David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wild Predicted to Fall in Six Games

Posted on April 10, 2018 by David Shama

The Wild isn’t expected to win its NHL seven-game playoff series that starts tomorrow night in Winnipeg against the Jets, but how Minnesota plays will be as scrutinized as the wins and losses.

A year ago coach Bruce Boudreau’s first Wild team was listless in an opening playoff series loss against the Blues. Minnesota entered the series as the favorite but the Blues eliminated the Wild in five games. The result added to the reputation of Boudreau’s teams for not meeting expectations in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Boudreau has coached NHL teams in Minnesota, Anaheim and Washington. Whether it’s fair or not, the coach has been criticized for his playoff results in 10 prior years. Despite good regular season records his teams have never reached the Stanley Cup Finals, nor won a postseason conference title.

There are always multiple perceptions about a coach and the opinion here is Boudreau has been effective with this season’s Wild team. He has juggled lines and made other maneuvers helping the Wild avoid long losing streaks. “I think he’s had a good year,” a veteran hockey source told Sports Headliners.

The source, who asked that his name not be printed, has a prediction about the series. “I think the Jets will win in six games,” he said. “They’re just better.”

The Jets scored 277 goals during the regular season, the best total in the Western Conference. “The one thing is can the Wild slow down the Jets offense?,” the source asked. “They’re one of the quickest and fastest teams in the NHL.”

No NHL goalie won more games than Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck who totaled 44. Only seven others had a better goals against average than his 2.36 per game.

The Wild will counter with goalie Devan Dubnyk who had five shutouts this season, one less than Hellebuyck. Dubnyk has been effective in 2017-2018 and might play better in the playoffs than a year ago against the Blues. Dubnkyk, according to the Sports Headliners authority, is fresher than last spring. “I think he was played way too much (during the regular season) last year,” the source said.

Minnesota must try to slow down the Jets without star defenseman Ryan Suter who won’t play again until next season because of a recently fractured right ankle. Replacing his experience and the amount of minutes he is capable of playing is a challenge.

The Jets finished second in the Central Division during the regular season, winning seven more games than the third place Wild. Surprises, though, happen all the time in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Perhaps the Wild can upset the Jets just like the Blues did to Minnesota a year ago. Although the Wild and the Penguins are the only NHL teams to qualify for the playoffs six consecutive seasons, Minnesota hasn’t played in the conference finals since 2003.

Emotions should be intense for both teams. They certainly will be for fans because of the division rivalry and geographic proximity of the franchises. Perhaps a couple hundred Minnesota fans will cheer on the Wild tomorrow night and Friday evening in Winnipeg. When Game 3 is played on Sunday night in St. Paul there could be more than 1,000 Jets fans at Xcel Energy Center.

How do they secure so many tickets at the “X”? “They’re resourceful, like North Dakota fans (in college hockey),” the source said. “This is a natural for them.”

Worth Noting

NCAA officials like the Xcel Energy Center as a site for postseason hockey. Look for the building to host future regional and Frozen Four games.

Word is the Serratore brothers, Frank and Tom, are having their names mentioned for the hockey opening at St. Cloud State. Frank is head coach at Air Force while Tom heads the program at Bemidji State. Frank once coached the St. Paul-based Minnesota Moose.

Lindsay Whalen has no coaching experience but there isn’t anyone with ties to the Golden Gophers women’s program that would be as popular with fans and local media if she were named head coach. With Marlene Stollings resignation yesterday to become coach at Texas Tech, this might be the only time the Gophers and Whalen will ever have to consider her for the Minnesota job.

Former Gopher football coach Glen Mason had his 68th birthday yesterday.

WCCO Radio’s Dave Lee will be honored with the Bolder Options 2018 Alan and Diane Page Legacy Mentoring Award Thursday night at the Minneapolis Event Centers. The Bolder Options mentoring organization, now celebrating its 25th year, is headed by former Gopher football player Darrell Thompson. Thursday’s gala is presented by Manchester Companies.

It could be that because of the wintry April, top public and private clubs won’t open for golf in the metro area until about May 1—thus placing a hit on 2018 projected budgets.

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Football Coaches Make a Hit on Cancer

Posted on April 8, 2018April 9, 2018 by David Shama

A Sunday notes column leading off with news from the weekend Minnesota Football Coaches Clinic.

Randy Shaver thanked Minnesota football coaches on Friday night for raising $1.3 million since the Tackle Cancer initiative began in 2012. “You’re changing people’s lives,” the KARE 11 newscaster told coaches at the clinic.

Minnetonka football coach Dave Nelson contacted Shaver six years ago with the idea of having the state’s prep coaches raise money for the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund. Since then not only high school coaches but also the Vikings and college programs including the Gophers have raised monies for the Tackle Cancer effort. In 2017 a record $311,475 dollars was generated.

Shaver told the audience that in June it will be 20 years since he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s. As a cancer survivor he has helped fund a range of issues related to the disease including prevention, research and treatment.

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck told clinic attendees about research on college and NFL games between 1950 and 2017 that supports the old adage “most games are lost, not won.” The research showed 78 percent of the time teams with the fewest turnovers and those with fewer than six missed tackles won their games. “The margin for error is so small,” Fleck said.

Talking about how the game of football is under attack, former Vikings center Matt Birk said the sport ranks fourth in causing concussions, and that it is not an activity for everybody. “I think we need to stop apologizing for football,” Birk said at the clinic.

Birk, who played at Harvard and also in the NFL, said the most fun he experienced in football was in high school competing for Cretin-Derham Hall.

Former Gopher assistant coach Dan O’Brien is leaving his position at Sun Country Airlines and starts full time April 30 at St. Thomas Academy where he will work in administration and be the new head football coach.

A recent visitor to Fleck’s new football complex needed directions from a Gopher player who not only was helpful but wished the outsider an “elite day.”

There are no remaining spring practices open to the public so the last opportunity to see Fleck’s Gophers will be Saturday’s annual Spring Game starting at noon in TCF Bank Stadium. Admission is free.

Illinois and Michigan State held their Spring Games yesterday. The other 12 Big Ten teams will stage their games by end of day next Saturday.

The Gophers open their schedule at home against New Mexico State on Thursday, August 30 but that game won’t command the attention of most Big Ten fans. Instead of playing nonconference opponents, Big Ten teams Northwestern and Purdue will meet in West Lafayette that same night Minnesota opens its season.

The Gophers will play a rare Friday night game October 26 at home against Indiana.

Fleck will speak at the Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge Minneapolis Gala May 4 at the Hilton Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association (MFCA) inducted five individuals into the high school division of its Hall of Fame Saturday night: Mike Belseth, Breckenridge; Steve Fedie, Orono; Doug Torgerson, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City; Ray Tri, Eden Valley-Watkins; and Terry Turek, LeSeuer-Henderson. Inducted into the citation division was Mike Bialka from Brainerd.

Leo Pohlkamp of Pierz is the 2017 MFCA Coach of the Year. Pohlkamp, who was presented with the award Saturday night, coached Pierz to the Class 3A state title last November. His 2015 Pierz team also won the 3A championship.

Jamal James of Minneapolis headlines a boxing card at the Minneapolis Armory on Friday night in a welterweight match against Abel Ramos from Casa Grande, Arizona. James, 22-1, is ranked No. 4 in the world by the World Boxing Association.

The fight will be televised by FS-1 and is the first pro boxing at the renovated Armory in 45 years.

Ryan Larson, the competitive point guard from Cretin-Derham Hall who Gopher fans have been hoping makes his way to Dinkytown, has received a scholarship offer from Northern Iowa.

Transfer watch: Will freshman guard Jamir Harris, who the Gophers announced is transferring, end up at Connecticut? With the Huskies he could rejoin assistant coach Kimani Young, the ex-Minnesota staffer who recruited Harris to the Gophers.

It is good news for Apple Valley’s Tre Jones that Duke freshman point guard Trevon Duval declared for the NBA Draft last week—despite some unimpressive numbers. The departure makes more certain Jones, the acclaimed local point guard and 2018 Minnesota Mr. Basketball, will start for the Blue Devils next season.

Duval started 34 of 37 games for last season, averaging 10.3 points per game while making 43 percent of his field goals (29 percent of threes) and converting 60 percent of his free throws. Duval, who averaged almost six assists per game, is projected to be a late first round draft choice by Nbadraftt.net.

The website projects former Apple Valley star Gary Trent Jr. will be drafted No. 16 in the first round. Trent announced yesterday he also will be leaving Duke after one season. He was third on the team in scoring at 14.5 points per game. The shooting guard made an impressive .402 percent of his three point attempts.

Best score reported from last Thursday’s Sports Headliners Twins Trivia Quiz was 20 of 25 correct.

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Getting Trivial about the Twins

Posted on April 5, 2018April 10, 2018 by David Shama

The Twins open their 2018 home schedule today and Sports Headliners joins in the festivities offering the following trivia quiz about Minnesota’s Major League Baseball team. Whether at the game gulping hot coffee, or at home huddled near the TV and fireplace, try your luck at answering these 25 questions (with answers at the bottom). Let me know your score.

1. What year did Target Field open?

2. How many years have the Twins opened their regular season schedule at Target Field?

3. How many games is Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco suspended for until he can rejoin the team?

4. These three starting pitchers combined to hold the Orioles to five hits and no runs in Minnesota’s opening series of the year. Name the pitchers.

5. Who is the current Twin that was the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2017?

6. Name the American League club that had three former Twins in its opening day lineup this season.

7. What is the coldest temperature ever for a Twins home opener?

8. Where did the Twins play and against what team when they opened the 1961 regular season schedule?

9. This former Twins skipper in the 1970s also once managed the Minneapolis Millers. Name him.

10. Three times in the last 30 years a Twins skipper has been named American League Manager of the Year. Name the managers and the years they were honored.

11. In what years did the Twins win their two World Series titles?

12. In what Caribbean island will the Twins play a two-game series later this month?

13. Who is the oldest player on the Twins’ roster and what is his age?

14. This Minnesota native and former Twin now pitches for the Phillies. Who is he?

15. In the past Twins TV analyst Bert Blyleven has often talked about his birthday. When is his birthday?

16. The parents of this Twins regular were ballet dancers. Who is he?

17. If Joe Mauer decided to play college football coming out of high school, where was he headed?

18. Who is the Twins player Torii Hunter refers to as “Mighty Mouse”?

19. This former Twins pitcher will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York later this year. Who is he?

20. What year did the Twins draw over 3 million fans?

21. Who is the former Twins left-handed pitcher that said owner Calvin Griffith threw nickels around like “manhole covers?”

22. Brian Dozier led the Twins in home runs with 34 last year? Who was second on the team and how many did he hit?

23. This new Twin is known for his upper cut home run swing. Who is he?

24. Who was the public address announcer at the Metrdoome who drew hoots with his warning, “No smoking in the Metrodome.”

25. Who are the only Twins ever to collect 2,000 hits in their careers in Minnesota?

Trivia Quiz Answers Below

1. Target Field opened to acclaims in 2010 and has remained on short lists ranking the best baseball stadiums in America.

2. The only time the Twins have opened a season at Target Field was in 2013 (April Fool’s Day) when the Tigers won 4-2.

3. Jorge Polanco, who tested positive for a positive-enhancing substance, is suspended by MLB for the first 80 games of the 2018 season.

4. Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson and Jake Odorizzi combined to shutout the Orioles over 21 innings and held Baltimore batters to a 0.74 average.

5. Mitch Garver, who is now a backup catcher with the Twins, was named the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2017 while hitting .291 with 17 home runs at Triple-A Rochester.

6. The Rays starters on opening day last week included Twins alums Carlos Gomez, Wilson Ramos and Denard Span.

7. The temperature was 33 degrees for the Twins home opener at Met Stadium against the Angels on April 14, 1962. (Hope you had a good trivia quiz to divert attention from the cold.)

8. After relocating from Washington D.C. and changing their name from the Senators to the Twins, Minnesota’s new major league baseball franchise played its first ever regular season game on April 11, 1961 in New York and defeated the Yankees 6-0.

9. Gene Mauch, known as “the little general,” managed the Twins from 1976-1980, and he also managed the minor league Minneapolis Millers during the 1958 and 1959 seasons.

10. Paul Molitor was the AL Manager of the Year Award in 2017. His Twins predecessors in winning the award in the last 30 years are Tom Kelly in 1991 and Ron Gardenhire in 2010.

11. Minnesota won the World Series in 1987 and 1991 with dramatic Game Seven victories in the Metrodome against the Cardinals and Braves.

12. The Twins will play the Indians in the Puerto Rico Series in San Juan April 17 and 18.

13. Relief pitcher Fernando Rodney, who turned 41 last month, is the Twins’ oldest player and has been in the big leagues since 2002.

14. Minnesota native Pat Neshek, who pitched for the Twins from 2006-2010, is with the Phillies—his seventh big league team.

15. Bert Blyleven will be 67 tomorrow (Friday). Happy Birthday, Bert. You are “circled.”

Max Kepler (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

16 Apparently German-born Twins right fielder Max Kepler gets his athleticism from his parents who were ballet dancers.

17. As a high school quarterback Joe Mauer verbally committed to Florida State but decided to play pro baseball after leaving Cretin-Derham Hall.

18. Eduardo Escobar, 5-10 and 185 pounds, was referred to as “Mighty Mouse” last year when he hit a career high 21 home runs.

19. St. Paul native Jack Morris, beloved in Minnesota for pitching the Twins to their 1-0 Game Seven World Series win in 1991, will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer.

20. In 1989 the Twins became the first ever American League franchise to draw more than 3 million fans.

21. Tight-fisted Calvin Griffith prompted that quote from Jim Kaat on throwing nickels around like “manhole covers.”

22. Miguel Sano, despite playing in only 114 games, was second on the Twins in home runs last season with 28.

23. Logan Morrison, in his eighth year in the big leagues, grooved his swing last season with the Rays hitting a career high 38 home runs—15 more than his previous high.

24. The late Bob Casey gave the no smoking edict and was the Twins’ public address voice every season from 1961-2004.

25. Membership in the Twins’ 2,000 hit club belongs to Kirby Puckett with 2,304 and Rod Carew, 2,085.

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