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Category: Wild

And How Was Your California Vacation, Mr. Shama?

Posted on January 28, 2025January 28, 2025 by David Shama

 

Random shots after 19 days of vacation in southern California.

The weather was sunny almost every day, with daytime temps in the 60’s and 70’s in Palm Desert and Del Mar. Yes, I sent sympathies to Minnesotans suffering through windchills of minus 20 and worse.

The devilish cold brought back memories of walking through howling winds on the U campus to attend Gopher basketball games.  I never did so much backward walking before or since. Other strategies could have included a scary ski mask and finding a big lug to walk ahead of me and break the wind.

The show inside cozy Williams Arena was more than worth the trek, though.  Last century Gopher basketball was often the best entertainment in town with nationally ranked teams, great players, colorful coaches and deafening crowd noise inside historic Williams Arena.

Alas, the show is no more.

The silver lining?  Escaping for weeks in January from Minneapolis prompts no second guessing about missing swaths of the Gopher basketball schedule.  Yes, I know the 2025 lads have awakened from the ashes (poor start to the season and last place Big Ten finishes two of the last three years) and won three consecutive games. Sorry, but a below .500 conference record and half empty arena won’t make up for lost ground or wake up the ghosts of Williams Arena.

Jim Dutcher

Where have you gone, Kevin McHale and Bobby Jackson? The coaching trio of Bill Musselman, Jim Dutcher and Clem Haskins is no more.

But back to the trip: I’m appreciative of California adventures including safe travel on infamous state Highway 74 across the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains. The two-lane road with hairpin turns rises from the Coachella valley to over 4,000 feet. In addition to gorgeous views, there are discarded car skeletons in plain sight—presumably vehicles whose drivers encountered disastrous outcomes.

Other than potholes, switchbacks and steep drop-offs driving was a breeze (ha!). BTW, I have a history with the highway including a drive coming down to the valley in deep fog!

My mental acuity on the trip was otherwise most challenged by golf.  After years of pulling out my hair and restless nights, I’ve ditched the how-to videos on YouTube and in print.  The new mantra is move the body back in the swing, keep the head down and follow through.  And: compress your irons, sweep your woods.

Voila.  Sign me up for the PGA Tour Champions.

Now if I can just get back on the tennis court.  A friend from Edina, also visiting southern California, is of a similar age and is playing five times per week.

My hero!

From two time zones away, it doesn’t seem like a lot has changed on the Minnesota pro sports scene.  The Wild still has a promising season and the Twins aren’t making headlines regarding personnel or the franchise sale.

The Timberwolves and Vikings are ongoing soap operas.

The Wolves miss their KAT. Their Ant seems as likely to be fined by the NBA as he is going off for 40.

The Vikings quarterback soap opera is part of the stuff that fuels fan interest and keeps Skol scorching even in the dead of winter.

Coach Kevin O’Connell received his no-brainer contract extension.  The love affair between coach and the organization is real.  I’ll bet my last bitcoin ownership never brought up during contract discussions that in three seasons KOC has lost the three biggest games he’s coached.

Harry Peter Grant lost four Super Bowls and we adored him.

Various media allowed me to track hometown teams but the most enjoyable reading on the trip came from the Wall Street Journal.  WSJ offers the fairest and most accurate newspaper coverage that I know of.  In an age of media bias that slips over from the opinion pages to the news columns, the WSJ is a model for professional journalism.

The publication is known for its political and business coverage. The newspaper also provides lifestyle, entertainment and sports reporting and opinion.  And the WSJ comes up with stories and angles that both inform and entertain.

Did you know there is a black market for gallstones from cows?  A front-page WSJ story last Wednesday was headlined:

“Cow Gallstones Drive A Smuggling Frenzy.  Worth twice the price of gold, they are prized in Chinese traditional medicine.”

I’ll never look at cattle the same way again.

2 comments

Predictions for 2025? Gather Round Ladies and Gentlemen!

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

 

Yogi Berra supposedly said: “It’s difficult to make predictions—especially about the future.”

I agree with the Yankee Hall of Famer and sage for the ages.  But after several days at a darkness retreat, I somewhat cautiously offer the following prognostications for 2025:

Let’s get it over with at the start, Purple Crazies.  The Vikings will play in the Super Bowl for the first time since 1977.

Let’s also get greedy and predict the result—although the Crazies won’t like it.  The 0-4 in Super Bowls Vikings will lose to the 0-4 Bills.  Or my admittedly cloudy crystal ball says Minnesota will lose to the Chiefs, the franchise that defeated Minnesota 23-7 in the Vikings’ first Super Bowl in 1970.

And did you know the 1970 game was in New Orleans? Yup, and the same city hosts the 2025 Super Bowl.

“It’s like déjà vu all over again,” Yogi might quip.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will be rewarded in 2025 with a new contract paying him in the range of $12 million to $15 million annually.

Rest easy about Sam Darnold as he nears free agency. The Vikings will franchise tag him in 2025 and pay their quarterback something like $40 million for one season.

The Vikings will also retain free agent running back back Aaron Jones with another one-year deal.

The Hitman may bow out.  After 13 seasons in purple, I am forecasting 35-year-old Vikings safety Harrison Smith will retire.

I predict Taylor Swift—oops, I mean Travis Kelce—will top the NFL Pro Games fan balloting. Can’t wait for Thursday’s announcement about voting for players on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.

Retirement could be next, too, for 37-year-old Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley who will be 38 by the time next season is about to tip.

Leaving the Wolves could be power forward Julius Randle who might be moved prior to the NBA trade deadline February 6.

With revenue sharing starting in big time college sports, there will be scores of Golden Gophers athletes who earn five, 10 times or more than a first-year graduate from the University of Minnesota.  With NIL earnings and revenue share money, the millionaire athlete arrives in Dinkytown.

Don’t be surprised if a state of Minnesota high school athlete will approach $500,000 in NIL earnings this year.

The Gophers may have a new head men’s basketball coach in 2025. A qualified but long-shot candidate to get the job would be Badgers assistant Joe Krabbenhoft who considered playing for Minnesota coming out of high school in South Dakota but went to Madison.

U basketball forward Parker Fox will not be eligible for a ninth season of college basketball.

John Tauer’s St. Thomas men’s basketball team will win the Summit League title in a year or two.

Former Lynx superstar Maya Moore, a first-year nominee, will be enshrined in 2025 in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

I am establishing the over-under on a Twins starting pitcher being allowed to go nine innings in a game next season at two.  Offseason optimism!

The state will approve legalized sports wagering in 2025. This means betting on your local favorites will now hurt not only emotionally but also gash your wallet.

Kirill Kaprizov

“Kirill the Thrill” Kaprizov maintains his status of best nickname among Minnesota sports elites.

It will be one of the feel-good stories of the year when popular men’s hockey coach Bob Motzko wins his first NCAA championship and the Gophers’ first since 2003.

Drake Lindsey, a freshman last fall, will win the starting Gopher quarterback competition against Zach Pyron, the transfer from Georgia Tech.

As he nears his 50th birthday late next year, Tiger Woods, paired with 16-year-old son Charlie, will win the 2025 PNC Championship for the first time.

Nobody asked about my golf game, but I am anticipating a hole-in-one on a local par 3.

Celebrity local athletes will have armed security at their homes to combat the national trend of burglaries of the rich and famous.  At our home, we’ll install a light timer.

It will be another year of restaurant closings and even bankruptcies.  Things aren’t so hot at the grocery store either where I recently paid $4.99 for a can of soup.

Someone, not me, will become famous for writing a dating app instructional manual.

Most of you, sorry to type this, won’t keep your New Year’s fitness resolutions.  BTW: Word is Gen Z is opting for weight loss drugs and skipping the gym.

And, no, I am not prognosticating anyone will patent an anti-hangover drink in 2025!

Finally, I predict another year for the Sports Headliners Ducky Awards introduced last fall in this space. The honor is bestowed on a Minnesota sports figure who is doing “just ducky.”  To be considered by the Ducky committee a person has to be going through a delightful period in his or her career.  The highest criteria will be someone we can look at and declare that life is “pretty peachy keen.”

Early favorite: Sam Darnold.  Dark horse: Royce Lewis.

3 comments

Correa Loves Minnesota, No Concerted Effort to Trade Him

Posted on December 14, 2024December 14, 2024 by David Shama

 

The Twins have made it clear the club will listen to any offer from another team regarding a trade. That translates to anyone on the roster including their highest paid player, shortstop Carlos Correa.

But that stance doesn’t translate into a desire by either the franchise or Correa to part ways. Longtime Twins president Dave St. Peter made that clear in an interview with Sports Headliners.

“…There’s no concerted effort to move Carlos Correa, nor is there an effort from Carlos Correa to get out of Minnesota. We signed him (as a free agent in 2023) to help us win a lot of games.  When he’s played, he has helped us win a lot of games. We’re hopeful for 2025.”

Trading Correa has drawn speculation locally and nationally. Speculators have thought the Twins might want to reduce their payroll by moving on from Correa and add coveted young prospects from another team.  It’s been fair to wonder if Correa’s injuries the last two seasons have discouraged the Twins, or if the 30-year-old shortstop, who wants to win championships like he once did with the Astros, would prefer a new start.

Dave St. Peter (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

“Carlos loves playing for the Twins,” St. Peter said.  “He loves living in Minnesota.  He’s very focused and excited about the 2025 season with our team.  He sees the potential with so many young players that he’s already played with, and he knows our farm system is ranked No. 1 or 2 in all of major league baseball.  So, this clearly is where Carlos wants to play.

“He was one of the top 10 players in baseball the first half of last season and unfortunately he was hurt at the break (All-Star Game period) and we didn’t get him back until late. But when he played last year, Carlos Correas was one of the premier players in our game. We have to make sure we put him in a position to play more games in 2025.”

Correa played in 86 games for the Twins last season.  In 2023 the total was 135 but he played hurt a lot of the time. He suffered from plantar fasciitis in 2023 (left foot) and 2024 (right foot).

St. Peter said numerous doctors have been consulted and there’s been some “different training” approaches to cope with the problem.  Optimism currently prevails.  “Carlos is in a really good spot right now and he’s certainly expected to come to spring training full go, ready to play.”

The Twins played much of last season looking like a lock to be in the playoffs after winning the Central Division in 2023 and winning a postseason series against the Blue Jays. There remains a core of roster talent that perhaps isn’t valued enough on the outside because of a poor finish to the 2024 season.

“…Through the middle part of August that was a pretty good roster,” St. Peter said. “One of the better ones in the American League.  So, I think that the challenges we experienced late in the season I am hoping are going to resonate with our young players, (and) they’re going to learn from it. They’re going to grow from it. But, yeah, we’re looking to make the team better and try to shore the team up with probably a focus on additional pitching.”

Wild Owner Doesn’t See A Kaprizov ‘Drawn Out Negotiation’

Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov is a favorite to win the NHL’s Hart Trophy recognizing the league’s MVP.  The 27-year-old electric playmaker has been special since his first season in 2020-2021 but production has gone to another place this fall.

“We’ve never seen Kirill at this level,” Wild owner Craig Leipold told Sports Headliners after being asked if his superstar is entering his prime.  “What we don’t know is what else does he have left? What more does he have to give?

“…He’s definitely getting into his peak years and he’s a special player.  We all know that.  We talk about it, and we’re lucky to have him on our team and we look forward to re-signing him for eight years.”

Next summer the Wild can talk about extending Kaprizov’s five-year $45 million contract that he signed in September of 2021.  The Russian native will move into the company of the NHL’s best paid players.  Right now his contract value of $9 million per year doesn’t rank in the league’s top 30 of highest paid players.

Leipold doesn’t see a “long drawn out negotiation,” but adds he’s been wrong before regarding contracts.  Still, his words are indicative of how much he values Kaprizov.

“He’s bringing other players with him,” the Wild’s owner said.  “Challenging them, bringing them up to his level.”

That “level” has been an extraordinary team start for the Wild.  Minnesota is near the top of the NHL standings and ESPN.com has the Wild No. 1 in its power rankings.

Craig Leipold

The Wild didn’t even qualify for the playoffs last season and the franchise has never won the Stanley Cup. Leipold describes the team’s hot start as a “little unexpected” but understands how it’s happening.  Kaprizov and others are scoring goals and accumulating points, the goal tending has been superb, and the defense strong on a team that gets  along well with each other, bonding on and off the ice, and benefiting from the direction of second-year coach John Hynes.

”I don’t think any team I’ve owned has ever been in first place this late in the season.  One-third through the season. …I want to get used to it,” said Leipold who has owned the Wild since 2008 and before that the Predators.

These are heady times even for the Wild’s employees in the team’s office. “When the team is playing well, you see it in every aspect of our business. You come in and the employees are all up.  Everyone of our employees are all hockey fans first.  They love the game. They love being part of our organization, and when you’re winning like we are, it’s fun. … I think they all recognize that we’ve got  a really good team and we’re really young so our window is wide open for a long time.”

Leipold cautions, though, that his team needs improvement. “For sure penalty killing and power play are two areas that we need to improve on. It will happen. We’re not at the level we want to be or need to be in order to sustain being a top five team in this league. You’re going to have to have a good power play and a good penalty kill, and right now we don’t .”

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