David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Wiggin Raves about Vikings D-Line

Posted on August 12, 2013August 12, 2013 by David Shama

Paul Wiggin coached the Vikings defensive line in the 1980s and has decades of NFL experience. He told Sports Headliners the talent among the defensive linemen on the 2013 Vikings is more than impressive.

“I don’t think that we ever had that many great players,” Wiggin said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen competition at this level in coaching (the) defensive line.”

Wiggin, 78, is a personnel consultant for the Vikings. Not only is he a former defensive line coach, he was once head coach of the Chiefs and during his playing career with the Browns was a starting defensive end.

The actual or potential talent might be at least eight deep on the defensive line. “There’s no dog days. These guys have to come out every day and compete,” Wiggin said.

The Vikings have been in training camp since late July and no defensive lineman has created more of a stir than fourth-year reserve end Everson Griffen. Wiggin said Griffen, who has only one regular season start in his previous three seasons, “has put on a show” in training camp.

What happened? “Some guys, it takes them awhile to realize what they’re capable of doing,” Wiggin said. “Suddenly the light came on. He’s done some things this offseason that are impressive.”

“I became a student of the game,” Griffen said on the broadcast of last Friday night’s preseason Vikings-Texans game.

Wiggin said Griffen’s self-image improved because of his role as a spokesman for the 2013 Million Meal Challenge and the goal of reducing hunger for millions of children. “It’s going to be hard to keep him off the field (this season),” Wiggin said.

Worth Noting

Attendance at Friday night’s game at Mall of America Field against the Texans was announced at 62,306 but there were empty seats all over the stadium. No surprise that more than an hour before the game no ticket hawkers were visible on the street.

For a second consecutive season the city of Minneapolis is using increased parking meter fees for Vikings games. Parking at meters about six blocks from the stadium cost $15 on Friday night, although an adjacent lot was charging $10.

Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, who did sideline reporting for radio and TV on Friday night’s game, said he misses the “camaraderie” of the locker room but not being on the field. “I don’t miss the way my body feels. I don’t miss some of the collisions out there. I don’t miss a large part of the game.”

Leber on the Vikings’ possible record for 2013: “I would say 10-6, and I think we get in the playoffs, and then from there who knows?”

Former safety Joey Browner talking about what it means to him being inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor on October 27: “To know that I am above ground to see it.”

Browner, a Viking from 1983-1991, describing the highlight of his NFL career: “When my mom saw me, (and my brothers) Keith and Ross play in the same season (1986),” he said.

Fantasy Football fans can read the August 12 issue of Sports Illustrated to see how the magazine ranks the top 32 NFL players at offensive positions. Aaron Rodgers is No. 1 among quarterbacks with Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton joining him in the top five.

The Vikings’ Christian Ponder is ranked No. 26. “He was awful down the stretch and will be without (Percy) Harvin,” the magazine commented. “Still, he’s better than he showed in ’12.”

Other Vikings are Adrian Peterson No. 1 among running backs, Blair Walsh No. 3 kicker, Kyle Rudolph No. 6 tight end and Greg Jennings No. 33 wide receiver.

Jerry Kill’s wife Rebecca talking about first impressions of her husband when they began dating: “I was ready to verbally commit on the first date. Sign the National Letter of Intent on the second date.”

Kill said after Saturday’s scrimmage it will be awhile before he decides on his starting punter and kicker. “I think a kid needs to know a week going into a game, or close to three or four days out,” said Kill whose Gophers open the season on August 29 at home against UNLV. “We keep charts of kicks and things like that, and we want to give everybody an opportunity. We don’t have to be in a hurry right now.”

The Timberwolves will introduce new shooting guard Kevin Martin to the media today in Minneapolis. Martin is a three-point shooting specialist with a career field goal average of .385. He’s played in games when he’s attempted 10 or more three- point shots.

Concordia-St. Paul senior Zach Moore is the choice in a NSIC coaches poll for South Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Moore, a defensive end from Chicago, was an All-American last season and had 14 sacks.

The Twins traded 39-year-old infielder Jamey Carroll to the Royals yesterday but some day it might be a smart move to interview him about rejoining the organization as a coach or manager.

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Gophers Kill Allows Players Twitter But…

Posted on August 9, 2013August 9, 2013 by David Shama

No coach wants to find out a player is making headlines like Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. The Heisman Trophy winning quarterback has drawn the wrong kind of attention during the 2013 offseason with his Twitter account and with allegations he received cash for signing autographs.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill, whose team started summer practices last week, is doing all he can not to have similar problems. “We educate our kids during two-a-day (training) camp,” he told Sports Headliners. “We bring in people from Facebook (and) social networking. We have what I call a player personnel book that we go over all those things.

“We’re teaching those things all the time so that we don’t get caught up in something like Johnny Manziel. But even if you teach it, sometimes things happen. I know (A&M) coach (Kevin) Sumlin is a good football coach and good man.

“We live in a different world. It’s just that sometimes kids get caught up in things they don’t understand.”

The power of Twitter was evident last fall when Gophers wide receiver A.J. Barker tweeted he was quitting the team and referred followers to Tumblr where he let loose with an emotional criticism of Kill. The episode was there for the world to see and despite the incident Kill won’t try to tell his players they can’t tweet, although Boise State coach Chris Petersen (and perhaps at least a few other coaches) has banned Twitter accounts.

“I am not a big Twitter guy because I guess I am older and whatever, but I am a reality person,” Kill said. “Reality is it’s a part of our world. It’s a part of their (the players) world. Whether you say you’re not going to allow it or not, they’re going to do it.

“We don’t want any football information (leaked)—those kind of things going out on it. But we monitor Twitter, we monitor Facebook, and if there is anything on there that is not good, that’s not gonna be good for them (the players).”

Kill doesn’t ban Twitter even during the 12-game regular season which this year begins at home on August 29. “I don’t care what Boise State or anybody says, they’re (the players) going to use Twitter,” Kill said. “It’s like telling everybody they can’t drink a beer. You can’t (completely) control that. …

“We educate them on (using) Facebook that you never get those statements back. That’s a lifetime on there, so you better understand what you’re doing and how you do it.”

Gophers quarterback Philip Nelson, a sophomore like Manziel, gave up his Twitter account. “Once I got here and realized some of the things that happened, I deleted it right away,” Nelson said. “It’s not even worth it because it’s all about football here. You just gotta watch yourself. We’re held to a different standard as football players.”

Gophers senior safety Brock Vereen has a friend at Boise State so he is familiar with Twitter policy there. “I am not sure how many issues we’ve had with Twitter, but at the end of the day guys here have to be adult about it,” Vereen said. “They have to be mature about it. Think before you tweet. That’s what coach Kill always tells us.”

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Mauer Giving Up Florida Residency

Posted on August 9, 2013August 9, 2013 by David Shama

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is selling his residences in Florida and will spend offseasons in Minnesota.

Jake Mauer told Sports Headliners his grandson has sold one property and has two residences on the market. “He wants to raise the girls in Minnesota and doesn’t want his wife going back and forth,” Jake said. “He won’t go to Florida until spring training(s).”

Joe has legally been a Florida resident but that will change now with wife Maddie having given birth last month to twin daughters Emily and Maren. Their births were premature and Mauer flew home from the West Coast in a rush, arriving at the airport 40 minutes prior to delivery. “He was really shook up,” Jake said.

The girls, after reaching weights of five pounds, were allowed to leave the hospital and go home last weekend. That begins a new chapter in the lives of Joe and Maddie who have known each other since high school and were married last year.

Jake said another losing season by the Twins has been a “grind” for Joe who also was worried that first baseman Justin Morneau, his close friend, would be traded. But Jake predicts Joe will finish the season with “about a .335” batting average and hit 15 home runs.

That average won’t be enough to earn a fourth American League batting title, Jake said. The Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera is leading Mauer by 40 points in the batting race.

“He (Joe) wants that batting crown but he won’t get it,” Jake said. “(Cabrera) is too much.”

Jake, 83, is retired from Canterbury Park where he sold his racing tip sheet and was a popular figure for years. His April 6 birthday is the same as Twins Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven.

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