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Walking off the Yankees + La Velle E. Neal III on cheating and bad fans Jun 11, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Michael Rand was three outs away from completely burying the Twins. And then four lasers -- two of them no-doubt two-run homers -- gave them a 7-5 walk-off win over the Yankees and closer Aroldis Chapman. It probably doesn't mean anything in the big picture of a lost season, but small moments along the way are still worthwhile.

7:00: Columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to talk about baseball's longstanding culture of cheating and the latest scandal involving pitchers using illegal substances on the ball to improve performance. And Neal and Rand talk about bad fan behavior at games, a problem that has reared its head in recent NBA playoff games.

28:00: Trading Danielle Hunter would be the easy solution for the Vikings, but not the best one. And farewell to the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL playoffs.

Kirk Cousins stays free of drama + Should the Olympics be happening? Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand listened to Kirk Cousins' session with Vikings reporters on Wednesday and couldn't help but notice how drama-free things are in Minnesota right now -- particularly compared to the situation in Green Bay. Cousins talked about watching film of every game he's played in the NFL in an attempt to get better and also welcoming new QB Kellen Mond with open arms. No game shows. No missing practice. Just a nice quiet June.

6:00: Rachel Blount joins the show to talk about Minnesota's Olympic hopefuls and what to watch for in key U.S. trials in swimming + diving, track + field and gymnastics in the next couple of weeks. Blount and Rand also look into the big question overshadowing the games: Should they even be happening given the state of COVID-19 in Japan and fears of an outbreak?

28:00: Josh Donaldson vs. Gerrit Cole ended with a fizzle on Wednesday, especially if you're a Twins fan. Cole got whatever revenge he wanted by striking out Donaldson in his first two at-bats.

Rod Carew on modern hitting; Aaron Rodgers drama escalates Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Aaron Rodgers didn't show up for the first day of "mandatory" minicamp with the Packers, adding another layer to his ongoing standoff with the organization. Teammates said they have his back while also hoping that he will return. In the mean time, the QB drafted a year ago to replace him -- Jordan Love -- had his share of struggles running the offense Tuesday.

6:00: Hall of Famer Rod Carew joins the show to talk about his new book, his impending new podcast and modern hitting. The former AL MVP and seven-time batting champion thinks hitters these days are trying too hard to hit home runs, which has as much to do with low batting averages as anything else.

22:00: Gerrit Cole addressed the media Tuesday and sure didn't sound like an innocent bystander in the illegal substances scandal. All eyes will be on Target Field on Wednesday when Cole pitches against the Twins and Josh Donaldson, the third baseman who named Cole as one of the pitchers doctoring the baseball.

28:00: Nikola Jokic, from draft afterthought to NBA MVP.

Cheating showdown: Twins' Josh Donaldson vs. Yankees' Gerrit Cole Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Michael Rand takes a spin through the NBA playoffs, where the Nets are cruising past the Bucks even without James Harden. It shows the value of having a Big Three -- and being able to withstand injuries to one of them as a result. It's what the Lakers couldn't do, and it's what the Wolves hope to build.

5:00: Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins the show to preview the upcoming Twins vs. Yankees series, to give an update on the Twins' returning to health in some key areas and to set up the likely big showdown of the week: Josh Donaldson vs. Gerrit Cole. The Twins third baseman has implicated Cole as a main offender in MLB's emerging controversy about pitchers using foreign substances to increase the spin rate on their pitches. Cole is slated to pitch Wednesday's game.

Patrick Reusse on all-time choke jobs + trade Berrios? Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend, which included a dramatic collapse at the U.S. Open by women's golfer Lexi Thompson. It brings to mind two things: 1) Golf is the loneliest sport and most agonizing to watch when a player falls apart; 2) Minnesota fans are no strangers to watching such performances.

Also on the show: A discussion of the resurgent Lynx, who won their third consecutive game Sunday after an 0-4 start. And a look at the Twins, who start a series with the Yankees on Tuesday but who also could soon be in "sell" mode with some of their key players -- including pitcher Jose Berrios.

Ex-Packers writer Tyler Dunne breaks down Aaron Rodgers vs. Green Bay Jun 04, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes a look at Wild GM Bill Guerin's end-of-year comments and takes issue with Guerin's assertion that this year proved the Wild doesn't need a No. 1 center. Maybe that was true in the regular season, but in the playoffs top-end center play was absolutely a glaring weakness that needs to be addressed at some point.

5:00: Tyler Dunne, who covered Aaron Rodgers for four seasons and now writes about a variety of in-depth NFL topics at golongtd.com, joins Rand for a breakdown of what's going on between Rodgers and Green Bay. Who's to blame, how did we get here, and how does Dunne think this will ultimately play out?

27:00: The Twins have been decimated by injuries, but don't let that steal the narrative around their pitching staff. It's been flat-out bad, as evidenced by an overall 4.68 ERA that ranks No. 25 in the majors, and that's come with many of the organization's preferred pitchers working at the start and end of games.

Joe Mauer on dingers and dad life; Marcus Fuller on Gophers recruiting Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Joe Mauer joins Michael Rand to talk about his charity softball home run derby at Target Field on June 15, which will feature plenty of other notable Twins greats like Jim Thome and Justin Morneau. Mauer has been keeping plenty busy since retirement with his three kids, but he's looking forward to crushing some softballs over the fence for a good cause. He gives thoughts on this year's Twins, dad life and the trash talk between teammates.

8:00: Using the Mauer segment as a jumping off point, Rand talks about the 2011 Twins and how this year's team has some unfortunate parallels. Among them: What might be the start of a decline in the play of Nelson Cruz, much like we witnessed with Thome a decade ago.

13:00: Marcus Fuller joins the show to talk about Gophers men's basketball recruiting, the transfer portal and what to expect now that new coach Ben Johnson can start meeting with recruits face to face during a critical period in the program's future.

Zach Parise's exit interview + Twins OF Rob Refsnyder tells his story Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

Intro: The Wild had a series of end-of-year interview sessions with players on Tuesday, including forward Zach Parise. His future will be a big question during the offseason -- even after he said Tuesday that he plans to be here for the foreseeable future. You'll hear Michael Rand's thoughts as well as audio of several interesting things Parise had to say.

8:00: Twins outfielder Rob Refsnyder has been one of the feel-good stories on this year's team. The journeyman, playing for his fifth MLB team since 2017, is hitting .320 and has provided a spark for a team decimated by injuries. He joins the podcast to talk about his approach to hitting, how grateful he is for this season and being a new dad.

25:00: The Blazers lost an all-time classic to the Nuggets on Tuesday, with Damian Lillard scoring 55 points in the double overtime defeat. The game should make you long for the Wolves to be a true playoff contender -- and Nikola Jokic's overall excellence should make you want more from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Patrick Reusse on Dark Star, Tom Thibodeau and the Wild Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Intro: Minnesota's summer teams are starting to win a little more after very slow starts, but host Michael Rand says their struggles are a cautionary tale for the Wild going forward. Expectations were high for the Twins, Lynx and Minnesota United, but all three have struggled. Expectations for the Wild will similarly be high next season, but sports keeps proving that we should take nothing for granted.

5:00: Patrick Reusse joins the show. He and Rand talk about Tom Thibodeau's struggling Knicks and what seems to be their inevitable pursuit of Jimmy Butler plus the legacy of local sports media personality Dark Star, who died nine years ago today.

29:00 Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open offers a lesson in how media access should be handled.

Special Delivery: After Game 7 loss, where does Wild go from here? May 29, 2021

Show notes

Michael Rand breaks down the Wild's 6-2 loss to Vegas in Game 7 of their opening round playoff series, then is joined by Star Tribune beat writer Sarah McLellan for a bigger picture look at what the Wild learned during the playoffs and what roster decisions are looming going forward for a team that hopes to take another step next season. Who will the Wild lose in expansion? How does it afford free agents? And does Zach Parise still have a role?

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