David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings & Rodgers Meet Sunday After Off-Season Flirtation

Posted on September 22, 2025September 23, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Monday notes column.

It looks like a soap opera season regarding the Vikings quarterback position after journeyman Carson Wentz was more than serviceable yesterday in subbing for injured first-year QB J.J. McCarthy. Wentz, starting for his sixth NFL team in six consecutive years, looked settled in the pocket and threw two touchdown passes while completing 14 of 20 throws in Minnesota’s 48-10 win.

Wentz’s poise, decision making and performance contrasted to the mostly skittish play of the 22-year-old McCarthy in the team’s first two games. His high ankle sprain perhaps will keep him sidelined until after the team’s next two games in Europe and bye week of October 12.

Since the 2-1 Vikings passed on veteran options during the past offseason to anoint McCarthy with the job, it will be interesting to see if head coach Kevin O’Connell puts Wentz back on the bench upon McCarthy’s return to the active roster. Does that happen even if the Vikings defeat the Steelers in Dublin next Sunday and take down the Browns the following Sunday in London?

Ironically, the Vikings face future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Dublin. The not so well known truth is there was considerable mutual interest between the Vikings and Rodgers during the offseason about having him play for Minnesota in 2025.

It’s believed Rodgers would have preferred Minneapolis to Pittsburgh. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, ownership and O’Connell looked at the possibility but in the end the coach apparently decided McCarthy was his first choice.

That decision could end up being highly supported or criticized. Same with an October decision to either continue on with Wentz or bench him upon McCarthy’s return. Remember, too, the Vikings had off-season options to retain 2024 star Sam Darnold or even turn to 2024 late season acquisition Daniel Jones, another veteran with a career of mixed results.

“As the World Turns on the Purple Quarterback Stage.”

Rodgers, 41, had two touchdown passes in the (2-1) Steelers’ 21-14 win at New England yesterday. He has 510 career regular-season touchdown passes and has surpassed Brett Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most in NFL history.

O’Connell said after the thorough beat down of the Bengals he was pleased with the response of his team after losing the previous game to the Falcons. He’s impressed with the leadership on the team.

“…It’s not just our eight captains. We’ve got nearly 30 players (who) received votes to be captains this year, and I can name player after player that showed up today and were phenomenal for their team, and just so proud of those guys.”

Credit Minneapolis attorney and sports historian Marshall Tanick with asking the question about who was the last University of Minnesota former quarterback to play in a regular season NFL game prior to yesterday. On Sunday Max Brosmer entered the Viking game in the fourth quarter and became the first former Gopher to do that since Cory Sauter. Playing for the Bears in the 2002 regular season finale, the Hutchinson native completed 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards in the game.

Star wide receiver Jordan Addison returns for the Steeler game after serving a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He had 885 receiving yards last season, second on the team to superstar WR Justin Jefferson.

Yesterday showed how topsy-turvy the NFL can be. The Bengals, now 2-1, lost their first game of the season while the Vikings made up for a poor performance in Week Two against the Falcons who struggled so much yesterday against the Panthers that starter Michael Penix, Jr. was benched and Atlanta fell to Carolina, 30-0. The Packers, after two games almost coronated as Super Bowl champs, were upset by the lowly 1-2 Browns in Cleveland.

The Gophers, 2-1, have almost a must win on Saturday at home against 3-1 Rutgers. Minnesota needs a win to keep hopes in place of having an above .500 season and quality bowl invitation.

Athan Kaliakmanis, the former Gopher starting quarterback, looks much improved in his second season leading Rutgers. He is second in Big Ten passing yards with 1,150 (USC’s Jayden Maiava is first with 1,223). Kaliakmanis was on target throwing the ball for a while in a 38-28 loss to Iowa last week, but his production fell off in the second half as the Hawkeyes defended him with more pressure.

Kaliakmanis departed the Gophers after a so-so 2023 season. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was asked today about his emotions regarding his former starter going into this week.

“Listen, this is Rutgers versus Minnesota. I got a lot of respect for what they do and how they do it. He’s playing really well in his fifth year in that type of same system. You’d expect to see that type of growth that he has shown, and has played in. He’s playing at a high level.”

The Gophers men’s basketball team opened fall practice today at Williams Arena where coach Niko Medved expects his team will hold workouts a couple times per week. Cal transfer B.J. Omot, a Mankato native, will be available for practice after late spring surgery for a leg issue. Omot, a 6-8 redshirt junior forward, figures into what Medved predicts will be a nine-man rotation in games for the Gophers.

Redshirt 6-3 junior guard Chance Stephens, the transfer from Maryland, has been dealing with an illness and Medved said today “he has not been able to do anything yet.” The coach said Stephens’ return plan is uncertain.

Max Gizzi, the fifth year transfer 6-1 guard from NAIA Huntington University, impressed Medved during the summer but then broke his foot. The coach estimated another six weeks or so before he returns to practice.

Guard Isaac Asuma, from Cherry, Minnesota, had extensive playing experience last season and Medved gushed about him. Not only is the 6-3 guard talented but is “just an exceptional dude” with his personality and attitude.

The Gophers have an exhibition opener at home October 16 against North Dakota State. The first game is also at home, November 3 against Gardner-Webb.

Medved’s 2026 high school recruiting class of verbal recruits is ranked No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports. He is “pretty happy” with the three-player class but said “potentially one more” recruit could be added.

Tim Connelly, president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves, speaks to the Capital Club on October 4 at Mendakota Country Club. More information about the club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

Publicity ramps up on the Timberwolves next week with the team holding Media Day next Monday.

The Wild is making a number of training camp practices at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center in St. Paul open to the public. Fans need to register at http://wild.com/openpractices to attend an open practice.

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J.J. McCarthy Start Prompts Recollection of Bud Grant Wisdom

Posted on September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 by David Shama

Former Vikings head coach Bud Grant used to say throwing accuracy ranked very high among attributes for a quarterback. A big arm might dazzle but without being able to throw the football on target, a quarterback is in trouble.

In two games of J.J. McCarthy’s debut season as the Vikings starting quarterback, he has frequently missed open receivers. He has thrown passes short of receivers, landing the football in the ground. Despite having one of the NFL’s most explosive receivers in J.J. Jefferson, seldom have the Vikings asked McCarthy to throw long. An exception came last Sunday when McCarthy missed a wide-open Jalen Nailor on a deep throw.

And so McCarthy’s brief but collective work prompts asking whether the Vikings, including head coach Kevin O’Connell, trust his accuracy.

The 22-year-old former first round draft pick, who has thrown three interceptions in eight quarters, has a completion percentage of 58.5 that ranks near the bottom among NFL quarterbacks. His QBR, which measures not only passing but performance aspects such as rushing, turnovers, penalties and more, is 20.4 and that ranks last in the league, per ESPN.com.

With McCarthy out for multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain, the watch period on the McCarthy experiment is on hold. But in the weeks, months and perhaps years ahead the answer about whether McCarthy will become an on-the-money passer will be known.

Grant went to three Super Bowls with a quarterback who couldn’t match McCarthy’s 6-3, 220-pound physique and arm strength. Fran Tarkenton, listed at 6-feet and 190 pounds, couldn’t sail the ball with some of his strong-armed peers like Joe Willie Namath but Grant built a passing game around his accuracy and athleticism. The 1975 NFL MVP played 18 years in the NFL.

BTW, the legendary Grant used to say a good coach needs three things: “a patient wife, a loyal dog, and a great quarterback, but not necessarily in that order.”

Worth Noting

The Twins finish their home schedule for 2025 on Sunday and are expected to have the lowest season attendance in Target Field history. A likely total of under 1.8 million is in sharp contrast to the glory days of the first three seasons at Target Field.

From 2010 through 2012 the Twins attracted a total of 9,168,101 fans (an average of 37,729 per game). In 2010 the Twins drew a franchise record 3,223,640 fans, followed by season attendance of 3,168,107 in 2011 and 2,776,354 in 2012.

With an unattractive product expected on the field next season, a further decline in attendance seems likely. Season tickets (or season ticket equivalents) might total in the 5,000 range after being almost five times that much when the ballpark opened.

Those who buy tickets to games next season will come to see fan favorites like Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan (presuming he isn’t traded). Patrons will also come for the ambience of Target Field and the allure of outdoor baseball on a warm and sunny day or evening.

And some fans will come to see opposing teams and players. When the lowly Senators franchise moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul for the 1961 season, fans were so thrilled to have MLB status they turned out as much to see the opposition as they did to watch the home club.

It’s “back to the future” for the Twins.

Are you waiting for the day when a college athletic director fires the football coach after the first game of the season? UCLA had the “patience” this season to wait until after the second game.

The UCLA opening has already prompted speculation about Golden Gophers coach P.J. Fleck going to Los Angeles. A couple of sources told Sports Headliners that Fleck’s wife, Heather, would like living in Southern California.

Don’t back up the moving trucks anytime soon, though. First, Big Ten institutions have no history in the last 50 years of hiring another program’s head coach. Also, UCLA has woeful fan support and is believed to rank among the Big Ten bottom feeders in Name, Image and Likeness money.

And why would Fleck want to leave for a rebuild? More probable in prompting a move could be if a rare opportunity to lead a program with abundant tradition and resources surfaces. Notre Dame is an example, but that job won’t be opening after this year or next.

Dick Jonckowski turns 82 on October 22. Basketball hall of famer Ricky Barry has telephoned him for 26 years on his birthday. Jonckowski calls Barry each year on his March 28 birthday.

Jonckowski, the former Golden Gophers public address announcer in multiple sports, said he’s been cancer free for about 18 months. He will receive a check up in December. He has had battles with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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Reactionary Vikings Fans Turn on Team at Home Opener

Posted on September 15, 2025September 15, 2025 by David Shama

When quarterback J.J. McCarthy pulled off a comeback opening game win on the road against the Bears last Monday night this town couldn’t wait to coronate the 22-year-old hero in U.S. Bank Stadium. But last night the expected script didn’t materialize, with McCarthy and Viking teammates playing poorly.

Boos cascaded down from the stands as fair weather fans expressed displeasure during a 22-6 loss to the Falcons. From toast of the town a week ago, to a bad dream today, doubts and anger have already surfaced in a young season about the team Minnesota is obsessed with.

McCarthy threw two interceptions and had a fumble that led to Atlanta’s last field goal of the game. For the night he completed 11 of 21 passes for 158 yards and no touchdowns, with a dismal rating of 37.5. Perhaps the worst moment was overthrowing a wide open Jalen Nailor for a potential long touchdown in the second half.

McCarthy looked frustrated and at times confused. After the game he used the cliched response of how he takes responsibility and must play “better.”

Sideline TV shots showed how eager he is to please and be coached by Kevin O’Connell. He looked the head coach in the eye and seemed quick to agree with whatever instructions or suggestions he was given, almost like a young puppy receiving training from its owner.

Frantic fans won’t help his growth and improvement with disapproval. They can only make his journey as a young, inexperienced pro QB more difficult.

It’s been a roller coaster of emotions for McCarthy in recent days. Last week fiancé Katya gave birth to a baby boy, Rome Michah. She and McCarthy got engaged in January of 2024.

In fairness to McCarthy, the run game faltered last night and didn’t give him a complementary tool to his passing. The Vikings rushed for 78 yards, while the defense gave up an uncharacteristic 218 yards on the ground.

As if the game wasn’t frustrating enough, multiple Vikings went down with injuries including running back Aaron Jones, center Ryan Kelly and left tackle Justin Skule. He was starting for Christian Darrisaw who didn’t play and was sidelined with other regulars such as linebackers Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel, safety Harrison Smith and cornerback Jeff Okudah.

Worth Noting

Where do NFL players come from? As of the opening weekend rosters, Texas, with 199 players, produced the most personnel of any state, followed by Florida (179), California (165) and Georgia (143).

There were 20 players from Bradenton (Fla.) on league rosters, the most of any city. Atlanta and Miami tied for second-most (18), followed by Detroit with 16 players.

Former Vikings coach Mike Tice, now living in Las Vegas, has a new TV show. “The Coach’s Cut” with Mike Tice, can be found on multiple platforms including YouTube.

Tice is in my top three for most colorful Vikings head coaches ever. Put Jerry Burns at No. 1 and Norm Van Brocklin second.

Darius Taylor photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Gophers’ junior running back Darius Taylor is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft but don’t think pro scouts aren’t fully aware of hamstring issues that have caused him to miss nine career games including Saturday night at California. With a bye next Saturday, the star running back and pass catcher could be a solid bet to return to the lineup for the September 27 game at home against Rutgers. Taylor led the team in touchdowns last season with 10 and is clearly Minnesota’s most dangerous talent on offense.

It’s difficult to quantify but without Taylor the Gopher offense isn’t as effective. Even with him, the program continues to struggle from a lack of explosive skill position players to catch and run with the ball. In Saturday’s 27-14 loss to California, the Gophers’ longest run from scrimmage was 27 yards by Fame Ijeboi, while receivers Javon Tracy and Le’Meke Brockington had receptions of 25 and 23 yards respectively.

For years now the Gophers have lacked “take it to the house” playmakers and it cost them again over the weekend as did an awful punt returning night by Koi Perich. In the first half he chose to fair catch a punt inside his own five-yard line. In the fourth quarter he fumbled a rolling punt and Cal recovered at Minnesota’s eight-yard line before scoring a touchdown that put the Bears ahead 24-14.

It looks now like the 2-1 Gophers could end up with a final regular season record of around .500 after losing to Cal in a game they were favored to win. Nearly certain losses await in road games against national title contenders Ohio State and Oregon. The Gophers could win or lose any of the remainder games, including September 27.

Woe are the Demons! Northwestern State has been outscored 136-0 the last two Saturdays, losing to Minnesota 66-0 September 6 and 70-0 to Cincinnati September 13.

At 31 years old and with an injury-filled career, Byron Buxton will make 2025 the first time he’s been able to play over 100 games in consecutive seasons. The Twins gifted hitter and center fielder went six years from 2018-2023 not reaching 100 games and had three seasons where he appeared in 61 or fewer games.

In 11 seasons his peak playing time was 2017 when he appeared in 140 games. Last season he participated in 102 and with the 2025 season ending September 28 he already totals 114 games played.

Rocco Baldelli is tied for third place with the late Sam Mele in all-time wins (522) by a Twins manager. Baldelli has a long way to go to surpass No. 1 Tom Kelly, at 1,140 wins, or Ron Gardenhire at 1,068.

The Lynx, the betting favorite to win a fifth WNBA championship and ahead 1-0 in its best of three opening round playoff series against the Valkyries, are scheduled for a off day on Monday before flying to California on Tuesday. Game Two is Wednesday night beginning at 9 p.m. Minneapolis time, with ESPN televising.

The game will be played at the SAP Center in San Jose because Golden State’s regular home arena, the Chase Center in San Francisco, is not available.

Best wishes to director Howard Lavick next Sunday with the premier of his new documentary film at the Cloquet High School Auditorium. “Beyond the Prize” tells the story of the legendary 1963 Cloquet boys basketball team that is revered to this day. An undersized, scrappy team, Cloquet was a fan favorite whose style and success captured the hearts of fans across Minnesota in the state tournament. It was Cloquet’s fate to lose the state championship game, 75-74 to Marshall, in one of the epic title games of all time.

Admission for the 6 p.m. Sunday event is free. Lavick, a CHS alum, will engage with the audience after the screening, as will players from that team and coach Ben Trochlil.

Tennis, in a battle with pickle ball and other recreation activities, is billing itself as “the world’s healthiest sport.” It’s a big claim but anecdotal experiences and research suggest tennis can increase lifespan and wellbeing with its physical and social benefits. For some participants, it’s almost a cradle to grave activity.

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