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Paige Bueckers, millionaire? Plus Gophers football talk and a huge golf event Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Guest host Christina Long talks name, image and likeness after news that local star Paige Bueckers has trademarked her nickname, “Paige Buckets.” Bueckers stands to make $1 million in the next year. With another Minnesota superstar heading to college in Suni Lee, it’s possible that two Twin Cities natives could be making a sizable amount from their name, image and likeness while in school -- a huge change for amateur athletes under this brand new rule. Big names like Bueckers and future Ohio State quarterback Quinn Ewers have made headlines for their potential earnings, but what might new NIL rules do for athletes without their star power and name recognition?

7:00: Former Gophers women’s golf coach Michele Redman joins the show to talk about the Land ‘O’ Lakes Legends Classic, which starts Thursday with a pro-am before the two-day tournament tees off Friday. The tournament is a brand-new event that Redman helped start in order to bring the LPGA’s senior tour to Minnesota.

13:00: Gophers beat writer Randy Johnson returns to Daily Delivery for a college football preview. The Gophers held media day Tuesday and started fall camp Wednesday as they prepare to open the season Sept. 2 against heavyweight conference foe Ohio State. After a successful 2019 and a lackluster 2020 that was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, coach P.J. Fleck and the Gophers are looking to get back to their pre-pandemic form. Plus, players such as Mo Ibrahim and Tanner Morgan last week sought to spread the NIL love to some of their less recognized peers: the offensive line.

Vikings' league-worst vaccination rate + Jeff Gladney fallout Aug 04, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes a look at Tuesday's big Vikings news, with 2020 first round pick Jeff Gladney indicted by a grand jury and later released by the team. We can acknowledge that the Vikings did the correct thing in quickly condemning and moving on from Gladney while also pointing out that their recent history with first-round picks -- outside of the fantastic Justin Jefferson -- has been pretty suspect. ... You'll also hear from Wild head coach Dean Evason in the opening segment as he comments on the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

6:00: Columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to provide his thoughts on the other big Vikings story of the week: the continued absence of Kirk Cousins from camp as he is sidelined due to COVID protocols. A report in the Washington Post says the Vikings have the lowest vaccination rate of any NFL team. Why is that, and how much of an impact will it have this season? Scoggins also weighs in on why the Jose Berrios trade is nothing to celebrate and expresses some Gophers football optimism.

28:00: The Twins have been bad this season, but it's not Jorge Polanco's fault. And keep the Wolves in the Western Conference, I always say.

Mike Zimmer doubles down on vaccines + Wolves free agency preview Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand notes the tone of Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who again Monday was without three quarterbacks -- including starter Kirk Cousins and third-round pick Kellen Mond -- as they are sidelined by the league's COVID protocols. Zimmer's exasperation with players who don't get the vaccine was on plain display and for good reason. First and foremost it's a matter of public health. Beyond that, and perhaps more urgent in a direct way for Zimmer, unvaccinated players could have a serious impact on wins and losses this season.

5:00: Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show to look at NBA free agency. Monday's opening was quiet for the Wolves as several mid-tier players jumped to new teams. Minnesota figures to think both small and big, though, along the way -- and could be poised to make the kind of splash President Gersson Rosas covets.

27:00: Rand is worried about the hamstring of Josh Donaldson, who hasn't played since Wednesday.

Patrick Reusse on Vikings' COVID QB nightmare, Berrios trade Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand is joined by Patrick Reusse for a look at the latest Vikings' trip up, which has landed three of their quarterbacks in the NFL's COVID protocols and made head coach Mike Zimmer plenty mad. Vaccinated QB Kellen Mond reportedly has COVID, while presumably unvaccinated starter Kirk Cousins is a close contact. That forced Jake Browning into heavy duty at a recent night practice and has the Vikings scrambling for camp bodies this week. It could be worse -- like, say, this happening during the season -- but it underscores what's possible when players aren't vaccinated. Maybe the extra $100 being offered by the state of Minnesota will convince Cousins to get his shots?

14:00: Reusse and Rand, who disagree somewhat on just how good Jose Berrios is, examine the blockbuster trade from Friday from the standpoint of what the Twins gained and lost.

23:00: Soccer talk, which is rare on this segment! The Loons were robbed. Team USA takes the Gold Cup in men's soccer but loses in the Olympic semifinals to Canada in women's soccer.

Special delivery! Berrios, trade deadline analysis with La Velle E. Neal III Jul 30, 2021

Show notes

In this special edition of Daily Delivery, La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune joins Michael Rand to break down a very active trade deadline for the Twins.

The headline move was a trade of two-time All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios to the Blue Jays for two top prospects, but the Twins made four deals since the beginning of last week -- receiving seven players, six of them pitchers, in return.

What do the deals for Nelson Cruz, Berrios, J.A. Happ and Hansel Robles tell us about the Twins? When might we see some of the new players debut for the Twins? And just how excited should we be about the haul from Toronto, which consisted of top-100 MLB prospects in outfielder Austin Martin and right handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson?

Breaking down the Rubio trade + Wild's Alex Goligoski joins the show Jul 30, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand dissects the Wolves-related events Thursday -- namely the trade (again) of Ricky Rubio and the decision not to jump into an NBA Draft in which they held no picks at the start of the evening. While the Rubio deal for Taurean Prince, a second-round pick and some cap room is hardly a blockbuster, it has benefits for the Wolves. And let's face it: Rubio was a subpar player for a lot of last season and wasn't going to be here much longer regardless.

12:00: Alex Goligoski, the headliner among three defensemen already signed by the Wild in free agency, joins the show to talk about returning to Minnesota to play professionally and how excited he is about the Wild's prospects this season. And happy birthday to Goligoski, the former Gophers standout, who turned 36 on Friday.

25:00: Another look at the MLB trade deadline, which is fast-approaching at 3 p.m. Friday. The Twins have only made one deal so far. That figures to change as the day goes on.

Special Delivery! Minnesota's Suni Lee wins Olympics gymnastics gold Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

On this special episode of Daily Delivery, host Michael Rand checks in with Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan, who is in Tokyo along with Rachel Blount covering one of the biggest stories in Minnesota sports history: Suni Lee, the 18-year-old gymnast from St. Paul, won the Olympic gold medal in the women's all-around competition on Thursday morning. You'll hear Souhan's perspective on just how amazing this is, how it fits into the context of Minnesota sports history and how Lee's bravery in competing at the highest level sits side-by-side with Simon Biles' bravery in pulling out of the competition.

Rand is then joined by Star Tribune reporter Zoe Jackson, who was in Oakdale with about 300 Lee supporters for a watch party early Thursday. You'll hear audio of the moment Jackson was talking to Lee's sister when Suni called on FaceTime from Tokyo, sending the watch party into an eruption of cheers.

And Star Tribune Olympics editor Naila-Jean Meyers talks us through just how Lee was able to pull off a nearly flawless set of routines, and the strategy involved in bringing home Olympic gold.

Trade Jose Berrios right now + Wild's free agent moves analyzed Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Intro: The Twins lost 17-14 to Detroit, becoming the first team in MLB history to outhomer an opponent by a margin of seven (7-0 in this case) and lose. When you give up 17 runs, naturally host Michael Rand wants you to ... trade your best pitcher? Wait, what? Yep, now more than ever Rand is convinced that Jose Berrios -- with rumors heating up that teams are interested -- should be dealt before Friday's deadline.

5:00: Want some better news? Minnesota United came back for a dramatic draw against LAFC on Wednesday, pulling even late in stoppage time on Hassani Dotson's absolute rocket from 18 yards out.

7:00: The Wild was active early in free agency, signing three players on Wednesday -- highlighted by 36-year-old Minnesota native Alex Goligoski to anchor the defense. Rand has a question, though: Why spend $5 million on Goligoski even for one year after buying out another 36-year-old defenseman, Ryan Suter?

10:00: Star Tribune outdoors writer Bob Timmons joins the podcast to preview his special report on the Cuyuna State Recreation Area and all the good things happening there with mountain biking, other outdoor activities and -- perhaps most crucially -- economic development.

27:00: The NBA Draft is tonight, but the Wolves enter the evening without a first-round pick for the first time since 2012 and the second time since 2004.

29:00: Aaron Rodgers still sounds unhappy!

Back and forth with a Wisconsin fan about Rodgers, Packers and Badgers Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand offers perspective on Simone Biles, the dominant U.S. gymnast who pulled out of the team and individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympics this week while citing her mental well-being as the reason. Jim Souhan had a very good column in Wednesday's paper on the subject, and Rand echoes the need for empathy as we watch athletes compete at the highest level. That extends to the Twins, too, who had another spectacular defeat in a difficult season Thursday.

7:00: Star Tribune Editorial Editor Scott Gillespie joins the show to talk about all things Wisconsin sports -- including, primarily, Aaron Rodgers and his return to the Packers. Gillespie, a known fan of teams across the border, had good thoughts on how fans feel about all this and what his hopes and dreams are for this season.

28:00: NHL free agency begins Wednesday, with the Wild perhaps pursuing an upgrade at center. Rand outlines one key stat that suggests reinforcements are very necessary.

Aaron Rodgers is back, but is Josh Donaldson on the way out? Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

Intro: In a drama-filled 24 hours, we needed to get to one important story at the beginning of the show. Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay QB who has been unhappy with the Packers for months and looked to be on the brink of sitting out training camp, arrived in Green Bay late Monday and appears headed toward at least a one-year truce to play for the Packers in 2021. That's a big deal across the NFL and particularly for the Vikings.

6:00: Gymnastics and swimming drama at the Olympics stole the show Monday night and very early Tuesday morning.

9:00: Star Tribune summer intern Christina Long joins the show to talk about Lakeville swimmer Regan Smith and all the support she is getting from her club team while swimming at the Olympics. Long also discusses the challenges of intern life and her journey from Arkansas to Minnesota.

23:00: The latest rumblings before the MLB trade deadline suggest that the Brewers are interested in Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson. If the Twins end up moving Donaldson, it will be another signal about how they feel about 2022.

29:00: A Mitch Garver quote you don't want to miss.

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