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I am a big fan of University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, who I believe wants a winning program in all men's and women's sports more than any previous president I can recall.
There is no doubt in my mind that Kaler will make sure that, in time, the Gophers athletic department will compare with any in the Big Ten.
However, at the present time, Kaler has to be a little uncomfortable with the media on his back because of several things that have occurred, starting in August with athletic director Norwood Teague resigning amid allegations of sexual harassment. It didn't help that Kaler hired Teague.
There were the investigations regarding the handling of the women's track and field team. Then there are a number of big boosters unhappy that a place wasn't found on the athletic department staff for retiring football coach Jerry Kill, and many of those same boosters can't understand how a $7 million buyout was a part of men's basketball coach Richard Pitino's contract. There also is the current situation in which three basketball players were suspended, and last but not least is the basketball team's 8-23 record.
Because of all of this, I am not as sure as I once was that interim athletic director Beth Goetz will be named the permanent athletic director if and when a search firm is hired and a university committee is named to recommend a hire.
Kaler is visiting with members of the athletic department to get their ideas on what abilities the next athletic director should have, and how one can be hired who will build a winning program and not get the school in trouble.
This week, Kaler appeared before the Gophers football coaching staff and asked how it would describe the next athletic director and what abilities he or she should have to run a successful program.
It's not going to be easy to hire an athletic director who currently has a solid job, considering the issues the university had in hiring a football coach and the previous athletic director. Successful athletic directors aren't ready to move to Minnesota even though it is the only Division I school in the state.
The Gophers have not won a Big Ten football title since 1967, a Big Ten men's basketball title since 1982 and overall haven't had a successful men's program. However, the women's teams have done well.
If Kaler decides to hire Goetz, I think she could do the job. But there is a local person who I'm convinced could do the job.
His name is Bob Stein, and he has a lot of the abilities that an athletic director must have.
Stein, 68, not only played football for the Gophers, but he also played in the NFL. So when it comes to football, he fills the bill and football pays the bills.
However, the biggest asset he brings to the table is that for 18 years he was president of the Timberwolves, so he is qualified from the business standpoint to be an athletic director.
With his experience with the Timberwolves, Stein is familiar with most of the top CEOs in town, the people one needs to have a successful athletic program.
Despite all of the negatives mentioned above, I have complete confidence in Kaler that he will get everything straightened out and hire the right athletic director.
Turner on receivers
The Vikings could use a good receiver now that they have released Mike Wallace. Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner was asked about how good the crop of receivers was at the recent NFL combine.
"The combine was outstanding," Turner said. "There's a good mix of receivers there. There's some big-body guys that I thought had outstanding workouts, and there's some young speed guys.
Turner wouldn't say if anyone stood out.
"We're sorting through that now," he said. "There's a couple of those, as I said, bigger receivers I like. We're keeping it tight to the vest. We don't want to show our cards right away. I thought kind of a sleeper guy, the receiver from UCLA [Jordan Payton], had a good workout. … It was a good group."
Turner also praised the Vikings' current receiving corps.
"The guy that got the most attention was Stefon Diggs, and for a young player when he got his opportunity he stepped up big time," he said. "I like the group. I know we weren't as productive as we want to be and need to be, but I think there's some extenuating circumstances there and I just look forward to working with our guys. Jarius Wright continues to make big plays. I think it's a good group.
Turner acknowledged that size at receiver could help.
"You can always use a big receiver," he said. "In this league, the coverage is so good there's always a place for one. We don't have to have one; we have a lot of guys that can contribute and make plays."
Turner also spoke about the addition of former Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as tight ends coach.
"We have similar backgrounds, and there's some things we have done differently," Turner said. "Pat is a very experienced coach. My experience is when you bring new guys in, there's wrinkles you add, there's things you get exposed to, and it helps. Every guy you have helps.''
Jottings
• After the Big 12 named Texas Tech's Tubby Smith its men's basketball coach of the year, The Sporting News went a step further and named the former Gophers coach its national coach of the year after he led the Red Raiders to a 19-11 record and a 9-9 mark in the conference. Texas Tech lost to TCU 67-62 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
Regarding coaches being fired: In my opinion, the only firings as bad as Smith's in Gophers history were those of football coaches Cal Stoll in 1978 and Glen Mason in 2006.
• The Gophers men's basketball team finished the regular season ranked 148th in Jeff Sagarin's college basketball ratings, which run in USA Today. The only Big Ten team behind the Gophers was Rutgers at 282nd. … Imagine how worse the Gophers season would have been had freshman Jordan Murphy not picked Minnesota. Murphy, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team, kept the Gophers from being even less competitive than they were.
• The Gophers men's tennis team has an international transfer in Justyn Levin, from Melbourne, Australia. Levin, who is 9-12 and tied for fourth on the team in victories, played at the International Tennis Federation.
Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on 830-AM at 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. shartman@startribune.com
