Recent content from Sid Hartman
Hartman: Vikings set standard high on defense despite big change
Last year the Vikings ranked second in the NFC, allowing 303 points. Still, a lot of people around the club, including Mike Zimmer, felt the team could use a fresh start on defense.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren has created the Big Ten Conference Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition for student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, chancellors and presidents…
Hartman: U football doesn't sacrifice values while recruiting top talent
The Gophers have five four-star football recruits, and they definitely stand out. But coach P.J. Fleck also looks for high character.
Hartman: Vikings must find a way to pay Cook
Dalvin Cook is signed through 2020, but he'll be looking for a big payday: he's only the 39th-highest-paid running back in the NFL.
Hartman: Unrest in Minneapolis echoes summer of '67
Two Vikings players, guard Milt Sunde and linebacker Ron Acks, were in the National Guard and got called up to help calm the riots in Minneapolis during the summer of 1967.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman on how the team is staying healthy during virtual meetings: “It’s just a matter of staying in communication…
Hartman: Zimmer refreshed for challenge of rebuilding defense
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has faith in the talent the team has to fill the holes left by departed starters.
Hartman: Wolves might prefer to not have NBA season resume
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will hold an important call with the league Thursday to talk about returning to action. Here's why the Wolves may not want the games to resume.
Hartman: Fleck will have Gophers ready whenever practice starts
He doesn't see the pandemic as unfair to his program because it is affecting other football teams the same way.
Hartman: Look for Gophers baseball to quickly rebound next year
The Gophers lost out on a final season with expected MLB top pick Max Meyer, but more prospects will join them next year.
Hartman: Thielen, Jefferson both diamonds in the rough
Adam Thielen didn't receive a single Division I offer after graduating from Detroit Lakes. Justin Jefferson was rated 308th among receiver prospects in the Class of 2017. LSU was the only program to offer him a scholarship.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders wrote on ESPN:“Fifth-round pick [Gophers and Minneapolis North product] Tyler Johnson will become Tom Brady’s…
Hartman: Gophers-Iowa clash for Floyd comes early this fall
The longtime rivals have faced each other 113 times. If the season goes as scheduled, this will be the earliest date they have ever played for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.
Hartman: Minnesota team owners will lead way as sports start to return
The Pohlad family with the Twins, the Wilf family with the Vikings, Glen Taylor with the Timberwolves and Craig Leipold with the Wild are all among the wealthiest owners in sports and some of the smartest business minds around.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • The Vikings are tied for the 10th-hardest 2020 NFL schedule based on 2019 winning percentages. Their 2020 opponents went 131-123-2 (.516) in 2019.…
Hartman: Twins' TV revenue could still be lucrative in suspended season
Losing gate revenue from fans, even if it's only for part of the season, will have a big impact. But Twins President Dave St. Peter said the club is aware of how important the revenue from television could be.
Hartman: It's a sad state of hockey as Wild, Gophers lose fans
The crowds are down at Xcel Energy Center and 3M Arena at Mariucci, and the on-ice product has not been as good in recent seasons at either location.
Hartman: U's 2021 football recruiting among nation's best
Despite the NCAA shutdown of in-person recruiting, Fleck and his staff have secured 14 commitments for the Class of 2021.
Hartman: Vikings' draft picks will be asked to fill big holes on the roster
Everson Griffen and Stefon Diggs both became stars despite being picked in the middle rounds. They're both gone, and new finds will have to replace them.
Hartman: Vikings GM Spielman finds talent throughout NFL draft
Vikings GM often trades down to acquire more picks without losing out on desired players, as he did again in Thursday's first round.
Hartman: Vikings need immediate help on defense from this draft
They got it last season on offense; this year, several players in the secondary and on the defensive line must be replaced.
Hartman: Twins President St. Peter says team is 'prepared to be nimble'
Dave St. Peter said safety is the No. 1 priority but the Twins are prepared to do anything they can to play games this season.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • The Gophers’ 2021 football recruiting class is ranked No. 7 in the country, according to 247 Sports. The group that P.J. Fleck has put…
Hartman: U, local pro teams already battled ticket issues before pandemic
With some ticket sales lacking, pro and college teams have lost even more traction because of the sports shutdown.
Hartman: Vikings face big call on safety Harris' future
Anthony Harris was retained by the Vikings via the franchise tag, but GM Rick Spielman might be considering trade offers.
Hartman: Adam Zimmer ready to make mark as Vikings co-defensive coordinator
Adam Zimmer, 36, said that growing up he was always around football, and even though his dad would try to not talk football when he was with his family, it was all Adam wanted to talk about.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck on incoming freshman running back Ky Thomas, whose 7,703 rushing yards rank No. 2 all-time in…
Hartman: Garnett was risk worth taking for Wolves in '95 draft
There were questions about the transition Kevin Garnett was about to take from high school to the pros. But the Wolves drafted one of the most responsible players in NBA history.
Hartman: Vikings GM Spielman faces unique draft challenges this year
As important as any moves Rick Spielman might make this year during the NFL draft is how coordinated the front office staff will be in making group decisions.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Odds Shark has released its Big Ten football championship odds for 2020 and the Gophers rank seventh at 25-1. Ahead of them are…
Hartman: 'Lose and Love It' crowd strong as ever in Minnesota sports
Sid Hartman says that one of his mentors told him that as much as fans liked to win, they found just as much entertainment complaining about their favorite teams.
Hartman: NFL draft without fans is nothing new
For Vikings fans of a certain age, it might seem impossible that the draft will still be televised and take place without a big audience cheering or booing each pick.
Hartman: Wolves look for hope in midst of another difficult season
The team was undergoing a major makeover without much success either on the floor or at the gate when the NBA season shut down.
Hartman: Shutdown providing Fleck more problems than others face
When it comes to Gophers football, coach P.J. Fleck's squad is being put at a real disadvantage for two reasons by the total shutdown of college sports.
Hartman: Young players need to rise up for Vikings
It's hard to believe the team has lost so many quality players in such a short time. And it also shows how quickly the team is going to have to rebuild.
Hartman: U shines in athletics, academics
Beyond on-field success, the Gophers have high graduation rates and grade-point averages.
Hartman: Wolves owner Taylor hopeful NBA can return to action soon
The reason some remain hopeful for the NBA's return is leagues in Asia have restarted in the past week after taking two months off.
Hartman: Latest roster moves keeping Vikings flexible
Re-signing Kirk Cousins was the right decision by the Vikings, and other transactions are freeing up valuable salary cap space for moves that need to be made.
Sid's Jottings
SID’s JOTTINGS • Bud Grant’s biggest fans and cheerleaders, the 40 members of his immediate family including children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, will…
Hartman: Giving thanks at 100 for a long career
There have been a lot of twists and turns in my newspaper career, but this has to be one of the unique moments in all of my years of covering sports.
Sid Hartman is the World's Longest-Serving Newspaper Columnist — officially!
The hardest-working man in Minnesota sports, Sid Hartman, celebrates his 100th birthday today. He can also celebrate history. The Guinness World Records is officially naming…
Hartman: The sports world has stopped before, but it always returns
Sports have many times taken a back seat to much larger concerns in the country, but they have also been a key part of holding Minnesota and the country together during difficult times.
Hartman: The joy of sports keeps me working
"One of the most important parts of my career as a sportswriter and columnist has been the relationships I have built with sources," writes Sid Hartman, who turns 100 on Sunday.
Hartman: Can the Vikings afford to re-sign Cousins?
Kirk Cousins' numbers rank with the NFL's best. He has one year left with the Vikings but it's a deal that has a salary cap hit that leaves little room for other players.
Hartman: Health of Buxton, Kepler are key to Twins success
Byron Buxton and Max Kepler are both working their way back from offseason injuries, and while Kepler has played in three games in spring, Buxton has yet to make an appearance.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • One reason the Vikings could have a chance to re-sign Everson Griffen at a discount is there are a number of great…
Hartman: Fleck's search for next wave of U football starters begins
The Gophers graduated 15 players from an 11-2 team, including nine on defense and several of the team's top stars on offense.
Hartman: New Big Ten chief Warren upbeat and ready to tackle issues
In a one-on-one interview, former Vikings COO Kevin Warren said the job of Big Ten commissioner is everything he expected, but there are changes he wants to make a priority as he starts his new career.
Hartman: Title drought gets longer but Gophers cling to NCAA hopes
Technically, the Gophers' last Big Ten title was from the 1981-1982 season, when Jim Dutcher led a squad that featured center Randy Breuer and guard Trent Tucker
Hartman: Offseason moves should keep Twins atop AL Central
ESPN.com ran a list this week of the top clubs in baseball and had the Twins ranked fifth overall and the best in the improved AL Central.
Hartman: Wilfs invest more than $1 billion into state of Minnesota
The Wilf family, which owns the Vikings, continues to believe it is doing the right thing by putting its own money into the community, both at U.S. Bank Stadium and in Eagan at the TCO Performance Center.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • This weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the United States men’s hockey team defeating the Soviet Union in the “Miracle on Ice” at…
Hartman: Griffen's likely exit should help ease Vikings' cap problems
Salary cap trouble is going to be the big story for the Vikings this offseason, much like it was last year, and the national media has noticed.
Hartman: Garver ready to take over as Twins' full-time catcher
It was a historic 2019 season for Mitch Garver in terms of power, but he also believes the experience he got behind the plate can carry over to this year.
Hartman: Zimmer knows Vikings defense needs big improvement
The Vikings defense ranked only 14th in 2019, and it was gashed by running backs far too often.
Hartman: Morneau to work 80 Twins games on TV as profile keeps rising
Justin Morneau has taken off in broadcasting and public relations roles for the Twins. This year he will work 80 games on TV as Bert Blyleven's role continues to be reduced.
Hartman: Despite struggles, owner Taylor still believes in Saunders
Wolves owner Glen Taylor said that at no point during this season, including the 5-27 streak before the trade deadline, has he considered firing coach Ryan Saunders
Hartman: Twins owner Pohlad believes team has 'World Series-caliber organization'
Twins owner Jim Pohlad explained how the front-office team of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine approached him with the plan to sign a player like Donaldson to a four-year, $92 million deal, the richest in club history.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Marty Davis, the CEO of Cambria, is a big baseball fan, and the company is set to host the Cambria Classic at U.S.…
Hartman: After flurry of trades, Rosas and Towns must lead Wolves
It's hard to recall a week in Minnesota sports history with such a dramatic burst of trade activity involving two local professional teams.
Hartman: New commissioner Warren great for Big Ten, Coyle says
Kevin Warren, the former chief financial officer of the Vikings, took over as Big Ten commissioner for the retiring Jim Delany last month.
Hartman: Twins end Donaldson's long wait for big payday
He has never had a contract of longer than two seasons before now.
Hartman: Wolves hurt on the court, and in the stands
After beginning the season with some promise, the Timberwolves have been on a 5-24 slide. Home attendance has dropped to 14,569 per game, the lowest in the league, according to ESPN.
Hartman: Healthier Kepler prepares for another big season for Twins
One of the Twins' best front-office decisions last year was signing Max Kepler to a contract that locked him into the team's plans through 2024.
Hartman: One season ago, no one gave the Twins a chance
Last spring, ESPN had 31 experts across their baseball departments pick who they thought would win the AL Central, and only three picked the Twins while the remaining 28 picked the Indians.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS • Twins President Dave St. Peter gave a health update on several players: “[Byron Buxton] got a full clean bill of health…
Hartman: Twins scout Guerrero landed both Sano, Polanco as teens
Fred Guerrero continues to spot, develop talent in the Dominican Republic and Latin America.
Hartman: Super Bowl stories for Mahomes, Shanahan started in Twin Cities
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan were born here when their dads were working for the Twins and Gophers.
Hartman: Fleck engineered historic Gophers turnaround
When the history of Gophers football is written, you will not be able pass up the fact that only three years ago, this program was in its worst straits ever when P.J. Fleck took over as coach.
Sid's jottings
JOTTINGS• Brian Gutekunst, the son of former Gophers football coach John Gutekunst, is in his second season as general manager of the Packers,…
Hartman: Pohlads spend big to build Twins into a contender
Josh Donaldson's $92 million deal is the latest example debunking the myth that Twins ownership has been frugal.
Hartman: Vikings trail rival Packers in talent, cap space
Tough roster choices are ahead for the Vikings, needed to free up salary and see if developing players are ready. Overall, the Packers appear to have a more competitive roster than the Vikings' from top to bottom.
Hartman: Instead of playoff magic, Vikings simply disappear in defeat
This loss doesn't take away from a very good season, but the front office will have a lot of question marks as it prepares for what's ahead, including some tough salary calls.
Hartman: Three big signings saved Vikings' year
Some savvy salary cap moves kept Kyle Rudolph, Anthony Barr and Everson Griffen as part of a playoff team.
Hartman: Did we just see the best week ever for Gophers and Vikings?
There's an argument to be made that last week was the best stretch of football for the Gophers and the Vikings since the NFL came to Minnesota.