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Patrick Reusse on Twins and college hoops + Ethan Casson on Wolves fans back at Target Center Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand to talk through an amazing weekend of sports. The men's and women's basketball Final Fours have been nothing short of spectacular, led by the heroics of Minnesotan Jalen Suggs for Gonzaga in Saturday's semifinal win. Plus the Twins rebounded from a tough loss in the opener to look quite impressive Saturday and Sunday. And what's up with the Thibs-like 44 minutes for Karl-Anthony Towns in the second game of a back-to-back?

Later in the show, Wolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson joins to talk about the return of fans at Target Center on Monday night. Though capacity will be limited -- as it will be Monday when fans are back at Xcel Energy Center for Wild vs. Colorado as well -- it is a significant marker on the road back to "normalcy."

A Twins opener meltdown + Paige Bueckers and superstardom Apr 02, 2021

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Chip Scoggins joins Michael Rand from the NCAA Women's Final Four in San Antonio to talk about his big story on former Hopkins standout Paige Bueckers, whose stardom has only continued to ascend in college. She was named the national women's player of the year -- the first freshman to win that award -- and has embraced everything along the way. How does she do it? And why aren't women's players able to leave college after one season to turn pro like their men's basketball counterparts?

At the outset, Rand breaks down what looked like a comfortable Twins opening day win that turned instead into a total ninth inning meltdown. New reliever Alexander Colome allowed three runs -- aided by his own mistake -- to let the Brewers tie, and Milwaukee won in extra innings. To make matters worse, Josh Donaldson was injured in the first inning.

And what's up with the Bally Sports North score ticker? Everyone has an opinion.

Twins season preview: Predictions and more with La Velle E. Neal III Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist and longtime Twins beat writer La Velle E. Neal III for a look ahead to the Twins season that starts Thursday in Milwaukee. Who will lead the Twins in a lot of different categories? What should we be concerned about? Did you know La Velle could do a pretty good impression of fellow columnist Patrick Reusse?

Also, Rand takes a look at a Wolves win fueled by their youngest players -- and in particular by the defense of Jaden McDaniels. And he reassesses the 2020 season and absolves Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer of some blame.

Can the Wild regain its form -- and will the trade deadline help? Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan for a look at the team's recent play. While Minnesota has still managed to secure wins lately, the Wild has been outshot -- often badly -- in seven consecutive games. Can the Wild regain the form that made this look like one of the NHL's top teams for a long stretch this season? Has Cam Talbot reclaimed his spot as the No. 1 goalie? And will the upcoming trade deadline bring any meaningful upgrades?

Also: The NFL going to a 17-game schedule is an oddity in so many ways. And Rand gets to a bunch of listener hot takes.

FSN to Bally Sports North: The rebrand, impact and ongoing streaming battle Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

Michael Rand is joined by Mike Dimond, longtime senior VP and general manager at Fox Sports North, to talk about the rebrand and transition to Bally Sports North coming to your TV screen on Wednesday. What will change about the viewing experience? What about games within the games -- including the potential for sports wagering if it becomes legal in Minnesota? Dimond also gives his thoughts on the ongoing carriage dispute with streaming services that has left many Minnesota fans unable to watch their favorite teams with their current providers.

Randy Johnson also joins the show to recap a big weekend of college hockey and to set you up for a Frozen Four that features three Minnesota teams.

Plus Rand gives his thoughts on the thrilling Baylor/UConn women's basketball game -- and the nonsense about COVID that Baylor coach Kim Mulkey brought up afterwards.

A very Minnesota Frozen Four -- and sounding the Twins alarm Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand to talk about the men's college hockey scene -- and how St. Cloud, Minnesota State (Mankato) and Minnesota-Duluth are all represented in the NCAA Frozen Four while the Gophers were bounced. It's been quite a journey for several of the non-metro men's hockey programs to get to this point.

Reusse also sounds the alarm on the Twins -- especially the offense -- after a lackluster last couple of weeks down in Florida -- and he and Rand get ready for Wolves vs. Thibs, Part II.

Plus Rand's thoughts on the Vikings' recent defensive backfield signings, Randy Dobnak's new contract and the U.S. men's soccer team failing to qualify again for the Olympics.

A Timberwolves trade deadline breakdown and a Vikings offensive line disclaimer Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Chris Hine joins Michael Rand to dissect what turned out to be a very quiet trade deadline for the Wolves on Thursday. They decided to stick with their roster despite having the worst record in the league (10-34). The rationale -- that they need some stability and to find out how some of their better players fit together after a season of injuries and disarray -- makes sense, but they still lack a power forward and weren't able to make any deals to fix their roster imbalance.

At the outset, Rand talks through the Vikings' minor trade for offensive lineman Mason Cole -- a likely depth move that better not end up being more than that.

Plus: Enjoy the Wild's season and get ready for a lot of couch time this weekend.

The Twins' outfield dilemma plus transfer portal and trade deadline talk Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Phil Miller joins Michael Rand for a look at the Twins one week before the start of the regular season. What does Alex Kirilloff's demotion mean in the big picture, both in terms of his future and the Twins' outfield? Are Jose Berrios and Kenta Maeda going to form one of the best 1-2 top-of-the-rotation duos in the majors? And should we be concerned about the bullpen or lack of offense during spring training?

Plus, Rand has a new love: the NCAA transfer portal. It's college free agency, and it's fascinating to watch player movement -- particularly with the Gophers, who look to be major players in the transfer market already under new coach Ben Johnson.

And Thursday is the NBA trade deadline. Will the Wolves make a move -- and if not, should we look back at the deal for D'Angelo Russell at last year's deadline a different way?

The Cooler: An ode to the steadying play of Wild goalie Cam Talbot.

Meet the new coaches: Ben Johnson and Chris Finch join the show Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

Ben Johnson was hired earlier this week. Chris Finch took over a month ago. As head coaches of the Gophers men's basketball program and the Timberwolves, respectively, they are being tasked with major turnarounds. Both coaches joined the podcast on Wednesday to provide insights into how they want fix struggling teams.

For Johnson, it all starts with recruiting. That is his main known strength coming into the job, and the relationships he has already in Minnesota will help him. But he also talked strategy and how he wants his team to play. If you're frustrated that the Gophers take a lot of threes but don't make a lot of threes, Johnson promises to recruit more shooting to solve that problem.

Finch took over in a unique situation: coming in midseason after being an assistant in Toronto. This is his first NBA head coaching job, though he ran several teams overseas. He's high on the future of Anthony Edwards, but Finch also acknowledges that until Edwards learns some things and makes adjustments the Wolves are likely to struggle.

Hiring Ben Johnson: The Gophers' ultimate risk-reward gamble Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

Marcus Fuller and Chip Scoggins join Michael Rand for separate segments discussing the hire of Ben Johnson as Gophers men's basketball coach on Monday. Johnson, 40, is a former Gophers player and assistant coach known as a strong recruiter. But he has never been a head coach at any level of basketball.

Can he succeed in leading his own program -- particularly one as large as Minnesota's, in a Power Five conference like the Big Ten? A lot of that will probably come down to both is ability to recruit and carve out an in-game identity. Neither of those are sure things, making this a risk-reward gamble of a hire by athletic director Mark Coyle, Scoggins said.

Johnson has the traits to succeed and was responsible for bringing in several of the best players during the Richard Pitino era. And by hiring a Black head coach, the Gophers at least took a step forward in addressing a negative record of diversity within their department, Fuller said.

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