Wild – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Most Pressure to Win in This Town? It’s not the WNBA Lynx

Posted on September 26, 2025September 26, 2025 by David Shama

Our town demands little in terms of championships from its pro teams and the Golden Gophers. Maybe that’s part of why the championship cupboard is so bare.

Minnesota fans aren’t so nasty they would threaten a serious boycott of a team, or boo Santa Claus like the City of Brotherly Love once did.

With a population here raised on “Minnesota nice” and minds filled with sensitivity training, I question whether some state natives would even unanimously hiss and jeer Vladimir Putin!

The Lynx are favorites to win the WNBA title this fall but think again if you believe there’s public pressure on the Lynxers to win it all. Nope for a couple of reasons.

The Lynx have already produced four WNBA championships, and they keep exceeding expectations. Then, too, the public interest in the club isn’t as widespread, nor as deeply intense as for several other outfits in town.

The team that should be feeling the most pressure to rise ASAP to an elite level is the Twins. The struggling franchise that passed on the opportunity to take a step forward two years ago after exciting patrons with its playoff run has both pissed off and launched fans into anger and apathy.

The Twins close the regular season on Sunday as a franchise viewed by the public and media as in disarray. David Schoenfield, writing for ESPN.com Wednesday, graded the 30 MLB teams on their 2025 seasons. No one in Twins Territory should be surprised the Pohlad owned franchise was given an F.

Schoenfield wrote: “This is the kind of season that can set an organization back five years, where it kind of feels like the whole organization has given up. Ownership/management punted at the trade deadline, dealing away 10 players. …As always, the Pohlads never disappoint in their willingness to pinch pennies.”

It’s interesting that while the Twins head toward a final record of about 22 games under .500 (after plummeting with a second consecutive late season collapse), the Brewers from neighboring Wisconsin received the best grade of the season from Schoenfield. Playing in a similar size market, the Brewers will finish with close to 100 wins and easily the best runs differential in MLB.

The Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild and Gophers football have no elite hardware to showcase this century, but they don’t face the scrutiny of the Twins who need a massive turnaround and pursuit of no less than an American league pennant.

Measure fan interest by game attendance, TV viewership, merchandise sales and sponsorship, and no one in this town likely comes close to the Vikings in decibel blowing devotion. On Sundays, it feels like only the newborn and comatose among us aren’t following the Purple heroes.

The franchise hasn’t been to the Super Bowl since Jimmy Carter was in the White House, but there’s not a win it all demand by the fanbase or “we’re done with you.” A competitive team, with entertaining players, is enough for the Skol-mad and beer fueled fans to rock all fall.

The Wolves and Wild claim no league titles in their histories which date back 35 and 25 years respectively. Yeah, Wolves fans would love to see coach Chris Finch hoisting the NBA championship trophy on a parade down Hennepin Avenue. But the fanbase of this mostly forlorn franchise is mesmerized by the last two springs when the club made the Western Conference Finals. Pressure to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy? Nah, not when the fanbase is honeymooning right now in unknown success.

The Wild fanbase is passionate and darn loyal, win or lose. Patrons would love a Stanley Cup but for starters many will welcome a deep playoff run next spring. Past post season success has been too minimal as has goal scoring. Disappointed fans have a way of returning for the next season and for now are preoccupied with seeing the contract of superstar Kirill Kaprizov extended. That’s where the franchise’s public pressure is for now. If Kaprizov departs and the club performs poorly for a season or two, then the pressure will be on like never before in the building we used to call the X.

Gopher football hasn’t shared a Big Ten championship since 1967. Minnesota couldn’t even win a division title earlier this century when it was grouped into the mediocre Big Ten West. Win-some, lose-some results in Big Ten games for a long time has driven away fans. Apathy hangs over this once proud program that during the first 70 years of the last century was a national power. A berth in the 12-team college football playoffs one day would bring a lot of fans out of the closet for the home state Division 1 football.

Not saying there isn’t pressure to win for this town’s teams, but nobody should be feeling it like the Twins! Santa Claus, though, probably wouldn’t get booed at Target Field. Tim Walz or Scott Jensen, maybe.

Worth Noting

Lindy’s Sports College Basketball Magazine is on newsstands and forecasts a 16^th place finish for Minnesota in the 18-team Big Ten standings. Concerns about coach Niko Medved’s first team at Minnesota include how well incoming players from mid-major programs will fare in the Big Ten.

The magazine’s top 10: Houston, Purdue, Florida, Michigan, Duke, Kentucky, St. John’s, Iowa State, Alabama and UConn.

The public is invited to a free men’s basketball Maroon and Gold Open Scrimmage at Williams Arena on Saturday, October 11. Start time will be 2 or 2:30 p.m., four hours before the start of the home football game with Purdue. That game time will be either 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. and decided later. Following the one-hour scrimmage, players will sign autographs near the Williams Arena court.

Fans can enter the arena through the Maturi Pavilion Daily Entrance, located at 1925 University Ave. Tailgate lots for the Gopher football game are scheduled to open at noon or 12:30 p.m. that day

News came yesterday that 6-8 forward Erick Reader, the sophomore forward from Bloomington and New Life Academy who played minimally in the past for the Gophers, is leaving the program to focus on academics. He is replaced by 6-3 walk-on guard RJ Spencer from Blaine and Totino-Grace.

Congratulations to hockey icon Lou Nanne who will be inducted Tuesday into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame at the JX Event Center in Stillwater. The former Gophers All-American, North Stars player, GM and president, has an impressive broadcast resume.

Nanne’s broadcast experience includes the Stanley Cup, Olympics, NCAA Frozen Four and the Boys’ State High School Hockey Tournament. He offered game commentary for 60 years of Minnesota high school state tournament games. He makes a KFAN radio appearance one day a week with Dan Barreiro.

Saint John’s senior defensive end Zach Frank and St. Olaf senior linebacker Noah Barret are semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® which is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award.

Comments Welcome

Vikings & Rodgers Meet Sunday After Off-Season Flirtation

Posted on September 22, 2025September 23, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Monday notes column.

It looks like a soap opera season regarding the Vikings quarterback position after journeyman Carson Wentz was more than serviceable yesterday in subbing for injured first-year QB J.J. McCarthy. Wentz, starting for his sixth NFL team in six consecutive years, looked settled in the pocket and threw two touchdown passes while completing 14 of 20 throws in Minnesota’s 48-10 win.

Wentz’s poise, decision making and performance contrasted to the mostly skittish play of the 22-year-old McCarthy in the team’s first two games. His high ankle sprain perhaps will keep him sidelined until after the team’s next two games in Europe and bye week of October 12.

Since the 2-1 Vikings passed on veteran options during the past offseason to anoint McCarthy with the job, it will be interesting to see if head coach Kevin O’Connell puts Wentz back on the bench upon McCarthy’s return to the active roster. Does that happen even if the Vikings defeat the Steelers in Dublin next Sunday and take down the Browns the following Sunday in London?

Ironically, the Vikings face future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Dublin. The not so well known truth is there was considerable mutual interest between the Vikings and Rodgers during the offseason about having him play for Minnesota in 2025.

It’s believed Rodgers would have preferred Minneapolis to Pittsburgh. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, ownership and O’Connell looked at the possibility but in the end the coach apparently decided McCarthy was his first choice.

That decision could end up being highly supported or criticized. Same with an October decision to either continue on with Wentz or bench him upon McCarthy’s return. Remember, too, the Vikings had off-season options to retain 2024 star Sam Darnold or even turn to 2024 late season acquisition Daniel Jones, another veteran with a career of mixed results.

“As the World Turns on the Purple Quarterback Stage.”

Rodgers, 41, had two touchdown passes in the (2-1) Steelers’ 21-14 win at New England yesterday. He has 510 career regular-season touchdown passes and has surpassed Brett Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most in NFL history.

O’Connell said after the thorough beat down of the Bengals he was pleased with the response of his team after losing the previous game to the Falcons. He’s impressed with the leadership on the team.

“…It’s not just our eight captains. We’ve got nearly 30 players (who) received votes to be captains this year, and I can name player after player that showed up today and were phenomenal for their team, and just so proud of those guys.”

Credit Minneapolis attorney and sports historian Marshall Tanick with asking the question about who was the last University of Minnesota former quarterback to play in a regular season NFL game prior to yesterday. On Sunday Max Brosmer entered the Viking game in the fourth quarter and became the first former Gopher to do that since Cory Sauter. Playing for the Bears in the 2002 regular season finale, the Hutchinson native completed 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards in the game.

Star wide receiver Jordan Addison returns for the Steeler game after serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He had 885 receiving yards last season, second on the team to superstar WR Justin Jefferson.

Yesterday showed how topsy-turvy the NFL can be. The Bengals, now 2-1, lost their first game of the season while the Vikings made up for a poor performance in Week Two against the Falcons who struggled so much yesterday against the Panthers that starter Michael Penix, Jr. was benched and Atlanta fell to Carolina, 30-0. The Packers, after two games almost coronated as Super Bowl champs, were upset by the lowly 1-2 Browns in Cleveland.

The Gophers, 2-1, have almost a must win on Saturday at home against 3-1 Rutgers. Minnesota needs a win to keep hopes in place of having an above .500 season and quality bowl invitation.

Athan Kaliakmanis, the former Gopher starting quarterback, looks much improved in his second season leading Rutgers. He is second in Big Ten passing yards with 1,150 (USC’s Jayden Maiava is first with 1,223). Kaliakmanis was on target throwing the ball for a while in a 38-28 loss to Iowa last week, but his production fell off in the second half as the Hawkeyes defended him with more pressure.

Kaliakmanis departed the Gophers after a so-so 2023 season. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was asked today about his emotions regarding his former starter going into this week.

“Listen, this is Rutgers versus Minnesota. I got a lot of respect for what they do and how they do it. He’s playing really well in his fifth year in that type of same system. You’d expect to see that type of growth that he has shown, and has played in. He’s playing at a high level.”

The Gophers men’s basketball team opened fall practice today at Williams Arena where coach Niko Medved expects his team will hold workouts a couple times per week. Cal transfer B.J. Omot, a Mankato native, will be available for practice after late spring surgery for a leg issue. Omot, a 6-8 redshirt junior forward, figures into what Medved predicts will be a nine-man rotation in games for the Gophers.

Redshirt 6-3 junior guard Chance Stephens, the transfer from Maryland, has been dealing with an illness and Medved said today “he has not been able to do anything yet.” The coach said Stephens’ return plan is uncertain.

Max Gizzi, the fifth year transfer 6-1 guard from NAIA Huntington University, impressed Medved during the summer but then broke his foot. The coach estimated another six weeks or so before he returns to practice.

Guard Isaac Asuma, from Cherry, Minnesota, had extensive playing experience last season and Medved gushed about him. Not only is the 6-3 guard talented but is “just an exceptional dude” with his personality and attitude.

The Gophers have an exhibition opener at home October 16 against North Dakota State. The first game is also at home, November 3 against Gardner-Webb.

Medved’s 2026 high school recruiting class of verbal recruits is ranked No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports. He is “pretty happy” with the three-player class but said “potentially one more” recruit could be added.

Tim Connelly, president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves, speaks to the Capital Club on October 4 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Publicity ramps up on the Timberwolves next week with the team holding Media Day next Monday.

The Wild is making a number of training camp practices at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul open to the public. Fans need to register at http://wild.com/openpractices to attend an open practice.

Comments Welcome

McCarthy’s Missed Season May Pay Dividends for him in 2025

Posted on September 1, 2025September 1, 2025 by David Shama

J.J. McCarthy makes his NFL regular season debut next Monday night in a nationally televised game against the Bears in Chicago. That career, of course, was supposed to have started last year but didn’t because the then 21-year-old Vikings quarterback sustained a season-ending knee injury in preseason.

The deflating season on the sidelines may well prove to have a silver lining to it.

Local football authority Daniel House, known for his football film breakdown and data driven research, thinks so. House, recognized by football followers for his Vikings Corner and Gophers Guru websites and posts on X @DanielHouseMN, said fans don’t realize “how complex the (Vikings) system is.”

Purple followers, House told Sports Headliners, should be “encouraged” by the process McCarthy has gone through. “He had time to learn and I think that’s going to be very beneficial for him.”

House believes that despite McCarthy’s inexperience and youth the former No. 1 draft choice could finish the season statistically ranked something like 15-16 among NFL quarterbacks in production. “I would say, yeah, that’s a good spot for him to be in just based off not just the talent standpoint, but (coach) Kevin O’Connell’s ability to maximize what he (McCarthy) does best. And then you look at the skill players around him (adding support). …”

McCarthy will benefit from a surrounding group of offensive and defensive players loaded with talent. Included will be an improved offensive line and running back depth. That development is expected to have the Vikings running more than at any time in O’Connell’s three previous seasons in Minneapolis. It’s a strategy designed to take some responsibility and pressure off the quarterback.

Even with a “pound the rock” running game and elite defense, the Vikings will need plenty of outstanding performances from McCarthy. That starts on the big stage of Monday Night Football and House doesn’t think the scene will be too much for McCarthy.

“He excels in those big moments,” House said while reminding a listener that McCarthy delivered in the spotlight in pressure filled high school and college games, including 2023 when he quarterbacked Michigan to the national championship.

House said McCarthy has the persona to lead in the locker room and on the field. “The one thing I notice about J.J. is just how his teammates rally around him. He’s got that dynamic presence about him. …

“I know some people that know J.J. well and were around him at Michigan. And…the thing is this guy has an electricity to him from the personality standpoint that every top quarterback has to have. “

Worth Noting

House believes the Vikings could win 10 or 11 games. He thinks a four-game stretch between October 19 and November 9 where the Vikings play the Eagles, Chargers, Lions and Ravens is “going to define the season.”

Asked about a breakout Vikings player, House identified second-year defensive lineman Jalen Redmond. “He popped at me when I was at practices. I thought that he looked more refined, quick. Feeling comfort in the system.”

House added that the Vikings’ willingness to trade veteran defensive tackle Harrison Phillips earlier this summer for future draft capital looks like a vote of confidence in Redmond as a starter. “I am on the Jalen Redmond train. I think he’s going to have a nice year.”

The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman wrote recently about how college football players are spending their Name, Image and Likeness money. Included were Gopher defensive stars Anthony Smith who bought a Dodge Ram TRX and Koi Perich’s expenditure on a scooter.

Smith said the Dodge makes him happy and he “can’t stop smiling.” Perich said he loves his scooter and it’s the only thing he rides.

Gopher Jameson Geers, who had a game shifting fumble in last year’s loss at Rutgers and dropped two passes in the 2025 season opener while also making a touchdown catch, is on the John Mackey Award watch list for best tight end in the nation. Geers, who has two seasons of remaining eligibility, caught four passes for 38 yards in the 23-10 win over Buffalo.

Geers was stopped short on a tush-push from the Buffalo 11-yard line in the first quarter of last Thursday night’s opening game. P.J. Fleck said the distance for the first down was about 1.5 yards, not one, and the Gophers head coach took the blame for the failed play, explaining it was the wrong call.

Deepest condolences to the family and many friends of former 1960s Gophers football player and assistant coach Mike Reid who passed away August 24 after battling a heart issue. A Spring Valley, Wisconsin native, Mike made his home in the Twin Cities area, and his warm personality was worthy of “All-American” status. https://obituaries.pellachronicle.com/obituary/michael-reid-1093061208

There is a write-in campaign by friends of the late Jim Carter to have the South St. Paul High School football stadium named after the Gophers’ 1969 football captain and former Packers high school star athlete.

Former Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan will provide color commentary on Saturday’s Big Ten Network telecast of the Minnesota-Northwestern State game at Huntington Bank Stadium. The FCS Demons are located in Natchitoches, Louisiana and the football team snapped a 20-game losing streak last Saturday with a 20-10 win over Alcorn State.

Gopher communications boss Paul Rovnak writing on X about ESPN legend Lee Corso who retired last Saturday at age 90: “Before big games coach Corso would call to learn more about the Gophers. Last time was Dec. 24 to prep for our bowl game vs VT (Virginia Tech). I told him my kids loved him and thanked him (for) what he did for Minnesota. He then asked to talk to my kids so he could wish them Merry Christmas.”

Wild owner Craig Leipold told Sports Headliners he wants his team to develop a “mindset like Florida,” winners of the last two Stanley Cups. Leipold wants a team that plays together and executes on each play.

The 2026 USA Special Olympics Games will be held in Minnesota next June. CEO Christy Sovereign, along with Special Olympic athletes, will speak at the Capital Club at Mendakota Country Club on September 24. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Twins’ right-hander Pablo López made his third start on rehab assignment last night for Triple-A St. Paul at Toledo. He pitched 5.2 innings, giving up four hits, no runs and striking out 7. The staff ace was placed on the Injured List June 4 with a right shoulder strain.

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