David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Pablo Lopez Can Flip Twins Series Outlook Tonight

Posted on October 8, 2023October 8, 2023 by David Shama

The way it looks now the Twins need a “W” tonight in Houston against the Astros if they are going to win their best of five American League Division Series. After losing Game 1 yesterday, the Twins can’t fall behind 2-0 in the series.

Those who think Minnesota can run off three straight against the defending World Champion Astros may also like Robert Kennedy’s chances in the 2024 presidential race.

It’s up to Pablo Lopez and the bullpen to control the Astros tonight, limiting Houston to a run or two while the Twins’ offense sends three or four runners across the plate. Otherwise, Minnesota has to win Games 3 and 4 in Minneapolis Tuesday and Wednesday, plus Friday back in Houston.

Whew!

Lopez likes pressure and he’s got it tonight after studying the Astro hitters yesterday in their 6-4 win. In Game 1 of the Wild Card series last Wednesday, he came through while pitching 5 and two-thirds innings and giving up one run to the Blue Jays. He delivered on the big stage in helping the Twins end their 18-game postseason losing streak.

Lopez’s goal tonight needs to be pitching beyond five innings. If he does, that means he’s sharp and his performance eases the toil on the bullpen. Yesterday the Twins used four relievers against the experienced Astros who are in the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season.

That bullpen, the fourth hardest throwing in the American League during the regular season, gave up three runs yesterday but none in the two game Wild Card sweep of the Blue Jays. Included in the results were four innings of no runs in relief of Sonny Gray in Game 2 of the Wild Card series last Thursday.

Gray and Lopez are two prime time starters that are the envy of many MLB teams. Ideally, when Gray, who pitched five shutout innings against the Blue Jays, goes to the mound Tuesday at Target Field he will be pitching to put his team ahead 2-1 in the ALDS series.

Worth Noting

One of the more curious moments in the Twins’ postseason came last Wednesday in Royce Lewis’ third time at bat. After homering in his first two plate appearances, Lewis faced a three balls and no strikes count, but wasn’t “green lighted” to swing away on the next pitch.

Likely driven by analytics and perhaps scripted for all Twins hitters before the game started, Lewis apparently was instructed by third base coach Tommy Watkins and manager Rocco Baldelli to take the next pitch, a called strike.

When the Gophers sold out their home game against Michigan Saturday night it was the first time since 2019 that Minnesota has twice filled its stadium in the same season. The Gophers also sold out their 2023 opener against Nebraska.

The 52-10 beat down by No. 2 ranked Michigan was a reminder of the talent gap between the Gophers and the best teams in college football. Minnesota at 3-3 will be challenged to win six games and qualify for a bowl game.

This week’s bye week ideally is an opportunity to have linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who hasn’t played all season, and running back Darius Taylor, out for the last two games, back in the lineup and recovered from injuries. Their return would help but nothing is more vital than improvement by the offensive line and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis who has been a disappointment including last night with two interceptions returned for scores by the Wolverines.

Vikings superstar receiver Justin Jefferson goes into today’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Chiefs leading the NFL in receiving yards with 543.

What’s the over-under for Patrick Mahomes TV commercials today in the Chiefs-Vikings game? Six.

How about the over-under for mentions of the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance? Same. Six.

Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Mahomes leads the NFL with 49 touchdown passes. Viking QB Kirk Cousins is third with 40.

A broadcast crew that critics consider the best in the land covers today’s game for CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson.

Minnesota icon Dick Jonckowski has a special birthday October 22. “I will be 80,” he said. “Jeez cripes, I can’t believe it.”

The “Polish Eagle” wants everyone to know he is still available for public speaking and emcee duties. He is inviting friends and fans to stop by Mancini’s Char House on the evenings of October 14 and 20 when he will be joining the Midas Touch band and playing his trombone kazoo. Best news from the “Eagle” is being 13 months cancer free.

Jeff Drown image courtesy of Coady Photography

Longtime local horse racing supporter Steve Erban emailed a reminder that Minnesota owners have thoroughbreds who will be competing in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships next month at Santa Anita Park. Those horses are Zandon, owned by Jeff Drown from the St. Cloud area, and Zozos, owned by Barry and Joni Butzow from Eden Prairie.

Zandon will run in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 4, and televised by NBC with a post time of 5:40 p.m. Zozos will also run November 4, competing in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Classic, with FanDuel televising and a 1:30 p.m. post time.

Both thoroughbreds competed in the 2022 Kentucky Derby and are coming off recent wins. Zandon won the Woodward Stakes at Belmont, while Zozos triumphed at the Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Erban and wife Dorothy, along with Drown and the Butzows, are longtime owners of race horses at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. “Canterbury Park is a first-class Minnesota horse racing facility that could become one of the country’s premier summer race tracks with a higher purse structure,” Erban said via email. “It’s time the Minnesota State Legislature recognizes the need for a higher purse structure for the Minnesota horse racing industry. Minnesota, why not have the best?”

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P.J. Fleck Timing on NIL Comments No Accident

Posted on October 3, 2023October 3, 2023 by David Shama

Golden Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck’s comments last week about the urgency of increasing money for Name, Image and Likeness were calculated. Fleck, speaking on his radio show, pointed out his program lost players to other schools after last season because of NIL and that more money will be needed in the future to avoid an exodus of talent.

One likely concern is whether the Gophers can retain superb freshman running back Darius Taylor. Other Gopher targets by Power Five programs could include redshirt sophomore quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and redshirt defensive end Anthony Smith.

Tampering with players at other schools and using NIL as a recruiting inducement isn’t legal but that’s standard operating procedure by many college football programs. The Gophers play by the rules while others (perhaps the majority of Power Five programs) don’t operate ethically and the NCAA appears almost toothless with its enforcement of policies.

Fleck made his public comments last week not only knowing he will have to recruit some of his own players to stay in Minneapolis after this season, but there will also be players from outside the program evaluating Minnesota’s reputation for NIL money. Included will be players in the transfer portal and high school prospects from the class of 2024. All will be aware of whether Minnesota is a place where NIL is strongly positioned.

Fleck isn’t saying retaining and attracting players to Minnesota is all about money. Far from it, as he sells the college experience and opportunity to be part of a program that emphasizes development of football skills, academics, personal character and community involvement.

Fleck, though, is concerned about having enough money to keep the Gophers competitive in the high paced recruiting environment of major college football. With 85 scholarship players, not all will be positioned to capitalize on their name, image and likeness in the marketplace, but many will. A commonsense guess is the Gophers need a couple million dollars available annually through the Dinkytown Athletes (DA) collective to meet their needs and have more money than many Power Five programs.

DA started up only a year ago and results are encouraging for NIL funding involving not only football but other sports at Minnesota. Money isn’t just given out to players. It’s earned with athletes available to provide instruction to youth, engage at fan events, make personal appearances for charities and businesses, and endorse products and services including their own.

A big moment can provide NIL opportunity for an athlete like it did with Gophers wide receiver Daniel Jackson in the opening game against Nebraska. He made an extraordinary toe-tapping TD catch in the game and DA later helped connect him with Athlete’s Thread to sell clothing celebrating the extraordinary reception.

“We have a lot of players on our football team right now who make a lot of money in NIL,” Fleck said. “It’s my job, (AD) Mark Coyle’s job, and our job with our NIL department and our collectives to go out and raise lots of money for our student athletes. And that’s what we’ve been doing. There’s been a lot of support from our fans and our alumni to help, because that’s the name of the game.”

An initiative announced last week was that Gray Duck Spirits is producing its first ever beer, Duck Duck Beer, along with a new seltzer Fan Pack, as part of a partnership with DA. The products, decorated in maroon and gold, are being sold in state liquor stores and bars and restaurants, with 20 percent of sales going to Dinkytown Athletes. At Huntington Bank Stadium fans can not only help the cause by buying Duck, Duck Beer but the Parlour burgers stand is giving its proceeds to DA.

Adding to the momentum of growing dollars for NIL at Minnesota are social events involving passionate Gophers fans who have the means to boost DA revenues for football and other sports with their checkbooks. And DA, which last week had its strongest membership week since last fall, has options for fans to support NIL starting at $10 per month membership, or boosters can make a one-time contribution of any amount.

Fleck is aware of the momentum for NIL at Minnesota and certainly was last week when he gave a shout-out that more NIL revenue is needed. He’s also grateful for the funding already in place.

A long time ago when the Gophers were winning Big Ten and even national championships, football players had off-the-field jobs provided by businesses in Minneapolis and elsewhere in the state. Those players were attracted to Minnesota because of academics, a winning football team and a jobs program that generously rewarded players. In a strong business community that still prevails, and with many fans who still care about Golden Gophers football, Fleck knows making the present like the past is a strategy deserving urgency.

Worth Noting

Esko safety Koi Perich, the Gophers’ highest ranked 2024 recruit from the state, received a scholarship offer from USC last week. He is scheduled to attend the Minnesota-Michigan game Saturday night in Minneapolis, a recruiting authority told Sports Headliners.

Know how sweet a home win over Michigan next Saturday night would be for the Gophers? It’s been 46 years since Minnesota defeated the Wolverines in Minneapolis. In 1977 the Gophers pounded No. 1 ranked Michigan 16-0 at old Memorial Stadium.

Former Gophers running back Barry Mayer, who was second team All-Big Ten in 1970 and lettered three seasons at Minnesota, is relieved to have three major surgeries completed. In May he had back fusion, and knee replacements in August and September.

MLB.com ranks the Twins’ pitching staff third best among the 12 teams in the postseason, with the Brewers No. 1 and Blue Jays No. 2. Minnesota’s offense ranks No. 9, with the Blue Jays (who face the Twins starting today in a best of three series) at No. 8.

Starters Sonny Gray, Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan all rank in the top 10 in AL expected ERA. MLB.com also points out the club’s highest paid players, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, have OPS+ averages below the league average, and Minnesota led the majors in total strikeouts “by a wide margin.”

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Vikes Put the Hit on Toothless Panthers for First Win

Posted on October 1, 2023October 1, 2023 by David Shama

“Harry the Hitman” and his defensive pals were too much for the inept Panthers’ offense today as the Vikings ended a seven-game losing streak dating back to the 2023 playoffs.

Harrison Smith, the Vikings’ 34-year-old veteran safety, had the first three sacks game ever in his NFL career — a 21-13 Minnesota win. The Vikings, now 1-3, had lost their first three regular season games and three preseason games last summer.

Smith’s third quarter sack of Carolina QB Bryce Young knocked the football loose and outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum did a scoop and score, running 51 yards for a touchdown that put the Vikings ahead to stay at 14-13. After the game, talking on KFAN Radio, Wonnum said, “I am not getting caught, man.”

As for Smith, he received high praise on the radio from head coach Kevin O’Connell. He referred to his 12-year veteran as having an “unbelievable performance” and characterizing Smith as one of his “favorite players” ever.

Smith, who sacked Young on the last Carolina play of the game, was part of a defense that often confused Young, a rookie who mostly ran an offense looking like it was using training-wheels. Among those joining Smith and Wonnum in disrupting Carolina was outside linebacker Marcus Davenport, the offseason free agent acquisition who had played sparingly in the first three games. But he was a force today disrupting both running and passing by the Panthers, who are now 0-4.

Carolina didn’t produce an offensive touchdown against the Vikings. The Panthers intercepted a QB Kirk Cousins pass near the goal line in the first quarter and ran it back 99 yards for one touchdown. They added two field goals in the second quarter, including one set up on another Cousins’ interception, but couldn’t get in the end zone against a Viking defense that made sure Minnesota got its first win.

Cousins threw two touchdown passes to WR Justin Jefferson (who else?). Jefferson had a four-yard reception in the second quarter and 30-yard score in the third quarter.

The defense had to come through on a day that the Vikings had possession of the ball 21:31 versus the Panthers 38:29. The problem was Carolina didn’t have much of a clue as to what to do with the football.

Worth Noting

Next Sunday’s game with the Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium will showcase a spirited split crowd with the popularity of the 2023 Super Bowl champions and the six-hour drive proximity of Kansas City to Minneapolis bringing fans up from Missouri.

Lindy’s Sports College Basketball magazine, on newsstands now, predicts Ben Johnson’s Golden Gophers will finish last in the Big Ten standings for a third consecutive season. “Clearly better than last year but still facing a steep climb,” Lindy’s writes.

Minnesota has been competing in basketball since 1896 and last season’s second straight last place finish was a program record. Johnson, of course, is hopeful of avoiding the cellar and expressed his pleasure recently about both returnees and quality additions to his roster and having a healthier team than in the past. “Lot to be positive about, lot to be excited about,” Johnson said. “Just really looking forward to continue to build on the process here in October.”

Gopher forward Dawson Garcia, the 6-11, 230-pound junior from Savage, is on Lindy’s All-Conference third team.

Word from someone in the Timberwolves travel party is about 200 people including players and staff leave from Minneapolis today for Abu Dhabi. The Wolves will play preseason games there October 5 and 7 against the Mavericks with NBA TV offering coverage.

Gray Duck Spirits is producing its first ever beer, Duck Duck Beer, along with a new seltzer Fan Pack, as part of a partnership with Dinkytown Athletes—the official University of Minnesota collective that assists with Name, Image and Likeness opportunities for Gopher student-athletes. The products, decorated in maroon and gold, are being sold in state liquor stores and bars/restaurants, with 20 percent of sales going to Dinkytown Athletes.

The Louisiana team the Gophers defeated 35-24 last Saturday is probably a better team than the Northwestern Wildcats who stunned Minnesota September 23 by overcoming a 21-point deficit to win 37-34 overtime.

What the Twins need to accomplish in the postseason, if nothing else, is end their 18-game losing streak in the playoffs. That’s the longest in North American professional sports history for the four major sports of baseball, basketball, football and hockey.

Sonny Gray will be a top vote getter for the AL Cy Young Award despite winning only eight games this season because of such poor run support from his Twins teammates. He finished third in the 2015 voting while with the Athletics.

Brooks Robinson, the Orioles’ immortal, died last week at age 86 and he is considered by many authorities to be the best fielding third baseman of all-time. The best fielding Twin at the position? John Castino or Gary Gaetti.

This is an exciting week for St. Anthony Village High School activities director and baseball coach Troy Urdahl because his book goes live on Amazon on Monday. Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life makes readers think about being better leaders.

Urdahl, who has been coaching baseball for 23 years, has been working for two years on the book that has earned praise from others including Terry Ryan, former Twins general manager. “I’ve taken all of the coaching and leadership lessons I’ve learned over my years as an athlete, coach, and athletic director and condensed them into a narrative where a fictional character is built around some of Tink Larson’s life story (Waseca baseball legend),” Urdahl wrote via email.

Larson, a friend and mentor of Urdahl, coached for 35 years at Waseca High School and is an icon known for his coaching of amateur baseball teams and leadership in the state even to this day.

A hockey insider said Massachusetts prep superstar forward Cole Eiserman (class of 2024) flipped his commitment from the Gophers to Boston University because of family and a desire to stay in his home state.

Ken Mauer Jr., the St. Paul native and former veteran NBA referee, is using a fundraising platform to help with costs involved in litigation against the league. “With two lawsuits now, one for discrimination in denying my religious exemption, as well as a second suit for refusing to release my pension…legal fees have been crazy,” Mauer said via email.https://www.givesendgo.com/kennymauer

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