”

Hartman wrote his first column for 2017 in today’s Star Tribune.

Ryan James, the prep basketball authority from GopherIllustrated.com, has watched both Isaiah Washington and Jamir Harris play. The two high school guards signed National Letters of Intent with the Gophers last fall, and James is impressed with their skills. Washington (from New York City) is among the nation’s elite point guards, while Harris (New Brunswick, New Jersey) is a combo guard.

“Isaiah Washington is a guy you describe as having New York juice,” James told Sports Headliners. “He has so much shake, so much burst with his initial attack. It’s matched by very few. He is one of the best players I saw all summer in transition. He makes the right decision in pushing the ball nine times out of 10, whether it’s a quick pitch, attack and dish, or if he goes at the rim.

“Outstanding pull-up jumper. Streaky shooter at the arc but he can be a good shooter out there. …He’s just an aggressive playmaker, and he has the capability of being a great defender. He just has to do it more consistently.”

James believes Harris could average double figures in points as a Gopher. “The first thing you think of is shooter. …He is really strong, high character guy—like he was looking at Stanford. He was looking at the Ivy League.”

James believes Washington definitely has all-Big Ten potential. He also said Harris could be an all-Big Ten academic selection.

In 13 home games this season the Gophers are averaging 9,091 in 14,625 capacity Williams Arena. In 10 games the Gopher women’s team is averaging 3,065.

Steve Fritz bobblehead (photo courtesy of University of St. Thomas)

St. Thomas will celebrate Steve Fritz Bobblehead Day Saturday during a home basketball doubleheader with Concordia College at Schoenecker Arena. Fritz enrolled as a student at St. Thomas in 1967, and he has worked at the St. Paul school since 1971, including 10 years as an assistant men’s basketball coach, 31 years as head coach and 25 years as athletic director. St. Thomas will sell the bobbleheads for $15 each during the 1 p.m. women’s game and the 3 p.m. men’s game against the Cobbers. Fritz, who is still the AD, will greet fans and sign bobbleheads (also available in the Tommie Shop in the Anderson Student Center as of next Monday).

GopherIllustrated.com publisher Zach Johnson talking about how the ultra optimistic and turbocharged personality of new Gophers coach P.J. Fleck could prompt media cynicism: “…I hope the media doesn’t beat him down—force him to create a shell around the program and around himself, and sort of try to protect himself from that (type of) media. I hope he just continues to be who he is. If he wins, he can make those columnists eat crow.”

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, who may announce his retirement this offseason, turns 34 today.

Vikngs defensive tackle Linval Joseph has been named to the Pro Bowl replacing the injured Aaron Donald of the Rams.

Bruce Boudreau, the Wild’s first-year coach who has directed Minnesota to the second best record in the NHL’s Western Conference, earns $2,760,000, according to Otherleague.com, a website listing compensation for league coaches. He is the first head coach in NHL history to lead three different teams (including the Wild) to win streaks of 11-plus games.

The Wild will play eight of their 12 games in February at Xcel Energy Center. After February 7, the team has only one game away from home during the month.

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Could Adrian Peterson Land with Pack?

Posted on January 10, 2017January 10, 2017 by David Shama

At 31 years of age Adrian Peterson is coming off a torn meniscus rehab that sidelined him for most of last season, yet he wants to play deep into his 30s. It seems unlikely, though, that he will find a lot of offers in 2017 or beyond.

Destined to make the Pro football Hall of Fame one day and the greatest running back in Vikings history, Peterson faces obstacles that even he may struggle to overcome. The Vikings have written checks in the past making him one of the NFL’s best paid players but if the club is interested in bringing him back in 2017 his compensation will be greatly reduced. His present nonguaranteed deal with the club reportedly will count $18 million against the team’s salary cap.

Peterson voiced his desire recently to remain a Viking and hinted he might be willing to accept a pay cut, per media reports. A new nonguaranteed contract at perhaps a few million dollars, plus loaded with incentives based on number of games played and yards gained, might be what awaits Peterson wherever he lands in 2017. It’s believed Peterson has lost a step in his explosive running and at his age even teams in need of running backs are likely to look elsewhere.

To some observers Peterson comes with baggage including his infamous 2014 incident in disciplining one of his out of wedlock children. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are those in the Vikings front office who prefer to part with Peterson for more than football reasons, although head coach Mike Zimmer recently described his veteran as still “a really good back” and said he was hopeful about having him on the 2017 roster.

It would certainly be intriguing if Peterson ended up playing for the Packers next season. The team’s main ball carrier in recent years has been Eddie Lacy and he is an unrestricted free agent in 2017. The Packers have had an on again, off again relationship with the talented 26-year-old Lacy.

The Packers have been using converted wide receiver Ty Montgomery at running back. He’s shown promise and among his skills are catching the ball, something that has never been a Peterson strength. If the Packers stick with the Montgomery experiment, perhaps they like the idea of alternating him with a power runner in Peterson.

An opportunity to play with the great Aaron Rodgers and a team that is consistently in the playoffs certainly might appeal to Peterson who in 10 previous seasons has never played in a Super Bowl. It could be like payback time for Packers fans if Peterson had a couple of successful seasons in Green Bay after that franchise’s Brett Favre ended his career with the Vikings, nearly taking Minnesota to the 2010 Super Bowl.

Another team usually in preseason Super Bowl speculation is the Seahawks who might need a veteran running back in 2017, too. Coach Pete Carroll is a risk-taker and known for his willingness to deal with players having strong personalities. Minnesota fans saw that when Carroll was willing to acquire troubled but talented Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin in 2013. Seattle’s leading regular season rusher in 2016, Thomas Rawls, gained 349 yards. Quarterback Russell Wilson was second with 259 yards.

A couple of years ago it seemed that Peterson, a Texas native, might end up in Dallas. But that opportunity is all but gone with the Cowboys having a breakthrough season led by multiple players including rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott who rushed for a league leading 1,631 yards.

It’s a good guess the Vikings will try to find their Ezekiel in the draft. Although Elliott was taken in the first round, it’s not unusual to find quality runners in the second rounds and beyond. The NFL’s second leading rusher this season was rookie Jordan Howard, a fifth round pick by the Bears in 2016. Drafting a running back in 2017 seems likely to be on the Vikings to-do list, or perhaps even pursue a free agent. Both those directions seem more probable than a Peterson return.

Worth Noting

Paul Wiggin evaluates offensive and defensive linemen on other teams for the Vikings. He also watched this past season when Minnesota’s offensive line was devastated by injuries. Even when available the team’s linemen have been criticized for their performances, but Wiggin told Sports Headliners, “I think our problem is not necessarily” to acquire a new line. Instead, it’s to get players healthy, he said.

Left tackle Matt Kalil, a No. 1 draft choice in 2012, missed 14 games because of his knee injury. He has frequently been the target of frustrated fans in the past but as an unrestricted free agent this offseason teams considering him are likely to include the Vikings.

“I think they will try to work something out with Kalil,” Wiggin said. “Kalil is a pretty good football player. (But) I can’t speak for the organization. I don’t know. That’s not my job. I am not the front office, from that standpoint.”

Guard Alex Boone has played left tackle at Ohio State and with the 49ers. Could the Vikings switch him to the left tackle spot where T.J. Clemmings struggled so much in 2016? “I am not on the inside on that kind of thing, but my opinion is I think Boone is more of a guard,” Wiggin said.

Wiggin, whose title with the Vikings is personnel consultant, played defensive end in the NFL in the 1950s and 1960s. His football experiences include being head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and at Stanford, his college alma mater.

Stanford junior running back Christian McCaffrey, who is declaring early for the NFL Draft, decided to skip the Cardinal’s bowl game and prepare for his pro career. That’s not something Wiggin liked. “I am offended by what he did to Stanford but I do think he’s going to be a great player (in the pros).”

The men’s basketball Gophers, 15-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, have their first top 25 national ranking since February of 2013. In this week’s A.P. and USA Today Coaches polls Minnesota is No. 24, joining Purdue and Wisconsin as the only Big Ten teams in the rankings.

“Rankings mean absolutely1,000 percent nothing to me,” Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said after his team defeated Ohio State on Sunday. “RPI means something to me. Strength of schedule means something to me. …Rankings are for the fans.”

The Gophers have the fifth best RPI in the country and rank seventh in strength of schedule, according to espn.com. Minnesota is tops in the Big Ten in RPI and second in strength of schedule to Nebraska.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta talking about the Gophers: “They’re a very, very good basketball team. No question.”

With fall semester over, word is the Gophers are solidly academically and all players will be eligible this winter.

Minnesota freshman forward Amir Coffey is averaging 12.8 points per game, second best on the team. He was named Monday as Big Ten Freshman of the Week after leading the team in scoring in wins over Northwestern and Ohio State.

His sister, Nia Coffey, was supposed to lead the 13-4 and 2-2 Northwestern team against the Gophers (10-7 and 1-3) tomorrow night at Williams Arena but the game has been postponed following the unexpected death of the Wildcats’ Jordan Hankins. Nia leads the Wildcats in scoring at 20.8 points per game and is third among Big Ten players. The 6-1, senior forward from Hopkins High School also leads the Wildcats and the league in rebounding at 11.2 and her blocked shots average of 1.9 is tied for second best in the Big Ten.

Coach John Anderson said last week that ticket prices will be announced soon for the Gophers debut baseball games in U.S. Bank Stadium February 17-19 against UC Irvine. Seating will be general admission only.

Anderson’s nine player recruiting class announced last month will enroll in school this summer. Some college baseball programs enroll players in January but Big Ten teams don’t.

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Tommy Kramer Sees Vikings QB Battle

Posted on January 2, 2017January 2, 2017 by David Shama

Tommy Kramer sees a potential battle for the No. 1 quarterback spot when the Vikings are in training camp next summer. Kramer, the Vikings All-NFC quarterback in 1986, qualified his prediction based on the health of Teddy Bridgewater who missed this season because of a serious knee injury. It’s unknown whether Bridgewater will be fully recovered by next summer.

Sam Bradford had a career season in 2016 but Kramer thinks a healthy Bridgewater will create a lot of competition in the future. “Oh, yeah, it will definitely be an open competition,” Kramer told Sports Headliners.

Bradford, 29, had a career high passer rating of 99.3 this season, among the best for NFL starters. He threw 20 touchdown passes in 15 games, and was intercepted only five times despite playing behind one of the league’s worst offensive line. He set an NFL completion percentage record for a single season with a mark of 71.6 percent.

Sam Bradford (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said last week that Bradford has done “an unbelievable job.” Part of the coach’s perspective is how his quarterback adjusted to being traded to the Vikings eight days before the start of the season, having to learn a new system and teammates (including replacements during the fall), and even dealing with a change in offensive coordinators in November. “Maybe this is the best year he’s ever had,” Zimmer said. “If you put all those together and look at the things he’s had to deal with, I think he’s been amazing.”

Bridgewater, 24, was starting his third NFL season when he was injured in August. At the time he was considered the Vikings’ franchise quarterback, although he had mediocre career totals of 28 touchdown passes, 21 interceptions and a passer rating of 90.1.

“It doesn’t hurt to have two players (Bradford and Bridgewater) like that, anyway,” said Kramer who was the Vikings’ No. 1 draft choice in 1977. “(If) something happens again, at least both of them will be more prepared.”

One of the knocks on Bridgewater was his inability to throw down field. Bradford, when the offensive allowed him the time, showed accuracy on all kinds of throws—deep, intermediate and short.

Bridgewater was expected to show improvement in his overall passing this season before his injury. Better production in passing, to go with his running, would make Bridgewater special. “He can pick up yards with his legs, but he’s gotta learn to slide all the time,” Kramer said. “No reason to take a hit trying to get an extra yard.”

Kramer, who now lives in his native Texas, likes both quarterbacks. “They each have things they do better than the other one,” he said.

Regardless of who is the quarterback in 2017, Kramer wants the Vikings to draft “as many offensive linemen” as they can. The Vikings have selected only two offensive linemen in the first three rounds since 2007. With a run of injuries and below par performances by some linemen, the offensive line had a lot to do with the team’s final record of 8-8 after a 5-0 start.

“Their defense is good enough to win, but you get worn out when you can’t convert on third down situations to keep the ball and let the defense rest,” Kramer said.

Worth Noting

Yesterday’s game against the Bears was the fourth time in 12 years the outcome had no playoff implications for the two franchises.

Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn on whether the Vikings talented nucleus of players bodes well for better than .500 results next season: “You can look good on paper and not be good on the field, so we gotta still put in the work and still go out there and compete.”

That was the Wild’s Erik Haula who sounded the gjallarhorn before yesterday’s game that included an incident with Dakota Access Pipeline Protestors. A Vikings source told Sports Headliners 185 fans had to be relocated from their seats because of safety concerns.

Kyle Rudolph set two tight end records for the Vikings yesterday, with his 29th career touchdown and total of 83 receptions for the season. He broke Steve Jordan’s record for career touchdowns and Joe Senser’s most receptions in a season total. Senser, progressing but still recovering from a stroke, was at the game.

Construction at the Vikings 40-acre headquarters in Eagan continues since last summer’s groundbreaking. The erection of steel, for example, on the indoor practice facility is scheduled to be completed by April 1. The campus will have five outdoor practice fields including a stadium with anticipated capacity of 6,000, plus training and rehab facilities, and also a locker room, team auditorium, and administrative offices. The new Vikings campus is known as the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center and the target date for opening is March of 2018.

Eventually an overall 200-acre development is expected to include offices, retail, residential, hospitality and a conference center with the Vikings headquarters as a development anchor.

Gophers point guard Nate Mason was named Co-Big Ten Player of the Week this afternoon with Nebraska’s Tai Webster. Mason has averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in Minnesota’s first two Big Ten games, a loss last week to Michigan State and victory yesterday over Purdue.

The Big Ten basketball season is less than a week old and already only three of 14 teams are undefeated, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The Gophers’ surprise win over nationally ranked Purdue yesterday evened Minnesota’s record at 1-1.

Minnesota is No. 1 in the league in blocked shots and in three-point defense field goal percentage. Coach Richard Pitino’s team is No. 2 in overall defensive field goal percentage and also in defensive rebounding.

Former Gophers football captain Jim Carter, who has been pursuing membership on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, is less optimistic about his chances than he was several weeks ago. Carter has been criticized by some state legislators for support he voiced for Gophers football players. Critics have mistakenly assumed he isn’t supportive of advocates for prevention of sexual assault. His name has been in the media after news developed about the suspension of 10 Gophers football players and an alleged sexual assault in early September.

“I was supporting the team out of loyalty as a Gopher to get due process (for the suspended players), and…trying to get the fairness and transparency that they deserve,” Carter told Sports Headliners.

The State Legislature will approve four individuals next year to fill vacancies on the Board of Regents.

Tickets remain for all Timberwolves home games including against NBA champion Cleveland on February 14 and March 10 with Golden State, the team that lost to the Cavs in the NBA Finals last June. The Wolves are averaging 14,055 fans, the second lowest total in the 30-franchise NBA, according to ESPN.com. The Nuggets have the lowest average at 13,610, with the Bulls first at 21,606.

Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic, who is out for the entire 2016-2017 season because of recurring pain in his right ankle, turns 31 tomorrow. Since being drafted by the Wolves in 2008, he has played in 271 games. Pekovic didn’t join the Wolves until the 2010-2011 season and injuries have characterized his career. After this season he will have averaged 38.7 games per season for the Wolves, or less than half of the annual 82 game schedule.

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