Posted September 14, 2011    

•Rick Adelman

•Jerry Kill

•Fran Tarkenton

•Brendan Beal

•Wild Camp

Adelman ‘Gets the Most Out of Nothing’ 

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.

 

U Officials Knew of Kill’s Seizures History 

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.

 

Worth Noting

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier asked about what happened to his team in the second half after leading San Diego 17-7 at halftime last Sunday: “We didn’t change a whole lot of things we were doing.  We wanted to be able to execute a little bit better and we didn’t always execute as well as we should have. …” 

It was almost 50 years ago to the day that the Vikings played their first regular season game ever.  On Sunday, September 17, 1961 the expansion Vikings surprised the blue blood Chicago Bears, 37-13.  Rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes in one of the great upsets in NFL history. Attendance at Met Stadium was only 32,236.  The largest home attendance of the season was 42,007 for the Green Bay game.  

Gophers linebacker Brendan Beal, who has yet to play in a game because of his knee injury, was scheduled to practice yesterday.   

It’s not likely Eric Decker’s favorite activity on a football field, but the former Gophers wide receiver and part-time punt returner took a punt back 90 yards for a touchdown on Monday night for Denver, his first such TD of a two year pro career.  Punt returners are prime targets for tackling and collision mayhem.  

Former Tennessee national championship coach Phil Fulmer will speak at the MFC (Minnesota Football Coaches) Clinic next March at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park.  

The Old Timers Football Banquet will honor Jim Carter, Jerry Keenan and Tom Idstrom on September 20.  The event begins at 6 p.m. in the Prom Center.  More information is available by contacting Gary Gustafson, 651-777-0286. 

The Wild open training camp on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.  Fans can watch scrimmages on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Fans should enter Gate 1 starting at 9:50 a.m.  The scrimmages can also be seen at www.wild.com. 

Official scorers are criticized for favoring the home team but what fans may not realize is they are paid by Major League Baseball, not the local franchise.  

 

Leslie Frazier

Fran Tarkenton