David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on March 21, 2012March 21, 2012 by David Shama

Former Twins outfielder Delmon Young, now with Detroit, is second among major league hitters in spring training batting averages at .485.

The 40-man roster the Twins opened spring training with included seven players acquired through trades and nine via free agent signings. Nineteen players, including Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, were acquired through the first-year player draft while three were claimed via waivers and two in the Rule-5 draft.

Former Minnesota Wild executive Billy Robertson is working for the Twins as a consultant on outdoor hockey.

Antoine Walker, whose NBA playing career included time with the Timberwolves, blew $110 million in basketball earnings and is now broke, according to a feature story in the March 19 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill holds a noon news conference today, and then opens spring football practice with sessions at the Gibson-Nagurski Complex on Thursday and Friday. Those practices start at 3:15 p.m. and like all spring sessions are open to the public.

All four participating teams in the NCAA West Region hockey field will host a free-to-the-public one-hour open practice at Xcel Energy Center on Friday. The times are 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Western Michigan; 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. –North Dakota; 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. –Boston University; 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. –Minnesota.

At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday No. 1 seed North Dakota (25-12-3) plays No. 4 seed Western Michigan (21-13-6). At 4 p.m. No. 2 seed Minnesota (26-13-1) will meet No. 3 seed Boston University (23-14-1). All games are at Xcel Energy Center including Sunday’s 4:30 p.m. title game.

Coach Ken Novak’s Hopkins teams have won three consecutive Class 4A championships but the streak might end this year. The Royals play an opening Class 4A game starting at 10 a.m. today against Woodbury. Novak told Sports Headliners “we’re a good team” but personnel losses during the season give the coach pause. “We’re not quite what we have been,” Novak said. “Do we have a shot to win it? We still have a shot.”

Novak’s dad, Ken Sr., turns 83 this week and is still an assistant coach for the Hopkins dynasty. Ken Jr. has won six state titles.

Five finalists were announced yesterday for the Mr. Basketball Award: Siyani Chambers, Hopkins; Joey King, Eastview; Sanjay Lumpkin, Benilde-St. Margaret’s; Johnny Woodard, Duluth East; Isaiah Zierden, Benilde-St. Margaret’s. The winner will be announced after this week’s boys state tournament.

LynxBasketball.com has a section devoted to the upcoming WNBA Draft. Included are mock drafts and scouting reports on the top 15 college seniors along with updated statistics on more than 60 draft eligible seniors. The Lynx have six draft choices in the April 16 draft. Minnesota has two picks in the first round (third and 12th overall), three in the second (18, 19 and 20) and one in the third (31).

The North and South head coaches for the June 30 Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game at TCF Bank Stadium will be Jeff Schlieff of Spring Lake Park (North team) and Bill Ihrke from Plainview-Elgin-Millville (South team). They have a combined 37 years of head coaching experience and records of 261 wins and 123 losses.

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MWC Commissioner Gets U A.D. ‘Vote’

Posted on March 19, 2012March 19, 2012 by David Shama

It’s our understanding the University of Minnesota prefers athletic director candidates with previous experience as college athletic directors — or assistant directors — but the search committee is likely to consider Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson.

Former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher praises Thompson, a Minnesota native who graduated from the University. Thompson worked as a student assistant in the Gophers sports information department more than 30 years ago. His duties included working with Dutcher and the two have stayed in contact.

“He’s got a lot of passion for Minnesota,” Dutcher said. “…Grew up and went to high school in Redwood Falls. I don’t know all the candidates but I do know Craig and I think he would be a good choice.”

Thompson has been commissioner of the Mountain West since its inception in 1998, but he could be interested in the Minnesota A.D. job. Prior to joining the MWC he was commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference and his resume also includes working in the NBA. His accomplishments with the MWC include major growth of television revenues and he’s also served on many NCAA committees. Dutcher emphasized Thompson’s experience in working with college presidents and realigning the MWC membership.

It’s also believed former NFL executive Jim Steeg is interested in the Gophers athletic director position. Steeg is credited with transitioning the Super Bowl from just a championship game to a weeklong entertainment experience. His resume includes several years working as a business executive with the San Diego Chargers.

Local candidates who don’t have experience as athletic directors but might be interested in the Gophers job to replace Joel Maturi this spring could include former Minnesota football coach Glen Mason and ex-Minnesota Wild executive Bill Robertson. Mason has influential Gophers supporters who like him and he knows a lot about the athletic department having been the Minnesota coach from 1997-2006.

Robertson is working as a consultant with Tunheim Partners, the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Hockey. He was vice president of communications and broadcasting for the Wild’s parent company from 1998-2011. Prior to that the Cretin High School alum was an executive with the Walt Disney Company’s sports operations.

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Vikings Stadium Differs from MLS Model

Posted on March 19, 2012March 19, 2012 by David Shama

A new Vikings stadium could also be home to a Major League Soccer franchise. The Vikings owners have shown interest in owning a Minneapolis MLS team, although the proposed downtown fixed roof stadium doesn’t conform to the MLS facility model.

The MLS website states that in 2011 13 of the 18 franchises played in venues built for soccer. Those stadiums have capacities about one-third smaller than NFL facilities including the proposed stadium here with projected seating of more than 60,000. Then, too, none of the MLS franchises play in fixed roof stadiums.

But Djorn Buchholz, chief executive officer of the Minnesota Stars FC North American Soccer League franchise, doesn’t think a covered stadium is a deal breaker in acquiring a MLS franchise. “It’s not an ideal stadium for soccer, but we are in Minnesota, and we could (sometimes) have three feet of snow on the ground,” Buchholz told Sports Headliners.

The Stars will play their first game of the season at the Metrodome on April 7. The game was scheduled indoors because of weather concerns. The remaining regular season home schedule will be played outdoors at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Buchholz said the MLS regards Minneapolis as a possible franchise location and he described this area as “one of the remaining top markets.” He hopes the Stars will be part of a cooperative venture with a new MLS team here, rather than a competitor.

Soccer in this area has seen highs and lows, ranging from the Minnesota Kicks tailgating phenomenon and capacity crowds at Met Stadium during the 1970s to the struggles of other franchises in more recent times. Although the Stars won the NASL playoffs last year, the franchise has sold only 300 season tickets for 2012 but Buchholz is optimistic about renewed interest in soccer here.

The franchise averaged about 1,800 fans last year, an increase of approximately 700 from the season prior, he said. This year he’s projecting an average of 3,000 and 5,000 in 2013.

Stars tickets are affordable including general admission seating available at $5 for the home opener on April 7 against the Carolina RailHawks.

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