David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Gophers ‘Lucky’ to have John Anderson

Posted on June 4, 2018June 4, 2018 by David Shama

Sometimes it takes a stretch of success to remind us how special someone is. Today’s “Exhibit A” is Golden Gophers baseball coach John Anderson who has led the program for 37 years, and given this town a scrapbook full of great memories including last weekend’s Minneapolis Regional.

“We’re lucky to have him,” said Jerry Noyce, who could have been speaking for so many Minnesotans and alumni of the University of Minnesota.

Noyce was the Gophers’ successful tennis coach when athletic director Paul Giel appointed Anderson to lead the baseball program in 1981. Noyce’s last season in the athletic department was 1988 but he has remained a friend of Anderson and close observer of Minnesota baseball over the years.

Anderson’s teams have won a lot of games and he has operated his program with integrity. “He’s done it all the right way his whole career,” Noyce said.

Noyce and thousands of Minnesotans have been captivated by the 2018 edition of U baseball. The Gophers won the Minneapolis Regional yesterday and are headed to Corvallis, Oregon this week to play in a Super Regional they hope will earn them an entry later in the month to the College World Series.

Minnesota earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning both the Big Ten regular season championship and conference tournament title. Anderson has coached the Gophers to 11 regular season titles and 10 conference tourney championships. Anderson’s teams have been in the NCAA Tournament 19 times but yesterday was the first time his Gophers have won their region. Twice there have been four-year stretches where Minnesota qualified for the NCAA Tourney. Ten seasons there have been 40 wins or more. This spring Anderson’s fellow conference coaches voted him Big Ten Coach of the Year for a seventh time—the most in league history.

Anderson and his staff are known for the consistent way they teach, develop players and offer guidance. Neither the state of Minnesota nor Big Ten is known as a hotbed of college baseball. It’s not easy to win against schools with warmer climates and access to more and better players—places like Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Anderson seems to know when to push the right buttons. Against Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals the Gophers were behind. “He told us to calm down, relax a bit, and get back to having a plan,” said Minnesota outfielder Toby Hanson. “After that, we took a deep breath and got back to being us. We got some big hits and just kept on going (winning 8-1).”

Last Saturday night at Siebert Field in the Minneapolis Regional, Minnesota had to use extra innings to defeat UCLA. “I just kept telling the guys the last few innings: Siebert Field. Siebert Field magic,” Anderson said. “We’ve won a lot of games this way in my career here, at the old Siebert Field and now here. Just keep believing in Siebert Field magic. Give ourselves chances to win and we’ll find a way.”

Anderson has probably had several opportunities to go elsewhere and coach. He likely could have relocated to jobs with better access to players and for more money, but the Minnesota native and former Gopher baseball player is too committed to the U to leave. “Nobody is more loyal than John,” Noyce said.

The employment agreement Anderson signed with the University of Minnesota about two years ago calls for an annual salary of at least $225,000. The agreement provides bonus compensation including $12,500 for winning a Big Ten title, $7,500 for the Big Ten tournament championship, $7,500 for making the NCAA Tournament and $5,000 for conference Coach of the Year.

Anderson could have bettered himself financially elsewhere—perhaps even in pro baseball—but he has stayed through both good and trying times at Minnesota where he gas worked for a lenthy list of full-time and interim athletic directors. Along the way he’s inspired a lot of players and other admirers who are loyal to him.

One of Anderson’s financial donors to his program recently wrote this in an email to Sports Headliners: “He is a class act, a complete gentleman, and a terrific ambassador for Gopher baseball.”

U Football Scheduling

Coming off a losing season and two final defeats by a combined score of 70-0, Golden Gopher football ticket sales figure to be flat headed into summer but the box office could get a boost with favorable start times for home games. Five of the seven start times have been announced and so far none are at the dreaded 11 a.m.

Not only that but three games are set for night kickoffs. Some of Minnesota’s best home crowds since 2000 have been for evening games including against TCU in 2015 when a TCF Bank Stadium record attendance of 54,147 was announced.

Minnesota will open its season August 30 with a 6 p.m. game against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium. The bad news is that a work weeknight game isn’t ideal and Minnesota has to battle the State Fair for attention, but positives include the Twins and Vikings are on the road.

Minnesota’s other two home nonconference games on September 8 and 15 begin at 6:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively against Fresno State and Miami (Ohio). Gopher Big Ten home games with Iowa on October 6 and Indiana October 26 will have mid-afternoon and early evening kickoffs. Only the Purdue game November 10 and Northwestern November 17 don’t have start times yet among the seven home games this season.

Indiana is traditionally a poor draw but the October 26 date comes on a Friday evening and if Minnesota is off to a winning start, and the weather is favorable, the Gophers could sell the game out. This is a night sports town on weekends and Gopher fans remember the crowd of 62,374 on a Friday night (October 10, 2003) at the Metrodome when Minnesota played a thriller in losing to Michigan.

Comments Welcome

U Targets Elite Illinois Recruits

Posted on June 1, 2018June 1, 2018 by David Shama

The football Gophers are making an impact in the state of Illinois recruiting players for the class of 2019 and could end up with commitments from two of the top three prospects, according to Ryan Burns from GopherIllustrated.com.

Defensive end Jason Bargy from Momency, Illinois has already verbally committed to Minnesota. Burns said the top three 2019 prospects in Illinois are Bargy, Crystal Lake offensive tackle Trevor Keegan and Quincy running back Jirehl Brock. All three are four-star recruits and Brock is more likely to verbally commit to the Gophers than Keegan, who is considered the No. 1 prospect in the state.

Brock will make an official visit to Minnesota on June 8. Burns wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually chooses Minnesota, although the recruiting authority acknowledges Iowa is the favorite. Brock, Burns said, has made six visits to Iowa City and that could be interpreted two ways. Likely it shows how interested he is in Iowa, but Burns speculates all those trips may indicate doubts—perhaps searching for a reason not to become a Hawkeye.

The Gophers have 10 commitments for the class of 2019, with three players from the state of Illinois already on board. The three are Bargy, three-star defensive back Tyler Nubin from St. Charles, and three-star offensive tackle J.J. Guedet from Washington. Burns said all three are “in the ear” of Brock to become a Gopher.

Historically the state of Illinois hasn’t been a target for Minnesota recruiting, with the Gophers even pulling more players and big-time contributors over the years from Wisconsin and Michigan among nearby states. That’s changed, though, under second-year coach P.J. Fleck who is an Illinois native, played collegiately at Northern Illinois and recognizes the opportunity in his home state where there are annually many top prospects.

Burns said the Gopher shopping list in Illinois includes other players than those referenced above and when the 2019 class is finalized Minnesota could end up with something like five of the top 15 players from the Land of Lincoln. “So not only are they going into the state of Illinois, and getting quality kids, they’re getting the top echelon,” Burns said.

University of Illinois football is sending out “distress signals” and schools like Minnesota, Iowa and Iowa State are among those trying to capitalize on the opportunity to recruit Illinois prep players skeptical about the Illini’s future under head coach Lovie Smith who is 5-19 in his first two years leading the program. The 60-year-old Smith, who took the Illinois job after many years in the NFL, is 2-16 in Big Ten games.

Burns described the 37-year-old Fleck as “much more of a dynamic recruiter” than Smith. “P.J’s enthusiasm just really resonates with 17 and 18 year old kids,” Burns said. “…P.J. is texting these kids, (and) facetiming them—while I don’t necessarily think Lovie is making sure to make an effort to do that on a daily basis.”

Minnesota offensive line coach Brian Callahan has recruiting responsibilities in Illinois and deserves credit along with Fleck for progress the Gophers have made in the state. “That’s a place where Minnesota wanted to go more last year,” Burns said. “They got some quality kids (class of 2018) from there like Elijah Teague, a defensive tackle who I expect to contribute early on. They signed a middle linebacker named Mariano Sori-Marin from there, but they knew that they wanted to get inroads into this 2019 class and I think you’ve seen that.

“Illinois is consistently producing 25, 30 legitimate BCS kids a year. To get not even into June yet, and you’ve already landed three of the top eight from the state of Illinois, I can tell you Lovie Smith and staff are not very happy with P.J. Fleck because these are kids that Illinois thinks they should be keeping (at) home. But P.J. is going in there and winning some pretty important recruiting battles.”

Worth Noting

Among the Gophers’ other recruiting targets is three-star, pro-style quarterback Jacob Clark from Rockwall, Texas. Burns said Clark’s dad visited Minnesota’s campus this week. Burns predicted a college decision by mid-June with the quarterback choosing either Minnesota or California.

June is an international travel month for the University of St. Thomas football team. Coach Glenn Caruso has arranged a 13-day trip to Ireland and Italy including a game in Rome on Saturday against one of Italy’s top Division I teams. NCAA rules allow teams to take an international trip for competition every three years.

The MIAC announced yesterday that St. Thomas has won the Men’s and Women’s All-Sports Competition for the past school year. It’s the 11th consecutive year the Tommies have been No. 1 in overall MIAC competition for both genders.

Customers at St. Paul Saints games are alert for Bill Murray sightings. The comedian and actor doesn’t live in Minnesota but is sometimes spotted at CHS Field watching the team he is part owner of. Mike Veeck, also a Saints owner, said Murray doesn’t have “handlers” and fans “absolutely love him because he is so approachable and they can get autographs. They feel the relationship with him.”

The Twins, 22-30 on the season, aren’t winning close games. Last night they lost 9-8 to the Central Division first place Indians. Minnesota, 6.5 games behind the Indians, has seen 11 of its last 12 games decided by three runs or fewer, and has a 3-8 record in those games.

Miguel Sano, who hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning, had three RBI last night—the most he’s had this season.

Cheryl Reeve, the Lynx coach who has led her team to four WNBA titles, was quoted extensively in a May 27 New York Times article while analyzing a Western Conference NBA finals game between the Warriors and Rockets. She is a fan of Golden State forward-center Draymond Green. “There’s just an element to the way he plays,” Reeve told the Times.

Comments Welcome

Nanne-Torrey Cooked up Steak Trade

Posted on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 by David Shama

A Wednesday notes column starting with Lou Nanne’s steak dinner trade for a minor league hockey player.

The former North Stars executive told Sports Headliners about the 1980s steak dinner trade he made with the late Bill Torrey of the Islanders when Minnesota targeted Frank Beaton. Nanne was developing the minor league affiliate roster for Birmingham and Beaton had been a popular player in that city during World Hockey Association days in the 1970s. Nanne thought Beaton, who was Islanders’ property, could boost his South Stars at the box office.

“I signed him,” Nanne said. “Bill calls me and says, ‘You can’t do that. It’s not even July first. He’s not a free agent.’

“I go, ‘If I am going to Birmingham I am getting guys that can help sell tickets. So I already signed him, so I’ll buy you dinner.’ He says, ‘Okay.’ ”

The trade was reported to the NHL office something like this: Beaton to the North Stars for dinner at The Palm in New York. The league office nixed the deal and said the transaction had to be for “future considerations” instead of a steak dinner.

Torrey, though, still got his dinner from Nanne at the famous New York City steakhouse, reportedly costing $360. “Actually it wasn’t $360. It was about $180,” Nanne said.

Torrey died earlier this month after an extraordinary career as an executive who built Stanley Cup teams. He was known as “The Architect.”

“He was one of my closest friends,” Nanne said. “I have to say he was one of the most liked people you’re ever going to see. Extremely smart and very sociable, and a great work ethic, and a great boss. He knew how to work with, how to handle people, and he knew how to build an organization. Bill was one of the best.”

Minnesota native Dana Marshall, an avid sports researcher, points out maybe the success of the first-year NHL expansion Golden Knights isn’t unprecedented as commonly reported. The Minneapolis Lakers, he wrote via email, won the 1948 National Basketball League championship with a new roster after relocating from Detroit as the Gems. The “Cinderella” Vegas team is in the Stanley Cup Finals and leading the Caps 1-0 in the best of seven series.

Sports Headliners has been told gross receipts from ticket sales for home Gophers football increased last season, totaling $11,889,168 after generating $10,744,555 in 2016, according to a University of Minnesota source. In 2015 six of seven home games were sold out, or near sellouts, with gross receipts of $13,396,171.

The Gopher baseball team has two 9-0 pitchers in freshman Patrick Fredrickson and sophomore Brett Schulze. Fredrickson, the Big Ten’s Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, ranks No. 15 in the nation with his 1.78 ERA.

Minnesota is the favorite in the NCAA Tournament’s Minneapolis Regional that starts Friday at Siebert Field and will be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks.

The Twins start their most important series so far this season tomorrow night at home against the Central Division leading Indians. After next Sunday’s fourth and final series game the Twins could possibly be in first place or far behind in the division race. Going into tonight’s game at Kansas City against the Royals, Minnesota is 4.5 games behind the Indians.

The likely Twins starters in the Cleveland series are Jake Odorizzi, Jose Berrios, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. The Indians’ probables are Shane Bleber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, and a fourth pitcher to be determined.

St. Paul Saints owner Mike Veeck talking about what people don’t know about him: “I am a failed musician. For a hobby, I play the guitar. I love to write songs. If you hand me a guitar and give me three words about you, or your loved ones, or your children, or your automobile, I have the ability to write a rhyme. I can rhyme and play.”

Former Gophers basketball player Quincy Lewis is interim director of the M Club that recognizes and serves University of Minnesota letter winners.

Mike Goldammer, the former executive director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section, is now in Alabama where he is Director of Tennis for Center Court Tuscaloosa.

The Vikings, going through OTAs now, have one punter (Ryan Quigley) on the roster, but two placekickers in veteran Kai Forbath and rookie Daniel Carlson from Auburn. Forbath, 30, has six years of experience in the NFL and was the Vikings’ kicker last season when in early December he had missed five extra points before being perfect the remainder of the schedule. Carlson, who the Vikings used a fifth round pick to select, was 198-for-198 on extra points in college—although from a shorter distance than in the NFL.

How long does Vikings coach Mike Zimmer see the competition lasting between Forbath and Carlson?

“I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes. If one guy is way ahead of the other guy then we might make the change sooner, so the other guy gets all the reps.

“One thing you have to be careful a little bit about is there are not 65,000 people screaming (and) doing the Skol chant and all those other things when you’re out there kicking (in OTAs). If they miss a game winner here today, it’s probably not the same (as) if they miss a game winner September 9th (season opener).”

Comments Welcome