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Gophers Use Predictions for Motivation

Posted on October 4, 2013October 4, 2013 by David Shama

Andre Hollins calls it a “slap in the face.”

The Gophers’ best player is using predictions by college basketball writers that his team will be among the worst in the Big Ten Conference as motivation. “I think we can be a surprise team. …Nobody really knows what to expect, expecting us last. That’s the motivation that we’re using.”

Hollins, who led the Gophers in scoring last season at 14.6 points per game, is one of two returning starters from a team that finished 8-10 in Big Ten Conference games and 21-13 overall last season. He and Austin Hollins were starting guards last season but forwards Rodney Williams and Joe Coleman, and center Trevor Mbakwe, are no longer part of a Minnesota program with a new coach in 31-year-old Richard Pitino.

Basketball writers see a program in transition with changes in personnel and a new coaching staff. They forecast a challenging winter for the Gophers playing in the Big Ten, perhaps the nation’s best conference.

Andre Hollins said the Gophers, who have started fall practice preparing for their first exhibition game against Cardinal-Stritch at Williams Arena on November 1, are embracing the changes. “Much more energetic, enthusiastic. Just the whole program,” he said.

The team’s best players are likely to be the guards. The strategy could be to compensate for lack of size and talent in the frontcourt by playing wide open basketball — fast breaks, quick shots, full-court defense, double teams, and force turnovers.

The Gophers want opponents to panic and to do so Hollins is already seeing the importance of conditioning for himself and teammates. “We’re playing hard-nosed full-court defense an hour twenty minutes in practice,” he said. “I don’t think many teams do that in the nation.”

Hollins, a junior, has been known as an offensive player but when asked about personal goals for the season he said, “Be the best player I can be. Pick it up defensively. Be one of the best defending guards in the nation.”

Hollins said he improved his defense during the summer and made a comparison with how the Gophers will play defense this season versus last. While former coach Tubby Smith had players deny passes, the Gophers now will ease off on that so not to be vulnerable to backdoor cuts to the basket by opponents.

Hollins also said he’s learned to be more vocal, an attribute that will help him as one of three newly elected captains. Austin Hollins and guard Maverick Ahanmisi are the other captains.

Worth Noting

Forward Mo Walker, 6-10, has lost about 50 pounds and looks like a different person. Andre Hollins said Walker can now keep up with 6-11 center Elliott Eliason in running drills. Eliason is known for his ability to run up and down the court.

The Gophers haven’t set an October date when practice will be open to the public but plan to do so.

Pitino has converted the gym adjacent to his Bierman Building office into a practice facility. A wall has been constructed with power operated window shades to provide privacy. On the wall are video monitors showing images including of Minneapolis, the University campus and celebrities such as Ricky Rubio and Adrian Peterson.

The facility has a nearby locker room and showers. It is intended more for individual instruction, with the Gophers also using Williams Arena with its larger floor on practice days.

A passionate and knowledgeable Twins fan, disappointed with the decision to re-sign manager Ron Gardenhire for two more years, sent this e-mail to Sports Headliners: “After so many losses over the last three years, it’s hard to believe a change wasn’t made. Only in Minnesota do we accept such mediocrity on a consistent basis. I love Gardy as a person. It just seemed the right time to go in a different direction.

“What I find interesting is the Twins point to the A’s, Pirates and Rays and tell you a big payroll isn’t necessary to win. That may be true but then it’s an indictment of the team’s baseball operations department for failing to draft, sign and develop players that make an impact. If a team isn’t willing to spend money, then it better draft and develop well. Some of the Twins first-rounders like (Chris) Parmelee, (Trevor) Plouffe, (Aaron) Hicks and (Kyle) Gibson made it to the bigs but don’t appear to be impact players. Others, like (Denard) Span and (Ben) Revere, were traded before the start of the season.”

A guess is Gardenhire’s new deal pays him between $1.4 and $1.6 million annually. Baseballprospectus.com lists his two-year total compensation at $2.5 million for 2008-2009, but offers no figures more recent.

The Gophers (4-1) play at Michigan (4-0) tomorrow in a 2:30 p.m. ABC regionally televised game. The Gophers haven’t won in Ann Arbor since 2005 and have two victories in Michigan Stadium since 1980. The “Big House” has an official seating capacity of 109,901 but 115,109 saw the Wolverines defeat Notre Dame last month – the largest crowd ever to watch a college or pro football game.

Senior defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman said younger teammates might be somewhat “star-struck” playing against college football’s all-time winningest program in such a famous venue, but they need to know it’s “just a regular football game.”

Two years ago it wasn’t a regular game, as Michigan embarrassed Minnesota 58-0 in the “Big House” before 111,106 fans.

The Gophers average of only 27.4 penalty yards per game is the best among Big Ten teams. Coach Jerry Kill stresses in weekly meetings the importance of minimizing penalties.

“You wouldn’t want to be in here (the meeting room) after a ballgame and you were one who made a dumb penalty because it’s going to go up on that screen. That’s called the Daily News.” Kill said. “We all get educated through the Daily News and it helps because it’s not degrading anybody. This is why we didn’t score. This is why we kicked the field goal because we lined up wrong. So we’re gonna get that corrected. ‘Yes, sir.’ Okay, move on. So that’s kind of how we try to teach.”

The defensive secondary might be the Gophers’ top unit, comparing favorably with the best in the Big Ten. Safety Cedric Thompson thinks so and believes the unit is better than last year. “We’re a lot more physical, smarter and faster,” he said.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier didn’t want to tell his players that because of the team’s unexpected poor start and 1-3 record they had to spend part of their bye week at Winter Park working: “I think it’s important that our players get a chance to get away, take their minds off some things for a little bit and also…get re-engaged from a physical standpoint as well. So I think this is the right decision. We’ll come back on Monday, get started on the next opponent. …”

Vikings rookie wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has turned heads with his kickoff return ability including a 105-yard touchdown return against the Bears last month. He is averaging 33.8 yards on 12 returns and was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September. Frazier allows him freedom about making decisions about whether to return a kickoff or down the ball in the end zone for a touchback.

“Yeah, we do have a lot of trust in him for sure,” Frazier said. “We have some parameters on when he can bring it out and when he doesn’t, but it’s not by yards. We think he can return one 109 yards, 108 yards and he’s done 105 so we trust his judgment. We do have some things we talk about when it comes to where the ball is kicked when he has to not return it, but he’s made good decisions up to this point.”

It wasn’t complacency that ended St. Thomas’ 36 game regular season winning streak last month. “Gosh, no. No way,” coach Glenn Caruso told Sports Headliners yesterday. “We would not tolerate it.”

The Tommies lost 20-18 to St. John’s on September 21 and had a bye last weekend. Caruso was surprised how poorly his team played “at times” against the Johnnies, committing five turnovers after a focused week of practice. “It was a great reminder of how strong the rest of the conference has gotten,” he said.

The Tommies are home for a 1:10 p.m. game tomorrow against Carleton, another MIAC opponent. Caruso said the St. John’s loss doesn’t end the dream of playing later this year for the Division III national championship but the Tommies need to focus on the present each week.

State basketball legend Janet Karvonen, now 50, is finishing studies at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, according to the latest issue of MVP Magazine. Bob Brown wrote in his story for the southeast Minnesota sports publication that Karvonen plans to intern at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Lino Lakes. “It’s still a new thing for women to be ordained as pastors,” said Karvonen who grew up in the Lutheran church.

The Lynx open the WNBA Finals on Sunday night at Target Center against the Dream. Single game tickets start at $26.

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Iowa Recruiter Put Down Gophers

Posted on September 27, 2013September 27, 2013 by David Shama

Gophers, Vikings and other notes leading up to the first official fall football weekend:

When Rodrick Williams was in high school his college football choices came down to Minnesota and Iowa. He told an Iowa recruiter he was interested in the Gophers.

“What he told me was, ‘I thought you liked to win.’ He laughed at me,” Williams said earlier this month. “So then it got in my head I am going to go to Minnesota and we’re going to beat Iowa. Let him know we’re the ones winning.”

Two years ago Williams was being recruited out of Lewisville, Texas. Back then the Gophers were experiencing what would turn out to be their second consecutive 3-9 season. Iowa, though, had records of 11-2 in 2009, 8-5 in 2010 and 7-6 in 2011.

Iowa was 4-8 last season while Minnesota finished 6-7 including the Gophers’ first bowl game appearance since 2009. This year Iowa is 3-1 and Minnesota 4-0 in nonconference games.

Williams, a sophomore running back, didn’t play last season when the Hawkeyes defeated the Gophers 31-13 in Iowa City. But Williams is expected to play tomorrow when Iowa comes to Minneapolis. He is the second leading Minnesota rusher with 277 yards.

Williams and the other Gophers are excited about tomorrow. The two teams are playing in their 2013 Big Ten Conference opening game. The winner of the annual border rivalry gets to keep Floyd of Rosedale, the bronze pig and trophy that dates back to 1935.

“I’ve been thinking about the Iowa game since this summer,” Williams said. “Try to get the pig back.”

Both programs want to move past recent mediocre seasons, making this perhaps the most important Minnesota-Iowa game in years. The winner makes a statement about not being suspect No. 1 to finish last in the Legends Division that also includes Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern — all teams considered superior in personnel to Minnesota and Iowa.

The winner of tomorrow’s game, of course, will dream bigger than just avoiding a last place finish in the division. In September there are ambitions about winning a lot of conference games and earning a trip to a big-time bowl.

And then there’s the emotion of the Iowa-Minnesota rivalry. Minnesota students annually chant, “We hate Iowa!” In recent days Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner said he’s heard those three words on campus. “It’s all in good fun,” Leidner said.

Leidner, the Gophers’ redshirt freshman starting quarterback, will play in his first Iowa-Minnesota game. The importance of it, the atmosphere on campus, the sellout crowd and Floyd of Rosedale have him looking forward to kickoff. “It’s going to be awesome,” Leidner said. “Can’t wait.”

Leidner also said he has a close relationship with his teammates and has fun with them. “I wrestle Isaac Hayes quite a bit. There was one night that I pinned him five times in a row.”

Senior safety Brock Vereen said the Gophers don’t want their emotions to overtake their decision making against Iowa. “Sometimes it’s good to have emotion. Sometimes it’s not,” Vereen said. “Too much of it is a bad thing.”

Gophers coach Jerry Kill doesn’t seem too concerned about his team being distracted and not able to execute assignments tomorrow. “We’ve had enough distractions and things around here for a lifetime for the last two years,” Kill said. “…When we have control of them (the players) I feel very good about it. When we don’t have them and they’re not here, you worry about them if you’re playing Iowa or anybody.

“You don’t sleep when you’re in charge of 115 players. It doesn’t matter who you play, or what you do, you’re uncomfortable.”

Minnesota defeated Western Illinois two weeks ago, a team with a similar offense to Iowa’s. “Even though the personnel is very different, just to have the same looks and stuff…it will give us a lot more confidence going forward,” Vereen said. “But at the same time you can’t really compare the personnel.”

If you judge the personnel of Iowa and Minnesota by comparing players named to preseason awards candidates lists, the Hawkeyes are superior. Iowa linebacker James Morris and Minnesota tackle Ra’Shede Hageman are both being considered for the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy, annually awarded to the nation’s best defensive player. The Gophers’ Williams is a candidate for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award given to the player who best exhibits the on and off the field characteristics of Campbell.

But Iowa’s Mark Weisman is on the Doak Walker list for best running back, Mike Meyer is a candidate for the Groza Award recognizing the top placekicker, C.J. Fiedorowicz could win the Mackey Award for best tight end, and not only is Morris up for the Butkus Award given to the best linebacker but so, too, are linebacker teammates Anthony Hitchens and Christian Kirksey. That’s six Hawkeyes to two Gophers.

Unlike many observers, former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton doesn’t agree the team’s offensive line is playing subpar. He told Sports Headliners that defenses are crowding the line of scrimmage, making it more difficult for Adrian Peterson to rush for big yards. “You should be able to stretch the field,” Dalton said.

The line has been criticized for not only run blocking but also allowing too much pressure from pass rushers on quarterback Christian Ponder. But Dalton said the pressure is often caused by Ponder who needs to more quickly find a receiver, or throw the ball away. Instead, Ponder frequently holds the ball too long in the pocket.

The potential is present to “stretch the field.” Dalton likes the receiver group of tight end Kyle Rudolph, 2012 carryover wide receiver Jerome Simpson and offseason wide receiver acquisitions Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson.

The 0-3 Vikings play the 0-3 Steelers in London on Sunday. Because of a rib injury, Ponder isn’t expected to play and will be replaced by Matt Cassel who started eight of 16 games for the Chiefs last year. He threw 12 interceptions and six touchdown passes.

The Steelers are led by former Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh’s head coach since 2007. He is a boss who Matt Spaeth admires.

“I love him,” Spaeth told Sports Headliners this week. “I don’t think it gets much better. He’s very real, speaks the truth. He always knows the right thing to say whether it’s good, bad or indifferent. I’ve got a ton of respect for the guy.”

Spaeth, the former Gophers tight end from St. Michael, Minnesota, is on injured reserve. He has an injured right foot and has been unable to play in any games in what is supposed to be his seventh NFL season.

Spaeth doesn’t know when he will return to game action and although he has been rehabbing after surgery, he isn’t even running yet. “Trust me. It’s a very difficult time for me,” Spaeth said. “All the injuries I’ve had, I’ve never had an injury like this. It’s tough to watch (my teammates). I could be helping these guys. I want to be out there showing what I am capable of.”

Spaeth said the Steelers have been making too many turnovers. “Ball security has to be job No. 1,” he said.

A few years ago former Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith said, “I don’t do the tweet.” But now Smith, soon starting his first season as Texas Tech head coach, has a Twitter account, @coachTubbySmith. He has sent eight tweets and has 13,776 followers but is following no one on Twitter.

The Timberwolves will have their media day in Minneapolis on Monday, then four days of training camp at Minnesota State, Mankato. The Tuesday through Friday practices are closed to the public.

The latest D3football.com poll has Bethel ranked No. 5, St. Thomas No. 6 and Saint John’s No. 21. Bethel plays at Carleton in a MIAC game on Saturday while St. Thomas has a bye.

Saint John’s takes on Concordia in its first conference home game under new head coach Gary Fasching.

Twins rookie catcher Josmil Pinto homered last night in the 6-5 loss to the Indians. It was his fourth home run in 80 at bats for Minnesota.

Rookie Michael Tonkin pitched in relief last evening and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 10.1 innings.

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Vikings Make History But Won’t ‘Panic’

Posted on September 23, 2013September 23, 2013 by David Shama

The Vikings are making history. Just the wrong kind.

After yesterday’s 31-27 loss to the Browns at Mall of America Field, the Vikings are off to a 0-3 regular season start. That’s a number only four other Vikings teams have put in the record book.

The 1962, 1967, 2002 and 2011 Vikings all started 0-3. I know what you are thinking: none of those teams made the playoffs. And in NFL history only three teams have started the season 0-3 and qualified for the playoffs.

The Vikings have lost three games by a total of 15 points. That’s enough to indicate the 2013 team isn’t the NFL equivalent of the Twins but 0-3 almost dooms this team to missing the playoffs.

NFC North Division rivals the Bears (3-0), Lions (2-1) and Packers (1-2) all have better records. The Vikings almost certainly won’t qualify for the playoffs as a wild card team and winning the division title will be a major challenge after yesterday’s loss.

It was the second consecutive Sunday the Vikings defense couldn’t stop the opponent from scoring the winning touchdown in the game’s last minute. It was another Sunday when the performance of quarterback Christian Ponder was spotty. But it was also an unusual day when the Browns used a fake punt to set up a field goal and a fake field goal attempt to score a touchdown—all in the second quarter.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton told Sports Headliners after the game he thinks the Vikings are a good team with a chance to be better than last season’s 10-6 club but they’ve lost close games and are playing in an improved NFC against formidable opposition. He isn’t giving up on the season after three games and predicted the Vikings, including head coach Leslie Frazier, won’t either.

“This group won’t panic,” Dalton said. “They’ve been in three games where they’ve had to fight it out all 60 minutes. It’s a very balanced group. The veteran leaders that they have are rock solid. The leadership of…Leslie Frazier is rock solid. He won’t flinch. He’ll be upset. He’ll be frustrated. He’ll make the corrections but he won’t panic.”

Worth Noting

The 1962 club, a second year expansion group of misfits, holds the franchise record for worst start ever at 0-5.

The Vikings play the Steelers in London next Sunday in a regular season game where Minnesota is the home team. The Vikings will be guaranteed monies equal to their average revenue for a game at Mall of America Field.

The Vikings leave Minneapolis Monday night and arrive in London Tuesday morning. The Steelers won’t be in London until Thursday but as the home team the Vikings want to arrive earlier in the week and help with promotion. General manager Rick Spielman told Sports Headliners the Vikings will stay at a hotel about one hour from London and practice at a nearby field. A tent-like facility will serve as a locker room.

The game represents ongoing marketing by American sports to expand global identity. Next year, for example, MLB will send the Dodgers and Diamondbacks to Australia for regular season games March 22 and 23.

London is a likely eventual home for an NFL team and a MLB team in Mexico could happen some day. MLB has opened seasons in Monterrey, Mexico, Tokyo, Japan and San Juan, Puerto Rico. MLB might like to open a season in Europe but spring weather poses a problem.

Jashon Cornell is ESPN.com’s No. 1 ranked high school football player nationally in the class of 2015. The Cretin-Derham Hall defensive end has 21 college offers, according to former Gophers center and Raiders offensive line coach Ray Hitchcock.

Hitchcock said Gophers coach Jerry Kill was the first to offer Cornell a scholarship. Does Hitchcock believe Cornell is serious about the Gophers? “Yes, I do,” Hitchcock said. “It would be great to get him and stay home… .”

Hitchcock describes Cornell as sometimes “unblockable.” Cornell particularly excels in rushing the passer.

Last week Kill likened Mitch Leidner, his 6-4, 230-pound redshirt freshman quarterback, to Collin Klein, the similarly sized former Kansas State quarterback who was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012. “Mitch runs like Collin,” Kill said.

Both are punishing runners, particularly for quarterbacks. Leidner rushed for 151 yards and four touchdowns last Saturday in his first college start to lead the Gophers to a 43-24 nonconference win over San Jose State.

Leidner said Kill even compared him to Klein last year. “Toughness is something I definitely try to model myself after and be a physical player,” Leidner told Sports Headliners.

How did he develop that toughness? “Probably growing up with brothers and all of us just pounding the crap out of each other all of the time,” Leidner said.

Today the Big Ten Conference selected Leidner as Freshman of the Week for his performance against San Jose State. He tied a school record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game.

Sign of the times: “Can Souhan.” That was the message on a sign displayed by fans during the Gophers game Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium referring to Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan who wrote a controversial column last week about Kill.

Gophers defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman will sometimes play defensive end where he is more difficult to double team. Hageman, a likely NFL draft choice next year, values his school work and is majoring in urban youth studies.

“I could walk down a flight of stairs and break my leg. I can always have my degree,” Hageman said. “Football isn’t promised but just having an education, having something to fall back on is always a good thing.”

Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover will speak at Friday’s Goal Line Club luncheon at Jax Café in Minneapolis. Limegrover will have comments about the Gophers prior to Saturday’s Big Ten opening game with Iowa at TCF Bank Stadium. The luncheon is open to the public. More about the noon luncheon and program at Goallineclub.com.

Volleyball is important in Darrell Thompson’s household. Thompson was a record setting running back for the Gophers but daughters Indigo and Dominique, and wife Stephanie, have excelled at volleyball. Indigo, a senior at Armstrong High School, has accepted a volleyball scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth. Dominique is on scholarship at Wisconsin where she is a redshirt junior. Stephanie played volleyball for Iowa from 1987-1990.

Congratulations to Edgerton/Ellsworth football coach Andrew Fleischman for winning his 100^th career game with a victory on Friday night over Westbrook-Walnut Grove.

New Timberwolves center Rony Turiaf throws out the ceremonial first pitch at tonight’s Twins-Tigers game at Target Field.

The Capitals will host the January 1, 2015 NHL Winter Classic, a date the Wild had targeted for the outdoor event in Minneapolis. The local NHL team will now presumably try for 2016.

Rochester radio commentator Ed Rauen emailed with news about two of his city’s outstanding girls tennis players, both high school juniors. Ingrid Neel has been working on her game at the IMG Academy in Florida. Jesse Aney played in Florida summer tournaments and this school year will be on the girls hockey team at Rochester Century High School.

Canterbury Park’s 69-day racing season, the longest since 2006, concluded with gains in average handle and attendance. Off-track wagering (dollars bet on Canterbury races at other tracks and through Internet sites) increased by 46.7 percent while average daily on-track wagering was up 4.8 percent. Average daily attendance was 6,656, a Canterbury Park record since the track re-opened in 1995.

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