David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Smith to Hire another Ex-U Assistant

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

Although it hasn’t been announced, Tubby Smith told Sports Headliners yesterday Vince Taylor will join his staff at Texas Tech.

Taylor worked for Smith as an assistant coach at Minnesota until earlier this year. Already on the staff are Joe Esposito, who was Smith’s director of operations with the Gophers, and Alvin “Pooh” Williamson, the first player Smith recruited when he was head coach at Tulsa. Smith is still searching for a director of basketball operations at Tech.

Smith’s son Saul, another assistant with the Gophers, won’t be joining the staff in Lubbock. Smith said his son has always been interested in NBA coaching and could join a pro organization. “Saul has a great mind and feel for the game,” his father said.

Smith was the Gophers’ coach for six seasons before new athletic director Norwood Teague dismissed him last March. Smith, who will be 62 on June 30, was surprised by his termination and thought the Gophers job would be his last.

Throughout his tenure at Minnesota there were rumors other schools wanted to hire Smith who built a national reputation at Kentucky by winning the 1998 NCAA championship and routinely had his teams advance to the NCAA tournament second round or better. Smith confirmed yesterday there were a “bunch of times” he was pursued by other programs while at Minnesota.

If Smith had known one day the Gophers planned to part ways with him he would have reacted differently to the contacts from other schools. “I would have been long gone,” he said.

Smith said he left the Minnesota program and community better than he found it including through his work with the Minnesota Chapter of the Tubby Smith Foundation that supports charities benefitting underprivileged children. Highlights of Smith’s basketball success at Minnesota included three NCAA tournament appearances and a nationally publicized upset win over No. 1 ranked Indiana at Williams Arena last February.

At Texas Tech Smith takes over a team that was 11-20 last season and 3-15 in Big-12 Conference games. The two previous seasons the Red Raiders were 8-23 and 1-17, and 13-19 and 5-11.

One worry Smith doesn’t have is his former home in Minneapolis. He and wife Donna sold the residence a couple of weeks ago.

Worth Noting

Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino has a day camp for youngsters 7-18 this week at Williams Arena. Cost is $325 per camper.

Wally Ellenson, who will be a sophomore playing for Pitino next fall, earned All-American recognition last week in the high jump (2.20 meters) at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Bob Sadek, who was the starting quarterback on the Gophers’ 1963 football team, passed away last month. Sadek’s career as a teacher and coach followed his sports success at Richfield High School and with the Gophers. His younger brother Mike Sadek played with the baseball Giants after signing his first professional contract with the Twins.

Gophersports.com is featuring a video highlight of the 1973 Minnesota football team that finished third in the Big Ten with a 6-2 record. The team included freshman running back Larry Powell who after the season developed French Polio ending his football career and changing his life. Powell was a special prospect and Gophers coach Cal Stoll often said Powell was going to be his “Tony Dorsett”—the University of Pittsburgh running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1976.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said at OTAs yesterday he was impressed with a telephone call from veteran defensive lineman Jared Allen. “He calls me, maybe a month ago now, and he says, ‘coach, count on me this season to be even a better leader than I have been in the past.’ That was music to Coach Frazier’s ears.

“It was unsolicited and he calls me out of the blue and tells me that. That’s what you need. You need your great players to be great leaders if you want to have a chance to change your culture and also win games. For him to call me and say he wants to do even better than I’ve done before, that’s inspiring. …”

Angel Morales, Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano, the three Twins prospects promoted earlier this week from Class A Fort Myers to Class AA New Britain, couldn’t make their Eastern League debuts last night because the Rock Cats’ game with Altoona was rained out.

Only three MLB relief pitchers have more saves than former Twin Joe Nathan who has 20 for the Rangers. His ERA is 1.71.

Public relations executive and WCCO Radio “Sports Huddle” co-host Dave Mona will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Twins-Royals game at Target Field on June 27.

The College World Series starts Saturday in Omaha. Indiana is the first Big Ten team to play in the series since Michigan in 1984. The Gophers’ last appearance was 1977. Minnesota won NCAA titles in 1956, 1960 and 1964.

Indiana advanced to the College World Series with a two-game regional playoff sweep of southern power Florida State. NCAA rules changes are making northern teams more competitive than in the past, according to Gophers assistant coach Rob Fornasiere. Teams across the country have the same starting date for practices, first games and number of games.

During the second day of last week’s first-year player draft the Twins’ selections included two players from Indiana, 6-9, 250-pound pitcher Aaron Slegers and 6-2, 200-pound third baseman Dustin DeMuth. Fornasiere said Slegers has “amazing control and athleticism for a guy that size.” He described DeMuth as “very athletic” with a strong left-handed bat.

Fornasiere said Coon Rapids High School pitcher Logan Shore is the “most polished” Minnesota high school pitcher he has seen in years. Fornasiere also said Shore showed no serious interest in the Gophers and will pitch for Florida. Fornasiere heard Logan was looking for major compensation in a pro contract but wasn’t selected until the 29^th round by the Twins.

Jim Dutcher enjoyed a reunion last month with 13 of his former players in Ypsilanti, Michigan where he coached Eastern Michigan for six seasons. Among those unable to attend was one of Dutcher’s ex-NBA players, George Gervin, selected one of the league’s 50 greatest players in 1996.

Dutcher, the former Gophers coach from 1975-1986, thinks Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe will be a mid-second round draft selection in the NBA draft later this month.

Minnesota native Mike Muscala who played collegiately at Bucknell and Indiana’s Cody Zeller are among the NBA draft hopefuls who will workout this afternoon at Target Center.

Mike Miller, the Mitchell, South Dakota native who played for the Timberwolves during the 2008-09 season, has come off the bench to make nine of 10 three point shots in three games of the NBA Finals for the Heat who trail the Spurs 2-1 in the series.

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Gerhart Open about Future Post-2013

Posted on June 7, 2013June 7, 2013 by David Shama

Toby Gerhart becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season and the Vikings’ second team running back told Sports Headliners he isn’t about to predict where he wants to be employed in 2014.

“Totally open. We’ll see. It’s going to be interesting. For me I am just focused on this year. We have a good team. …”

In three seasons Gerhart has mostly warmed the bench with a close-up view of all-world running back Adrian Peterson. The exception occurred in 2011 when he started five games, mostly because Peterson was injured. That season he rushed for 531 yards and a career best 4.9 yards per carry. In his rookie year of 2010 he rushed for 322 yards but last season just 169 as Peterson dominated the offense while coming within nine yards of breaking the NFL all-time single season rushing record.

Playing behind Peterson is something like being vice president of a country with a dictator for president. There is The Man, and then everyone else falls in line. Peterson is 28 and Gerhart is only two years younger. Peterson is incredibly gifted and also motivated including his zeal for offseason training and apparent will to play at a high level for years to come.

Gerhart, an All-American at Stanford and second round draft choice by the Vikings in 2010, is a power runner with deceptive speed. At the NFL scouting combine, Gerhart said he was timed at 4.53 seconds. He spent much of the last offseason working to increase quickness and his weight is down a few pounds from his 235 of last season. “Feel quick, feel good out here,” Gerhart said after practice on Wednesday.

Gerhart also believes his skills are that of an NFL starter but his opportunities have been so limited with the Vikings where he’s accepted his role without complaining. “It’s hard to show what I can do when you get one carry in the first (quarter) and another carry in the fourth (quarter). That’s not really my style of running. I am a grind down the defense type of back.

“I hear everybody say he only averaged three yards a carry, or whatever it is. But given the circumstances and the situation that I am in, in terms of carrying the ball, I just gotta do a job and a role. It makes it tough but, hey, we’ll see what happens.”

Obviously 2013 is a year that will provide answers about Gerhart’s future. Will the Vikings ease the pounding on Peterson and give Gerhart more opportunities in the offense? Or will Gerhart’s total carries be similar to 2012 when he had a career low 50? Will the Vikings trade Gerhart between now and their opening game in September? Such a move would acknowledge what most observers already believe and that is the Peterson system will be status quo in 2013. A trade could bring the Vikings more value in return than waiting to lose Gerhart for a compensatory draft pick next year.

Whatever the answers, Gerhart has the right attitude by emphasizing the present moment and not focusing much on a future that is only partially under his control.

“Are the Vikings going to sign me back? I don’t know,” Gerhart said. “Hopefully I put enough good stuff on tape that A they want me back, or B another team wants me…we’ll see what happens.”

Worth Noting

Gerhart reportedly earns $630,000 in base salary this season, according to various Internet sources.

Gerhart talking about expectations for third-year quarterback Christian Ponder: “I expect him to continue to grow. I think he’ll grow as a leader. So far this spring he’s actually thrown the ball really well around here. He’s good with his reads, good velocity and been accurate so far. So he’s looking good this spring.”

Gerhart and two friends were fishing on Lake Minnetonka near Big Island on Monday. “We probably caught (and released) 50 bass,” Gerhart said. “It was unbelievable. There was streaks where six casts in a row I would reel in a bass. Another time there was four casts in a row. …It was one of my best fish days of my lifetime.”

The Vikings expect 200-300 members of the press at their game against the Steelers in London on September 29.

Former Viking center Matt Birk told KFAN FM yesterday morning he and his world champion Ravens teammates will receive their Super Bowl rings today. Birk chose not to join his teammates at the White House earlier this week for a Super Bowl celebration with President Barack Obama. Birk said on KFAN that the President’s comments several weeks ago saying “God bless Planned Parenthood” were the reason he chose not to attend the White House event. Birk is known for his pro-life views.

Fox Sports North will televise the minor league Kane County game against Cedar Rapids (Twins’ super prospect Byron Buxton) on Monday starting at noon. Replay Monday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love said on ESPN TV yesterday morning that he and guard Ricky Rubio will workout together in Los Angeles this summer in preparation for next season.

Dave and Linda Mona have country music star Kathy Mattea booked for the fourth annual Camden’s Concert on Wednesday, July 17 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Dave e-mailed that more than $100,000 has been generated from past events to benefit cystic fibrosis research. Some revenues are generated from the silent auction, and items that will provide experiences such as great seats to a game, or riding a Zamboni are being sought for this year’s event. Suggestions can be emailed to: l.mona@creativeenvironments.net.

Some offseasons are more interesting than others, and there’s nothing boring about what lies ahead for the Wild. The club has no first round draft choice but it wouldn’t be surprising if a trade changes that before NHL teams make their picks on June 30.

Decisions will have to be made about whether to retain selected Wild free agents. Salary cap restrictions are expected to make the Wild cautious about who they bring back and also acquire, but after having a mediocre season on the ice everyone knows the team has to improve. “The single biggest need for next year is to get bigger on defense,” an NHL source told Sports Headliners.

Adding more quality players throughout the roster, including more productive scorers, is a need, too. The responsibility for making changes starts with general manager Chuck Fletcher who is being judged by an impatient owner, Craig Leipold, and skeptical fan base, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The team doesn’t have a winning legacy and recently announced season ticket price increases for next year. The source said some season ticket holders are debating about renewing and could be hold-outs at Xcel Energy Center until after the schedule begins, waiting to see how the team is playing.

Although there was speculation about the job security of Fletcher and coach Mike Yeo earlier this spring, the source doesn’t believe Leipold was close to making a change. The dynamics will be different next season, though. “If the Wild gets off to a bad start, it may be the demise of the whole (coaching) staff,” the source said. “If in the first 15 games they lose 10, it will not be good.”

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Morneau Faces Improbable Twins Future

Posted on June 5, 2013June 5, 2013 by David Shama

Even if Justin Morneau reverts to becoming a superstar slugger in the next four months it seems unlikely he will finish his career with the Twins. The club could even reach agreement with Morneau and another team to send the 32-year-old first baseman elsewhere this summer before the major league trading deadline.

Morneau, who reportedly can’t be traded without his approval, hit .324 with 31 home runs and 130 RBI in 2006 when he was the American League’s MVP. Since 2010 his rough times have included a concussion, troublesome back and wrist surgery. In 2010 he played in 81 games and then 69 the next season. After hitting .227 with four home runs in 2011, Morneau had a comeback performance last season although his numbers —.267 average, 19 home runs and 77 RBI — weren’t like his best years.

This season Morneau is hitting .291 but has only two home runs. His decline in power isn’t acceptable for a player who is finishing an $80 million deal this season, signed in 2008. Neither is his frequent absence from the lineup during the course of his six-year contract.

Morneau is a terrific teammate. He bleeds Twins colors and no doubt wants to play his entire big league career with this organization. Despite the loyalty, it’s rational to wonder whether Morneau really would accept a huge slash in compensation on his next contract with the Twins. Another big league club might offer more than what the Twins are willing to pay — whatever that figure is — and if the rival team just happens to have World Series potential that could entice Morneau elsewhere.

The Twins aren’t going to the World Series anytime soon and Morneau would like to be a world champion. The Twins also aren’t growing their payroll, reducing it about $18 million in 2013 and $13 million in 2012, according to the website Baseballprospectus.com that also lists individual compensation for players.

The Twins ownership wants a winning team but also is interested in the financial bottom line. Average home attendance in 2013 could be down for a fourth consecutive season. The organization’s marketing approach now is to emphasize entertainment more than winning. The front office knows the club performance has to be much better than the two consecutive last place Central Division finishes of 2011 and 2012 but is counting on rebuilding with minor league hotshots, not aging veterans like Morneau.

Among those hot prospects is 6-3, 220-pound Miguel Sano who struggles as a third baseman. He could be the Twins’ first baseman within a couple of seasons. And the truth is the organization is deep in potential first basemen including Chris Parmelee who mostly plays right field now.

Joe Mauer, 30, can play first base and is going to be catching fewer games in the future while needing some place else to play other than designated hitter. Ryan Doumit can also play first base and is a versatile player. Doumit is also a catcher and outfielder, and at 32 the same age as Morneau. He reportedly earns $3.5 million per season and has a contract that goes through next year.

Doumit is a better value to the Twins than Morneau. So too is 34-year-old outfielder Josh Willingham who reportedly earns $7 million per season through next year. On a power-poor roster, Willingham is a savior for the Twins, a real slugger who led the team in home runs with 35 last season and is tops this season with 10. He is another player with better value than Morneau.

Right now Morneau doesn’t have much negotiating leverage when it comes to a future contract with any team. Even if he soon shows the plate production of the old Morneau he’s probably too expensive for the Twins and their vision for the future. If Morneau approaches his production of last season, the Twins might offer $7 million for two years but that is a big cut in compensation — especially if another club is willing to boost his wallet and ego by offering more. Don’t count on the Twins sending a lot of money his way.

Worth Noting

The Twins will see their former center fielder, Denard Span, starting on Friday in Washington. Traded during the last off-season, Span is hitting .264 with no home runs and 15 RBI. Pitching prospect Alex Meyer who the Twins acquired in the trade is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA for Double-A New Britain. He has struck out 73 batters in 61 innings.

The Twins won’t see Washington’s 21-year-old outfielder and phenom Bryce Harper who is on the 15-day disabled list. The second-year slugger has 12 home runs in 44 games.

Span’s successor in center field for the Twins, Aaron Hicks, leads American League rookies in runs (24), home runs (six) and RBI (19) despite having only a .175 batting average. He has sometimes been spectacular in the field.

Not only is Bud Grant on ESPN’s list of the 20 greatest NFL coaches of all-time but three others with Minnesota connections are included. At No. 20 is Tony Dungy who played quarterback for the Gophers and later was the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Mike Shanahan, a former Gophers offensive coordinator, is No. 19 while Minneapolis North High School alum Sid Gillman is No. 18. Grant is No. 15 on a list that is still counting down the final seven names. A group of voters including Chris Berman, John Clayton, Mike Ditka, Herm Edwards, Mike Golic, Bill Polian and Rick Reilly cast ballots to determine the top 20 coaches in recognition of the late Vince Lombardi’s 100^th birthday.

Vikings wide receivers coach George Stewart on whether the team’s offense changes now that game-breaker Percy Harvin plays for the Seahawks: “I don’t think we change at all. Percy (was) a great talent here. We have guys. …We have a bigger athlete (than Percy) in Cordarrelle Patterson that can do the same kind of things. So I think we’ll be the same. We have some different wrinkles that we had a chance to evaluate during the course of the offseason so we’re not going to change much. We’re going to be a good football team, running the football obviously, and when it comes to the passing game I think we have a chance to excel in that area as well.”

The 2013 Sporting News College Football Preview, on newsstands now, predicts the Gophers will finish fifth in the Legends Division, one spot ahead of Iowa. The magazine projects the Gophers playing in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Former Gophers defensive coordinators now at other schools are David Gibbs at Houston, Greg Hudson at Purdue, Ted Roof at Georgia Tech and Everett Withers at Ohio State.

Rodney Williams, unlikely to make an NBA roster this fall, should consider the Harlem Globetrotters among his future options. The former Gopher not only has the athleticism and dunking ability to entertain crowds but also a pleasing personality and engaging smile.

Don Berry, who has won the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am a record six times, tees off at 1:10 p.m. Friday and 7:50 a.m. on Saturday at Southview Country Club. The men’s event begins Friday while the women’s event started yesterday. More at www.tapemarkgolf.org.

Radio personality Dark Star, who died June 1 of last year, has a race named after him now—the $50,000 Dark Star Cup at Canterbury Park this Saturday. Star was a former horse racing handicapper for the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. He was a major promoter of Canterbury Park and is a member of the track’s Hall of Fame.

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