December 19, 2025 • 40 mins
Ben Goessling makes his weekly appearance with an injury update on multiple Vikings and some final thoughts on Vikings/Giants. Dan and Ben also discuss the earlier conversation about lack of Vikings consistency over the years.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
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Speaker 2 (00:41):
Do we know if.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Aunt is playing tonight against Oklahoma City Viight of Wolves,
hosting the defending champions. I don't think it's official. I've
not seen any official designation.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
The updated status report that came out about four hours ago.
He's a fish listed as questionable. Yeah, along with Jalen Clark,
who's sick and Finch. He'll tell us in about an
hour and a half. My I think.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Most, I mean the betting money is that he's going
to play. I'll be more surprised if he no. Obviously,
if there's a setbacker he's not ready, then you don't
play him. But I think questionable as an upgrade from
where he was, so I will be surprised if he
doesn't play. It's the it's the second game. Is this
a national doubleheader? Tonight or is it just a late game.
(01:28):
I think it's a triple header tonight. Oh is that
right on Amazon?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I believe.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Let me pull up the sketch Amazon ninety. I'm pretty
sure this is an Amazon one.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I need to know from our very aerodite and sophisticated audience,
and this doesn't include fallness.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
It's a doubleheader Philly New York is the first game
in US on Amazon Prime.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
So if you have those are our audience who've watched
a decent this is maybe a steady diet, or at
least enough of the games that have taken place on
Amazon or Peacock to tell me what you think of
the broadcast, not so much whether the games you happen
(02:11):
to watch were good or ended up being good or
bad or whatever.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Do you like the broadcast?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Does it feel different because it's just a different network
and different people, or does it feel different because the
approach seems different to analysis, to pregame, to halftime.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
To postgame.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I said early that I thought the departure was pretty significant,
And that doesn't mean I honestarily loved every one of the broadcasters,
but I felt like it was almost as if there
was a concerted effort to say, we're going to go
at this quite differently. We're going to be less concerned
(02:57):
about creating debate and or fire and brimstone on a
regular basis, and we're just gonna talk basketball. We're gonna analyze,
We're gonna look at this from an adult perspective, because.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
I know what the early reviews were, but I haven't
paid attention late and I haven't watched that many games
lately period.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
The question, I do think.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Some of the some of the reason it feels refreshing
is simply because it's people we're not accustomed to seeing
year after year, day after day, month after month, decade
after decade. And you know, imitation, it's the sincerest form
of flattery, but it also breeds contempt, and so sometimes
we just get tired of how the same people over
(03:47):
and over again. I'm kind of curious to hear what
people think. Meantime, it's time for Cafe to take a
big swing, speaking of big swings, and sign garbigement to
a huge contract extension. They want a contract extension. I'm
gerby now. I had was it last week or the
week before? I retweeted two consecutive tweets, one basically saying
(04:11):
I'm sick of him.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yep, stop having him on. It's over.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It was a good run, but it's over. And then
the next person basically found the Gershon appearances as a
religious experience, and don't you dare ever stop having Karl
Gertschmann on just to.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Just to give you the range.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
And I did so.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I didn't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Just retweet the one that made us look good. I
was saying, Okay, I'll throw it out. I'll you know,
both extremes. I guess you could say it back out there.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
As Gerby said, Paul Allen was described he's polarizing. Gerby
at times is polarized.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
True.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I think rapping Gerby should be pretty universally liked, because
that was unbelievable Rappingby that was I.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Didn't and like you said, I that was not wasn't
anything that in the pre production meeting they'll talk to
you about with Carl.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
No.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I believe that he got third place in that Western
Wisconsin rap ballot contest all those years we'd like to
know about first and second. I would too. I would
too from that perspective. I'm looking forward to this article
too in the Start t I can't.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Wait he breaks the story that, uh, Jim Beam actually
John Breen called him up, asked for an interview, and
apparently Gerby granted an interview with longtime rock critic at
the Start Tribune John breeb I'm still trying to figure
out the hook or the angles exactly. So that's got
(05:33):
most of my SERI assumption is he said he talked
to him within the last day or two, right, So
I'm I'm assuming over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
The way the Start Evening drops stories now in the
Internet age is it's hard to follow what the threat
of logic is if there is any logic. So I
but my guess it'll be is it will be sometime
over the weekend or concert. How about photos? Hey did
did he did? Did Jim Beam ask for any photos?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I don't know that. I didn't. I don't think that
was a style bush and I just spilled coffee on mean,
that's just great. Be careful keep it away from the equipment. Yeah,
better on me. I guess in the equipment those are
new cameras. We've got new microphones within the last couple
of years.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, a lot of investments here. Be careful.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Are we done with the studio investment or are we
going to something else there?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
What's the latest do we know?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You mean, like, why isn't that wall that wall? I
mean the unfinished wall. It seems like we just hit
like a I feel like we hit yeah, like a.
Well it's a long pause.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Now, Well you've had people work on your house as before, right, Yeah,
you start a projects sometimes back to it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, very true, Davy.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Let's let's we got Ben Gestling at the bottom of
the hour. Let's get in a little more depth about
Wolves Okie City tonight. I again, you look right now,
I think the Wolves. The interest in the Wolves is
going to be solid because they're coming off two straight
Final Four appearances. So I'm not saying it's evaporating, but
I feel like it's kind of light right now. I think, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(07:01):
I watch because that's what I do, and I happen
to like pro basketball. But and I don't want to
turn this into a competition between the Wild and the Wolves,
no question. Right now, the Wild are more with it
than Wild because it's newer. But the Wild have not
yet come close to accomplishing what the Wolves did the
last two postseasons, so we'll get into a little bit
of that of expectations for the Wolves and a thunder
(07:24):
game tonight, and then prepare to chat with Guessling about
four thirty.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Hockey fans.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
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Speaker 2 (08:07):
Am I wrong in thinking that the new NBA.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Broadcast partners there's a greater emphasis.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
On four X players than there are on.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Broadcast people, you know, a Lah Steven A Smith for example,
Not to just pick m panels in terms of their
panels and in terms because they do have traffic cops still.
But I think I feel like they're in a very
limited role and it's sort of like just to let
the let's let's let the players. Who is the former
(08:45):
Clipper Griffin.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I think he's really good. He's good. I like him
a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I think again, I don't know how many games he
does as opposed to studio or what the what the
breakdown is? Novinsky is involved in some of this as well.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yep, Steve Nash. How has the experiment gone?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I think just Peacock is doing this thing where on
a given game, the sidekick, the analyst, the color analyst
sits on the bench, not next to play by play
guy or gal.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Any word on. I mean that sounds a bit gimmicky
to me.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Do you get something extra being on the bench other
than saying you're on the bench. Is it as easy
to be as honest if you're on the bench and
you're ripping strategy from that team?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Does that get a little bit uncomfortable?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
These are the questions I need answers to bratchaw on
Brian Kafan text line six four, six eighty six. I
also want to know if you're on your way to Wolves,
Oklahoma City tonight to the fan, it's a late start tonight.
We are the second game of the What did you
tell me? This was Prime video Prime Video double Amazon
double header, with the first game being the Knicks and
(10:04):
the Sixers. Yes, nixt to just of course won the Cup.
In fact, didn't that. I thought they just played somebody
else since then already when was it?
Speaker 4 (10:13):
What?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
What was the what night was the Cup title game? Round? Yeah? No, Monday,
it was Wednesday. Oh, I think the companies playing another game.
They may have. I'll pull up their schedule game in
case there'd be a lot of games in a row.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
If if, if that's true, because it's the Cup, because
it's the Cup, I guess that might answer it.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
It's like, I think a lot of people are looking
at this. Okay, well, here's the opportunity for the Wolves
to sort of re establish themselves as one of the
threats again in the Western Conference. I'm not sure you
do that with any single game this early in the season,
but I guess you do have to start somewhere. You
got to get on the board, yeah, if if you
want to sort of get the feeling within the even
(10:56):
within the room, that we're we're heading towards something. You know,
you mentioned this yesterday. I like a lot of people,
I love Finchy's honesty, but there is occasionally that desire
to push back when he's like, well, I don't know,
you know, I don't know what we're doing with the
offense was awful. We make bad decisions a whotle bit
(11:17):
that it is. You know, he's he didn't just get
here five minutes ago. It is his team. And so
I don't know how many times you go to the
well with that. And the subject came up. We've talked
about it before. The subject came up after the Memphis
game that this was another one of those occasions when
(11:37):
Finchy needed to call more plays and he doesn't. You know,
he's loathed to calling plays. He's free wheeling guy, free
rhythm guy. Just he doesn't want to like the word flow.
He does like the word flow. We all like flow.
But I'm still not sure you can trust some of
the players in this flow enough. And if it's it's
once again, isn't your responsibility if it's going that bad
(12:00):
to say we're structuring it up for a while for
the next five minutes, I'm gonna call a decent number
of plays. I don't know what the answer is to that,
but it's at least you know. Part of the difficulty
in evaluating the Wolves is their record. What are we
are We still in the sixth spot or we slipped
to seven our sus standings.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah, we've been we're pretty clear of Phoenix. For seven.
I think we're three games ahead of Phoenix. I'm gonna
pull it up here right now, so we're pretty solid there.
I yeah, we're two games ahead of Phoenix right now.
Seventeen and ten, we are in the sixth spot there
in the seven or a half game behind the Rockets
for five.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Some of the on we regarding this team this year
is they have not played a lot of good teams,
and that's not their fault, but it does I think
contribute to a feeling of, oh, we're kind of just meandering,
and maybe you feel better about where this is headed
if you've had a a steadier diet of games against
(13:02):
better teams and you've done you've held your own. You
know you've won some of those, perhaps you've lost some
of those. Have we beaten somebody had the stat I mean,
have we beaten? We beat Golden State? They had a
winning record. I think we beat him. They're basically playing
five hundred ball. They are so beyond that. Have we
beaten a team with a winning record, Man, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Not a bunch.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Now, we haven't played a bunch either, I think, But
we have it, so we'll see if this kind of
gets the thing jumped start.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Is there any chance that tonight beat the Celtics. I
assume they have a winning record.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
They do. I think that's true. Anyway, go ahead. Is
there any.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Chance that tonight KG will make his first appearance at
Tariat Center and they will make a big announcement, because
I don't think you can rule that out as part
of Okay, we're reintroducing him. Not going to be a
big ceremony tonight, but he's back, he's in the house tonight.
Let's see if we get a little lyft we had
Oklahoma City here, it'd be a great time to do it.
It would be a tremendous time to do it. Well,
(14:00):
you're the guy who told me he's been in town
for like a month. Well, no, I heard he was
in town the day before they made the announcement. I
don't know if he's still in town. I don't know.
That interesting the text from Lavel who will join us
at five point thirty flow, I think Dillingham needs pure progression.
He might be right, I've told you before. I'm already
(14:22):
on Dillingham. I think in the short run, you just
stop even pretending that you want him to really, you know,
run the offense. I just say, go out there and
for like ten minutes, go out and just take as
be as selfish as you take a bunch of shots
off the bench, because we don't really have much scoring
going on off the bench right now. I don't know.
I mean, worst things have been tried, right what how
(14:43):
how much worse could it be it is now? I know,
But I don't think vinc you'll go along with that
because he still has easily the worst body language with
any player that I've ever seen. With Dillingham when he
screws up. I mean, and I'm not saying he doesn't
have a right to be mad at Dillingham sometimes, all
I'm saying is in terms of showing his disdain, Yeah,
(15:04):
he's He doesn't hide it ever with Dillingham, ever, which
frustrates me, because they've got thirty year olds making stupid
mistakes at times.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Taking bad shot Now, in fairness, Finchy, it's bad body
language for them too when that happens. Fink's body language
hasn't been very good this year. Like I joked about
the New Orleans games, he looked like he wanted to
just go out and grab one of those Mississippi river
boats and just ride off into the Gulf of Mexico
because his team was just completely messing around those two nights.
(15:34):
They won both games and pretty authoritatively when all was
said and done. But that's what always bothers me about
the young players, that they seem to get no slack
and they have no equity. I know that's part of it,
but we alsot to have a lot of guys that
are out to lunch sometimes where it's i'd have a
much shortering. Yes, true, Yes, all right, So we got
(15:55):
a lot of good texts coming in from people who
have watched a decent amount on Amazon and Peak. We'll
save those for a little bit later in the broadcast
because we've got Ben Gasling coming up next Levelle will
join at five thirty as well. At the risk of
losing some listeners, Man, the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.
It's hot right now with about ten minutes to go
(16:17):
in the fourth quarter. NC State thirty one Memphis seven.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Is that an upset? No, not really. I had no
wild fans. This could be your season experience.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
The energy, the goals, the unforgettable moments of Grand Casino Arena.
Get your tickets now, including to Wild im Predators next Tuesday,
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Speaker 2 (16:43):
Thank you, Kevin Falness.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Ben Gestling with us via the Connecticut Water Systems Hotline
on this rather chilly Friday evening in the Twin Cities.
Although my sources say that Ben Gesling has already made
the trip east to the Big Apple to the Greater
New York, New York area, maybe happen to bring along
a couple of family members as well. It's funny that
(17:11):
I was reminded of that because earlier today I am
watching CNN The Morning Show, and they are I can't
remember who the it's one of their law law enforcement
reporters who's really very good covering analyzing stories like the
(17:31):
Brown University story, and he gets this is a lighter
piece where he kind of tours various New York stops
for the holiday season, and ultimately the final stop they
make is Macy's.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Do you know the.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Answer to this question or might you learn it over
the course of your weekend sojourn to New York is
the New York Macy's still what we associate with Macy's
in a way that, let's be honest, we don't anymore
wherever Macy's is around the country, including here or in Chicago,
(18:05):
where it's just not as fancy, it's not as hot,
you it just doesn't seem to be as as important
and as cool.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
But is the is that Macy's.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Does that hold on to the ongoing Macy's traditions as
far as you know, I think it does.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
I was here with my older daughter about three years
ago and it was still pretty decked out. I think
that was that was in the spring, so it was
during the middle of a flower show. But yes, I
think in terms of like the old school department stores,
it's kind of the central gathering spot where everybody comes
for big events, not just to buy things. I think
that one has more of that than you find in
(18:39):
most places. Obviously, the downtown department store has largely gone
away in a lot of cities, whether it's Dayton's in
the Twin Cities or you know, any of the other ones,
probably Sears and Marshall Fields in Chicago, and obviously a
lot of them in New York. I don't think it's
quite as big of a thing in a general concept,
but I think this one still holds a lot of
(19:02):
that together. It'll be fun to see it. I haven't
been here at Christmas time in a long time. My
kids have not been here at all colubs. So they
just found out this morning. I surprise that, Yeah, big
surprise this morning. Hey you're not going to school. We'll
run to New York in a couple hours. So yeah,
figured the game being over Christmas or being near Christmas
in New York, It's like, when is this going to
(19:23):
ever happen again? So let's pounce on them all we can.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
It's a great opportunity, a good very forward thinking and
you know, let's face it, the game didn't mean that
much at this point, so why but you still have
to go? So why not take this opportunity to get
to New York and with the whole family. Before we
talk Purple and the Darsaw news not particularly surprising at
this point, I want to get your reaction to the
(19:49):
Rams Seahawks game last night. A terrific game between two teams.
I think that both entered the game with eleven and
three records, and it goes into OT, and there's a
lot of discussion about ultimately the Seattle decision. They have
to you know, for those who did not watch the
Rams get the ball first in OT, they not only score,
(20:12):
they score a touchdown and an extra point.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
They're up seven.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
By definition, that means Seattle can't settle for a field goal.
They have to score a touchdown. They chose, and they
get it. They choose to go for two, and they
get it darnold with a good throw and showing good
patience to let the play develop, and they that's it.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Game's over. They win the thing.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And a couple people have speculated that is it going
to be long before a team or two decides if
they get the ball first to score and go for
two to really set the tone and put the pressure
on the other team. I'm assuming that's inevitable as well.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
I think you'll see it. I mean, I could see
the argument for it, saying, now you create essentially two
gates that an opponent would have to clear if they
were to come back at the ball and have a
chance to put a drive together. And there's obviously the
risk of what if we don't convert, then they win
the game on an extra point. I think to that,
I would say, if you want to go do it,
(21:16):
and you're feeling good about your defense, then you take
the chance, because if your defense gives up a touchdown
at that point anyway, it's like, well, you know, the
extra point is kind of academic, and I think the
idea of well, if we can hold them to a
tie game and come back and score again, I think
a lot of times, especially in an overtime setting where
(21:37):
it is only ten minutes long, the clock is not
always in your favor to do that. So yeah, it
wouldn't surprise me if we see somebody decide to be
a little more aggressive there and say, let's just go
for two right off the bat, and then even if
you score, we have one more chance to stop you,
and if we do, that's the game. So yeah, it
wouldn't shock me to see one of the more analytically
(21:57):
and clients coaches give that a chance at some point.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
How should the average Vikings fan look at Darnold's performance
last night, Because he had a couple of big blunders,
he did get the help I think in the second
half comeback of a return for a touchdown, I think yep,
And yet he also down the stretch made some important
throws as well. So what's the conclusion on Sam after
that game against the Rams.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Well, I mean, I think there's it's kind of both
of those two extremes, because we did see him make
some mistakes early against a team that has absolutely owned him,
whether it's been with the Vikings or since he's been
in Seattle this year. I think even going back maybe
a couple times he played them previously before he come
to Minnesota, he had lost to them as well, So
(22:46):
he had some of those moments early in that game
that he looked like it was going to be another
one of those nights. I mean, but that game is
sixteen points. They're down sixteen points in i think the
fourth quarter, and yes, you get the pump return. It
makes things a little east to get the comeback done.
But he made a couple of throws at the end
of that game that they had to have it and
he was nails. I mean, that's not something we've seen
(23:09):
from a guy who has received quite a bit of criticism,
justifiably so, for his failures in big games. And I
think the fact that he made the throws that he did,
including kind of working through his reads on a two
point conversion and then finding the tight end of the
middle kind of in the software of that zone. He
gave them everything they needed down the stretch, and it
(23:29):
was not perfect by any means, and it was a
lot of the things we've seen him do. But for
him to come back and reassert himself in a game
they had to have against that team, I think it's
a big moment for him, and it puts them in
a position where if there's the number one seed. You know,
we've seen this over the years, but good luck to
people coming into that building if that is a team
(23:51):
that has a chance to win two games to get
to the Super Bowl. So I think for the payoffs
that he got in the stakes of the moment, I
think it's a pretty big you know, notching his belt
so to speak.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Stafford had it was it almost five hundred yards passing? Yeah,
he was, I do look at him now. And so
who had said that, I think with Sean Salisbury had
said this yesterday that in some ways he might be
throwing the ball about as well as he ever has,
and in this case with something at stake, because he
had some good years with Detroit where they really weren't
playing for anything, but he's playing, you know, with something
(24:22):
on the line. And yesterday, I mean he ultimately obviously
they didn't get the thing done, but he made some.
He is the guy who now looks to me like
he can make literally every throw that would I'm assuming,
make a guy like Koc salivate.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yeah, well, yes, I think. I mean, Koc obviously has
a ring in large part because of that he's Stafford.
And the interesting thing with that is they obviously had
Jared Goff when Sean McVay was there, when Kevin O'Connell
got there, and they make the decision to move on
from Jared Goff, as I understand it, in part because
of the game against the Dolphins in twenty twenty where
(25:02):
it's Brian Flores and Andrew van Ginkel had a touchdown
in that game, and that game had a lot to
do with the Rams deciding we need to go a
different direction, we need to kind of make the move here.
So obviously they make the trade for Matthew Stafford to
win the Super Bowl. After that, I mean, we saw
a lot of years in Detroit where you know, when
he gets hit in the ribs last night, I'm thinking, man,
how many times have I seen this happen against the
(25:23):
Vikings over the years, where he was just getting beat
up before they put the investments into the upline that
the Lions did. But yeah, I mean the no look
passed a cup with fantastic. We've seen him do some
of that before. And he makes a lot of throws
that you want a quarterback to be able to deliver
in that spot where he can elevate and it's going
(25:44):
to be tight. The coverage is going to be tight,
There's going to be timing that has to be right
on he is. He is as good at that part
of the game, I think as anybody in the NFL
at this point in his career. Arc is going to
be very interesting because he was kind of this sad
sad of he got picked number one to a horrible
team and he's just getting beat up. And if he
(26:05):
won the second Super Bowl, it's like, are we having
a Hall of Fame conversation about Matthew Stafford. I mean,
it will be interesting to see how all of that
shakes out. But I think you could make the argument
for that is he gets towards the end because I
think they have as good a chance as anybody, even
if they're going on the road. I think that team
with Stafford the weapons he has, especially once DeVante Adams
(26:25):
gets healthy in that defense, they are forced to be
reckoned with in the playoffs. A lot of those teams
are coming out of the NFC West, so it's very
similar to the NFC North last year. But yeah, he is.
I think he's been tremendous. I think when the Vikings
looked at Craig May and loved him, I think some
of the comparisons you could make there as he looks
like Matthew Stafford, so a lot of the things that
(26:48):
he does well. Yes, I think Evan O'Connell will look
at and say, yeah, I want a quarterback that can
make a lot of those sur the see Matthew Stafford
making pretty regularly at this point.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Standard Heating and Air Conditioning is the sponsor of Ben
Guestling's appearances on this program and on the Project as well.
The news becomes official today via the head coach koc
that Christian Darisa will be shut down for the rest
of the season put on the injured reserve list. I
had said yesterday, I thought this was pretty much inevitable.
(27:17):
I was stunned that they hadn't already done it. I
think the question on the table is whether they did
it out of protection in his case, or out of
frustration with how this season has progressed, the you know
stops and starts associated with Darisa.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Well, I would say this, I don't think they did
it because there was anything new that medically raised their
level of concern. I don't think there was a setback.
I don't think there was an aggravation. I think it
was a lot of you know, kind of what you
mentioned there where there is this back and forth all
season of there's still so swelling in his knee. They're
still kind of getting back to the point where he
(28:00):
trust it. Does he feel like he can go about
things the way he normally has And I think it
took him a while to get to a point where
he was comfortable with the obviously never really did so, Yeah,
I think there's probably some frustration there, and it's just
it's one of those things that I think as they
looked at it and we've gone into this thing now
where he hadn't practiced Wednesday Thursday, the last couple of
(28:21):
weeks and you're kind of going off of while he's
limited on a Friday, can he count on that for
a game. I think there was a thought process of
let's kind of hit the reset button here, he can
let this thing completely calm down, and then you heard
Kevin O'Connell fait today it's my belief that this won't
go in the next season. I think there's probably a
little bit of a subtext there. We need to assume
(28:44):
this has been nipped in the butt now, like he
is going to be done for the last three games.
He can start the rehab early, there's no further stress
being placed on his knee, and then the vikings can
also go about these games not doing the will he
or won't he thing, or you know it's going to
be just school left tackle even if there's drawbacks to that,
and the fact that it's not Christians aias, so you're
(29:05):
not trying to play this guessing game late into a week.
So I think that's a lot of what goes into it.
But yeah, I think it was a trying situation for
a lot of people because you're just you go through
training camp, I think excited about where he's at and
saying he's not on the pump, he can be ready
to go. But in retrospect, there was a lot of
optimism about his trajectory for the season that didn't pan out,
(29:28):
and I think, you know, there's certainly some tension that
gets related to that, And I think a lot of
this decision was let's kind of level set here and
get everybody back to the point where this is not
a part of the conversation next year.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Do we have any sense at all on how coveted
as head coaching material Brian Flores will be after this season?
To me, it's one of the open questions about the
future this team in the direction they go defensively, And
(30:03):
you know, I'm assuming there's going to be some jobs
that open up.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
I don't know how many.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
They usually there's usually several, But you know, we're still
I don't think have his case completely settled. I always
wonder whether that gives some team's pause that might be
interested in him, or is he is he viewed less
of a hot commodity just because that's the way it goes.
The team is going to make the postseason, and those
are the guys who, whether it's fair or not, or
Wright or not end up getting more attention. So where's
(30:27):
bflow as a head coaching candidate.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
It's going to be very interesting because my understanding is
that his contract is up after this year, and I
don't believe there's been anything that's changed that, So that
means he will have the opportunity to shop around, both
as a head coach and possibly as the coordinator. It's
very possible he's back here as well, but I think
there's a thought process of if I have the opportunity
(30:52):
to kind of see what my market is, this is
as good a chance as any to do it. So
you know, he had three interviews last year, and I say,
I think felt pretty good about how those wins. But
what does his candidsey look like this year? I think
Will hinge On is somebody looking for a coach that
has quarterback experience more so than he does. I mean,
(31:13):
you know, the stuff with Tua Taga Bay Laura will
come up and then the interview I'm sure it did
last year as well, and how does he fit is
the guy that's leading your culture in your building when
the head coach has to be involved in every department
of it. I mean, I think that would be the
thing that people would have to feel really good about that,
and you know that's for any head coach in candidate,
you have to feel good about how does he interact
(31:34):
with every facet of your organization and is this the
guy you want leading it? So, I mean, I think
a lot of the questions he will get will revolve
around those things. And I'm sure he'll have interviews because
I mean, they are not going to make the playoffs.
But the fact that they've been competitive I think has
a lot to do with how they've played defensively. Given
the fact that their offense hasn't been as effective as
(31:57):
it's typically been, that defense has been put in a
lot of situations where hey, we need another stop, we
went three and out and you got to come through,
and that defense has kept them in a lot of games.
I think the way they've gone about it, you know,
not with a ton of depth in the secondary and
having to manage some injuries in the front seven, has
been a credit to the way he's gone about it.
I think it will just hinge on kind of what
(32:18):
he wants his next phase to look like, how the
vikings factor into that, and you know, how do teams
feel about him as a possible candidate. There's going to
be a lot of questions that probably stretch beyond just
the job he's done at the defensive coordinator this year.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
So we've got three people shut down now, right, Grenard.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Was due to have surgery. I don't know if you
already had it or not on his shoulder. I believe
Mattellus is out correct, yep. Now he's shut down and
Darra saw.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
Not that.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
As we said, the result matters all of that much.
But does it how much impact does it have in
terms of your own thing regarding Vikings Giants on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Well, I think it goes back again to J. J. McCarthy.
I mean, there's this continued question of how much progress
can you see from this quarterback. I mean, two weeks
they've won in a row now, and he's played better.
I mean, it's certainly not been something that he's let
the world on fire. There's still some throwers he's missed.
But I thought they were more willing to put a
(33:25):
few things on his plate, put a few things on
his back in Dallas than they've been most of the year.
I'm curious to see if that continues. I think this
is a team they should beat. I mean, that's front
seven the Giants have is awfully talented. It has not
been as productive as you would expect it to be
with the given the people they have, and that secondary
is there for the taking if they could protect J. McCarthy.
(33:48):
So I think it's a game they should win. I
think it's a game that they will get after Jackson Dart.
Even if they're missing Jonathan Grenard, I think they'll have
ways to pressure him. So ultimately, if they win it
or not, probably isn't that big of a deal. But
continuing to see progress from J. J McCarthy, I think
is important, and if they see that progress, I think
they win the game. So all of this kind of
(34:08):
works together. But to me, these last three are all
about the quarterback and what kind of consistency he continues
to show has a lot to do with how this
offseason plays out. So I think that is continually the
if you want to chart it as a win or
a loss, in some ways, the win becomes, hey, we
(34:30):
saw a little more from our quarterback that we could
build on it. I think that becomes the biggest factor
in these last three.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Speaking of consistency, we're chatting about this at the top
of the program. We tried to do the research on
air as we were talking about it. I think we
got it right, but you would probably be more knowledgeable
on it, maybe even off the top of your head.
But we noted that how often, or I should say
(34:59):
how rare in the last twenty five years, really never
since what what do we say guards the two thousand
and eight and nine, nine and ten, I should say,
have the Vikings actually nine? Yeah, because ten the game
the playoff games are played the next year, the eight
and nine seasons, that's the last time the Vikings have
made the playoffs two straight years. And I get the league.
(35:22):
There's a lot of teams that tend to be up
and down, but then you look at a select number
of teams that get there pretty routinely, or they get
their four years out of five or whatever. This team
has really had, and it's probably directly related to the
quarterback position. This team has just had none of that
consistency that we like to associate with, Hey, we're cutting edge,
(35:43):
we're on top of it, we're right there, and yet
we're sitting here again knowing they're mathematically eliminated once again,
they're not going to make the playoffs even as little
as two straight seasons, let alone actually.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Making a run.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
Yeah, I mean, it is remarkable that it's taken that long,
and I think it is one to get the quarterbacks.
If we go through it. Eight and nine, obviously they
go to the NFTY title game and then Park comes
back for ten pieces are in place, we should be
pretty good. And that season goes off the rails very
quickly and in any number of ways, including the Metrorome Classic.
So you go from there to twenty twelve, they make
(36:17):
the playoffs kind of the surprise you with Christian Ponder
and Adrian Peterson has the MVP year. The next year
is the disaster with Ponder and then Matt Castle plays
some and Josh Freeman plays the one game and they
end up losing. The coaches get fired. Fifteen, they win
the division. The next year, Teddy Bridgewater's knee basically spontaneously
combusts on the practice field, so they missed the playoffs
(36:38):
that year. Then you go to seventeen. Okay, they go
to then SCY title game, but then there's a quarterback
change after that year and the first year with Cousins
isn't because the way they wanted to nineteen, they go
to the playoffs, they win a game twenty that one
is not type to a quarterback change where they don't
go to the playoffs. After twenty nineteen, obviously Cousins comes back.
That's probably bore the defense falling apart at that point.
(37:00):
But a lot of these years, including twenty four to
twenty five, Donald takes out of the playoffs, and then
there's a quarterback change at twenty two into twenty three.
Cousins is there, but the Cousin gets hurt. So it
has been in almost all of those cases some level
of quarterback turnover that I think has prevented them from
doing it. Because the teams that you see that get
(37:22):
there routinely. It's been the Bills lately, it's been the
Packers with Aaron Rodgers, It's been the Chiefs obviously with
Patrick Mahomes. You know, a lot of those teams are
consistently factors because they have consistency at the quarterback position.
They know they're going to have a chance every single
week because of the guy they have playing the most
important position in sports. And I think that's a lot
(37:43):
of why this becomes when we talk about McCarthy, consistency
now important because you have to have some level of
reliability at that position to go into a season or
a game or a stretchup games saying we have a
chance to be competitive and make a run with this thing.
And there's a lot to be figured out with JJ
(38:05):
McCarthy in that sense yet. But the reason they have
wanted to invest in a quarterback is they want to
have that position settled, which it really has not been.
You know, we're doing our all quarter century team next week.
Mark Craig, Andrew Kramer and I all picked those teams
and we all picked a different quarterback for the last
twenty five years because there just hasn't been that kind
(38:28):
of consistency. It just speaks to the level of up
and down this team has had, and I think getting
that quarterback position fixed really for the first time since
fran Tarkenton is the only way that you get out
of this up and down in the playoffs. Out of
the playoffs thing, they continue to do.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Have fun in the Big Apple and thereabouts, and we'll well,
actually probably won't chat next week because I'm off and
Merry Christmas to you and yours and we'll chat soon.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
It sounds good, Damn Mary Christmas and your family as well,
and we'll look quarter to chapp soon.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Sounds good.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
That has Ben Gesling, brought to you by Standard Heating
and Air Conditioning. Lavelle is scheduled to join in about
a half hour. Looks like it's now final at the
what do we call it? Is it the Sasparilla Bowl, No,
the gas Parilla Ball, whatever it's called. I think Memphis
(39:21):
got edged by was it? I don't even remember. Was
it NC State? Does it even really matter who it was?
It doesn't, It makes no difference. There is a meaningful
college football game coming up later tonight which might be
a part of the top five and five. I know
Guardzi will give us wild results from yesterday preview Minnesota
Timberwolves results or what might be coming tonight against the
(39:45):
defending NBA champion club.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
And there's apparently some.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Rumors, some speculation that the National Basketball Association might be
mulling over some changes to the draft lottery system to
really attempt to discourage quote unquote tanking, So that could
be on the agenda.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Who played in that game, who won that game?
Speaker 3 (40:10):
I was just watching the Assasparilla Bowl, the Gasparilla Bawl Gas. Yeah,
North Carolina, Carolina State, Memphis, Yeah, thirty one to seven
Memphis coach.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Their old coach is at Arkansas right now. Oh that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I have still decided to play the game, part of
the change. So yeah, it's ball season. You never know,
some wild stuff. I'm assuming some wool stuff and Vikings
injury report. You nailed all of it. I have nothing
else to add.
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Speaker 2 (00:41):
Do we know if.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Aunt is playing tonight against Oklahoma City Viight of Wolves,
hosting the defending champions. I don't think it's official. I've
not seen any official designation.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
The updated status report that came out about four hours ago.
He's a fish listed as questionable. Yeah, along with Jalen Clark,
who's sick and Finch. He'll tell us in about an
hour and a half. My I think.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Most, I mean the betting money is that he's going
to play. I'll be more surprised if he no. Obviously,
if there's a setbacker he's not ready, then you don't
play him. But I think questionable as an upgrade from
where he was, so I will be surprised if he
doesn't play. It's the it's the second game. Is this
a national doubleheader? Tonight or is it just a late game.
(01:28):
I think it's a triple header tonight. Oh is that
right on Amazon?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I believe.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Let me pull up the sketch Amazon ninety. I'm pretty
sure this is an Amazon one.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I need to know from our very aerodite and sophisticated audience,
and this doesn't include fallness.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
It's a doubleheader Philly New York is the first game
in US on Amazon Prime.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
So if you have those are our audience who've watched
a decent this is maybe a steady diet, or at
least enough of the games that have taken place on
Amazon or Peacock to tell me what you think of
the broadcast, not so much whether the games you happen
(02:11):
to watch were good or ended up being good or
bad or whatever.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Do you like the broadcast?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Does it feel different because it's just a different network
and different people, or does it feel different because the
approach seems different to analysis, to pregame, to halftime.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
To postgame.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I said early that I thought the departure was pretty significant,
And that doesn't mean I honestarily loved every one of the broadcasters,
but I felt like it was almost as if there
was a concerted effort to say, we're going to go
at this quite differently. We're going to be less concerned
(02:57):
about creating debate and or fire and brimstone on a
regular basis, and we're just gonna talk basketball. We're gonna analyze,
We're gonna look at this from an adult perspective, because.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
I know what the early reviews were, but I haven't
paid attention late and I haven't watched that many games
lately period.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
The question, I do think.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Some of the some of the reason it feels refreshing
is simply because it's people we're not accustomed to seeing
year after year, day after day, month after month, decade
after decade. And you know, imitation, it's the sincerest form
of flattery, but it also breeds contempt, and so sometimes
we just get tired of how the same people over
(03:47):
and over again. I'm kind of curious to hear what
people think. Meantime, it's time for Cafe to take a
big swing, speaking of big swings, and sign garbigement to
a huge contract extension. They want a contract extension. I'm
gerby now. I had was it last week or the
week before? I retweeted two consecutive tweets, one basically saying
(04:11):
I'm sick of him.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yep, stop having him on. It's over.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It was a good run, but it's over. And then
the next person basically found the Gershon appearances as a
religious experience, and don't you dare ever stop having Karl
Gertschmann on just to.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Just to give you the range.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
And I did so.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
I didn't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Just retweet the one that made us look good. I
was saying, Okay, I'll throw it out. I'll you know,
both extremes. I guess you could say it back out there.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
As Gerby said, Paul Allen was described he's polarizing. Gerby
at times is polarized.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
True.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I think rapping Gerby should be pretty universally liked, because
that was unbelievable Rappingby that was I.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Didn't and like you said, I that was not wasn't
anything that in the pre production meeting they'll talk to
you about with Carl.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
No.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I believe that he got third place in that Western
Wisconsin rap ballot contest all those years we'd like to
know about first and second. I would too. I would
too from that perspective. I'm looking forward to this article
too in the Start t I can't.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Wait he breaks the story that, uh, Jim Beam actually
John Breen called him up, asked for an interview, and
apparently Gerby granted an interview with longtime rock critic at
the Start Tribune John breeb I'm still trying to figure
out the hook or the angles exactly. So that's got
(05:33):
most of my SERI assumption is he said he talked
to him within the last day or two, right, So
I'm I'm assuming over the weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
The way the Start Evening drops stories now in the
Internet age is it's hard to follow what the threat
of logic is if there is any logic. So I
but my guess it'll be is it will be sometime
over the weekend or concert. How about photos? Hey did
did he did? Did Jim Beam ask for any photos?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I don't know that. I didn't. I don't think that
was a style bush and I just spilled coffee on mean,
that's just great. Be careful keep it away from the equipment. Yeah,
better on me. I guess in the equipment those are
new cameras. We've got new microphones within the last couple
of years.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, a lot of investments here. Be careful.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Are we done with the studio investment or are we
going to something else there?
Speaker 2 (06:16):
What's the latest do we know?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You mean, like, why isn't that wall that wall? I
mean the unfinished wall. It seems like we just hit
like a I feel like we hit yeah, like a.
Well it's a long pause.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Now, Well you've had people work on your house as before, right, Yeah,
you start a projects sometimes back to it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Yeah, very true, Davy.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Let's let's we got Ben Gestling at the bottom of
the hour. Let's get in a little more depth about
Wolves Okie City tonight. I again, you look right now,
I think the Wolves. The interest in the Wolves is
going to be solid because they're coming off two straight
Final Four appearances. So I'm not saying it's evaporating, but
I feel like it's kind of light right now. I think, yeah, yeah, yeah,
(07:01):
I watch because that's what I do, and I happen
to like pro basketball. But and I don't want to
turn this into a competition between the Wild and the Wolves,
no question. Right now, the Wild are more with it
than Wild because it's newer. But the Wild have not
yet come close to accomplishing what the Wolves did the
last two postseasons, so we'll get into a little bit
of that of expectations for the Wolves and a thunder
(07:24):
game tonight, and then prepare to chat with Guessling about
four thirty.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Hockey fans.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
The IIHF World Junior Championship is set to take over
the state of hockey, and we've got your tickets to
the action all week long. You can use the talkback
feature in the iHeartRadio app tell us your favorite team
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Speaker 2 (08:07):
Am I wrong in thinking that the new NBA.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Broadcast partners there's a greater emphasis.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
On four X players than there are on.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Broadcast people, you know, a Lah Steven A Smith for example,
Not to just pick m panels in terms of their
panels and in terms because they do have traffic cops still.
But I think I feel like they're in a very
limited role and it's sort of like just to let
the let's let's let the players. Who is the former
(08:45):
Clipper Griffin.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
I think he's really good. He's good. I like him
a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
I think again, I don't know how many games he
does as opposed to studio or what the what the
breakdown is? Novinsky is involved in some of this as well.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yep, Steve Nash. How has the experiment gone?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I think just Peacock is doing this thing where on
a given game, the sidekick, the analyst, the color analyst
sits on the bench, not next to play by play
guy or gal.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Any word on. I mean that sounds a bit gimmicky
to me.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Do you get something extra being on the bench other
than saying you're on the bench. Is it as easy
to be as honest if you're on the bench and
you're ripping strategy from that team?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Does that get a little bit uncomfortable?
Speaker 3 (09:42):
These are the questions I need answers to bratchaw on
Brian Kafan text line six four, six eighty six. I
also want to know if you're on your way to Wolves,
Oklahoma City tonight to the fan, it's a late start tonight.
We are the second game of the What did you
tell me? This was Prime video Prime Video double Amazon
double header, with the first game being the Knicks and
(10:04):
the Sixers. Yes, nixt to just of course won the Cup.
In fact, didn't that. I thought they just played somebody
else since then already when was it?
Speaker 4 (10:13):
What?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
What was the what night was the Cup title game? Round? Yeah? No, Monday,
it was Wednesday. Oh, I think the companies playing another game.
They may have. I'll pull up their schedule game in
case there'd be a lot of games in a row.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
If if, if that's true, because it's the Cup, because
it's the Cup, I guess that might answer it.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
It's like, I think a lot of people are looking
at this. Okay, well, here's the opportunity for the Wolves
to sort of re establish themselves as one of the
threats again in the Western Conference. I'm not sure you
do that with any single game this early in the season,
but I guess you do have to start somewhere. You
got to get on the board, yeah, if if you
want to sort of get the feeling within the even
(10:56):
within the room, that we're we're heading towards something. You know,
you mentioned this yesterday. I like a lot of people,
I love Finchy's honesty, but there is occasionally that desire
to push back when he's like, well, I don't know,
you know, I don't know what we're doing with the
offense was awful. We make bad decisions a whotle bit
(11:17):
that it is. You know, he's he didn't just get
here five minutes ago. It is his team. And so
I don't know how many times you go to the
well with that. And the subject came up. We've talked
about it before. The subject came up after the Memphis
game that this was another one of those occasions when
(11:37):
Finchy needed to call more plays and he doesn't. You know,
he's loathed to calling plays. He's free wheeling guy, free
rhythm guy. Just he doesn't want to like the word flow.
He does like the word flow. We all like flow.
But I'm still not sure you can trust some of
the players in this flow enough. And if it's it's
once again, isn't your responsibility if it's going that bad
(12:00):
to say we're structuring it up for a while for
the next five minutes, I'm gonna call a decent number
of plays. I don't know what the answer is to that,
but it's at least you know. Part of the difficulty
in evaluating the Wolves is their record. What are we
are We still in the sixth spot or we slipped
to seven our sus standings.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah, we've been we're pretty clear of Phoenix. For seven.
I think we're three games ahead of Phoenix. I'm gonna
pull it up here right now, so we're pretty solid there.
I yeah, we're two games ahead of Phoenix right now.
Seventeen and ten, we are in the sixth spot there
in the seven or a half game behind the Rockets
for five.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Some of the on we regarding this team this year
is they have not played a lot of good teams,
and that's not their fault, but it does I think
contribute to a feeling of, oh, we're kind of just meandering,
and maybe you feel better about where this is headed
if you've had a a steadier diet of games against
(13:02):
better teams and you've done you've held your own. You
know you've won some of those, perhaps you've lost some
of those. Have we beaten somebody had the stat I mean,
have we beaten? We beat Golden State? They had a
winning record. I think we beat him. They're basically playing
five hundred ball. They are so beyond that. Have we
beaten a team with a winning record, Man, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Not a bunch.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Now, we haven't played a bunch either, I think, But
we have it, so we'll see if this kind of
gets the thing jumped start.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Is there any chance that tonight beat the Celtics. I
assume they have a winning record.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
They do. I think that's true. Anyway, go ahead. Is
there any.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Chance that tonight KG will make his first appearance at
Tariat Center and they will make a big announcement, because
I don't think you can rule that out as part
of Okay, we're reintroducing him. Not going to be a
big ceremony tonight, but he's back, he's in the house tonight.
Let's see if we get a little lyft we had
Oklahoma City here, it'd be a great time to do it.
It would be a tremendous time to do it. Well,
(14:00):
you're the guy who told me he's been in town
for like a month. Well, no, I heard he was
in town the day before they made the announcement. I
don't know if he's still in town. I don't know.
That interesting the text from Lavel who will join us
at five point thirty flow, I think Dillingham needs pure progression.
He might be right, I've told you before. I'm already
(14:22):
on Dillingham. I think in the short run, you just
stop even pretending that you want him to really, you know,
run the offense. I just say, go out there and
for like ten minutes, go out and just take as
be as selfish as you take a bunch of shots
off the bench, because we don't really have much scoring
going on off the bench right now. I don't know.
I mean, worst things have been tried, right what how
(14:43):
how much worse could it be it is now? I know,
But I don't think vinc you'll go along with that
because he still has easily the worst body language with
any player that I've ever seen. With Dillingham when he
screws up. I mean, and I'm not saying he doesn't
have a right to be mad at Dillingham sometimes, all
I'm saying is in terms of showing his disdain, Yeah,
(15:04):
he's He doesn't hide it ever with Dillingham, ever, which
frustrates me, because they've got thirty year olds making stupid
mistakes at times.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Taking bad shot Now, in fairness, Finchy, it's bad body
language for them too when that happens. Fink's body language
hasn't been very good this year. Like I joked about
the New Orleans games, he looked like he wanted to
just go out and grab one of those Mississippi river
boats and just ride off into the Gulf of Mexico
because his team was just completely messing around those two nights.
(15:34):
They won both games and pretty authoritatively when all was
said and done. But that's what always bothers me about
the young players, that they seem to get no slack
and they have no equity. I know that's part of it,
but we alsot to have a lot of guys that
are out to lunch sometimes where it's i'd have a
much shortering. Yes, true, Yes, all right, So we got
(15:55):
a lot of good texts coming in from people who
have watched a decent amount on Amazon and Peak. We'll
save those for a little bit later in the broadcast
because we've got Ben Gasling coming up next Levelle will
join at five thirty as well. At the risk of
losing some listeners, Man, the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.
It's hot right now with about ten minutes to go
(16:17):
in the fourth quarter. NC State thirty one Memphis seven.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Is that an upset? No, not really. I had no
wild fans. This could be your season experience.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
The energy, the goals, the unforgettable moments of Grand Casino Arena.
Get your tickets now, including to Wild im Predators next Tuesday,
the twenty third at wild dot Com. Slash tickets to
cheer on the Wild this season.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Thank you, Kevin Falness.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Ben Gestling with us via the Connecticut Water Systems Hotline
on this rather chilly Friday evening in the Twin Cities.
Although my sources say that Ben Gesling has already made
the trip east to the Big Apple to the Greater
New York, New York area, maybe happen to bring along
a couple of family members as well. It's funny that
(17:11):
I was reminded of that because earlier today I am
watching CNN The Morning Show, and they are I can't
remember who the it's one of their law law enforcement
reporters who's really very good covering analyzing stories like the
(17:31):
Brown University story, and he gets this is a lighter
piece where he kind of tours various New York stops
for the holiday season, and ultimately the final stop they
make is Macy's.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Do you know the.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Answer to this question or might you learn it over
the course of your weekend sojourn to New York is
the New York Macy's still what we associate with Macy's
in a way that, let's be honest, we don't anymore
wherever Macy's is around the country, including here or in Chicago,
(18:05):
where it's just not as fancy, it's not as hot,
you it just doesn't seem to be as as important
and as cool.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
But is the is that Macy's.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Does that hold on to the ongoing Macy's traditions as
far as you know, I think it does.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
I was here with my older daughter about three years
ago and it was still pretty decked out. I think
that was that was in the spring, so it was
during the middle of a flower show. But yes, I
think in terms of like the old school department stores,
it's kind of the central gathering spot where everybody comes
for big events, not just to buy things. I think
that one has more of that than you find in
(18:39):
most places. Obviously, the downtown department store has largely gone
away in a lot of cities, whether it's Dayton's in
the Twin Cities or you know, any of the other ones,
probably Sears and Marshall Fields in Chicago, and obviously a
lot of them in New York. I don't think it's
quite as big of a thing in a general concept,
but I think this one still holds a lot of
(19:02):
that together. It'll be fun to see it. I haven't
been here at Christmas time in a long time. My
kids have not been here at all colubs. So they
just found out this morning. I surprise that, Yeah, big
surprise this morning. Hey you're not going to school. We'll
run to New York in a couple hours. So yeah,
figured the game being over Christmas or being near Christmas
in New York, It's like, when is this going to
(19:23):
ever happen again? So let's pounce on them all we can.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
It's a great opportunity, a good very forward thinking and
you know, let's face it, the game didn't mean that
much at this point, so why but you still have
to go? So why not take this opportunity to get
to New York and with the whole family. Before we
talk Purple and the Darsaw news not particularly surprising at
this point, I want to get your reaction to the
(19:49):
Rams Seahawks game last night. A terrific game between two teams.
I think that both entered the game with eleven and
three records, and it goes into OT, and there's a
lot of discussion about ultimately the Seattle decision. They have
to you know, for those who did not watch the
Rams get the ball first in OT, they not only score,
(20:12):
they score a touchdown and an extra point.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
They're up seven.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
By definition, that means Seattle can't settle for a field goal.
They have to score a touchdown. They chose, and they
get it. They choose to go for two, and they
get it darnold with a good throw and showing good
patience to let the play develop, and they that's it.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Game's over. They win the thing.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And a couple people have speculated that is it going
to be long before a team or two decides if
they get the ball first to score and go for
two to really set the tone and put the pressure
on the other team. I'm assuming that's inevitable as well.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
I think you'll see it. I mean, I could see
the argument for it, saying, now you create essentially two
gates that an opponent would have to clear if they
were to come back at the ball and have a
chance to put a drive together. And there's obviously the
risk of what if we don't convert, then they win
the game on an extra point. I think to that,
I would say, if you want to go do it,
(21:16):
and you're feeling good about your defense, then you take
the chance, because if your defense gives up a touchdown
at that point anyway, it's like, well, you know, the
extra point is kind of academic, and I think the
idea of well, if we can hold them to a
tie game and come back and score again, I think
a lot of times, especially in an overtime setting where
(21:37):
it is only ten minutes long, the clock is not
always in your favor to do that. So yeah, it
wouldn't surprise me if we see somebody decide to be
a little more aggressive there and say, let's just go
for two right off the bat, and then even if
you score, we have one more chance to stop you,
and if we do, that's the game. So yeah, it
wouldn't shock me to see one of the more analytically
(21:57):
and clients coaches give that a chance at some point.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
How should the average Vikings fan look at Darnold's performance
last night, Because he had a couple of big blunders,
he did get the help I think in the second
half comeback of a return for a touchdown, I think yep,
And yet he also down the stretch made some important
throws as well. So what's the conclusion on Sam after
that game against the Rams.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Well, I mean, I think there's it's kind of both
of those two extremes, because we did see him make
some mistakes early against a team that has absolutely owned him,
whether it's been with the Vikings or since he's been
in Seattle this year. I think even going back maybe
a couple times he played them previously before he come
to Minnesota, he had lost to them as well, So
(22:46):
he had some of those moments early in that game
that he looked like it was going to be another
one of those nights. I mean, but that game is
sixteen points. They're down sixteen points in i think the
fourth quarter, and yes, you get the pump return. It
makes things a little east to get the comeback done.
But he made a couple of throws at the end
of that game that they had to have it and
he was nails. I mean, that's not something we've seen
(23:09):
from a guy who has received quite a bit of criticism,
justifiably so, for his failures in big games. And I
think the fact that he made the throws that he did,
including kind of working through his reads on a two
point conversion and then finding the tight end of the
middle kind of in the software of that zone. He
gave them everything they needed down the stretch, and it
(23:29):
was not perfect by any means, and it was a
lot of the things we've seen him do. But for
him to come back and reassert himself in a game
they had to have against that team, I think it's
a big moment for him, and it puts them in
a position where if there's the number one seed. You know,
we've seen this over the years, but good luck to
people coming into that building if that is a team
(23:51):
that has a chance to win two games to get
to the Super Bowl. So I think for the payoffs
that he got in the stakes of the moment, I
think it's a pretty big you know, notching his belt
so to speak.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Stafford had it was it almost five hundred yards passing? Yeah,
he was, I do look at him now. And so
who had said that, I think with Sean Salisbury had
said this yesterday that in some ways he might be
throwing the ball about as well as he ever has,
and in this case with something at stake, because he
had some good years with Detroit where they really weren't
playing for anything, but he's playing, you know, with something
(24:22):
on the line. And yesterday, I mean he ultimately obviously
they didn't get the thing done, but he made some.
He is the guy who now looks to me like
he can make literally every throw that would I'm assuming,
make a guy like Koc salivate.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yeah, well, yes, I think. I mean, Koc obviously has
a ring in large part because of that he's Stafford.
And the interesting thing with that is they obviously had
Jared Goff when Sean McVay was there, when Kevin O'Connell
got there, and they make the decision to move on
from Jared Goff, as I understand it, in part because
of the game against the Dolphins in twenty twenty where
(25:02):
it's Brian Flores and Andrew van Ginkel had a touchdown
in that game, and that game had a lot to
do with the Rams deciding we need to go a
different direction, we need to kind of make the move here.
So obviously they make the trade for Matthew Stafford to
win the Super Bowl. After that, I mean, we saw
a lot of years in Detroit where you know, when
he gets hit in the ribs last night, I'm thinking, man,
how many times have I seen this happen against the
(25:23):
Vikings over the years, where he was just getting beat
up before they put the investments into the upline that
the Lions did. But yeah, I mean the no look
passed a cup with fantastic. We've seen him do some
of that before. And he makes a lot of throws
that you want a quarterback to be able to deliver
in that spot where he can elevate and it's going
(25:44):
to be tight. The coverage is going to be tight,
There's going to be timing that has to be right
on he is. He is as good at that part
of the game, I think as anybody in the NFL
at this point in his career. Arc is going to
be very interesting because he was kind of this sad
sad of he got picked number one to a horrible
team and he's just getting beat up. And if he
(26:05):
won the second Super Bowl, it's like, are we having
a Hall of Fame conversation about Matthew Stafford. I mean,
it will be interesting to see how all of that
shakes out. But I think you could make the argument
for that is he gets towards the end because I
think they have as good a chance as anybody, even
if they're going on the road. I think that team
with Stafford the weapons he has, especially once DeVante Adams
(26:25):
gets healthy in that defense, they are forced to be
reckoned with in the playoffs. A lot of those teams
are coming out of the NFC West, so it's very
similar to the NFC North last year. But yeah, he is.
I think he's been tremendous. I think when the Vikings
looked at Craig May and loved him, I think some
of the comparisons you could make there as he looks
like Matthew Stafford, so a lot of the things that
(26:48):
he does well. Yes, I think Evan O'Connell will look
at and say, yeah, I want a quarterback that can
make a lot of those sur the see Matthew Stafford
making pretty regularly at this point.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Standard Heating and Air Conditioning is the sponsor of Ben
Guestling's appearances on this program and on the Project as well.
The news becomes official today via the head coach koc
that Christian Darisa will be shut down for the rest
of the season put on the injured reserve list. I
had said yesterday, I thought this was pretty much inevitable.
(27:17):
I was stunned that they hadn't already done it. I
think the question on the table is whether they did
it out of protection in his case, or out of
frustration with how this season has progressed, the you know
stops and starts associated with Darisa.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Well, I would say this, I don't think they did
it because there was anything new that medically raised their
level of concern. I don't think there was a setback.
I don't think there was an aggravation. I think it
was a lot of you know, kind of what you
mentioned there where there is this back and forth all
season of there's still so swelling in his knee. They're
still kind of getting back to the point where he
(28:00):
trust it. Does he feel like he can go about
things the way he normally has And I think it
took him a while to get to a point where
he was comfortable with the obviously never really did so, Yeah,
I think there's probably some frustration there, and it's just
it's one of those things that I think as they
looked at it and we've gone into this thing now
where he hadn't practiced Wednesday Thursday, the last couple of
(28:21):
weeks and you're kind of going off of while he's
limited on a Friday, can he count on that for
a game. I think there was a thought process of
let's kind of hit the reset button here, he can
let this thing completely calm down, and then you heard
Kevin O'Connell fait today it's my belief that this won't
go in the next season. I think there's probably a
little bit of a subtext there. We need to assume
(28:44):
this has been nipped in the butt now, like he
is going to be done for the last three games.
He can start the rehab early, there's no further stress
being placed on his knee, and then the vikings can
also go about these games not doing the will he
or won't he thing, or you know it's going to
be just school left tackle even if there's drawbacks to that,
and the fact that it's not Christians aias, so you're
(29:05):
not trying to play this guessing game late into a week.
So I think that's a lot of what goes into it.
But yeah, I think it was a trying situation for
a lot of people because you're just you go through
training camp, I think excited about where he's at and
saying he's not on the pump, he can be ready
to go. But in retrospect, there was a lot of
optimism about his trajectory for the season that didn't pan out,
(29:28):
and I think, you know, there's certainly some tension that
gets related to that, And I think a lot of
this decision was let's kind of level set here and
get everybody back to the point where this is not
a part of the conversation next year.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Do we have any sense at all on how coveted
as head coaching material Brian Flores will be after this season?
To me, it's one of the open questions about the
future this team in the direction they go defensively, And
(30:03):
you know, I'm assuming there's going to be some jobs
that open up.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
I don't know how many.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
They usually there's usually several, But you know, we're still
I don't think have his case completely settled. I always
wonder whether that gives some team's pause that might be
interested in him, or is he is he viewed less
of a hot commodity just because that's the way it goes.
The team is going to make the postseason, and those
are the guys who, whether it's fair or not, or
Wright or not end up getting more attention. So where's
(30:27):
bflow as a head coaching candidate.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
It's going to be very interesting because my understanding is
that his contract is up after this year, and I
don't believe there's been anything that's changed that, So that
means he will have the opportunity to shop around, both
as a head coach and possibly as the coordinator. It's
very possible he's back here as well, but I think
there's a thought process of if I have the opportunity
(30:52):
to kind of see what my market is, this is
as good a chance as any to do it. So
you know, he had three interviews last year, and I say,
I think felt pretty good about how those wins. But
what does his candidsey look like this year? I think
Will hinge On is somebody looking for a coach that
has quarterback experience more so than he does. I mean,
(31:13):
you know, the stuff with Tua Taga Bay Laura will
come up and then the interview I'm sure it did
last year as well, and how does he fit is
the guy that's leading your culture in your building when
the head coach has to be involved in every department
of it. I mean, I think that would be the
thing that people would have to feel really good about that,
and you know that's for any head coach in candidate,
you have to feel good about how does he interact
(31:34):
with every facet of your organization and is this the
guy you want leading it? So, I mean, I think
a lot of the questions he will get will revolve
around those things. And I'm sure he'll have interviews because
I mean, they are not going to make the playoffs.
But the fact that they've been competitive I think has
a lot to do with how they've played defensively. Given
the fact that their offense hasn't been as effective as
(31:57):
it's typically been, that defense has been put in a
lot of situations where hey, we need another stop, we
went three and out and you got to come through,
and that defense has kept them in a lot of games.
I think the way they've gone about it, you know,
not with a ton of depth in the secondary and
having to manage some injuries in the front seven, has
been a credit to the way he's gone about it.
I think it will just hinge on kind of what
(32:18):
he wants his next phase to look like, how the
vikings factor into that, and you know, how do teams
feel about him as a possible candidate. There's going to
be a lot of questions that probably stretch beyond just
the job he's done at the defensive coordinator this year.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
So we've got three people shut down now, right, Grenard.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Was due to have surgery. I don't know if you
already had it or not on his shoulder. I believe
Mattellus is out correct, yep. Now he's shut down and
Darra saw.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
Not that.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
As we said, the result matters all of that much.
But does it how much impact does it have in
terms of your own thing regarding Vikings Giants on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
Well, I think it goes back again to J. J. McCarthy.
I mean, there's this continued question of how much progress
can you see from this quarterback. I mean, two weeks
they've won in a row now, and he's played better.
I mean, it's certainly not been something that he's let
the world on fire. There's still some throwers he's missed.
But I thought they were more willing to put a
(33:25):
few things on his plate, put a few things on
his back in Dallas than they've been most of the year.
I'm curious to see if that continues. I think this
is a team they should beat. I mean, that's front
seven the Giants have is awfully talented. It has not
been as productive as you would expect it to be
with the given the people they have, and that secondary
is there for the taking if they could protect J. McCarthy.
(33:48):
So I think it's a game they should win. I
think it's a game that they will get after Jackson Dart.
Even if they're missing Jonathan Grenard, I think they'll have
ways to pressure him. So ultimately, if they win it
or not, probably isn't that big of a deal. But
continuing to see progress from J. J McCarthy, I think
is important, and if they see that progress, I think
they win the game. So all of this kind of
(34:08):
works together. But to me, these last three are all
about the quarterback and what kind of consistency he continues
to show has a lot to do with how this
offseason plays out. So I think that is continually the
if you want to chart it as a win or
a loss, in some ways, the win becomes, hey, we
(34:30):
saw a little more from our quarterback that we could
build on it. I think that becomes the biggest factor
in these last three.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Speaking of consistency, we're chatting about this at the top
of the program. We tried to do the research on
air as we were talking about it. I think we
got it right, but you would probably be more knowledgeable
on it, maybe even off the top of your head.
But we noted that how often, or I should say
(34:59):
how rare in the last twenty five years, really never
since what what do we say guards the two thousand
and eight and nine, nine and ten, I should say,
have the Vikings actually nine? Yeah, because ten the game
the playoff games are played the next year, the eight
and nine seasons, that's the last time the Vikings have
made the playoffs two straight years. And I get the league.
(35:22):
There's a lot of teams that tend to be up
and down, but then you look at a select number
of teams that get there pretty routinely, or they get
their four years out of five or whatever. This team
has really had, and it's probably directly related to the
quarterback position. This team has just had none of that
consistency that we like to associate with, Hey, we're cutting edge,
(35:43):
we're on top of it, we're right there, and yet
we're sitting here again knowing they're mathematically eliminated once again,
they're not going to make the playoffs even as little
as two straight seasons, let alone actually.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Making a run.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
Yeah, I mean, it is remarkable that it's taken that long,
and I think it is one to get the quarterbacks.
If we go through it. Eight and nine, obviously they
go to the NFTY title game and then Park comes
back for ten pieces are in place, we should be
pretty good. And that season goes off the rails very
quickly and in any number of ways, including the Metrorome Classic.
So you go from there to twenty twelve, they make
(36:17):
the playoffs kind of the surprise you with Christian Ponder
and Adrian Peterson has the MVP year. The next year
is the disaster with Ponder and then Matt Castle plays
some and Josh Freeman plays the one game and they
end up losing. The coaches get fired. Fifteen, they win
the division. The next year, Teddy Bridgewater's knee basically spontaneously
combusts on the practice field, so they missed the playoffs
(36:38):
that year. Then you go to seventeen. Okay, they go
to then SCY title game, but then there's a quarterback
change after that year and the first year with Cousins
isn't because the way they wanted to nineteen, they go
to the playoffs, they win a game twenty that one
is not type to a quarterback change where they don't
go to the playoffs. After twenty nineteen, obviously Cousins comes back.
That's probably bore the defense falling apart at that point.
(37:00):
But a lot of these years, including twenty four to
twenty five, Donald takes out of the playoffs, and then
there's a quarterback change at twenty two into twenty three.
Cousins is there, but the Cousin gets hurt. So it
has been in almost all of those cases some level
of quarterback turnover that I think has prevented them from
doing it. Because the teams that you see that get
(37:22):
there routinely. It's been the Bills lately, it's been the
Packers with Aaron Rodgers, It's been the Chiefs obviously with
Patrick Mahomes. You know, a lot of those teams are
consistently factors because they have consistency at the quarterback position.
They know they're going to have a chance every single
week because of the guy they have playing the most
important position in sports. And I think that's a lot
(37:43):
of why this becomes when we talk about McCarthy, consistency
now important because you have to have some level of
reliability at that position to go into a season or
a game or a stretchup games saying we have a
chance to be competitive and make a run with this thing.
And there's a lot to be figured out with JJ
(38:05):
McCarthy in that sense yet. But the reason they have
wanted to invest in a quarterback is they want to
have that position settled, which it really has not been.
You know, we're doing our all quarter century team next week.
Mark Craig, Andrew Kramer and I all picked those teams
and we all picked a different quarterback for the last
twenty five years because there just hasn't been that kind
(38:28):
of consistency. It just speaks to the level of up
and down this team has had, and I think getting
that quarterback position fixed really for the first time since
fran Tarkenton is the only way that you get out
of this up and down in the playoffs. Out of
the playoffs thing, they continue to do.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Have fun in the Big Apple and thereabouts, and we'll well,
actually probably won't chat next week because I'm off and
Merry Christmas to you and yours and we'll chat soon.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
It sounds good, Damn Mary Christmas and your family as well,
and we'll look quarter to chapp soon.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Sounds good.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
That has Ben Gesling, brought to you by Standard Heating
and Air Conditioning. Lavelle is scheduled to join in about
a half hour. Looks like it's now final at the
what do we call it? Is it the Sasparilla Bowl, No,
the gas Parilla Ball, whatever it's called. I think Memphis
(39:21):
got edged by was it? I don't even remember. Was
it NC State? Does it even really matter who it was?
It doesn't, It makes no difference. There is a meaningful
college football game coming up later tonight which might be
a part of the top five and five. I know
Guardzi will give us wild results from yesterday preview Minnesota
Timberwolves results or what might be coming tonight against the
(39:45):
defending NBA champion club.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
And there's apparently some.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Rumors, some speculation that the National Basketball Association might be
mulling over some changes to the draft lottery system to
really attempt to discourage quote unquote tanking, So that could
be on the agenda.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
Who played in that game, who won that game?
Speaker 3 (40:10):
I was just watching the Assasparilla Bowl, the Gasparilla Bawl Gas. Yeah,
North Carolina, Carolina State, Memphis, Yeah, thirty one to seven
Memphis coach.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Their old coach is at Arkansas right now. Oh that's right.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I have still decided to play the game, part of
the change. So yeah, it's ball season. You never know,
some wild stuff. I'm assuming some wool stuff and Vikings
injury report. You nailed all of it. I have nothing
else to add.
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