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Ben Goessling on a complicated Vikings offseason -- and QBs they might target in the draft Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand opens with two impressive Minnesota road victories from Monday night. The Wolves dominated the third quarter in winning their Western Conference showdown with the Clippers. The game was also a seamless transition to adding Monte Morris into the rotation, and he helped keep several other players fresh. The Wild, meanwhile, earned a strong win at Vegas. Whether it's too little, too late is still yet to be determined.

9:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins the show to break down the financial implications of a complicated Vikings offseason. It's officially the offseason, and the new league year begins in a month. The clock is ticking on a decision on Kirk Cousins -- and potentially on selecting a new quarterback in the draft. How does that domino impact the salary cap, a Justin Jefferson extension and more?

39:00: The Twins TV deal wasn't exactly what anyone wanted.

Patrick Reusse on Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, P.J. Fleck and more Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, leading of course with Sunday's Super Bowl. Kansas City won 25-22 in overtime over San Francisco, showing again why having the best QB on the planet matters in crucial moments. What did the game tell us about both teams -- and perhaps what did it tell us about the Vikings and Kirk Cousins now that the offseason is officially here.

15:00: Reusse and Rand get into the P.J. Fleck-to-UCLA speculation that perked up and died down over the weekend. Minnesota is actually a better job than UCLA. But why does Fleck's name come up so often when there are coaching vacancies?

26:00: Ben Johnson's Gophers lost a tough in in Iowa, while Reusse gives us a head start on Twins spring training with some early insights from Florida.

Dissecting the Wolves' Monte Morris trade; Mike Zimmer is back in the NFL; Jared Allen snubbed Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Heading into Super Bowl weekend, host Michael Rand looks at two NFL stories with Minnesota ties. First, former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is back in the league after a two-year absence. Zimmer reportedly will be the new defensive coordinator in Dallas and will work for former rival head coach Mike McCarthy. Ex-Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, meanwhile, will need to wait at least another year for his Hall of Fame call. He said he was "hugely disappointed and shocked" that he missed the cut again.

8:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show to break down the trade for Monte Morris. The upshot: Getting another solid veteran for the rotation was just what the Wolves needed, but it was also about all they could do. Plus you'll hear from Wolves coach Chris Finch on the trade. He talked about Morris after the Wolves routed the Bucks on Thursday.

31:00: MLB is eyeing a future without TV blackouts, but not until 2025.

Vikings WR Jordan Addison on his goals -- and some serious lobbying for the 'great' Kirk Cousins Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand noticed Wild fans were annoyed even in a victory on Wednesday night, Minnesota's first game back after a long All-Star break. The effort was underwhelming in a 2-1 win over the bottom-dwelling Blackhawks, and the fan sentiment seems to be an understanding that this team is going nowhere.

6:00: Rand has thoughts on the Wolves' trade for Monte Morris. He likes the deal, but he wishes the Wolves could take an even bigger deadline swing.

12:00: Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison joins the show ahead of the Super Bowl. What did Addison think of his rookie year? What goals does he have? And most importantly, what does he think of quarterback Kirk Cousins?

23:00: Rand runs through some listener questions about the NFL Draft, while the Twins officially welcomed in Carlos Santana.

Huge win for Gophers, historic loss for Wolves and a strange offseason for Minnesota United Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends the opening part of the show on two big basketball games from Tuesday. The Gophers men's basketball team scored a big win over Michigan State, improving to 6-5 in the conference and giving legitimacy to the idea that they could make the NCAA tournament thi season. The Wolves, meanwhile, blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead in a defeat for the fourth time in their last 10 games.

11:00: The Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda joins Rand for an update on Minnesota United. With just over two weeks to go until the start of the MLS regular season, the Loons still don't have a permanent head coach in place. How much will that hamper a team that is making a transition in style and leadership this season? At least United fans have this: Zgoda says whatever chaos exists is nowhere near the level of dysfunction he used to witness when covering the David Kahn-era Timberwolves.

27:00: Is Aaron Rodgers the most popular NFL player in Minnesota? And what will a new streaming platform mean to the world of sports?

Changing the Vikings' QB draft focus? + Phil Miller on Carlos Santana and the Pohlads Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand thinks we need to refocus if we're thinking about the Vikings taking a quarterback in the draft. Move your eyes away from the first round and toward their No. 42 overall pick in the second round. That's where the value -- and their future QB -- might be.

7:00: Star Tribune Twins writer Phil Miller joins Rand to talk about a number of subjects, including: the signing of Carlos Santana; the news that the Twins will be on Bally Sports North in 2024; and the continued ownership of the Pohlad family.

30:00: The 49ers complaining about their Super Bowl practice field brings up a Vikings memory. Also, should Creed get the blame for the Vikings' nosedive this year?

Patrick Reusse on the Twins' TV deal, Wolves coach Chris Finch and Gophers AD Mark Coyle Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, starting with basketball. The Wolves are 35-15 after 50 games, and head coach Chris Finch will be the coach for the Western Conference in the All-Star game. That's quite an accomplishment for all involved.

15:00: The Twins are staying on Bally Sports North for the 2024 season. What does that mean for their future -- and what do we think of the on-field moves they have made so far?

29:00: Mark Coyle got an extension. The Gophers men's basketball team won in overtime over Northwestern. Bob Motzko was mad on Saturday. And Reusse embraces Taylor Swift.

Respect for Karl-Anthony Towns; hate mail from a Lions fan; Marcus Fuller on Gophers basketball Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand gives a long head nod to Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves big man was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career on Thursday, an honor that perhaps means more this time after all he has been through in the last 18 months. Given that Rand was convinced KAT needed to be traded before the start of the season, an acknowledgment of Towns' terrific season is in order.

7:00: Star Tribune Gophers men's basketball beat writer Marcus Fuller joins the show to talk about Saturday's big game against Northwestern, the emergence of Parker Fox and the new Big Ten Tournament format. He also gets into some St. Thomas basketball talk.

27:00: Jim Harbaugh wants to live in an RV for a while; Rand runs through some listener comments, including one Lions fan who was VERY upset about Monday's show.

After Jorge Polanco trade, what comes next for Twins this offseason? Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Introduction: Host Michael Rand tries to compare Wednesday's record high temperatures to that night's blowout Wolves win over a shorthanded Mavericks team. He also takes a look at the chances of three Wolves to be named all-stars tonight, plus two big Lynx moves and another tough loss for the Gophers women's basketball team.

11:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Bobby Nightengale joins Rand for a look at the offseason. Derek Falvey made his first big winter move earlier this week by trading Jorge Polanco. Nightengale dissects the deal -- and spins forward to what else is on the Twins' offseason to-do list.

30:00: Are the Twins doing enough?

Setting the market for Kirk Cousins; Chip Scoggins on the Wolves, Twins; NBA messes up again Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

Host Michael Rand gets swept up by NFL quarterback talk in late January, showing again the power of the league. He tries to get a baseline for the free agent market on Kirk Cousins, who figures to be the most coveted QB potentially available via that route. Which teams could afford him? How many teams flat-out need quarterbacks? How does the draft order affect the Vikings and everyone else?

10:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand on three subjects: The Wolves' big win over Oklahoma City (and what they still might need before the trade deadline); the Jorge Polanco trade; and an underrated Vikings offseason storyline.

33:00: Officials missed a clear foul on an Anthony Edwards dunk Monday against Oklahoma City. When given a chance to own up to the mistake, the NBA botched it again.

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