Wild – Page 8 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

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 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 50^th 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.

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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.

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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Kevin O’Connell’s Leverage for New Contract Rock Solid

Posted on December 9, 2024December 9, 2024 by David Shama

With the 11-2 Vikings experiencing a potentially historic season, it is apparent head coach Kevin O’Connell has substantially increased his leverage for future contract negotiations. His initial deal, agreed to in 2022 when he was named the franchise’s 10^th head coach, ends after the 2025 season and is estimated to pay him about $5 million annually.

Ownership is expected to soon offer O’Connell a new contract, and perhaps has even done so. While the likelihood is considerable the two parties will strike a deal prior to next season, O’Connell’s impressive three seasons in Minnesota are so admired he could choose the ultimate power play of letting his contract expire and allow bidding from other teams.

The admiration among fans, media and NFL people is widespread and can even take an unexpected direction. Recently Kayln Kahler, from ESPN, wrote the dysfunctional Bears franchise, having fired their head coach earlier this fall, should consider a trade for O’Connell. Such a trade, including multiple future first round draft choices, will fall on deaf ears at TCO Performance Center in Eagan.

Ownership and staff have learned O’Connell is the “secret sauce” the Vikings and other NFL teams covet. He is loved in the organization, including the locker room, for the way he carries himself and treats others. He has created an environment and culture that should be the envy of other franchises.

In his first season (2022) the Vikings went a surprising 13-4 during the regular season. They were an amazing 11-4 in one-score wins, an NFL record.

In 2023 the Vikings’ season was derailed by quarterback Kirk Cousins’ Achilles injury and they finished with a 7-10 record. Despite having to navigate through a franchise record four starting quarterbacks, the Vikings ranked fifth in the league in passing yards per game (256.4).

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Predicted to win about six games this season—partly because of uncertainty at quarterback with Cousins leaving as a free agent to play for the Falcons—O’Connell and his staff have stunned the football world with the performance of Sam Darnold. The former journeyman quarterback has been “born again” in Minnesota and will earn a lot more next season than the one-year deal of $10 million the Vikings are paying him, and that has everything to do with their “quarterback whisperer” coach.

O’Connell has been on target in so many ways that have paid off for the team including his selection of assistant coaches. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has “bouquets” thrown his way every week for his creativity and overall work. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown is in his first season working for O’Connell and has been impressive, too. It’s likely both men will have offers sooner or later to become head coaches.

O’Connell’s overall record (all with the Vikings) is 31-17, including one playoff loss. His winning percentage of .645 is the best in franchise history, surpassing that of legendary Bud Grant (.607) over 18 seasons. O’Connell is 24-9 in one-possession games as a head coach, the third best winning percentage (.727) in NFL history in one-score contests (minimum 25 games).

Not only does O’Connell have a superlative resume, but he also has a potentially long coaching career ahead. He doesn’t turn 40 years old until next year.

Speculation earlier this fall was the Wilf ownership group might offer him $10 million per year, but that appears too far under market value. More than doubling his salary to $12 million to $15 million seems appropriate. Contract length also has him in the “driver’s seat” with seven years or longer a possibility. Clearly ownership wants him to be the man in charge for the foreseeable future.

According to Sportico.com, the 10 highest paid NFL coaches annually are: Andy Reid, $20 million; Sean Payton, $18 million; Jim Harbaugh, $16 million; Mike Tomlin, $16 million; Sean McVay, $15 million; Kyle Shanahan, $14 million; John Harbaugh, $12 million; Dan Campbell, $11 million; Sean McDermott, $11 million; Mike Macdonald, $9 million.

Worth Noting

Darnold made history in yesterday’s 42-21 win over the Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. He is the ninth quarterback in NFL history and first since Aaron Rodgers in 2019 to have at least 325 passing yards, five touchdown passes, a completion percentage of 75-or-higher and a passer rating of 155-or-higher with no picks in a game.

After the game O’Connell offered his admiration of Cousins including the veteran quarterback’s character. “I love him as a person. I think he’s a great human being, great father, great husband. He stands for so many great things that I always really valued.”

According to Statista.com last June, at $294.17 million Cousins ranks No. 6 in all-time cumulative career earnings among NFL players. Rodgers, $380.66 million, was No. 1 ahead of Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan and Cousins.

Former Viking and Minnesota native Adam Thielen, age 34, had nine receptions for 102 yards in the Panthers’ 22-16 loss to the Eagles yesterday. With a total of 8,063 career receiving yards, he is the fourth undrafted player in the common-draft era (dating back to 1967) with at least 8,000 career receiving yards. He joins Antonio Gates (11,841 receiving yards), Rod Smith (11,389) and Wes Welker (9,924).

The veteran wide receiver has 25 career games with at least 100 receiving yards. He joins Smith (30 games) and Welker (28) as the only undrafted players since 1967 with 25 career games with 100 or more receiving yards.

If there is a change in Golden Gophers basketball head coaches after this season, St. Thomas’ John Tauer should be a level one candidate. Tauer, whose Tommies won the 2016 NCAA Division III national title, has his D1 team at No. 113 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Net Rankings. Minnesota is No. 163.

Meanwhile the women Gophers are No. 37 in the women’s rankings under second-year coach Dawn Plitzuweit. Minnesota is off to a 10-1 start and roster building strategy includes awareness of Minnesota and Wisconsin natives playing elsewhere who may want to transfer closer to home.

Jamal Abu-Shamala, the former Golden Gophers basketball player from Shakopee, has the volunteer honor of being Head Coach of the Twin Cities Dunkers in 2025. In that role he will arrange speakers for the organization that started 1948.

The Gophers have a 2025 football season tickets sales campaign going on with prices starting at $310. Public season ticket sales the last two years have been in the 23,000 to 25,000 range.

The Gophers had one year in the 1980s when they reported 56,000 season tickets while playing in the Metrodome.

The talented Gopher men’s hockey is coming off shutout home wins against Michigan Friday and Saturday night. Minnesota goalies Nathan Airey and Liam Souliere, with defensive help, shut out the Wolverines on consecutive nights for the first time in more than 80 years.

“Our D-corps is our strength right now and really I mean they’re elite,” Minnesota coach Bob Motzko said after his No. 4 ranked team swept the No. 6 Wolverines.

The Gophers, 15-2-1 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten this season, are 32-10-1 in conference home games since the start of 2021.

The Wild’s fast start to the season includes being tied for the league lead with the Jets and Capitals in total points at 40. The way it looks now, unless the team has an incredible run of injuries sidelining key players, Minnesota can be mediocre the rest of the way and still make the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

Football coach Glen Caruso’s St. Thomas signing class for 2025 includes Beau Thielen from Eagan, a 4.5-star long snapper recruit. He drew interest in the recruitment process from FBS and FCS schools.

Al Worthington, who pitched for the 1955 Junior World Series champion Minneapolis Millers in 1955 and later was a standout for the Twins, will be 96 in February.

He is on the 2025 ballot for the Twins Hall of Fame. Fans can vote for 2025 candidates and/or use a write-in option. https://www.mlb.com/twins/fans/twins-hall-of-fame-ballot

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