David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Ben Leber: Vikings Need to Be ‘Tougher’

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

Ben Leber has transitioned successfully into broadcasting, and unlike many former athletes who speak into a microphone, the ex-Vikings linebacker talks honestly to his audience. As a sideline radio reporter at Vikings games and college football TV analyst, Leber is informative and fun to hear because of his candid approach.

Leber retired from the NFL in 2012 after 10 seasons but remains an authority on the Vikings. Minnesota had a disappointing 8-7-1 record last season and failed to make the playoffs after summer predictions included the team among Super Bowl favorites. What do the Vikings need to do to be better in 2019?

Leber’s answer that the Vikings need to be “tougher” may surprise some fans because the club has built its reputation with defense and is led by demanding fifth-year head coach Mike Zimmer. But Leber told Sports Headliners the Purple took a step back last year from where they had been on both defense and offense.

“I think there needs to be an attitude and a stigma that’s set early on in the (2019) season that they have to play a ferocious and intimidating style,” Leber said. “I think everybody knows they will be well coached in Xs and Os, (but) now I think they need to take it to another level and…be the dogs on the field. Be the guys that people are afraid of. I don’t think that they struck fear in anybody last year.”

Leber believes the Vikings had an intimidating identity in 2017 when they went 13-3 in the regular season and won their first playoff game in the 2018 postseason. Leber said foes were “scared” of the defensive unit, and they over game planned about how to deal with Minnesota’s No. 1 ranked NFL defense. But in the NFC title game against the Eagles, things changed. Here is Leber’s analysis of why the Vikings experienced an embarrassing 38-7 loss costing them the opportunity to play in the 2018 Minneapolis Super Bowl:

“Philadelphia basically said, we don’t care who your stars are. We don’t care what the public thinks and what the media thinks. We’re going to attack those guys and put them in vulnerable situations, and they did.

“I think that (approach by opponents) carried over…and that’s what you saw this last year (2018). Early in the season the defense especially—just sort of scrambling to try to readjust itself—that the teams were attacking them so directly.”

In Leber’s view the offense also needs “to scare people in the run game.” Running back Dalvin Cook, whose first two seasons in the NFL have been limited by injuries, could play a major success role for the Vikings because he has big play potential that few NFL rushers possess. “Anything that makes Dalvin a true weapon where defenses have to worry about a home run shot with him, that’s a threat,” Leber said.

Perception can be reality, and Leber said the likelihood of the Vikings making consistent and productive plays in the run game is important. The benefit is that when defenders respect the run, play action passes are more likely to succeed, receivers have a better chance to get open and the offense simplifies for quarterback Kirk Cousins.

In addition to broadcasting, Leber is active speaking to groups, particularly corporations. He was raised in small towns in Iowa and South Dakota, and he shares a message with audiences about experiences in early life and growing into a man.

“I would say the biggest thing that I try to drive home is football wasn’t easy for me,” Leber said about his speaking assignments. “Not because of the physical aspect of it, but because of the self limitations that I put on myself, and I think that can apply to everything.

“I grew up listening to the labels that I came from a place…where people in a small town don’t succeed. I came from a place where people like to place labels on people, and I walked away going off to college believing those things. Almost holding myself back because I was sort of scared to succeed… .”

Spurs Exec Should Be on Wolves Radar

Posted on April 14, 2019April 14, 2019 by David Shama

A Sunday notes column tipping off with the in flux Timberwolves organization where owner Glen Taylor is searching for a new president of basketball operations.

Two names who keep coming up as candidates have ties to the organization but there’s someone else who was recommended to Sports Headliners that should be on Taylor’s mind. Calvin Booth, the Denver Nuggets assistant general manager, worked in the Wolves’ organization before going to Denver where the franchise has progressed from missing the playoffs a year ago to now being the No. 2 seed in the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. Chauncey Billups, the former Timberwolves guard and now an NBA TV commentator, is rumored to be interested in leading Taylor’s front office.

A pro basketball insider, speaking anonymously, believes Billups, because of his outstanding playing career (former NBA Finals MVP) and TV exposure, has an image that would attract quality free agents to Minneapolis and improve the team’s roster. “In the NBA there are a lot of places they (free agents) can land,” he said.

The Holy Grail to success for Taylor, though, might go through San Antonio. Last September the Spurs hired former NBA player and TV commentator Brent Barry as vice president of basketball operations. The Spurs are the gold standard of pro sports organizations with their 22 consecutive runs of qualifying for the NBA playoffs dating back to 1998, including five league championships.

The hiring of Barry by the Spurs was an endorsement that should get Taylor’s attention. “If you hire anybody from San Antonio, you’ve got a winner,” the Sports Headliners source said yesterday. “They (the Wolves) would hit a home run with Barry, a grand slam with Barry.”

Whoever becomes the Wolves’ basketball boss will have to discuss with Taylor the future of interim coach Ryan Saunders. Looking in from the outside, the source said his impression is Saunders has a “stellar image” with players and they want to play for the 32-year-old coach.

Big Ten Network football analyst Stanley Jackson liked what he saw yesterday from the Golden Gophers’ personnel during the telecast of Minnesota’s Spring Game. “Great opportunity to win the West (Division),” he told viewers in looking toward next fall.

Spring games can be boring but yesterday there was emphasis on fun for players and spectators including when 6-9, 400-pound offensive tackle Daniel Faalele lined up in the backfield as a ball carrier and ran six yards for a touchdown in the intrasquad matchup.

The Big Ten office reports Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan State have the most starters returning on offense with nine each. The Gophers’ returnees include senior all-conference wide receiver Tyler Johnson who decided not to pursue the NFL Draft as an underclassman. The Gophers return seven starters on defense.

Minnesota’s Thursday, August 29 nonconference home opener with South Dakota State will be the first Big Ten football game next summer. Three other league teams have nonconference games the next night.

The Gophers were one of nine Big Ten teams (14 total) to conclude spring football practices yesterday. Iowa on April 26 and Maryland on April 27 will be the last programs to end spring practices.

In four home games this season, Minnesota Twins pitchers have walked just 11 batters. Minnesota is 3-1 at home after yesterday’s win over the Tigers.

The first pitch temperature at Target Field yesterday was 37 degrees. That was the third time this season the starting temp was 45 degrees or lower for a Twins’ home game.

Best wishes to media colleague Ed Rauen who is being inducted tomorrow (Monday) into the Rochester Quarterbacks Club Hall of Fame. Rauen has headed the club for decades and lined up speakers, while also being a well-known sports voice on KROC Radio in Rochester.

The Capital Club will hear from speakers Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx and Glen Mason from the Big Ten Network on April 24 and June 4 at Town & Country Club in St. Paul. The club has organized a tour of the Minnesota United’s new Allianz Field for May 8. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrickklinger@klingercompany.com.

Allianz Field, the soccer-specific outdoor stadium of the MLS Loons, hosted its first game yesterday in the team’s nationally televised tie with New York City FC. Allianz is the fourth stadium in Minneapolis-St. Paul to open since 2009, joining TCF Bank Stadium, Target Field and CHS Field in a lineup of facilities costing more than $2 billion.

Several years ago Vikings owners were interested in owning a Minnesota MLS franchise and staging games in U.S. Bank Stadium. That would have provided a second major team using the covered stadium. The April 8 issue of Sports Illustrated reported that the $1.1 billion home of the Vikings was used for 39 events last year including concerts, NCAA baseball and basketball, and the X Games.

Congratulations to St. Paul native and Cretin-Derham Hall alum Bill Robertson on his new multi-year contract to continue his leadership as men’s commissioner for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Robertson assumed his position as WCHA commissioner in 2014, and his strategic actions have bettered the league in numerous ways including the on-campus playoff model, and development of digital platforms and sponsorships.

Robertson held various leadership positions in sports communications and marketing prior to joining the WCHA. His work experiences included positions with the Timberwolves and Wild prior to accepting his position with the WCHA which headquarters in Bloomington.

Collegehockeyinc.com reported last week a record number of players from NCAA programs played in the NHL this past season, with the University of Minnesota having the most alumni. There were 325 ex-NCAA players in the NHL in 2018-19, or one-third of all players. The Gophers had 22 alums in the league including Blake Wheeler who finished third in the NHL with 71 assists and matched his career high of 91 points playing for the Winnipeg Jets.

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April Maybe Memorable for Saunders

Posted on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 by David Shama

Ryan Saunders turns 33 on April 28. By then he might have the interim tag removed from his title as the Minnesota Timberwolves head coach. Being named the NBA club’s bench boss might be the best present of his life, but will it happen?

Owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners last month he hadn’t interviewed anyone else to be the head coach. Taylor was definitely pro-Saunders several weeks ago.

“…I am hopeful that it all works out for Ryan because I like him as a person particularly, and I want all our people (in the organization) to be successful,” Taylor said in a March 10 Sports Headliners column.

In a recent interview Saunders couldn’t have been more emphatic about wanting to continue as coach. “Absolutely, absolutely,” he told Sports Headliners. “…Hopefully be here for a long time.”

The Timberwolves announced the promotion of Saunders to interim head coach in early January, replacing the fired Tom Thibodeau. Saunders was on Thibodeau’s staff and had worked in the NBA since 2009 but no one had offered him an NBA head coaching position before.

The opportunity to become Minnesota’s interim head coach happened quickly in January. Before accepting the promotion he sought input from the “most important people” in his life including family members. He also thought about Taylor who he had known for a long time and been comfortable with. “There’s nothing like breaking into your first coaching job in that situation,” Saunders said about Taylor.

Since taking over the team Saunders has compiled a record of 17 wins and 25 losses while directing a Wolves team that ended its season last night with an overall record of 36-46. He acknowledged the team’s play has been one of “ups and downs.” Under his direction the Wolves never won more than three consecutive games and they had one five-game losing streak.

Because of injuries the Wolves didn’t come close to their potential and that makes it more difficult to evaluate Saunders’ performance. Major contributors Robert Covington, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose and Jeff Teague missed over 100 combined games. Saunders found himself starting players (and adding others to the roster) that wasn’t part of the plan.

Losing left him very frustrated. “The food doesn’t taste as good (following defeats),” he said. “You don’t sleep as well. …One thing my dad did a great job of was he was able to fail quickly, and what I mean by that is he was able to move on quickly and really focus on what needed to be done the next day.”

Flip Saunders (photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves)

Saunders’ father, the late Flip Saunders, was the franchise’s president of basketball operations and head coach at the time of his death in 2015. If Flip could critique his son’s work this winter and spring, what might he say Ryan’s performance?

“I’d say he’d be pretty proud and impressed with the way things have gone so far, based on the number of different obstacles. But I’d say he’d tell me to not take the losses so hard,” Ryan said. “…Enjoy the process.”

Ryan became the NBA’s youngest head coach in 40 years when Taylor promoted him. Saunders has shown a willingness to listen, including to older voices. He communicates regularly with the Wolves owner, whom he refers to as “Mr. Taylor.” He added Jerry Sichting, 62, as an assistant coach after he became interim head coach.

Saunders also hired veteran NBA authority Randy Wittman who was head coach of the Wizards five years ago when Ryan was an assistant in Washington. He refers to Wittman as a consultant who provides “an outside set of eyes on things,” offering ideas and acting as a “sounding board.”

“He’s just been a great help to me,” Saunders said about the 59-year old Wittman, who was head coach of the Timberwolves for all or parts of three seasons starting in January of 2007.

A coach can fairly be evaluated over a duration of 12 months, a period that includes offseason work with players, teaching during training camp and coaching a full season of games. Saunders has a reputation for player development and that skill will be needed in working with a roster that might not be talented enough to make the playoffs next year.

The team’s major asset, of course, is Karl-Anthony Towns, the 23-year-old NBA All-Star center. When Saunders thinks about his offense, he wants a balanced approach that includes pushing tempo but not ignoring a “dynamic post player like Karl” who needs to regularly be given the basketball near the basket. “We have a special talent in Karl that we play through,” Saunders said.

At times the Wolves have been among the worst NBA teams defensively. During a six-game stretch this winter the club gave up 120 points or more each time out, with opponents four times scoring 130 or more. As of yesterday, only five of the NBA’s 30 teams were giving up more points per game than Minnesota at 114.2, per Foxsports.com. Saunders said establishing a “defensive identity” will be priority no. 1 in training camp.

Saunders is a communicator who is enthusiastic and positive. He’s already a basketball lifer who relates well to people and is a product of “Minnesota nice,” having been born and raised in suburban Minneapolis. He seems like a coach players want to play for. But is he demanding enough to get the most out of the players?

Saunders could answer that question somewhat this offseason and for sure next season during a full schedule of 82 games, but one thing that could derail his promotion to permanent head coach is the front office situation. Scott Layden is the general manager now, but he is a carryover from the Thibodeau era when Thibs was not only the coach but president of basketball operations. Taylor announced yesterday he will hire a new president, and that could certainly impact the security of both Layden and Saunders. With new leadership in the front office, Taylor will have to decide whether to allow the president to choose the coach, or strongly suggest Saunders should be the choice.

Even if Saunders isn’t made the permanent head coach, it seems likely given his relationship with the owner and his popularity in the organization, he would be offered a position to continue on with the Timberwolves. However, that’s not the best news he could have around his birthday.

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