David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on May 2, 2012May 2, 2012 by David Shama

In recent espn.com power rankings for MLB, the NBA, NFL and NHL, the Twins are No. 30, the Wolves No. 22, the Vikings No. 31 and the Wild No. 25 in their respective listings. The NFL has 32 teams, the others 30 each.

The Vikings roster lists 11 rookies and nine other players who could be in their first NFL seasons if they make the 2012 team. The roster has 19 players beginning their second NFL seasons, six starting the third year and eight in the fourth. There are also six fifth year players, four sixth year, four seventh year, two eighth year, three ninth year and one player each heading into 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of NFL experience.

Vikings players are participating in their offseason conditioning program today, and on Friday the team opens its Rookie Minicamp.

The Gophers MarQueis Gray, a senior, may earn Big Ten post-season recognition this fall but he’s one of nine returning starting quarterbacks in the conference so he will have a lot of experienced competition.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien, who is also the Mr. Basketball chair, emailed that Lakeview Christian Academy junior guard Anders Broman has received scholarship offers from several schools including Holy Cross and Ohio.

Royce White is preparing for the NBA draft in Ames, Iowa and still attending classes at Iowa State, according to his grandfather Frank White. The younger White is lifting weights, doing yoga and receiving instruction from Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, the former Timberwolves guard and executive.

Frank coordinates the Twins Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program that is part of Major League Baseball’s international RBI organization. White said Target Field will host the RBI’s World Series on Sunday, August 5 with boys’ championships being decided in ages 13-15 and 16-18. The latter championship will be televised on the MLB Network.

The ninth annual Harmon Killebrew Classic, a two-day event June 27-28, will benefit the Twins Community Fund and Miracle League of Minnesota. Former Killebrew teammates Rod Carew, Tony Oliva and Frank Quilici are involved. A dinner and auction will be held inside Target Field beginning at 6 p.m. on June 27. A celebrity golf tournament at the Legends Golf Club in Prior Lake will take place June 28. The public can find more information at www.harmonkillebrewfoundation.org.

Bill “Moose” Skowron, who played on the great Yankees teams of the Mickey Mantle era, died last week at age 81. He was a former resident of Austin, Minnesota.

The Timberwolves Luke Ridnour is one of six finalists for the NBA Sportsmanship Award. A vote by NBA players will determine which player they believe displays the best on-court sportsmanship.

Canterbury Park, whose live racing season opens on May 18, will be busy Saturday with Kentucky Derby wagering. Races from Churchill Downs begin at 9:30 a.m. Minneapolis time and lead up to the Derby at 5:24 p.m.

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No New Vikings Stadium Until 2013?

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

Sports Headliners’ sources don’t believe the legislature will pass a Vikings stadium bill in 2012. If so, that means no approval this spring, nor is it likely that Governor Mark Dayton will call a special session to address the stadium issue.

The reaction of the Vikings ownership and NFL is likely to be silence. That will add to drama and speculation about a possible franchise transfer to Los Angeles. The threat of losing the team will cause so much political pressure between now and the 2013 legislative session that a stadium bill is likely to be passed next winter.

The Vikings won’t try to move the team for the 2012 season and the NFL wouldn’t consider such a transfer. However, the Vikings ownership (present or new owners) could go before the NFL after next season and ask to move the team.

If the legislature is sure to pass a stadium bill during the early months of 2013, that will trump a request to relocate the franchise. Why? Because the Vikings have been a successful franchise operating in a desirable market for more than 50 years. Their business model blemish is the Metrodome; but fan support, corporate backing and TV revenues are first rate.

A Vikings stadium bill in 2013 can be addressed without the political pressure of an election year. That should help secure votes but there will still be squabbling over stadium financing and probably the site.

The stadium should be located in Minneapolis. The city has the infrastructure, parking and hospitality amenities to accommodate the Vikings and other large events. Building on the Metrodome site is the most cost-efficient new stadium option, although the Farmers Market location would add to an entertainment corridor that already includes Target Stadium and Target Field. Then, too, the economic vitality of the region’s largest city can only be enhanced by the building of the new stadium in Minneapolis and that is important to the future of the metropolitan area. Counting various attractions and uses, including even small community events, the stadium will be used hundreds of days per year.

Anti-Minneapolis online chat room bashers don’t consider these facts, nor are they aware it was Minneapolis that made the bond financing possible for Met Stadium and then the Metrodome. The state of Minnesota, by the way, contributed no money to building the facilities that first attracted and then maintained major league baseball and football here. It is Minneapolis and its core suburbs that historically made major league sports possible in Minnesota.

Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak deserves credit for championing the Vikings stadium before a reluctant city council. The city’s governing model puts the power in the hands of the council, and its membership was a tough sell for Rybak and other stadium advocates.

Whether Rybak can hold the 7-6 pro-stadium council majority in place during the coming months could be dicey. But with the help of business and labor advocates he might do so, and that would retain the city’s commitment of $150 million to the stadium project.

If not, Hennepin County is still the “gorilla in the room” regarding possible stadium funding sources. That card should give further hope to those who worry about the stadium issue and losing the Vikings.

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Worth Noting

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

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman had the final word on college draft choices during the NFL draft last weekend, a change from recent years when authority was shared. Spielman is a self-described “perfectionist” but presents an easy going personality to the media who like him.

In addition to the 10 players drafted, Spielman plans to sign “10-13 college free agents.”

With the drafting of USC left tackle Matt Kalil, the Vikings offensive line is set except for right guard. The starter there might be Brandon Fusco from Slippery Rock University who the Vikings drafted in the sixth round last year. He’s a player Spielman is “very, very excited about” after seeing Fusco play limited minutes last season and following his overall development.

The Big Ten Conference didn’t have a player chosen in the first round of the NFL draft until the Lions took Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff at No. 23. Three other Big Ten players were later drafted in the first round (32 total players). National champion Alabama had three players taken in the first round and the Southeastern Conference had nine chosen, including four of the first 10 selected.

If the Twins continue losing games and paying customers, club revenues will decline and possibly create more interest among the front office to use Target Field as the site for outdoor hockey games and other events.

Carl Pavano has only one win but he’s been the workhorse among the team’s starters. He has thrown six-plus innings or more in his five starts and has a staff high 33 innings pitched.

Word is the NCAA had one or more observers at the Nike elite basketball tournament in Eagan earlier this month that attracted some of the best prep players and college coaches in the country. NCAA rules include having coaches segregated from fans and not engage in media interviews. Coaches at the tourney included Jim Boeheim, Bob Huggins, Tom Izzo, Mike Krzyzewski and Bo Ryan.

Former Timberwolves superstar Kevin Garnett tied the Lakers Metta World Peace as the second “dirtiest” player in the NBA, according to results of a league players’ poll published in the April 30 issue of Sports Illustrated. The Clippers Reggie Evans was No. 1.

The Lynx opened training camp yesterday without several players who are still playing overseas. Included are Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen who will also miss camp time from May 11-13 to practice with the USA Basketball team. They are among 11 players named to the final USA roster.

The Gophers play their farewell baseball game at 41-year-old Siebert Field tomorrow night starting at 6:35 p.m. The ceremonial first pitch prior to the game against St. Thomas will feature Marilyn Siebert, daughter of legendary coach Dick Siebert, former coach George Thomas and former Gophers Paul Molitor and Terry Steinbach. During each half inning every decade of Gophers baseball dating back to the 1940s will be honored on the field. While the Gophers are playing their games this season at the Metrodome, Minnesota is planning a new on-campus stadium to replace Siebert Field. All tickets for tomorrow night’s game are general admission.

Jason Verdugo, 37, officially begins work as Hamline’s athletic director tomorrow succeeding Bob Beeman who is moving to Texas. Verdugo will give up his Hamline baseball coaching job at season’s end.

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