David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Dutcher Understands Rick Pitino Role

Posted on May 25, 2015May 25, 2015 by David Shama

Rick Pitino has used the media to defend his son Richard Pitino this year. After the Gophers stumbled to a disappointing 6-12 Big Ten record and no post-season play, the legendary Louisville coach pointed out his son Richard—only in his second year of rebuilding at Minnesota—had no all-conference players to work with. Then earlier this month the elder Pitino disclosed his son seriously considered the Alabama coaching vacancy but wasn’t interested because he hadn’t established himself as head coach of the Gophers.

Rick was “proud” of Richard for demonstrating humility and perspective in making the decision, according to a May 8 Amelia Rayno story in the Star Tribune quoting from Pitino’s interview on “The Jim Rome Show” two days earlier.

Gophers fans have been surprised to find two Pitinos speaking for the Minnesota men’s basketball program. Jim Dutcher offered interpretation and opinion on the subject. Dutcher is a qualified source since he is a former Gophers head coach, follows the program closely and also has a son in major college basketball coaching.

Brian Dutcher has been Steve Fisher’s top assistant at San Diego State for years. The two have built a ho-hum program into one of the best on the West Coast, and as of late the Aztecs have a superior resume to Minnesota’s. Fisher is already past retirement age and Brian has been labeled “head coach in waiting.”

Gophers fans had read the rumors Richard Pitino’s name was on the candidate list for the Alabama job. When Dutcher later read Rick Pitino’s comments about the Alabama situation and why his son decided to remain at Minnesota, his reaction was “here’s daddy just trying to make something good come out of this.”

To Dutcher it’s obvious Pitino is making statements to protect his son. Dutcher believes that’s also what happened back in March when Rick made it clear Minnesota’s talent isn’t what it needs to be and Richard isn’t responsible for inheriting a bare cupboard. “Richard can’t say that but his dad can, so you gotta read through it and say this is what Richard thinks,” Dutcher said.

While it might bother Gophers fans that Rick, 62, is speaking for Richard, 32, Dutcher sees a protective parent at work using his platform as one of college basketball’s most prominent coaches. Dutcher, though, isn’t interested in going public with statements about Brian and his career.

“It’s not a role that I would play in Brian’s thing,” Dutcher said. “I get asked all the time why isn’t he the head coach? I say because it’s Steve’s job, and I don’t take it any further than that.

“Do you want your son to do well? Absolutely. Are you defensive about any criticism he may get? Absolutely. How you handle that. …I guess to each his own. I try not to be critical (the Pitinos). I just see it as a dad trying to be defensive in the defense of his son.”

While some may see Rick Pitino’s actions as meddlesome, Dutcher doesn’t. “That’s what fathers do,” Dutcher said.

It wouldn’t be surprising if there are more supportive comments coming from the older Pitino about his son. “When it’s parents speaking in defense of their children I give them a lot of leeway,” Dutcher said.

Worth Noting

Dutcher picks Maryland to win the Big Ten title next season. He added that Michigan, with injured star Caris LeVert returning for 2015-2016, will be a contender.

At 32, you wonder if conditioning and many years of basketball toil didn’t drive Janel McCarville’s surprise announcement to not play this season for the Lynx. McCarville played four seasons for the Gophers, then in the WNBA including the last two seasons for the Lynx where she was a major contributor as the team’s starting center.

Devan Dubnyk, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, reportedly earned $800,000 during 2014-2015 but perhaps could get a $1.8 million salary next season as part of a new three-year deal with the Wild, a hockey source told Sports Headliners. If the 29-year-old goalie had played a key role in taking the Wild to the Stanley Cup finals this spring he might have commanded $3 million next season.

ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said on the NFL Draft telecast April 30 the tackling of Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes was sometimes a “liability.” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told Sports Headliners his first round draft choice has “made some pretty good tackles on (video) tape.”

Vikings fans will have to decide if there are tackling issues with Waynes. “The biggest thing with our corners in this (defensive) scheme is to be able to cover,” Spielman said.

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte only caught 18 passes (one touchdown reception) in Minnesota’s ground-focused offense last season but the Vikings added him to their roster for now. “He just came in and did a good job during our rookie minicamp,” Spielman said. “You could see the size (6-3) and the speed. He caught the ball well. We felt that coming out of that camp that it was worth giving him an opportunity.”

Former Vikings running back Dave Osborn speaks to the “Breakfast with Leroy” group on Saturday, June 13, at the Bloomington Knights of Columbus, 1114 American Blvd West. A breakfast buffet precedes Osborn’s remarks, with more information available by contacting Pat Rickert at 612-861-3981. Group attendees are mostly athletes from the Minneapolis public schools in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, many of whom went on to college and professional careers.

Minnesota native Tom Lehman couldn’t hold an early lead last week in the 76th Senior PGA Championship in French Lick, Indiana. Lehman finished seven over for the tournament while champion Colin Montgomerie was minus eight after final play yesterday. Don Berry, the Edinburgh USA head pro, also played in French Lick but didn’t make the cut.

Both Berry and Lehman are former winners of the annual Tapemark Charity Pro-Am in West St. Paul. This year’s Tapemark for men will be played June 12, 13 and 14 at Southview Country Club. Berry, eight times the tournament champion including last year, is expected to participate again.

Doug Mientkiewicz, manager of the Twins Double A Chattanooga farm team, said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle program yesterday German native Max Kepler is “night and day” the most improved player on the roster. Kepler, who leads the team in hitting with a .345 average, can play all three outfield positions and first base.

Mientkiewicz also talked about center fielder Byron Buxton’s extraordinary speed, describing him as special when sprinting from third base to home plate.

When asked to identify a player most ready to help the Twins, Mientkiewicz said relief pitcher Zack Jones. He is 3-1 with a 1.72 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 15.2 innings.

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Wolves Lottery Plans Change Already

Posted on May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 by David Shama

Turns out Becky Taylor won’t be representing the Timberwolves at tomorrow night’s NBA Draft Lottery in New York.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners the NBA informed him family members no longer will be able to represent teams at the nationally televised lottery. Taylor said the league has received complaints about family members participating in the past and decided to change the policy as to who can represent teams. He didn’t offer specific details describing the complaints other than to say the league has told him someone “prominent” has to represent franchises.

Awhile ago Taylor’s wife Becky had accepted an invitation from Wolves president and coach Flip Saunders to represent the club. Everything was set early last week when Taylor told Sports Headliners (see May 13 column) that Becky would be the franchise’s lottery person on the ESPN telecast. “I will represent the team now,” Taylor said.

Typically NBA teams are represented at the lottery by front office members or others directly affiliated with franchises but in the past some children of owners have participated.

The Wolves are one of 14 teams who are in the lottery that determines the order of selections for those franchises in the June 25 NBA Draft. Because the Wolves had the league’s worst record in 2014-2015, they have 250 chances at winning the lottery, while the clubs closest to them are the Knicks, 199 chances; Sixers, 156; and Lakers, 119. The Wolves have a 25 percent likelihood of winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 draft choice.

Lottery policy guarantees Minnesota will draft no lower than fourth in the first round because the Timberwolves had the worst record in the league. The Wolves also have two second round selections in the June 25 draft.

Will Taylor bring a lucky charm to the lottery tomorrow night? “I will just show up and have a smile on my face, and however it goes, it goes,” he said with a laugh.

Minneapolis-St. Paul basketball fans will follow the draft not only because of the Wolves but also to learn the fate of Tyus Jones and Rashad Vaughn, two Minnesota natives who were high school players only a year ago. Jones, the former Apple Valley point guard, has known Saunders for years. The Wolves, though, are stocked with young point guards in Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine, and it’s unlikely Jones will land here.

Jeff Goodman, the ESPN analyst, spoke about Jones last Thursday during the NBA Draft Combine. He expressed doubt Jones could start for a playoff team but might be a “backup point guard for 10 to 12 years.”

Vaughn, who played at Robbinsdale Cooper before finishing his prep career in Las Vegas, is more likely to be drafted by the Wolves. The team needs shooters and has two second round draft choices. Vaughn, a shooting guard, was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, and he is projected as a second rounder in next month’s draft. He averaged 17.8 points per game to lead UNLV in scoring last season.

As for the Wolves first round draft choice, it’s likely to be a center if the lottery leaves the club with either the No. 1 or No. 2 selection. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, both centers, are generally considered the draft’s top prospects. The Wolves have a need at the center position because veteran Nikola Pekovic struggles with injuries while Gorgui Dieng, a third year player next season, isn’t a consistent low block scoring threat.

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Spielman Expects ‘Big Year’ from AP

Posted on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by David Shama

The Vikings begin OTAs later this month. Whether Adrian Peterson will show up for the organized team activities isn’t known. Neither general manager Rick Spielman nor coach Mike Zimmer will say specifically when Peterson will join the team.

“We expect Adrian to be back,” Spielman said. “We expect Adrian to have a big year for us.”

The OTAs aren’t mandatory for Vikings players but the club’s June 16-18 mini-camp is. Peterson’s $250,000 contractual workout bonus is tied to participation in both, according to an April 20 story on Espn.com by Ben Goessling.

Although Peterson missed all but one game last season and is 30 years old, Spielman expects a high level of performance from the future Hall of Famer. “I think everybody saw what he was able to do coming off his ACL and how he performed the next year. Adrian is just different than most players I’ve been around from a physical nature.”

Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012 after the ACL injury and surgery that prematurely ended his 2011 season. Because of an NFL suspension last season Peterson only rushed for 21 yards on 75 carries. The absence of playing time and loss of a potential 1,500 yard season could one day prevent him from becoming the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

Zimmer doesn’t expect Peterson to negatively impact team harmony whenever he does show up. “I don’t think there will be any issues, no,” Zimmer said.

Although Peterson has become a controversial figure because of using a switch to beat his son, he has many supporters in the Vikings organization who are looking forward to his return. A comment heard from insiders is Peterson has a “good heart” and has been proactive in helping others in the community.

Worth Noting

Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil was a Pro Bowler after his rookie year in 2012 but struggled last season, drawing lots of criticism. But he had knee problems and that was a factor in his play. Kalil had offseason surgery on both knees. “He understands he needs to play better,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer admires how a less than 100 percent Kalil was a gamer last season. “There was one week I didn’t know if he would make it. He’s never missed anything. He always shows up. He tries to fight as hard as he can for the guys.”

Another disappointment last season was wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson who as a second-year pro was inconsistent in his route running. Zimmer has watched Patterson this spring and is encouraged. “I’ve been impressed with the things that he has done.”

Former Gophers wide receiver Isaac Fruechte, who was added to the Vikings roster this week, said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle program last Sunday that during workouts earlier this year he ran about a 4.4 40-yard dash.

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, who the Gophers face at TCF Bank Stadium in their nonconference season opener on September 3, is the favorite for the 2015 Heisman Trophy, according to a Tuesday story by Si.com. The Sports Illustrated article points out the senior quarterback is one of 10 starters returning for an offense that was second nationally in scoring at 46.4 points per game.

The Big Ten will have more than the usual number of great players next fall, probably none better than Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa who could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. The Gophers play at Ohio State on November 7.

It will be an offense versus defense format tomorrow when coach Glenn Caruso and his Tommies have their spring football game at Palmer Field in O’Shaughnessy Stadium. The game begins at 1 p.m. and is part of the Tommies’ practice preparations for their summer trip to Italy that includes a football game and cultural experiences. Admission to tomorrow’s game is free.

The Wolves are investing $49 million in the $129 million Target Center renovation project but team owner Glen Taylor doesn’t expect work to start this year as hoped. He talked to Sports Headliners about a fix up in 2016 and 2017. The city will invest $74.5 million and AEG, the company that manages the building, will contribute $5.5 million. Target Center, which opened in 1990, originally cost about $104 million.

Taylor is joining Dr. Bill McGuire and others as an investor in the hoped-for Minneapolis MLS soccer franchise. Plans include an outdoor stadium to be built near the Farmers Market downtown. The facility would be open air. A long soccer season could begin in late winter and run into late October. Taylor was asked if the Minneapolis weather causes a concern about playing outdoors.

“I think we should try to work to have the Vikings facility available for some of those extreme cases where the weather would be too bad or something like that,” Taylor said. “In the long run we’d want to do that. We don’t have anything yet. Nor has the Wilf family (Vikings owners) indicated that they have any interest, but I just think that when you get everything going and stuff like that you should have cooperation. …”

The Vikings ownership has an exclusive option to operate a new Minneapolis MLS franchise inside the new domed stadium set to open in 2016. That option is for five years after the facility opens but the MLS is working with the McGuire group. Taylor believes that because the city and state, in addition to the Vikings, are paying for the stadium, the facility should be open to hosting some soccer there if the weather dictated.

At today’s Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority board meeting, the Vikings and the Wilf family will commit an additional $14 million toward the new stadium, bringing the team’s increased private contributions since stadium legislation passed to $89 million and the overall team/private commitment to $566 million. Nearly $13 million of the $14 million will be for the stadium’s television system, including over 2,000 HDTV monitors.

The Twins are 2-7 against the Tigers this season after yesterday’s loss in Detroit. Minnesota is 7-11 on the road but 12-5 in Minneapolis where the Twins open a weekend series starting tonight against the Rays. The Twins are 18-10 overall since April 15.

With a longer season and record purses projected, Canterbury Park begins its live racing season tonight with post time at 6:30 p.m. Racing continues Saturday and Sunday at 12:45 p.m. The 70-day racing meet, the longest at the Shakopee racetrack since 1992, runs through September 12. Jockeys, trainers, and owners will be competing for record purses of approximately $14 million.

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