December 21, 2023 • 32 mins
Welcome to Episode 33 of The Vikings Tailgate presented by Continental Diamond. 'Twas the night before Christmas and the Vikings are playing the Lions... With the prospects of an NFC North Title dancing in their heads, Cy Amundson brings in show favorite Zach Martina to talk about the pending matchup between the Vikings and the Lions this Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Zach reflects on how the Lions 2023 regular season has raised the hopes of the entire fan base, Dan Campbell's long-term contract prospects, the ascension of Sam Laporta, and the potential reactions by his family to a Lions win on Christmas Eve. Kick back by the fire with a glass of eggnog and enjoy Episode 33 of the Vikings Tailgate presented by Continental Diamond. Also, be sure to check out Zach Martina at Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis this May 15th-18th.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
An award winning family owned business with exceptional diamonds, engagement rings, jewelry,
and time pieces. Continental Diamond is the jeweler Minnesota Adores
in Saint Louis Park or online at Continentaldiamond dot com. Hey, guys,
huge game this week, and we have one of our favorites.
I would go so far as to say our favorite guest,
(00:23):
the incredible Zach Martine, lifelong Lions fan, did the show
last year. They were really great episodes. This one is
no different. I think you guys are gonna love it.
And hey, he is coming to ACME in Minneapolis May
fifteenth through the eighteenth, so listen to this episode. Hopefully
the Vikings go get a win so you don't have
to dislike him and then go see him do stand
(00:44):
up at one of the best clubs in the country.
Enjoy the show. Everybody Ida what Tom is?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Hey, we gotta go here, we gotta go.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Let's go So Tom, Well, it's not a must win
week for your Minnesota Vikings, but it's at least a
probably need to win or definitely should win if we
want things to keep going. I don't know how to
quantify it, but we need to win the vikings need
(01:16):
to win and joining me to discuss the team that
we need to defeat. This program's favorite guest. Oh, ladies
and gentlemen, the wonderful y'are a Zach. Everybody likes you.
And here's the thing, here's the problem, Zach Martina. I
think I can't promise you you will be this week
this show's favorite guest after this episode. That's fair because
(01:39):
it was so You were so funny last year, you know,
lifelong Lions fan, great comedian. You were so funny, so
fun and we just were like, oh, look at him.
Isn't that nice? Isn't it fun to have him? He's
a little feisty, it's a good time. But now you're
at our doorstep and you're standing on a ladder looking
down at us, And so I can promise you that
(02:01):
that feeling from our fans will continue after this week.
But hello, it's nice to see you. I love you,
I hate you.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Hello, It's it's great to be back. And I'll be
honest with you. It feels pretty good to have that
hatred coming at me because I'm not used to it.
I'm not used to people being like, oh, you're a threat,
You're coming I mean, it's gonna be Christmas Eve, and
it will be the first time potentially that the Lions
win the NFC North. We haven't won the division since
it was the Central. We've never won it well as
the North.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Back when all these centrally located teams and Tampa Bay
were in the same division.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yes, sir, what is the temperature?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Is it? Is it more? Oh? I hope we don't
screw it up? Or is it more? Holy shit? We're
gonna do, like what is the temperature amongst the Lions fans?
Because I remember last year when we went to Detroit.
You warned me. You were like, Dan Campbell is hyping
this game up like it's the Detroit super Bowl. And
(02:56):
then I remember listening on like on game day during
that during the broadcast, I was like, it sounds wild
in there. So what is your like, what is the
vibe right now amongst the fan base?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
It's really it's pretty interesting because it in a sense
is same old, same old. We just had that little
two game skid where we lost to Green Bay and
Chicago and that that was difficult. Golf was not playing well.
But then we kind of found a way to justify
it in that. You know, San Francisco went through a lull,
Philadelphia went through a lull. Everyone in the NFC seems
(03:29):
to be going through a lull. But a lot of
people were going, Oh, same old Lions, this is exactly
what's gonna happen. We're gonna get We're gonna get there,
we're gonna get into the first round. We don't have
anyone that's gonna be able to win. And then you
come out on Saturday night and everybody's right back on
the bandwagon. Lions fans don't know what to do. We've
been hurt so much, SI, We've been hurt so many
(03:51):
times before that we're very very careful. We're very cautious people.
But you know what we are. I think we're drinking
this cool man. It's it's it's no joke.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
There's a lot of organizations in professional sports that have
a tortured history. I would say the Vikings have a
tortured history. You know, everybody says the Cleveland Browns have
a tortured history. But within that there are these sub sects,
and one of them is the type of organization that
just has never really had anything. They're pretty rare, but
(04:24):
that's you, guys, it's not that. Like you've been heartbroken
time and time again. You are Charlie Brown. Like everybody
jokes that Minnesota is Charlie Brown kicking the football. You're
actually what's the name of the bird that hangs out
with Snoopy? You're not even Snoopy. Yeah, you're You're your
Woodstock watching Snoopy, watching Charlie Brown miss the kick. So
(04:49):
is there does that distort what a meaningful moment means
to you? Like, for example, if you guys go on
a run and you get to an NFC championship game,
is that an iconic moment in franchise history? Does if
you guys run all the way to an NFC title
game and are competitive, does Dan Campbell becomes statue level impressive?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I think he becomes statue level impressive. I think he
becomes a Mike Tomlin, Bill Belichick type of coach where
he's just here for decades. I mean, you talk about
NFC Championship. All we want is to win one playoff game.
We just want to win a game. That's all we want. Ultimately, Yeah,
we want the NFC title. We want to go to
the Super Bowl, But to even make it in the
playoffs and be in contention right now for the number
(05:33):
one seed. I mean, San Francisco's gotta stumble a little bit,
but to be able to potentially have a bye week
to have a home playoff game, I mean, I'm so
confident in the Lions that if this were last year,
I had have said we won a playoff game, I'll
shave my head. But I'm so confident right now that
we're gonna win a playoff game. I can't say that.
I can't say that I won't.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, okay, I thought you were gonna do it live
on this show, because for those for those listening, which
is all of you, this is not a video product.
Zach has if they were doing a hip Wizard of
Oz called like Ozzy and the Whiz right or something
like that, and they're like, we need a lion. That's
what your hair is. Your hair is young hip lion.
(06:18):
And I thought you were gonna say you'd be willing
to shave it off. But I can't. I can't let
that happen. I think, would that man that you have
no pun intended? I actually don't know if that's even
a pun. I'm not great at sourcing my way through
the definitions of words.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The point is you nailed it that it was a
nice bun.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Like you have put this guy on camera after his
team wins the biggest game of their year. If you're
in the stadium, if I'm a camera operator, I'm finding
you and I'm like, well, this guy's gonna do something insane.
Look at his hair. Let's just wait and see what happens.
At some point, he's gonna whip his chain wallet around it.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Actually, it wouldn't have been the chain wall. I mean
I remember when the Pistons just won one game and
I was there and it was super close. I mean
I took off my shirt with that around and did
the old Chris Farley Chippendale's dance, Like I was Chris
Farley Chippendale's dance with this hair. It's an added element, dude,
It's it's a game stopper.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So let's say last last year, the Vikings experiences, they
had this epic season, you know, thirteen and four, go
to the playoffs, and it was such an unsatisfying end.
I think it was still a fun year, but you
have a big parts of the fan base who go, well,
what the hell was the point like you can really
sour something for some people. At the end of a season. Sure,
(07:33):
let's say down the stretch here, you win a game
or two. You don't necessarily power your way in, but
you're in. You're the division champion, and you'd be the
three right, yeah, and you get the three probably, and
you'd be the home the home playoff team.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Which right now we would be scheduled to face, you guys,
right now, it would be a.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Viking three times in four weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Three times in four weeks.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah, And that's that's the sort of playing a team
three times in a season. And we've seen as a
wild card. That's the story of the Packers beat the Packers,
beating the Vikings twice and then Randy Moss comes in,
thumbshim and moons the crowd yep, that was that year.
What let's let's hop in the what if machine?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Okay, it's my favorite machine.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Let's say you guys run into the playoffs, the Vikings
find their way in, they find their way to Ford Field,
and they put it on you like you guys walk
out and it's not even like a tragic loss. It's just, ah,
you lose by like nine or ten.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
What is that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Is there anything that can ruin it? Does that ruin
this year for you?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
That hurts? That definitely does not. I don't like to
think about it. And I mean, I'm it's the holiday
season and it's a time of joy and I don't
know why you would do that to me. That was cruel.
But yeah, it would hurt. It wouldn't ruin the season
because we have more wins this year than last year.
And for a team that is historically what we are
(08:56):
and have been, this would be. It would hurt. It
would hurt a lot if it were to the Vikings
or to the Packers. It would hurt if it were
to a division opponent. But one thing I will say
is ford Fields is maybe the loudest stadium in the
league this year. It's crazy there. Whoever designed ford Field,
(09:17):
I don't know if they were like eternal optimists or
something like. No. One day this team is going to
be good, and when they do, the acoustics are going
to hit in such a way where you're not going
to be able to hear a thing like Fordfield has
a rocking dude.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
They just had to wait all this time until week
about week fifteen of twenty twenty three or whatever. At
week sixteen.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Ye yeah, like fifteen twenty years later, they've.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Got an interesting They've kind of got a cowboys vibe,
a little bit of a Jacky and Hide vibe. Where
don't you dare you do? Though you do? I would say,
but it's your which one's the uh? It was? It
was doctor Jekyl and mister Hide the lunatic. Yeah, yeah,
and Jeckel is Jeckyl's the upstanding one, even though those
don't feel right, they feel like they should be the other's.
(10:06):
Jeckyl is a far more nefarious name. But I would say,
on the Jeckel and hides, on the Jeckel and Hyde's
scale or spectrum or whatever you want to call it,
the graph. I don't know why I keep looking for
stuff here. The point is, Zach, I believe you guys
to be, you know, seventy percent jackal, thirty percent hide.
(10:26):
You're definitely way more Jeckyl than you are Hide. But
there is hide there. In the same way there is
where I think the Niners can lose. I think the
Eagles can lose, but I think they they have just
a few flaws that every once in a while to
pop up you guys, and the Cowboys seem like a
team where you would walk into a game and go, well,
(10:46):
this is a game. They should put it on somebody.
You go, yeah, what the hell just happened?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Then, yeah, I can see that that makes sense. I
can live with that comparison as far as the Cowboys go.
Like what it comes down to for us, our offensive
line is the most important thing on our team, beyond
the shadow of a doubt. When our offensive line, our
starting offensive line plays together, goff looks like an MVP.
(11:11):
Both of our running backs go for over one hundred
scrimmage yards on the regular and it's lights out. But
if even one of them goes down, particularly you know,
if Sewell went down, Ragno is down for a minute,
it hurts a lot. It makes a huge difference. The
continuity team of that unit is by far the most
(11:32):
important thing we have, and I would say that anytime
we should have put it on somebody and didn't, it
was because there was an issue with our offensive line,
and as a result, the defense couldn't feed off of
the offense's energy. Because our defense, while it is improved
from last year, it certainly feeds on the success of
(11:53):
the offense. This is no doubt an offensive team.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So for the last few years it has definitely felt
like the the Lions are not a great matchup for
the Vikings. Right. We skated by with some wins a
couple of years ago, but it's just year in and
year out. Forever it was just Okay, let's write two
wins down and let's move on. But the last five
or so years, it's like, oh, here come the Lions.
(12:16):
Even when you weren't good record wise, it was always
a pain in the ass. We'd always lose one of
the two in a way that sucked really bad. And
I just felt like, especially as the Dan Campbell thing
has been started, it's just it wasn't a good matchup.
There's a possibility I see this going one of two
ways this weekend. Either this impressive defensive thing that has
(12:39):
been built here crumbles for a week because as and
I think this like, you will not find a bigger
supporter of Brian Flores and what he's built. Yeah, I
can't even comprehend it, given like the resources available where
we were before. It is nonsense.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
There were so many question marks coming into this seat
about it, like so many new holes that were being filled.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Can he be coach of the year. Can we make
a defensive coordinator coach the year?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They should have an assistant coach of the year.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
It is a it is a wild performance. Now that
being said, if you look at who we've played, it's
not like you're seeing the elite of the elite offensively.
Jake Browning with the with Cincinnati Denver, which is an
overly great aid. Aidan O'Connell with the Raiders, the Saints,
(13:31):
the Falcons. You know, no one in this stretch really
comes out. And we saw the Packers before they started
putting it together a little bit more offensively.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So either I think you guys are going to come
in and there's a certain level of firepower offensively that
we can't overcome. Or and I'll let you pick which
is more likely. Your boy, it's not just your line.
Your boy can't handle pressure.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
He doesn't like it.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
We've never seen anything like the way Flores blitzes, the
high blitz rates against talented quarterbacks anytime we've seen a
good offense. Justin Herbert Patrick Mahomes, he's coming. Yeah. So
the other side is all of a sudden, this thing
is flipped and where you have been a tough matchup
for us for years. You might be the superior team
(14:18):
right now, but we might not be a great matchup
for you. This might be a tough one.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
This is not gonna be just some walk in the park.
I mean, first of all, we're away, we're in Minnesota.
That's going to be wildly no say it.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Say you think it's gonna be a walk in the park.
I'm baiting you. Say it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
I'll do anything for you, Sia if you just say
please sor right never, I would say that it's not
gonna be It's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be
in Minnesota. That is certainly going to be difficult. And
no disrespect to Minnesota's defense. But in addition to our
full offensive line, we have two tight ends. Sam Laporta,
I mean, TJ. Hockinson has been so great for you
(14:59):
guys this ye, especially with Jefferson down. He has been
a very bright spot in your offense. But I'm taking
Laporta over him, especially in run blocking.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I hate even hearing the name. It was the thing
I was dreading most about. TJ. Hockinson has been amazing,
But yes, the NFL, I'm a broken record every week.
The NFL is a math equation. You know, how much
how much do you get paid versus how much is
your output? You know, take any players, take how much
you like him, any of it. So if you can
get a rookie on a rookie deal, especially a mid
(15:30):
round rookie deal, to second round rookie, Yeah, to produce
at a high level like that, the value in that
is outrageous. So I love that we have TJ. Hockinson.
It infuriates me that it led to you guys getting
Laporta and he's performing as well as he is. I
can't stand it.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
He's performing at a record setting pace. He is I think,
like the best rookie tight end statistically since Mike Didka.
He is crushing it and he can run block. He
like he will get in your face and put you down.
And our second tight end, brock Right, doesn't have necessarily
the hands of Sam Laporta, and no one's saying he does,
but that dude can block too.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
By the way, that's a tight end name brock Right. Yeah,
We've got this is the matchup of elite named. If
you were like, hey, I'd like to give birth to
a tight end. Well, you better name him brock Wright
or we have Johnny Munt. There's are fantastic tight end names.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
With those tight end names, they gotta be able to block.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
You would hope, so you'd hope. So they might as
well be named thick Man.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Or man Thixon.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah, man Thixon. I don't want to talk about Laporta.
I have no interest in that conversation. If you need
to talk about him anymore, you can do that. I'm
gonna take my headphone off and go grab something to drink.
But I'm not I can't handle it. I'm not interested.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
All I'm saying is that when you're talking about the
pressure coming, we are suited to pick up pressures. I
think with Donovan's people's jones that pick up. He's been
getting more and more looks as like a third or
fourth target. Josh Reynolds has been incredible for us, Jamison
Williams is finally getting involved in getting the looks he deserves.
(17:15):
And I'm on Ross Brown, a fourth round pick, is
one of the best receivers in the league. I mean,
if we have to keep our tight ends home and
have one running back be it Montgomery or Gibbs, and
then three receivers out. You do max protect, you still
can pick a part with our skill our skill positions.
So I'm I'm very confident in our offense. If in fact,
(17:39):
the offensive line is healthy.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Let's hop back in the what if machine?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Love it? Buckle up?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
So the game is a It is a noon Central kickoff.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
New and Central YEP.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So let's say it's about three o'clock Central, Lions are
up twelve, Papa bears watching his because how old are you?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Thirty seven?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
So you're thirty seven, we're talking thirty two years ago.
You were five the last time they won a division.
There's no way you have any meaningful memory of that.
If you see that clock ticking and it's like, oh
my gosh, it's gonna happen. What happens in Zach Martina's head?
And what happens in Zach Martinez? Are you? Because it's
(18:23):
a way so you you know, it'd be fun to
get it at home, but what happens in that household?
What's going to go down? If this thing comes to fruition.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Well, it will be Christmas Eve, so we will be
at my mom's house, which is what the situation was
last year.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I didn't even think it's Chrism, it's Christmas Eve.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Yeah, so it's I said to you last year that
Dan Campbell was hyping it up like this was our
super Bowl, And in a way, this is our super
Bowl to be able to get a division title. We
haven't won a title in thirty thirty however many years,
so this is a huge game that they will be
prepared for. If we win the division title on Christmas Eve,
(19:04):
I will be losing my mind. My daughters will be
joyfully screaming obscenities, and I won't be mad. I won't
be mad, Si I'll be. I'll be. I'll be teaching
them new words for celebrations, for celebration, and then I
will to my relatives, I will tell them to kiss
my ass because they're like, they're never gonna win. They're
(19:25):
never gonna win, They're never gonna do it, They're never
gonna be good. So many people are on the Lions
bandwagon this year and toward the tail end of last year.
To be someone that like proudly repped the Lions when
they were bad for my entire life. These people that
are coming out like oh I knew it, oh man,
they're the I can't stand them. I want them, I want.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Them out now. I obviously I want my team to win,
and I think the better scenario here regardless of that scene,
because that is a fantastic scene. And I don't think
it would be too much to ask, if you guys
are up by twelve, for you to stick a camera
in the corner, okay, and just stick your phone prop
(20:09):
your phone up somewhere. And it doesn't have to be
for the people. If I have to watch my team lose,
I want to watch the stability dynamics of your family's
holiday get jolted by your emotional outbursts.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Oh, and I won't be a low man. My My
daughters are good kids. They will they will, they will
ride this train with me, and God bless it, my
wife will too. It'll be us against them.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
If we win on Sunday. The Cowboys are that is
not especially because they just they just had the bills.
Things happens. You got to expect them to reel off
a couple two and have everybody go, oh, they're a
super Bowl team.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I agree same with Philly, and I don't want.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
To put anything past Green Bay with how they're playing
right now. But if we get this game, that puts
us on a very likely path for an end of
the year Sunday night Football Division on the line, home
field on the line. And I will say, as much
as that's not what you want. Last year you got
(21:12):
robbed of it. Last year you got robbed of that
ultimate season ending moment.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
It's y Seattle's my least favorite team in the league.
Here's what I want to happen in Week seventeen. I
want the division this weekend. I don't want to worry
about it. I want to be happy for the final
few weeks of the season, but I do want to
be playing for the number one seed in Week seventeen
while you guys are playing for playoff seeding positioning, birth
(21:38):
what have you. I want it to mean something to
both of us, but I don't want to lose anything.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Something is unfortunately going to give. Where is the Dan
Campbell experience? How And I know I mentioned this early
in the show, Yeah right, but he went from silly
funny to oh my gosh, this guy may be good
but still a little corny to can't quite Maybe he's
got the culture, maybe he can do some things, but
(22:05):
he does some wacky stuff when he takes over the offense,
and like now all of a sudden, you're like, oh, okay,
this year, they've really looked like an upper echelon football
team for most of Like, are you sitting there? Do
you need to see playoff success to go? Dan Campbell's
the guy for a really long time. Where are you
at on Dan Campbell?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm all in on Dan Campbell. I don't think I
need to see playoff success to think he is the
guy for a long time. I think he is the guy.
I think he is going to most certainly finish out
his contract, which is another three years, and I firmly
believe that he is going to get an extension and
be here for a very long time. You mentioned the
offense kind of going up and down when he took over. Well,
(22:49):
we'll see what happens next year, because I do not
see our offensive coordinator sticking around. Ben Johnson is a
real hot candidate.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Yeah, I don't think he's going to turn down jobs
twice in a row.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Not in a row. But what I will say is
someone that doesn't get enough credit is our GM Brad Holmes.
What he does as far as drafting goes and the
types of players that they even bring in for visits
on free agency. I mean, culture is the number one thing,
and it seems like him and Dan Campbell are locked
(23:18):
up every step of the way. I mean, we picked
up I'm and Ross Saint Brown in the fourth round.
We got Brian Branch somehow late in the second round.
He's been a stud, Sam Laporta in the second round.
I mean where he finds these late talents. Dan Campbell,
He's given Dan Tamble, He's given Dan Campbell the tools.
(23:38):
All right, it's like enterprise, rent a car. We give
you the corporate structure to be your own boss.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I haven't disliked anything anyone said on this show as
much as that, and I think it's because you don't remember.
I know I remember it. I just hate that it's
about you and your success and your team success. My
problem is this This season has been such an odd
combination of exhilarating, infuriating, you know, devastating, and hope based
(24:10):
all rolled into one. The roller coaster has been absurd.
So and I think this other thing happened when Kirk
went down. I think a lot of the team what
there's something that happened before that that I don't think
it's discussed enough. When Jefferson went down, we saw Kevin
O'Connell have to coach for the first time without a
(24:33):
stud in the Cooper Cup role. Sure, and we saw
the elevation of Osbourne. We saw this offense play two
of its best games of the season against the forty
nine Ers, which, although they were missing Deebo Samuel, that
is an elite defense. And then we saw them play
really well against the Packers, and I think everybody went,
(24:54):
oh my god, we're gonna get JJ back and this
thing is gonna be firing. And so then you lose
kerk and just the emotion of that through the Dobbs thing,
had you lost Kirk and had you not had that
impressive couple games and had the crazy Dobbs thing that, like,
(25:14):
I think there was a real possibility that for a
lot of teams, a season like that could go down
the well, this is probably gonna be a team that
picks in the top ten now for sure, that that
makes their without their best wide receiver for a majority
and arguably, if not the league, obviously their best football
player for a majority of the season and their star quarterback.
(25:37):
And so I think when that didn't happen, when the
Dobbs thing, when they won a couple of games and
they've been competitive, and then and then Jefferson was coming back.
I think you have so many people who are like, well,
we can't wind up with a great pick. Now you've
gotta I think we're all clinging to hope so hard
because otherwise it means you're in football no man's land.
(25:59):
You're in that whole horrible place where you don't make
the playoffs and you don't get a top pick, and
it just feels black. Yeah, And I think with and
maybe you're feeling this with Ben Johnson. I think with
the pending loss of Flores, who I think also will
likely have some opportunities if he'd like them, there's just
(26:19):
kind of this moment that you don't think they're gonna
win the super Bowl, but you want them to grab it.
So I think that's what I'm gonna be feeling on
Christmas Eve if it's looking well as just this increased
moment of hope, and if they could have grabbed one
of those last few games, if they could grab this
first one. I don't think anyone here in Minnesota is
going well This is obviously a team that's gonna march
(26:41):
through Detroit, sure, through Philadelphia, through San Francisco, and then
we're gonna thump the Chiefs or Bills or Ravens. But
if you can play your best football in the last
three games of the year, and you can set yourself
up for like, holy shit, we have Sunday night football
at the end of the year for the division, that
(27:03):
makes all of this very worthwhile. And that's that's what
I need. I'm i feel like a Lions fan, like
I'm rooting for hope. Is this what it feels like.
I'm not rooting for wins, I'm rooting for hope.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, that's a lot. That's a lot of what it
felt like. And while we are rooting for wins this year,
we are certainly still in that hope thing because we
feel I think I think Detroit feels like we have
the best team we've ever had. So you hope that
it's gonna you hope that it's gonna work out. However,
I am excited about this game because of what you
(27:41):
said earlier. Brian Flores and his defense versus Ben Johnson
and his offense against Nick Mullins and your offense versus
are not stellar defense. Like, I think the matchups look great.
I think this is all the makings of just a real,
real fun football game that ultimately the Lions come on
(28:02):
the top of.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Ultimately that obviously makes sense that it wouldn't happen. I
care about you a great deal. We've got another episode
in a couple of weeks, and regardless if we have
another guest or not, you will also be on that episode. Great,
even if it's for ten minutes. We're gonna rekindle what
started here. This is a to be continued sort of situation,
(28:23):
zach It. I wish you the best, but I don't
wish you a win. It is interesting, This is the
last thing I'll say. It is interesting to be in
this moment against a team that I don't have a
deep vested disdain for so like and and maybe give
(28:47):
it a couple of years and I'll be like, I
would rather spit like you know, I maybe we get there,
but right now I am enjoying the fact that, like
I can talk to one of my buddies. I absolutely
want to win. But if somehow it doesn't turn out,
I'm not gonna wanna drag him out to a lake
in the middle of winter time and tip him off
a boat.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Dude, it's you hit the nail on the head. I
have been I've been on the road a lot, and
I'm very vocal and clear about being a Lions fan
and have always been in every single person from every
single NFL market says that exact thing. They're like, I mean, no, man,
We're we're rooting for you, Like we have been bad
for so long that even when you're playing us, You're like,
(29:29):
I mean, they kind of need this one, you know.
And then next year, if we're the same thing, I
can see a lot of people starting to hate us.
But this year, everyone's like, now, that's like my little
brother who's finally hit puberty.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Do you feel like a guy that's about to take
a test but has never been given a book in
his whole life? And everybody's like, we'll see what happens, Bud.
We're all hoping, We're all hoping you get a good grade.
We can't imagine, you know what words are. I'm sure
this is I waited the whole episode to take one
serious shot, and I didn't even know it was coming
(30:01):
until it rolled into But I basically just called you
the equivalent of someone who never learned to read or
write and whatever. The football version of that is.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
In Green Bay. Come on, I'm from Detroit. That's a metropolis.
This is in Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
What I thought we all couldn't read and rat We
can end on mutual ground, Zach, I'm gonna need a
score prediction. I know you're not gonna love it, but
I am gonna need a score prediction from you.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
That's fine. I'm going to say that we maintain that.
I'm gonna say thirty three to twenty four, Lions.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Thirty three to twenty four. Woof. I think it's going
to be a little more defensive than that, you know.
I do think Flores is gonna come ready. I think
our offense hasn't been able to completely find itself given
the situation we're in. Sure, so I don't know how
(30:55):
much we'll score, but I'm gonna go Lions thirteen, Vikings
and thirty eight. Zach. I care about you a great deal.
If it has to be somebody, I hope it's you
meet it, but I hope it doesn't have to be somebody.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Well, man, I care about you a great deal, and
I love being the unofficial Lions correspondent on this show.
I always have so much fun talking to you about
this and just laughing, you know, across state Lions.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Yeah. Well, we'll see if the job is still yours
come the end of Sunday.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Take it easy, buddy.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Thanks again to Zach Martinez for joining the show tonight,
and thank you to our sponsor, Continent with Diamond. Be
sure to like, subscribe, download the podcast anywhere you listen
to your favorite shows. We'll see you all again next week.
Join Pa at the Apple Valley Buffalo Wild Wings this
Friday from nine to noon for Friday Football Feast presented
by Coors Light. Enjoy food and drink specials and a
(31:53):
chance to win Viking tickets and more. Visit vikings dot
com slash bww for full schedule and details
An award winning family owned business with exceptional diamonds, engagement rings, jewelry,
and time pieces. Continental Diamond is the jeweler Minnesota Adores
in Saint Louis Park or online at Continentaldiamond dot com. Hey, guys,
huge game this week, and we have one of our favorites.
I would go so far as to say our favorite guest,
(00:23):
the incredible Zach Martine, lifelong Lions fan, did the show
last year. They were really great episodes. This one is
no different. I think you guys are gonna love it.
And hey, he is coming to ACME in Minneapolis May
fifteenth through the eighteenth, so listen to this episode. Hopefully
the Vikings go get a win so you don't have
to dislike him and then go see him do stand
(00:44):
up at one of the best clubs in the country.
Enjoy the show. Everybody Ida what Tom is?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Hey, we gotta go here, we gotta go.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Let's go So Tom, Well, it's not a must win
week for your Minnesota Vikings, but it's at least a
probably need to win or definitely should win if we
want things to keep going. I don't know how to
quantify it, but we need to win the vikings need
(01:16):
to win and joining me to discuss the team that
we need to defeat. This program's favorite guest. Oh, ladies
and gentlemen, the wonderful y'are a Zach. Everybody likes you.
And here's the thing, here's the problem, Zach Martina. I
think I can't promise you you will be this week
this show's favorite guest after this episode. That's fair because
(01:39):
it was so You were so funny last year, you know,
lifelong Lions fan, great comedian. You were so funny, so
fun and we just were like, oh, look at him.
Isn't that nice? Isn't it fun to have him? He's
a little feisty, it's a good time. But now you're
at our doorstep and you're standing on a ladder looking
down at us, And so I can promise you that
(02:01):
that feeling from our fans will continue after this week.
But hello, it's nice to see you. I love you,
I hate you.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Hello, It's it's great to be back. And I'll be
honest with you. It feels pretty good to have that
hatred coming at me because I'm not used to it.
I'm not used to people being like, oh, you're a threat,
You're coming I mean, it's gonna be Christmas Eve, and
it will be the first time potentially that the Lions
win the NFC North. We haven't won the division since
it was the Central. We've never won it well as
the North.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Back when all these centrally located teams and Tampa Bay
were in the same division.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yes, sir, what is the temperature?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Is it? Is it more? Oh? I hope we don't
screw it up? Or is it more? Holy shit? We're
gonna do, like what is the temperature amongst the Lions fans?
Because I remember last year when we went to Detroit.
You warned me. You were like, Dan Campbell is hyping
this game up like it's the Detroit super Bowl. And
(02:56):
then I remember listening on like on game day during
that during the broadcast, I was like, it sounds wild
in there. So what is your like, what is the
vibe right now amongst the fan base?
Speaker 2 (03:07):
It's really it's pretty interesting because it in a sense
is same old, same old. We just had that little
two game skid where we lost to Green Bay and
Chicago and that that was difficult. Golf was not playing well.
But then we kind of found a way to justify
it in that. You know, San Francisco went through a lull,
Philadelphia went through a lull. Everyone in the NFC seems
(03:29):
to be going through a lull. But a lot of
people were going, Oh, same old Lions, this is exactly
what's gonna happen. We're gonna get We're gonna get there,
we're gonna get into the first round. We don't have
anyone that's gonna be able to win. And then you
come out on Saturday night and everybody's right back on
the bandwagon. Lions fans don't know what to do. We've
been hurt so much, SI, We've been hurt so many
(03:51):
times before that we're very very careful. We're very cautious people.
But you know what we are. I think we're drinking
this cool man. It's it's it's no joke.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
There's a lot of organizations in professional sports that have
a tortured history. I would say the Vikings have a
tortured history. You know, everybody says the Cleveland Browns have
a tortured history. But within that there are these sub sects,
and one of them is the type of organization that
just has never really had anything. They're pretty rare, but
(04:24):
that's you, guys, it's not that. Like you've been heartbroken
time and time again. You are Charlie Brown. Like everybody
jokes that Minnesota is Charlie Brown kicking the football. You're
actually what's the name of the bird that hangs out
with Snoopy? You're not even Snoopy. Yeah, you're You're your
Woodstock watching Snoopy, watching Charlie Brown miss the kick. So
(04:49):
is there does that distort what a meaningful moment means
to you? Like, for example, if you guys go on
a run and you get to an NFC championship game,
is that an iconic moment in franchise history? Does if
you guys run all the way to an NFC title
game and are competitive, does Dan Campbell becomes statue level impressive?
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I think he becomes statue level impressive. I think he
becomes a Mike Tomlin, Bill Belichick type of coach where
he's just here for decades. I mean, you talk about
NFC Championship. All we want is to win one playoff game.
We just want to win a game. That's all we want. Ultimately, Yeah,
we want the NFC title. We want to go to
the Super Bowl, But to even make it in the
playoffs and be in contention right now for the number
(05:33):
one seed. I mean, San Francisco's gotta stumble a little bit,
but to be able to potentially have a bye week
to have a home playoff game, I mean, I'm so
confident in the Lions that if this were last year,
I had have said we won a playoff game, I'll
shave my head. But I'm so confident right now that
we're gonna win a playoff game. I can't say that.
I can't say that I won't.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, okay, I thought you were gonna do it live
on this show, because for those for those listening, which
is all of you, this is not a video product.
Zach has if they were doing a hip Wizard of
Oz called like Ozzy and the Whiz right or something
like that, and they're like, we need a lion. That's
what your hair is. Your hair is young hip lion.
(06:18):
And I thought you were gonna say you'd be willing
to shave it off. But I can't. I can't let
that happen. I think, would that man that you have
no pun intended? I actually don't know if that's even
a pun. I'm not great at sourcing my way through
the definitions of words.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
The point is you nailed it that it was a
nice bun.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Like you have put this guy on camera after his
team wins the biggest game of their year. If you're
in the stadium, if I'm a camera operator, I'm finding
you and I'm like, well, this guy's gonna do something insane.
Look at his hair. Let's just wait and see what happens.
At some point, he's gonna whip his chain wallet around it.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Actually, it wouldn't have been the chain wall. I mean
I remember when the Pistons just won one game and
I was there and it was super close. I mean
I took off my shirt with that around and did
the old Chris Farley Chippendale's dance, Like I was Chris
Farley Chippendale's dance with this hair. It's an added element, dude,
It's it's a game stopper.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
So let's say last last year, the Vikings experiences, they
had this epic season, you know, thirteen and four, go
to the playoffs, and it was such an unsatisfying end.
I think it was still a fun year, but you
have a big parts of the fan base who go, well,
what the hell was the point like you can really
sour something for some people. At the end of a season. Sure,
(07:33):
let's say down the stretch here, you win a game
or two. You don't necessarily power your way in, but
you're in. You're the division champion, and you'd be the
three right, yeah, and you get the three probably, and
you'd be the home the home playoff team.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Which right now we would be scheduled to face, you guys,
right now, it would be a.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Viking three times in four weeks.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Three times in four weeks.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah, And that's that's the sort of playing a team
three times in a season. And we've seen as a
wild card. That's the story of the Packers beat the Packers,
beating the Vikings twice and then Randy Moss comes in,
thumbshim and moons the crowd yep, that was that year.
What let's let's hop in the what if machine?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Okay, it's my favorite machine.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Let's say you guys run into the playoffs, the Vikings
find their way in, they find their way to Ford Field,
and they put it on you like you guys walk
out and it's not even like a tragic loss. It's just, ah,
you lose by like nine or ten.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
What is that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Is there anything that can ruin it? Does that ruin
this year for you?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
That hurts? That definitely does not. I don't like to
think about it. And I mean, I'm it's the holiday
season and it's a time of joy and I don't
know why you would do that to me. That was cruel.
But yeah, it would hurt. It wouldn't ruin the season
because we have more wins this year than last year.
And for a team that is historically what we are
(08:56):
and have been, this would be. It would hurt. It
would hurt a lot if it were to the Vikings
or to the Packers. It would hurt if it were
to a division opponent. But one thing I will say
is ford Fields is maybe the loudest stadium in the
league this year. It's crazy there. Whoever designed ford Field,
(09:17):
I don't know if they were like eternal optimists or
something like. No. One day this team is going to
be good, and when they do, the acoustics are going
to hit in such a way where you're not going
to be able to hear a thing like Fordfield has
a rocking dude.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
They just had to wait all this time until week
about week fifteen of twenty twenty three or whatever. At
week sixteen.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Ye yeah, like fifteen twenty years later, they've.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Got an interesting They've kind of got a cowboys vibe,
a little bit of a Jacky and Hide vibe. Where
don't you dare you do? Though you do? I would say,
but it's your which one's the uh? It was? It
was doctor Jekyl and mister Hide the lunatic. Yeah, yeah,
and Jeckel is Jeckyl's the upstanding one, even though those
don't feel right, they feel like they should be the other's.
(10:06):
Jeckyl is a far more nefarious name. But I would say,
on the Jeckel and hides, on the Jeckel and Hyde's
scale or spectrum or whatever you want to call it,
the graph. I don't know why I keep looking for
stuff here. The point is, Zach, I believe you guys
to be, you know, seventy percent jackal, thirty percent hide.
(10:26):
You're definitely way more Jeckyl than you are Hide. But
there is hide there. In the same way there is
where I think the Niners can lose. I think the
Eagles can lose, but I think they they have just
a few flaws that every once in a while to
pop up you guys, and the Cowboys seem like a
team where you would walk into a game and go, well,
(10:46):
this is a game. They should put it on somebody.
You go, yeah, what the hell just happened?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Then, yeah, I can see that that makes sense. I
can live with that comparison as far as the Cowboys go.
Like what it comes down to for us, our offensive
line is the most important thing on our team, beyond
the shadow of a doubt. When our offensive line, our
starting offensive line plays together, goff looks like an MVP.
(11:11):
Both of our running backs go for over one hundred
scrimmage yards on the regular and it's lights out. But
if even one of them goes down, particularly you know,
if Sewell went down, Ragno is down for a minute,
it hurts a lot. It makes a huge difference. The
continuity team of that unit is by far the most
(11:32):
important thing we have, and I would say that anytime
we should have put it on somebody and didn't, it
was because there was an issue with our offensive line,
and as a result, the defense couldn't feed off of
the offense's energy. Because our defense, while it is improved
from last year, it certainly feeds on the success of
(11:53):
the offense. This is no doubt an offensive team.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So for the last few years it has definitely felt
like the the Lions are not a great matchup for
the Vikings. Right. We skated by with some wins a
couple of years ago, but it's just year in and
year out. Forever it was just Okay, let's write two
wins down and let's move on. But the last five
or so years, it's like, oh, here come the Lions.
(12:16):
Even when you weren't good record wise, it was always
a pain in the ass. We'd always lose one of
the two in a way that sucked really bad. And
I just felt like, especially as the Dan Campbell thing
has been started, it's just it wasn't a good matchup.
There's a possibility I see this going one of two
ways this weekend. Either this impressive defensive thing that has
(12:39):
been built here crumbles for a week because as and
I think this like, you will not find a bigger
supporter of Brian Flores and what he's built. Yeah, I
can't even comprehend it, given like the resources available where
we were before. It is nonsense.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
There were so many question marks coming into this seat
about it, like so many new holes that were being filled.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Can he be coach of the year. Can we make
a defensive coordinator coach the year?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They should have an assistant coach of the year.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
It is a it is a wild performance. Now that
being said, if you look at who we've played, it's
not like you're seeing the elite of the elite offensively.
Jake Browning with the with Cincinnati Denver, which is an
overly great aid. Aidan O'Connell with the Raiders, the Saints,
(13:31):
the Falcons. You know, no one in this stretch really
comes out. And we saw the Packers before they started
putting it together a little bit more offensively.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
So either I think you guys are going to come
in and there's a certain level of firepower offensively that
we can't overcome. Or and I'll let you pick which
is more likely. Your boy, it's not just your line.
Your boy can't handle pressure.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
He doesn't like it.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
We've never seen anything like the way Flores blitzes, the
high blitz rates against talented quarterbacks anytime we've seen a
good offense. Justin Herbert Patrick Mahomes, he's coming. Yeah. So
the other side is all of a sudden, this thing
is flipped and where you have been a tough matchup
for us for years. You might be the superior team
(14:18):
right now, but we might not be a great matchup
for you. This might be a tough one.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
This is not gonna be just some walk in the park.
I mean, first of all, we're away, we're in Minnesota.
That's going to be wildly no say it.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Say you think it's gonna be a walk in the park.
I'm baiting you. Say it.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
I'll do anything for you, Sia if you just say
please sor right never, I would say that it's not
gonna be It's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be
in Minnesota. That is certainly going to be difficult. And
no disrespect to Minnesota's defense. But in addition to our
full offensive line, we have two tight ends. Sam Laporta,
I mean, TJ. Hockinson has been so great for you
(14:59):
guys this ye, especially with Jefferson down. He has been
a very bright spot in your offense. But I'm taking
Laporta over him, especially in run blocking.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I hate even hearing the name. It was the thing
I was dreading most about. TJ. Hockinson has been amazing,
But yes, the NFL, I'm a broken record every week.
The NFL is a math equation. You know, how much
how much do you get paid versus how much is
your output? You know, take any players, take how much
you like him, any of it. So if you can
get a rookie on a rookie deal, especially a mid
(15:30):
round rookie deal, to second round rookie, Yeah, to produce
at a high level like that, the value in that
is outrageous. So I love that we have TJ. Hockinson.
It infuriates me that it led to you guys getting
Laporta and he's performing as well as he is. I
can't stand it.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
He's performing at a record setting pace. He is I think,
like the best rookie tight end statistically since Mike Didka.
He is crushing it and he can run block. He
like he will get in your face and put you down.
And our second tight end, brock Right, doesn't have necessarily
the hands of Sam Laporta, and no one's saying he does,
but that dude can block too.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
By the way, that's a tight end name brock Right. Yeah,
We've got this is the matchup of elite named. If
you were like, hey, I'd like to give birth to
a tight end. Well, you better name him brock Wright
or we have Johnny Munt. There's are fantastic tight end names.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
With those tight end names, they gotta be able to block.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
You would hope, so you'd hope. So they might as
well be named thick Man.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Or man Thixon.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Yeah, man Thixon. I don't want to talk about Laporta.
I have no interest in that conversation. If you need
to talk about him anymore, you can do that. I'm
gonna take my headphone off and go grab something to drink.
But I'm not I can't handle it. I'm not interested.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
All I'm saying is that when you're talking about the
pressure coming, we are suited to pick up pressures. I
think with Donovan's people's jones that pick up. He's been
getting more and more looks as like a third or
fourth target. Josh Reynolds has been incredible for us, Jamison
Williams is finally getting involved in getting the looks he deserves.
(17:15):
And I'm on Ross Brown, a fourth round pick, is
one of the best receivers in the league. I mean,
if we have to keep our tight ends home and
have one running back be it Montgomery or Gibbs, and
then three receivers out. You do max protect, you still
can pick a part with our skill our skill positions.
So I'm I'm very confident in our offense. If in fact,
(17:39):
the offensive line is healthy.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Let's hop back in the what if machine?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Love it? Buckle up?
Speaker 1 (17:45):
So the game is a It is a noon Central kickoff.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
New and Central YEP.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So let's say it's about three o'clock Central, Lions are
up twelve, Papa bears watching his because how old are you?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Thirty seven?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
So you're thirty seven, we're talking thirty two years ago.
You were five the last time they won a division.
There's no way you have any meaningful memory of that.
If you see that clock ticking and it's like, oh
my gosh, it's gonna happen. What happens in Zach Martina's head?
And what happens in Zach Martinez? Are you? Because it's
(18:23):
a way so you you know, it'd be fun to
get it at home, but what happens in that household?
What's going to go down? If this thing comes to fruition.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Well, it will be Christmas Eve, so we will be
at my mom's house, which is what the situation was
last year.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I didn't even think it's Chrism, it's Christmas Eve.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Yeah, so it's I said to you last year that
Dan Campbell was hyping it up like this was our
super Bowl, And in a way, this is our super
Bowl to be able to get a division title. We
haven't won a title in thirty thirty however many years,
so this is a huge game that they will be
prepared for. If we win the division title on Christmas Eve,
(19:04):
I will be losing my mind. My daughters will be
joyfully screaming obscenities, and I won't be mad. I won't
be mad, Si I'll be. I'll be. I'll be teaching
them new words for celebrations, for celebration, and then I
will to my relatives, I will tell them to kiss
my ass because they're like, they're never gonna win. They're
(19:25):
never gonna win, They're never gonna do it, They're never
gonna be good. So many people are on the Lions
bandwagon this year and toward the tail end of last year.
To be someone that like proudly repped the Lions when
they were bad for my entire life. These people that
are coming out like oh I knew it, oh man,
they're the I can't stand them. I want them, I want.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Them out now. I obviously I want my team to win,
and I think the better scenario here regardless of that scene,
because that is a fantastic scene. And I don't think
it would be too much to ask, if you guys
are up by twelve, for you to stick a camera
in the corner, okay, and just stick your phone prop
(20:09):
your phone up somewhere. And it doesn't have to be
for the people. If I have to watch my team lose,
I want to watch the stability dynamics of your family's
holiday get jolted by your emotional outbursts.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Oh, and I won't be a low man. My My
daughters are good kids. They will they will, they will
ride this train with me, and God bless it, my
wife will too. It'll be us against them.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
If we win on Sunday. The Cowboys are that is
not especially because they just they just had the bills.
Things happens. You got to expect them to reel off
a couple two and have everybody go, oh, they're a
super Bowl team.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I agree same with Philly, and I don't want.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
To put anything past Green Bay with how they're playing
right now. But if we get this game, that puts
us on a very likely path for an end of
the year Sunday night Football Division on the line, home
field on the line. And I will say, as much
as that's not what you want. Last year you got
(21:12):
robbed of it. Last year you got robbed of that
ultimate season ending moment.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
It's y Seattle's my least favorite team in the league.
Here's what I want to happen in Week seventeen. I
want the division this weekend. I don't want to worry
about it. I want to be happy for the final
few weeks of the season, but I do want to
be playing for the number one seed in Week seventeen
while you guys are playing for playoff seeding positioning, birth
(21:38):
what have you. I want it to mean something to
both of us, but I don't want to lose anything.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Something is unfortunately going to give. Where is the Dan
Campbell experience? How And I know I mentioned this early
in the show, Yeah right, but he went from silly
funny to oh my gosh, this guy may be good
but still a little corny to can't quite Maybe he's
got the culture, maybe he can do some things, but
(22:05):
he does some wacky stuff when he takes over the offense,
and like now all of a sudden, you're like, oh, okay,
this year, they've really looked like an upper echelon football
team for most of Like, are you sitting there? Do
you need to see playoff success to go? Dan Campbell's
the guy for a really long time. Where are you
at on Dan Campbell?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm all in on Dan Campbell. I don't think I
need to see playoff success to think he is the
guy for a long time. I think he is the guy.
I think he is going to most certainly finish out
his contract, which is another three years, and I firmly
believe that he is going to get an extension and
be here for a very long time. You mentioned the
offense kind of going up and down when he took over. Well,
(22:49):
we'll see what happens next year, because I do not
see our offensive coordinator sticking around. Ben Johnson is a
real hot candidate.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Yeah, I don't think he's going to turn down jobs
twice in a row.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Not in a row. But what I will say is
someone that doesn't get enough credit is our GM Brad Holmes.
What he does as far as drafting goes and the
types of players that they even bring in for visits
on free agency. I mean, culture is the number one thing,
and it seems like him and Dan Campbell are locked
(23:18):
up every step of the way. I mean, we picked
up I'm and Ross Saint Brown in the fourth round.
We got Brian Branch somehow late in the second round.
He's been a stud, Sam Laporta in the second round.
I mean where he finds these late talents. Dan Campbell,
He's given Dan Tamble, He's given Dan Campbell the tools.
(23:38):
All right, it's like enterprise, rent a car. We give
you the corporate structure to be your own boss.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I haven't disliked anything anyone said on this show as
much as that, and I think it's because you don't remember.
I know I remember it. I just hate that it's
about you and your success and your team success. My
problem is this This season has been such an odd
combination of exhilarating, infuriating, you know, devastating, and hope based
(24:10):
all rolled into one. The roller coaster has been absurd.
So and I think this other thing happened when Kirk
went down. I think a lot of the team what
there's something that happened before that that I don't think
it's discussed enough. When Jefferson went down, we saw Kevin
O'Connell have to coach for the first time without a
(24:33):
stud in the Cooper Cup role. Sure, and we saw
the elevation of Osbourne. We saw this offense play two
of its best games of the season against the forty
nine Ers, which, although they were missing Deebo Samuel, that
is an elite defense. And then we saw them play
really well against the Packers, and I think everybody went,
(24:54):
oh my god, we're gonna get JJ back and this
thing is gonna be firing. And so then you lose
kerk and just the emotion of that through the Dobbs thing,
had you lost Kirk and had you not had that
impressive couple games and had the crazy Dobbs thing that, like,
(25:14):
I think there was a real possibility that for a
lot of teams, a season like that could go down
the well, this is probably gonna be a team that
picks in the top ten now for sure, that that
makes their without their best wide receiver for a majority
and arguably, if not the league, obviously their best football
player for a majority of the season and their star quarterback.
(25:37):
And so I think when that didn't happen, when the
Dobbs thing, when they won a couple of games and
they've been competitive, and then and then Jefferson was coming back.
I think you have so many people who are like, well,
we can't wind up with a great pick. Now you've
gotta I think we're all clinging to hope so hard
because otherwise it means you're in football no man's land.
(25:59):
You're in that whole horrible place where you don't make
the playoffs and you don't get a top pick, and
it just feels black. Yeah, And I think with and
maybe you're feeling this with Ben Johnson. I think with
the pending loss of Flores, who I think also will
likely have some opportunities if he'd like them, there's just
(26:19):
kind of this moment that you don't think they're gonna
win the super Bowl, but you want them to grab it.
So I think that's what I'm gonna be feeling on
Christmas Eve if it's looking well as just this increased
moment of hope, and if they could have grabbed one
of those last few games, if they could grab this
first one. I don't think anyone here in Minnesota is
going well This is obviously a team that's gonna march
(26:41):
through Detroit, sure, through Philadelphia, through San Francisco, and then
we're gonna thump the Chiefs or Bills or Ravens. But
if you can play your best football in the last
three games of the year, and you can set yourself
up for like, holy shit, we have Sunday night football
at the end of the year for the division, that
(27:03):
makes all of this very worthwhile. And that's that's what
I need. I'm i feel like a Lions fan, like
I'm rooting for hope. Is this what it feels like.
I'm not rooting for wins, I'm rooting for hope.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, that's a lot. That's a lot of what it
felt like. And while we are rooting for wins this year,
we are certainly still in that hope thing because we
feel I think I think Detroit feels like we have
the best team we've ever had. So you hope that
it's gonna you hope that it's gonna work out. However,
I am excited about this game because of what you
(27:41):
said earlier. Brian Flores and his defense versus Ben Johnson
and his offense against Nick Mullins and your offense versus
are not stellar defense. Like, I think the matchups look great.
I think this is all the makings of just a real,
real fun football game that ultimately the Lions come on
(28:02):
the top of.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Ultimately that obviously makes sense that it wouldn't happen. I
care about you a great deal. We've got another episode
in a couple of weeks, and regardless if we have
another guest or not, you will also be on that episode. Great,
even if it's for ten minutes. We're gonna rekindle what
started here. This is a to be continued sort of situation,
(28:23):
zach It. I wish you the best, but I don't
wish you a win. It is interesting, This is the
last thing I'll say. It is interesting to be in
this moment against a team that I don't have a
deep vested disdain for so like and and maybe give
(28:47):
it a couple of years and I'll be like, I
would rather spit like you know, I maybe we get there,
but right now I am enjoying the fact that, like
I can talk to one of my buddies. I absolutely
want to win. But if somehow it doesn't turn out,
I'm not gonna wanna drag him out to a lake
in the middle of winter time and tip him off
a boat.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Dude, it's you hit the nail on the head. I
have been I've been on the road a lot, and
I'm very vocal and clear about being a Lions fan
and have always been in every single person from every
single NFL market says that exact thing. They're like, I mean, no, man,
We're we're rooting for you, Like we have been bad
for so long that even when you're playing us, You're like,
(29:29):
I mean, they kind of need this one, you know.
And then next year, if we're the same thing, I
can see a lot of people starting to hate us.
But this year, everyone's like, now, that's like my little
brother who's finally hit puberty.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Do you feel like a guy that's about to take
a test but has never been given a book in
his whole life? And everybody's like, we'll see what happens, Bud.
We're all hoping, We're all hoping you get a good grade.
We can't imagine, you know what words are. I'm sure
this is I waited the whole episode to take one
serious shot, and I didn't even know it was coming
(30:01):
until it rolled into But I basically just called you
the equivalent of someone who never learned to read or
write and whatever. The football version of that is.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
In Green Bay. Come on, I'm from Detroit. That's a metropolis.
This is in Green Bay.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
What I thought we all couldn't read and rat We
can end on mutual ground, Zach, I'm gonna need a
score prediction. I know you're not gonna love it, but
I am gonna need a score prediction from you.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
That's fine. I'm going to say that we maintain that.
I'm gonna say thirty three to twenty four, Lions.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Thirty three to twenty four. Woof. I think it's going
to be a little more defensive than that, you know.
I do think Flores is gonna come ready. I think
our offense hasn't been able to completely find itself given
the situation we're in. Sure, so I don't know how
(30:55):
much we'll score, but I'm gonna go Lions thirteen, Vikings
and thirty eight. Zach. I care about you a great deal.
If it has to be somebody, I hope it's you
meet it, but I hope it doesn't have to be somebody.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Well, man, I care about you a great deal, and
I love being the unofficial Lions correspondent on this show.
I always have so much fun talking to you about
this and just laughing, you know, across state Lions.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Yeah. Well, we'll see if the job is still yours
come the end of Sunday.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Take it easy, buddy.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Thanks again to Zach Martinez for joining the show tonight,
and thank you to our sponsor, Continent with Diamond. Be
sure to like, subscribe, download the podcast anywhere you listen
to your favorite shows. We'll see you all again next week.
Join Pa at the Apple Valley Buffalo Wild Wings this
Friday from nine to noon for Friday Football Feast presented
by Coors Light. Enjoy food and drink specials and a
(31:53):
chance to win Viking tickets and more. Visit vikings dot
com slash bww for full schedule and details
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com