January 7, 2026 • 47 mins
Dan Barreiro opens the show with the latest of what we know about the shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on another tough day here in town before Wolves guard Mike Conley makes his regular appearance to talk about the teams latest hot streak.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Well, who didn't see this coming. I don't know how
many times we have discussed the potential ramifications of the
ongoing broad round up, the usual suspects approach of the
(00:23):
current administration, And when we have discussed it, we've said,
something bad is going to happen. It is uncanny, GUARDSI
is it not that it keeps happening here? It's astonishing
(00:43):
to think the degree to which we have been anything
but flyover country regarding a number of sad inexcusable, tragic stories. Correct,
it's us again. We are going to be for a
(01:05):
while now the center of the political universe. You know.
I spent a lot of time on yesterday's edition of
the Bumper to Bumper program Barrera and Guards you with
you till six thirty tonight. I think being pretty tough,
very tough on the walls administration regarding his own victimization tour,
(01:28):
deflection Olympics, as I called them yesterday. I stand by
all of that. So the job, though, I like to think,
and we all have our biases, we all have our predispositions,
one could say, but the job today is to try
to not only follow the story, but follow the ramifications
(01:50):
of the story. Which and so that's that's two tracks
for me. There's exactly what happened in this case, not
how you feel in general about ice, about the president's approach.
And by the way, that's the other track. But the
(02:12):
first track is whatever you may think, whatever your preconceived
notions are, they should not dictate how we followed, in
my view, follow the story about what specifically happened here
and what do we make of what is undeniably a tragedy.
That's one track. And as I said, we've learned this
(02:35):
over and over again on pretty much every story involving
police in this town. People decide instantly, no matter what
evidence later shows, no matter what new information that maybe
we didn't have access to, no matter what video of
a different angle that we didn't have in the beginning,
no matter how many times eyewitnesses have been proven to
(02:59):
be extremely faulty and erroneous in what they said they saw,
it's yep, have at it. And that's the challenge here.
Can we rise above that at all for a minute
as we try to piece this thing together? Hard to do, man,
(03:19):
I get it. It's a performative world, culturally speaking and
media wise that we live in, right now that's the
extent of it, and so the people misinterpret they go, well,
you've got to go after this hard immediately from the
first moment you crack the microphone, and we may or
(03:44):
I may disappoint you in that regard. I will take
some guidance from some of my guests today. I will
certainly listen to some of our guests today, including former
Saint Club police chief Blair Anderson, who's scheduled to join
us at about four point thirty today. Andy Luger, former
US A term Andy is scheduled for four fifty five,
And originally we were going to be talking more about
Governor Wall's decision yesterday, but I'm hoping we get into
(04:09):
some of this subject as well. In fact, I think
last time he was in studio we did and we
had that discussion about we're headed to a bad end
here regarding these ice sweeps. You've got a violatal mixture,
do you not. You have a president of the United
States who decides his approach instead of being very nuanced
(04:32):
and precise. It's the Somalis. Are you know? They book
will look with the nation they come from. Dirty. Isn't
that the term he used? One of them among among them.
So what that does is it gets people's understandably their
(04:53):
backs up, going, well, this is what we're dealing with here.
So then they do get angry, maybe they do decide
to show up when they hear that there's one of
these sweeps going on. Regardless of who you're the the
the ice agents are attempting to get whatever the case
may be. That's the recipe for disaster. Somebody makes the
wrong move, somebody overreacts. We're going to get into all
(05:16):
of that with the As I said with Blair regarding
his view as a law enforcement officer, and he's seen
some of the videos so far, like a lot of
people have it, I will say this and this is
I can't prove this, but I'm gonna say it, just
(05:38):
like there's a lot of things yesterday, I really couldn't
prove about why I thought the Walls approach was embarrassing,
This victimization tour he's been going on. I can't prove it,
but that's my belief on the basis of his behavior
over a period of time. And by the way, we
didn't know the half of it. We were quoting from
(05:58):
Fox nine guy yesterday, Seth kaplan about a new report
that I had was not even aware of regarding more fraud.
In another case, it just goes on and on and on.
That story doesn't go away, nor should it go away.
But there's a part of me that absolutely, one hundred
(06:21):
percent believes whether he he might be able to the
president might be able. You know, if you did the
cliche about strapping him to a polygraph, would his real
feelings be be revealed? Maybe not With him, he might
be able to be He might be one of the
(06:42):
guys who could beat the machine. But do you know
what I believe. I believe he revels in this outcome.
I absolutely believe that there is no remorse. It's almost like,
well they because when you approach it the way they've
approached it, you know you're playing with fire because there
(07:06):
isn't anything precise about what you're doing. So in my mind,
deep down, yeah, come on, come on, we're ready. We'll shoot.
When to getting away, we'll shoot, We'll kill you. There
will not be and so no one will say that
out loud, obviously, but I honestly believe there is no trepidation.
(07:29):
There was no fear and loathing about anybody going to
the President in these meetings and saying, man, it's a
recipe for disaster, and we prepare for that. Yeah, bring
it on, Bring it on. I don't think there's any all.
You know, is it Christy Gnome? Is that her name? Yeah,
she's already tried the case. She's already tried the case.
(07:52):
So did the Mayor of Minneapolis and Governor Walls to
an extent. Gounor Walls didn't go as far. He did
go out with the old app active investigation. But the mayor,
you'd think, after this time and what he's dealt with,
no matter what he might be thinking, he'd realize his position.
(08:15):
So on both ends of the equation, on both determinations
had already been made. That serves nobody's interest as far
as I'm concerned. On the first day that it happens,
and you know, I walked in here. Look, no, this
isn't about me, obviously. This is about a tragedy in
which a thirty seven year old woman is dead. That's
(08:36):
the story. And coming to grips with it and finding
out where that investigation is going to go. But I
got to tell you, and my guess is, there's a
lot of people in this town who are just weary,
you know, because part of our job is, Okay, this
is what we do. We react to stuff. That's sort
(08:57):
of why you're in this business. I didn't want to
react to it today. If I could have gotten away
without reacting to it today, I would have. It's exhausted.
That's the word for it. It's exhausting. And you just say,
how many times are are we as a as a
market going to be in this position? To the degree
that we do so, we'll attempt to follow the stories
(09:18):
because I do think there's two tracks. There's exactly precisely
what happened in this case and how it should be
pursued and adjudicated, et cetera. And then there's the larger question,
which again I'm not the only one who said it,
a lot of people did. Could anybody possibly be surprised
(09:38):
at this outcome? That this was inevitable? In fact, there
was a case in Chicago where I believe a US
citizen got shot that had been detained, and I believe
he survived. But inevitably it was going to be a fatality,
was it not that it was going to be worse?
(10:01):
It is stunning that that inevitability takes place here in
this community that's been through various items, through that sort
of meat grinder that brings all sorts of national attention
to us again, the kind of national attention that I
don't really think any of us are particularly interested in.
I will be rebooting the Bradshawn Brian caffe in text
(10:22):
line six four six eighty six, but I will caution
you this might this may be a day where I
don't read a single text I'd support that I'd support
maybe one of those days, I don't even think you
need to reboot it. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe that's the answer.
You don't today, because we've got this system where I've
got to hit this very get this verification code to
(10:42):
get really even back into it. And that none of
that means running from the story. None of that means
being being mealy mouthed about the story. But I've already
heard it. I heard it from Common from some stuff
he was getting. The people who just have already decided,
and I can't help you, and I may end up
(11:04):
agreeing with those people who've decided. But I need more information.
I need more about this particular story. But I already
have enough information to continue to believe that the policy
is reckless and dangerous and unnecessary. And we have seen
to the at least at that level, I think we've
(11:26):
seen abundant proof of exactly that. Let's come back get
our first break in. We will have some Toy Department
interludes today, guests that were already scheduled. Mike Conley is
going to join us at three thirty today, Glenn Mason
shorter than usual at four h two. I mentioned the
Chief Blair Anderson and Andy Luger. Pat Kessler back for
(11:46):
his regular day. He is scheduled to join us at
about five thirty this evening. Back in just a minute.
How alright, So the details I do not, to my knowledge,
(12:59):
the thirty seven year old motorist, a woman, has not
yet been identified, even the at least when the governor
gave his presser not that long ago, Yep, that information
had not been conveyed to him. I don't know if
it's arrived to anyone else. Correct. Correct. It's clear that
she was not an individual that they were in pursuit
of or seeking right. She had driven her car or
(13:26):
her seemingly put her car in the middle of the road,
presumably to discourage their efforts, ICE's efforts to do whatever
they were doing in that particular position, correct, during what
they're classifying as an enforcement operation.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Now, Pauls, by the way, yes, it does have an
update as of one minute ago. Okay, mother Id's shooting victim.
The victim was identified by her mother as Renained Nicole
Good Okay, thirty seven years old. Dodd lived in the
in Cities with her partner, Donna Ganger. The mother declined
whether to say she lived in Minneapolis.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Let me give you the news part of this. In
terms of official reaction. Let me remind you this isn't
endorsing any of the official positions. This is for the
record passing along those positions because I think that's important.
The Department of Homeland Security said the woman attempted to
(14:27):
run over law enforcement officers and that an agent fired
in self defense. The mayor, Jacob Fry, said he had
seen a video of the incident I've seen several already,
I'm sure you have, and disputed the department's version of
events as bs and he spoke that word out. This
was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.
(14:55):
When asked if the woman was using her vehicle as
a weapon, as DHS alleged, he said that doesn't appear
to be the case at all. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary
Christy nom said the victim or the woman try and
victim tried to run over ice officers as they were
pushing their vehicle that got stuck in the snow. I
(15:16):
need more details on that part of it, because I
guess is it possible in a melting day to get
stuck in the snow. I don't know. I don't know
if she is making it up as she goes along.
I'm not sure. An officer of ours acted quickly and
defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, who did not go for
(15:40):
whatever this is worth as far as the mayor did,
in describing the act, said it appeared the woman was
blocking the roadway when a federal law enforcement officer approached
her on foot. The vehicle began to drive off, he
said it, and at least two shots were fired before
the vehicle crashed. She was found with a gunshot wound
with it to the head. I was dead at a
(16:02):
local hospital. O'Haras said the woman did not appear to
be a target the federal enforcement operation. I think that
part has indeed been confirmed. There is I don't know
the number of people there there, there's already some protesting
going on. The scene is very I believe, still very active.
And the governor did mention, and I believe that the
(16:28):
chief did as well, or maybe it was maybe it
wasn't the chief. A couple of individuals in authority have
tried to send out the early word regarding protesting peacefully.
I think it's natural to wonder, especially here, where this goes.
(16:52):
Does it change that's it that it is in the
middle of winter. Does that make it less likely that
large crowds might assemble? What happens at night? How emotional
and how potentially violent does it get. We've been down
this road before, and it didn't go for several days
(17:14):
very well, correct. It went horrifically badly, to no one's
satisfaction or help. I don't think the burning and destruction
that resulted after George Floyd, the governor, I've seen the video.
(17:37):
Don't believe this propaganda machine the state will. I'm sure
there's a full fare and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability
and justice. Now, is that him rightly hammering Christy Nome,
who has already, like you said, offered up case closed,
(17:58):
or is that him doing some of the same thing
when he says I've seen the video, you could say
the next sentence is about, you know, a full, far
and expeditious investigation. That's to me what people in authority
should responsibly say at a moment like this, no matter
what the emotions of the situation are. I just don't know,
like I said in twenty now twenty six, that that's
(18:23):
realistic anymore. I mean the degree to which we've talked
about performance politics. My belief that maybe thirty forty years
ago the percentage of politics that was performance was about
fifty percent, and I've said previously I think we're up
to eighty five to ninety percent. Another example today, there
(18:48):
were several state Republican lawmakers basically asked to do what
would seem to be easy to do. In fact, some Republicans
have to destroy the notion perpetuated by the president. By
the way, we'll get to the President's comments in a minute,
(19:08):
that Tim Walls ordered the murder of Melissa Hortman, as
was written in one of the manifestos by the perpetrator,
and they were asked, the whole thing is a game.
Will you raise your hand if you will agree that
(19:33):
that was egregious and the president should not be doubling
down or giving oxygen to that particular conspiracy theory. And
what did they do? Well, we can't what if we
talk about on this show, we can't give sustenance the enemy.
We know what you want from us, we ain't gonna
(19:54):
give it to you. So they wouldn't give straight answers
on it, or, in the case of one of the legislators,
I think it was Walter Hudson, this whole thing is silly.
Why are we even messing with this? So nobody and
again even the attempt by Republicans to turn this into
all about walls, it was all theater today. What I saw,
(20:16):
there's never an attempt at these hearings. This is the
stupid place we are. There's never an attempt, righty or
lefty to say, all right, we're actually going to in
a scholarly way, attempt to drill down on some of
the stuff we quoted yesterday from auditors. There's no interest
in that it's about naming walls and making this all
(20:40):
about walls. There's no hearings. Shouldn't hearings be about gathering information,
meaning information, not if it's ninety percent performance performance. Now
that's pretty much where we're at, all right, we have
to pause here. We'll be in and out of this
story throughout the rest of the show. Minnesota Timberwolves that
we're back action last night with another very convincing victory
(21:03):
over the Miami Heat. Have they figured something out? Has
a one of the best coaches in the National Basketball
Association figured something out about one Timberwolves player that several people,
including Shaquille O'Neil, apparently cannot understand. We're going to get
to all of that with Timberwol's point guard Mike Conley.
(21:23):
He is neck very busy program today, very curious to
get the views early of Saint former Saint Clube police
(21:44):
she Blair Anderson, regular of this show for many, many years,
terrific contributor. He's going to join us about an hour
from now, and we expect to visit with Andy Lueger.
Originally was going to be about the governor and his decision,
but eventually I think We've actually talked a little bit
about the the ice onslaught and the ramifications of it,
(22:10):
and whether it was fraught with tremendous risk, especially in
places that haven't exactly been maybe hotbeds of Trumpean support.
One could say that, interestingly, has tended to be the
focus of many of these raids. I'm sure that's merely coincidence.
(22:32):
Kessler is scheduled to join us in about two hours
at five point thirty, and eventually we may we may
include some texts I've not yet hit the verification code.
Bratchean Brian caffein text line six four six eight six.
The Wolves got some national TV play again last night,
(22:53):
had the rematch with the Miami Heat. And let's use
the term of the times guardsy very connected defensive performance,
very connected connected. That's the one of the new ones. Yes,
once upon a time you just say they played really
good defense. Right now is their defense was connected?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
And once once upon a time you say they have
good chemistry as a team, but it's a connected team.
Connected Connected makes multiphan.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Interesting because the team looked a week or so ago
very disconnected, but then they connected. They then they started,
they then they reconnected that happens, and uh, it's maybe
further signs that the season goes on a long way, right,
It's a long long time and and and the part
of the challenge is to not underreact to a given
(23:42):
set of games and at times to not overreact to
that as as well. But I was very impressed with
what I saw last night. They the activity the term
I like to go with is the activity in their
defense just to me from the eye test, I don't
(24:07):
know what the analytics. The eye test is. They seem
to be everywhere, they seem to be contesting everything. They
seem to be helping each other out when necessary in
that regard. And you'd sent me some sound which maybe
we play if we I think we're expecting a call
(24:27):
any minute from Mike Conley? Is that correct? Some sound
that you found the press or post game involving the
visiting head coach, Eric Spolstra Spoe. To those in the know,
I think most people would say at this point he's
(24:48):
proven himself to be one of the best head coaches
in all of professional basketball, right. And the classic case
of a guy who started not only to you start,
I think even before he was video coordinator I think
he was the guy who took the trash out in
the video rule. He may have been. That's I think
how he started.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
And like Goodwill Hunting, he just started messing around the
clips and someone said who's this guy?
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Correct over and over again, and the rest is I
think somewhat history. I I I he's a trusted voice.
He's a trusted voice. And you know, and I've talked
about this a lot that the I get it when
fans might be irrational in the way they measure greatness
(25:34):
or goodness effectiveness in a player that spots. You know,
I want more dunks, I want more scoring, I want
more jump shots. I just I mean, how do you
pay somebody like that all that money? And half the
time it looks like he's got hands made of stone.
(25:56):
But what's been fascinating regarding the Ruty Go Bear saga
since he got here, because you know, he's been around
for a while, but he's been ours more recently, and
I think we've learned firsthand the degree of polarity among players,
current players and even former players YEP on Rudy and
(26:19):
what he represents. And what has always stunned me is
my assumption is players would understand that you evaluate goodness, effectiveness,
greatness on more than points, because there's so much more
that goes into a successful basketball operation. Example, you look
at historically Draymond Green's numbers, you go nice, but you'd say, well, anybody,
(26:45):
oh you okay? What what? What's the big deal? And
yet I think most basketball people would say, notwithstanding his
theatrics that seem to be getting worse here, that he
is a winning basketball player who knows how to be
a part of an ensemble and knows his limitations and
(27:05):
knows what he does well. And yet with Rudy there's
an inability to discuss that same nuance or even acknowledge it.
And I think we've learned over the years. In Shack's case,
it's envy and jealousy. Yes, it's just he can't countenance
(27:26):
a guy making that much. Even though Shack is approaching
being a billionaire.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I just got a press release for his latest Hershey
Chocolate endorsement, wondering if I wanted any samples. I thought
he was, I thought he was already a billionaire, But
the last time I think, if you google the name,
his worth is put at a measly five hundred million.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
So it's only half a billion, right, but you think
a guy with that much dough, It still goes back
to he reverts back to when he played and said
how does he get that money? He do? And we've
had others who've lost themselves in their endless when he
got you know, his leg's broken on the one on
one mismatch with Luca in a switch situation, yep, And
(28:16):
people can't get past it. And that's the refreshing part
of what Spolstra What's Spoe had to say? You want
to play it? Yeah, let's go ahead and play it.
I mean I wanted to play it for Mike Conley,
but let's go ahead and play it and keep it going.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I want to give credit to Andrew Carlson, who works
for Kanus Hoopus, who had the idea to go into
the heat presser last night. He covers the Wolves, yes
and basically run through a couple of guys. Jade McDaniels
was another one to get the outsider's perspective and like
we said, a trusted voice in this because I think
this is a great SoundBite.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
This game, and on Saturday is a proud veteran winning player,
you know, really Gobert continues to be one of the
most more underrated, you know, players in this league. He
knows who he is, he knows how he impacts the game.
Once he blasted their team in the locker room right
(29:07):
the game before our game. I thought he was going
to bring a force, not necessarily you know, score thirty
five or anything. But he's been rebounding, he's been offensive rebounding,
he's bringing the physicality. All of that you know that, you.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Know, really helps that team.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
And Kalel was introduced to a guy you know that
brought a physical presence and an edge you know against him.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
All right, there we have it. In fact, I think
Guards he's talking to Mike Colee now and we'll get
him going on this this subject in other woles related
to matters in just a minute, very full show that
will be heavily related to the Minneapolis tragedy. Trust me,
plenty of guests on that subject as well. Mike joins
us via the Connectico Water Systems hotline, Mike, welcome back.
(29:56):
We just played a SoundBite from air Spolstra after the game,
and I found it very Guards that I both found
it very instructive and it was Spolstra, I think volunteering.
I don't even know if he was asked about. You know,
his his young big man and maybe getting learning a
lesson or two from Rudy Gobert. And you and I
(30:19):
have talked about Rudy several times. You know him as
well as anybody, better than most, and we've talked about
this sort of ongoing, you know, sort of weirdness around
the league among some players current and past, to not
give him for what he does do well to influence
games enough credit. And I thought it was interesting that
(30:39):
that that supposed seemed to go out of his way
to make that very point to last night.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, you know, was suppose one of the great coaches
in our game. And you know he has an eye
for you know, players who you know, bring a lot
to the game, maybe more than what people may even see.
And you know, I think his opinion means a lot,
and it just highlights you know, what all of us
already know, you know, within our organization and who've been
(31:08):
around Rudy is the impact that he does bring on
a nightly basis, and you know, people want to poke
holes and you know, all the things that that he
may do or don't doesn't do for for your team,
But then they don't want to highlight all the things
that are great about them. And I think it's just good,
you know, for other teams, other coaches, other players around
(31:32):
the league who you know, we all have that same
respect for Rudy, and it's more like an outside you know, media,
media or fan thing that tends to get lost, and
you know that hysteria of of what's actually you know,
Rudy's game and what he brings to the table.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Well, it's sad, is it's not. I don't think Sometimes
it's just media and fans. I almost would understand it.
Then it's former players, it's Shaquille, you know, we talked
about this before. It's just and maybe that's the the
envy and jealousy about the money. I don't know, but
it's just it's just so strange to hear because you
think players they they know value, right. I mentioned Draymond
(32:10):
Green earlier, leaving aside the nonsense. I mean, you can
tell us. I'm sure more than I can even understand
the degree to which Draymond Green helps teams win, even
if he's not the main component, and even if his
numbers look kind of pedestrian most of the time, right
that there's a mechanism to what some players like that
(32:31):
understand about what they can bring to the table to
help the winning cause, regardless of how the box score looks.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Yeah, and you know, Draymond's a great example of that.
Rudy is a great example. There's a lot of players
out there that fit that mold where you could end
the game and I will, as a teammate, as a
player played in the game, look at it like, man,
you know, Draymond dominated that game or great, you know,
(32:58):
Rudy dominated that game. And you look up and they
may have you know, ten points, ten rebounds, or you
know something that isn't you know, a world being statistic,
But you look at how they influence the game, Influence coverages,
influence people driving into the paint, taking stress off of
other players on your team, allowing other people to succeed,
(33:20):
you know, sacrificing their bodies, screening every person they can screen,
and you running the floor and being available, not being hurt,
you know, just playing through stuff. I guess like all
that stuff is so vital to winning culture and the
equations to winning in a way that I don't think
of analytics or somebody sitting at home, can really you know,
(33:43):
sit there.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
And appreciate it very well? Said, I want to talk
about another aspect of Rudy because it's seen something also
that that Sporser brought up last night that he basically
thought his team was in trouble because of how vocal
Rudy was. I think it was with it after the
Atlanta game that that went as poorly as it did
for you guys, that he was very direct, at least
(34:07):
with the reporters, so about you know, his concerns at
that point. So they helped me inside the locker room.
I'm not expecting you to give away secrets, but when
a player like Rudy goes public in terms of with reporters,
is that something he's already said to the team. Does
the team become aware of it because they then read
the quotes? Or what do you remember about the locker room?
(34:30):
And and and sort of Rudy's demeanor because it certainly
seemed like he was very bugged and and and I
I you can tell me. I don't want to say
that's what has turned everything around, but it's interesting that
since things have gone into much better direction. What do
you remember about that night and what Rudy said.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
You're not gonna like my answer.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
I have no idea what.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
So he did.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Okay, yeah, all right, that's good to know.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
That's what I'm not saying. I'm not saying that he
didn't say it to us. I don't. I know, you know,
the messages that we have, you know what I mean,
in film or in locker room after a post game
and all that stuff, like we have our own conversation
and you know, obviously Rudy will say his piece or
anybody who has something to say say this peace. I
have no idea what was reiterated to the media or
(35:21):
what was said to the media, So I can't actively
answer that, but I do know that, you know, Rudy
and just like all of us after Atlanta, were frustrated
with how we performed, how we played the direction that
we were we had, we had spoke on how we're
going to play a certain way, and we just didn't
go out there and execute it. And I thought after
that game, you know, having a couple of days, we
(35:43):
got to Miami a little early, we got had a
great practice that you know, this time of the year
is hard to find days to really get after it
in practice and and and you know, get some things
ironed out. We had a good one, and I thought
everybody was in a much better place leading into that
first Miami game.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Guardian, you have a couple of the highlights for Rudy
just just yeah, paraphrasing Mike, you said, we look like
a team that doesn't want to play for a championship.
We look more like a team that wants to play,
make a lot of money, have a good life. It
doesn't win bleep.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I think was was the one of the quotes for
sure said we look like a team that wants to
win a championship.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Actually, yeah, that's what he was conveying then, and that's
what he conveyed last night, that that might dovetail. I'm sure,
like you said, you guys probably all felt the same way.
It's interesting hearing it from him because he's not a
guy who's always vocal, at least not to reporters afterwards.
I'm curious if you were vocal at all or upset
with what I thought was a really bad look from
(36:41):
Anthony leaving the court the way he did. I I
didn't like it. I don't it doesn't happen very often, man.
And I know he's still young, but he's already you know,
the team is built around him. And I thought it
was a really bad. Look what did you make of it?
Speaker 4 (36:59):
Yeah, I mean we all you know, I didn't know
about it until after the game. But it's it's it's
a weird situation too. You know, obviously he shouldn't. There's
no place for us, any of us, to be, you know,
leaving you know, our teammates or whatever late you know,
late early in the fourth quarter, even though we're getting beat.
(37:19):
We still sit there and support and do things we
do as vets and as teammates and leaders. But you know,
there's also it's it's one of those things that there's
been plenty of games where we've been up ten, fifteen,
twenty points whatever it is, going into you know, five
minutes left in the game, and they pull the starters,
(37:40):
and then we'll have two guys in the tunnel working
on something like you know, ice and a knee, or
like working on you know, doing lunges or whatever it
is they're doing just to get a while they're watching
the game as well and supporting and kind of getting
the head start on what's coming after, you know, after
the game, which we all kind of post workout stuff.
(38:01):
So it's one of the things that they picked up
on h on that moment in a bad moment, you
know what I mean, Like, it can't can't be you know,
you can't be caught up in that. But the same time,
you know he's done that, and so as other players
have done that on occasion in different circumstances and better circumstances.
(38:22):
So so yes, you know, we we don't want to
see that. We don't want we want our team to
be as connected as possible, especially in global moments in
late games like that. But like I said, he's young,
He's going to learn and continue to grow as a leader.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I thought the the defense was terrific again last night.
You know, the term connected probably gets overused, but I
I I said to me, when I watch whatever term
you want to use, when there's activity everywhere, it seems
to get in the way of what a very well
(38:57):
coached team wants to do and it's frustrated by it.
To me, that's what I saw last night. So what
do you see that's better? How sustainable is it? Since
you know that disaster in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
What has changed, Yeah, I think you talked about like
just being connected on that end that what that looks
like is a higher level of activity and communications that
we've had the last few games. I think that we've
tapped into that. You know, it's the defensive mindset we've
(39:34):
had in prior years, prior seasons, and we just have
found a way to find that. We've found a way through.
Like I said, our activity, like guards on the ball
a point of attack, have been really really good at
containing drivers. You know, you're getting you're gonna get beat
every now and then when you do get beat, you
end up you know, catching back up to cut them
(39:55):
off and stand them up and make the shot tougher.
Like all that stuff is is super important. We're relying
a lot on our health defenders, help defenders and not
just Rudy, you know, Julius and the good job. Now
it's Jaden Jalen, Like everybody that comes in the game
is super active in the low man and being there
(40:15):
on help side opportunities to create you know, turnovers and
get out in transition. And it's it's a a domino effect,
you know, once you start doing it over and over
and over again. You just see the activity continue to
grow as the game goes on, and it can where
teams down. It's like running football, and you know the
NFL games, Eventually you kind of push that line back
(40:37):
further and further. They get tired and you kind of
take take control a line of scrimmage.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
And that's what.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
We've been trying to do.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
How do you feel about your role right now? Man?
Speaker 4 (40:47):
I said, I'm I'm I'm loving it. You know, I
think that you know, we've kind of went through some
trials and trying to figure out minutes and different roles
and different you know, starting not starting playing thirty minutes,
playing twenty, playing twelve like whatever it may be. But
(41:09):
just you know, knowing when I'm going in the game,
knowing when the things are a little more consistent, I
think it helps me, helps me out a lot. Allows
me to know who I'm being the game with, you know,
how to you know, play according to who I have
on the court. You know, it's a different game you
play with Aunt and Julius on the cords, opposing Nash
and Rudy or Jaden or Jalen or you know, whoever's
(41:30):
out there with you. So as a point guard, you
have to kind of adjust to who you have on
the floor. So just being more consistent with that, I
think it's helped me out a ton, and just being
able to kind of solidify what I can kind of
have approach for every you know, time I get on
a you know on the court.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
We're chatting with the Timbers point guard Mike Conley. Glenn
Mason will join at the top of the hour. You've
obviously you've been in the league along times this year,
eighteen seventeen or eighteen. I can't keep trying nineteen s Yeah,
that's it. Well I'm a year of two years behind,
so nineteen think about that, so you can speak to
(42:10):
this issue. I'm listening the other day to Eddie Johnson,
who's on Serious XM in the afternoons. Uh, the former
NBA player. I'm sure you are familiar with him, and
now he does analysis on Phoenix Sun's games. And Eddie
is one of those old time players who believes that
the number one reason there seemed to be as many
soft tissue ish injuries as there are now is not
(42:35):
that the game has more movement in it, not that
there's more stress on bodies, but a belief that training
camp goes about two and a half days. That he
may be exaggering that a little bit, but he believes
that there was a time where players didn't suffer as
many in his mind, softissue issues, in injuries and issues
(42:57):
because training camp was a grind. It was a meat grinder,
and you probably went through a few of those. Given
the fact that you've only been almost been playing for
twenty years, do you buy that theory? Is that oversimplifying
it or what do you think?
Speaker 4 (43:12):
I remember those days?
Speaker 1 (43:13):
I do.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
We had two a days every day for weeks straight
or whatever it is. Now nowadays, I don't think we
have one to a day, and you know, it prepares you,
you know, I think early for the early part of
the season. I can't speak on it as far as
like in the totality of the season because that is
just one part of the year. I don't know if
(43:35):
people are getting hurt to start the seasons more or
if it's in the middle of that you know, later part,
latter part. But I think that it can have its
you know, it can have its you know, it's its
role and those kind of injuries. But I do think
that it's coupled with the play style, the speed, you know,
the way that these teams are playing, Like we just
(43:58):
played Miami twice and Washington they're two of the fastest teams, yeah,
in the league. And I can guarantee you, like I
barely move out of the bed this morning, you know
what I mean. Like it's it's clearly different playing that
that pace than it is playing you know, a team
that plays slower or and even those slow teams are
(44:19):
not either like one of the faster teams of you know,
the early two thousands, you know what I mean. So
it's just a pace a lot of you know, a
couple with maybe you know, you've got the training camps,
you got you know, the guys trying to figure out
how to work and prepare their body correctly for that
kind of load and that kind of stress that you're
putting on yourself just from sprinting so much. So it's
(44:41):
I think it's just like a combination of things built
on you know, kind of like a wild while West.
Everybody's trying to learn as we go, learn this new
new pace and how to take care of your body
while doing it.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
I really appreciate the time as always, Happy New Year
to you and your family and we will hopefully chat
in a couple of weeks for sure.
Speaker 4 (45:01):
Thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
Mike Conley, Timberwol's point guard on a number of subjects
that one of the reasons I like having him on
is I think it's easier for him to be trusted
on questions like the last one regarding because he spans,
you know, a couple of NBA eras as long as
he's been part of the National Basketball Association. I remember
(45:23):
those days. That was awesome. Days you said not only
we have one to a day. No, yeah, I don't know.
I mean, Eddie sounds a little bit like a back
in my day guy on it. But I do wonder
if there's something to that now. The problem again is
players aren't going to go back to that, you know,
because all this is is is not adjudicated, negotiated. So
(45:44):
I don't think that's likely, but I do think it
very well could contribute. And you could even argue that
if you believe that the pace of the game is
a bigger issue, all the more reason to have what
would be a more rigorous training camp than the life
stuff that we seem to favor these days. KG and
Paul Pierce talked about this few years ago. We played it.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Oh, that's right, Pierce thought the injuries had to do it,
that nobody ever practiced.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Well, yes, and you heard Mike say, yeah, it helped us.
It's so hard to find a day to practice. We
get to Miami early, which can be dangerous. Yes, it
ken As chis Foreman told us that you got to
have discipline, discipline in Miami, But in this case it
apparently gave them a extra time to kind of clear
the air and work on some things on the court.
So in any case, on top of the hour break
(46:30):
here much more on the obviously dominant subject throughout this program,
a woman killed by an ice officer in the in
a Minneapolis shooting. And we're going to get more details
on the story, and we're gonna get a lot more
analysis and opinion from for Saint claud Police, she Blair
Anderson in about a half hour. Former US Attorney Andy
(46:52):
Lueger is scheduled to join us at about four point
fifty five today. Kessler, who's following this story very closely,
will be with us at as well. When we come
back a little more time in the toy Department Glenn
Mason is not going to be in studio. He is
finally headed south, but we'll talk college football and try
to get I got a couple of ways to try
to get Mace going today because it's just so much
(47:14):
fun
Well, who didn't see this coming. I don't know how
many times we have discussed the potential ramifications of the
ongoing broad round up, the usual suspects approach of the
(00:23):
current administration, And when we have discussed it, we've said,
something bad is going to happen. It is uncanny, GUARDSI
is it not that it keeps happening here? It's astonishing
(00:43):
to think the degree to which we have been anything
but flyover country regarding a number of sad inexcusable, tragic stories. Correct,
it's us again. We are going to be for a
(01:05):
while now the center of the political universe. You know.
I spent a lot of time on yesterday's edition of
the Bumper to Bumper program Barrera and Guards you with
you till six thirty tonight. I think being pretty tough,
very tough on the walls administration regarding his own victimization tour,
(01:28):
deflection Olympics, as I called them yesterday. I stand by
all of that. So the job, though, I like to think,
and we all have our biases, we all have our predispositions,
one could say, but the job today is to try
to not only follow the story, but follow the ramifications
(01:50):
of the story. Which and so that's that's two tracks
for me. There's exactly what happened in this case, not
how you feel in general about ice, about the president's approach.
And by the way, that's the other track. But the
(02:12):
first track is whatever you may think, whatever your preconceived
notions are, they should not dictate how we followed, in
my view, follow the story about what specifically happened here
and what do we make of what is undeniably a tragedy.
That's one track. And as I said, we've learned this
(02:35):
over and over again on pretty much every story involving
police in this town. People decide instantly, no matter what
evidence later shows, no matter what new information that maybe
we didn't have access to, no matter what video of
a different angle that we didn't have in the beginning,
no matter how many times eyewitnesses have been proven to
(02:59):
be extremely faulty and erroneous in what they said they saw,
it's yep, have at it. And that's the challenge here.
Can we rise above that at all for a minute
as we try to piece this thing together? Hard to do, man,
(03:19):
I get it. It's a performative world, culturally speaking and
media wise that we live in, right now that's the
extent of it, and so the people misinterpret they go, well,
you've got to go after this hard immediately from the
first moment you crack the microphone, and we may or
(03:44):
I may disappoint you in that regard. I will take
some guidance from some of my guests today. I will
certainly listen to some of our guests today, including former
Saint Club police chief Blair Anderson, who's scheduled to join
us at about four point thirty today. Andy Luger, former
US A term Andy is scheduled for four fifty five,
And originally we were going to be talking more about
Governor Wall's decision yesterday, but I'm hoping we get into
(04:09):
some of this subject as well. In fact, I think
last time he was in studio we did and we
had that discussion about we're headed to a bad end
here regarding these ice sweeps. You've got a violatal mixture,
do you not. You have a president of the United
States who decides his approach instead of being very nuanced
(04:32):
and precise. It's the Somalis. Are you know? They book
will look with the nation they come from. Dirty. Isn't
that the term he used? One of them among among them.
So what that does is it gets people's understandably their
(04:53):
backs up, going, well, this is what we're dealing with here.
So then they do get angry, maybe they do decide
to show up when they hear that there's one of
these sweeps going on. Regardless of who you're the the
the ice agents are attempting to get whatever the case
may be. That's the recipe for disaster. Somebody makes the
wrong move, somebody overreacts. We're going to get into all
(05:16):
of that with the As I said with Blair regarding
his view as a law enforcement officer, and he's seen
some of the videos so far, like a lot of
people have it, I will say this and this is
I can't prove this, but I'm gonna say it, just
(05:38):
like there's a lot of things yesterday, I really couldn't
prove about why I thought the Walls approach was embarrassing,
This victimization tour he's been going on. I can't prove it,
but that's my belief on the basis of his behavior
over a period of time. And by the way, we
didn't know the half of it. We were quoting from
(05:58):
Fox nine guy yesterday, Seth kaplan about a new report
that I had was not even aware of regarding more fraud.
In another case, it just goes on and on and on.
That story doesn't go away, nor should it go away.
But there's a part of me that absolutely, one hundred
(06:21):
percent believes whether he he might be able to the
president might be able. You know, if you did the
cliche about strapping him to a polygraph, would his real
feelings be be revealed? Maybe not With him, he might
be able to be He might be one of the
(06:42):
guys who could beat the machine. But do you know
what I believe. I believe he revels in this outcome.
I absolutely believe that there is no remorse. It's almost like,
well they because when you approach it the way they've
approached it, you know you're playing with fire because there
(07:06):
isn't anything precise about what you're doing. So in my mind,
deep down, yeah, come on, come on, we're ready. We'll shoot.
When to getting away, we'll shoot, We'll kill you. There
will not be and so no one will say that
out loud, obviously, but I honestly believe there is no trepidation.
(07:29):
There was no fear and loathing about anybody going to
the President in these meetings and saying, man, it's a
recipe for disaster, and we prepare for that. Yeah, bring
it on, Bring it on. I don't think there's any all.
You know, is it Christy Gnome? Is that her name? Yeah,
she's already tried the case. She's already tried the case.
(07:52):
So did the Mayor of Minneapolis and Governor Walls to
an extent. Gounor Walls didn't go as far. He did
go out with the old app active investigation. But the mayor,
you'd think, after this time and what he's dealt with,
no matter what he might be thinking, he'd realize his position.
(08:15):
So on both ends of the equation, on both determinations
had already been made. That serves nobody's interest as far
as I'm concerned. On the first day that it happens,
and you know, I walked in here. Look, no, this
isn't about me, obviously. This is about a tragedy in
which a thirty seven year old woman is dead. That's
(08:36):
the story. And coming to grips with it and finding
out where that investigation is going to go. But I
got to tell you, and my guess is, there's a
lot of people in this town who are just weary,
you know, because part of our job is, Okay, this
is what we do. We react to stuff. That's sort
(08:57):
of why you're in this business. I didn't want to
react to it today. If I could have gotten away
without reacting to it today, I would have. It's exhausted.
That's the word for it. It's exhausting. And you just say,
how many times are are we as a as a
market going to be in this position? To the degree
that we do so, we'll attempt to follow the stories
(09:18):
because I do think there's two tracks. There's exactly precisely
what happened in this case and how it should be
pursued and adjudicated, et cetera. And then there's the larger question,
which again I'm not the only one who said it,
a lot of people did. Could anybody possibly be surprised
(09:38):
at this outcome? That this was inevitable? In fact, there
was a case in Chicago where I believe a US
citizen got shot that had been detained, and I believe
he survived. But inevitably it was going to be a fatality,
was it not that it was going to be worse?
(10:01):
It is stunning that that inevitability takes place here in
this community that's been through various items, through that sort
of meat grinder that brings all sorts of national attention
to us again, the kind of national attention that I
don't really think any of us are particularly interested in.
I will be rebooting the Bradshawn Brian caffe in text
(10:22):
line six four six eighty six, but I will caution
you this might this may be a day where I
don't read a single text I'd support that I'd support
maybe one of those days, I don't even think you
need to reboot it. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe that's the answer.
You don't today, because we've got this system where I've
got to hit this very get this verification code to
(10:42):
get really even back into it. And that none of
that means running from the story. None of that means
being being mealy mouthed about the story. But I've already
heard it. I heard it from Common from some stuff
he was getting. The people who just have already decided,
and I can't help you, and I may end up
(11:04):
agreeing with those people who've decided. But I need more information.
I need more about this particular story. But I already
have enough information to continue to believe that the policy
is reckless and dangerous and unnecessary. And we have seen
to the at least at that level, I think we've
(11:26):
seen abundant proof of exactly that. Let's come back get
our first break in. We will have some Toy Department
interludes today, guests that were already scheduled. Mike Conley is
going to join us at three thirty today, Glenn Mason
shorter than usual at four h two. I mentioned the
Chief Blair Anderson and Andy Luger. Pat Kessler back for
(11:46):
his regular day. He is scheduled to join us at
about five thirty this evening. Back in just a minute.
How alright, So the details I do not, to my knowledge,
(12:59):
the thirty seven year old motorist, a woman, has not
yet been identified, even the at least when the governor
gave his presser not that long ago, Yep, that information
had not been conveyed to him. I don't know if
it's arrived to anyone else. Correct. Correct. It's clear that
she was not an individual that they were in pursuit
of or seeking right. She had driven her car or
(13:26):
her seemingly put her car in the middle of the road,
presumably to discourage their efforts, ICE's efforts to do whatever
they were doing in that particular position, correct, during what
they're classifying as an enforcement operation.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Now, Pauls, by the way, yes, it does have an
update as of one minute ago. Okay, mother Id's shooting victim.
The victim was identified by her mother as Renained Nicole
Good Okay, thirty seven years old. Dodd lived in the
in Cities with her partner, Donna Ganger. The mother declined
whether to say she lived in Minneapolis.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Let me give you the news part of this. In
terms of official reaction. Let me remind you this isn't
endorsing any of the official positions. This is for the
record passing along those positions because I think that's important.
The Department of Homeland Security said the woman attempted to
(14:27):
run over law enforcement officers and that an agent fired
in self defense. The mayor, Jacob Fry, said he had
seen a video of the incident I've seen several already,
I'm sure you have, and disputed the department's version of
events as bs and he spoke that word out. This
was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.
(14:55):
When asked if the woman was using her vehicle as
a weapon, as DHS alleged, he said that doesn't appear
to be the case at all. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary
Christy nom said the victim or the woman try and
victim tried to run over ice officers as they were
pushing their vehicle that got stuck in the snow. I
(15:16):
need more details on that part of it, because I
guess is it possible in a melting day to get
stuck in the snow. I don't know. I don't know
if she is making it up as she goes along.
I'm not sure. An officer of ours acted quickly and
defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, who did not go for
(15:40):
whatever this is worth as far as the mayor did,
in describing the act, said it appeared the woman was
blocking the roadway when a federal law enforcement officer approached
her on foot. The vehicle began to drive off, he
said it, and at least two shots were fired before
the vehicle crashed. She was found with a gunshot wound
with it to the head. I was dead at a
(16:02):
local hospital. O'Haras said the woman did not appear to
be a target the federal enforcement operation. I think that
part has indeed been confirmed. There is I don't know
the number of people there there, there's already some protesting
going on. The scene is very I believe, still very active.
And the governor did mention, and I believe that the
(16:28):
chief did as well, or maybe it was maybe it
wasn't the chief. A couple of individuals in authority have
tried to send out the early word regarding protesting peacefully.
I think it's natural to wonder, especially here, where this goes.
(16:52):
Does it change that's it that it is in the
middle of winter. Does that make it less likely that
large crowds might assemble? What happens at night? How emotional
and how potentially violent does it get. We've been down
this road before, and it didn't go for several days
(17:14):
very well, correct. It went horrifically badly, to no one's
satisfaction or help. I don't think the burning and destruction
that resulted after George Floyd, the governor, I've seen the video.
(17:37):
Don't believe this propaganda machine the state will. I'm sure
there's a full fare and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability
and justice. Now, is that him rightly hammering Christy Nome,
who has already, like you said, offered up case closed,
(17:58):
or is that him doing some of the same thing
when he says I've seen the video, you could say
the next sentence is about, you know, a full, far
and expeditious investigation. That's to me what people in authority
should responsibly say at a moment like this, no matter
what the emotions of the situation are. I just don't know,
like I said in twenty now twenty six, that that's
(18:23):
realistic anymore. I mean the degree to which we've talked
about performance politics. My belief that maybe thirty forty years
ago the percentage of politics that was performance was about
fifty percent, and I've said previously I think we're up
to eighty five to ninety percent. Another example today, there
(18:48):
were several state Republican lawmakers basically asked to do what
would seem to be easy to do. In fact, some Republicans
have to destroy the notion perpetuated by the president. By
the way, we'll get to the President's comments in a minute,
(19:08):
that Tim Walls ordered the murder of Melissa Hortman, as
was written in one of the manifestos by the perpetrator,
and they were asked, the whole thing is a game.
Will you raise your hand if you will agree that
(19:33):
that was egregious and the president should not be doubling
down or giving oxygen to that particular conspiracy theory. And
what did they do? Well, we can't what if we
talk about on this show, we can't give sustenance the enemy.
We know what you want from us, we ain't gonna
(19:54):
give it to you. So they wouldn't give straight answers
on it, or, in the case of one of the legislators,
I think it was Walter Hudson, this whole thing is silly.
Why are we even messing with this? So nobody and
again even the attempt by Republicans to turn this into
all about walls, it was all theater today. What I saw,
(20:16):
there's never an attempt at these hearings. This is the
stupid place we are. There's never an attempt, righty or
lefty to say, all right, we're actually going to in
a scholarly way, attempt to drill down on some of
the stuff we quoted yesterday from auditors. There's no interest
in that it's about naming walls and making this all
(20:40):
about walls. There's no hearings. Shouldn't hearings be about gathering information,
meaning information, not if it's ninety percent performance performance. Now
that's pretty much where we're at, all right, we have
to pause here. We'll be in and out of this
story throughout the rest of the show. Minnesota Timberwolves that
we're back action last night with another very convincing victory
(21:03):
over the Miami Heat. Have they figured something out? Has
a one of the best coaches in the National Basketball
Association figured something out about one Timberwolves player that several people,
including Shaquille O'Neil, apparently cannot understand. We're going to get
to all of that with Timberwol's point guard Mike Conley.
(21:23):
He is neck very busy program today, very curious to
get the views early of Saint former Saint Clube police
(21:44):
she Blair Anderson, regular of this show for many, many years,
terrific contributor. He's going to join us about an hour
from now, and we expect to visit with Andy Lueger.
Originally was going to be about the governor and his decision,
but eventually I think We've actually talked a little bit
about the the ice onslaught and the ramifications of it,
(22:10):
and whether it was fraught with tremendous risk, especially in
places that haven't exactly been maybe hotbeds of Trumpean support.
One could say that, interestingly, has tended to be the
focus of many of these raids. I'm sure that's merely coincidence.
(22:32):
Kessler is scheduled to join us in about two hours
at five point thirty, and eventually we may we may
include some texts I've not yet hit the verification code.
Bratchean Brian caffein text line six four six eight six.
The Wolves got some national TV play again last night,
(22:53):
had the rematch with the Miami Heat. And let's use
the term of the times guardsy very connected defensive performance,
very connected connected. That's the one of the new ones. Yes,
once upon a time you just say they played really
good defense. Right now is their defense was connected?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
And once once upon a time you say they have
good chemistry as a team, but it's a connected team.
Connected Connected makes multiphan.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Interesting because the team looked a week or so ago
very disconnected, but then they connected. They then they started,
they then they reconnected that happens, and uh, it's maybe
further signs that the season goes on a long way, right,
It's a long long time and and and the part
of the challenge is to not underreact to a given
(23:42):
set of games and at times to not overreact to
that as as well. But I was very impressed with
what I saw last night. They the activity the term
I like to go with is the activity in their
defense just to me from the eye test, I don't
(24:07):
know what the analytics. The eye test is. They seem
to be everywhere, they seem to be contesting everything. They
seem to be helping each other out when necessary in
that regard. And you'd sent me some sound which maybe
we play if we I think we're expecting a call
(24:27):
any minute from Mike Conley? Is that correct? Some sound
that you found the press or post game involving the
visiting head coach, Eric Spolstra Spoe. To those in the know,
I think most people would say at this point he's
(24:48):
proven himself to be one of the best head coaches
in all of professional basketball, right. And the classic case
of a guy who started not only to you start,
I think even before he was video coordinator I think
he was the guy who took the trash out in
the video rule. He may have been. That's I think
how he started.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
And like Goodwill Hunting, he just started messing around the
clips and someone said who's this guy?
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Correct over and over again, and the rest is I
think somewhat history. I I I he's a trusted voice.
He's a trusted voice. And you know, and I've talked
about this a lot that the I get it when
fans might be irrational in the way they measure greatness
(25:34):
or goodness effectiveness in a player that spots. You know,
I want more dunks, I want more scoring, I want
more jump shots. I just I mean, how do you
pay somebody like that all that money? And half the
time it looks like he's got hands made of stone.
(25:56):
But what's been fascinating regarding the Ruty Go Bear saga
since he got here, because you know, he's been around
for a while, but he's been ours more recently, and
I think we've learned firsthand the degree of polarity among players,
current players and even former players YEP on Rudy and
(26:19):
what he represents. And what has always stunned me is
my assumption is players would understand that you evaluate goodness, effectiveness,
greatness on more than points, because there's so much more
that goes into a successful basketball operation. Example, you look
at historically Draymond Green's numbers, you go nice, but you'd say, well, anybody,
(26:45):
oh you okay? What what? What's the big deal? And
yet I think most basketball people would say, notwithstanding his
theatrics that seem to be getting worse here, that he
is a winning basketball player who knows how to be
a part of an ensemble and knows his limitations and
(27:05):
knows what he does well. And yet with Rudy there's
an inability to discuss that same nuance or even acknowledge it.
And I think we've learned over the years. In Shack's case,
it's envy and jealousy. Yes, it's just he can't countenance
(27:26):
a guy making that much. Even though Shack is approaching
being a billionaire.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I just got a press release for his latest Hershey
Chocolate endorsement, wondering if I wanted any samples. I thought
he was, I thought he was already a billionaire, But
the last time I think, if you google the name,
his worth is put at a measly five hundred million.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
So it's only half a billion, right, but you think
a guy with that much dough, It still goes back
to he reverts back to when he played and said
how does he get that money? He do? And we've
had others who've lost themselves in their endless when he
got you know, his leg's broken on the one on
one mismatch with Luca in a switch situation, yep, And
(28:16):
people can't get past it. And that's the refreshing part
of what Spolstra What's Spoe had to say? You want
to play it? Yeah, let's go ahead and play it.
I mean I wanted to play it for Mike Conley,
but let's go ahead and play it and keep it going.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I want to give credit to Andrew Carlson, who works
for Kanus Hoopus, who had the idea to go into
the heat presser last night. He covers the Wolves, yes
and basically run through a couple of guys. Jade McDaniels
was another one to get the outsider's perspective and like
we said, a trusted voice in this because I think
this is a great SoundBite.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
This game, and on Saturday is a proud veteran winning player,
you know, really Gobert continues to be one of the
most more underrated, you know, players in this league. He
knows who he is, he knows how he impacts the game.
Once he blasted their team in the locker room right
(29:07):
the game before our game. I thought he was going
to bring a force, not necessarily you know, score thirty
five or anything. But he's been rebounding, he's been offensive rebounding,
he's bringing the physicality. All of that you know that, you.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Know, really helps that team.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
And Kalel was introduced to a guy you know that
brought a physical presence and an edge you know against him.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
All right, there we have it. In fact, I think
Guards he's talking to Mike Colee now and we'll get
him going on this this subject in other woles related
to matters in just a minute, very full show that
will be heavily related to the Minneapolis tragedy. Trust me,
plenty of guests on that subject as well. Mike joins
us via the Connectico Water Systems hotline, Mike, welcome back.
(29:56):
We just played a SoundBite from air Spolstra after the game,
and I found it very Guards that I both found
it very instructive and it was Spolstra, I think volunteering.
I don't even know if he was asked about. You know,
his his young big man and maybe getting learning a
lesson or two from Rudy Gobert. And you and I
(30:19):
have talked about Rudy several times. You know him as
well as anybody, better than most, and we've talked about
this sort of ongoing, you know, sort of weirdness around
the league among some players current and past, to not
give him for what he does do well to influence
games enough credit. And I thought it was interesting that
(30:39):
that that supposed seemed to go out of his way
to make that very point to last night.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, you know, was suppose one of the great coaches
in our game. And you know he has an eye
for you know, players who you know, bring a lot
to the game, maybe more than what people may even see.
And you know, I think his opinion means a lot,
and it just highlights you know, what all of us
already know, you know, within our organization and who've been
(31:08):
around Rudy is the impact that he does bring on
a nightly basis, and you know, people want to poke
holes and you know, all the things that that he
may do or don't doesn't do for for your team,
But then they don't want to highlight all the things
that are great about them. And I think it's just good,
you know, for other teams, other coaches, other players around
(31:32):
the league who you know, we all have that same
respect for Rudy, and it's more like an outside you know, media,
media or fan thing that tends to get lost, and
you know that hysteria of of what's actually you know,
Rudy's game and what he brings to the table.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Well, it's sad, is it's not. I don't think Sometimes
it's just media and fans. I almost would understand it.
Then it's former players, it's Shaquille, you know, we talked
about this before. It's just and maybe that's the the
envy and jealousy about the money. I don't know, but
it's just it's just so strange to hear because you
think players they they know value, right. I mentioned Draymond
(32:10):
Green earlier, leaving aside the nonsense. I mean, you can
tell us. I'm sure more than I can even understand
the degree to which Draymond Green helps teams win, even
if he's not the main component, and even if his
numbers look kind of pedestrian most of the time, right
that there's a mechanism to what some players like that
(32:31):
understand about what they can bring to the table to
help the winning cause, regardless of how the box score looks.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
Yeah, and you know, Draymond's a great example of that.
Rudy is a great example. There's a lot of players
out there that fit that mold where you could end
the game and I will, as a teammate, as a
player played in the game, look at it like, man,
you know, Draymond dominated that game or great, you know,
(32:58):
Rudy dominated that game. And you look up and they
may have you know, ten points, ten rebounds, or you
know something that isn't you know, a world being statistic,
But you look at how they influence the game, Influence coverages,
influence people driving into the paint, taking stress off of
other players on your team, allowing other people to succeed,
(33:20):
you know, sacrificing their bodies, screening every person they can screen,
and you running the floor and being available, not being hurt,
you know, just playing through stuff. I guess like all
that stuff is so vital to winning culture and the
equations to winning in a way that I don't think
of analytics or somebody sitting at home, can really you know,
(33:43):
sit there.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
And appreciate it very well? Said, I want to talk
about another aspect of Rudy because it's seen something also
that that Sporser brought up last night that he basically
thought his team was in trouble because of how vocal
Rudy was. I think it was with it after the
Atlanta game that that went as poorly as it did
for you guys, that he was very direct, at least
(34:07):
with the reporters, so about you know, his concerns at
that point. So they helped me inside the locker room.
I'm not expecting you to give away secrets, but when
a player like Rudy goes public in terms of with reporters,
is that something he's already said to the team. Does
the team become aware of it because they then read
the quotes? Or what do you remember about the locker room?
(34:30):
And and and sort of Rudy's demeanor because it certainly
seemed like he was very bugged and and and I
I you can tell me. I don't want to say
that's what has turned everything around, but it's interesting that
since things have gone into much better direction. What do
you remember about that night and what Rudy said.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
You're not gonna like my answer.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
I have no idea what.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
So he did.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Okay, yeah, all right, that's good to know.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
That's what I'm not saying. I'm not saying that he
didn't say it to us. I don't. I know, you know,
the messages that we have, you know what I mean,
in film or in locker room after a post game
and all that stuff, like we have our own conversation
and you know, obviously Rudy will say his piece or
anybody who has something to say say this peace. I
have no idea what was reiterated to the media or
(35:21):
what was said to the media, So I can't actively
answer that, but I do know that, you know, Rudy
and just like all of us after Atlanta, were frustrated
with how we performed, how we played the direction that
we were we had, we had spoke on how we're
going to play a certain way, and we just didn't
go out there and execute it. And I thought after
that game, you know, having a couple of days, we
(35:43):
got to Miami a little early, we got had a
great practice that you know, this time of the year
is hard to find days to really get after it
in practice and and and you know, get some things
ironed out. We had a good one, and I thought
everybody was in a much better place leading into that
first Miami game.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Guardian, you have a couple of the highlights for Rudy
just just yeah, paraphrasing Mike, you said, we look like
a team that doesn't want to play for a championship.
We look more like a team that wants to play,
make a lot of money, have a good life. It
doesn't win bleep.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
I think was was the one of the quotes for
sure said we look like a team that wants to
win a championship.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Actually, yeah, that's what he was conveying then, and that's
what he conveyed last night, that that might dovetail. I'm sure,
like you said, you guys probably all felt the same way.
It's interesting hearing it from him because he's not a
guy who's always vocal, at least not to reporters afterwards.
I'm curious if you were vocal at all or upset
with what I thought was a really bad look from
(36:41):
Anthony leaving the court the way he did. I I
didn't like it. I don't it doesn't happen very often, man.
And I know he's still young, but he's already you know,
the team is built around him. And I thought it
was a really bad. Look what did you make of it?
Speaker 4 (36:59):
Yeah, I mean we all you know, I didn't know
about it until after the game. But it's it's it's
a weird situation too. You know, obviously he shouldn't. There's
no place for us, any of us, to be, you know,
leaving you know, our teammates or whatever late you know,
late early in the fourth quarter, even though we're getting beat.
(37:19):
We still sit there and support and do things we
do as vets and as teammates and leaders. But you know,
there's also it's it's one of those things that there's
been plenty of games where we've been up ten, fifteen,
twenty points whatever it is, going into you know, five
minutes left in the game, and they pull the starters,
(37:40):
and then we'll have two guys in the tunnel working
on something like you know, ice and a knee, or
like working on you know, doing lunges or whatever it
is they're doing just to get a while they're watching
the game as well and supporting and kind of getting
the head start on what's coming after, you know, after
the game, which we all kind of post workout stuff.
(38:01):
So it's one of the things that they picked up
on h on that moment in a bad moment, you
know what I mean, Like, it can't can't be you know,
you can't be caught up in that. But the same time,
you know he's done that, and so as other players
have done that on occasion in different circumstances and better circumstances.
(38:22):
So so yes, you know, we we don't want to
see that. We don't want we want our team to
be as connected as possible, especially in global moments in
late games like that. But like I said, he's young,
He's going to learn and continue to grow as a leader.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
I thought the the defense was terrific again last night.
You know, the term connected probably gets overused, but I
I I said to me, when I watch whatever term
you want to use, when there's activity everywhere, it seems
to get in the way of what a very well
(38:57):
coached team wants to do and it's frustrated by it.
To me, that's what I saw last night. So what
do you see that's better? How sustainable is it? Since
you know that disaster in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
What has changed, Yeah, I think you talked about like
just being connected on that end that what that looks
like is a higher level of activity and communications that
we've had the last few games. I think that we've
tapped into that. You know, it's the defensive mindset we've
(39:34):
had in prior years, prior seasons, and we just have
found a way to find that. We've found a way through.
Like I said, our activity, like guards on the ball
a point of attack, have been really really good at
containing drivers. You know, you're getting you're gonna get beat
every now and then when you do get beat, you
end up you know, catching back up to cut them
(39:55):
off and stand them up and make the shot tougher.
Like all that stuff is is super important. We're relying
a lot on our health defenders, help defenders and not
just Rudy, you know, Julius and the good job. Now
it's Jaden Jalen, Like everybody that comes in the game
is super active in the low man and being there
(40:15):
on help side opportunities to create you know, turnovers and
get out in transition. And it's it's a a domino effect,
you know, once you start doing it over and over
and over again. You just see the activity continue to
grow as the game goes on, and it can where
teams down. It's like running football, and you know the
NFL games, Eventually you kind of push that line back
(40:37):
further and further. They get tired and you kind of
take take control a line of scrimmage.
Speaker 1 (40:41):
And that's what.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
We've been trying to do.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
How do you feel about your role right now? Man?
Speaker 4 (40:47):
I said, I'm I'm I'm loving it. You know, I
think that you know, we've kind of went through some
trials and trying to figure out minutes and different roles
and different you know, starting not starting playing thirty minutes,
playing twenty, playing twelve like whatever it may be. But
(41:09):
just you know, knowing when I'm going in the game,
knowing when the things are a little more consistent, I
think it helps me, helps me out a lot. Allows
me to know who I'm being the game with, you know,
how to you know, play according to who I have
on the court. You know, it's a different game you
play with Aunt and Julius on the cords, opposing Nash
and Rudy or Jaden or Jalen or you know, whoever's
(41:30):
out there with you. So as a point guard, you
have to kind of adjust to who you have on
the floor. So just being more consistent with that, I
think it's helped me out a ton, and just being
able to kind of solidify what I can kind of
have approach for every you know, time I get on
a you know on the court.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
We're chatting with the Timbers point guard Mike Conley. Glenn
Mason will join at the top of the hour. You've
obviously you've been in the league along times this year,
eighteen seventeen or eighteen. I can't keep trying nineteen s Yeah,
that's it. Well I'm a year of two years behind,
so nineteen think about that, so you can speak to
(42:10):
this issue. I'm listening the other day to Eddie Johnson,
who's on Serious XM in the afternoons. Uh, the former
NBA player. I'm sure you are familiar with him, and
now he does analysis on Phoenix Sun's games. And Eddie
is one of those old time players who believes that
the number one reason there seemed to be as many
soft tissue ish injuries as there are now is not
(42:35):
that the game has more movement in it, not that
there's more stress on bodies, but a belief that training
camp goes about two and a half days. That he
may be exaggering that a little bit, but he believes
that there was a time where players didn't suffer as
many in his mind, softissue issues, in injuries and issues
(42:57):
because training camp was a grind. It was a meat grinder,
and you probably went through a few of those. Given
the fact that you've only been almost been playing for
twenty years, do you buy that theory? Is that oversimplifying
it or what do you think?
Speaker 4 (43:12):
I remember those days?
Speaker 1 (43:13):
I do.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
We had two a days every day for weeks straight
or whatever it is. Now nowadays, I don't think we
have one to a day, and you know, it prepares you,
you know, I think early for the early part of
the season. I can't speak on it as far as
like in the totality of the season because that is
just one part of the year. I don't know if
(43:35):
people are getting hurt to start the seasons more or
if it's in the middle of that you know, later part,
latter part. But I think that it can have its
you know, it can have its you know, it's its
role and those kind of injuries. But I do think
that it's coupled with the play style, the speed, you know,
the way that these teams are playing, Like we just
(43:58):
played Miami twice and Washington they're two of the fastest teams, yeah,
in the league. And I can guarantee you, like I
barely move out of the bed this morning, you know
what I mean. Like it's it's clearly different playing that
that pace than it is playing you know, a team
that plays slower or and even those slow teams are
(44:19):
not either like one of the faster teams of you know,
the early two thousands, you know what I mean. So
it's just a pace a lot of you know, a
couple with maybe you know, you've got the training camps,
you got you know, the guys trying to figure out
how to work and prepare their body correctly for that
kind of load and that kind of stress that you're
putting on yourself just from sprinting so much. So it's
(44:41):
I think it's just like a combination of things built
on you know, kind of like a wild while West.
Everybody's trying to learn as we go, learn this new
new pace and how to take care of your body
while doing it.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
I really appreciate the time as always, Happy New Year
to you and your family and we will hopefully chat
in a couple of weeks for sure.
Speaker 4 (45:01):
Thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
Mike Conley, Timberwol's point guard on a number of subjects
that one of the reasons I like having him on
is I think it's easier for him to be trusted
on questions like the last one regarding because he spans,
you know, a couple of NBA eras as long as
he's been part of the National Basketball Association. I remember
(45:23):
those days. That was awesome. Days you said not only
we have one to a day. No, yeah, I don't know.
I mean, Eddie sounds a little bit like a back
in my day guy on it. But I do wonder
if there's something to that now. The problem again is
players aren't going to go back to that, you know,
because all this is is is not adjudicated, negotiated. So
(45:44):
I don't think that's likely, but I do think it
very well could contribute. And you could even argue that
if you believe that the pace of the game is
a bigger issue, all the more reason to have what
would be a more rigorous training camp than the life
stuff that we seem to favor these days. KG and
Paul Pierce talked about this few years ago. We played it.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Oh, that's right, Pierce thought the injuries had to do it,
that nobody ever practiced.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Well, yes, and you heard Mike say, yeah, it helped us.
It's so hard to find a day to practice. We
get to Miami early, which can be dangerous. Yes, it
ken As chis Foreman told us that you got to
have discipline, discipline in Miami, But in this case it
apparently gave them a extra time to kind of clear
the air and work on some things on the court.
So in any case, on top of the hour break
(46:30):
here much more on the obviously dominant subject throughout this program,
a woman killed by an ice officer in the in
a Minneapolis shooting. And we're going to get more details
on the story, and we're gonna get a lot more
analysis and opinion from for Saint claud Police, she Blair
Anderson in about a half hour. Former US Attorney Andy
(46:52):
Lueger is scheduled to join us at about four point
fifty five today. Kessler, who's following this story very closely,
will be with us at as well. When we come
back a little more time in the toy Department Glenn
Mason is not going to be in studio. He is
finally headed south, but we'll talk college football and try
to get I got a couple of ways to try
to get Mace going today because it's just so much
(47:14):
fun
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.