David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Carry ‘Chip on Shoulder’ Attitude

Posted on June 23, 2019June 23, 2019 by David Shama

Spend time around the Vikings this offseason and it doesn’t take long to pick up on expectations for an improved record in 2019. The Vikings were 8-7-1 last year and the whole organization is determined to have better results this fall.

An easy way to describe the club’s new attitude is “chip on the shoulder.” Reserve quarterback Sean Mannion, a third round draft choice by the Rams in 2015, signed with the Vikings in April and although new to the organization noticed the mindset of his new team.

“I think that would be an accurate way to describe it, for sure,” Mannion told Sports Headliners. “The big thing is just channeling that and focusing on your craft. Using that as motivation but not letting it become destructive. Letting it be something that motivates you to work on your skills, work on your abilities, and just continuing to grow as a player.”

After the Vikings finished spring practices, new assistant head coach Gary Kubiak acknowledged the determination starting quarterback Kirk Cousins has expressed to him. “That’s one of the first things that he said to me when we talked back a few months ago when I got here. He said, ‘Coach, I’ve had some good things happen in my career, and had some good numbers, but I want to win.’

“And that’s what we all want to do,” Kubiak said. “That’s what you’re searching for with your football team, and if you got people thinking that way, you got a chance to get there. …”

Even head coach Mike Zimmer, often a curmudgeon with his team and media, has expressed optimism about the Vikings having the potential for a big season. “I definitely picked up on that (optimism),” Mannion said.

The national perspective on the Vikings when they go through training camp in August likely will be that Minnesota is picked for second in the NFC North Division behind the Bears, last season’s champions. NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero told Sports Headliners “they (the Bears) come in as the favorites.”

The biggest question about the Vikings, per Pelissero, is just how fast the offense will come together. “It’s all about marrying the run and the pass,” he said. “Making those two things look the same (to defenses).”

Pelissero, who lives in the Minneapolis area, said the offense has “got the weapons” and will feature more play-action and bootlegs to make Cousins more effective in his second season with the Vikings. Cousins will need help, though, from a reshuffled offensive line that last season was subpar.

“Average (for the line) would be an improvement from where they were a year ago, frankly,” Pelissero said. “I am sure they are shooting for higher than average, but average would be workable from where they’re at.”

Worth Noting

The first of 16 training camp practices open to the public at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan will be July 26. New this year is a policy that autographs will be available only to fans 18 and younger.

Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Wood gave the Timberwolves an A grade for drafting Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver who is considered a skilled offensive and defensive player. Writing last Thursday on SI.com Woo said, “This is strong value for Minnesota at No. 6 landing a player who you can argue for as the third best prospect in the draft.”

Did you notice Indiana’s Romeo Langford was the only Big Ten Conference player among the 15 lottery choices in last Thursday’s NBA Draft?

University of St. Thomas athletics director Phil Esten told Sports Headliners the school is in the early stages of “sorting all our options” regarding whether it will continue to compete in Division III, move to Division II or possibly make an eventual transition to Division I. The D-1 level requires a lengthy process and timeline including starting at D-2.

The Tommies must leave the D-3 MIAC after next spring. It’s way down the road speculation but if St. Thomas decided to pursue D-1 status for its athletics program, Allianz Field and Xcel Energy Center could be attractive homes for the Tommies football and basketball teams.

In this glutted sports market, the Tommies would be challenged to draw large crowds in both sports, but more so in football. With a capacity of about 20,000 at Allianz, St. Thomas football could attract larger crowds than some struggling D-1 programs have done over the years. For example, Akron, from the MAC, had average home attendance of 9,170 in 2014, per multiple reports.

With the high quality basketball played in the state, the Tommies could become competitive after a few years at the D-2 or D-1 levels. Men’s coach John Tauer is highly thought of and is capable of taking the Tommies beyond D-3 success that includes the 2016 NCAA title.

Tommies games at the Xcel Energy Center against regional and national teams with brand recognition might attract crowds of 10,000 or more. Ideal box office draws would include Notre Dame and Marquette.

Fan HQ is promoting the sale of Joe Mauer number retirement baseballs, with online ordering and then pickup at the Ridgedale store.

Twins Hall of Famer Kent Hrbek appears from 7 to 8 p.m. July 11 at the Eden Prairie Center Fan HQ.

Bill Robertson, commissioner of the Twin Cities-based WCHA, was pleased that two league alums, David Backes and Colton Parayko, played for the Bruins and Blues respectively in the Stanley Cup Finals. Backes is from Minnesota State, while Parayko is an Alaska Fairbanks alum.

Congratulations to tennis achievers Hugh Cutler, Larry Sundby, and Tom and Tim Wynne, on their induction into the USTA Northern Section Hall of Fame. USTA Northern, based in Bloomington, is a nonprofit and one of 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association that is dedicated to the growth and development of tennis.

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Timberwolves, Wild Need Draft Buzz

Posted on June 20, 2019June 23, 2019 by David Shama

The Timberwolves and Wild need to stir up excitement amongst their fan-bases during the next three days.

The Wolves have the No. 11 and No. 43 selections in Thursday’s NBA Draft that consists of two rounds. The Wild has eight selections, including the No. 12 overall, in the seven-round NHL Entry Draft that starts Friday evening and concludes Saturday.

Neither franchise made the playoffs last spring. Fan outlooks right now for next season can probably be fairly characterized as “ho-hum.”

A Twin Cities sports marketing authority, who didn’t want his name identified, has heard both the Wild and Wolves have concerns about season ticket renewals and new sales. The Wild needs box office buzz and hopes to obtain it in the free agent market this summer. NHL franchises, including the Wild, are more dependent on gate receipts than the NBA with its larger TV revenues. The Wolves have a superstar and ticket draw in All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, but need more stellar personnel to become a factor in the talent-heavy NBA Western Conference.

The Wolves, according to the marketing authority, are interested in moving up in the draft and could offer the gifted but so far under-achieving Andrew Wiggins, who has played his first four NBA seasons in Minnesota but is still only 24 years old. Interestingly, this week Nbadraft.net’s mock draft had the Wolves using both their draft choices on small forwards, the same position Wiggins plays.

The website’s speculation Minnesota will draft North Carolina’s Nassir Little and Oregon’s Louis King could fit in with conjecture about parting with Wiggins. Taking Little and King would also make sense if the Wolves choose to play the 6-foot-8 Wiggins exclusively at shooting guard next season. The position switch could take advantage of his height against smaller defenders—posting up, or easily shooting over them.

This will be the Wolves’ first draft directed by new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas. He is expected to shape and direct the organization in a strong manner, and there certainly could be major reshuffling of not only the roster but support positions, too.

This week Wild general manager Paul Fenton leads his second draft for Minnesota. The expectation is the Wild will be determined to add goal scorers in the draft and free agent market in the coming days and weeks, although there is some thought Minnesota might use its first draft choice on goalie Spencer Knight, a Connecticut native.

The club has many needs but probably should prioritize goal scorers in the draft who can contribute within a couple of years. Ideally, whoever Minnesota selects in the first round will cause some anticipation among fans who know fortunes can change quickly in the NHL—most commonly within a couple of years, but perhaps sooner.

That was substantiated dramatically by the Blues this year, who went from being one of the NHL’s worst teams to Stanley Cup champs within a matter of months.

Worth Noting

The Wild will hold a development camp for draft choices and other prospects in the organization from June 25-28 at its practice facility in downtown St. Paul. The June 25 and 27 practices (start at 9:20 a.m.) are open to the public with free admission at the TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center.

Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub in St. Paul is the Wild’s official viewing party location for the draft on Friday night. NBC Sports Network televises the first round beginning at 7 p.m.

Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne said yesterday on Dan Barreiro’s KFAN Radio show he would be cautious about trading Wild forward Jason Zucker, who he predicts will score 25 to 35 goals next season.

Sports Headliners is told Mike Modano, the retired NHL star who has joined the Wild as an executive advisor, is assisting the franchise with ticket and sponsorship sales.

The Timberwolves host a free draft party tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cargo inside Target Center. Josh Okogie, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, is scheduled to attend. ESPN will televise the draft.

Canterbury Park holds its Mystic Lake Derby on Saturday, offering a $200,000 purse that is the largest of the season. The field includes filly Spectralight who was bred in Ireland and has raced exclusively in Italy, but is based now at Canterbury Park.

Former Golden Gopher great Bobby Bell, the two-time All-American tackle on Minnesota’s only Rose Bowl teams, turned 79 on Monday.

The average base player salary is $345,867 in soccer’s MLS, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association.

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Enjoy a Few Father’s Day Laughs

Posted on June 16, 2019June 16, 2019 by David Shama

If someone suggested to my late father that he was working too hard, or just not taking care of his health, he might reply like this: “I will get enough rest when I am buried at Fort Snelling (National Cemetery).”

That was pure dad. A mostly serious and bright guy, he had a few favorite expressions like the one above. Another spoke to his willingness to try most any type of food or beverage, and then speak nonsensical about it. “It will do you a lot of good—if it helps you,” dad liked to say while hoping for a laugh from family or friends.

My father, also Dave Shama, was 44 years old when I was born. I can remember being about five or six years old when he was huffing and puffing while running by my side as I learned to ride my first bicycle. Dad was pudgy, out of shape and much more comfortable at a contract bridge table than in a gym. His preferred recreational options definitely were not long walks, jogging, dumbbells and exercise bikes.

Dad enjoyed eating somewhat unusual things like sardines or a smelly piece of calf’s liver, drinking a beer or two most days, and flooding the air with smoke from his almost ever-present cigar or pipe. Even when the cigar wasn’t lit, he was chewing on the thing like a persistent rabbit attacks garden plants.

The number of times my dad played sports with me in the backyard or at a park was minimal. He did, however, convey his interest and knowledge of athletics by offering companionship in front of the TV and radio. Many were the nights we watched the Twins on television, or dialed into radio broadcasts of National League teams.

Dad was a law school graduate of the University of Minnesota. He loved the football Golden Gophers and he took me to my first game when I was eight years old. Sitting at old Memorial Stadium, I couldn’t imagine enjoying anything more than those games. I reveled in every minute of the experience starting about 90 minutes before kickoff when the loudspeakers blared out John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

When I came home from a game I was so jacked up I invited neighborhood kids to play tackle football in our backyard. What a disadvantage they were at after spending the earlier part of the afternoon making model airplanes or catching a nap. I was ready to toss my friends to the ground, pretending I was a Golden Gopher and playing for the glory of winning the Little Brown Jug, Paul Bunyan’s Axe or Floyd of Rosedale.

That affection for the University and the Gophers has benefitted me in countless ways throughout my life including friendships I have made. It seems like almost daily I hear from someone with U connections, and they usually brighten my day. One friend has been going through weekly challenges with a flooded basement this spring, while resorting to not only sandbags and 13 fans, but also four industrial dehumidifiers. He apologized via text recently for not promptly answering my email invitation to set up a breakfast, and he explained to me the flood misery he has experienced.

“If we can get a couple of weeks without rain, or a small amount, then we can dry out,” he wrote. “Otherwise, I will be changing my name to Noah.”

Getting back to Father’s Day, I think my own sons are better dads than I ever conceived of being. It’s like they almost studied my behaviors and realized they should do the exact opposite.

Maybe they acquired their strategy from the Seinfeld episode when career vagabond George Costanza interviewed for his dream job with the New York Yankees. George decides that whatever thoughts come to mind, he will do the opposite. (His lament: “My life is the complete opposite of everything I want it to be.”)

Sitting in front of team owner and world-class curmudgeon George Steinbrenner, Costanza seemingly breaks every rule for job interviewing. He even insults Steinbrenner. Stunned by Costanza’s bravado, Steinbrenner turns his attention to one of his underlings and says: “Hire this man.”

I hope I am making you laugh—even if only slightly. I confess to having close family tell me for years, “You’re not funny.”

Well, I don’t give up easily.

Sometimes advice from those closest to us is spot-on. I can still hear my dad talking to me about a great job I turned down with a prominent newspaper.

“They won’t offer you again,” he said.

You were right, Dad.

My father didn’t deluge me with a lot of advice. Maybe it’s better that way, just observing our role models. I learned about integrity and honesty from him. His example made me interested in politics and world affairs. He also imparted a deep appreciation for America and love of patriotism.

My mom had great devotion to our country and her ancestors fought in the American Revolution. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution organization.

Before I knew about the DAR, I remember her brother used to say in front of me that mom had been a nurse in the Revolutionary War. I was about five or six when I heard that. I remember trying to sort it out in my noggin as to whether she really was a nurse in that long ago war I could hardly relate to.

My father served in the Army during World War II. He was stationed in Panama and hated the stifling heat. “If I ever get home, I will go kiss the pavement on Hennepin Avenue,” Dad said in Panama while longing for Minneapolis.

Not that my father regretted serving his country, even if he was far away from the European and Pacific battle fields and oceans where the outcome of wars with the Germans and Japanese were decided. “The enemy never took the Panama Canal,” Dad quipped.

Happy Father’s Day. I hope and trust you have memories to laugh and smile about.

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