David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Dalton: AP Still Special Player

Posted on October 1, 2012October 1, 2012 by David Shama

Adrian Peterson ran for 102 yards yesterday in the Vikings’ 20-13 win over the Lions, his best total in four games during his comeback ACL surgery. His longest run from scrimmage this season is only 20 yards but former Vikings running back coach Dean Dalton told Sports Headliners that Peterson “can be as good as ever, maybe even better.”

Peterson, 27, has rushed for over 1,200 yards in four different seasons. His reputation as one of the NFL’s elite runners is part of the reason why Dalton said last week Peterson’s numbers are mediocre so far in 2012. “Everybody (opposing defenses) is keying to stop him,” said Dalton who has an NFL show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

The other problem, at least before yesterday, is what Dalton terms “rust.” During his recovery program from the ACL surgery Peterson didn’t play in preseason games. His first football contact came in week one this season. As Dalton described it, many months had passed since Peterson “had to run over a guy.” Running through drills isn’t the same as a collision.

During the comeback Peterson has shown the ability to power into tacklers and cut by them. Does Peterson think the “rust” is gone and does he have the feel for playing the game the way he once did? “…I felt like (after game three) the rust is knocked off now and that’s what I needed, and I’ll be ready to roll even better,” Peterson said last week.

Peterson was pressed for confirmation on whether he feels like his old self. “Pretty much,” he said. “Pretty much.”

Dalton doesn’t see any physical limitations in Peterson after his long rehab. “I think he’s fine. He will keep getting better.”

Peterson reportedly earns a base salary of $8 million this season and is among the better paid players in the NFL. Dalton said Peterson is worth the money, describing the All-Pro running back as a threat defensive coordinators have to scheme against, and that attention should help make for a more productive Vikings’ passing game.

“Very, very valuable,”Dalton said. “He remains the face of the franchise. He puts fear in opponents. He’s nearly impossible to stop in the red zone. I see him getting back to form sooner rather than later.”

Worth Noting

The Vikings’ Marcus Sherels gave himself a 25^th birthday present yesterday, returning a 77-yard punt for a touchdown against the Lions.

Vikings’ tight end Kyle Rudolph has caught three of quarterback Christian Ponder’s four touchdown passes this season. Both are second-year NFL players who have bonded. The two spent a month in Florida this year working out together and socializing. “I think that really helped us,” Rudolph said.

Don Becker, who works for the Wilf family on real estate projects out east, will have major responsibilities for the Vikings’ stadium project.

The Gophers (4-1) struggled on Saturday to stop Iowa running back Mark Weisman in the first half when the Hawkeyes built a 24-0 lead before winning 31-13. Minnesota didn’t face a power running team in its first four games of the season, playing schools that emphasized throwing the ball.

Coach Jerry Kill said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” yesterday that he wouldn’t predict whether quarterback MarQueis Gray’s high ankle sprain will allow him to play on October 13 against Northwestern. The Gophers have a bye on their schedule this Saturday.

Terry Ryan, the Twins’ general manager, also was on the “Sports Huddle” and indicated there could be a change(s) coming soon with manager Ron Gardenhire’s coaching staff.

Miguel Sano, 19, led the Midwest League in home runs with 28 and RBI, 100. He’s probably the most anticipated hitting prospect in the Twins’ organization. Twins’ minor league executive Jim Rantz told Sports Headliners that Sano could be in spring training with the Twins next February. Will Sano make the final roster and start the season in the major leagues?

“I think that would be a little too much at this time for him,” Rantz said. “I don’t see that happening, but never say never.”

Sano, a third baseman, hit about .300 early in the season at Beloit but finished with a .258 average. Rantz said pitchers threw Sano a lot of breaking balls and “off-speed stuff.” But Rantz believes Sano can become a .270 or better hitter in the majors. “I think that’s a possibility. Sure do.”

Gophers’ baseball coach John Anderson is an advocate for northern schools—like those in the Big Ten—switching to a summer schedule that would start in June and close with playoffs in August. Moving away from the unpredictable northern weather in the spring and playing in the summer would turn Gophers baseball into a revenue producing sport, Anderson said. A larger budget would even allow teams like the Gophers to use wooden bats.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien, who chairs the Mr. Basketball program, told Sports Headliners that Apple Valley is his preseason choice for No. 1 team in the state.

Lien said Apple Valley, led by point guard Tyus Jones, will play Robbinsdale Cooper, led by shooting guard Rashad Vaughn, in the Timberwolves Shootout in January at Target Center. Jones, Vaughn and DeLaSalle’s Reid Travis are part of a nationally recruited threesome that could be the best in Minnesota prep history. “Vaughn might be the only one who ends up with the Gophers,” Lien said.

Lien also said that Edina senior point guard Graham Woodward was scheduled to visit Penn State last weekend. Senior forward Kyle Washington, who played for Benilde-St. Margaret’s in 2010-11 but now goes to school in New Hampshire, has verbally committed to North Carolina State after Wisconsin showed a lot of interest. Grand Rapids sophomore center Alex Illikainen is being recruited by Kansas, according to Lien.

The Gophers’ first two games in the late November Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament will be intriguing. Minnesota plays Duke and legendary coach Mike Krzyzeski in the opening game. Then the Gophers will either play Virginia Commonwealth or Memphis. New Gophers’ athletic director Norwood Teague is from VCU and Shaka Smart, who Teague hired as coach at VCU, might one day be a candidate for the Minnesota job. Jimmy Williams, who has been involved for years in a lawsuit against the University of Minnesota, is an assistant coach at Memphis.

Don’t be surprised if the Gophers upset favored Duke in Minnesota’s opening game.

Former Gophers’ coach Jim Dutcher said Ray Williams, who played for him at Minnesota and had an NBA career, has recovered from colon cancer and is living in Florida.

The Wild’s Dany Heatley is profiled as part of the “Becoming Wild: Chapter Two” series starting at 7 p.m. Thursday on FOX Sports North. A similar feature on Mikko Koivu airs starting at 6:30 p.m. on October 11. The series began with other Wild players last month and features details of their daily lives. Episodes can be viewed at www.wild.com.

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Iowa Rivalry Absorbs U Players

Posted on September 28, 2012September 28, 2012 by David Shama

There’s no mistaking the awareness of Gophers football players about their annual game against Iowa.

This week the “pig” visited the Gophers’ locker room. Before the season the Gophers players talked about the team’s rivalries including, of course, the fight tomorrow in Iowa City for the bronze “pig”—Floyd of Rosedale.

In the lobby of Minnesota’s football complex this week there was a scoreboard image showing a 12-0 score. Underneath the score was this statement: “The last time we went to Iowa City.” In 2009 the Hawkeyes won 12-0 at home. The Gophers have won two straight against Iowa, but both games were in Minneapolis.

In Iowa City starting at 11 a.m. tomorrow the two teams resume a travelling trophy game dating back to 1935. It can be argued this is among the most famous trophy games in college football.

Floyd of Rosedale originated to encourage civility between the schools and their fans. No one has been killed over the years but strong feelings remain between the two border states.

University of Minnesota students were chanting “We hate Iowa!” weeks ago. The statement has characterized the identity of student fans in recent years and certainly is something the Gophers’ players are aware of.

“There’s a lot of animosity between the two schools,” said John Rabe. The Gophers’ senior tight end is an Iowa native and growing up in that state certainly gives him perspective on the “We hateIowa!” chant. “That just shows how much it (the game) means to these people and us.”

Rabe expects to make his new hometown fans happy by late tomorrow afternoon. “We’re gonna get this win. I feel confident that we will.”

The Gophers, 4-0 in nonconference games, still haven’t made believers out of the odds-makers. Iowa, 2-2, is about a touchdown favorite, and Gophers coach Jerry Kill said for his team to win turnovers will have to be avoided.

Minnesota had no turnovers in a 17-10 win against Syracuse last week, despite starting a sophomore quarterback. Max Shortell, making only his third career start, had no interceptions or fumbles. “We can’t turn the ball over (at Iowa),” Kill told Sports Headliners.

Iowa has started the season slow, often playing poorly, particularly on offense but Kill said “we’re gonna get their best” tomorrow. He’s followed Iowa under coach Kirk Ferentz for years. “Iowa has a pattern of improving as the season progresses,” Kill said.

Kill admires Ferentz who coached in the pros before taking over at Iowa and has earned a reputation of being among the better college coaches. Ferentz and staff are known for their teaching abilities. “They run as good a practice as anyone,” Kill said.

Football & Other Notes:

Ferentz, 57, is in his 14^th season at Iowa, the most seasons of any current Big Ten head coach. Second in seniority are Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema, 42, and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, 37.

Gophers’ quarterback MarQueis Gray, injured in the Western Michigan game, was walking cautiously on his high ankle sprain this week and isn’t expected to play against Iowa.

Iowa beat the Gophers 55-0 in 2008. Gophers’ defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman wasn’t on the team then but the Minneapolis native remembers hearing about the game and was asked if it was embarrassing. “I mean it would embarrass anybody. I am pretty sure no team would want to lose by that much. …”

Big Ten Network football analyst Chris Martin talking about the Gophers before last Saturday’s win over Syracuse: “They (the Gophers) can beat Iowa.”

Kill, in his second season at Minnesota, was asked where he’s at in building the program: “…I think very similar to where we were at Southern Illinois. I think we were 1‑10 the first year, and we weren’t very good, and next year we got better and we won four games that year. And I don’t do so much with wins and losses, but I think we’re certainly better than we were a year ago.

“We’ll find out how much better over the next eight weeks and how much they’re going to improve. If we stay the same, results won’t be very good. We’ve gotta continue to make progress. …”

Lester Bagley said last week the odds are about 50-50 the new Vikings stadium will have a “retractable feature.” That doesn’t necessarily mean a retractable roof. Bagley, a Vikings’ stadium executive, said odds of a moving roof are less than 50-50 because of budget limitations.

The new downtown stadium may have a retractable feature like a large window at one end of the facility. Bagley said until the design of the stadium is finalized it won’t be known if there is sufficient money to have a retractable roof but he didn’t express much likelihood the Vikings, state or city of Minneapolis will go beyond the $975 million budget.

“$477 million (from the Vikings). It’s the third largest (NFL) team contribution in history (for a stadium),” Bagley said. “I don’t see the public coming up with more money either. I am not sure that’s an option.

“I guess never say never, but we’re gonna try to design and build and stay on time and at budget which is $975 million. …We are confident in getting a great facility for $975 but that’s the budget. There’s no discussion about any more money.”

Bagley said the stadium will seat 65,000 but can be expandable to 73,000 for a Super Bowl. The Vikings have informed the NFL they want to host the 2018 Super Bowl. A decision on the host city for that year will be made in 2014, according to Bagley.

The Vikings are studying personal seat licensing for a portion of the new stadium. Such licensing means fans pay a fee beyond the price of tickets for a specific seat location. Bagley said the 49ers expect to generate more than $300 million from licensing in their new Santa Clara facility but the Upper Midwest market can’t be expected to approach that kind of figure.

A longtime Vikings season ticket holder said to resell his tickets this year he accepted less than $100 each for his face value $128 per game tickets. He said the team’s 3-13 record last season and this year’s unusually late (December) NFC North home games against Chicago and Green Bay diminished value. He’s holding on to his tickets, though, and expecting a sharp increase in value when the new stadium opens.

The Vikings, 2-1, play at Detroit, 1-2, on Sunday in the first NFC North game of the season for either team. The Vikings won’t play another division game until November 11 when Detroit comes here.

The Vikings’ Percy Harvin leads the NFL with 27 receptions. That’s the most catches by a Viking in the first three games of a season since 1997 when Cris Carter had 23 receptions.

An MIAC game to follow tomorrow is at Augsburg between the 3-0 Auggies and 3-0 Bethel. The Royals lead the MIAC in scoring both on offense (43.0 per game) and defense (7.0 per game). The Auggies may have the most dynamic newcomer in the conference in freshman quarterback Ayrton Scott, named the MIAC’s Offensive Player-of-the-Week each of the last two weeks.

North Woods football coach John Jirik won his 100^th high school game last week. North Woods High School opened in 2011 combining students from the Cook and Orr communities.

Gophers’ baseball coach John Anderson said his team will open its new on-campus outdoor baseball stadium on April 5, 2013 against Ohio State. Minnesota will play 17 home games before then in the Metrodome and has 17 scheduled outdoors. He hopes the Gophers can use the dome in the spring if weather prevents home games from being played outside.

Twins’ utility infielder Alexi Casilla, who is hitting .233 this season, has a lifetime average of .571 against Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia who won his 14^th game of the year on Wednesday against Minnesota. Casilla had two hits in three at bats in the game. His career average of .571 is the highest of any hitter against Sabathia with at least 15 at bats. Casilla has 21 at bats.

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Big Ten Forecast: U Won’t Be Last

Posted on September 26, 2012September 26, 2012 by David Shama

Two years ago when the Big Ten announced Nebraska was joining the league and the football teams would be organized into two divisions the pessimists in Dinkytown pronounced the Gophers’ future was bleaker than the dark past.

The argument was Nebraska added another super program to the league, making the Gophers’ ambitions of Big Ten relevancy even more difficult. Worse, the Cornhuskers would play in the same division as the Gophers. That division—now known as the Legends Division—was also to include Big Ten power Michigan, and formidable other programs.

Woe to the Gophers.

But guess what? The Legends Division teams don’t look so imposing these days. In fact, the whole Big Ten isn’t such hot stuff.

Michigan, 2-2 in 2012, is still trying to recover from the nosedive the program took under coach Rich Rodriguez. Ohio State, struggling but 4-0, is trying for a comeback while under sanctions from “tattoo-gate.” Penn State is doing the football version of Great Britain and is no longer a super power after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. And Nebraska isn’t the same program that for decades struck terror into the hearts of Big 12 and Big Eight fans.

So there you have it. The Big Ten—actually not such a big deal even going back to the 1980s—is reeling, mostly because four programs that looked so powerful in the history books are now underachieving. The conference’s journey through mediocrity includes a 1-6 record in the last seven Rose Bowls. And this fall the league’s image is really taking a pounding with not a single school ranked in the Associated Press top 10. The conference has just three ranked programs, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 22 Nebraska. The SEC has four teams in the top six while even the reorganized Big 12 has two top 10 teams, No. 7 Kansas State and No. 9 West Virginia.

After four weeks of nonconference games the Big Ten season begins on Saturday. There’s not a super squad among the 12 league teams and that’s nothing but good news for the Gophers who along with Northwestern are two of the conference’s (America’s?) biggest success stories and surprises in September.

There’s a lot of football to be played between now and the end of the league season on November 24. Some teams will improve and others will slide. Injuries and scheduling will impact results but Sports Headliners is ready to make its predictions on the final standings in the Legends Division and Leaders Division.

Coach Jerry Kill and his assistants make up one of the best coaching staffs in the Big Ten. Rank this group near the top for teaching and managing a program. Minnesota is 4-0 mostly because of a much improved defense that has impressed rushing the passer and swarming to ball carriers and receivers.

The Gophers, though, are only in their second season under Kill. The program must attract better talent particularly on offense where the line needs more push and a breakaway running back is lacking. And more speed and elusiveness among the receivers will be missed when the Gophers face the league’s better secondaries.

Minnesota defeated UNLV, New Hampshire, Western Michigan and Syracuse in four nonconference games. Those foes are a combined 6-10 so far in 2012. That’s part of the reason the odds-makers have Iowa(2-2) as about a touchdown favorite on Saturday when Minnesota and the Hawkeyes meet in Iowa City.

The prediction here is the Gophers will finish fifth among six teams in the Legends Division. Don’t be discouraged, though. The Gophers could do better than fifth and even if they don’t this is a team that—unless crushed by injuries—will be competitive in most or all of its games. Kill’s program has a future that’s getting ready to distance itself from an embarrassing past. Think bowl game in 2012.

Michigan State (3-1) is the pick for first in the Legends Division. The Spartans have a great defensive guru in head coach Mark Dantonio and the league’s premier runner in Le’Veon Bell. He is averaging 152.59 yards per game, third best in the country. Now if the Spartans could only find a passer.

The league’s best offense might be in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers (3-1), who have scored 194 points in four games, are the choice for second in the division. The problem in Nebraska: defense. The Huskers gave up 653 yards of total offense in a loss to UCLA, the most difficult test Nebraska has faced this season.

Can’t blame Michigan (2-2) quarterback Denard Shoelace Robinson if he is looking down at his shoes a lot these days. His passing doesn’t exactly remind Wolverines’ fans of Tom Brady. The runner extraordinaire threw four interceptions in a Michigan loss to Notre Dame last Saturday. The Wolverines, with some talented players and coaches, will finish third in the division.

Venric Mark. He might be the league’s most exciting player and certainly a significant reason why Northwestern is 4-0 and headed for at least a fourth place finish in the division. Mark is No. 2 in the country in punt return average at 30.60 yards. He leads the Big Ten in all-purpose yards at 178.50, ranking eighth in the nation. Northwestern’s season could get derailed by injuries and lack of depth—always a Wildcat nemesis.

The folks in Iowa City love their Hawks except when they start the season 2-2, including losses to Iowa State and no-name Central Michigan on a last minute field goal. The boos filled the air at the end of last Saturday’s game against Central and things will get uglier if Minnesota wins for a third straight year this Saturday. The Hawks passing game has sometimes been awful and Iowa is down to an impressive walk-on running back. The Hawkeyes will be competitive on most Saturdays—and may beat the Gophers on Saturday—but put them down for last in the division.

Buckle up for our Leaders Division choice. Purdue will finish first, followed by Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Illinois and Indiana. Too bad the Gophers can’t petition the Big Ten office for membership in the Leaders Division where because of sanctions Ohio State and Penn State aren’t allowed to play in the Big Ten championship game but are eligible to win the division title.

The Leaders Division looks inferior to the Legends Division and that’s one reason to pick Purdue to emerge as champion. The Boilermakers (2-1) played undefeated Notre Dame tougher than Big Ten brethren Michigan and Michigan State. And they did it in South Bend during a 20-17 loss. Coach Danny Hope has built a roster featuring speed. Purdue fans like that and also a schedule that includes only one formidable road game, at Ohio State on October 20.

The 4-0 Buckeyes haven’t been that impressive under first year coach Urban Meyer. The defense is an issue and Ohio State has given up 59 points in the last three games against Central Florida, California and UAB. But the Buckeyes might have the league’s most effective quarterback in Braxton Miller and they’ve got a super coach in Meyer. Any setbacks in 2012 will be softened by national championship expectations within five years in Columbus.

Where have you gone Russell Wilson and Paul Chryst? Wilson, the dynamic quarterback, is in the pros after leading Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl. Chryst, one of college football’s best offensive minds, left for the head coaching job at Pittsburgh—part of an exodus of Badgers assistants. The result: trouble in Madtown where the Badgers have turned out of desperation to a redshirt quarterback and 27-year-old offensive line coach. There’s still talent and coaching but being competitive in Big Ten games is different than being almost a lock to win. Wisconsin (3-1) will have some struggles.

Penn State fans have a love-hate relationship with senior quarterback Matt McGloin but he’s produced lately and helped the Nittany Lions (2-2) to consecutive wins over Navy and Temple the last two weeks. New coach Bill O’Brien needs to prove himself after leaving the NFL and replacing Joe Paterno. He will need to keep his wits when Penn State plays consecutive games against Ohio State at home and on the road versus Purdue and Nebraska.

You know your school is off to a difficult start under a new coach (Tim Beckman) when Louisiana Tech beats you up at home, 52-24. Illinois (2-2) was also embarrassed by Arizona State, 45-14. Wins came against Western Michigan, 24-7, and 44-0 over “cupcake” Charleston Southern. On the Illini’s long to-do list is settling on a starting quarterback, presumably Nathan Scheelhaase.

When does basketball season start? The basketball Hoosiers are a preseason choice for No. 1 in the nation while the football Hoosiers are a consensus pick for last in the Leaders Division. Indiana students have season football tickets, mostly because the athletic department told them it was a package deal if they wanted to watch the basketball team. In home games the 2-1 Hoosiers beat Indiana State 24-17 and lost to Ball State 41-29. That doesn’t scare fans at other Big Ten schools but it may frighten IU students.

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