David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Does Love Need to See More Wolves Wins?

Posted on January 25, 2012January 25, 2012 by David Shama

Don’t be surprised if Kevin Love turns down a contract offer from the Timberwolves today.

Why? Perhaps Love and agent Jeff Schwartz figure the Wolves franchise needs to prove it will become a winner before the All-Star forward makes a long term commitment to staying here.

Under NBA rules, the Wolves have through today to negotiate with fourth-year players like Love. If a deal isn’t made by then, contract talks have to wait until after the league season.

The maximum contract the Wolves could extend the 23-year-old power forward is for five years at about $80 million. The Wolves have reportedly offered four years and about $20 million less, but perhaps even the maximum deal might not convince Love to sign a new contract, preferring to become a restricted free agent next summer.

Although the Wolves could match any deal from another NBA team next summer and retain Love, he might opt for a shorter deal and free agency in 2013. That’s not to say Love won’t be here long term but it’s a solid gold bet he wants to play for a winning organization and he might wait to evaluate how much more his team improves this season and next offseason.

In his first three seasons with the Wolves, the team produced records of 24-58, 15-67 and 17-65. With the addition of rookie point guard phenom Ricky Rubio and other changes, the Wolves are improved but still a project.

ESPN in-studio analyst Jon Barry believes Love is the NBA’s best power forward. He’s a gifted scorer, rebounder and passer. Although he’s 6-10, Love can score both inside and outside. He’s averaging 24.9 points per game, fourth best in the league. He’s second in NBA rebounding at 13.9.

Ask anyone around the Wolves and they will tell you Love is a person of character, a team guy and good citizen in a league where often the knuckleheads make headlines. He’s already a star and the kind of player the Wolves would be devastated without.

The NBA is a star-driven league and the local team finally has one legit star in Love and another—Rubio—in production. It takes at least two stars to win a championship and five years from now the Wolves need both warm weather loving players shivering through another Minneapolis winter.

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Tubby: Gophers Add ‘Toughness’

Posted on January 25, 2012January 25, 2012 by David Shama

How real are Tubby Smith’s revitalized Gophers? Before the clock strikes midnight tonight the college basketball world will have an answer.

After opening the Big Ten season with four losses by a combined 29 points, the Gophers have won three straight including two games on the road. Minnesota defeated No. 7 ranked Indiana in Bloomington, beat Penn State by 14 points in State College and last Sunday took apart Northwestern, 75-52 at Williams Arena.

No. 10 ranked Michigan State will offer the Gophers more than a cushy pop quiz tonight. The Spartans, 16-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference, could stop Minnesota’s momentum inEast Lansing.

The guess here is the Spartans will win but somehow coach Tom Izzo’s team managed to lose at Northwestern (2-5) by seven points and more understandably lost by one at nationally ranked Michigan (5-2). The conference schedule isn’t even halfway over and already every team in the league has at least two losses and two wins.

The Spartans are among the favorites to win the Big Ten title but the Gophers have a revised lineup that has been a foundation for their winning streak. Beginning with the Indiana game Smith assigned Julian Welch to point guard and Joe Coleman to one of the team’s two shooting guard spots. Maverick Ahanmisi, who had been starting at point guard, was benched. Coleman took Welch’s position at off-guard, while center Ralph Sampson III, power forward Rodney Williams and guard Austin Hollins remained starters.

Neither Ahanmisi, a sophomore, nor freshman Andre Hollins had shown they were effective as Big Ten point guards. Welch played point guard as a junior college player last season. His experience, strength and court awareness are superior to his two teammates.

Welch has scored 29 points for the Gophers in the three wins. He provides stability handling the ball and had five assists in the Northwestern game. “I love to create for my teammates and see them put the ball in the hoop,” he said.

Coleman has been a catalyst, according to Smith. “We’ve added some toughness to our lineup when we inserted Joe Coleman,” Smith said. “It’s been huge for us. I think it’s been contagious. Ralph is more aggressive. Rodney has been more aggressive taking the ball to the basket. So I think our entire team has certainly benefitted.”

Coleman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week last week after averaging 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the Indiana and Penn State wins. Against Northwestern he had 16 points and five rebounds.

If Welch, Coleman and their teammates produce a win tonight, it could indicate that despite the slow start this team intends to have plenty to say about the Big Ten race all the way to the end.

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Worth Noting

Posted on January 25, 2012January 25, 2012 by David Shama

The Wolves’ Kevin Love is one of 20 finalists for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. The final 12-man roster will be announced later this year.

Timberwolves president Chris Wright told Sports Headliners the organization has been contacted by Chinese ad agencies wanting to buy advertising in Target Center for the February 10 game against Dallas. That game will be televised in China in about 19 different markets.

Former Hopkins and Gophers forward Royce White is impressing so much that a January 16 article in the Des Moines Register included comparisons to Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Jamal Mashburn. The 6-8, 270 pound White has scored, rebounded and passed his way on to a list of potential All-Americans in his first season playing for Iowa State.

The Gophers will AGAIN change the look of their football uniforms and helmets. Minnesota has been switching outfits and colors for about 50 years. Memorable outfits (pleasant or not) have included eras when the Gophers dressed like the USC Trojans, coach Cal Stoll’s all-gold teams, and coach Tim Brewster’s infamous white helmets and white uniforms creation.

Although TCF Bank Stadium was the site of a U2 concert last summer, don’t expect anything but football on campus in 2012. “This next year is going to be a tough year for anything additional to football games because of the construction of the light rail,” said Joel Maturi, Gophers athletic director. “It’s tough to get in and out of here as it is, almost impossible when they start ripping up this last section here. …”

Glen Mason admired Penn State’s Joe Paterno so much that Mason wore a coat and tie on the sidelines the first time he coached Minnesota against the legendary Nittany Lions coach.

The Minnesota Football Coaches Association will hold its annual Hall of Fame Banquet on March 31 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park. Going into the Hall of Fame are: Earl Bauman, St. Michael-Albertville; Paul Gasner, Totino-Grace; Dick Hanson, Burnsville; Steve Nunnink, Brainerd; Terry Ogorek; Kittson County Central; Tyrone Wacker, Jackson and Gaylord.

There will be eight winners of the Butch Nash Outstanding Assistant Coach Award: Joel Baugarten, ROCORI; Michael Boomer, Cook County; Rick Haley, Delano; Thomas Pink, Northome; Patrick Rieder, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton; Mark Ritter, Eden Prairie; Will Wackman, Spring Lake Park; Ralph Weber, Anoka.

Welcome to the 21^st century. NCAA Division III policy makers have voted to allow text messaging in recruiting. Texting will be regulated similarly to phone calls, e-mails and faxes. “This is very important for us,” said Brad Marshall, St. Catherine head women’s hockey coach. “As far as my sport goes, it seems like if you text a prospect, she’ll get back to you 45 seconds later. …”

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