David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Roy to Chair Wolves ‘Scoring Committee?’

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

The NBA’s elite teams – the Heat, Thunder and others — have two or three high performance scorers, guys who can produce at least 20 points per game or more, and are able to close out games. The Wolves aren’t even a playoff team yet but to approach the elite company of teams like the NBA champion Heat they need help for All-Star forward Kevin Love who averaged 26 points per game last season.

The next highest scoring average on last season’s club was center Nikola Pekovic at 13.9 points per game. David Kahn, the Wolves president of basketball operations, acknowledged yesterday that his team may have to take a scoring by “committee” approach next season.

At times last season, Pekovic was the helper needed to not only complement Love but keep him from wearing down. Pekovic and last season’s rookie forward Derrick Williams were included in names Kahn mentioned as important potential scorers for next season. “It’s hard to say right now, but at a minimum I think we have a lot of people who can score,” Kahn told Sports Headliners. “Whether they can score at 20 points per game remains to be seen, but they can score.”

Another name Kahn mentioned was new acquisition Brandon Roy who in five seasons with Portland averaged 19 points per game and made a reputation for himself as one of the NBA’s better shooting guards. Knee problems forced the 28-year-old Roy to temporarily retire and he didn’t play last season.

But at a news conference yesterday at Target Center Roy talked about playing 35 minutes per game for the Wolves. That’s a lot more than the 27.9 he averaged during the 2010-11 season when he struggled with his knees.

Asked about taking the big shot late in games for the Wolves, Roy said: “I’ve always felt comfortable down the stretch in games. I don’t think that part of my game has ever left. For me, it’s just trying to do what best fits this team. Maybe that’s me handling the ball at the end, closing out a game, or Rubio or Love. But I just try to keep a good pulse on what we need and I know Adelman does a great job of that also.”

Roy said his goal late in games has always been to create a “high percentage look.” That could mean creating a good shot, or setting up a teammate for that opportunity.

If Roy can do either for the Wolves, he may earn “chairman” status on the scoring committee that will usually defer to “CEO” Love. No doubt Love, point guard Ricky Rubio and coach Rick Adelman say welcome.

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Vikes Turnaround Predicted at 10-6

Posted on July 30, 2012July 30, 2012 by David Shama

Bob Lurtsema, the former Vikings defensive lineman who remains close to the team, predicts Minnesota will finish 10-6 during the 2012 regular season and possibly make the playoffs.

The Vikings were 3-13 last season and a popular guess for 2012 is 6-10 but Lurtsema believes the team will be improved and exceed expectations. “I’ve said it before. I am very optimistic,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners. “I said 10-6. Everybody said, ‘What are you on? What are you smoking?’”

Lurtsema’s outlook is based on improvement at some positions that faltered last season, including quarterback. He thinks second-year quarterback Christian Ponder will upgrade his play considerably.

Ponder not only had the disadvantage last season of minimal offseason preparation because of the NFL labor dispute but he was a rookie placed in a starting position. The Vikings are counting on maturity from Ponder in year No. 2, perhaps typical of what Drew Brees did for the Chargers when he threw one touchdown pass in his rookie season of 2001 but 17 the next.

Ponder did throw for 1,853 yards last season, the second most ever for a Vikings rookie quarterback. Fran Tarkenton threw for 1,997 yards in 1961.

Vikings and other notes:

Former Vikings coach Jerry Burns told Sports Headliners he’s “hoping” for an 8-8 or 9-7 record. He described Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier as “one of the finest” people he’s met.

Burns will travel to Canton, Ohio to see his former defensive lineman Chris Doleman inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 4.

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart, who could be the team’s early season starter if Adrian Peterson isn’t healthy, comes from an athletic family. His dad Todd played in the USFL and went to training camp with the Vikings in 1986. Brother Garth, an offensive lineman, is trying out with the Browns. Gerhart’s triplet sisters are college softball players.

Former Breck and Northwestern football player Regis Eller, son of ex-Vikings star Carl Eller, is scouting for the Chargers. San Diego plays the Vikings at Mall of America Field on August 24.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said senior quarterback MarQueis Gray has improved so much that he will be a “very, very exciting player to watch” not only in the Big Ten but nationally.

Casey Dehn, the Owatonna native expected to be Wisconsin’s starting offensive right tackle, is no longer with the Badgers.

Former Gophers and now NFL rookies Duane Bennett (running back), Jon Hoese (fullback) and Eric Lair (tight end) are listed on the Packers training camp roster.

Talk about a bad weekend. Not only did the Indians lose three straight to the Twins at Target Field, but Cleveland batters hit .140 in the series and starting pitchers gave up 23 hits and 23 runs in 16 innings. The Twins hit .340 and scored 28 runs.

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau is hitting .333 with three home runs and 12 RBI in his last 22 games. His home run yesterday was No. 198 of his career and moved him within two of becoming the seventh Twins player to hit 200 or more.

Scott Diamond, who leads Twins pitchers in wins with a 9-3 record, is 6-1 at Target Field. He has a 2.28 ERA in eight home game starts.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan said on the Twins Radio Network yesterday afternoon there were no contract “extension talks” between him and Francisco Liriano’s agent in the weeks leading up to last Saturday’s trade of the left-handed pitcher to the White Sox. Ryan also said that during 2006 Liriano was as “good there was” among major league pitchers.

The Timberwolves have scheduled a news conference for tomorrow to introduce guard Brandon Roy to the local media. The Wolves might start the season with only six or seven players from last season’s roster.

Tubby Smith’s contract extension through 2017 with the Gophers means he could determine his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame credentials during the next five seasons. He won a national championship at Kentucky and had four Elite Eight NCAA appearances, but he’s faltered at Minnesota where his Big Ten record is 14 games under .500.

Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen from the Lynx are among 38 current or former WNBA players on teams competing at the Olympics in women’s basketball. Nine of the 12 nations competing in the Olympics have WNBA alumni.

Golf returns to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro after a 112 year absence.

A celebration for the completion of Todd Anderson Field in Brooklyn Park will be held starting at 5:30 p.m. on August 9. The facility provides a home for Courage Center’s wheelchair softball players, a first in 30 years of competition.

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U Not in Pursuit of PSU Players

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

Gophers football coach Jerry Kill said this afternoon on the Big Ten Network his program isn’t in pursuit of Penn State football players. Speaking at the Big Ten Conference football coaches media gathering, Kill did say that if contacted by a Nittany Lion player the Gophers would go through the “proper procedures.”

The NCAA announced earlier this week that Penn State’s players are immediately eligible to transfer to other Division I schools and play football this fall. Those schools include the other 11 programs in the 12-team Big Ten Conference of which scandal-soaked Penn State is a member.

Illinois coach Tim Beckman said in Chicago at the media news conference that Illini staff has gone to State College after Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas received a list of Penn State players interested in transferring. Penn State coach Bill O’Brien said he isn’t aware of players on his roster who are leaving the program.

“I think that right now at the University of Minnesota we’re concentrating on building a program,” Kill said. “We’ve got enough problems of our own trying to move forward. We’re not gonna do anything to go see players. We don’t have enough time to do those kind of things.

“…If a young man called us from Penn State, or whatever, we would do the proper procedures. But right now we’ve got enough problems to focus on what we need to do to become a football team, and that’s where our focus is.”

Kill, 3-9 with the Gophers in his first season, talked briefly about the change and even tragedy he’s seen in his program since taking over in late 2010. He’s worked for two presidents, two athletic directors, endured physical problems, a difficult first season on the field and last spring was stunned by the death of Gopher linebacker Gary Tinsley.

“When adversity hits you, you have to deal with it. You can’t run away from it,” Kill said. “We’ve had our fair share.”

Kill, who believes his team will be improved in 2012, is nationally known for his past health problems including a history of seizures. Asked about his health today, Kill said: “I feel fantastic. I appreciate your asking.”

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