KFYR-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Lee Timmerman
ltimmerman@kfyrtv.com

The Timberwolves and the NBA Draft
Guest blog: Bill Halter (Weekend Sports Anchor)
6-24-08

The NBA is unlike the NFL in the sense that the NBA conducts its draft a couple of weeks after the end of the season. The NFL has its draft three months after the season to keep the league in the news throughout the entire year. Think about it -- the NFL has a mini-camp in May and training camp in June just to keep a buzz going about the country`s most popular sport.

The Timberwolves have never moved up in the draft lottery and that was again the case this year, but they did get the pick they were supposed to, Number-3. And what they do will greatly affect the rest of the lottery portion of the draft.

Kevin McHale has been in charge of Wolves personnel decisions since 1995 and on the whole, it has been a debacle. I mean, he has done to this team the same thing a baby does to a diaper, but he has been right on since pulling the trigger on the Kevin Garnett trade. KG got a ring, which was satisfying for me as a fan of his, but the Wolves also got a good deal in the trade. Al Jefferson is 23 and will be a slightly less talented version of Tim Duncan for the next decade. The Celtics also traded Ryan Gomes, who is a restricted free agent and a guy the Wolves should re-sign. In addition, the Wolves got a couple of expiring contracts and multiple draft picks. After the Garnett trade, McHale started emptying bad contracts.
-He traded Trenton Hassell`s outrageous contract for Greg Buckner who had a year less on his deal.
-And then he traded Ricky Davis and Mark Blount to Miami in a deal that will give them the Heat`s 1st round pick next year if it is outside the top 10. This deal was monumental because it was one in which McHale actually ripped another team off. I mean, Ricky Davis is as valuable to a team as the ebola virus.

So entering the draft I am optimistic the Wolves will do the right thing and draft O.J. Mayo. I would say I am cautiously optimistic, because McHale could easily drift back into terrible-decision-making mode and draft a player from Antarctica or trade the pick for a package of sweaters.

Assuming Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley are off the board, O.J. Mayo is the pick. The Wolves have committed to Randy Foye as their point guard, meaning they need a shooting guard -- and despite Mayo being the same height as Foye (6`4), he could be that shooting guard.

The only hesitation I have about Mayo is that he will get restless in Minnesota and want to play in a bigger market after his rookie contract expires, but nothing about him indicates he will be a problem off the court. At U.S.C. Mayo was a good teammate and passed more than he is given credit for. He was also a gritty defender. Ovintin J. Anthony Mayo should be the pick. He went through growing pains as a freshman but so do all freshmen. Mayo is a year older than most people in his class, but he is also more physically and mentally developed than most people in his class. The whole "taking money from an agent while at U.S.C." doesn`t concern me in the least, because I just can`t blame him for how that situation unfolded.

I see Mayo as a player who, in his prime, will average 25ppg, 6apg, 5rpg. He is in the mold of Dwayne Wade without the quickness and first step of Wade, but with a better outside shot.

McHale, keep the rebuilding train going and make the right pick.

High Fives for High School Tournaments
3-21-08

Congratulations to all of the teams and players who earned a state championship in February and March. It was fun bringing the excitement and emotion into your television set. The Grafton-Park River boys and the Fargo North girls won hockey titles. Bottineau claimed its third straight Class-B girls basketball championship. The girls from Mandan won a 6th consecutive basketball title trophy. The Bismarck boys are again the Class-A title holders and the Grafton boys claimed their first Class-B boys basketball championship in 71 years.

I would like to thank all of the dedicated professionals from the five NBC North Dakota Sports stations who make this possible. It`s not just the men and women who travel each week. When we`re away other individuals must pick up the slack. It takes roughly 20 people to televise a tournament which means the daily duties for those people have to be accomplished as well for it`s a grind for all of us.

If you did not hear H.S. Activities Association Executive Director Sherm Sylling on the final night of the "B", NBC North Dakota Sports was awarded a new five year contract to bring you the Dakota Bowl plus the Hockey and Basketball tournament`s. I believe our company became the exclusive television network for these high school events in 1988 so it`s two decades and counting!

Thanks again everyone and most importantly THANK YOU for watching.

A lot of work & A lot of Fun
1-10-08

I get asked often what is the best part of my job? The answer to that question is easy, televising sporting events live!

Most fans in our coverage area know NBC North Dakota Sports has made a long term committment to air the high school basketball, football and boys hockey tournaments, plus the KFYR-TV Bowling Classic.

Last year, we added events like the D-League Playoffs (including the Wizards championship game), NDSU football and University of Mary basketball.

We are once again going to televise a men`s & women`s doubleheader from Aberdeen. It actually kicks-off our live sports coverage in 2008.

Saturday, January 19th, U-Mary plays Northern State beginning at 6:00pm CT. This is quickly building into a solid rivalry in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

I often say television is just pictures and words. That`s true but there is so much more to it and our crew is excellent. It takes roughly 20 people to make the production happen.

Unless I`m missing something, here`s a list for the first few months of the new year.
January 19th - U-Mary at Northern State basketball doubleheader
February 3rd - 22nd Annual KFYR-TV Bowling Classic from Midway Lanes in Mandan
February 22nd,23rd - State H.S. Hockey Tournament in Grand Forks
February 28th,29th, March 1st - State H.S. Class-B Girls Basketball Tournament in Minot
March 7th,8th - State H.S. Class-A Boys & Girls Basketball Tournament in Bismarck.
March 13th,14th,15th - State H.S. Class-B Boys Basketball Tournament in Fargo.

Maybe the Wizards will make another run at the title and we can bring you that as well, who knows? I do know it`s a lot of work but it is also a lot of fun.

Eslinger in N.F.L., It`s about time!
11-15-07

Greg Eslinger finally received the break he was looking for! The Bismarck native is a member of the NFL`s Cleveland Browns. Cleveland signed Eslinger off of the Denver Broncos practice squad on November 14th.

After Greg helped the Demons win a AAA High School championship, and went on to become the most decorated offensive lineman in University of Minnesota history(he was a three-time All-American and he won the Outland and Rimington trophies his senior season) I figured he would continue that success in the N.F.L.

Something strange happened along the way. Despite being almost 300 pounds, Eslinger was considered too small and his NFL stock dropped. Greg was taken by Denver in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. He injured his shoulder in training camp and spent the season on the Broncos` injured list.

This year, he went to NFL Europa and performed so well he was selected to the All-League team. Then disappointment came again. He was one of the final cuts in camp, but Denver decided he was too good to let loose, so Eslinger was put on the practice squad.

When All-Pro center Tom Nalen suffered a season-ending injury, finally Eslinger`s dream seemed to come true. The Broncos needed a center and they had one right there who already knew all of the plays. But no, Denver signed another guy and Greg`s dream would have to wait.

After spending 10 weeks in pads during practice and in street clothes for the games, Cleveland had an injury and the Browns were the team that made Greg`s NFL dream come true. He is on the Browns 53-man active roster.

I just think Eslinger will make the most of this opportunity and show that he belongs in football`s highest level.

Falling Leaves Means Flying Footballs
10-11-07

I`m never ready for summertime weather to end but when the temperature tumbles and the leaves fall it does mean the start of one of the best sports times of the year in North Dakota. FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS!

It`s a treat bringing you highlights and results during the regular season but the intensity goes way up once the reality of your next loss ending the season sets in.

In AAA, it`s looking once again like Fargo South will not be challenged. The Bruins may have graduated 17 of the starting 22 positions on offense and defense but Kevin Feeney`s team is loaded. Last year, while South was blowing everyone out the reserves (this year`s starters) were getting a ton of varsity playing time.

In AA, Minot Bishop Ryan has played its way into the favorite role. The Lions are the only undefeated team in the division. Devils Lake dropped down to AA this year and the Firebirds (I still want to call them the Satans) look strong. Hazen has made it to the semi-finals in recent years. I wonder if this is the season the Bison make it to the Dakota Bowl?

In Class A, I don`t get the feeling they`re as dominant as South in AAA, but Harvey is close! Harvey is making the regular season look easy. The Hornets have been number one all year and they`ve bested number two Killdeer, number five Velva and Rugby (a highly regarded AA team).

9-Man always seems to be the least predictable, which often makes it the most fun to follow. Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter is number one and undefeated. Mott-Regent is number two and undefeated. I have a feeling they`ll have a post-season date in the near future. Divide County is always strong in the northwest. Hillsboro has received most of the "talk" out east.

I don`t know who is going to advance to the Fargodome. No one does, which is why sports is so fun!

What I do know is I am glad we (KFYR-TV, KVLY-TV, KQCD-TV, KUMV-TV, KMOT-TV) are a network that televises the Dakota Bowl live from the Fargodome on November 9th & 10th.

Let`s enjoy the high school playoff ride and we`ll crown the champions together next month, October 21st at 7 pm.

Two vs. Three Class System
9-12-07

In 2004, the member schools of the North Dakota High School Activities Association rejected (by a 120 to 49 vote) a bylaw change that would have allowed a third class for basketball and volleyball.

A three-class system is expected to be voted on again at the October General Assembly in Bismarck.

While volleyball is part of the discussion, basketball is the hot-button issue. The NDHSAA said no to a three-class system four times (1970, 1990, 1994, 2004) and it is my wish that it fail for a fifth time.

I think the Class-B Boys State Basketball Tournament is North Dakota`s best annual sporting event and I would hate to see it go away.

My home state of South Dakota went to three classes in 1986. I shake my head and use our southern neighbors as a shining example of what NOT to do!

The "B" captured the interest of the entire state and it didn`t matter if you called yourself a sports fan or not, you followed the "B"!

Losing the "B" would be the WORST thing North Dakota could do. The "B" is a reunion. Families get together, former players get together, friends get together, etc. I remember an interview we did at the "B" a few years ago with a North Dakota native living in California who was back for his 50th straight tournament; the stories are endless. But they would end if the NDHSAA goes to three classes.

How can I be so sure? I watched it happen in my home state. The three-class system eliminated the fan. I`m not talking about the people whose school made it to one of the three state tournaments. They`ll always be there. It`s so watered-down that a South Dakota state tournament seems more like a region tournament, and if your team is not there you don`t care.

We have an ongoing problem with declining enrollment. In 1982, 9,713 boys in 237 schools played basketball in North Dakota. In 2005, it was down to 3,382 boys in 166 schools. It seems to me that fewer players and fewer teams is not a reason to have more classes.

Ask a veteran basketball coach or player or fan from South Dakota who has experience in both, is the three-class better than two? I have, many times, and it shouldn`t shock you that the answer I received is two.

North Dakota has it right. The Class-A tournament is for the big schools, and the "B" is for everybody else.

Confessions of a NASCAR Nerd
August 28, 2007

I`ve always been a stock car racing fan but I didn`t realize how into it I was until a few years ago.

Let me set the scene. In 2005, I was blessed to have a series on the possibility of North Dakota going to a three class system selected as the National Broadcast Story of the Year by the National Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association (the National Print Story of the Year in `05 was done by Gary Smith of Sports Illustrated). It`s called the Powerade Award and it was part of the NSSA awards weekend in Salisbury, North Carolina.

One of the dinners that weekend was held at Childress Vineyards. Richard Childress owns three NASCAR cup teams and cars from each of the teams were on display that evening.

This is when I found out I was a NASCAR nerd. People from all across the country were gathered around the race cars and they started asking questions. I knew most of the answers.

This car was a short track car because of the height & angle of the spoiler, etc.

This one is a speedway car because of the front valance, lower spoiler, right side window, etc.

This one is a newer car than the other two because the ignition boxes are located on the dash (a new NASCAR rule at the time). The roof flaps work like this and they`re designed to keep the car from flying off the ground. They had questions and I had answers.

I enjoyed the conversation and I think most everyone was wondering how someone who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, would know this much about Cup cars. I`m obviously a NASCAR nerd.

I remember watching the first live flag-to-flag coverage of a NASCAR race in 1979 -- Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison wrecking and Bobby Allison getting into a fight with Yarborough on the back stretch.

Even though I watched the races, I didn`t get into them big-time until in-car camera`s improved the coverage and Jeff Gordon started driving.

The race would be on TV and I would tell my wife, Amber, "I know you don`t care, but you have to watch this kid drive!." She started paying attention and now she`s probably a bigger fan than I am.

On Sunday`s, when the Vikings are playing and there is a Cup race on, I`m watching racing. There, I said it, NASCAR over the NFL. If that`s not a NASCAR nerd, then I don`t know what is.

Second Time Around
8-14-07

Rog Higgins retired from KFYR-TV in 1989. I replaced Rog on April 1st of that year, so judging by the title of this, I am not the topic. What`s the line? "This is not my first rodeo."

"Second Time Around" refers to Bill Halter and Alison Adair, so it won`t be their first rodeo either! I am looking forward to the upcoming sports year because both Bill and Ali have been here a full year. The second time through, all of the fall, winter and spring sports will be so much easier for them, which in turn should lead to more and better stories for you to watch.

They know the coaches, they know the players and they now know what sports fans in this region want to see on a daily basis.

I know we have to touch on the national headlines, but the reason why we are here is to cover local sports. It`s what we do and it`s why you watch.

So thank you for watching and a reminder -- our "Team Sports" football coverage begins on Friday, August 24th. Before you know it, it`ll be time to televise the Dakota Bowl from the Fargodome.

Tick Is The Pick
8-01-07

The Dakota Wizards selected Duane Tickner to replace Dave Joerger as the next head coach. What makes this interesting is Joerger was the guy who replaced Ticknor as the Wizards head coach in 2000. Dave is now in the N.B.A. as an assistant coach for Memphis, and Tick`s name immediately came up again.

You never know how it would have played out, but I think there`s a good chance Bismarck would not have professional basketball right now if Ticknor had not come to the Capital City for the 1999-2000 season.

That`s a strong statement, but I believe it! Bismarck fielded basketball teams, but using the term "professional" to describe them would have been a stretch. In one year, Tick set the foundation for success that led Bismarck from the IBA to the CBA and now the NBA D-League.

I first met Duane when he was the head coach for USD-Springfield. A high school buddy of mine, Greg McCormick, played for Tick. After that college closed, Greg followed Ticknor to National College in Rapid City and they won a national championship there.

Duane has been out of pro basketball the last couple of years to coach his son David`s high school team. David will be going to college this fall, opening the door for his dad to jump back into the pro game. I think Tick`s return will be a smooth one. He has kept in touch with Joerger, and two other former assistants are also D-League coaches. He`ll be frustrated by some of the D-League rules, but he`ll find a way to work the system just like Joerger did.

This time around will be different, because saving a stumbling franchise won`t be needed. I also left Bismarck only to return. It has worked out great for me, and I think Tick will be able to say the same thing.

Where Did The Summer Go?
7/18/07

I know the calendar says the last week of July is still summer, but in the sports world, summer is nearly over. I always say summer ends when the Vikings go to training camp. They report to Mankato on July 25th and I believe practice starts on Friday the 27th.

A winter sport has also made summer seem short. How can that be? Basketball (in my mind) ends with March Madness. NBC North Dakota Sports televises the high school state tournaments, which conclude with the Class-B Boys in March. You may recall it snowed in the Bismarck area for a couple of weeks in early April, which put all of the spring sports on hold. Then we jumped right back into basketball by televising the Dakota Wizards playoff games. The Wizards won the D-League Championship on April 29th in front of a D-League playoff record crowd at the Civic Center, and in front of a TV audience that included KFYR-TV in Bismarck, KQCD-TV in Dickinson, KMOT-TV in Minot and KUMV-TV in Williston, but that`s not all... Our coverage was picked up by NBA-TV and sent to a nationwide and worldwide audience.

March Madness became April Madness and the madness of the high school sports year is set to begin in just a few weeks. We still have baseball tournaments going on, but as you can see, summer is nearly over. I don`t care what the calendar says!

Sister Stations: KMOT in Minot, KQCD in Dickinson, KUMV in Williston