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Will Cousins stay aggressive? + Hidden offensive line woes + Gophers vs. Badgers showdown Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

It's Tuesday Morning Nickelback time on Daily Delivery, as host Michael Rand welcomes in the usual trio of guests to break down all the big Vikings and Gophers story lines.

2:00: Andrew Krammer joins for Vikings film review, where he takes a look at Justin Jefferson continuing to make big plays -- and Kirk Cousins continuing to push the ball to him downfield. Rand points out that Cousins was pressured at the second-highest rate in the league this past week -- nearly 50% of his dropbacks -- but had by far the most passing yards under pressure. Will he continue to be aggressive even when facing pressure?

15:00: My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team brings us five -- yes, one for every Vikings win -- haiku poems this week. Most of it seems to revel in the Packers losing.

29:00: Randy Johnson joins for a Gophers football update ahead of Saturday's huge game against Wisconsin. Depending on what Iowa and Purdue do this weekend, the game could be for the Big Ten West title.

Patrick Reusse on the Vikings' luck, Gophers' opportunity, Loons' collapse and Wolves' surge Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. It was a mostly positive set of results in Minnesota, including:

*The Vikings held off the Packers 34-31 thanks to some late-game heroics and some good fortune that included getting the benefit of a few critical officiating calls. Reusse says Vikings fans can't complain about the referees after that one. Rand notes how the narrative today would be totally different had a late Kirk Cousins interception not been overturned upon review. But the bottom line is Minnesota took a huge win and evened its record at 5-5.

*The Gophers gave themselves a chance at the Big Ten West title with a breezy 35-14 win over Indiana on Saturday. Now the path is clear: If Iowa loses to Nebraska, Purdue defeats Indiana and the Gophers beat Wisconsin next weekend, Minnesota will be the Big Ten West champion. Just don't ask Patrick what the name of the Gophers stadium is.

*Minnesota United started fast in its playoff game Sunday against Portland, but the Timbers controlled the final 70 minutes of the match in a 3-1 result that ended the Loons' season.

*Three wins in a row for the Timberwolves have helped change the narrative on that season, at least for now.

Vikings vs. Packers: A view from Green Bay; NFL picks; Wild and Wolves get the message Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: Chris Finch and Dean Evason delivered messages to their teams before both of them played Thursday. Finch and veteran guard Patrick Beverley implored the Wolves to be professional coming off a win Wednesday against the Kings and follow it with a good showing against San Antonio. Evason juggled his lines after a 4-1 Wild loss to San Jose. The verdict? Messages received loud and clear. Both teams delivered blowout victories and looked about as good as they have at any point this season.

5:00: Longtime Wisconsin-based NFL writer and radio host Jason Wilde joins the show to help set up Sunday's game between the Vikings and Packers. What does Wilde think of all the Aaron Rodgers drama and his future in Green Bay? How much will a recent lack of practice time for Rodgers hurt in Sunday's game? Those questions are answered and much more.

19:00: Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig joins for his weekly NFL picks segment and to offer more perspectives on Sunday's big game at U.S. Bank Stadium. He thinks the Packers will prevail, but the NFL has been hard to predict this season.

Trade Byron Buxton? No way; Ryan Suter's return; Chris Finch yells, Wolves respond Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: A piece in The Athletic this week indicated there is an expectation within MLB that Byron Buxton will be traded by the Twins. Though there wasn't much news beyond what has already been reported -- the sides keep talking about a new contract but can't agree on terms; the Twins worry about his injury history but also the backlash for letting him go -- it was a reminder that we're into the baseball offseason with no resolution in sight. And it's also an opportunity to restate this: trading Buxton would be a giant mistake that the Twins would regret on multiple levels.

7:00: Star Tribune Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins the show to give an evaluation of the team after 15 games. Though there have been some rough edges, including sluggish starts from Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala and a certain lack of sharpness in keeping pucks out of the net, a 10-5 record bodes well for the rest of this season. And the new-look Wild blue line will greet an old friend Thursday when Ryan Suter's Dallas Stars visit Xcel Energy Center.

26:00: The Wolves only collected half of all available defensive rebounds in Wednesday's game against the Kings, leading coach Chris Finch to raise his voice at halftime. The response came after the break, with Minnesota getting a much-needed 107-97 win. But defensive rebounding remains a big issue.

Minnesota United's Adrian Heath + Bench Tanner Morgan? + Vikings a playoff team? Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand watched most of Tuesday's Wild game with a level of concern, though clearly not alarm over the 4-1 loss to San Jose . Even with a 10-5 start to the season, there have been some cracks in the Wild's game that showed up again in the loss -- including a lack of production from Kevin Fiala and Kirill Kaprizov. Then again, if you have Dish Network you weren't able to watch the game anyway -- nor will you be able to see anything on Bally Sports North.

5:00: Minnesota United manager Adrian Heath joins the show in advance of Sunday's playoff game in Portland. The Loons started the year 0-4 and left themselves little margin for error, but they rallied and on the last day of the year secured a postseason berth for the third consecutive season. When fully healthy, Minnesota United can play with anyone. Will they be fit in the playoffs and offer further vindication for Heath over his doubters?

21:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show and debates three main points with Rand: Should the Gophers bench QB Tanner Morgan? Are the Vikings a playoff team? And do the Wolves need patience or a major shakeup?

38:00: Are you ready for Crypto.com Arena?

The sequence that saved the Vikings' season; Vikings poetry!; Gophers miss an opportunity Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: One show. Three football guests. That's what we do on Tuesday Morning Nickelback.

2:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins to break down film of the 27-20 win over the Chargers, including a key sequence in the third quarter in which the offense and defense were in sync about as well as they have been all season. Mike Zimmer dialed up key blitzes to help get the Vikings off the field, and the offense took those opportunities and turned a 17-13 deficit into a 27-17 lead.

12:00: What if you could get a recap of the Vikings game in haiku form? That is the latest wrinkle on this week's My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team.

24:00: Randy Johnson joins the show to look back at the Gophers' disappointing 27-22 loss at Iowa, and what it means in the context of their season. Familiar problems resurfaced even as Minnesota played the style it wanted to play.

Guts and glory: Patrick Reusse on the Vikings win, Gophers loss and more Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand for a look back at an important weekend in Minnesota sports.

They started with the Vikings, who played one of their most complete games of the season when they needed it the most -- and punctuated a 27-20 win over the Chargers with some fourth-quarter aggressiveness on offense. A touchdown extended their lead, and a few key plays let them run out the clock instead of relying on defense for a stop at the end.

The Gophers football team, meanwhile, displayed none of that aggressiveness. Though Minnesota outgained Iowa by more than 100 yards and held the ball for twice as long as the Hawkeyes, settling for field goals and failing to make enough big plays in the passing game doomed the Gophers to a 27-22 loss that almost closed the door on Big Ten title aspirations.

Reusse and Rand also talked about the Gophers men's basketball team's surprising 3-0 start, the Wolves falling flat after demolishing the Lakers and an epic Division III football game.

Who hates Iowa?; NFL picks; Powerless Wild power play; KAT needs to lead Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: The Wild had a chance to make an early-season statement against Vegas, the team that knocked Minnesota out of the playoffs a year ago. Instead, the Wild fell behind and couldn't complete a furious rally, losing 3-2 and going 0-for-6 on the power play in the road loss. Beat writer Sarah McLellan checks in with a "voicemail" from Las Vegas to help break it down.

4:00: Host Michael Rand isn't buying Karl-Anthony Towns' frustration with losing and thinks KAT has to own it instead of suggesting that it is merely happening to him.

6:00: Iowa-based radio host and writer Andrew Downs joins the show to help set up Saturday's big game between the Gophers and Hawkeyes down in Iowa. Both teams have had setbacks lately, but both are still tied for the Big Ten West lead. Plenty is at stake, and Downs will help set it all up from an Iowa perspective.

20:00: NFL/Vikings writer Mark Craig joins the show for the weekly picks segment, and perhaps against his better judgment he likes the Vikings to win on Sunday against the Chargers.

36:00: Olympic gymnast Suni Lee of St. Paul says she was the victim of a racist attack.

Opposite day for surging Wild, sinking Wolves; NFL agent Leigh Steinberg on Aaron Rodgers Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: If you were excited about the Wild and the Timberwolves at the start of their seasons, you probably feel differently about one of those teams now. Wednesday was a microcosm of the starts to their years, with the Wild surging to a 9-3 record thanks to a lopsided win over Arizona while the Wolves fell to 3-7 with their sixth consecutive loss -- this one at Golden State. For the Wild, scoring balance and confidence seem to be key. For the Wolves, who lost despite 48 points from Anthony Edwards, confidence and execution is in short supply these days.

9:00: Longtime NFL agent Leigh Steinberg joins host Michael Rand on the show for a look at how Aaron Rodgers has handled the COVID vaccine controversy, the changes Steinberg has seen in four decades in the business and to answer once and for all whether he was the inspiration for Tom Cruise's character in "Jerry Maguire."

28:00: The Vikings have a tough task ahead of them this weekend.

Jim Souhan on Vikings' tumble, vaccines, Wolves woes and more Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

Introduction: The Timberwolves have lost five games in a row, and a big culprit has been their play down the stretch of games. They have a net rating of minus-31 in the fourth quarter of games this season, and the mark is even worse during "clutch" situations. Can they figure that out and steer out of this skid? Perhaps, but an increasingly difficult schedule won't help.

6:00: Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan joins host Michael Rand to break down some of what he has witnessed with the 3-5 Vikings so far this season. Souhan also dives into the issue of vaccinations, which played a role in the most recent Vikings loss (minus Harrison Smith) and Packers loss (minus Aaron Rodgers). And it sounds like Souhan isn't impressed with the Gophers football team and the timing of P.J. Fleck's contract extension.

25:00: The Gophers basketball teams opened Tuesday, with the men getting Ben Johnson's first win and the women losing a stunner to Jacksonville.

28:00: Troubling allegations against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

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