David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

After 44 Years Maturi Skips a Sunday

Posted on June 22, 2012June 22, 2012 by David Shama

Joel Maturi didn’t go into the office for the first time in 44 years last Sunday.

The workaholic former high school coach and college administrator made it a habit to go into his office every day — regardless of whether the day was even a weekend or holiday including Christmas or the Fourth of July. If Maturi was in town, he could be found in his office, at least for a short time.

“That goes back to my high school coaching days, not just at Minnesota,” he told Sports Headliners. “Every place I’ve been.”

What went through the 67-year-old’s mind as he faced a different Sunday this week? “I just said it was time to retire as the A.D.,” he answered. “I was okay. I’ve always been pretty good at playing the hand I was dealt. The fact of the matter is that I am no longer the athletic director at the University of Minnesota. The fact of the matter is that I am transitioning to slow down and I am okay with that.”

So on Monday morning instead of getting out of bed at his usual 4:30 a.m. Maturi rose at 5:30. He spent part of the day preparing for aUniversity of Minnesota course on sports facilities and event management that he will be teaching later this year. By late afternoon he was driving to the Bruce Smith Golf Classic in Faribault where he was the after dinner speaker.

Well-wishers were numerous including members of the Gophers Alumni Band who inspired the crowd with the “Minnesota Rouser” and “Minnesota Hail to Thee.” Maturi talked about athletics but perhaps at no time did he impress the audience more than when he said this past school year 74 percent of Gophers athletes graduated, and last semester they had a cumulative GPA of 3.2. Both figures are all-time highs at Minnesota.

In the next several days there will be a few more public appearances at places around the state where Maturi will represent the Gophers, but soon that will all be the responsibility of new athletic director Norwood Teague who started work on Monday. Maturi will be deciding how to use his time differently than when he coached for 19 years in Madison, then worked in college athletics administration for athletic departments at Wisconsin, Denver, Miami and Minnesota.

“I’ve always been a routine person,” Maturi said. “It hasn’t been easy (physically) for the last months or for the last year. It isn’t as easy to get up at 4:30. I am more tired than I used to be but I did it because that’s who I am. I gotta find a routine. Once I get one down I will be fine.”

Maturi hasn’t been a golfer but now he’s been fitted for clubs. He’s hoping to receive lessons from Gophers golf coach John Carlson before early July when a family get- together takes place in Grand Rapids.

Maturi and wife Lois have bought a home on Silver Lake in St. Anthony. They’re renovating the house and also looking forward to putting a boat in the water that the grandchildren can enjoy. “As I say to Lois, the next move is to the nursing home,” Maturi said. “So this is our final move. We’re looking forward to this. It’s close to campus.”

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Worth Noting

Posted on June 21, 2012June 22, 2012 by David Shama

When retiring Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi cleaned out his office it must have been a big job. “I threw away more stuff than you can imagine,” he said. “I am a pack saver and I saved everything. If you had sent me an evil note I had it. I don’t know why I did. …”

The Bruce Smith Golf Classic at Faribault Golf Club that Maturi attended Monday is named after the Gophers only Heisman Trophy winner, Bruce Smith. The tournament began in 1975 and benefitted the University of Minnesota’s Williams Fund. Since 1990 event’s proceeds have been given to three Faribault schools.

Smith, who grew up in Faribault and won the Heisman in 1941, is deceased but his son Scott represented his father on Monday. General chair for the tournament is Bruce Krinke and board members include former Gophers wrestler Dave Henry.

Faribault native Seth Helgeson, who will be a senior for the Gophers next season, said junior forward Nick Bjugstad is quiet about whether he will turn pro or return to the team. Bjugstad will be one of college hockey’s premier goal scorers next season if he doesn’t sign with Florida.

Helgeson said teammates communicate with Bjugstad daily. He described Bjugstad as a humble player who “loves” college and his teammates. “You wouldn’t know he’s going through all this stuff right now,” Bjugstad said. “He’s going through a hard time. There’s pressures out there. I think he knows we’re behind him. He knows that we want him back and I think that maybe that’s a little extra motivation for him to come back.”

The Gophers came within one game this year of playing for the national championship. With most of the team returning, ambitions are high. “I think we could do something special,” Helgeson said. “I think we could repeat what we did last year and maybe go beyond. Going to the Frozen Four and losing to Boston College was a little motivation for next year.”

The Wild, with lagging fan interest and a losing team, face a big draft tomorrow. The franchise needs goal scorers and perhaps came close to making a trade in recent weeks for Minnesota’s first round choice, the No. 7 pick in the draft. The Wild also have draft choices in rounds 2-7.

The draft will be at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The first round starts at 6 p.m. Minnesota time on Friday with the remaining rounds on Saturday. The first round will be televised by NBC Sports Network and Saturday’s rounds can be seen on the NHL Network.

Vikings all-pro defensive end Jared Allen is attending the team’s mini-camp practices this week after missing the recent volunteer Organized Training Activities. Fans may remember, though, that Allen chose to miss OTA’s last year and set a franchise record with 22 sacks, nearly besting the NFL’s record of 22.5 by Michael Strahan. Allen said this week he thinks someone can get 25 sacks in one season.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Nebraska coach Tim Miles offered scholarships this week to 2014 high school seniors Tyus Jones (Apple Valley), Rashad Vaughn (Cooper) and Reid Travis (DeLaSalle). Jones has earned a roster spot on theUSA 17 and under national team that will compete this summer in the world tournament, according to Lien.

Frank White told Sports Headliners the “media has blown out of proportion” the subject of his grandson Royce White flying on airplanes. “He’s been flying since he was 10 years old,” Frank said.

Flying isn’t his grandson’s favorite activity but Frank said last summer Royce accompanied his Iowa State teammates on a trip to Italy and routinely flew on airplanes during the Cyclones’ 2011-2012 season. The two Whites went by car to the Iowa State-Kentucky NCAA tournament game in March because Royce wanted to be at his best and had some anxiety about flying.

The flying issue has followed White during tryouts with NBA teams and likely will be part of NBA draft coverage next week when the former Hopkins High School all-state forward is expected to be selected during the first round.

A private memorial service for George Chapple (Dark Star) was held Monday night at Interlachen Country Club with more than 200 friends in attendance including out- of-towners. Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse emceed and several speakers paid tribute to the former WCCO Radio personality. Included among the speakers was Kansas City baseball announcer Ryan Lefebvre who telephoned Chapple after every Royals game, according to a Sports Headliners source.

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GM Brings Hope to Faltering Twins

Posted on June 18, 2012June 18, 2012 by David Shama

Terry Ryan’s return this season as Twins general manager adds optimism to discussion about the franchise’s future. Ryan, who was the team’s general manager from 1994-2007, returned to that position last fall with the task of improving a club that lost 99 games and finished last in the Central Division.

The Twins have struggled again this season, compiling a 26-39 record compared with 29-39 on this date in 2011. But Ryan’s positive influence on the franchise is evident.

“I think the work he did in the off season, particularly in and around Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit, a Jamey Carroll, I think those moves are indicative of what Terry and his staff will be able to do here to improve this team,” Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners late last week. “We have a lot of work to do, particularly on the starting pitching front, but I think Terry’s leadership continues to pay dividends for us. And certainly the amateur draft that just concluded. …His fingerprints are all over that draft.”

The Twins won four division titles in Ryan’s last seven years when he was the franchise’s baseball boss. His admirers place him among MLB’s most astute general managers. “I certainly think so and…I know his peers around major league baseball would think so,” St. Peter said. “If you polled the other 29 GM’s I think Terry Ryan would rank certainly at or near the top of that list in terms of the most respected GM’s in the game.”

There’s no doubting Ryan’s work ethic either. “He’s going to work his tail off to help make us better,” St. Peter said. “He doesn’t view this (franchise) as a rebuilding process. He views this as frankly an opportunity for us to perhaps continue to pivot, to contend. He has not thrown in the towel in terms of 2012. …

“We’ve got to continue to play better baseball. Get back to .500 and hopefully play meaningful games down the stretch. We’re not focused on 2013. We’re still focused on how we can make the Twins better in 2012.”

St.Peter said Ryan gives “150 percent” to his job and that’s a reminder the Twins general manager must manage stress. The long hours and mental demand of the job contributed to Ryan vacating his general manager position back in 2007 and accepting a lesser role with the organization.

St. Peter said he thinks Ryan is “doing fine” managing stress. The organization has been aware of helping Ryan shape a favorable schedule, and today’s communications technology allows him to sometimes work from home. St. Peter suggested too that Ryan has come to better realize there are certain matters he can control and others he can’t.

Twins Notes:

St.Peter said first baseman Justin Morneau hasn’t had concussion symptoms this season. Morneau is hitting .238 for the season compared with a career MLB average of .279. He has 10 home runs and 33 RBI in 2012 so far.

“I expect him to have a big second half (of the season),” St. Peter said. “I think his timing is getting closer. He’s missed a lot of baseball games over the course of the last two years. Often for hitters in particular, timing is the last thing to come. I think he’s in store for a big second half, and frankly we need that out of him.”

The Twins are working on “questions and issues” with MLB and the city of Minneapolis regarding the 2014 All-Star Game being held at Target Field. “We remain very hopeful, but nothing definitive yet,” St. Peter said. “We still believe there’s an opportunity perhaps to have an announcement during the 2012 season.”

St. Peter described the sold out Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw concert on July 8 at Target Field as “the concert of the year in Minnesota.” The event will be the first concert ever at the Twins ballpark and “we could have one or more shows in 2013,” St. Peter said.

The Twins also remain interested in having Target Field as the site for the NHL Winter Classic but no date is determined at this time.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is hitting .475 in Interleague games this season. He had three hits in four at bats in yesterday’s win over the Brewers but had to leave the game early with a bruised right quad. His availability is day-to-day.

Twins infielder Jamey Carroll is batting .405 with eight RBI and 11 runs scored in his last 11 games.

The Twins have been home the last three years for Father’s Day weekends and encountered rain each time.

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