David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Jerry Kill Book Aims to Touch Lives

Posted on August 19, 2016August 19, 2016 by David Shama

The rollout for Jerry Kill’s book is about to happen. The former Gophers coach told Sports Headliners the book is only days away from being available online at Amazon, and he will travel from his home in Kansas to promote the book in Minneapolis next month.

Chasing Dreams: Living My Life One Yard at a Time is a book with intentions that won’t surprise Kill’s many admirers in Minnesota. He wrote the autobiography with Minnesota author Jim Bruton to help others and raise money for his two nonprofits.

“It’s really a book that is filled full of a lot of different types of information,” Kill said in a telephone interview Sunday. “I am hoping that somebody that has epilepsy would read it. Somebody has cancer would read it. Somebody from the business world would read it (comparing business and big time college sports). I think that’s one of the better chapters in there, honestly.

“The other part of it (the book) is a little bit for where I was raised, family and that kind of thing. It’s a book to try to touch as many lives as I can.”

Kill’s intent is to sell thousands and thousands of books because all profits go to the Illinois-based Coach Jerry Kill Cancer Fund and the Minnesota-headquartered Coach Kill Chasing Dreams Epilepsy Fund. “Both foundations will benefit,” Kill said. “That’s what I am more proud of than anything.

“None of it will go to (wife) Rebecca and I. It will all go to our foundations. So even if you don’t like the book, somebody ought to buy it just to donate 25 bucks or whatever it’s going to cost because they’re helping somebody out.”

Kill will be in Minnesota Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 for book signings. Among his stops will be TCF Bank Stadium September 10 where he will have books available before and after the Gophers-Indiana State football game.

Kill poked fun at his verbal skills when discussing the book. His Kansas twang and folksy manner—and sometimes incomplete and grammatically mixed up remarks—can leave a listener trying to piece things together. “This book may not have perfect English in it cause people said that I don’t speak English real good,” he said. “So it will be interesting. …”

In his book Kill writes about his personal life both growing up and as an adult. ”There will be some stuff that nobody knows about,” he said. “There’s no question about that. I didn’t pull any punches as far as my life.

“My wife left me for a short time. I talk about that and why. It’s in there.”

Kill, who turns 55 next week, is revered by Gophers fans for the accomplishments he had with the football team and the unselfish volunteerism he provided in the community. He inherited an embarrassing program after the 2010 season that was a failure on the field and in the classroom. His “brick-by-brick” slogan came true as the Gophers earned milestone wins and played in their first New Year’s Day Bowl game since 1962. Off the field incidents involving players that had made headlines under previous coaches stopped and GPAs dramatically improved.

Kill and Rebecca made time to help individuals and organizations who reached out to them. They have been mentors and role models to many Minnesotans who needed assistance. Part of why they empathize with others is because of their own struggles. Kill is a cancer survivor and his battles with epilepsy were dramatically highlighted while coaching the Gophers.

Health concerns drove him out of coaching and into retirement last October when he unexpectedly resigned with five regular season games remaining on the schedule. Kill was struggling so much his wife was helping him get through the nights. He was trying to do his own pressure-filled job while adding some responsibilities of resigned athletic Norwood Teague. Kill held a heartbreaking news conference to announce his resignation only days before the October 31 Michigan game.

In the book Kill writes about Teague but doesn’t go after his controversial former boss. “I did say that when he left I had to do a lot more things than I had to…in the past, and that was difficult,” Kill said.

Although Kill admits his situation was very demanding last fall, he doesn’t blame Teague or anyone else for how his career at Minnesota ended. “Everything was brought on (by) myself,” Kill said. “I don’t have anybody to blame except myself as (to) why at the end of the day it was out at Minnesota. …”

In the weeks after Kill’s resignation he tried to figure out what he was going to do with his life and time. The idea of writing a book fit in with his plans. “Well, I think the biggest reason (was) I needed something to do after my situation,” he said. “After a month…I got my feet on the ground and we done it (the book) pretty fast.”

Kill is now an associate athletic director at Kansas State. He works closely with student-athletes and legendary football coach Bill Snyder. A native of small-town Cheney, Kansas, Kill is close to nearby family while working in Manhattan.

Minnesota, though, is still on his mind. He made so many friends here and loved the state.

The book cover shows a triumphant Kill running off the field at TCF Bank Stadium looking up at approving fans. Kill is pleased with the cover and it reminds him of his feelings for Minnesota. “It’s a great state,” he said.

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Walsh Not Dwelling on Seahawk Miss

Posted on August 17, 2016August 17, 2016 by David Shama

Vikings, Gophers, Twins and Canterbury Park notes:

Fans might still be stewing over the Vikings’ 10-9 playoff loss to the Seahawks last January but field goal kicker Blair Walsh insists he has moved on. It was Walsh’s 27-yard missed field goal that ended the Vikings’ goal of reaching the Super Bowl.

“We’re not going to talk about that anymore,” Walsh said Monday. “We’re so far past that. This is a new week for our team. A new season for our team. I’ve addressed that multiple times in the past so I think we’re just going to move past it.”

Sounds like when the Vikings are in Seattle for tomorrow night’s preseason game against the Seahawks Walsh doesn’t plan to be thinking about the first round playoff loss at TCF Bank Stadium. Walsh said he worked hard during the offseason and is looking forward to another successful year after leading the NFL in field goals last season with 34.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said he doesn’t expect to have memories of the playoff game on the trip this week. “Not really. Your job as a player is to wash those things away and just continue to try to focus on what’s next. …We have to move on to the next thing which is the (2016) season.”

Greenway, who is headed toward his 11th and perhaps final season with the Vikings, has the experience to judge how the defense is playing in its four exhibition games leading up to the season. “I look at the little things like how we run to the football, how we attack as a team,” he said. “Make sure we’re trying to strip the football and get turnovers, and then how we’re doing in situational football (game circumstances).”

The wins and losses of preseason games are usually regarded as meaningless, but it must say something that since Mike Zimmer became head coach the Vikings’ record is 9-1 in exhibitions. How to explain it? Zimmer demands effort from his players—starters to scrubs. The Vikings may sometimes outwork the opposition in preseason games.

It will be interesting to see how many times Teddy Bridgewater is sacked during preseason and the regular season that follows. The Vikings third-year quarterback was sacked 44 times during the 2015 regular season. Only five other NFL quarterbacks were sacked more times. His quarterback rating of 88.7 ranked 35th in the NFL.

The offensive line had issues with pass protection last season but the criticism of Bridgewater is he sometimes holds onto the ball too long. Although Bridgewater played only briefly in last week’s preseason opener against the Bengals, he was sacked on the second play of the first offensive series.

Bridgewater impressed with a pass in tight coverage to Adam Thielen in the first quarter, with Zimmer saying later, “I don’t know if Teddy makes that throw a year ago.”

The opening of U.S. Bank Stadium has prompted extensive media coverage both locally and nationally. Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson said media interest includes varied sources such as Maxim, Popular Mechanics, Sports Business Journal, USA Today and The Weather Channel.

Last Friday night the television household ratings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market were generally higher for the Olympics than the Vikings-Bengals preseason game. The Vikings game had a slight edge in the early evening but later the Olympics ratings were about seven points higher. Both the Vikings and Olympics had much larger ratings than the Twins-Royals game (example: at 9 p.m. the Olympics had an 18 while the Twins were 1.7).

Sports Illustrated’s August 15 college football preview issue includes four Big Ten teams in its rankings of the nation’s top 25 teams, and the Gophers only play one this season, Iowa. Michigan is No. 4, Ohio State No. 9, Michigan State No. 13 and Iowa No. 14.

Gophers linebacker Jack Lynn talking about college football publications predicting his team will finish fifth in the seven-team Big Ten West Division: “It’s just fuel in our fire. We know in the locker room what we have to do to be successful. You just take it from there.”

Lynn, a senior and one of the Gophers leaders on defense, mentioned running back Kobe McCrary first when asked about offensive players who have impressed during August practices. He likened the junior college transfer to former Gopher power runner Rodrick Williams.

McCrary, a junior, could be the Gophers No. 2 running back for their September 1 home game against Oregon State. Redshirt sophomore Rodney Smith, who was second on the team in rushing yards last year, looks certain to be No. 1.

“Some of the things I’ve seen Rodney do in camp so far have been unbelievable,” said Gophers senior quarterback Mitch Leidner. “The cuts he’s made, the catches he’s made. …He’s a tough physical runner. I think really the rest of those running backs can really look up to Rodney…what he’s doing right now.”

The Gophers need breakthrough help at wide receiver and Lynn has been impressed with redshirt sophomore Melvin Holland Jr. “He’s looking good,” Lynn said. “He’s coming out and competing every day. He’s gotten a lot better since even this spring.”

Former Gopher linebacker Mike Rallis is working on a career in the WWE and wrestling under the name of Riddick Moss. Brother Nick, a senior linebacker for the Gophers, said he’s considered a pro wrestling career but wants to pursue college coaching.

Max Kepler (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

A Bleacher Report website story August 11 projected where all 30 major league baseball teams will rank three years from now. The Twins ranked No. 16 with a predicted batting order of centerfielder Byron Buxton, shortstop Nick Gordon, right fielder Max Kepler, third baseman Miguel Sano, DH Adam Walker, first baseman Byung-Ho Park, left fielder Eddie Rosario, second baseman Jorge Polanco, and catcher Mitch Garver. Starting pitchers listed are Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Steven Gonsalves, Phil Hughes and Kohl Stewart.

Twins first baseman Joe Mauer, who had three hits including a homerun in the club’s win over the Braves last night, is batting .436 in his last 15 games.

Eduardo Nunez, who hit over .300 at times for the Twins, is struggling since being traded to the Giants last month. He is hitting .214 with the pennant contending Giants and instead of playing his former position of shortstop has been at third base.

Ricky Nolasco, also recently traded by the Twins, isn’t compiling stats much different with the Angels. His record in Minnesota was 4-8 with a 5.13 ERA and in Los Angeles he is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA.

Canterbury Park’s Minnesota Festival of Champions is Sunday afternoon, and a highlight of the racing season at the Shakopee track. The annual event is only for Minnesota-bred thoroughbreds and quarter horses, helping to showcase the state’s breeding industry.

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Happy Anniversary to Sports Headliners

Posted on August 15, 2016August 15, 2016 by David Shama

This story won’t lead the local 6 p.m. television news but this month is the 10-year anniversary of David Shama’s Minnesota Sports Headliners.

During the first several months of writing this column, readership consisted mostly of family, friends and wayward viewers from cyberspace. A cantankerous sportswriter used to greet me with this welcome in locker rooms and at news conferences:

“Nobody reads you.”

Today, I can say somebody does. Sports Headliners has recorded millions of page views since its beginning in 2006. Along the way many people have been interested enough in what is reported and opinioned here to keep returning to the website.

For that I am grateful. It’s been feedback from readers that is valued as much as anything experienced during this 10-year journey. “You just keep turning them out,” one reader said in an email. “I don’t know how any fan can consider themselves well informed about Minnesota sports without reading Headliners.”

Another reader suggested something I wrote was “Pulitzer-prize worthy.” Those are ultra kind words but so far no notification about my Pulitzer from the accrediting organization.

Not all readers, of course, have appreciated my efforts. A few folks refer to me as a “moron.” Others prefer “idiot.”

I have made mistakes but I don’t believe my intelligence quotient has sunk to single digits—yet.

Most weeks during the year I try to post the best three columns I can. More often than not the content is mostly notes because that’s the type of sports column I most enjoy reading.

Bud Grant (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

To scoop other media rivals is fun and professionally rewarding. Sports Headliners scoops most recently were about the announcement of the new Gophers athletic director, and Bud Grant’s precarious small plane landing in Canada. Then there is the trivial get-it-first stuff that is fun to come up with—like where a local athlete is going to play overseas, or the latest on a dating relationship.

Sports Headliners was a one-man startup back in 2006. Today the whole effort remains pretty much the same. That means developing story ideas, covering events, shooting photos, doing interviews, transcribing audio tapes, writing first drafts, editing multiple times and posting the column on the website. The “advertising department” is also in my office where I have lists of prospective advertisers and files on current advertisers.

When I started the blog I didn’t realize how much time it would consume. It is a busy endeavor but it’s also a source of pride and satisfaction. I had a passion for writing this column 10 years ago and still do. I have also had the support of my wife who has provided encouragement and helps with editing.

The realization of Sports Headliners fulfills an ambition I had for a long time. Back in the 1970s I was a Twin Cities sportswriter with assignments that included covering the Vikings and Twins for a wire service. While with the Sun Newspapers I turned down an opportunity to join the Pioneer Press sports department. That is a decision I second-guessed over the years, but I also fulfilled another goal—to have a career in sports marketing.

After having positions with the North Stars, General Sports, Jostens and the United States Tennis Association, I decided to start my own communications business with Sports Headliners as the flagship effort. Technology made the website possible but I couldn’t produce this product without my education as a journalist and relationships with Minnesota sports organizations.

Over the years Sports Headliners has been referred to by various names including blog, column and newsletter. A friend and former coach has labeled it “a missile.”

That’s a head-scratcher but it sure helps not to take yourself too seriously. I know I don’t represent a media giant like the New York Times, or the Star Tribune. I realize my writing “touch” isn’t the cleverest or best delivered in this town. So far there are no journalism awards displayed on my office walls.

But I enjoy what I do, and just as rewarding is that many of you do as well. I often tell friends that I have received more compliments for postings in this space than anything done professionally in my life.

That’s very rewarding, and so, too, is the endorsement of advertisers. Murray’s has been with me almost from the beginning. Van Clemens, Manchester Companies, Goldy’s Locker Room, LZ Automotive, Family Dentistry and many others either are or have been advertisers. Their advertising helps make this effort possible and I encourage every reader to patronize them. These are quality businesses operated by great people.

It’s been 10 years of growth and personal satisfaction writing for you. I have been reminded almost weekly how challenging it is for the Minnesota sports public to be upbeat about local teams. The Super Bowls, Rose Bowls, Final Fours, NBA Finals, Stanley Cups and World Series years for Minnesota teams were long ago.

Brett Favre (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings).

There has been an occasional dance with glory in the last 10 years including WNBA championships won by the Lynx. Favorite memories for me also include the 2009 Vikings’ flirtation with the Super Bowl. That season was mostly defined by the brilliance of then 40-year-old quarterback Brett Favre. The gunslinger from Mississippi by way of the Packers and Jets brought his magic show to Minneapolis and had perhaps the best season of his life.

To be around the kind of greatness showcased by Favre that season is rare—especially in these parts. Yet, fans here seem to remain mostly optimistic. No matter the team, or often the year, fans predict that next season the results will be better, records will improve. Often those aren’t realistic views, but these are attitudes that define what fans are all about. When fans aren’t optimistic, their interest can be near life support status and they may be close to deciding it’s time to move their passion to another team or pastime.

Of all the teams in town, the Vikings seem like the most realistic choice to have major success in the near future. They have good personnel, with even better coaching and resources including the right ownership and facilities. Maybe they soon will wake up the echoes of 2009.

There are other bright spots in town including the Timberwolves with their talented core of players young enough to be playing at Williams Arena instead of Target Center. The ballyhooers have them soon contending for championships but first it would be nice to see the franchise qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

I like several of the team leaders here. Paul Molitor has a high baseball IQ. Mike Zimmer is already included in conversations about the NFL’s better coaches. Bruce Boudreau looks like the Wild’s best coach since Jacques Lemaire. The Wolves Tom Thibodeau’s defensive coaching skills are admired from Rochester to Rio. Gophers AD Mark Coyle and football coach Tracy Claeys have their hearts in the right places working with student-athletes.

The next 10 years could provide an entertaining and perhaps even successful ride for at least a few of our teams. I know some of what happens will be unpredictable, and that too will make things fun.

I am looking forward to the next 10 years of Sports Headliners. In the meantime, keep the comments coming, and if you’re inclined to label me a moron or idiot so be it.

Just part of the job.

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