Vikings – Page 236 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

‘Fate’ for Retractable Roof 60 Days Away

Posted on February 22, 2013February 22, 2013 by David Shama

Vikings’ stadium executive Lester Bagley told Sports Headliners he expects to know this spring if the new $975 million downtown stadium that will be home to the local NFL team will have a retractable roof, or fixed roof. “In the next 60 days we should know the fate of a retractable feature,” he said.

Knowledgeable observers are pessimistic that the state-mandated $975 million budget is large enough to pay for a retractable roof, likely to cost $25 million to $50 million. But Bagley doesn’t describe the chances of a retractable roof as a “long shot.”

The Vikings, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the architects (HKS) and the construction management firm (Mortenson Construction) are considering options to provide enhanced amenities in the new facility scheduled to open in 2016. Those options include not only a retractable roof, but a window opening to the skyline and a moveable wall providing proximity to the game day outdoor plaza. “We think it’s a pretty decent opportunity for the retractable feature (of some kind),” Bagley said.

While neither the Vikings, state or city of Minneapolis are expected to commit any more money to the stadium budget, Bagley is already encouraged by cost savings for the project. “It (a retractable feature) is going to be a budget issue but we’ve been able to have an architect and builder (Mortenson) come in under budget,” Bagley said.

The expertise of HKS and Mortenson is also expected to maximize the best outcome for a retractable feature. HKS was the architect for the acclaimed football stadiums in Dallas and Indianapolis that have multiple retractable features including roofs. Mortenson built Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Bagley didn’t identify the amount of the cost savings with HKS and Mortenson but it’s been reported the HKS fee will be $34 million and the Mortenson fee $12.5 million with incentives that could reach $15 million.

Bagley said the Metrodome will be demolished on February 1, 2014. Ground for the new stadium—to be located adjacent to the Metrodome—is expected to be broken this September or October.

The 2013 season will the Vikings last at the dome, and then the team will play at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014 and 2015. The Vikings and University of Minnesota are expected to have an agreement finalized within about 30 days, according to Bagley.

Sports Headliners believes the Vikings will pay in excess of $2.5 million per year to use TFC Bank Stadium. In addition, the Vikings will pay for costs to make the stadium acceptable for them. This includes paying for a new field with heating coils under the artificial turf, and then replacing that turf after the 2015 season. TCF Bank Stadium was built for fall football but Bagley said the Vikings need the facility to be suitable for the team and its fans through January.

Stadium capacity for Gophers games is 50,805 but will be expanded to nearly 53,000 by the addition of temporary seating in TCF Bank Stadium’s west end, according to Bagley. That figure was targeted to accommodate Vikings’ total season ticket holders.

The Gophers’ baseball program and other amateur baseball teams in the state have annually played games in the Metrodome when the weather otherwise forces them to be in warmer states. Leaders of those programs have been concerned about an initial field design for the new stadium that will have a baseball foul line of less than 300 feet. The Vikings are determined to build a fan-friendly football stadium that includes seats with close proximity to the field.

Bagley said design work regarding the issue is now on “option six” and he’s hopeful a solution will be finalized within a week or so. “I don’t know exactly what the foul line dimensions will be but they should accommodate the baseball community,” he said.

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Kill Last in Big Ten Head Coaches’ Pay

Posted on February 20, 2013February 20, 2013 by David Shama

A list of notes including a few compiled during vacations the last two weeks.

The Gophers Jerry Kill is the lowest paid football coach in the Big Ten. Purdue’s Danny Hope, who reportedly earned $970,000 last season, was at the bottom in annual earnings but he’s been replaced by Darrell Hazell who will be paid about $2 million. Published reports have Kill’s annual pay at $1.2 million.

Hazell has only two years of head coaching experience while Kill has 18 including two at Minnesota. Hazell had an overall record of 16-10 in two seasons coaching Kent State in the Mid-American Conference. Kill was 23-16 in three seasons at Northern Illinois, another MAC member.

Dave Doeren, Kill’s successor at Northern Illinois, was paid $420,000 there but will make $1.8 million at North Carolina State, according to a February 12 article on college football coaches’ compensation in USA Today.

If the Gophers have a winning season in 2013, look for Kill’s salary to become a major news item in Minnesota.

It seemed like Fort Myers media gave the Twins secondary coverage after the Red Sox last week when spring training opened. As one of baseball’s flagship franchises, it’s no surprise to see the Red Sox receive more publicity in the Fort Myers area where both Boston and Minnesota are preparing for the MLB season.

Fox Sports North will televise seven Twins spring training games starting with a game against the Red Sox on March 8 (6 p.m. Minneapolis time).

The Twins have 15 home games in April when the Minneapolis weather is unpredictable. They have 16 games at Target Field after Labor Day when the club is likely to be out of playoff contention. That’s 31 games or 38 percent of the home schedule on problematic dates.

NFL free agency begins March 12 and the world knows the Vikings covet a speedy wide receiver. The Packers’ Greg Jennings draws most of the speculation about joining the Vikings but the Steelers’ Mike Wallace could also help. He has averaged as much as 21 yards per catch during his four-season NFL career.

Have to wonder if Vikings’ wide receiver Percy Harvin is envious of the prime role Adrian Peterson receives in the offense, and wants to play for another team that makes him the featured player. General manager Rick Spielman said the team doesn’t plan to trade Harvin but there are skeptics.

I haven’t seen the financial figures but with some games having announced attendance of less than 60,000 fans, gate receipts for 2012 home Vikings games had to be down from 2011 when the team always played before crowds of 62,000 or more.

Vikings executive Lester Bagley will speak to the Minnesota Men’s Breakfast group in Naples, Florida on Friday. Attendees include prominent Minnesotans who during the winter months hear from Minnesota business and other leaders.

Ted Mondale, executive director of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, will be the speaker on Thursday, March 14 at the C.O.R.E.S. luncheon in Bloomington. Mondale will provide an update on the new Vikings stadium. Anyone interested in more information can email Jim Dotseth at dotsethj@comcast.net. C.O.R.E.S. is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

Prep basketball juniors Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn are top 15 players nationally in the class of 2014, according to Rivals.com. Apple Valley High School’s Jones, a point guard, is the No. 3 player while Cooper High School’s Vaughn, a shooting guard, is ranked No. 12.

Here’s another perspective on the two: each has the potential to be an All-Big Ten player. Two Minnesota natives playing for the Gophers have never been named first team All-Big Ten in the same season.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien e-mailed on Monday that 6-9 Osseo High School junior Ian Theisen has offers from Cal Poly, Drake, Northern Colorado, South Dakota State and Vermont.

The basketball Gophers, at Ohio State tonight, have only one Big Ten road win so far, a victory over Illinois on January 9. The Buckeyes are 8-5 in Big Ten games and ranked No. 18 nationally.

With only five regular season games remaining, the best guess is the 6-7 Gophers will finish 7-11 or 8-10 in the final Big Ten standings. In addition to tonight’s game in Columbus, the Gophers have home games remaining against 11-2 Indiana and 0-13 Penn State, and play at 3-10 Nebraska and 5-8 Purdue. Minnesota was ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams in the Associated Press poll last month.

Former Gophers basketball starters Al Nuness, 67, and Jim Petersen, 51, celebrate birthdays this week.

As of Monday morning the St. Thomas men’s basketball team field goal percentage of .529 was the best in the nation for Divisions I, II and III. The Tommies were No. 1 among more than 400 Division III teams in scoring margin, winning percentage and assists-turnovers ratio.

The Tommies, 24-1, are No. 1 in the nation, according to the D3Hoops.com poll. St. Thomas will host an MIAC semifinal playoff game starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. If the Tommies win, they host the league playoff title game at 2 p.m. on Sunday. NCAA Division III tournament pairings will be announced Monday.

The Hamline women’s basketball team lost to St. Benedict 85-79 in an MIAC opening playoff game last night. Winners of only seven games last season, the Pipers started their schedule 0-5 but finished the year 14-12. Senior Steph Pilgrim leads conference scorers at 16.3 points per game.

Looking for a local sports hero? Mine is Wild goalie Josh Harding who has multiple sclerosis, and has been an advocate for years in the fight against breast cancer.

Mistaken identity: last time I visited Walmart a customer thought I was the greeter.

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Vikings: 2014 Super Bowl Possible?

Posted on January 30, 2013January 30, 2013 by David Shama

The Vikings haven’t played in the Super Bowl since 1977 but it’s not a completely Pollyanna approach to think the Purple could be back in the big game next year or in 2015.

Emerging talent—including a list of impact players 27 and younger—led a turnaround season in 2012 when the Vikings finished 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time in three years. Improving dramatically on their 3-13 record in 2011, the Vikings ditched their “rebuilding” label and gave notice they’re contenders in the NFC North.

But a Super Bowl in 2014? Former Vikings defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema doesn’t scoff at the question.

“If they get a deep threat, they have a great opportunity to definitely get in the playoffs, and then it’s a crapshoot (to the Super Bowl),” said Lurtsema who predicted last summer the Vikings’ 2012 record would be 9-7.

He wants the Vikings to not only acquire a deep threat to loosen up opposing defenses but also add a defensive back. “We could (then) be in great, great shape,” he said.

Lurtsema suggested there is a “70 percent chance” Packers’ wide receiver and free agent Greg Jennings will play for the Vikings next season. The Packers, with a stable of young and productive wide receivers, are believed to have minimal interest in the 29-year-old Jennings who missed games the last two seasons because of injuries and has seen his statistics decline. But Jennings’ age doesn’t bother Lurtsema who said peak years for NFL players are 28 to 33. He believes Jennings, who has 53 career touchdown receptions in seven NFL seasons, is just what the Vikings need.

In the parity-based NFL, the separation in talent is so minimal among at least several teams that a surprise entrant or two can make it all the way to the Super Bowl. The teams most likely to do so, according to Lurtsema, are the ones with outstanding lines, particularly on offense.

Lurtsema said the importance of the offensive line can be measured not only in scoring points but in controlling the clock with consistent play. That kind of performance minimizes “three and outs,” and the number of plays a defense has to be on the field.

“The success of a lot of teams still comes down to the offensive line and quarterback,” Lurtsema said.

He likes the work of left offensive tackle Matt Kalil who minimized mistakes in his rookie season and was rewarded with a Pro Bowl invitation. The drafting of Kalil allowed Charlie Johnson, the 2011 left tackle, to play left guard where he’s more effective. Kalil, Johnson and the other offensive linemen helped Adrian Peterson, 27, rush for 2,097 yards in 2012, the second highest single season total in NFL history.

Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder’s play stabilized during the team’s drive to make the playoffs. “I am happy with Christian Ponder,” Lurtsema said.

If you want to hear excitement in Lurtsema’s voice ask him about second-year tight end Kyle Rudolph. Two years ago Lurtsema described him as “the steal of the draft.” Earlier this week Rudolph’s performance in the Pro Bowl earned him the MVP award.

And Lurtsema could really get excited about the Vikings playing in the 2014 Super Bowl that will be hosted by the Giants at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He spent part of his NFL career with that franchise and is planning to attend the game where he and other Giants alumni will be hosted by the club. “The Giants really take care of their alumni,” Lurtsema said.

Of course Lurtsema, who remains close to the Vikings and has lived in the Minneapolis area for years, will be excited to see the Purple in any Super Bowl in the near future. The franchise is 0-4 historically in the big game. “Sometimes I wonder if the good Lord doesn’t want the Vikings to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Minnesota,” said Lurtsema who played for the Vikings in their Super Bowls of 1973 and 1975.

Worth Noting

Lurtsema also said “I love the kid” but he expects much talked about Vikings’ receiver-kick returner Percy Harvin to be traded.

Vikings fans will closely watch 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss in the Super Bowl on Sunday. At 35, Moss doesn’t have scary speed anymore but Lurtsema said the former Viking is a “tremendous student” of the game.

Often quoted pro football writer Peter King said on SI.com video last Thursday the only for sure hall of famer playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl is Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis. That leaves doubt about hall of fame chances for Moss and Ravens center Matt Birk, another former Viking. Both players could retire after Sunday’s game.

A Monday e-mail from Sports Media News reported the Super Bowl culminates “three years of record-breaking NFL TV viewership.” SMN noted that since September 1, 2010, NFL telecasts have accounted for 55 percent of all TV shows averaging 20 million viewers, 70 percent of programs averaging 30 million viewers and 92 percent of shows averaging 40 million.

It will be 10 years this spring that Delmon Young was the No. 1 overall pick in baseball’s amateur draft. Young is now with the Phillies after the Rays, Twins and Tigers decided not to retain him. His best year in the majors was with the Twins in 2010 when he hit .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBI.

Big Ten followers don’t believe the conference—with the recent additions of Maryland and Rutgers—is done expanding at 14 teams. A 16-team league could be next, with perhaps two of the following joining the Big Ten: Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh or Virginia.

With six days until college football’s National Signing Day, Scout.com and Rivals.com have the Gophers last in 2013 Big Ten recruiting. Scout ranks the Gophers’ class at No. 84 nationally based on verbal commitments so far. Rivals ranks Minnesota No. 72.

Supporters of Gophers coach Jerry Kill, though, insist the Minnesota recruiting classes of last year and 2013 are much better than the rankings of national experts.

The Timberwolves—starting tonight against the Clippers—play six consecutive home games. Other games are the Lakers (Feb. 1), Hornets (Feb. 2), Trail Blazers (Feb. 4), Spurs (Feb. 6) and Knicks (Feb. 8).

The Wolves have lost four consecutive games and nine of their last 10. “We keep fighting, even with injuries and everything else,” guard Luke Ridnour said last week. “We’re not going to get down.”

As of Monday, Wolves guard Alexey Shved ranked second among NBA rookies in assists (4.6), and fifth in minutes (288) and scoring (10.7). His Russian teammate, forward Andrei Kirilenko, has seven double-doubles after having a combined five in his most recent NBA seasons of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

Tim Larson, who once worked in the Gophers’ sports information office, has resigned his position as Jostens president and CEO.

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