David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Write It Down: Vikings 24, Seahawks 17

Posted on January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 by David Shama

Bob Lurtsema is a sage about the Vikings. Better listen to him when he predicts a win over the Seahawks on Sunday.

Lurtsema, 73, played for the Vikings in their last outdoor playoff game when the temperature at kickoff was about 12 degrees. At Met Stadium on December 26, 1976 the Vikings beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-13 in the NFC Championship game and advanced to the Super Bowl.

This Sunday the 11-5 Vikings play the 10-6 Seattle Seahawks in one of four first round NFL playoff games. With temps around zero forecast for the outdoor game at TCF Bank Stadium, Lurtsema believes the Vikings have a home field advantage, just like they did almost 40 years ago against another West Coast team. The Rams weren’t used to anything like the cold weather they found in Minnesota. Lurtsema said “it was brutal” what the Rams experienced.

Lurtsema predicts a low scoring game this Sunday. The cold is likely to encourage running the football and the passing for both teams could focus on short routes. “It might be 24-17 at the max, Vikings,” Lurtsema said.

Before this season started the Vikings weren’t a popular choice to be in the playoffs. Their regular season record in 2014 was 7-9 (Lurtsema predicted 8-8). Last summer Lurtsema told Sports Headliners the Vikings’ final record in 2015 would be 10-6—and good enough to qualify for the playoffs.

The Seahawks dominated the Vikings last month in Minneapolis, winning 38-7. The lone score for the Vikings came on a Cordarrelle Patterson kickoff return for a touchdown. Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater passed for only 118 yards while Adrian Peterson rushed for just 18 yards.

The Seahawks’ defense and offense are formidable. Their defense gave up an NFL best 17.3 points per game. The offense is led by quarterback Russell Wilson who is one of the league’s most elusive and statistically impressive quarterbacks. In Seattle’s win over the Vikings he completed 21 of 27 passes while throwing three touchdown passes.

The Seahawks have played in the last two Super Bowls and are coming off a 41-7 win over the 13-3 Cardinals last Sunday. “Seattle is close to being the best,” Lurtsema said. “No doubt about it.”

But, according to Lurtsema, the Seahawks won’t be good enough to defeat the Vikings because of the weather, and because Minnesota’s “defense is playing better” than when the two teams last met. The Vikings’ defense gave up only 18.9 points per game this season, fifth best in the NFL, and was stellar last week in a 20-13 win over the Packers.

“We don’t make mental mistakes,” Lurtsema said. “It’s a lot like Bud Grant’s teams.”

Lurtsema raves about head coach Mike Zimmer’s defensive prowess and knows the coach won’t tolerate mistakes by his players, just like Grant for whom Lurtsema played. Lurtsema said avoiding mental errors is particularly crucial in playoff games where one or two mistakes can decide games.

Lurtsema believes Bridgewater and the offense will make enough plays to help Minnesota win. “Teddy will just play so much better,” Lurtsema said.

Worth Noting

Lurtsema is a believer in Bridgewater and brought up a game earlier this season when the Vikings quarterback saw the opposing team had 12 players on the field.

“That is a tremendous plus for a quarterback to have that type of awareness,” Lurtsema said. “That type of peripheral vision where he can actually tell, have everybody on the opposing defense accounted for (is impressive).”

The game on Sunday in Minneapolis will be televised nationally by NBC, with Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya reporting. Collinsworth played in the second coldest temp ever recorded for an NFL game when his Bengals won the 1981 AFC Championship game against the Chargers. The temperature at kickoff in Cincinnati was -9 degrees (-59 degrees windchill). The famous 1967 “Ice Bowl” in Green Bay between the Packers and Cowboys had an NFL record low temp of -13.

The Twins will sort through their centerfield options in spring training because it’s uncertain 22-year-old Byron Buxton can win the position. Former Twins centerfielder Denard Span was a free agent until he signed this week with the Giants. He was probably too old and expensive for Minnesota management to consider. Span’s 32nd birthday is next month and while he has hit over .300 the last two seasons he had injuries in 2015.

Span was traded to the Nationals in 2012 for pitching prospect Alex Meyer who never has seized a prominent role with the Twins. Meyer, who turned 26 last Sunday, seems most likely to have a relief role if he makes the club.

No doubt a lot of Gophers boosters want to see the University of Minnesota explore job options with Jerry Kill. The popular ex-football coach will likely finalize his next career plans in the coming months.

New offensive coordinator Jay Johnson and offensive line coach Bart Miller will be introduced to the media today by Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys.

The Gophers, who have never won the Big Ten West Division title, could be a dark horse pick next fall but certainly not a favorite. Iowa, the 2015 West Division champ, returns seven players on offense and eight on defense.

Penn State has only been playing men’s major college hockey since 2012 but the Nittany Lions are No. 14 in the USCHO.com national poll. PSU, with a 12-3-3 record hosts the Gophers, 8-9-0, tonight and tomorrow afternoon for Big Ten Conference games. The Gophers aren’t in the USCHO.com poll of top 20 teams but St. Cloud State is No. 4, Minnesota State No. 18 and Minnesota Duluth No. 19. The Gophers lead the Big Ten standings with a 3-1 record while PSU is 2-0.

The Golden Gophers women’s basketball team had a special game last evening in a 106-75 win over the Illini. Rachel Banham scored 39 points and set a program 3-point record as Minnesota won at Illinois for the first time in six years. Banham made 10 of her 15 3-point attempts and her 39 points tied a career high. Minnesota (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) tied the conference team record for 3-point field goals by converting 19. Coach Marlene Stollings‘ team made 50 percent of its field goal attempts, including 19 of 39 3-pointers (48.7 percent). Minnesota’s point total was its second-highest ever in a conference game.

Wednesday night’s Timberwolves-Nuggets score was more like what NBA teams produced in the 1950s before the league instituted the 24-second shot clock. The two teams combined for just 21 fourth quarter points in the Nuggets’ 78-74 win at Target Center. It was the seventh Wolves game in franchise history in which neither team reached 80 points, and the first since 2006.

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Vikings Told Playing for Rings Now

Posted on January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 by David Shama

Updates on the Vikings and Gophers basketball. …

Mike Zimmer refers to Teddy Bridgewater as a people pleaser. His second-year quarterback can certainly enhance that reputation Sunday in his first-ever playoff game.

Bridgewater said today that Zimmer told the team in a team meeting that the playoffs mean competing for trophies and rings. “Hearing that, let’s you know that it’s go time,” Bridgewater said. “I walked into the (Winter Park) facility this morning and the guys were locked in. Those guys had that intensity, that look in their eyes that they want to get it done.”

The Vikings, of course, hope they’re going to eventually advance to next month’s Super Bowl and win rings. No Viking will receive more media and fan scrutiny than the 23-year-old Bridgewater, who while known for his poise and quiet leadership, didn’t have a highlight performance last Sunday in Green Bay when Minnesota’s stellar defense deserved most of the praise for producing a 20-13 win and the NFC North Division title. Six of the Vikings’ points came on a 55-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Captain Munnerlyn as they finished the regular season with an 11-5 record.

Teddy Bridgewater (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings.)

In next Sunday’s home playoff game with the (10-6) Seahawks, Bridgewater will be expected to lead the offense. He completed 10 of 19 passes with an interception against the Packers. His passer rating was a season low 45.7. He was sacked three times and threw a left-handed interception. Late in the game he misfired on a handoff to Adrian Peterson, nearly resulting in a Packer recovery and potential rally to tie the game.

“He just wasn’t as sharp last night as he’s been these last three weeks,” Zimmer said on Monday. “I thought he moved in the pocket too much. He didn’t take some of the easy throws he had. He may be trying to do a little too much, I don’t know. I haven’t really talked to him yet. I’ll talk to him more this week. But he needs to play better.”

In a regular season 38-7 home loss to the Seahawks on December 6 things didn’t go so well for Bridgewater either. He had a 55.4 passer rating, and the Vikings’ only touchdown came on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 101-yard kickoff return. The offense produced only nine first downs, and 125 net yards including 31 rushing.

Bridgewater had his late regular season moments, though, including a 108 passer rating on the road against the Cardinals, a team that finished with a 13-3 record. And in another December game, against the Bears, he had career highs of four touchdown passes and a passer rating of 154.4.

Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes expects Bridgewater to handle the pressure of the playoffs. “Teddy is going to be the same Teddy. He’s going to be calm. He’s not going to be easy to rattle.

“He’s just going to go out there and play football. One thing I know about Teddy, he’s been doing this for awhile (high school, college and pros). So Teddy’s mentality (will be) just go in the game, and stay poised, and get the call, and make the right throw and make the right decision.”

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen is one of many Vikings who have never been in the playoffs. His approach to Sunday’s game is to be poised and he expects the same from Bridgewater. “I think he’ll handle it better than anyone,” Thielen said. “He’s always calm and he’s always ready to play. He’s a leader on this team and he’s going to be ready.”

Zimmer has high expectations for his players including the soft-spoken quarterback. The coach has said Bridgewater is a “pleaser” and encourages him to speak his mind including about plays he may not like. “You can be pretty direct with him,” Zimmer said. “He understands when he screws up. …”

The Vikings priced available tickets for Sunday’s game in a range from $48 to $154, with the relatively inexpensive prices likely influenced by the expected game day cold temperature and windchill. Availability earlier in the week included lower level seats.

Because of the two-hour time difference, the Seahawks will fly into Minneapolis Friday. That will allow the Seahawks to better adjust from West Coast time to Midwest. Often NFL teams don’t arrive for an NFL game until the day before.

Official capacity for the Vikings’ new stadium will be 66,200. Earlier figures were in the 65,000 range but a Vikings official told Sports Headliners the 66,200 number has been finalized and will include suite ticket holders, but not standing-room only—with the front office uncertain whether they will offer the stand and watch option. …

Last night Gophers freshman forward Jordan Murphy, while playing only about half the game, had 7 rebounds and 9 points in Minnesota’s 86-77 loss at Penn State. Murphy had nine rebounds and 14 points in Minnesota’s Big Ten home opener last Saturday against Michigan State.

The 6-6, 230-pound Murphy ranks second among all Big Ten players at 8.5 rebounds per game (includes conference and nonconference schedules). Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, whose Spartans are always among the best board teams in the nation, referred to Murphy as “a rebounding machine” and joked he wants to “steal him” from the Gophers.

“I like that kind of player,” Izzo said at his postgame news conference. “He’s tough, he’s aggressive.”

Most of the playing minutes on the Gophers are going to freshmen and sophomores including second-year center Bakary Konaté whose college offers included Louisville. He had 4 points and 2 rebounds last night after having 6 and 6 against Michigan State. The 6-11 native of Mali, who played 20 minutes last night, has potential and his development is vital for a Gophers team that lacks size both offensively and defensively.

“He’s put a lot of pressure on himself to become great this year,” said Gophers coach Richard Pitino. “Why I don’t know. We keep telling him, ‘Relax, it’s going to happen.’

“He works so hard everyday, every practice. I mean he works his butt off, and he wants it now like everybody does. I think he just needs to understand that if you continue to work like this, you’re going to be a really good player.”

The Gophers are 0-3 in the Big Ten and 6-9 overall. This is Pitino’s third season and most difficult start so far. Izzo acknowledged there’s “heat” on Pitino and the Gophers but he likes the talent of Minnesota’s young players. “They’re going to be good down the road, I believe that,” Izzo said.

“I understand fans are frustrated with us, but we’re young, and I hope they can stick with us,” Pitino said. “They’re (usually) really patient and they’re really supportive. …We’re going to be a really good team down the road for sure.”

Last week Izzo’s father Carl died at age 90. Earlier in 2015 Izzo lost his close friend Flip Saunders, the former Gophers guard and Timberwolves coach who died at 60. When Izzo was in town last week he spent time with Flip’s son Ryan Saunders.

“He only got 60 years out of his dad and I got 90 out of mine,” said Izzo who acknowledged the outpouring of support for him following his father’s death. “We’re all going to go through it (death). The only one that’s probably not going to die is Sid.”

Izzo was referring to 95-year-old Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman. At the news conference he teased Hartman when the local columnist and radio personality placed a 1980s style tape recorder in front of him. “I’ve still got a flip phone,” said Izzo who then wondered whether Hartman uses a rotary dial telephone.

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Riley Put the Needle in Green Bay

Posted on January 4, 2016January 4, 2016 by David Shama

It’s long been suspected the good Lord has a special sense of timing. Confirmation came when Don Riley passed away only days before the Vikings-Packers game in Green Bay.

The legendary Pioneer Press sports columnist made much of his reputation bashing Green Bay fans and the Packers. Riley, 92, died on Thursday in the Twin Cities and he may have had “Green Bush” on his mind last week as the Packers and Vikings got ready to play for the NFC North Division championship on Sunday.

Riley told me a few years ago he used labels like “Green Bushers or “Bushers” in his provocative column because they were derogatory without targeting individuals. He wrote a controversial column (known as “The Eye Opener”) for the St. Paul newspaper for 31 years before retiring in 1987, and much of the time he took direct aim on Green Bay and the Packers.

Riley loved to stir emotions and reactions, and after yesterday’s Vikings’ win in “Green Bush” he might be in heaven writing and needling about how the Packers blew the game.

Aaron Rodgers? Riley would tease that Teddy Bridgewater is better.

The Packers’ chances in the playoffs? The “Eye” might suggest the Packers will be vacationing on frozen Wisconsin lakes when the Vikings are riding deep into the playoffs.

Sportswriting for Riley was the entertainment business and his column sold a lot of newspapers for the Pioneer Press, including in Wisconsin. In addition to writing, Riley was on the speakers’ circuit and he didn’t hold back on fans from Wisconsin. Even during a speaking engagement across the border Riley might put out a plea to the audience to stop stealing the banquet hall silverware.

It’s no wonder audiences booed Riley during his decades of defaming Wisconsin while writing and speaking. He claimed Green Bay was known for having the “world’s biggest toilet factories.” He labeled Wisconsin-River Falls “Moo-U.”

“He’d rip the Packers every chance he could and he’d get booed, but he made a hell of a lot of money doing that,” said Gregg Wong who worked with Riley at the newspaper. “It was a shtick with him.”

Riley was born in Wisconsin but graduated from Minneapolis Roosevelt High School. He was full of energy and often mischief throughout his life. “He was certainly one of the most creative people in the business,” Wong told Sports Headliners. “He had a great way with words, a great imagination. Pretty close to 90 percent what he wrote in his column was purely off the top of his head.

“It’s amazing how many people in St. Paul—for all those years he wrote that column—took him seriously. If Don Riley wrote it, it must be true.

“He’d write (for instance) about the former Viking seen in an eastside bistro with a blonde bimbo on one arm, and a redhead on the other arm.

“People would think that was true, and they would say, ‘Who is that Viking? I wonder who that Viking guy was?’ ”

Riley’s column was published six days per week and he was a celebrity in St. Paul. Often, though, he didn’t remember names he should have known. Instead, he would identify people—both strangers and those he knew from the newspaper—with nicknames he made up. Tiger, Ace and Big Shooter were Riley favorites.

Wong recalled a day when Riley was approached by a friendly stranger near the St. Paul newspaper. The two men chatted for a couple of minutes and then along came a writer from the paper whom Riley had known for about 25 years.

Riley proceeded to handle introductions this way, “Big Tiger, meet Ace.”

An upcoming Vikings-Packers game was just the platform Riley wanted to make his Wisconsin readers fume and Minnesota readers chuckle. During an interview with Sports Headliners in 2011 Riley recalled an outrageous prediction he once made in print. “I told them (Packers fans) if we don’t beat you next Sunday by three touchdowns, I’ll push a peanut with my nose from Appleton to Green Bay,” Riley said. “That was my guarantee.

“Well, they (the Packers) knock us off. They had a cartoon in the newspaper over there on the front page. Color cartoon of me pushing a peanut, (and it) says, ‘Come on, show your guts, Riley.’ “

Riley further infuriated Packers fans by never arriving in Appleton to push a peanut. He got angry letters from people in 35 states. The hate mail was nothing new, though. He was even accustomed to receiving crank telephone calls at home.

Riley got some of his best ideas in bars and used to make column notes on cocktail napkins. If Gallivan’s had a hall of fame, he would have been a first ballot inductee. At the downtown St. Paul bar, Riley and pals might hatch a get rich scheme like selling warm chow mein in a paper cup at the State Fair, or promoting an appearance by Lassie the wonder dog at Met Center. But the paper cup couldn’t contain the warm chow mein, with contents falling on the laps of customers, and Lassie was a flop at the Met, not even able to draw stray dogs.

Adventures like that never quieted the feisty columnist’s enthusiasm and passion for life. He loved to talk and during part of his career he had a radio show in the Twin Cities. After his program he might have a speaking engagement and Wong said one evening Riley couldn’t remember where he was supposed to give his speech.

Riley called the Pioneer Press office for help. He asked newspaper colleague Mike Augustin to find details about the speaking engagement on his desk. Augustin did so, and then Riley, who was calling form a pay phone, requested specific directions to the place he was to talk.

Augustin needed to know where Riley was calling from. Riley—who had consumed a drink or two—replied he didn’t know his location. Augustin then wondered aloud how he could possibly provide directions to Riley.

Riley paused and said, “Augie, my boy, put a trace on this call.”

Up until about a year ago Riley would join Wong and other former Pioneer Press writers for breakfast and reminiscing. Deteriorating health kept Riley from wanting to socialize. He just wasn’t himself. Wong understood that and will fondly remember his friend.

“He was probably the most upbeat, fun newspaper guy I was ever around. He was always up. I never saw him mad, sad about anything. It was always a treat being around him.”

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