Wild – Page 7 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Looks Like a Star to be Born with Golden Gophers Basketball

Posted on September 27, 2024September 27, 2024 by David Shama

Enjoy a Friday notes column on various sports that even includes quotes from former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty.

The Golden Gophers men’s basketball team started official practices this week and insiders are confident the program has a special player in freshman point guard Isaac Asuma from Cherry, Minnesota.

If coach Ben Johnson didn’t have veteran guards, it’s likely Asuma would be in the starting lineup beginning with the first game on November 6 against Oral Roberts at Williams Arena. A four-star recruit by both Rivals.com and 247Sports, he was considered a top 100 player in the national high school class of 2024.

At 6-3 and about 200 pounds, Asuma has a Big Ten ready body with length and strength. He is also an unselfish playmaker with all-around physical and basketball skills that have caught the attention of observers since he arrived on the Minnesota campus earlier this year.

Isaac Asuma photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Asuma’s willingness to learn, along with his friendly and outgoing personality, is the stuff of leadership. He has a poise and charisma often not seen in teenagers just out of high school.

Put it all together and it’s apparent why the attractive Asuma is referenced as a “stud.”

The team’s established star is senior Dawson Garcia who averaged 17.6 points per game. He is the leading Big Ten Conference scorer returning from last season. The 6-11 forward from Prior Lake High School was second team All-Big Ten last winter.

A scenario Johnson, his staff and Gophers fans want to see is for Asuma to stick around for a couple of years at Minnesota and play with Cretin-Derham Hall senior Tommy Ahneman. The 6-foot-10 center’s improvement has attracted the attention of major college programs including Notre Dame where he is scheduled to visit this coming weekend. Last season’s North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year is a big target for the Gophers.

Asuma and Garcia are two of seven native Minnesotans on the Gopher roster. Women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit has 12 natives of the state.

The death last month of former Gopher assistant basketball coach Jimmy Williams reminded Minnesota sports fan Bob Klas of a Williams one liner when he was Minnesota’s interim head coach in 1986. Williams quipped: “I’m one of just two people who coaches in an arena that’s named after him.” (The other facility being the Dean E. Smith Center at North Carolina).

Eric Curry, the well-known Minneapolis area college basketball referee, plans to work 65-70 games this coming season with assignments in the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Missouri Valley and West Coast Conferences.

In the last 12 months news has surfaced about replacing Target Center and also costly renovations to improve Xcel Energy Center. The Timberwolves, if they emerge from an ownership dispute being led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriquez, apparently have interest in building a new facility in the Farmers Market area in downtown Minneapolis.

Public financing for a new Wolves arena will be difficult to secure including from a Minneapolis city council that seems most interested in grassroots and common folk agendas. “…If Minneapolis doesn’t want it, I would predict there could be more than one or more other cities that would like to bid for it, or try to get involved with the new Timberwolves stadium,” former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty told Sports Headliners. “So they’re going to have competition, I would think, if they are interested.”

Pawlenty was supportive of Minnesota’s professional sports facilities concerns as governor. He is a sports fan and values the quality of life component sports contributes to the lives of Minnesotans.

Asked about the idea of building a new multipurpose arena in Bloomington near the Mall of America for both the Wild and Wolves, Pawlenty defended the importance of Xcel and Target Center to their cities.

“With the exception of the Xcel Center, there’s not a lot of positive things happening in downtown St. Paul. In fact, a lot of negative things happening. If the Wild were to leave and not exist, I think that would present an existential threat to further threat(en) downtown St. Paul.

“So I gotta believe the St. Paul city and St. Paul legislative representatives would fight very hard to keep the Xcel Center or its future version in St. Paul. And I think the same would be true for Minneapolis.”

If the amazing Lynx make the WNBA Finals, they will have an October 18 Target Center conflict with the Timberwolves preseason game scheduled with the Nuggets that evening. The Wolves game would shift to October 17, per a local insider.

The Vikings annual game in Green Bay often prompts memories of former Pioneer Press sportswriter Don Riley who for decades wrote a pot-stirring column called “The Eye Opener.” Riley, who died in 2015 at age 92, loved to provoke the Packers and their fans.

“I never mention them as Green Bay. I just said the capital B Bushers,” Riley told Sports Headliners in 2011. He was then long retired after leaving the newspaper in 1987, with a “fan club” that included Packers fans in western Wisconsin who he insulted at banquets by suggesting they be searched for stolen silverware before leaving the facility.

Riley chose the term “Bushers” because it was “derogatory” without picking on one individual. However, he did take an occasional shot at someone including legendary coach Vince Lombardi whose wife wanted him fired from the St. Paul newspaper. “Vince told her to lay off because he’s selling tickets for us,” Riley said.

Riley built much of his controversial column’s success on bashing the Packers and Green Bay. He wrote that Green Bay had the “world’s largest toilet paper factories” and once boasted that if the Vikings didn’t beat the Pack he would push a peanut with his nose from Appleton to Green Bay. The Vikings lost, Riley never pushed the peanut, and the Green Bay newspaper accused him of having no guts.

No Minnesota sports figure is under more fire than Twins manager Rocco Baldelli who has had a front row look at his team’s depressing late season collapse. From critical emails to chants at Target Field calling for his ouster, he is a likely scapegoat for a team that in August looked like a safe bet to make the playoffs and now is a long shot.

The opinion here is it’s 65-35 Baldelli returns for the 2025 season. His staff? Perhaps 80 percent probability there will be changes.

The Lindenwood football program went Division I in 2022, one year after St. Thomas did so. Lindenwood, located in St. Charles, Missouri, defeated the Tommies 64-0 at home on September 21. The Lions come to Minneapolis to play the Gophers on September 18, 2027.

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Vikings’ Big Challenge Injuries, Not Talent & Coaching

Posted on September 20, 2024September 20, 2024 by David Shama

The way it looks now the 2-0 Vikings have the personnel and coaching to fool the preseason skeptics and play their way into the postseason, perhaps with a division title and 10-7 record.

The Vikings, forecast to win 6.5 games, have been that impressive in opening season wins over the lowly Giants and the 49ers, a Super Bowl contender. “Dissect this team all you want but the Vikings are for real,” Ben Leber, the former Viking and astute radio analyst, said Monday on X (formerly Twitter).

The roster, altered in the offseason with key additions like quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Aaron Jones, linebackers Dallas Turner, Blake Cashman, Jonathan Greenard, and Andrew Van Ginkel, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and kicker Will Reichard, has blended superbly with the holdover talent.

The coaching? There’s unanimity across the country head coach and offensive guru Kevin O’Connell, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, are among the best in the NFL. Their teaching, and creativity, along with a player-friendly culture, give the Vikings an edge on other teams.

A run on injuries to key players looks like the biggest obstacle between the Vikings and realizing their goal of making the playoffs. Football is a brutal and unforgiving sport and the NFL, just two weeks into the season, has already seen gifted players sidelined—perhaps more than usual.

Christian McCaffrey, the 2023 NFL offensive player of the Year, didn’t play last Sunday for the Vikings. He is now on the Injured Reserve list as is big name quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins. The Rams have been decimated with injuries, including to star wide receivers, and the Packers are without highly paid quarterback Jordan Love for multiple weeks.

That doesn’t even begin to detail the story but the good news for the Vikings is they’re doing okay with injuries which, of course, are impossible for any team to completely avoid. Tight end T.J. Hockenson is out for at least early in the season because of a significant knee injury. That’s a major loss, and standout wide receiver Jordan Addison missed the 49ers game with an ankle injury.

Justin Jefferson image courtesy of Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota’s practice report on Thursday listed 10 players dealing with injuries. Addison and outside linebacker Dallas Turner (knee) didn’t participate in practice. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (both with quad injuries) were limited participants, but the former said he will play Sunday. The six other Vikings listed in the report were full participants.

As the season progresses, Vikings fans can watch with their fingers crossed on the medical front. Ideally, on most Sundays, the Vikings roster will be mostly healthy and healthier than the opposition. Put that down as the X factor for the season.

Worth Noting

The Vikings, led by Jones and backup RB Tyler Chandler, are averaging an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. “Every offense in the NFL needs to run the ball to be successful. …I have a good feeling that we’re going to be able to do that this year,” offensive tackle Brian O’Neill told Sports Headliners earlier this month.

Jones, who performed the “Lambeau Leap” into the stands at Lambeau Field while with the Packers, will now do the “Bank Vault” at U.S. Bank Stadium.

It appears the Packers let Jones sign with the Vikings as a free agent because of his age, history of injuries and salary. But the Vikings are pleased to have the 29-year-old who reportedly signed a one-year deal for $7 million, maybe $3 million more than the Packers who wanted him to take a pay cut.

Jones is an explosive runner, and he ended his Packer career with consecutive 100 yard games. “He doesn’t need much space to get going. That’s for sure,” O’Neill said.”

Hockenson’s workload has been taken over by replacement tight ends Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt. Mundt praised Hockenson for his many attributes including his football IQ and big play ability.

“Yeah, for sure. He can get in and out of cuts and he can really turn on the gas and hit it 100 miles an hour. So, yeah, he’s got a lot of great attributes and (I’ve) definitely taken some of that and implemented it into my game.”

Mundt is a practitioner of visualization away from the field to achieve success on it, drilling down to specific details. He will visualize, for example, what he needs to do to be successful on third down in the red zone.

He told Sports Headliners he creates a setting in his mind where he “can smell the turf, the grass. You’re in the stadium, you hear the crowd. You really create the setting in your mind. Then you just visualize yourself taking these steps: Snapping your eyes around, catching the ball, tucking (it away), either breaking a tackle or just hitting the right angle.”

The recent Morrie Miller Athletic Foundation fundraiser generated a record $404,000. Former Viking Jared Allen was the celebrity speaker at a banquet for the foundation that raises money for youth athletics in Winona.

“One of the nicest athletes I’ve ever dealt with,” said Agile Marketing president Patrick Klinger who coordinated Allen’s appearance.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, who designates a player each year to talk to the team about the Hawkeyes-Golden Gophers rivalry, expects a close score in Saturday’s rivalry game at Huntington Bank Stadium. The last three games have been decided by a total of 10 points.

Who has the best roster talent among the Gophers, Iowa and Wisconsin, another border rival? “I think they’re pretty similar,” said recruiting authority Ryan Burns. He told Sports Headliners: “I think it comes down to—with these three teams when they play—is what happens at quarterback.”

Race Thompson, the former Robbinsdale Armstrong basketball star who played at Indiana, has signed to play with the Memphis Hustle G League team. He’s the son of Darrell Thompson, the former Gopher record setting running back who for years has headed the local Bolder Options nonprofit benefiting youth.

Thompson’s son True, who played football for the Gophers, works at RBC in Minneapolis. Daughter Dominque, who played volleyball for Wisconsin, works for Bolder Options.

Daughter Indigo, who played volleyball at Virginia Commonwealth and San Diego State, is coaching high school volleyball in Virginia. Darrell’s wife Stephanie played volleyball at Iowa. He said Indigo “calls my wife after every game whether they win or lose to go through everything.”

Medical speculation: After the 2022 season both the Giants and Mets flirted with signing shortstop Carlos Correa but reportedly backed off because of a past ankle issue. Correa had to settle for a lesser offer from the Twins but in both 2023 and 2024 he has missed significant playing time because of plantar fasciitis. An altered gait, medical authorities say, can contribute to plantar fasciitis.

And how does a team contending for the playoffs have only two left-handed pitchers on the roster? Caleb Thielbar and Cole Irvin are both so-so veterans who in relief yesterday gave up two of the three runs in another costly loss to the Guardians.

Thielbar was the only lefty on the roster when Irvin was picked up on waivers this week from the Orioles. The Twins have been without a left-handed starter all season.

The Athletic yesterday ranked the pitching staffs of 12 postseason contending teams and the Twins are No. 12. “Bullpen has been awful and rotation depth questionable,” said The Athletic story written by Stephen J. Nesbitt and Chad Jennings.

The Wild opened training camp yesterday at the TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in downtown St. Paul. Some training camp practices at TRIA Rink will be open to the public. Register at http://www.wild.com/openpracticesto attend an open practice session.

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Middling Rankings for Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins

Posted on August 20, 2024August 20, 2024 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

Dan Orlovsky, writing recently on ESPN.com, listed the NFL’s best quarterbacks in seven different categories: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction creativity. His top 10 lists in each category (based on current performance and expectations) included former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins in just one: “decision making with the football.”

Orlovsky defines decision making as knowing what the defense “is trying to get him (the QB) to do with the ball—and what it is trying to keep him from doing.” Add to that, Orlovsky writes, the QB needs to figure out whether the first read is “going to work given what the defense is showing.”

Cousins, who signed on with the Falcons in the offseason after being The Guy with the Vikings since 2018, checked in at No. 10 in the decision-making rankings. Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow are the top three on the list.

Cousins, whose season ended last season in late October after tearing his Achilles, reportedly received a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons. They are gambling the 36-year-old can recover from his serious injury and play at a high level for a team with playoff expectations. With a new Falcons coach in Raheem Morris and a top 10 2024 draft pick in rookie Michael Penix Jr. behind him, Cousins faces plenty of pressure to perform.

In the 2024 annual vote by NFL players ranking the top 100 players, Cousins came in at No. 81 after being 42^nd last year. In fairness to Cousins, only being able to play in eight games limited his impact but his peers also watched him get off to perhaps the best start of his career. He threw 18 touchdown passes for 2,331 yards and had just five interceptions.

A popular prediction is for the Falcons to win nine to 10 games. The Vikings six to seven.

It’s a good guess the Vikings added former UFL wide receiver Justin Hall to the roster on Monday partly for roster depth if Jordan Addison is suspended for regular season games because of his July driving incident in Los Angeles. Hall, 5-8 and 189-pounds, had the third most receiving yards in the UFL in 2024 with 603 playing with Houston.

ESPN.com also recently ranked the top 100 college football players going into the season, with Golden Gophers left tackle Aireontae Ersery the only Minnesota player listed. Ersery, Minnesota’s left tackle, is No. 59 on the list that has Tennessee defensive tackle James Pearce No. 1.

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton, who Minnesota will see in its August 29 opener, is the lone Tar Heel on the list at No. 29. Hampton is an Associated Press first team preseason All-American while Ersery is second team.

The Gophers gave up a Big Ten worst 165.9 yards per game rushing last season but could be much improved in 2024. Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said Monday “we’re swarming more and better than we ever have to the ball.”

The Gophers have their own featured back in sophomore Darius Taylor who despite limited play last season rushed for 799 yards in six games. Taylor was a wide out at times in high school and his ability to catch the ball prompts Fleck to describe him as adding “that full playmaker ability to our offense.”

Minnesota may also have one of the deeper running back rosters in the Big Ten with Fleck yesterday talking about multiple players including Marcus Major, the 6-foot, 220-pound graduate transfer from Oklahoma who the coach said has exceeded expectations. “Every time I see that (jersey) No. 24, I just think, man, looks like 24 (former Gopher record setter Mohamed Ibrahim), just bigger,” Fleck said.

If Gophers starting quarterback Max Brosmer is injured during the season his replacement could be true freshman Drake Lindsey. Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. said Monday Lindsey knew coming to Minnesota would be an opportunity to learn from Brosmer, the graduate transfer FCS All-American from New Hampshire. Harbaugh has been impressed with Lindsey’s learning curve and other skills.

“I sat him down right before he signed, and we talked about how we had to bring in a transfer at that time,” Harbaugh said. “And we were talking about Max and I explained to him that this is going to be a really big thing for you to learn from him, and then for Max to take him under his wing and Drake has done that.

“If you saw him in the spring, he was running the two (second unit) offense as a true freshman, and he should be a senior in high school. He’s done a great job…as soon as he got here in January, of learning the offense, understanding the offense, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes. He’s a natural thrower of the football.”

The Twins, 70-55, will only have to go 20-17 the rest of the season to reach the coveted 90 wins mark. Since the club’s last World Series championship in 1991 the Twins have had seven seasons where they won 90 games or more. They had a regular season 95-67 record in 1991.

Luis Arraez, the former Twin now with the Padres and trying to win his third consecutive batting title, has amazingly almost as many doubles at 23 as times he has struck out, 26, in 497 plate appearances.

Bailey Ober, 12-5 and the Twins starter tonight (Tuesday) against the Padres in San Diego, has 10 consecutive quality starts—tied with Corbin Burnes from the Orioles for the longest such streak in MLB this season. Quality starts mean at least six innings pitched, giving up three earned runs or fewer.

Birthdays: baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is 68 on Thursday and former Gopher women’s basketball coach Pam Borton 59.

Former Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill, now a top assistant at Vanderbilt, turns 63 on Saturday. For more on Kill’s life: https://shamasportsheadliners.com/jerry-kill-healthy-happy-cheering-for-gophers/

Hockey is the focus at the next gathering of the Twin Cities Dunkers on September 17 when TV’s Joe Schmit moderates a discussion with Brock Faber from the Wild, Gophers coach Bob Motzko and North Stars legends Lou Nanne and Tom Reid.

The Star Tribune has abandoned a long history of using Minneapolis in its name to become the Minnesota Star Tribune. It could be a cold day in hell when the Pioneer Press drops St. Paul from its nameplate.

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