October 30, 2025 • 50 mins
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch kicks off the show, then some Vikes Bites and NFL fodder throughout the first hour!
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
M hm, can't probably.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello, you're on the air. Stop it stop it stopping.
So you're telling me there's a chance. Sorry, k fair well,
hoop action. Yes, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
How you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
How you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Good morning p A nine to noon. Just listen, just listen.
What did what did I you wrong? Time for two more.
(01:05):
That's a great set up, Bob, And that's a fact.
Nine to noon.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Personal file whipping.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Good stuff. Yeah, we're here with some good stuff. Just
down by getting up things organized for nine to noon.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Were here?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I know, right, I know right, same. Chris Finch, head
coach of the Minnesota tim for Wolves, is close to
set to kicking off in jump ball like fashion. The
Thursday nine to noon radio show good times bad times,
(02:16):
not just for some local sports teams, but like the
nine to noon Love Covenant Vibe. And here's what we mean.
This would be fike a Fairness and Coaches Act, while
nine to Noon recognizes it's privileged and it's a pleasure
(02:39):
to chat with head coaches professional sports teams pretty much
every day, nearly every day, maybe about three days a week.
Nine to noon. It's fantastic. We absolutely love it. Right
now though, that's a cool run for nine to Noon
this week with these head coaches pj off at thirty
(03:01):
eight point drubbing a kinnick O'Connell Tuesday, off the Chargers debacle,
Beinchy today coming up very soon off an a ort
to smasher last night at the hands of Austin Reeves
and two consecutive losses. And Minnesota wild head coach Sean Hines.
He joins today at eleven forty and the Christmas Colors
(03:22):
have dropped seven of eight and four in a row.
Come on as part of the Timber Tech Walks on
Deck set list. Welcome to nine to Noon, The Oof,
The Oof, The Oof was on fire, provided by Matt
producer Eric Nord Christ, producer of None to Noon. And
I'm Paul Allen. What's coming up today? We'll start with
(03:45):
Chris Finch here momentarily, then we will segue into Vikes bites.
And there is a lady named Emily Leiker who covers
the Minnesota Vikings for the Star Tribune. Emily like her,
and I just want to say Emily thanks. I know
(04:07):
her a little bit nice lady, but I want to
thank her because yours truly sat through I think twenty
two minutes and forty five seconds of a Kevin O'Connell
press conference yesterday, waiting for a Josh Oliver availability question,
and just in the nick of time, Emily came through
right at the finish line for the update. Thank you,
(04:32):
Thank you, Thank you. Nine to noon is in the
air and joining us now is Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch.
Courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two Harvest dot Org. Chris,
It's Paul Allen. Good morning to you.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Hey, good morning, Paul. How you doing all.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Right, ma'am? Sorry about the loss last night for those
who missed it. Why did you lay on the sword
after the game for the Reeves winner?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Well, you know, in those situations, I think, uh, you know,
we've been really good when we just kind of switch everything,
keep everything in front, and you know, yesterday we we
kind of stayed in what you call coverage, and uh,
you know, the most important thing is whether you decided
to do A or B or C, is that you
(05:20):
have great clarity on what you're doing. And you know,
I think maybe there was a little bit of uh
indecision on what we were going to do there, so
uh totally on me in that moment in time. I
thought we executed the play before perfectly well, wanted to
take the foul. Uh, And then after that, I just
I thought, you know, we needed to be a little
(05:43):
bit more clear on what was going on.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So right, yeah, yeah, I saw it. I understand. I mean,
I understand what you're saying. Certainly, I'm not going to
get into mental gyrations with an elite NBA mind, But
I thought Austin Reeves had a nice floater. I mean,
do you know, maybe don take out there a half
second late, but uh, I mean that was a tough shot.
Kind of a tough shot, don't you think.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, no doubt about it. A tough shot. I think.
You know, we had our two two best defenders in
the action. You know, he split them, which was a
great play by him, and you know he's got that
deadly kind of in between game. Uh, and Dante did
a really good job of stepping up and he contested
the heck out of it, but you know, it splashed
(06:24):
through that as the time expired. So all credit to
him and all credit to them. They they deserved that
win last night. They deserve that shot to go in.
You know, we we we we challenged it hard, but
ideally at that point in time, you don't want to
be split. You want to keep everything in front, you know,
make him make a similar shot over Rudy rather than
(06:44):
you know, over a smaller defender in the paint.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
Mm hm.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And and last night in that loss to the Lakers,
at one point lost to the Lakers. Uh, you guys
gave up ninety seven through three, which obviously is not preferred.
Is is establishing defensive identity an early season a topic
for you, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And uh, you know it's that's something we we've been
good at. We've had a couple of the worst defensive
performances in my time here. Can't quite put my finger
on exactly why. I think there's some collection or reasons. Uh,
but uh, you know, we've got to get back. I thought, uh,
(07:25):
with to have more of a defensive personality. Uh. I
thought it was good to see Jaden back, you know,
the Jayden that we've seen and come to know as
a top level defender. I thought he did a really
good job of bothering Reeve's shot making. You know, Reeves
did a really good job of finding his teammates. But
(07:46):
I thought Jaden was outstanding on him, and you know
that's what we We definitely needed that. It's a step
in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
How how how'd you put him on a nineteen in
the fourth quarter. I mean, you get the ninety seven through, which, which,
like we said, was not preferred, but then it's a
nineteen in the fourth quarter. How'd you do that?
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah? Well, that was just you know, that's being more
like we need to be. We just can't wait to
the fourth quarter to do it. We uh, we got
more physical, We got into you know, into the ball.
Actually we got into there to the rest of them too.
It was I thought, you know, La Rabia and connect
had comfortable games. They were able to get to this
(08:27):
spot easily, and you know, we just kind of got
a little bit more aggressive. And you know, we've been
playing tentative defensively, like we're afraid to foul. We do.
We have had a fouling issues, So I don't know
if guys are kind of trying not to foul. But
there's a there's a right type of physicality and a
way to play without fouling, and we haven't found that
(08:48):
balance yet.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Weekly nine to
now thank you, second Harvest Artland and to two Harvest
dot org. Two Harvest dot org. With the holiday season approaching,
please please give the webs I had to look. If
you are so inclined, this may have a little loser's
lament to it, but I'm a fired anyway. Austin Reeves,
all right, he's the hottest player in the NBA right now. Man.
(09:10):
He had fifty one over the weekend and and you
guys put him on a bad shooting game and three
of eleven from three. All right, so despite the game
winning floater, it seems the plan there with him, I
mean he's their best scorer. Obviously without Luca and Lebron,
the plan there was pretty sound, right.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah, I mean he started again and lots of use.
Jayden did a really good job, and when other people
got on him, they for the most part, did a
really good job of making it hard. We picked him
up full court, We chased them around all the screens.
He's super crafty in the mid range. You know, he's
he's kind of a He does a really good job
of selling contact to the officials. So you got to
(09:53):
be real clean around him. But you know, we crowded
the areas that he wanted to go, and you know,
he made the right play, kicked out, and his teammates
delivered for him by making some shots.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
And Chris, Chris you mentioned, picked him up, you know,
kind of full court. It's not Ye. Well, here's the
point is, I'm watching games last night or some games
the night before this This picking up players you know
three quarters court. That that that's happening a lot around
the league, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
It is? You're seeing more of it, you know. I
think it's a couple of reasons. I think everyone does
it for different reasons. Of course. Uh, you know, just
bring bring pressure, be disruptive. There's not a ton of
like great natural point guards and ball handlers that can
just carve up pressure with the ball in their hands
any anymore in the league. That's one.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Two.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It slows teams down. Everybody's trying to run. Everyone's abound
really stressing these early hit ahead passes to early attacks
and before defense can get set. So you're actually setting
your defense and establishing the up court pressure. And then
the final thing is, you know, analytically, we know that
the deeper you get into a shot clock, the tougher,
(11:06):
the shots become to make. And so that's really why
people run PA. It's not because it's fun and pretty
and fans love to see it. It's it's basically because
you get to the easiest, best, most efficient shots. So
the further you go in to the shot clock they get,
they get harder and harder, and so it's just a
way to eat clock if nothing else.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
How do you think analytics analytics mesh with with basketball,
because like and and you know, maybe there are a
lot of things that help you win games that I
would know about, but like off what you just said,
analytics show that if you pressure them and it's slower
to get up the court, teams make fewer shots with
with fewer seconds on the shot clock. I mean that's
(11:47):
age old though, right, I mean it's it's like you've
known that ever since you started playing basketball.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean that's that hasn't changed. And you know,
now we have the analytics to prove what we've kind
of thought was always true. And the you know, analytics
for me, it's I've said this a lot. It's a guide,
not a god. You know, we're not going to do
something blindly just because it's telling us to do it.
(12:15):
I think when you're in the game planning phase, when
you're in the you know, building your team philosophy phase,
like when you're when you're more zoomed out on the game. Uh,
you know, analytics is a great place to kind of
fift through things to figure out, like within your own team,
you know what makes sense to winning. And but the
(12:38):
closer you get to the game or when you're in
the game, and you know, you have to use more
of your IQ, your basketball feel, your your experience, your knowledge,
your you know, your individual skill set tendencies that you
have on your roster. And uh, you know, because at
that point in time, it's a it's a minute by
(12:58):
minute problem. And when you have that, you know everything
the numbers will change a little bit. Now, if you
had ten thousand examples of something like that, then you
know you can make a proper analytics decision. You know.
You were kind enough to introduce me to Kevin O'Connell
last week in LA We had a really really cool
(13:21):
chat about, you know, analytics in football and how that
really affected fourth down decision making and now everybody's an
expert on what to do fourth down and it's not
always the case. As you know, as a coach, you
got to make a lot of decisions that might go
against analytics in the moment, even though you're a big
believer of them overall.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Like I am right, and last Thursday a week ago,
when you and Kevin met each other for the first time,
that was the highlight of the entire day because the
football team lost that night and we get back super early,
and now we got the Lions this weekend. So thanks
for that time. It was great listening to you guys.
Chat Ris, No, it was awesome.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
I appreciate the intro. You know, Kevi and I have
a lot of respect for each other and plan to
get together and talk more more about this crazy business
life we've chosen.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
When when you mentioned you'd like go Bear and McDaniels
to do a better job with point of attack defense
and screen navigation, All right, what are you looking for
and did you see it last night, because like after
you said it, I was looking for it closely and
McDaniels in the first quarter looked like he executed a
(14:29):
ten out of ten.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Right. Oh, absolutely, yeah, those guys really stepped up, responded
last night. I thought they they looked a lot like
we need them to look like they're when they're playing
at the top of their games defensively, no doubt about it.
You know, I listened. We have a lot of guys
who can play defense, and right now we need more
(14:55):
of them to get back to leaning into that side
of the floor. And it starts with your best defense.
There's just like anything else, like if you want to
you know you're gonna win a you want to win
to win a win a big baseball game. You know,
your your your pitcher and your catcher, your battery has
got to be good. Now football is your quarterback and
your top receiver. But they gotta be good. They gotta
they gotta be on the same page, and they gotta
(15:15):
have chemistry and uh, you know our Jaden is our
best point of attack defender. And you know Rudy of
course is uh is outstanding at the rim when he's active.
And you know, we we've been inconsistent in those areas,
not just those guys, but but everybody. But they need
to be the tone setters.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Chris Finch Weekly nine to Noon, courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland.
What Anthony Edwards, what what are some things you see
differently with your squad when Edwards doesn't play. And I
and I mean both good and things you would prefer
to improve.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Well, you know, I think one thing went. You know,
we we miss a little bit of personality, you know,
a little bit swagger without Anthony. He's just he's got
so much of it. He gives us confidence. He infuses
his teammates with the same type of energy. Uh, you know,
and I think that's one Uh, you know, we've got
to find uh, We've got to find a little bit
more of a personality without him. And we have a
(16:15):
you know, we have a lot of quiet guys and
that you know, they're all kind of serious, quiet guys.
But we got to play with a little bit more
I think emotion and that that will kind of fuel
us through some tougher times. I think, you know, we're
doing a good job right now establishing slow in the offense,
(16:36):
and you know, it's good to see other guys, you know,
step up and do the things we know that they
can do. Like Jayden's right now playing in a great
offensive rhythm. Uh, we're really finding him. He's he's doing
an excellent job. You know, Julius is up to his scoring.
We we know how important he is for us overall,
but we value his playmaking, you know, alongside it Anthony.
(17:00):
But he's certainly an on demand go to score that
we can close games with. So you know, when Anthony
comes back, obviously we gotta we got to find a
way to keep these dynamics also prominent while you know,
reintegrating him and getting him back to to you know,
being our.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Leading light and and the these these basically three Anthony
has missed. Julius is at twenty nine points per game,
and the three game again was good last night he
was and and and he was nine to ten from
the line. But you know, with with with Randall hitting
threes in volume, is there any double edged sword to
that in pulling a high end rebounder consistently that far
(17:43):
from the basket.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Yeah, I guess you could say that a little bit
of a trade off. You know, he plays on the
perimeter offensively, Uh, but he's I think the good outweighs
the benefit of the offensive rebound of all the other
things we need him to do, all the other things
he can do, right, you know, he's he's twenty nine
points a game, has been pretty highly efficient, which is,
(18:08):
which is also something that you know, we love and
we need. And he's been able to draw fouls too,
So at that point, I think it's worth the trade
off we have other guys. I think we can be
a little bit more active on the offensive glass in
his place.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah, that, and and that he he shot almost half
your free throws last night, and and that, you know,
without Edwards, is it fair to say you need to
make sure others outside of Julius stay aggressive and find
some free points at the line.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, for sure. I mean that's you know, getting to
the free throw line is a big part of you know,
effiicient basketball. And you know, right now, I think there's
a huge upticking free throws across the league. Like so
if you're not drawing fouls and getting a free throw line, you're,
you know, you're behind the curve. And that's you know,
(19:00):
back to your question earlier about analytics, like whether you're
a believer of it or not, or how much you
decide to employ with your team, The reality is that
you know some of it's true. It's just it exists
and it's always been there and once you know it,
you can't unknow it. And it's what drives like efficient basketball,
and if eighty five to ninety percent of the league
(19:20):
is playing that way and getting up a high volume
of freeze and drawing fouls and playing fast and all
the things that analytics tell us that we should do.
If you're not doing those to some level, you're really
putting yourself behind the curve. It's really hard to play
catchup all the time. So if you're getting out shot
from the free throw line, which is an adage that
(19:41):
you and I were taught growing up, Hey, you got
to take you got to make more free throws than
than your opponent's take. That was what we were taught
back in the nineteen seventies playing basketball. It's it's just
another way to say the same thing, like, you're just
going to struggle if teams are out shooting you from
the free throw line every single night.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
A couple on Dilly to close here, Rob Dillingham got
some run last night. Seems the seems the pick and
roll game with Dillingham and Rudy, it seems it has
some promise.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
What did you say, Absolutely, Yeah, he's a good, good
Rudy partner and pick and roll. I think you can
find him on the late lob. You know, he's pretty shifty.
You can get to the paint, create create first teammates
when you know, I think he can also establish a
pretty good, pretty good connection with nods out there and
(20:32):
in the pick and roll, pick and pop game.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Right, And and you and O'Connell, you know a common
thread here, you're both raising young quarterbacks. JJ McCarthy twenty
two years of age. He'll start this weekend. How how
old's Dillingham twenty one?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I think he might be twenty yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Twenty yeah, twenty, So you know, and then that's potentially
a future quarterback for you. Now, the other side of
it off what we just said about that pick and
roll Correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seemed
like they into attacking him a tad on defense. Is
that something you have to work around when he plays, Yeah,
no doubt, you have.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
To account for it. He's got to continue to fight
and be better at all the different coverages and ball
contain and figure out a way to be an impactful defender,
whether it's get steels, get fifty to fifty balls, be
great in coverage, you know, win the first scribble. Like
there's certain points on the floor that once you know,
(21:28):
once they get to get to you know, he just
he kind of runs out of size and that it
is what it is. So he's got to be good
up the floor, win all his battles in the middle
of the floor, and you know, continue to try to
improve that side of the floor because he's gonna until
he does, he's going to certainly be a target.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
And lastly, next for you at Charlotte Saturday, you get
the Hornet Saturday LaMelo ball kind of a rolling ball
of butcher knives, gets a little wild, but nevertheless he
can do a lot of things well, Miles Bridges, he
can be tough as nails. But this duke, rookie Conk Nipple,
he's going pretty well for them since Brandon Miller heard
(22:08):
his shoulder. What did you think of Canipple into the draft.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
I liked him a lot. You know, he was a
guy he was pretty highly thought of when the season
started last year at college, but you know, he got
he just kind of grew in stature the whole season
and you know, he improved his draft status as a result.
I mean, he's got great size, he can kind of
(22:38):
do it all. You know, it was overshadowed a little
bit by his teammate down there in Duke, but I
thought he was just as instrumental to all the success
they had as Cooper Flag was you.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
My friend, are fantastic. May God bless you and your
covenant and safe travels. I'll call you next week.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
All right, all right, appreciate it, Pa, Thanks for checking
in yep.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
For sure, see you By Chris Finch, head coach of
the Minnesota Timberwolves. Thanks to second Harvest Heartland and two
Harvest dot org where this holiday season you can help
feed families if you're interested to Harvest dot Org. Chris
is a board member and it's very important to him,
and Chris is very important to us. And he's also
(23:21):
part of the TimberTech What's on Deck setlist which includes
vikes bits around the corner. And that was the penultimate
professional or excuse me three two. That was the penultimate
head coach interview this week for nine to noon Heinsey
John Hines at eleven forty two hours and change from
(23:41):
now we get Heinze during this cool week for nine
to noon with these coaches.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
Can we get a coach off of a thrilling victory
here sooner rather than later please, I know right.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Penguins Intown though pj Off at thirty eight point loss
at kinnick O'Connell being made to sound like a new
age Genghis Khan with the way he treated Carson Wentz.
That was Tuesday. Benchi's lost a couple in a row
sounds a little tired and frustrated with that deepense. And
then Heinze the Christmas Colors have dropped seven of eight
(24:14):
and four in a row, and they get Sydney tonight.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Loserville sounds better in f them.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
And that f them would be at them. One hundred
point three. Kfam can't wait to chat with Heinz. One
of our very favorites, John Eines, Coach of the Wild
at eleven forty. Thank you timber Tech, and thank you
Nordo for the cash thing.
Speaker 6 (24:32):
The Fan along with two men in a junk truck
want to give you a shot at some bonus bucks
with the National Cash Contest. This hours keyword is money.
Do you like money? Would you like to win some money?
The keyword is money at kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Mike Spintes, you got Ko cuts here?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
I got some Ko cuts? Yes? I have a total
of four of them. As a matter of fact, I
can't remember if I did this twenty twenty some odd
minutes ago, but just in case I did, and I'd
like to do it again. Okay, I personally on behalf
of me, not speaking for nine to now, but probably
speaking for nine to now, would like to thank a
lady named Emilyker, who writes about the vikings for the
(25:17):
Star Tribune a startribune dot com, because after waiting and
waiting for clarity on Josh Oliver, finally right in front
of a finish line, we got a Josh Oliver question
for the head coach from Emilyker, and the announcer.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
Was happy winners Ville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
And mad producer was happy because he was in search
of the same.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Question, winners Ville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And after hearing the same question about the same thing
asked fifteen different ways over fifteen minutes, all we wanted
to know was Josh Oliver wasn't playing this weekend. It's
all I was curious. I mean, we kind of knew
it was. It was coming down the road.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
But Emily Ker, who Winnersville sounds better.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
And FM, I do have some KO cuts for you,
but I actually want to start here because looking at
the injury report, hearing him speak with the media yesterday,
we might be back. What do you mean, Damn, it's
Kinkle style. Then Kinkle style. That's all I got on
(26:35):
that Van Ginkle here he is talking about of course,
said there's a nerve, there's a potential nerve bit in
the neck. You got gink sound that was exacerbated by
a concussion.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Damn, thanks fam Yeah gets Saberis.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
I land on my head?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (26:52):
You know that also reaggravated the back, and you know
it's just a it's been a long process and you
know I've been kid or with how I've been able
to handle this and going through the motions of you know,
progressing well so I can get back on the field
and you know, help this team win.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Has it been betted out whether Andrew Van Ginkle and
great job at the Van Ginkell sound. Has it been
betted out whether Van Ginkell actually has been able to
play for the last month, but they just have held
him back purposely so they could see more from Eric Wilson.
I always love that one.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
Anyway, go ahead, well, I mean, in this case it
would be to see more from Dallas Turner. Oh good, yeah,
thank you to get more out of thank you last
year's first round pick three two. Has it been vetted
out that Van Ginkel actually could play a month ago,
but they really wanted to see more out of Tyler Batti.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Thank you. Thanks for the correction and the covenant correction
clean up. Can't wait. I know it's JJ season. Can't
wait to see number forty three back on the field.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
Somebody on X by the way, and I hate not
being able to attribute them specifically. It was like a
Viking's fan page of some sort, somebody that loves the
team and posts about him all the time. I think
they've found the specific play where Van Ginkel he launches
like aunt trying to get his hand up on a
Caleb Williams pass, kind of gets undercut by by an
(28:18):
o Lineman I believe, and he flips completely on his head.
Oh the Van Giggle vertical.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Well you think that's on the tweet machine. It's somewhere
on the somewhere on the post machine. Oh, here it is.
And he he just lands flat on his head.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Ooh.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
DeAndre Swift though, and so so swift that undercut him.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Okay, yeah, but in the end he's back, and it
sounds like he feels like his body is in a
good spot to play this weekend. So that is something
to celebrate as we get closer, doubt healthier. Uh to
the ko cuts, I got four of them. I'm going
to start. You know, you're talking about Emilyker and getting
an update on Josh Oliver. I was just hoping somebody
eventually would ask a question that wasn't about Carson, but
(28:58):
had to had to had to handle head to unload
the notebook on Carson Wentz. Yesterday I found this audio.
This is this is part of where my head was
at into Thursday night, after Thursday night and early on,
just thinking about seeing Carson Wentz out there. The idea
that me as a Roob and the team, maybe we
have different versions of what out of reach looks like
(29:21):
in a football game.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Kind of out of reach, but the way we operate
where we believe we're out of reach might be a
little different than how folks watching the game might believe
it to be. And you know, we've had some games where,
thank goodness, we had that mindset because we found a
way to win some of those. And that's just the
belief that the guys have, and when you got a
guy like that that's committed to play through something as
(29:44):
long as the medical staff doesn't give me any new
information to that, you know, that's kind of how that
took place.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
I thought they were out of reach when I saw
that third and two and they were down fourteen to three,
And I believe it was an incomplete pass that was
bad at by a defender and Carson Wentz tried to
bat it down but he couldn't move his left arm,
and there was a lot of grimacing, and but the
team did not think they were out of reach. And
as a matter of fact, you get the pick, and
it took like it felt like it took half a
(30:13):
game to to traverse a twenty six yard drive to
get that touchdown in the third quarter, but again they
were it was a two score game. With that said,
I think another part of the battle in this entire
conversation that I am incredibly excited about to move on from,
is the pain on his face.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I'm watching it on TV.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
You're up on the radio booth from like a mile
away from the game action. So I don't know how
much of the TV copy you saw, Nate, but those
of us watching on the boob Tube.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
We saw the pain in his face. He was asked
about it, you know.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
I mean that's you know, I know the TV copies,
especially in those games where there's they see everything. You know,
you're you're trying to you know, you're trying to see
it as much as you can, and then really it
comes down to the dialogue with the player and you know,
after the medical staff's had a chance to check in
with him as well. So as visible as it is
(31:07):
to everybody, I understand that. But no, you don't always
get the you know, sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.
Sometimes you know, there might be conversation with the official
going on, There might be conversation with the Special Teams unit,
you know, regarding the punt, possible fakes, things like that.
That things come up where you just can't be in
pure observation mode, especially the way that my role here
(31:30):
is as the head coach and the play caller and
having direct dialogue with Flow and Matt Daniels as well.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
So I'd love to be.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Able to say that I see it all. That's where
you fall back on, you know, the great staff that
we do have, and you try to make the best
decision with all the information that you do have, with
the most important information being especially with a veteran player
who's been through, you know, quite a few things in
his career and has a total understanding of exactly, you know,
(31:57):
where his body's at and the commitment he made play.
You lean into that conversation. You know as much as
you do what the doctors are telling you about.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I believe that that was off a question asked by
the elite old school, best school Kevin Seaffert ESPN dot com,
and and when I was listening to it, I was like, mother,
it's it's that that That's one that I wish I
had asked Tuesday at Twin Cities Orthopedic Performance Center because
the television copy optics of Carson wentz uh clearly were
(32:31):
something O'Connell could not see and and everybody did see.
So then you know, all makeshift doctors get to go
into get to go into a mode where it's like,
you know that this has to happen right now. Then
Carson gets the opportunity to speak, and he's kind of like,
I'm not an idiot. Okay, yeah there was pain, but
I have I have the option to come out of
(32:52):
the game if I think I need to come out
of the game. So that kind of put a bow
on that. But but old school, best school unfurled that
question there, and I was like, mother, wish I had
asked that on Tuesday, Hey.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
KO, what did you learn about JJ McCarthy over the
course of those two games in which we got to
see him play and then of course the subsequent weeks.
Now is rehab process and back to practice.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Yeah, I think it's I think that's it's a great
point starting out first part of your question. I think
what we learned in the Chicago game was, you know,
he was able to overcome you know, and our team
was able to overcome a slower start than what we
hoped for the season. But then you know, going back
and watching that game, and you know, I watched it
(33:35):
with JJ recently, just looking at some of the principles
of how he how he played and when you know,
the moments in the second half where we were able
to think we generated one hundred and seventy yards in
the final seventeen minutes of the game, he had a
ton to do with that just by simply being efficient
with his feet and being accurate. Because of that and
you know, reading progressions and putting the ball in play
(33:57):
and throwing completions, and then we were able to run
the ball as well, and it kind of married all together.
I do think there was, you know, some unique circumstances
with that second game. I've said that before against Atlanta
from his family circumstances of being blessed with a child
that week and missing some practice time. As a matter
of fact, almost all of it besides that Friday practice, which,
(34:20):
as you guys know, is just not the significant amount
of preparation time that that you're looking for for a
young quarterback to then go out and take that practice
preparation to the game.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
So you hear that there, and what did you learn?
What did you get? Second game?
Speaker 6 (34:37):
There is he looked back man, tough, tough things being
stacked up against the kid, And he was asked, is
there any part of your coach, do you regret playing
him in that second game?
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Wasn't able to practice much? New Dad all.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
That you can you be in hindsight mode and kind
of regret that.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
You know. It's it's one of those things where we
know now that you know the a lot of the
things we're talking about it's you know, we know now
or after the fact or things like that. I did
feel like when we got him back here on that Friday,
I did feel like he had a lot of juice
and he had a he had a pretty good day
that day. But that you know, transitioning to every phase
(35:16):
of a game plan for a game plan against a
good defense, and Atlanta's turned out to be a pretty
dark and good one defensively. I don't regret in any
way doing that, because he was also coming off of
you know, I believe he was the NFC Offensive Player
of the Week, and then he was healthy, and it's
hard to take that guy off the field at that
point where we had just you know, six days earlier,
(35:38):
seen him kind of carry the momentum of the end
of that game into the locker room where you know,
it was a pretty significant moment for a young player
in his first start.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
In hindsight, can you pick your pa?
Speaker 6 (35:49):
He orchestrates those three touchdown drives into the fourth, wins
the game, NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Everyone's picturing
you know, the the the the girl on his face
after that rushing touchdown. Team wins. Guy's out this week
because he had a kid. Could you picture how that
would have played into Week two against the Falcons, who's defense,
(36:11):
by the way, I think they're second yards. They get
some scoring issues because their offense turns them all over
a little bit. But now that I think, but I
never thought that was an option. I never even considered
it either, But now that I'm thinking about it, it's
like that would have been a disaster. People would have
lost their minds if he had pulled JJ McCarthy for
having a kid and not being able to practice and
(36:32):
therefore not being in the game.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Two things here, One with McCarthy returning this weekend, likewise,
for right tackle Brian O'Neill, I'm just really happy O'Neill's
going to play this week, just to silence those who
may think, you know, he's been completely healthy for a month,
but they just wanted to see what they had in
Walter Rouse. I always love that one. And secondly, right
(36:55):
around that question you just played, there was a question following,
is there a threshold of pain? Oh? Yeah, a player
can have am I clomping on a bike?
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Bite?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
No? No, I don't have the I don't know a
threshold of pain. Is there a threshold of pain, Kevin,
that a player can have that will cause you despite
it not you know, being that they still can play,
but they're an incredible amount of pain. What's that threshold?
And I felt Kevin left a really, really good because
that was at the end of the WENTZ thirteen minutes
(37:29):
talking about the game six days previous, but three two.
I thought he left a good one liner on the
table there with all due respect, because he said, yes,
there is a threshold. Then he talked for about a
minute to describe the threshold. Yeah, it would have been
elite if he had just broken the ice and been like, yeah,
there's a threshold. It's called amputation. I always love that one.
(37:51):
It would have broken the ice if I had given
Emily a chance to get to get the Josh Oliver
question in about six minutes earlier.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
There were a lot of Ivan Drago memes Rocky for
Style going around X over the weekend after that game.
If he dies, he dies, McCarthy not dying. And as
a matter of fact, he's healthy and he's confident.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Every time we step out there. You know, it's the
work that we put in every single week. It's the
trust in my teammates and coaches and all of that's
been at all time high. You know, it sucks not
being able to get the reps and you know, be
able to continue to progress all the fundamentals and all
the little things. But there was a lot of areas
that you know, I picked up and think I be
benefited from, you know, just watching and observing from the sideline.
(38:34):
So you know, extremely confident and ready to get after it.
Speaker 6 (38:37):
A lot of observing. Now we're excited to see execution.
But how is that ankle As we stand here today
ready to go?
Speaker 3 (38:44):
I feel like myself again. I feel like I, you know,
have those mobility things that I was concerned about, you
know going into last week, in the prior weeks.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
So yeah, ready to go.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
So in the end, the team is looking more and
more ready to go as Christian dearisov full participant. Now,
I would not be surprised today, p I. I don't know
where a head's at on it. Where after only getting
nine snaps and kind of pulling back the reins a bit,
we might see the continued process of maybe he's a
non participant today and then maybe he's full again on Friday.
As they continue to stick to their plan with him.
(39:17):
You mentioned right off the top, just what's up with
Josh Oliver. We found out he's likely not going to
play this week with the foot thing. Jeff Okuda sadly
another concussion situation with him.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
CJ.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
Hamm with his hand, continues to not practice, but in
the end Grenard was limited. You had Isaiah Rodgers let's
watch this with the shoulder, but Brian O'Neil returning to practice,
So all in all, the team's getting healthier. PA into
this kiddies game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
And it's a noon boom at f M one hundred
point three kfam. The Vikings come in do it three
and four taking on a team with a winning record.
Which teams with losing records can or will beat teams
with winning records? This weekend tom foolery and nonsense is
something only you can expect from US. US being nine
(40:06):
to noon in the National Football League, the question being
which teams with losing records can or will beat teams
with winning records? O fun little baby game crafted by
nine to noon. It's a fun little baby game that
we may do it the Friday Football Feast sometime and
(40:28):
include Alex Lewis of the Athletic the Athletic dot com. Oh,
by the way, forgot to tweet us yesterday. But this
is broadcasting, that's narrow casting. Three two. The feast is
at Buffalo Wild Wings chan Hassen tomorrow and if anybody's
interested in joining, this would be a FIFA Airness and
Feast act. The chan Hassen location is on the smaller side,
(40:52):
So if you want to come to the Friday Football
Feast of Buffalo Wild Wings chan Assen tomorrow, just know
that that does the seeding specifically, you know, in front
of where the table is, where we do the show
and stuff like that. It's one of the smaller ones.
It's festive, it's lively, it's loud, and it's going to
be fun despite the record and the vibe. The Chan
(41:13):
location rocks, channlocation rocks. But it's on the smaller side.
So if you want to join and you want to
get what we would call a primo seed, I would
arrive a little on the early side. Friday Football Feast
tomorrow nine to noon KFA and Buffalo Wild wins chan Assen.
All right, So with this new baby game, no point spreads,
(41:36):
No point spreads, all right, No point spreads in case
the perceived adversaries have X ray contact lenses. I always
love that one. Just losers and winners, and there they are.
Minnesota is three and four taking on Detroit five and two.
So these are teams with losing records against teams with
(41:56):
winning records, and can or will the teams with losing
records win win the game outright? Or maybe it's a
big fat no, they got no shot. So the Vikings
would be the first one, three and four, five and
two a prediction. There will be facets of the Vikings
performance that will be what we have come to expect.
(42:17):
Tension is real when you lose to in a row,
and the last one was the worst and in standalone fashion, right,
if JJ keeps them off balance with his running and
a running game and gains confidence early on third down
when it's loud, they're going to fight these kiddies right
to the wire. I believe that will happen. So I
(42:41):
lean they can beat Detroit. Not they will beat Detroit.
I lean they can. Yeah, you got anything.
Speaker 6 (42:53):
They need to get pressure up the middle more so
this weekend maybe than any of the previous four losses.
You look at the ability of a jailing hurts. You
look at Justin Herbert Rogers, good example of a statue.
But this weekend a hard graven Allen game where you
can push an immobile Jared Goff to the outside, get
(43:14):
him out of rhythm, get him off his spot. The
Vikings certainly can beat the Lions. That's where I'm at. Yeah,
we're in unison.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
The Cincinnati Bengals three and five, Chicago's four and three.
This game's at Cincinnati. Games at Cincinnati, right, Cincinci at Cincy. Yeah,
I'm just gonna I'm just gonna lay this out here.
If you got anything novel to add to it, or
a disagreement by all means, jump in. It's it's not
can Cincinnati win. Cincinnati will win three and five, Bengals
(43:48):
will beat the Chicago Bears, making them four and four.
You agree, I agree with you. They will win the game.
Tennessee is one in seven and is hosting the five
and three LA Chargers. Now, I believe Apple Valley Heights
cols Trey Pipkins, who was active last game but didn't play,
he'll play this game, bookending Joe Alt since he's won
and seven. I mean Tennessee's one and seven. This ain't happening.
(44:11):
Tennessee won't win, and I don't think Tennessee can win.
The La Chargers got some three dollars, got some three
dollars bill to them. Okay, so just be careful for
those of you foolish enough to lay that money line.
Atlanta's three and four at six and two New England,
Atlanta losers three and four, six and two, New England.
(44:34):
What do you think there is?
Speaker 6 (44:35):
If Pennix is playing this week, they can beat the
New England. They can beat the New England Patriots mentioned
the last segment. I think their defense their first or
second in the NFL in yards allowed, again mitigating turnovers
and bad mistakes. But Beijon can get off against that team.
I know everyone's louting Drake May and they should. And
Rabel's team is strong man and they've won five in
(44:56):
a row. Totally get it. I think the Falcons absolutely
can beat the Patriots this weekend.
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Yeah, I'm on the can vibe. I mean, did you do?
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (45:08):
We can see Atlanta at three and five? All right,
the Falcons Panics are not three and five. Yes, I
can see that. It's New England at seven and two.
I mean, it's six and three just feels like more
of the right through nine for New England than seven
and two. I'm with you. I think Atlanta can win
(45:30):
Niners five and three at Giants two and six. Now
the forty nine ers are as banged up or more
banged up than the Vikings recently were. We know how
bad it can get here. This is a fat no
for me when it comes to the losers will win
or can win? I think it's a fat no. And
(45:50):
here's why the New York Giants lost a certain and
important vibe in that scataboo bit. I mean, the vibe
just fell off the cliff with this squad when he
got hurt. They were so sad. I actually say the
New York Giants cannot win this game. What about you?
(46:12):
I'm going to say they will win.
Speaker 6 (46:14):
And I think what we've seen the Niners losers two
of their last three, is they are as injured, if
not more injured, than the Vikings. And we can say
Shanahan's as good as it gets, and he puts people
in spots, but how long can you do it? This
is this is a problem really of just gradual attrition
and degradation to a point now where they are really struggling.
(46:38):
They looked hideous in Houston last week and at this
weekend against the Giants as hurt as the Giants are scataboo.
Speaker 2 (46:45):
You mentioned their secondary has been ravaged.
Speaker 6 (46:47):
That defensive front is going to harass the bleep out
of the Niners this weekend. And I'm saying that the
Giants will actually stand tall and beat the Niners at home.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
As a two and a half point dog crowd love,
and that Houston is three and four, that's the losing
record hosting Denver, which is six and two. I'm I'm
hitting the yes, the underdog will win this game. The loser, well,
I don't even if they're an underdog, but the team
(47:17):
at the losing record point and a half dog will
win the half favored over the Broncos. Excuse me, yea,
I take the team at the losing record. I see
Denver more six and three than seven and two. Good
win versus San Francisco. Last game for Houston. But Dimiico
beat his former boss. You know that Houston beating the Niners.
That is, Dimiico beat his former boss. So they were
(47:38):
all wound up for that and everything. So that plays
into it. Believe it or not. I'm it's gonna be
lowercase will for me, not all Caps. But yes, I
think the losing team will beat the team with a
winning record.
Speaker 6 (47:50):
I think it's a fat can. They can beat the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I do think.
Speaker 6 (47:55):
I think this is gonna be kind of a lower scoring,
ugly game. I mean that Broncos defense and CJS trout
the ups and downs with what we're seeing really the
last year and a half, I think the Texans can.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Win this game. Las Vegas is two and five hosting Jacksonville,
which is four and three. New Orleans is one and
seven at the five and two LA Rams. We have
some Tyler Shuck related terrorism into this game. From what
I understand, yes we do. This is the Rams will
(48:28):
win this game. New Orleans can't win this game, right, No,
I don't think they can win this game. The I
mean just the defense.
Speaker 6 (48:36):
I mean Kyron Williams might have trouble getting around the
park on Sunday, but other than that, I mean the
Saints are.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
Disaster losers, winners baby game nine to noon and to finally,
three and five Washington is hosting the five and two
Super Chickens. This is I don't know if Daniels is playing,
but this is kind of a This is a trickier
one for me. Do we see Seattle as a six
(49:02):
and two operation or closer to a five and three operation?
Do we think Washington will fall to three and six?
That's kind of the baseline of where I start there
before I look at injuries and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (49:14):
But what you got, Well, Jaden's ready to return. McLaurin
I think is ready to be back out again. Oh wow,
So they just continue to be hurt.
Speaker 1 (49:22):
Man.
Speaker 6 (49:23):
I like the fact that Washington is at home. I
can't say will on this one to the same level
of confidence. What Darnold's doing with with Jackson Smith and
Jig was unbelievable. And the defense has been part of
the problem. I think in some respects, I'm gonna say
they can win.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
I'm gonna say the underdog, the team with the losing
record will win. If you tell me Daniels is back,
we got debo under contract, I mean, and that they
just I mean, if you go to three and six
here like likewise, you know eventually for the Minnesota Vikings
or are three and four, I mean, you get to
three and six here. Holy cow, You're in a lot
(49:59):
of trouble in the NFC. So I think the desperation
factor is absolutely lopsided. One way question is can they
handle it. I think they do, and I think the
team with the losing record beats the team with the
winning record. It's ten o'clock. Good morning. Nacho Lieber joins
US next
M hm, can't probably.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello, you're on the air. Stop it stop it stopping.
So you're telling me there's a chance. Sorry, k fair well,
hoop action. Yes, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
How you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
How you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Good morning p A nine to noon. Just listen, just listen.
What did what did I you wrong? Time for two more.
(01:05):
That's a great set up, Bob, And that's a fact.
Nine to noon.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Personal file whipping.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Good stuff. Yeah, we're here with some good stuff. Just
down by getting up things organized for nine to noon.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Were here?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I know, right, I know right, same. Chris Finch, head
coach of the Minnesota tim for Wolves, is close to
set to kicking off in jump ball like fashion. The
Thursday nine to noon radio show good times bad times,
(02:16):
not just for some local sports teams, but like the
nine to noon Love Covenant Vibe. And here's what we mean.
This would be fike a Fairness and Coaches Act, while
nine to Noon recognizes it's privileged and it's a pleasure
(02:39):
to chat with head coaches professional sports teams pretty much
every day, nearly every day, maybe about three days a week.
Nine to noon. It's fantastic. We absolutely love it. Right
now though, that's a cool run for nine to Noon
this week with these head coaches pj off at thirty
(03:01):
eight point drubbing a kinnick O'Connell Tuesday, off the Chargers debacle,
Beinchy today coming up very soon off an a ort
to smasher last night at the hands of Austin Reeves
and two consecutive losses. And Minnesota wild head coach Sean Hines.
He joins today at eleven forty and the Christmas Colors
(03:22):
have dropped seven of eight and four in a row.
Come on as part of the Timber Tech Walks on
Deck set list. Welcome to nine to Noon, The Oof,
The Oof, The Oof was on fire, provided by Matt
producer Eric Nord Christ, producer of None to Noon. And
I'm Paul Allen. What's coming up today? We'll start with
(03:45):
Chris Finch here momentarily, then we will segue into Vikes bites.
And there is a lady named Emily Leiker who covers
the Minnesota Vikings for the Star Tribune. Emily like her,
and I just want to say Emily thanks. I know
(04:07):
her a little bit nice lady, but I want to
thank her because yours truly sat through I think twenty
two minutes and forty five seconds of a Kevin O'Connell
press conference yesterday, waiting for a Josh Oliver availability question,
and just in the nick of time, Emily came through
right at the finish line for the update. Thank you,
(04:32):
Thank you, Thank you. Nine to noon is in the
air and joining us now is Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch.
Courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two Harvest dot Org. Chris,
It's Paul Allen. Good morning to you.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Hey, good morning, Paul. How you doing all.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Right, ma'am? Sorry about the loss last night for those
who missed it. Why did you lay on the sword
after the game for the Reeves winner?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Well, you know, in those situations, I think, uh, you know,
we've been really good when we just kind of switch everything,
keep everything in front, and you know, yesterday we we
kind of stayed in what you call coverage, and uh,
you know, the most important thing is whether you decided
to do A or B or C, is that you
(05:20):
have great clarity on what you're doing. And you know,
I think maybe there was a little bit of uh
indecision on what we were going to do there, so
uh totally on me in that moment in time. I
thought we executed the play before perfectly well, wanted to
take the foul. Uh, And then after that, I just
I thought, you know, we needed to be a little
(05:43):
bit more clear on what was going on.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So right, yeah, yeah, I saw it. I understand. I mean,
I understand what you're saying. Certainly, I'm not going to
get into mental gyrations with an elite NBA mind, But
I thought Austin Reeves had a nice floater. I mean,
do you know, maybe don take out there a half
second late, but uh, I mean that was a tough shot.
Kind of a tough shot, don't you think.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, no doubt about it. A tough shot. I think.
You know, we had our two two best defenders in
the action. You know, he split them, which was a
great play by him, and you know he's got that
deadly kind of in between game. Uh, and Dante did
a really good job of stepping up and he contested
the heck out of it, but you know, it splashed
(06:24):
through that as the time expired. So all credit to
him and all credit to them. They they deserved that
win last night. They deserve that shot to go in.
You know, we we we we challenged it hard, but
ideally at that point in time, you don't want to
be split. You want to keep everything in front, you know,
make him make a similar shot over Rudy rather than
(06:44):
you know, over a smaller defender in the paint.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
Mm hm.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And and last night in that loss to the Lakers,
at one point lost to the Lakers. Uh, you guys
gave up ninety seven through three, which obviously is not preferred.
Is is establishing defensive identity an early season a topic
for you, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
And uh, you know it's that's something we we've been
good at. We've had a couple of the worst defensive
performances in my time here. Can't quite put my finger
on exactly why. I think there's some collection or reasons. Uh,
but uh, you know, we've got to get back. I thought, uh,
(07:25):
with to have more of a defensive personality. Uh. I
thought it was good to see Jaden back, you know,
the Jayden that we've seen and come to know as
a top level defender. I thought he did a really
good job of bothering Reeve's shot making. You know, Reeves
did a really good job of finding his teammates. But
(07:46):
I thought Jaden was outstanding on him, and you know
that's what we We definitely needed that. It's a step
in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
How how how'd you put him on a nineteen in
the fourth quarter. I mean, you get the ninety seven through, which, which,
like we said, was not preferred, but then it's a
nineteen in the fourth quarter. How'd you do that?
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah? Well, that was just you know, that's being more
like we need to be. We just can't wait to
the fourth quarter to do it. We uh, we got
more physical, We got into you know, into the ball.
Actually we got into there to the rest of them too.
It was I thought, you know, La Rabia and connect
had comfortable games. They were able to get to this
(08:27):
spot easily, and you know, we just kind of got
a little bit more aggressive. And you know, we've been
playing tentative defensively, like we're afraid to foul. We do.
We have had a fouling issues, So I don't know
if guys are kind of trying not to foul. But
there's a there's a right type of physicality and a
way to play without fouling, and we haven't found that
(08:48):
balance yet.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Weekly nine to
now thank you, second Harvest Artland and to two Harvest
dot org. Two Harvest dot org. With the holiday season approaching,
please please give the webs I had to look. If
you are so inclined, this may have a little loser's
lament to it, but I'm a fired anyway. Austin Reeves,
all right, he's the hottest player in the NBA right now. Man.
(09:10):
He had fifty one over the weekend and and you
guys put him on a bad shooting game and three
of eleven from three. All right, so despite the game
winning floater, it seems the plan there with him, I
mean he's their best scorer. Obviously without Luca and Lebron,
the plan there was pretty sound, right.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah, I mean he started again and lots of use.
Jayden did a really good job, and when other people
got on him, they for the most part, did a
really good job of making it hard. We picked him
up full court, We chased them around all the screens.
He's super crafty in the mid range. You know, he's
he's kind of a He does a really good job
of selling contact to the officials. So you got to
(09:53):
be real clean around him. But you know, we crowded
the areas that he wanted to go, and you know,
he made the right play, kicked out, and his teammates
delivered for him by making some shots.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
And Chris, Chris you mentioned, picked him up, you know,
kind of full court. It's not Ye. Well, here's the
point is, I'm watching games last night or some games
the night before this This picking up players you know
three quarters court. That that that's happening a lot around
the league, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
It is? You're seeing more of it, you know. I
think it's a couple of reasons. I think everyone does
it for different reasons. Of course. Uh, you know, just
bring bring pressure, be disruptive. There's not a ton of
like great natural point guards and ball handlers that can
just carve up pressure with the ball in their hands
any anymore in the league. That's one.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Two.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
It slows teams down. Everybody's trying to run. Everyone's abound
really stressing these early hit ahead passes to early attacks
and before defense can get set. So you're actually setting
your defense and establishing the up court pressure. And then
the final thing is, you know, analytically, we know that
the deeper you get into a shot clock, the tougher,
(11:06):
the shots become to make. And so that's really why
people run PA. It's not because it's fun and pretty
and fans love to see it. It's it's basically because
you get to the easiest, best, most efficient shots. So
the further you go in to the shot clock they get,
they get harder and harder, and so it's just a
way to eat clock if nothing else.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
How do you think analytics analytics mesh with with basketball,
because like and and you know, maybe there are a
lot of things that help you win games that I
would know about, but like off what you just said,
analytics show that if you pressure them and it's slower
to get up the court, teams make fewer shots with
with fewer seconds on the shot clock. I mean that's
(11:47):
age old though, right, I mean it's it's like you've
known that ever since you started playing basketball.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean that's that hasn't changed. And you know,
now we have the analytics to prove what we've kind
of thought was always true. And the you know, analytics
for me, it's I've said this a lot. It's a guide,
not a god. You know, we're not going to do
something blindly just because it's telling us to do it.
(12:15):
I think when you're in the game planning phase, when
you're in the you know, building your team philosophy phase,
like when you're when you're more zoomed out on the game. Uh,
you know, analytics is a great place to kind of
fift through things to figure out, like within your own team,
you know what makes sense to winning. And but the
(12:38):
closer you get to the game or when you're in
the game, and you know, you have to use more
of your IQ, your basketball feel, your your experience, your knowledge,
your you know, your individual skill set tendencies that you
have on your roster. And uh, you know, because at
that point in time, it's a it's a minute by
(12:58):
minute problem. And when you have that, you know everything
the numbers will change a little bit. Now, if you
had ten thousand examples of something like that, then you
know you can make a proper analytics decision. You know.
You were kind enough to introduce me to Kevin O'Connell
last week in LA We had a really really cool
(13:21):
chat about, you know, analytics in football and how that
really affected fourth down decision making and now everybody's an
expert on what to do fourth down and it's not
always the case. As you know, as a coach, you
got to make a lot of decisions that might go
against analytics in the moment, even though you're a big
believer of them overall.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Like I am right, and last Thursday a week ago,
when you and Kevin met each other for the first time,
that was the highlight of the entire day because the
football team lost that night and we get back super early,
and now we got the Lions this weekend. So thanks
for that time. It was great listening to you guys.
Chat Ris, No, it was awesome.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
I appreciate the intro. You know, Kevi and I have
a lot of respect for each other and plan to
get together and talk more more about this crazy business
life we've chosen.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
When when you mentioned you'd like go Bear and McDaniels
to do a better job with point of attack defense
and screen navigation, All right, what are you looking for
and did you see it last night, because like after
you said it, I was looking for it closely and
McDaniels in the first quarter looked like he executed a
(14:29):
ten out of ten.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Right. Oh, absolutely, yeah, those guys really stepped up, responded
last night. I thought they they looked a lot like
we need them to look like they're when they're playing
at the top of their games defensively, no doubt about it.
You know, I listened. We have a lot of guys
who can play defense, and right now we need more
(14:55):
of them to get back to leaning into that side
of the floor. And it starts with your best defense.
There's just like anything else, like if you want to
you know you're gonna win a you want to win
to win a win a big baseball game. You know,
your your your pitcher and your catcher, your battery has
got to be good. Now football is your quarterback and
your top receiver. But they gotta be good. They gotta
they gotta be on the same page, and they gotta
(15:15):
have chemistry and uh, you know our Jaden is our
best point of attack defender. And you know Rudy of
course is uh is outstanding at the rim when he's active.
And you know, we we've been inconsistent in those areas,
not just those guys, but but everybody. But they need
to be the tone setters.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Chris Finch Weekly nine to Noon, courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland.
What Anthony Edwards, what what are some things you see
differently with your squad when Edwards doesn't play. And I
and I mean both good and things you would prefer
to improve.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Well, you know, I think one thing went. You know,
we we miss a little bit of personality, you know,
a little bit swagger without Anthony. He's just he's got
so much of it. He gives us confidence. He infuses
his teammates with the same type of energy. Uh, you know,
and I think that's one Uh, you know, we've got
to find uh, We've got to find a little bit
more of a personality without him. And we have a
(16:15):
you know, we have a lot of quiet guys and
that you know, they're all kind of serious, quiet guys.
But we got to play with a little bit more
I think emotion and that that will kind of fuel
us through some tougher times. I think, you know, we're
doing a good job right now establishing slow in the offense,
(16:36):
and you know, it's good to see other guys, you know,
step up and do the things we know that they
can do. Like Jayden's right now playing in a great
offensive rhythm. Uh, we're really finding him. He's he's doing
an excellent job. You know, Julius is up to his scoring.
We we know how important he is for us overall,
but we value his playmaking, you know, alongside it Anthony.
(17:00):
But he's certainly an on demand go to score that
we can close games with. So you know, when Anthony
comes back, obviously we gotta we got to find a
way to keep these dynamics also prominent while you know,
reintegrating him and getting him back to to you know,
being our.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Leading light and and the these these basically three Anthony
has missed. Julius is at twenty nine points per game,
and the three game again was good last night he
was and and and he was nine to ten from
the line. But you know, with with with Randall hitting
threes in volume, is there any double edged sword to
that in pulling a high end rebounder consistently that far
(17:43):
from the basket.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Yeah, I guess you could say that a little bit
of a trade off. You know, he plays on the
perimeter offensively, Uh, but he's I think the good outweighs
the benefit of the offensive rebound of all the other
things we need him to do, all the other things
he can do, right, you know, he's he's twenty nine
points a game, has been pretty highly efficient, which is,
(18:08):
which is also something that you know, we love and
we need. And he's been able to draw fouls too,
So at that point, I think it's worth the trade
off we have other guys. I think we can be
a little bit more active on the offensive glass in
his place.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah, that, and and that he he shot almost half
your free throws last night, and and that, you know,
without Edwards, is it fair to say you need to
make sure others outside of Julius stay aggressive and find
some free points at the line.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, for sure. I mean that's you know, getting to
the free throw line is a big part of you know,
effiicient basketball. And you know, right now, I think there's
a huge upticking free throws across the league. Like so
if you're not drawing fouls and getting a free throw line, you're,
you know, you're behind the curve. And that's you know,
(19:00):
back to your question earlier about analytics, like whether you're
a believer of it or not, or how much you
decide to employ with your team, The reality is that
you know some of it's true. It's just it exists
and it's always been there and once you know it,
you can't unknow it. And it's what drives like efficient basketball,
and if eighty five to ninety percent of the league
(19:20):
is playing that way and getting up a high volume
of freeze and drawing fouls and playing fast and all
the things that analytics tell us that we should do.
If you're not doing those to some level, you're really
putting yourself behind the curve. It's really hard to play
catchup all the time. So if you're getting out shot
from the free throw line, which is an adage that
(19:41):
you and I were taught growing up, Hey, you got
to take you got to make more free throws than
than your opponent's take. That was what we were taught
back in the nineteen seventies playing basketball. It's it's just
another way to say the same thing, like, you're just
going to struggle if teams are out shooting you from
the free throw line every single night.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
A couple on Dilly to close here, Rob Dillingham got
some run last night. Seems the seems the pick and
roll game with Dillingham and Rudy, it seems it has
some promise.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
What did you say, Absolutely, Yeah, he's a good, good
Rudy partner and pick and roll. I think you can
find him on the late lob. You know, he's pretty shifty.
You can get to the paint, create create first teammates
when you know, I think he can also establish a
pretty good, pretty good connection with nods out there and
(20:32):
in the pick and roll, pick and pop game.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Right, And and you and O'Connell, you know a common
thread here, you're both raising young quarterbacks. JJ McCarthy twenty
two years of age. He'll start this weekend. How how
old's Dillingham twenty one?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
I think he might be twenty yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Twenty yeah, twenty, So you know, and then that's potentially
a future quarterback for you. Now, the other side of
it off what we just said about that pick and
roll Correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seemed
like they into attacking him a tad on defense. Is
that something you have to work around when he plays, Yeah,
no doubt, you have.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
To account for it. He's got to continue to fight
and be better at all the different coverages and ball
contain and figure out a way to be an impactful defender,
whether it's get steels, get fifty to fifty balls, be
great in coverage, you know, win the first scribble. Like
there's certain points on the floor that once you know,
(21:28):
once they get to get to you know, he just
he kind of runs out of size and that it
is what it is. So he's got to be good
up the floor, win all his battles in the middle
of the floor, and you know, continue to try to
improve that side of the floor because he's gonna until
he does, he's going to certainly be a target.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
And lastly, next for you at Charlotte Saturday, you get
the Hornet Saturday LaMelo ball kind of a rolling ball
of butcher knives, gets a little wild, but nevertheless he
can do a lot of things well, Miles Bridges, he
can be tough as nails. But this duke, rookie Conk Nipple,
he's going pretty well for them since Brandon Miller heard
(22:08):
his shoulder. What did you think of Canipple into the draft.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
I liked him a lot. You know, he was a
guy he was pretty highly thought of when the season
started last year at college, but you know, he got
he just kind of grew in stature the whole season
and you know, he improved his draft status as a result.
I mean, he's got great size, he can kind of
(22:38):
do it all. You know, it was overshadowed a little
bit by his teammate down there in Duke, but I
thought he was just as instrumental to all the success
they had as Cooper Flag was you.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
My friend, are fantastic. May God bless you and your
covenant and safe travels. I'll call you next week.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
All right, all right, appreciate it, Pa, Thanks for checking
in yep.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
For sure, see you By Chris Finch, head coach of
the Minnesota Timberwolves. Thanks to second Harvest Heartland and two
Harvest dot org where this holiday season you can help
feed families if you're interested to Harvest dot Org. Chris
is a board member and it's very important to him,
and Chris is very important to us. And he's also
(23:21):
part of the TimberTech What's on Deck setlist which includes
vikes bits around the corner. And that was the penultimate
professional or excuse me three two. That was the penultimate
head coach interview this week for nine to noon Heinsey
John Hines at eleven forty two hours and change from
(23:41):
now we get Heinze during this cool week for nine
to noon with these coaches.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
Can we get a coach off of a thrilling victory
here sooner rather than later please, I know right.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Penguins Intown though pj Off at thirty eight point loss
at kinnick O'Connell being made to sound like a new
age Genghis Khan with the way he treated Carson Wentz.
That was Tuesday. Benchi's lost a couple in a row
sounds a little tired and frustrated with that deepense. And
then Heinze the Christmas Colors have dropped seven of eight
(24:14):
and four in a row, and they get Sydney tonight.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Loserville sounds better in f them.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
And that f them would be at them. One hundred
point three. Kfam can't wait to chat with Heinz. One
of our very favorites, John Eines, Coach of the Wild
at eleven forty. Thank you timber Tech, and thank you
Nordo for the cash thing.
Speaker 6 (24:32):
The Fan along with two men in a junk truck
want to give you a shot at some bonus bucks
with the National Cash Contest. This hours keyword is money.
Do you like money? Would you like to win some money?
The keyword is money at kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Mike Spintes, you got Ko cuts here?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
I got some Ko cuts? Yes? I have a total
of four of them. As a matter of fact, I
can't remember if I did this twenty twenty some odd
minutes ago, but just in case I did, and I'd
like to do it again. Okay, I personally on behalf
of me, not speaking for nine to now, but probably
speaking for nine to now, would like to thank a
lady named Emilyker, who writes about the vikings for the
(25:17):
Star Tribune a startribune dot com, because after waiting and
waiting for clarity on Josh Oliver, finally right in front
of a finish line, we got a Josh Oliver question
for the head coach from Emilyker, and the announcer.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
Was happy winners Ville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
And mad producer was happy because he was in search
of the same.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Question, winners Ville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And after hearing the same question about the same thing
asked fifteen different ways over fifteen minutes, all we wanted
to know was Josh Oliver wasn't playing this weekend. It's
all I was curious. I mean, we kind of knew
it was. It was coming down the road.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
But Emily Ker, who Winnersville sounds better.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
And FM, I do have some KO cuts for you,
but I actually want to start here because looking at
the injury report, hearing him speak with the media yesterday,
we might be back. What do you mean, Damn, it's
Kinkle style. Then Kinkle style. That's all I got on
(26:35):
that Van Ginkle here he is talking about of course,
said there's a nerve, there's a potential nerve bit in
the neck. You got gink sound that was exacerbated by
a concussion.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Damn, thanks fam Yeah gets Saberis.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
I land on my head?
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (26:52):
You know that also reaggravated the back, and you know
it's just a it's been a long process and you
know I've been kid or with how I've been able
to handle this and going through the motions of you know,
progressing well so I can get back on the field
and you know, help this team win.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
Has it been betted out whether Andrew Van Ginkle and
great job at the Van Ginkell sound. Has it been
betted out whether Van Ginkell actually has been able to
play for the last month, but they just have held
him back purposely so they could see more from Eric Wilson.
I always love that one.
Speaker 6 (27:26):
Anyway, go ahead, well, I mean, in this case it
would be to see more from Dallas Turner. Oh good, yeah,
thank you to get more out of thank you last
year's first round pick three two. Has it been vetted
out that Van Ginkel actually could play a month ago,
but they really wanted to see more out of Tyler Batti.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Thank you. Thanks for the correction and the covenant correction
clean up. Can't wait. I know it's JJ season. Can't
wait to see number forty three back on the field.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
Somebody on X by the way, and I hate not
being able to attribute them specifically. It was like a
Viking's fan page of some sort, somebody that loves the
team and posts about him all the time. I think
they've found the specific play where Van Ginkel he launches
like aunt trying to get his hand up on a
Caleb Williams pass, kind of gets undercut by by an
(28:18):
o Lineman I believe, and he flips completely on his head.
Oh the Van Giggle vertical.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Well you think that's on the tweet machine. It's somewhere
on the somewhere on the post machine. Oh, here it is.
And he he just lands flat on his head.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Ooh.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
DeAndre Swift though, and so so swift that undercut him.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
Okay, yeah, but in the end he's back, and it
sounds like he feels like his body is in a
good spot to play this weekend. So that is something
to celebrate as we get closer, doubt healthier. Uh to
the ko cuts, I got four of them. I'm going
to start. You know, you're talking about Emilyker and getting
an update on Josh Oliver. I was just hoping somebody
eventually would ask a question that wasn't about Carson, but
(28:58):
had to had to had to handle head to unload
the notebook on Carson Wentz. Yesterday I found this audio.
This is this is part of where my head was
at into Thursday night, after Thursday night and early on,
just thinking about seeing Carson Wentz out there. The idea
that me as a Roob and the team, maybe we
have different versions of what out of reach looks like
(29:21):
in a football game.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Kind of out of reach, but the way we operate
where we believe we're out of reach might be a
little different than how folks watching the game might believe
it to be. And you know, we've had some games where,
thank goodness, we had that mindset because we found a
way to win some of those. And that's just the
belief that the guys have, and when you got a
guy like that that's committed to play through something as
(29:44):
long as the medical staff doesn't give me any new
information to that, you know, that's kind of how that
took place.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
I thought they were out of reach when I saw
that third and two and they were down fourteen to three,
And I believe it was an incomplete pass that was
bad at by a defender and Carson Wentz tried to
bat it down but he couldn't move his left arm,
and there was a lot of grimacing, and but the
team did not think they were out of reach. And
as a matter of fact, you get the pick, and
it took like it felt like it took half a
(30:13):
game to to traverse a twenty six yard drive to
get that touchdown in the third quarter, but again they
were it was a two score game. With that said,
I think another part of the battle in this entire
conversation that I am incredibly excited about to move on from,
is the pain on his face.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I'm watching it on TV.
Speaker 6 (30:33):
You're up on the radio booth from like a mile
away from the game action. So I don't know how
much of the TV copy you saw, Nate, but those
of us watching on the boob Tube.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
We saw the pain in his face. He was asked
about it, you know.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
I mean that's you know, I know the TV copies,
especially in those games where there's they see everything. You know,
you're you're trying to you know, you're trying to see
it as much as you can, and then really it
comes down to the dialogue with the player and you know,
after the medical staff's had a chance to check in
with him as well. So as visible as it is
(31:07):
to everybody, I understand that. But no, you don't always
get the you know, sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.
Sometimes you know, there might be conversation with the official
going on, There might be conversation with the Special Teams unit,
you know, regarding the punt, possible fakes, things like that.
That things come up where you just can't be in
pure observation mode, especially the way that my role here
(31:30):
is as the head coach and the play caller and
having direct dialogue with Flow and Matt Daniels as well.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
So I'd love to be.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Able to say that I see it all. That's where
you fall back on, you know, the great staff that
we do have, and you try to make the best
decision with all the information that you do have, with
the most important information being especially with a veteran player
who's been through, you know, quite a few things in
his career and has a total understanding of exactly, you know,
(31:57):
where his body's at and the commitment he made play.
You lean into that conversation. You know as much as
you do what the doctors are telling you about.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I believe that that was off a question asked by
the elite old school, best school Kevin Seaffert ESPN dot com,
and and when I was listening to it, I was like, mother,
it's it's that that That's one that I wish I
had asked Tuesday at Twin Cities Orthopedic Performance Center because
the television copy optics of Carson wentz uh clearly were
(32:31):
something O'Connell could not see and and everybody did see.
So then you know, all makeshift doctors get to go
into get to go into a mode where it's like,
you know that this has to happen right now. Then
Carson gets the opportunity to speak, and he's kind of like,
I'm not an idiot. Okay, yeah there was pain, but
I have I have the option to come out of
(32:52):
the game if I think I need to come out
of the game. So that kind of put a bow
on that. But but old school, best school unfurled that
question there, and I was like, mother, wish I had
asked that on Tuesday, Hey.
Speaker 6 (33:04):
KO, what did you learn about JJ McCarthy over the
course of those two games in which we got to
see him play and then of course the subsequent weeks.
Now is rehab process and back to practice.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Yeah, I think it's I think that's it's a great
point starting out first part of your question. I think
what we learned in the Chicago game was, you know,
he was able to overcome you know, and our team
was able to overcome a slower start than what we
hoped for the season. But then you know, going back
and watching that game, and you know, I watched it
(33:35):
with JJ recently, just looking at some of the principles
of how he how he played and when you know,
the moments in the second half where we were able
to think we generated one hundred and seventy yards in
the final seventeen minutes of the game, he had a
ton to do with that just by simply being efficient
with his feet and being accurate. Because of that and
you know, reading progressions and putting the ball in play
(33:57):
and throwing completions, and then we were able to run
the ball as well, and it kind of married all together.
I do think there was, you know, some unique circumstances
with that second game. I've said that before against Atlanta
from his family circumstances of being blessed with a child
that week and missing some practice time. As a matter
of fact, almost all of it besides that Friday practice, which,
(34:20):
as you guys know, is just not the significant amount
of preparation time that that you're looking for for a
young quarterback to then go out and take that practice
preparation to the game.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
So you hear that there, and what did you learn?
What did you get? Second game?
Speaker 6 (34:37):
There is he looked back man, tough, tough things being
stacked up against the kid, And he was asked, is
there any part of your coach, do you regret playing
him in that second game?
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Wasn't able to practice much? New Dad all.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
That you can you be in hindsight mode and kind
of regret that.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
You know. It's it's one of those things where we
know now that you know the a lot of the
things we're talking about it's you know, we know now
or after the fact or things like that. I did
feel like when we got him back here on that Friday,
I did feel like he had a lot of juice
and he had a he had a pretty good day
that day. But that you know, transitioning to every phase
(35:16):
of a game plan for a game plan against a
good defense, and Atlanta's turned out to be a pretty
dark and good one defensively. I don't regret in any
way doing that, because he was also coming off of
you know, I believe he was the NFC Offensive Player
of the Week, and then he was healthy, and it's
hard to take that guy off the field at that
point where we had just you know, six days earlier,
(35:38):
seen him kind of carry the momentum of the end
of that game into the locker room where you know,
it was a pretty significant moment for a young player
in his first start.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
In hindsight, can you pick your pa?
Speaker 6 (35:49):
He orchestrates those three touchdown drives into the fourth, wins
the game, NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Everyone's picturing
you know, the the the the girl on his face
after that rushing touchdown. Team wins. Guy's out this week
because he had a kid. Could you picture how that
would have played into Week two against the Falcons, who's defense,
(36:11):
by the way, I think they're second yards. They get
some scoring issues because their offense turns them all over
a little bit. But now that I think, but I
never thought that was an option. I never even considered
it either, But now that I'm thinking about it, it's
like that would have been a disaster. People would have
lost their minds if he had pulled JJ McCarthy for
having a kid and not being able to practice and
(36:32):
therefore not being in the game.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Two things here, One with McCarthy returning this weekend, likewise,
for right tackle Brian O'Neill, I'm just really happy O'Neill's
going to play this week, just to silence those who
may think, you know, he's been completely healthy for a month,
but they just wanted to see what they had in
Walter Rouse. I always love that one. And secondly, right
(36:55):
around that question you just played, there was a question following,
is there a threshold of pain? Oh? Yeah, a player
can have am I clomping on a bike?
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Bite?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
No? No, I don't have the I don't know a
threshold of pain. Is there a threshold of pain, Kevin,
that a player can have that will cause you despite
it not you know, being that they still can play,
but they're an incredible amount of pain. What's that threshold?
And I felt Kevin left a really, really good because
that was at the end of the WENTZ thirteen minutes
(37:29):
talking about the game six days previous, but three two.
I thought he left a good one liner on the
table there with all due respect, because he said, yes,
there is a threshold. Then he talked for about a
minute to describe the threshold. Yeah, it would have been
elite if he had just broken the ice and been like, yeah,
there's a threshold. It's called amputation. I always love that one.
(37:51):
It would have broken the ice if I had given
Emily a chance to get to get the Josh Oliver
question in about six minutes earlier.
Speaker 6 (37:59):
There were a lot of Ivan Drago memes Rocky for
Style going around X over the weekend after that game.
If he dies, he dies, McCarthy not dying. And as
a matter of fact, he's healthy and he's confident.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
Every time we step out there. You know, it's the
work that we put in every single week. It's the
trust in my teammates and coaches and all of that's
been at all time high. You know, it sucks not
being able to get the reps and you know, be
able to continue to progress all the fundamentals and all
the little things. But there was a lot of areas
that you know, I picked up and think I be
benefited from, you know, just watching and observing from the sideline.
(38:34):
So you know, extremely confident and ready to get after it.
Speaker 6 (38:37):
A lot of observing. Now we're excited to see execution.
But how is that ankle As we stand here today
ready to go?
Speaker 3 (38:44):
I feel like myself again. I feel like I, you know,
have those mobility things that I was concerned about, you
know going into last week, in the prior weeks.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
So yeah, ready to go.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
So in the end, the team is looking more and
more ready to go as Christian dearisov full participant. Now,
I would not be surprised today, p I. I don't know
where a head's at on it. Where after only getting
nine snaps and kind of pulling back the reins a bit,
we might see the continued process of maybe he's a
non participant today and then maybe he's full again on Friday.
As they continue to stick to their plan with him.
(39:17):
You mentioned right off the top, just what's up with
Josh Oliver. We found out he's likely not going to
play this week with the foot thing. Jeff Okuda sadly
another concussion situation with him.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
CJ.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
Hamm with his hand, continues to not practice, but in
the end Grenard was limited. You had Isaiah Rodgers let's
watch this with the shoulder, but Brian O'Neil returning to practice,
So all in all, the team's getting healthier. PA into
this kiddies game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
And it's a noon boom at f M one hundred
point three kfam. The Vikings come in do it three
and four taking on a team with a winning record.
Which teams with losing records can or will beat teams
with winning records? This weekend tom foolery and nonsense is
something only you can expect from US. US being nine
(40:06):
to noon in the National Football League, the question being
which teams with losing records can or will beat teams
with winning records? O fun little baby game crafted by
nine to noon. It's a fun little baby game that
we may do it the Friday Football Feast sometime and
(40:28):
include Alex Lewis of the Athletic the Athletic dot com. Oh,
by the way, forgot to tweet us yesterday. But this
is broadcasting, that's narrow casting. Three two. The feast is
at Buffalo Wild Wings chan Hassen tomorrow and if anybody's
interested in joining, this would be a FIFA Airness and
Feast act. The chan Hassen location is on the smaller side,
(40:52):
So if you want to come to the Friday Football
Feast of Buffalo Wild Wings chan Assen tomorrow, just know
that that does the seeding specifically, you know, in front
of where the table is, where we do the show
and stuff like that. It's one of the smaller ones.
It's festive, it's lively, it's loud, and it's going to
be fun despite the record and the vibe. The Chan
(41:13):
location rocks, channlocation rocks. But it's on the smaller side.
So if you want to join and you want to
get what we would call a primo seed, I would
arrive a little on the early side. Friday Football Feast
tomorrow nine to noon KFA and Buffalo Wild wins chan Assen.
All right, So with this new baby game, no point spreads,
(41:36):
No point spreads, all right, No point spreads in case
the perceived adversaries have X ray contact lenses. I always
love that one. Just losers and winners, and there they are.
Minnesota is three and four taking on Detroit five and two.
So these are teams with losing records against teams with
(41:56):
winning records, and can or will the teams with losing
records win win the game outright? Or maybe it's a
big fat no, they got no shot. So the Vikings
would be the first one, three and four, five and
two a prediction. There will be facets of the Vikings
performance that will be what we have come to expect.
(42:17):
Tension is real when you lose to in a row,
and the last one was the worst and in standalone fashion, right,
if JJ keeps them off balance with his running and
a running game and gains confidence early on third down
when it's loud, they're going to fight these kiddies right
to the wire. I believe that will happen. So I
(42:41):
lean they can beat Detroit. Not they will beat Detroit.
I lean they can. Yeah, you got anything.
Speaker 6 (42:53):
They need to get pressure up the middle more so
this weekend maybe than any of the previous four losses.
You look at the ability of a jailing hurts. You
look at Justin Herbert Rogers, good example of a statue.
But this weekend a hard graven Allen game where you
can push an immobile Jared Goff to the outside, get
(43:14):
him out of rhythm, get him off his spot. The
Vikings certainly can beat the Lions. That's where I'm at. Yeah,
we're in unison.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
The Cincinnati Bengals three and five, Chicago's four and three.
This game's at Cincinnati. Games at Cincinnati, right, Cincinci at Cincy. Yeah,
I'm just gonna I'm just gonna lay this out here.
If you got anything novel to add to it, or
a disagreement by all means, jump in. It's it's not
can Cincinnati win. Cincinnati will win three and five, Bengals
(43:48):
will beat the Chicago Bears, making them four and four.
You agree, I agree with you. They will win the game.
Tennessee is one in seven and is hosting the five
and three LA Chargers. Now, I believe Apple Valley Heights
cols Trey Pipkins, who was active last game but didn't play,
he'll play this game, bookending Joe Alt since he's won
and seven. I mean Tennessee's one and seven. This ain't happening.
(44:11):
Tennessee won't win, and I don't think Tennessee can win.
The La Chargers got some three dollars, got some three
dollars bill to them. Okay, so just be careful for
those of you foolish enough to lay that money line.
Atlanta's three and four at six and two New England,
Atlanta losers three and four, six and two, New England.
(44:34):
What do you think there is?
Speaker 6 (44:35):
If Pennix is playing this week, they can beat the
New England. They can beat the New England Patriots mentioned
the last segment. I think their defense their first or
second in the NFL in yards allowed, again mitigating turnovers
and bad mistakes. But Beijon can get off against that team.
I know everyone's louting Drake May and they should. And
Rabel's team is strong man and they've won five in
(44:56):
a row. Totally get it. I think the Falcons absolutely
can beat the Patriots this weekend.
Speaker 2 (45:02):
Yeah, I'm on the can vibe. I mean, did you do?
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (45:08):
We can see Atlanta at three and five? All right,
the Falcons Panics are not three and five. Yes, I
can see that. It's New England at seven and two.
I mean, it's six and three just feels like more
of the right through nine for New England than seven
and two. I'm with you. I think Atlanta can win
(45:30):
Niners five and three at Giants two and six. Now
the forty nine ers are as banged up or more
banged up than the Vikings recently were. We know how
bad it can get here. This is a fat no
for me when it comes to the losers will win
or can win? I think it's a fat no. And
(45:50):
here's why the New York Giants lost a certain and
important vibe in that scataboo bit. I mean, the vibe
just fell off the cliff with this squad when he
got hurt. They were so sad. I actually say the
New York Giants cannot win this game. What about you?
(46:12):
I'm going to say they will win.
Speaker 6 (46:14):
And I think what we've seen the Niners losers two
of their last three, is they are as injured, if
not more injured, than the Vikings. And we can say
Shanahan's as good as it gets, and he puts people
in spots, but how long can you do it? This
is this is a problem really of just gradual attrition
and degradation to a point now where they are really struggling.
(46:38):
They looked hideous in Houston last week and at this
weekend against the Giants as hurt as the Giants are scataboo.
Speaker 2 (46:45):
You mentioned their secondary has been ravaged.
Speaker 6 (46:47):
That defensive front is going to harass the bleep out
of the Niners this weekend. And I'm saying that the
Giants will actually stand tall and beat the Niners at home.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
As a two and a half point dog crowd love,
and that Houston is three and four, that's the losing
record hosting Denver, which is six and two. I'm I'm
hitting the yes, the underdog will win this game. The loser, well,
I don't even if they're an underdog, but the team
(47:17):
at the losing record point and a half dog will
win the half favored over the Broncos. Excuse me, yea,
I take the team at the losing record. I see
Denver more six and three than seven and two. Good
win versus San Francisco. Last game for Houston. But Dimiico
beat his former boss. You know that Houston beating the Niners.
That is, Dimiico beat his former boss. So they were
(47:38):
all wound up for that and everything. So that plays
into it. Believe it or not. I'm it's gonna be
lowercase will for me, not all Caps. But yes, I
think the losing team will beat the team with a
winning record.
Speaker 6 (47:50):
I think it's a fat can. They can beat the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
I do think.
Speaker 6 (47:55):
I think this is gonna be kind of a lower scoring,
ugly game. I mean that Broncos defense and CJS trout
the ups and downs with what we're seeing really the
last year and a half, I think the Texans can.
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Win this game. Las Vegas is two and five hosting Jacksonville,
which is four and three. New Orleans is one and
seven at the five and two LA Rams. We have
some Tyler Shuck related terrorism into this game. From what
I understand, yes we do. This is the Rams will
(48:28):
win this game. New Orleans can't win this game, right, No,
I don't think they can win this game. The I
mean just the defense.
Speaker 6 (48:36):
I mean Kyron Williams might have trouble getting around the
park on Sunday, but other than that, I mean the
Saints are.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
Disaster losers, winners baby game nine to noon and to finally,
three and five Washington is hosting the five and two
Super Chickens. This is I don't know if Daniels is playing,
but this is kind of a This is a trickier
one for me. Do we see Seattle as a six
(49:02):
and two operation or closer to a five and three operation?
Do we think Washington will fall to three and six?
That's kind of the baseline of where I start there
before I look at injuries and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (49:14):
But what you got, Well, Jaden's ready to return. McLaurin
I think is ready to be back out again. Oh wow,
So they just continue to be hurt.
Speaker 1 (49:22):
Man.
Speaker 6 (49:23):
I like the fact that Washington is at home. I
can't say will on this one to the same level
of confidence. What Darnold's doing with with Jackson Smith and
Jig was unbelievable. And the defense has been part of
the problem. I think in some respects, I'm gonna say
they can win.
Speaker 2 (49:39):
I'm gonna say the underdog, the team with the losing
record will win. If you tell me Daniels is back,
we got debo under contract, I mean, and that they
just I mean, if you go to three and six
here like likewise, you know eventually for the Minnesota Vikings
or are three and four, I mean, you get to
three and six here. Holy cow, You're in a lot
(49:59):
of trouble in the NFC. So I think the desperation
factor is absolutely lopsided. One way question is can they
handle it. I think they do, and I think the
team with the losing record beats the team with the
winning record. It's ten o'clock. Good morning. Nacho Lieber joins
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