David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Time to Fret About Wolves Moving?

Posted on April 12, 2021April 12, 2021 by David Shama

Where will the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise be located in three to five years?

Still in Minneapolis? Probably, but Seattle could beckon. The Emerald city is a solid possibility to land either an NBA expansion franchise or existing team by 2026.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor is negotiating a sale to billionaire entrepreneur Marc Lore and baseball legend turned businessman Alex Rodriguez. Taylor insists provisions of the sale will bond the team to Minneapolis. “We have language in there (the contract) that says they can’t move the team,” Taylor told Sports Headliners this afternoon.

Taylor said Lore and Rodriguez have indicated to him their desire to keep the team in Minneapolis. But it’s human nature to wonder about new owners, and history has witnessed plenty of American sports franchises that changed addresses after previous ownership completed sales.

Is language saying the franchise can’t be moved ironclad? In the world of litigation, is there such a thing? If new owners eventually make a case that Timberwolves fan support and corporate backing is so poor their business is unsustainable in this market, a judge might rule the franchise can be relocated–despite language to the contrary.

What’s interesting is how “the dots” connect the franchise to a possible relocation to Seattle. That city lost its NBA SuperSonics franchise more than 10 years ago to Oklahoma City. Fervor is in place to bring the NBA back to the area where a franchise would play in a building called Climate Pledge Arena.

The naming rights to the arena were purchased by Amazon and the facility is the old KeyArena where the SuperSonics played. The arena is receiving about a $1 billion renovation and scheduled to open this fall as the home of the NHL expansion Seattle Kraken. The “facelift” is privately financed and led by former Timberwolves executive Tim Leiweke.

Leiweke is a master promoter who helped the Timberwolves become a box office hit in the first years of the franchise in the early 1990s. His Oak View Group (OVG) is designing Climate Pledge Arena to exactly fit NBA needs in every way including revenue generation.

“Everything we’ve done — from naming rights, to sponsors, to suites, to opera boxes, to club seats — we have built in to protect the economics of the NBA team,” Leiweke told the Seattle Times in a December 22 article last year. “And that’s critical — to maximize the revenue streams. So, we’ve done that as well.”

Leiweke has extensive NBA connections because of career experiences that include leadership positions with the Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors. He has the ear of NBA commissioner Adam Silver who rules over the 30-team league and has hinted at future expansion. Prime expansion targets are led by Seattle and probably Las Vegas.

Kraken principal owner David Bonderman also owns part of the NBA Boston Celtics. Investors in the Kraken and OVG include family that owned the Supersonics, furthering the Seattle NBA connection. The arena’s manager is Steve Mattson whose previous job was managing Target Center, the Timberwolves home. He is more than familiar with the lease terms between Target Center and the Wolves.

Neither Lore nor Rodriguez has ties to Minneapolis but A-Rod has a Seattle connection. Rodriguez began his MLB career in the Pacific Northwest and has expressed his affection for Seattle. He was bitterly criticized for leaving the Mariners to sign a free agent deal years ago with the Texas Rangers but could become a Seattle hero by bringing the Timberwolves to town.

The city owned Target Center has a lease with the Timberwolves that runs through 2035. If the team moves its games from the downtown arena before then, the Wolves owners must pay a $50 million penalty. That’s not a big deterrent for Lore and Rodriguez who reportedly will pay $1.5 billion to Taylor for both the Timberwolves and his WNBA Minnesota Lynx.

While it’s plausible to contemplate a Wolves relocation to the Northwest, it’s all but impossible to forecast the Lynx landing in Seattle. That city has the WNBA Storm, the 2020 league champions owned by a group of Seattle area women who have shown a long commitment to the franchise. Long term the Lynx might remain in Minnesota, playing at Target Center or another area venue.

Taylor, a lifelong Minnesotan who turns 80 later this month, is sincere in wanting to see the NBA continue in Minneapolis. He ranks near the top of any billionaire list for humility and caring about others. He sees the franchise as a state asset and years ago rescued the Wolves when it looked like the team was relocating to New Orleans.

Competitively, the Wolves have struggled on the court for much of this century, seldom achieving winning seasons and earning their way into the playoffs. Their failure to win has held back fan support and financial success but it’s not true this is a bad basketball market. In the past both the Timberwolves and Gophers have been basketball leaders in attendance and fan followings.

It would be sad to see the city lose its NBA franchise for a second time. In 1960 the Minneapolis Lakers, five-time world champions, left for Los Angeles. In the 1980s Governor Rudy Perpich’s NBA Task Force and Minneapolis businessmen Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner helped stir interest in a NBA return to Minnesota. The expansion Timberwolves played their first season in 1989-1990.

Maybe Lore and Rodriguez will keep the team here for another 30 years. But when owners aren’t local, questions about intentions arise. “Dots” can lead elsewhere. And this time all the way to Seattle.

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U Leaves Spot for Power Forward

Posted on April 7, 2021April 7, 2021 by David Shama

New University of Minnesota basketball coach Ben Johnson has commitments from three transfers so far but interestingly none play the power forward position occupied last season by Brandon Johnson. It’s possible that spot could be filled next season by a state native, with Minnesotans Chet Holmgren, Race Thompson, Nate Reuvers and Dawson Garcia attracting speculation.

College basketball is a fluid landscape like never before with players and coaches frequently changing addresses. It’s evident Holmgren and his father David Holmgren didn’t want to make a commitment last fall during the signing period for high school players. They decided to see who is coming and going this spring, but soon the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2021 will have to choose either a college or an opportunity in the NBA’s development league following Chet’s superlative career at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. (It’s interesting that ongoing internet articles have Chet choosing Gonzaga but offer no definitive sources.)

Ben Johnson is trying to make Chet a Gopher, a task perhaps made easier with his dad being a U alum. Chet is a gifted two-way player who Johnson could offer to build his offense and defense around. At 7-feet, but only about 200 pounds, Holmgren needs physical support from a big center. If center Liam Robbins remains with the Gophers he could be a bargaining chip for Johnson in the recruitment of Holmgren, but Robbins entered the transfer portal as of yesterday.

Coach Johnson could help his team by convincing Robbins to stay, although the Iowa native’s future might be tied to his uncle Ed Conroy, an assistant last season under Richard Pitino but probably moving on to another job. Robbins, a 7-foot, 235-pound transfer last year from Drake, is one of the Big Ten’s better centers after three seasons of college experience. Robbins could lessen the stress and pounding on Holmgren from opponents by using his size and strength, while helping with rebounding, shot blocking and scoring. A versatile scorer, Robbins can move outside the lane on occasion and allow others to post up.

Robbins can be a selling point for any power forward of prominence who might be considering the Gophers. Thompson, who played at Armstrong before becoming an Indiana Hoosier, was one of the Big Ten’s most improved players last winter as a redshirt junior but is now in the transfer portal. He was eighth in the conference in blocked shots at 1.3 per game, and averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds. It’s believed he is interested in the Gophers.

While Thompson improved, Reuvers regressed during his senior season at Wisconsin (the NCAA is granting an extra year of eligibility to college seniors in 2021-2022 because of the pandemic). The Lakeville North alum led Wisconsin in scoring as a junior and made third team All-Big Ten on the Badgers’ conference title team. His 6-foot-11 size and shot blocking, combined with Robbins, would give the Gophers a dynamo pair on defense. A business major, Reuvers could position his name with Fortune 500 companies in Minneapolis-St. Paul if he is invited to come home.

Garcia, a five-star recruit at Prior Lake, almost chose the Gophers before committing to Marquette in the fall of 2019. While Garcia hasn’t entered the transfer portal, there are rumors he might leave Milwaukee. The 6-foot-11 former McDonald’s All-American made the Big East All-Freshman team last season. He started all 26 games for Marquette, averaging 6.7 rebounds and 13.2 points.

Brandon Johnson, a senior transfer from Western Michigan last season, was Minnesota’s starting power in 2020-2021 and it’s not clear whether he will return. He averaged 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds. As a reserve next season, his experience and leadership would be a major asset.

Worth Noting

Anticipate an announcement soon that Rochester, Minnesota native and Duke forward Matthew Hurt will be declaring for the NBA Draft and not returning for his junior season with the Blue Devils.

Sources expect former DeLaSalle coach Dave Thorson, now an assistant at Colorado State, to be named one of Johnson’s assistant coaches.

The NCAA champion Baylor roster includes power forward Dain Dainja from Park Center who didn’t play in 2021 while redshirting as a freshman.

Gonzaga freshman point guard Jalen Suggs, from Minnehaha Academy, will be the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, going to the Detroit Pistons, per the mock draft from NBC Sports California. The Minnesota Timberwolves, with the No. 1 selection, will take Oklahoma State freshman guard-forward Cade Cunningham. Word of advice to the Wolves: if available, draft Suggs.

Monday’s column regarding suggestions to make MLB games move faster drew a lot of comment from readers including this from a former baseball executive: “I was in the game for a long time but simply can’t tune in for more than a few innings now because of all the pitching changes and stops in action. Even a well-known former player told me that the game had become too slow for him.”

Hopkins girls basketball legend Paige Bueckers won 2021 national Player of the Year Awards from various sources after her freshman season at Connecticut. Old-timers may compare her with “Pistol” Pete Maravich but that’s at least a little off base. Maravich, while a playmaker for the ages, was a gunner who often thought shoot first, pass second. Not sure I have ever seen the unselfish Bueckers take a bad shot.

Next Sunday, April 11, will be the 60th anniversary of the first game ever played by the Minnesota Twins. On that date the Twins, who had moved from Washington D.C. where the club was known as the Washington Senators, defeated the New York Yankees, 6-0, in Yankee Stadium.

The Twins placed outfielder Brent Rooker on the 10-day Injured List today with a cervical strain. Rooker, who was recalled from the alternate training site last Saturday, played in three games, hitting .091 with one RBI. To replace Rooker the Twins have selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Brandon Waddell from the Taxi Squad. He pitched in nine games for the Twins in spring training, going 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA.

Brusdar Graterol, the former Twins pitcher who went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Kenta Maeda trade, is starting the season on the 10-day Injured List.

Twins 35-year-old third baseman Josh Donaldson, also on the 10-day Injured List, said before the season he expects to have ongoing “conversation” with manager Rocco Baldelli regarding playing time in 2021. Donaldson has a history of injuries including missing most of last season with the Twins.

Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer on the NFL adding a 17th regular season game that will have his team going west to play the Los Angeles Chargers: “It’s just something else they tell us to do and we do it like good soldiers.”

P.J. Fleck said the Gophers have developed a program to address racism and he wants to be “the most empathetic head coach in America.” Fleck has used speakers such as Tony Dungy and Dr. Harry Edwards to talk about race with his team. Edwards, the famous sociologist and race expert, once took Fleck and his San Francisco 49ers teammates to a California prison.

Minnesota Wild rookie Kirill Kaprizov leads NHL first-season players in goals and points. He’s a major contributor to a Minnesota offense that is probably the best since the days of superstar Marian Gaborik.

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Shama’s Changes to Speed Up MLB

Posted on April 5, 2021 by David Shama

Before any MLB baseball loyalists become cranky reading this column, let me be clear: I like the sport. It’s just way overdue for MLB power brokers to shorten the duration of games.

The Minnesota Twins opened their 2021 regular season schedule last Thursday. The length of the game (including the 10th inning) was 4 hours, 14 minutes. The duration and lack of pace was annoying, despite the excitement of opening day. By 5:15 p.m. I was in an internal debate whether to postpone preparing dinner, or rub my weary eyes to better witness more of the marathon.

Three to four hour games long ago became the norm, a startling contrast to MLB’s golden age in the 1950s and 1960s when fans expected a game of two hours and 30 minutes, or less. It wasn’t even front page news when a game lasted less than two hours. Not only did we have Killebrew and Oliva, Mantle and Maris, Mays and Aaron, Koufax and Drysdale, but we had a game delighting us with the pace of play—with assurances there would be no conflict with dinner.

MLB has such a problem SI.com wondered recently if the game will become a niche sport within five years. Once America’s most popular spectator sport, baseball now moves at an agonizing pace while testing the patience of fans, including restless youth more interested in their phones than a parade of pitching changes on the diamond.

So it’s the start of the work week and I have ideas for change, even if they make Abner Doubleday and Calvin Griffith roll over in their graves. I am not the first—and sadly won’t be the last—to suggest revisions to bring America’s former pastime into the 21st century. MLB’s fuddy-duddy policy makers, along with the Players Association, should finally listen up and consider the following:

In a nine innings game, teams will be limited to three pitching changes. After removing the starter, a manager can make multiple changes in an inning but he will know only three total pitchers are allowed to come out of the bullpen for the entire game. (I know that’s a doozy, and yes, I am sober.)

Pitching changes eat up way too much time so in the future nobody lumbers from the bullpen to the mound. Walk briskly, jog, or have a golf cart available to expedite travel time. (Not to worry about pollution: use electric carts).

Upon arrival at the mound, more change: no warm-up pitches. A reliever has been throwing in the bullpen long enough to be ROA (Ready-on-Arrival).

Mound visits? The catcher and teammates can strategize with a pitcher for a maximum of 20 seconds, but just three times per game. The pitching coach or manager are allowed on the mound only for pitching changes and to offer a suggestion to the reliever (20 seconds max).

Twenty seconds has been the time allowed between pitches in the minor leagues. MLB should go with 15 seconds.

A pitch clock receives a yes vote here as do two other moves already made by MLB—second games of double headers are seven innings, and extra innings start with a runner on second base.

If rules changes are going to put zip back in the game time is precious. Once hitters step in the batting box they stay. No asking the umpire for “time,” and then step away from the plate to check a wristband, or contemplate dinner reservations. Maybe swat away an insect in between pitches, but no leaving the box.

Replays to review possible miscues by the umpires? The timeouts for replays are sometimes so long you can start and finish an argument with your spouse. And those replays, just like spousal arguments, don’t always get things right. Put baseball back in the hands of humans like in the golden age, and spurn technology except in the ninth inning or extra innings. Then each manager can have one appeal.

Close and controversial plays do stir debate, and make for grand theatre on the diamond. A manager will be allowed to jaw face-to-face with the umpire for two minutes max, and just one time per game.

TV ads during games? Advertising pays the bills but MLB should enforce this policy between half innings and innings: it’s exactly two minutes until the pitcher is on the mound and ready to throw his first pitch.

Now here is the mother of doozies. Hitters too often don’t put the ball in play, leading to extended stays at the plate. Batters foul off so many balls on three-two counts it seems like the Ground Hog Day movie sequel. Here’s what to do: each batter gets 12 pitches and if he fouls off the last one it’s a strikeout.

Rules need enforcement and MLB should not only institute serious reform but make sure policies are adhered to by assigning “law enforcement” at every game. A rules official sees to it that the new system is enforced including assessment of fines when appropriate.

So that’s about it, except for this: On Thursday the Twins play their home opener against the Seattle Mariners. With the likelihood of a long game, plus a possible rain delay, bring your knitting bag, and deep breathing manual.

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