Vikings – Page 58 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Kirk Cousins Ongoing Talk of the Town

Posted on April 3, 2022 by David Shama

Try opening your phone and not finding a recent story about Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins. This market is obsessed with the Vikings and Cousins—even five months away from the next NFL season.

Fans (knowledgeable or not) have strong feelings about Cousins and the Vikings who have missed out on the last two playoffs. Cousins and former head coach Mike Zimmer, while they have their supporters, have frequently been vilified by the public.

Cousins, who is among the best paid players in NFL history at $35 million this year, is a polarizing figure that the media and fanbase scrutinize constantly. Former Vikings’ linebacker Ben Leber suspects Cousins is among the “most polarizing” athletes in Minnesota sports history.

Head coaches and quarterbacks can cause that kind of divide. In Minnesota it has gone to extremes because Vikings mania goes on 12 months per year.

If Cousins hasn’t performed up to expectations since he arrived here in 2018, all the media and fan “noise” probably isn’t to blame. “I don’t think he allows a lot of outside distractions,” Leber told Sports Headliners. “I am sure he hears it and feels it and all that stuff but he is so regimented about his day that I don’t think that he’s going to really let that affect him. …”

What may improve the chances of Cousins being a huge contributor to a Vikings’ return to the playoffs is his relationship with new head coach Kevin O’Connell. The 33-year-old Cousins had a rocky status with Zimmer, while O’Connell worked effectively with him in 2017 with the Washington Redskins.

Leber refers to a “black cloud” hanging over Cousins in the past. “I think he is going to walk in now feeling like he is wanted there, and feeling like this offense and this team and the coaching staff is going to be behind him,” Leber said.

Leber, who remains close to the Vikings organization, said an absence of communication and rapport had to impact leadership coming from their quarterback.

“Well, I can’t image it not being a factor. When it’s publicly known that the head coach and the quarterback don’t necessarily have a relationship I think that’s an issue for any team.

“I think it’s a responsibility that the head coach has…to have that connection to the quarterback, whether you’re an offensive minded guy or defensive minded guy. Everybody knows that these 32 NFL quarterbacks are the most important player on the team, and most important person outside of the head coach. So the dynamic has to be solid. …I am not saying they have to be holding hands walking down the hallway, but I think it has to be respectful, and it didn’t sound like it was.”

This offseason, per Leber, there was a players’ meeting where team issues were candidly discussed. He was told about the gathering and won’t reveal a lot of details but said teammates of Cousins were wowed with the quarterback’s leadership.

Cousins reportedly verbalized concerns from the past season in ways those in the meeting never expected at the Vikings complex in Eagan, Leber said. “It certainly seemed like it turned some guys’ heads as far as Kirk’s leadership.”

Worth Noting

Gopher coach P.J. Fleck reads children’s books to his players on Friday nights before games. He read “Elephant Me” to high school coaches last Friday evening at the annual Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic. Educated as a sixth grade social studies teacher, Fleck uses children’s books to share life messages such as being true to who you are.

The clinic registered nearly 1,500 attendees, breaking the old record of 1,412 set in 2012.

Peter Usset, the former defensive coordinator at Henry Sibley High School, is the new head coach at Apple Valley. His staff includes 2008 Minnesota Mr. Football Varmah Sonie who played for the Eagles.

At the clinic and a Saturday night banquet the MFCA honored many state football leaders including Hall of Fame inductees from two different categories. High School Division: William White, Westbrook/Monticello; Bob “Bubba” Sullivan, Northfield; Dean Aurich, Mayer Lutheran; Gary Sloan, Grand Meadow; Rob Nielsen, Detroit Lakes. College Division: Gary Fasching, St. John’s.

Hutchinson’s Andy Rostberg was honored as 2021 Coach of the Year. His Tigers were 12-1 last year and won the Class 4A state title.

While rookie Joe Ryan starts the Twins’ home opener Thursday, ex-Minnesota veteran Jose Berrios will have opening day honors for the Blue Jays. Former Twin Lance Lynn’s status as the White Sox’s opening day starter appears uncertain after a reported knee injury yesterday.

The MLB Morning Lineup newsletter ranked the top 100 players in the majors, with Twins shortstop Carlos Correa No. 14, center fielder Byron Buxton No. 39 and former Twin DH Nelson Cruz, now with the Nationals, No. 90.

The Twins announced this morning they have reassigned left-handed pitcher Devin Smeltzer and outfielder Jake Cave to minor league camp. Minnesota optioned left-handed pitcher Jovani Moran to the Triple-A Saints.

Jim Lehman will be attend his 27th Masters this week. Representing his Minnetonka-based pro sports management company, he will be working with clients including Fargo’s Tom Hoge who is enjoying a breakthrough PGA season.

It was 25 years ago last week Clem Haskins’ Golden Gophers lost to Kentucky at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

After the tragic death of his son last summer, many in the college hockey world will be pulling for coach Bob Motzko to win the Frozen Four that starts Thursday night in Boston. The Gophers will be trying to win their first national title since 2003 and first under Motzko now in his fourth season at Minnesota.

Minnesota Junior forward Ben Meyers, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, leads the Gophers with 41 points this season (17 goals, 24 assists). That’s the most points by a Gopher since Rem Pitlick (45) and Tyler Sheehy (41) in 2018-19.

Vikings executive Lester Bagley, a franchise leader for years on community and business initiatives including the building of U.S. Bank Stadium, is the latest guest on the “Behind the Game” program seen on local cable markets and YouTube. The show is co-hosted by Agile Marketing owner Patrick Klinger and USHL commissioner Bill Robertson.

Professor Michael Hicks from Ball State told the Front Office Sports newsletter the economic impact of the Women’s Final Four in Minneapolis could be $75 million to $125 million.

Former Gopher Amir Coffey was a steal for the NBA Clippers when they signed him out of college as a free agent in 2019. He scored a career-high 32 points Friday night against the Bucks.

KARE-11 news anchor and former sports anchor Randy Shaver is a proud dad, sharing news with Sports Headliners that son Rob Shaver, 29, graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School on Friday.

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Free Draft Advice for Vikings’ New GM

Posted on March 1, 2022 by David Shama

The NFL Scouting Combine going on this week in Indianapolis is one of many steps new Vikings GM Kwesi Odofo-Mensah must navigate preparing for his first NFL Draft April 28-30. Mensah reportedly has a four-year contract in his first opportunity to be an NFL general manager and the clock is already ticking.

Initially, Mensah and his staff of talent evaluators will be granted some leeway in trying to lift the Vikings out of mediocrity. But four years go quickly and things will get off to a rocky start if the franchise doesn’t select a first round standout in late April.

The Vikings select at No. 12 and that’s 20 spots ahead of other NFL teams. Picking at that spot isn’t a lock but Jeff Diamond believes Minnesota should be able to land a potential Pro Bowler.

Diamond is the former Vikings GM who was NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 after Minnesota finished the regular season 15-1. What is his advice for a new NFL general manager going into the draft? “Don’t go against your board,” he told Sports Headliners.

Draft board is a catchphrase for the data and information a team has accumulated and evaluated in the months leading up to the seven-round draft. Diamond’s belief is don’t draft for position need, especially in the first round, at the expense of passing up on the best player available. The exception, Diamond added, can be selecting a quarterback instead.

It was this philosophy that led to the Vikings drafting wide receiver and athletic freak Randy Moss in the 1998 draft. Diamond remembered his team needed help on defense and could have gone that way with the No. 21 selection of the first round.

The offense was loaded with playmakers like wide receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed, and running back Robert Smith. But there on draft night after 20 picks by other teams was Moss—a talent the Vikings had rated on their draft board as a top five player. Diamond thought…“this could be great stuff, even though we needed a little bit more help on defense at that time.”

Moss dazzled from the opening game in 1998, making an already lethal offense into perhaps the franchise’s GOAT. Moss was NFL Rookie of the Year and the Vikings made it all the way to the NFC title game where they lost to the Falcons in overtime. Off-field baggage caused many NFL teams to pass on Moss but he was a superstar for the Vikings and eventually earned enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

At No. 12 in the first round the Vikings could both find a player who fills a position need and rates very high on their board. Position help, Diamond said, includes cornerback, pass rushing and offensive line.

Defense might be a priority. “You gotta be able to cover guys,” Diamond said. “You gotta be able to rush the passer.”

Center could be a focus, too, where Garrett Bradbury, the first round pick from 2019, has been average at best. Diamond said Bradbury has “too much trouble with these big, strong defensive tackles.”

Reunion Will Celebrate March Magic

Every year long ago in late March—with winter still in full force and fingers crossed there would be no state tournament snowstorm—Minnesotans sat for three days in front of their televisions, content to be indoors. The state’s citizenry, including those fortunate enough to be ticket holders, were mesmerized by the boys’ state basketball tournament at Williams Arena. Most games drew capacity crowds of over 18,000 frenzied fans, and even a consolation matchup on a Friday morning could pull in 13,000 souls grateful to be in the arena.

The one-class tournament involved just eight teams and started on a Thursday, playing down to the championship game on Saturday night. The drama was nothing short of what Hollywood offered up in the movie “Hoosiers,” where small town Milan won the Indiana state high school title.

In the 1950s and 1960s this state’s fabled tournament was often the sports highlight of the year. The Gophers and pro teams couldn’t match the theatre of teams and players from the big city, suburbs and small towns. Minnesotans sat on the edge of their collective chairs in anticipation of who would emerge as that year’s “state tournament darlings.”

Small town teams against suburban or city teams created a David versus Goliath storyline. But not always, and there are chroniclers of state tourney history who consider the 1963 game between Marshall and Cloquet the greatest ever.

The game was tied 43-43 at halftime and ended 75-74 after Dennis Schroeder of Marshall made two free throws with 15 seconds remaining to give his team the state’s biggest prep prize. It was a back-and-forth exhausting competition—physically and emotionally. Schroeder told the Minneapolis Tribune after the game he “almost died” when his first free throw popped up in the air before going down through the net.

Howard Lavick was a Cloquet freshman back in 1963 and he has gone on to become a Hollywood documentary film maker. He is captivated by that Cloquet team and has posted a YouTube video called “Beyond the Prize.” Whether you lived through that era of state tournament glory or not, it’s highly recommended viewing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjgAf6gXSkM

Now here is something else cool: March 24 there will be a reunion for all players from 1960-1970 who played on teams from the last decade of the one-class tournament format. About 40 to 50 attendees are expected including Ben Trochlil, coach of the 1963 Cloquet team and now 86 years old. Many of his players and their rivals from Marshall will come together again, perhaps for the last time.

Jeff McCarron, a great player on the 1970 Sherburn team that won the last one-class state title, is helping organize a reunion luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 at The Graduate Hotel near Williams Arena. Fittingly, this year boys’ state tournament games will be played five straight days at the “Barn.”

The reunion is a passionate endeavor for McCarron. He wrote in an email that the gathering of men now 69 to 80 years old, from various teams and years, will “recognize a bond with not only their own teammates and coaches, but with their opponents.”

More information: jmac8144@yahoo.com

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Gophers’ Mafe Draws First Round Talk

Posted on February 27, 2022February 27, 2022 by David Shama

The NFL Scouting Combine starts Tuesday in Indianapolis and former Golden Gopher defensive end Boye Mafe is a name to watch between now and the NFL Draft April 28-30. Mafe had a head-turning performance at last month’s Senior Bowl and his draft stock could be rising with some NFL teams intrigued by his talent.

When Mafe announced in December he was forgoing his final season of eligibility with the Gophers, he projected as a second or third round pick. He still might be selected on the second day of the draft, but there is increasing speculation he could go late first round.

Ryan Burns, the college football authority who has tracked Mafe since his days at Hopkins High School, told Sports Headliners there is a “chance” at the first round. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has the Packers taking Mafe at No. 28 in the first round of his mock draft from last week. “The Packers love raw, explosive edge rushers,” Jeremiah wrote.

Mafe, 6-4 and 265-pounds, has long been known for elite athleticism but seen more as a project than a finished first round product. He could play as an outside linebacker in the pros where extraordinary pass rushers are among the most valued of personnel.

Interestingly, another edge rusher gaining notice is Minnesota native Jermaine Johnson who finished his college career at Florida State after previous stops at Georgia and junior college. ESPN’s Todd McShay had the former Eden Prairie DE going to the Cardinals at No. 23 in the first round of his mock draft earlier this month. McShay was impressed with Johnson’s Senior Bowl performance.

Jeremiah had the Vikings using their No. 12 first round selection on Washington State cornerback Trent McDuffie. Interestingly, Jeremiah doesn’t project a quarterback being selected in the first round until the Saints choose Pitt’s Kenny Pickett at No. 18.

Former Vikings GM Jeff Diamond told Sports Headliners he expects cornerback to be a draft priority for Minnesota: “Because you really need to have four or five good cornerbacks in this day and age,” he said.

This is the second year college athletes, including football players, can monetize deals for name, image and likeness (NIL). Big payoffs are in place in some communities around the country, or are being planned, but apparently not in this state. “I would say Minnesota is behind the ball,” Burns said when asked about the presence of NIL benefitting Gopher football.

Outsiders need to lead NIL efforts because athletic departments aren’t allowed by the NCAA to do so. NIL opportunities will become increasingly more important in recruiting success for schools and their various programs.

Burns said in the Big Ten West Division it’s not just the football Gophers who aren’t benefitting from NIL. “There’s nothing going on with NIL at Wisconsin. There’s nothing going on with NIL at Iowa.”

Meanwhile, the SEC and some of its schools are drawing attention for their NIL efforts. As an example, WBIR TV in Knoxville reported in December that over 300 University of Tennessee men and women athletes profited from NIL since its inception about six months prior.

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is 40 years old, coach Kevin O’Connell 36. Mensah hired Ryan Grigson, with 23 years of NFL front office experience, to help with personnel decisions. O’Connell hired assistant head coach Mike Pettine with 28 years of coaching experience. “I think those both were really smart moves to bring in… experienced guys when you’ve got a first-time head coach and a first-time GM,” Diamond said.

The new regime didn’t retain veteran defensive line coach Andre Patterson, now on the Giants staff. Vikings defensive end Daniele Hunter, a top talent but injury-prone, has a $22 million salary cap hit in 2022 (second only on the team to QB Kirk Cousins). If Adofo-Mensah moves on from Hunter to clear salary cap room, could the Giants be a landing spot?

In a ranking of Big Ten football transfer classes last week, Steven Lassan from Athlon Sports had the Gophers at No. 5. Nebraska, at No. 2 behind Michigan State, was the only West Division program ahead of Minnesota.

Earlier in the month Lassan ranked the Big Ten quarterbacks for next fall and had Minnesota’s Tanner Morgan No. 8 in the 14-team league.

Photo credit: Matt Krohn/University of Minnesota athletics

Coach Bob Motzko’s Gopher hockey team finished February with an 8-0 record for the month, including a weekend home sweep of the Badgers, 8-0 and 5-0, that gave Minnesota its first Big Ten championship since 2017. Minnesota outscored opponents 37-11 during the win streak.

As the No. 1 seed for the Big Ten Tournament, the Gophers have a bye in the quarterfinals and will host a semifinal game at 3M Arena at Mariucci March 12.

The Gopher men’s basketball team ends its home schedule tonight against Indiana and will not have one sellout crowd for 2021-2022.

Wishing a successful recovery to Mike Wilkinson after falling at home and having back surgery. Wilkinson authored the biography about former Gophers football national championship coach Murray Warmath, The Autumn Warrior.

Condolences to family and friends of Tommy King, the Edina native and halfback on Warmath’s 1960 national championship team, who passed away earlier this month. Tommy’s father, Ray King, was a 1937 All-American end at Minnesota who played on national championship teams in 1935 and 1936.

Popular Dave Schwartz, who many viewers expected to succeed Eric Perkins as KARE TV’s No. 1 sports anchor, turned 43 Friday and has a new career in communications with the Minnesota Wild.

Celebrity sightings at the Timberwolves-76ers game Friday night at Target Center included O’Connell. Sitting courtside was MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield who played on championship Gopher baseball and basketball teams. It was 50 years ago this winter Winfield and his teammates won Minnesota’s first Big Ten basketball championship since 1937.

Eagan resident Pat Fraher, with more than 18 seasons of NBA officiating experience, was in Minneapolis Thursday night working the Timberwolves-Grizzlies game.

The CORES luncheon group welcomes Stew Thornley as its guest speaker March 10 at the Bloomington Event Center. The Minneapolis native has authored numerous local sports books and is a long time official scorer for the Twins. Reservations must be made by March 7. For more information contact Jim Dotseth: dotsethj@comcast.net. CORES is an acronym for coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans.

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