David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on September 16, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

It will be Bruce Smith Day tomorrow for the Gophers game at TCF Bank Stadium. A bust by Faribault artist Ivan Whillock immortalizing Smith, a Faribault native and the only Gopher ever to win the Heisman Trophy, will soon be on permanent display in the Hall of Fame at the stadium. The bust will be presented by Bruce Krinke and other Smith admirers to University president Eric Kaler and athletic director Joel Maturi between the first and second quarters. Smith trading cards will be given out to fans and the bust will be on display near the stadium plaza before the game.

The Gophers-Miami (Ohio) game tomorrow afternoon will be telecast by the Big Ten Network and the broadcast crew will include former Minnesota coach Glen Mason.

North St. Paul mayor Mike Kuehn told Sports Headliners he supports a referendum in Ramsey County regarding the proposed Vikings Stadium in Arden Hills. He said “several cities” in Ramsey County, including his, have seen their councils approve resolutions opposing the use of a half cent sales tax increase to help fund a facility on the Twin Cities Army Ammunition site.

Kuehn said the resolution passed in North St. Paul recognized the Vikings as a community asset and stated no preference for stadium location but objected to the county being a partner dedicating a half cent sales tax increase. Kuehn said the sales tax percentage increase is too large and the county and his city have too many other pressing needs.

Ted Mondale, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chair, will be the First Friday speaker on October 7 at the University of St. Thomas. The commission and Metropolitan Council are expected to issue a report in October about the feasibility of the proposed stadium in Arden Hills.

The Bucs team that plays the Vikings at Mall of America Field on Sunday lost 27-20 to Detroit in the opening regular season game for both teams. Sports Illustrated predicted in its September 5 issue the Bucs will finish behind the Saints and Falcons but ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen will be trying for his third consecutive regular season game with one interception and one sack.

The attendance of 114,804 in Ann Arbor last Saturday for the Michigan-Notre Dame game was the largest crowd ever to watch a college or professional game. After two weeks Big Ten home games have attracted more than 1.4 million fans, but Illinois followers don’t seem too excited about coach Ron Zook’s 30-45 career record in Champaign. Illinois has drawn home crowds of 45,154 and 42,212 in its first two games.

Don’t think the Big Ten hasn’t been hurt by the demise of Michigan and Ohio State. The conference has four teams in the A.P. top 25 including league newcomer Nebraska. The highest ranked team is Wisconsin at No. 7, followed by No. 10 Nebraska, No. 15 Michigan State and No. 17 Ohio State.

Hopkins coach John DenHartog said via email that his much recruited wide receiver Andre McDonald has better speed and strength after “hard training” in the offseason. “Andre has made himself into the best blocking WR on our team,” DenHartog wrote.

The Lynx open the Western Conference playoffs tonight against San Antonio at Target Center and not only is there optimism about winning a WNBA championship this fall but the future beyond could see more titles. The Lynx produced a league best 27-7 record and standout players are 30 or younger. Included are Rebekkah Brunson, No. 3 in league rebounding, and Lindsay Whalen, the WNBA’s assist leader, who are both 29, and the league’s best rookie, Maya Moore, 22. Seimone Augustus, 27, was eighth in the WNBA with a scoring average of 16.2 during the regular season.

The Klas family, dedicated for decades to helping people with developmental and learning disabilities, holds its women’s charity golf tournament on Monday. The Tapemark Charity Women’s Golf Event at Southview Country Club is open to all women amateur golfers.

Five St. Thomas teams came into the week ranked nationally in Division III polls. Football is ranked fourth and in the top 10 for the 20th consecutive poll. Volleyball is seventh and has been ranked in 72 of the last 73 polls. Women’s soccer is ranked No. 21, men’s cross country No. 30 and women’s cross country No. 34. St. Thomas is the only Division III school with nationally ranked and unbeaten teams in both football and volleyball.

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Adelman ‘Gets the Most Out of Nothing’

Posted on September 14, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Bill Fitch, a top 10 all-time NBA coach in wins, told Sports Headliners new Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman “gets the most out of nothing.”

Fitch lives in Houston where in retirement he watched Adelman coach the Houston Rockets for four seasons. He also coached against Adelman when Adelman had jobs with other NBA teams years ago.

“I think it’s a good hire,” Fitch said. “You hired for what you need there. You got what you don’t have − experience, stability, very good with people. He’s a good coach. His teams share the ball and hustle on defense.

“The teams he’s had down here have over achieved with the material he was given. He had no center with Yao (Ming) going down (injured). There were a lot of trades. He had a general manager that played potential too much. You don’t win with nine potentials. Winning is now.”

Adelman and the Rockets parted with one another after last season. His record in Houston was 193-135, a .588 winning percentage and the best in franchise history. It’s widely accepted by NBA authorities, including Fitch, that Adelman didn’t always have much talent to work with in Houston. That has also sometimes been his reputation at other places he’s coached during a 20 year career in the league.

Fitch said part of Adelman’s success is attributable to hiring exceptional assistant coaches. It wouldn’t surprise Fitch if Adelman’s staff in Minneapolis includes former NBA center Jack Sikma who worked for Adelman in Houston.

Adelman is the type of coach who could have been hired in recent years by even the league’s glamour franchises like Boston and the L.A. Lakers, according to Fitch who approves of Adelman’s demeanor. “He doesn’t get too high or too low,” Fitch said.

Fitch, who won a world championship with the Celtics in 1981 and once coached the Gophers, said Adelman didn’t have a say in personnel decisions in Houston. “I would think he would have some assurances on personnel in taking the (Timberwolves) job,” Fitch said.

Adelman, 65, has known Kevin Love since the Wolves star forward was in high school and Fitch said that relationship can’t hurt in keeping Love here long term. He said Adelman excels at teaching big men and isn’t a coach who “makes waves.”

“He (Love) won’t leave because of Adelman, and Adelman can be a reason to stay,” Fitch said.

Fitch has 944 career wins and ranks ninth on the league’s all-time win list. Adelman moved ahead of Fitch at the end of last season and has 945 wins, ranking eighth all-time.

After Adelman tied him last season at 944, Fitch sent a congratulatory note teasing him to get his own number.

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U Officials Knew of Kill’s Seizures History

Posted on September 14, 2011October 9, 2011 by David Shama

Jerry Kill made University of Minnesota officials aware of his seizures history during the interview process for the Gophers job last year. “He brought it up 30 minutes into a four hour interview,” Dave Mona told Sports Headliners.

Mona, then a consultant to the athletic department and directly involved with the search for a coach, said Kill characterized the seizures as something that wasn’t “serious” but he wanted University officials to be aware of them. Kill explained he quickly recovered from the seizures. He also disclosed details about his experience with kidney cancer in 2005, a disease now in remission.

Gophers team doctor Pat Smith said Kill experienced what he called a “reoccurrence of a seizure disorder” at Saturday’s home game against New Mexico State. Kill takes medications to prevent reoccurrence but it’s believed that Saturday’s heat and humidity caused him to be dehydrated, at least partially contributing to the seizure.

The Gophers didn’t play well on Saturday and eventually lost to one of the historically worst major college football programs in the country, 28-21. The stress of the game may have been a factor leading to Kill’s collapse, too. The coach suffered his seizure in the last minute of the fourth quarter.

“He was clearly agitated during the game,” Mona said. “I don’t know how many miles he walked (pacing the sidelines).”

Mona said Kill has an “unbelievable” work ethic and doesn’t believe the most recent seizure will impact Kill’s commitment to continue coaching the Gophers. “No. He’s waited too long and worked too hard (to get here),” Mona said. “He regards the seizures as a nuisance and not a major health issue.”

Kill, 50, has worked his way up the coaching ladder from places like Saginaw Valley State and Emporia State to become a Big Ten head coach. This is his first season at Minnesota after signing a five year Memorandum of Understanding to be the Gophers coach.

Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said yesterday he would be “shocked” if Kill doesn’t coach the Gophers on Saturday against Miami of Ohio in TCF Bank Stadium.

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