David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Glen Taylor Offers News on Wolves Ownership Transition

Posted on January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 by David Shama

Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliner that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez met their December 31 deadline to exercise the option to acquire majority control of the franchises. He also offered an update on the widely publicized $1.5 billion sales price.

Payment must be made later this year by the two men to gain 80 percent control of Minnesota’s professional basketball teams. Rodriguez and Lore reportedly already hold a 40 percent ownership share. Taylor said the final payment will not be for several weeks at the soonest and “probably not after 120 days,” with more specifics to be determined.

Asked about the accuracy of the $1.5 billion price, Taylor said, “Sort of. Yeah, kind of, but we have to negotiate a few things.”

Taylor, a long-time friend of this writer, declined to provide further details. The plan is for him to become a 20 percent owner of the teams.

Taylor expressed confidence that efforts of Lore and Rodriguez to acquire investment partners are on track. He knows at least some names of potential owners.

All of those involved with the new ownership group must be investigated and vetted by the NBA. Until the league’s Board of Governors votes approval, Rodriquez, Lore and their partners will not have their 80 percent authority. Taylor isn’t aware of a date yet when the Board of Governors will hold their vote to approve or not approve new ownership.

Fans can raise questions about the future of the franchises and where they will play. Neither Lore nor Rodriguez has ties to Minnesota, and this will be their first venture into pro sports ownership.

Their payment plan for the Wolves and Lynx began in 2021 and is unconventional in that they have needed time to raise capital and take in partners. Will they have the money, and willingness, to make their teams competitive?

What’s interesting, too, is that Lore and Rodriguez are buying low on the $1.5 billion deal, or whatever the final number turns out to be. Since the time of their agreement with Taylor, other NBA franchises have sold for more than twice as much.

To their credit, Lore and Rodriguez pushed for the hiring of general manager Tim Connelly in May of 2022. The trades bringing high impact starters Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley Jr. to Minneapolis have been vital to the Wolves now being counted among the elite teams in the NBA this season.

The team payroll, already expensive, could easily go into luxury tax territory for the 2024-2025 season. The Wolves will reportedly pay their two big men, Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, over $90 million as they look at an expected NBA luxury tax threshold of perhaps $172 million for the entire team. If the Wolves earn a Western Conference title—or, gulp—an NBA championship, will ownership go beyond $172 million and pay the resulting financial penalty?

Such success followed by financial trimming would disappoint a fan base that has witnessed a lot of struggles in over 30 years of Wolves basketball. The team has never won a Western Conference title and advanced to the Finals. The Lynx, operating on a modest business model in the startup WNBA, have won four league titles since Taylor started the franchise in 1999 partially because he wanted to be supportive of women’s basketball. Many years he has operated both the Lynx and Wolves when they have lost money. He was instrumental in stepping forward in 1994 to end speculation the Wolves might relocate, buying the franchise from original owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner.

The Wolves are competing in a league with wealthy owners including Steve Ballmer from the Clippers, worth an estimated $100 billion-plus. Front Office Sports, working off data from Forbes, listed the 20 richest owners in American sports late last year. Included from the NBA were Dan Gilbert of the Cavs at $21.3 billion; Stan Kroenke, Nuggets, $14.6 billion; Jimmy Haslam, Bucks, $8.7 billion; Robert Pera, Grizzlies, $8.3 billion; Tom Gores, Pistons, $8.1 billion; Antony Resler, Hawks, $8.1 billion; Tilman Fertitta, Rockets, $8 billion. Lore’s estimated net worth is over $4 billion, with fellow businessman and ex-baseball star Rodriguez purportedly at $350 million.

And there is more money coming into the league. TV celebrity and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has sold the majority share of his franchise to casino magnate Miriam Adelson at a reported price of $3.5 billion. Cuban is on record about a future where he sees NBA owners, at least the savvier and more fortunate, tying themselves to real estate endeavors. Cuban envisions a new arena in Dallas being part of a casino-resort complex that creates significant revenue streams beyond basketball.

There is a “keep up with the Joneses’” push in the NBA that includes Ballmer’s soon to open privately financed $1 billion-plus arena in Inglewood, California. The state-of-the-art Chase Center in San Francisco opened in 2019 and is home to the Warriors and is also privately financed. Reported cost was $1.4 billion.

The Wolves’ home, Target Center, is the second oldest in the NBA. Lore and Rodriguez are on record about their interest in a new home for their teams. The Wolves’ lease at the Minneapolis owned facility reportedly expires in 2035.

The push for a new arena and location could go in a couple of directions if it goes anywhere at all. While Wolves ownership probably contributes money to a new building, the safe assumption is public financing will aggressively be lobbied for. The easiest sell to law makers might be if a municipality and the state worked with the Wolves on a new arena tied to a casino gambling complex.

With the state apparently nearing the approval of sports wagering as is already in place in neighboring states, gambling expansion is on the horizon. That could tie to arena development in the suburbs or downtown.

As the commerce heart of the region, urban planners have known for decades it’s important to have an economically viable downtown Minneapolis. To take the teams out of Minneapolis would be a “political basketball” in the public and law-making domains. However, native American sovereignty over gambling in the state will be another hot issue if it’s decided to tie a casino to a new NBA arena.

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Cheery 2024 Predictions for Three with Twins Connections

Posted on January 3, 2024January 3, 2024 by David Shama

This could be a year to treasure for Twins ace Pablo López , outfield prospect Walker Jenkins and hometown hero Joe Mauer.

MLB.com authority Anthony Castrovince wrote recently that López is his choice for 2024 American League Cy Young winner. He noted the 27-year-old right-hander pitched a career-high 194 innings in 2023, improved his strikes-walks ratio (struck out 234) and was “awesome” in two postseason starts against the Blue Jays and Astros going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA. Lopez’s regular season record was 11-8 in 32 starts with a 3.66 ERA.

Castrovince wrote: “…He might have only scratched the surface, because now that he’s added a sweeper that held opponents to a .173 average and .287 slugging percentage, he has a genuine five-pitch mix that could even improve in effectiveness as he gets more comfortable utilizing it. López has the command to do so. If he does, he’s a Cy winner waiting to happen.”

Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com talked about Jenkins on a recent podcast. They predict big things for the 18-year-old who was Minnesota’s No. 1 draft selection last year. Callis believes Jenkins could be the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball for 2024.

The athletic Jenkins is a five-tool player who in coming years could become the Twins’ starter in right field or center field. His impressive swing and power are attributes that often first draw attention, with observers raving about his potential. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Jenkins was taken fifth overall and he might be the steal of last year’s draft.

Jenkins didn’t sign his $7.1 million contract until late July, but he turned heads in the minors and perhaps will play in Double-A this year. His stats last season with two farm system teams included 102 at bats, .362 batting average, three home runs, 21 RBI and a .988 OPS.

Mauer, the St. Paul native who excelled at first base and catcher for the Twins before retiring after the 2018 season, has been tracking well in votes for acceptance into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Select members of the Baseball Writers Association of America do the voting that ended December 31 and votes made public so far indicate there’s strong support for Mauer to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Approximately 400 association members had an opportunity to vote. A candidate must receive 75 percent or more of the votes and Mauer has impressive credentials.

In addition to Mauer’s three batting titles and MVP Award, he was named to six American League All-Star teams, earned five Louisville Slugger Awards and three Rawlings Golden Glove Awards. He is also the only American League catcher ever to win a batting title.

Voting results will be announced beginning at 5 p.m. January 23 on the MLB Network.

Worth Noting

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins continues to progress on rehab from Achilles tendon surgery and NBC reported Sunday night that he expects to go from just walking to jogging by February 1.

Who starts for the Vikings at QB in the final regular season game Sunday in Detroit against the Lions? The prediction here is Nick Mullens because he has played more recently than Josh Dobbs and better than Jaren Hall.

Word has been Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a target for the Vikings in April’s NFL Draft. His passing accuracy might be questionable, and he wasn’t that impressive in the high stakes semifinal playoff win over Alabama Monday night. He looks far from ready to play in the pros and maybe not first round worthy.

A trusted source believes Bethel’s Brian Raabe, who has coached the Royals for 12 seasons and is known for his prowess as a baseball instructor, could be the next head coach replacing legendary John Anderson who is retiring after the 2024 season.

The Gophers, seeking to add experience to their running back roster, have offered a scholarship to Northwestern transfer Anthony Tyus III. As a junior in 2023, he was third on the team in rushing yards with 254 and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. The Portage, Michigan native was an Associated Press first team All-State selection in high school.

That was former Gopher defensive tackle Trill Carter playing for Texas Monday night in the Longhorns’ semifinal playoff game against Washington. He didn’t record any defensive stats but has been a contributor for Texas while participating in 13 of 14 games.

Among Gophers who transferred after 2022, no one was more recognized for his accomplishments with his new team than cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-American second team and was first team All-Big 12.

Former Gopher edge rusher Austin Booker, who led Kansas with eight sacks for 61 yards, also made first-team All-Big 12. Defensive lineman Gage Keys also transferred from Minnesota to Kansas and played a lot of snaps in 2023 before recently deciding to play for Auburn in 2024.

Running back Trey Potts and wide receiver Dylan Wright were highly visible offensive players for the Gophers before transferring. Potts was fifth for Penn State in rushing with 155 net yards while Wright caught 11 passes for 187 yards at TCU.

Think there will be a little drama November 9 when the Gophers play at Rutgers if their former quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis, is playing for the Scarlet Knights?

It might not be widely known but the Gophers weren’t the first college football team from Minnesota to play in a January bowl game when they met Washington in the Rose Bowl on January 2, 1961. This college football bowl season is the 75^th anniversary of St. Thomas’ 1949 trip to the Cigar Bowl in Tampa where the Tommies tied Missouri Valley, 13-13. http://tommiesports.com

The Michigan basketball team the Gophers (10-3) play in Ann Arbor Thursday night is the only Big Ten club with a below .500 record at 6-7. The Wolverines are giving up a conference worst 79.1 points per game. Peacock televises the game starting at 8 p.m.

Hit by injuries, including star forward Kirill Kaprizov and goalie Filip Gustavsson, the Wild has lost three consecutive games and has to find a way not to go on a long losing streak.

In a state where many residents claim Norwegian descent, it’s interesting the Wild’s Mats Zuccarello is one of only eight players from Norway ever to play in the NHL. Norwegian Americans are 13.8 percent of Minnesota’s population, per Worldpopulationreview.com.

The Pelicans, who play the Timberwolves tonight in Minneapolis, are a difficult team for Minnesota when forward Zion Williamson plays. The Pels played last night and it could be Willamson is rested tonight by sitting out the game.

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Next Gophers D-Coordinator Could Come from NFL

Posted on December 31, 2023 by David Shama

With the Quick Lane Bowl and National Signing Day behind him, Golden Gophers head football coach P.J. Fleck is focused on hiring a new defensive coordinator in the next few weeks. It’s one of the most important decisions since he arrived in Minneapolis in 2017.

The departed Joe Rossi is among the top defensive coordinators in the nation and was the most valued of all assistants on the Minnesota staff. Fleck’s personnel and conservative offenses haven’t been built to win shoot-outs, and winning depended on the defense doing more than its share.

With the Gophers coming off a disappointing 6-7 season and going into an expanded and more competitive Big Ten in 2024, the defense needs to recover from an off year when injuries, blown assignments and results were troublesome. Scheme wasn’t the issue and it’s likely whoever Fleck hires will continue with a basic four-man defensive front and won’t be exotic in alignments, play-calling or personality.

If Fleck’s preference were to hire from his existing staff, that likely would have happened by now. Safeties coach Danny Collins called plays in the bowl win but has never been a college defensive coordinator. However, Fleck likes Collins’ coaching, and he was instrumental in recruiting Koi Perich, the safety from Esko and the prize of the 2024 incoming freshman class.

Collins could end up with the job of defensive coordinator, if the external search process doesn’t deliver. That seems unlikely, though, because the position is attractive to many candidates who would be able to join a Big Ten program and earn a salary expected to pay between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

The candidates list could certainly include coaches from the Power Five, Group of Five, FCS and even the NFL where the Carolina Panthers are among the most dysfunctional franchises in the league, and a probable coaching staff shakeup after the season might have Tem Lukabu interested in the Gophers.

He joined the Panthers as outside linebackers coach this year after three seasons at Boston College as defensive coordinator. The 2022 BC defense ranked in the top-50 nationally in several categories.

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, Lukabu played linebacker at Colgate and his coaching stops include Rutgers where he was an assistant with Fleck more than 10 years ago. Fleck will want the right chemistry with whomever he hires, and having worked with someone in the past could provide a candidate with an edge in the selection process.

The Panthers inside linebackers coach, Peter Hansen, might be of interest, too. He was the defensive coordinator at UNLV prior to joining the Panthers this year. His resume includes two stints at Stanford where he was part of Pac-12 defenses among the most dominant in the league. Hansen has five years of NFL experience and has worked for coaching gurus Jim Harbaugh and Vic Fangio (serving both with the 49ers and Stanford).

The FCS level is a major drop from the big money and player talent found in the NFL, but great coaches can be found there. About a year ago Northwestern hired North Dakota State’s defensive coordinator David Braun. When chaos hit the Wildcats last summer, Braun was named interim head coach. All he did in that role was earn Big Ten Coach of the Year recognition and have the interim tag removed from his title as a surprising Northwestern team went 8-5 including a stunning 37-34 overtime win over the Gophers.

FCS Villanova has an impressive defensive coordinator in Ross Pennypacker who has the attention of those in the know. Pennypacker has worked at the Division III, Division II and FCS levels and Daniel House from the authoritative Gophersguru.com website wrote that he is an “ascending coach.”

House has studied Villanova film and wrote that the Wildcats’ “fundamentals, physicality and details instantly jumped out.” House has Pennypacker on his list of candidates for the Gopher opening. Pennypacker’s resume includes coaching defensive lines and special teams. He would likely be an inexpensive hire for Minnesota.

Earlier this month USC hired North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz to coach its linebackers. About a year ago Colorado hired Kent State head coach Sean Lewis as its offensive coordinator. Better pay and opportunity at the FCS level makes it a reality that head coaches from the FCS (Entz) or Group of Five (Lewis) are willing to become assistants.

With that in mind, does Fleck interview Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist? He was an assistant on Fleck’s 2017 staff coaching defensive backs and he is known for his recruiting chops. His resume includes stops in the NFL and college coaching. After three challenging seasons at Buffalo, including 3-9 this fall, could Linguist be interested in moving on?

Buffalo plays in the Mid-American Conference where Ohio defensive coordinator Spence Nowinksy turned heads this season. His defense was No. 1 ranked among Group of Five teams. He has coached at seven college programs starting in 1999 with a grad assistant role at Wisconsin and along the way developed a reputation for success in pressuring quarterbacks. He played football at Minnesota State, Mankato and later coached at his alma mater.

Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who reportedly earns $825,000, is nationally known for his success with the Wildcats. It might take at least $1.2 million to make him come back to the area he grew up—Hammond, Wisconsin which is less than an hour drive to Minneapolis. He’s in his fifth season at Kansas State where his 2022 defense helped carry the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship as they ranked in the top 30 nationally in five categories.

His background includes coaching stops at North Dakota State and at his alma mater Minnesota State. He has 12 years of experience as a defensive coordinator, five at Kansas State and seven at Minnesota State.

Rutgers linebackers coach Corey Hetherman never coached under Fleck but his boss, defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak, did. Fleck coaxed Harasymiak away from his head job at Maine in late 2018 and his titles at Minnesota included co-defensive coordinator before he left for Rutgers in January of 2022. Hetherman also worked for Harasymiak at Maine. Before that Hetherman was defensive coordinator for demanding head coach Curt Cignetti at James Madison from 2019-2021. His defenses in all three seasons were among the best in FCS and in 2021 he was the AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year.

Hiring Hetherman could be small retribution for the Gophers who in recent years have seen key coaches and players go to Rutgers. Included in the trek to New Jersey have been coaching talents Kirk Ciarrocca and Hetherman, and safety Flip Dixon who made Big Ten honorable mention in 2023.

So who ultimately gets the Gopher job? Well, the question could be dismissed with a “wait and see” reply, but in the meantime here is a final four to contemplate: Hetherman, Nowinsky, Pennypacker and Lukabu. Klanderman would be a “home run hire,” but probably won’t leave Kansas State where his ties to head coach Chris Klienman are deep. If so, here’s a “vote” for Hetherman.

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