Russo Radio - Bumper to Bumper 5/11/26 Hour Three

Dan is joined by Michael Russo to preview Wild/Avs Game 4 and what went well for the Wild in Game 3 before Dan and Gaardsy discuss a bizarre postponement for the Frost and more Wolves/Spurs.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Commitment to competence.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
We got a great commitment to competence on this program.
We've you know, kind of vowed that we would be
at the very least competent, occasionally a little bit better
than that. Our next guest, I think has higher aspirations,
I'll ask I'll ask him the the question Gleaman passed
along to us Russo, apparently Gleaman is a big believer

(00:32):
in obese goaltenders because of the amount of space one
could say they take up, even if they can't necessarily
move that well, if they if they take up the
entire goal mouth, who cares? So is there any thought
does that have legs you think in the hockey community?

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Could you run that by Billy Garrett? I'll ask him.
I don't think that would work.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
I just personally this, you know, you get a moving
side to side that could be a problem. That reminds
me of some mean that somebody sent me during the
Dallas series when the Wild were really struggling on the
penalty kill, and it was like a picture of like
tonight's Wild penalty kill and it was all five players
in the crease at the same time, essentially playing goal.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
So, yeah, that's a good idea.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
Gleaman always has good idea, So yeah, I think that's
a good, good one.

Speaker 1 (01:21):
All right, where do we begin Game four tonight?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I mentioned at the top of the show, Wild want
to get to the exact same position the Wolves are in. Right,
they win their Game four at home knowing it's now
a best of three going on the road.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
That's what the Wild they're looking for at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Win Game four tonight, go back on the road in
a best of three situation. It certainly looked from my
barka that the victory felt like a declaration that has
a chance to carry over because it wasn't a slight victory.
It wasn't a fluky victory. It looked as if, all right,

(01:59):
we are job to counter where the other team is,
to kind of send a message back that we're in
this thing or not going away. I thought it was
pretty declarative in that sense. Obviously, though, the challenge is
if they don't win the night, nobody's gonna be talking
about it all that much.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
How confident are you? How confident are you?

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Do you think the Wild are that they can, if
not match Game three, at least come close enough to
send that series.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Back tied up at two and two. Well, I agree
with the way that you characterized it.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
I think that they show themselves the other night that
this team is absolutely beautiful if you play a certain style,
and the Wild mo especially in the Dallas series, was
to play a really quality, even strength game, but establish
a physical for check early in the game, playing you know,
real competitive situations and usually you're going to wind up
being with the upper hand with the type of way

(02:51):
that they are built. And you know, to your point,
I was just talking to Nickeletey and Zach and fondness
about it in the other room. And by the way,
Mikkeletti's here to class up the joint, you know, the
like you have potential of Anaheim going to the Western
Conference Final, a team that the Wild have beaten twenty
two at the last twenty three games. Like, if the
Wild don't win this series, they are going to always

(03:12):
wonder what could have been if Anaheim gets by. And
I still truly believe that they're a better team than
Vegas this season, and I felt they were a better
team in Vegas last season and easily could have won
that series. So this is look, you know, they're playing
the best team in the National Hockey League. They showed
last game that they could absolutely win. You know, they've
shown in the past against Colorado that if you come

(03:33):
back from two OHO that you can win that series.
So I just think that this is a game that
they're going to try to throw the same template onto
the ice, and that's not always easy. You know, it's
different referees, it's different you know, everything's different about the game.
But I just think that they if they established their
game early, they have the ability to take control of
this game the way that they did in Game three,

(03:55):
And that was what was so uplifting for them about
the way they played in Game three is they they
established their game early. They got a big time early
save by Jasper Volstad on the breakaway by Parker Kelly,
and then they you know, the Hartman draws a four
and four where they's both taken off the ice. They
score a couple of goals essentially on that four and four,
and then they never looked back, like even in the

(04:17):
third period, which is so not just on wildlike but
on hockey like a lot of times when you have
that big of a lead, is is the entire third
period they were on their toes. They didn't sit back
in a shell and let Colorado take it to them.
So everything about that game the other day was a
declarative win, as you said, and they've got to bring
that tonight to even up the series.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
So what did what specifically from a hockey standpoint, maybe
even X's and O standpoint, do you think they unlocked
in Game three?

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Well, I thought that.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
Coroll Capriestoff really led the way, like he dragged them
into the battle. Obviously we all saw the the Marcus
Felino and Nick Felino big checks and the Yakov Trenyon
big checks, but I thought that Carill led that ability
to establish a four check. And you know it sounds simplistic,
but they got pucks deep and they just went to

(05:08):
town on those defensemen, and those guys by the third
period didn't want to get the puck. It really looked
like the Dallas d did at the end of that
one game. Now tonight's a new game. You're playing still
a team with a bunch of superstars. They were never able,
like none of their lines were able to get to
their games the other night because they were so on
the defensive. Every time the Wild played physically, and I

(05:29):
just think that's the only way that you can win
this series. As we saw in Denver, you just cannot
get into track meets with those with this team, because
the Wild did get into track meets with both those games,
actually scored a bunch of goals and just they were
not able to stop them defensively because they have such
speed and such skill. So that's the biggest thing. The
other thing is special teams. For rare time in this postseason,

(05:51):
they won the special teams battle the other night. You
know when a lot of times with the penalty kill,
it's when you get your kills. So the other night
they get to kill at zero zero, they get a
kill to keep it to nothing. So all right, yes,
they gave up a power play goal in the third period,
but that point it was three to one and they
responded right away. So their penalty kill won the battle
last game, and then they scored a couple of power
play goals as well.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
So let's see if they can tilter that into tonight's
game as well. This is from six to five to one.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
Guy Russo, I noticed Damon Hunt and Middleton had pretty
similar time on ice recently. Do you get the sense
the wild or making a concerted effort to trim Middleton's
minutes a bit and give Hunt a larger role.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
Well, Hunter played for the most part of his even
strength shifts. The other night he played at five on
five with Jared Spurgeon. So right away there, they definitely
have demoted Jake Middleton from that standpoint. Jake had a
real tough start to the series, so did that defensive
pair as a whole. And so when you're naturally playing
on the third pair, you're going to get less minutes
when you have Quinn and Favor playing half the game.

(06:48):
And the other night Favor played almost thirty minutes and
Quinn played almost twenty nine. So you know, Middleton look
up until last game, he was on the ice for
nine out of twelve non empty net goals, Spurgeon eight
out of twelve. He's been on the ice for nine
power play goals in the series as well, So there's
no doubt what the person is, what the texter is

(07:08):
saying is is accurate. Damon Hunt, I thought played great
the other night. He obviously had the one play on
the on the power play where he you know, kind
of lost his marbles and threw landiskag on to Valstad
and that's why that goals stood. But for the most part,
in his in his tough assignments, in that game, he
didn't look like the stage was too bright.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
What does the there's been a lot of discussion about
playing heavier and at the whild did that in game
number three? You alluded to some of it specifically, But
what how does that translate? What does that mean when
we say in your mind they have to play a
heavier game, And what impact did that have or does

(07:47):
that have on you know, the the free wheeling, high
flying Avalanche.

Speaker 3 (07:52):
Yeah, I think you know, look, the best defense is
playing with the puck and the offensive zone. And they
established their four check the other night. They were physical,
and they play in high traffic areas and to you know,
quote Marcus Felino, you know, he said that they played
soft the first two games, or somewhat soft, and the
other night they did not. And and you know, that's
just the way the Wild are built there, especially from

(08:13):
their bottom six.

Speaker 1 (08:13):
They're a very big team.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
That is, Look, you're not going to outscore even their
third and fourth lines are probably not outscoring Colorado's third
and fourth lines. So the way that you really take
advantage of a team is to just play long offensive
zone shifts. Play physically. One, you're hoping that it catches
up to them late in the series. But two, by
the time that you know that team is whether you
score or not. If you hen them in for forty

(08:37):
five fifty seconds, next thing you know, they're chipping it
out going for a line change, and now you're doing
it all over again against the next team. So you're
just never allowing the Colorado Avalanche to establish their game.
And we saw, really, you know, in games one and
two there were just way too many rush chances. We
didn't see that against Dallas so against the while against

(08:58):
Colorado the other night, there were couple rush chances, but
they just never got to their game. They looked slow
and methodical, and it was because the Wild were in
their face really the entire game.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
If you have questions for russo keep them coming. Six four,
six eight six Wild tonight Game four, all our coverage
begins on the flagship Guards, he tells me immediately following
our program, which will end as usual at six point
thirty tonight, I think it's safe to say that we
know who the goaltender is going to be for the
rest of this series, correct.

Speaker 3 (09:30):
For the why Yeah, I mean I think that jessper
Vaal said is obviously the guy.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
I mean, obviously anything can change at any point.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
But you know the thing that like, it looks like
Mackenzie Blackwood is going to be starting for Scott Wedgwood
tonight for Colorado. And I think the biggest thing that
we were all surprised about about going to Philip Gustison
in game two is that the reason why we were
surprised is that there is ample opportunity in game one
to throw Gustison in there to get him some action,

(09:57):
so then it wouldn't be.

Speaker 1 (09:58):
Such a culture shock to play for the first time in.

Speaker 3 (10:00):
Three more than three weeks in game two against the
Colorado team that's high flying, and they just almost felt
like it wasn't a recipe for success for Gusts in
game two. And so what Colorado looks like they're going
to do tonight is go with Blackwood after he got
you know almost what, almost three quarters of the game
the other night, and so we'll see if that works

(10:21):
for them. But Vastatt was so good the other night.
I mean, you know, look, the wild really as I
mentioned took control of that game. But there there was
an early part of that game where it's zero zero,
the Wild established their four check, they weren't getting rewarded
for it, and then suddenly, out of the blue, Parker
Kelly gets a breakaway and he makes the save, and
then the Wild took it from there. And then late
in the third period, you know, it was it was

(10:42):
pretty much Colorado pressuring and pressuring and pressuring for the
last five six minutes that game, and Vastett, you know,
he responded, and so I think that he just continues
to show that this is a special, special goaltender.

Speaker 1 (10:56):
And I agree with you. I just can't imagine, you know.

Speaker 3 (10:59):
Schedule, uh you know, less the schedule if they get
past this round, let's put that way. Yeah, you know,
if the schedule is sort of weird like it was
last round or the earlier in this round, all of
a sudden, you know, Valsa does have a tough game
where it looks like he might be mentally tired. Maybe
then you make a change. But right now is Valstat's net.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
As I mentioned or much earlier in the show, Guardian
had passed along to me and this is a story
that you're not necessarily covering, but I wanted to get
your reaction to it because it feels like it's kind
of unprecedented. But maybe again there's a concern about spread.
The Frost was supposed to play a winner take all
game five. This is I think they're in the semi
finals of the pw HL against Montreal. Was supposed to

(11:45):
be a six o'clock start tonight in Quebec, and it's
been postponed by the league because of player illnesses, and
Guardian and I are trying to get a precedent for
this other than COVID. The the league saying they're citing
player safety concerns related to illness, and that these were

(12:07):
concerns regarding the Montreal team. I've received a couple of
texts from a couple of sources saying they think it's
like it's like a stomach virus, intestinal kind of a
thing that's going through the whole team. And they mentioned
in the release in the league and a statement a
rescheduled date for the game. We'll we announced as soon
as medical guidance determines it appropriate to resume play, and

(12:29):
an update we provided to fans within the next day.
They are saying that these symptoms are not consistent with
Hanta virus. There's been a lot of discussion about that
because it took place on the cruise, for whatever that's worth.
So is there a precedent for this? Does this surprise
you that the decision is made to postpone as unlucky

(12:50):
as it might be for Montreal or do you view
this as well? They're even worried about how this could
be spread during the game.

Speaker 1 (12:58):
I don't know, this whole thing seems very strange to me.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
Yeah, I mean, I obviously I don't know anything about
it other than what I've read, But but I mean,
I can just tell you if this is a contagious illness.
You know, we've seen multiple examples in hockey of playing
against another team and next thing, you know, the other
other players on other teams get it. I mean, I
remember throughout COVID, you know, the Wild would play the
La Kings. Next you know, five or six Wild players

(13:23):
had it because a bunch of Kings players had it,
and it just seemed like that the mumps was another
thing that the Wild were a big, big part of it,
by the way, So I mean, not that other than
COVID that I remember games being postponed because of it.
But there's no doubt in a physical sport like this
one that that absolutely that stuff can spread. And next thing,

(13:44):
you know, if if Minnesota was going to win that
game and all of a sudden, you bring it in
not only their.

Speaker 1 (13:48):
Locker room but other other players as well.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
So I mean, clearly they they realize that something's going
on with Montreal that either they can't field the game
because there's so many players that are dealing with us.
You know, there was there was a during the Olympics.
The Swiss team had some sort of neurovirus going through
it and they postponed a game, if.

Speaker 1 (14:11):
I remember correctly.

Speaker 3 (14:12):
Uh, and uh, they wound up playing the next game
against I think it was the United States and we
were wondering even how that was even possible. But uh,
but obviously, uh, you know, the p WHL has way
more you know, information that we have.

Speaker 2 (14:25):
All right, let's get back to tonight's game for if
forgetting more information, will pass it along. Regarding this breaking
news from earlier this afternoon, how about the goaltending situation
for Colorado? Here, do we know who's in net tonight?
And do you think they have reason to be seriously
concerned about their own goaltending situation going into tonight's game.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yeah, it sounded like Mackenzie Blackwood's getting the start tonight
and and and that's what I was saying about, Uh,
you know it just it seemed like Jared Bednar not
only put McKenzie in that game to get him some
action the other night to maybe play him today, but
then after that game took some shots. It's got Wedgwood
and just the way that he was playing. And that's
what I always kind of love about Jared Bednar is

(15:09):
he doesn't mince words. He didn't give the old well,
we weren't playing well, so let's see if we could
change the momentum. He basically said that Wedgwood was not
on the first couple of goals, and so that told
me right away that they were thinking of going back
to Blackwood. Remember, Blackwood was acquired and he is there
number one, kind of like Philip Gusterson. And then Wedgwood
just started playing and playing and playing. This is somebody

(15:30):
that's been a perennial backup, So I think maybe it's
caught up to him.

Speaker 1 (15:34):
The wild that definitely played him.

Speaker 3 (15:35):
Well so far in the series, and we'll see if
Blackwood has the same success. He played well against the
Wild the other night for what a period in more
than a period and a half, and so we'll see
if that creates some some momentum for Colorado tonight.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
So no Eric Sinek again tonight. Correct, that's official. Do
you have any sense you know, is it literally day
to day where you never know could it be for
the next game or is it looking more and more like.

Speaker 1 (16:01):
He's not going to make this series at all.

Speaker 3 (16:03):
Well, he's got a significant injury, and so it's day
to day for him.

Speaker 1 (16:06):
It's how he's feeling, right. You know, he did skate
on lightly today.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
John Hines did say it's touch and go, but he
has an injury that is just it's not just going
to magically heal, and so every time he skates he's
gonna come off and be incredibly sore and have to
deal with pay in tolerances Jews and things like that,
and and so you know, you're off played really really
well the other day, So I think that they probably.

Speaker 1 (16:29):
Just say, hey, look, let's let's see.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
If they can win this game and then maybe save
him for Wednesday's game or Friday's game. Knowing Erickson act
the way that I do, I don't think that even
though this probably should end his postseason, I don't think
it's gonna end his postseason. I think that he's going
to continue to try to, you know, play when he
feels okay about it, but they need him to get
through a game. And you know, it was not a
good situation in twenty twenty three, even though they wound

(16:53):
up coincidentally winning that game, when he tried to play
and then all of a sudden he lasted a shift
and he couldn't play the rest of that game. And
so if he's heard he's hurt, Brodian the same thing,
I don't. I don't think he's even close to skating
right now. You know, if the while go this round
and maybe another round, I think there's a chance that
we see him again. But I think that even though

(17:14):
they're classifying him as you know, they're not giving us
any updates. I just don't think that we're seeing him
anytime soon. Ericson Ac though, is is day to day
for Ericsonak.

Speaker 1 (17:23):
I don't think it would be day to day for me.

Speaker 2 (17:26):
If if the Wild get it done tonight. Well, let's
back up, what do you expect? We talk about adjustments,
and one team that the losing team generally is a
team that we saw. Okay, it's it's the balls in
your court or the pucks in your ice, whatever you
want to look at it, and you expect some wrinkle
or perhaps you just expect for them to come out

(17:49):
of the gate the way the Wild did, because I
thought that was the most impressive part for the Wild
is they didn't wait for the game to come to them.
They seized it almost from the beginning, and then very
quickly the four on four and then you get to
you and then you take full advantage of the power
play for on three. It's it's right away, it's to
a pretty quick it's two nothing. What do you expect
from Colorado tonight in terms of their adjustments.

Speaker 3 (18:10):
Yeah, I don't think that they're going to make like
wholesale line changes.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
I do.

Speaker 3 (18:13):
I could see a couple of lineup options, and you know,
they have an extra, you know, like it looks like
Josh Manson might still not be ready. So do they
go back with Blankenberg, do they go back with do
they throw a kivrant In, who could be pretty physical.
Do they throw a con in who's a local kid
that's uh, you know, an up and coming stud So
I think that they can make a move there. I

(18:35):
just think that the one thing that they are going
to try to do is to fend off the Wild,
you know, at the blue lines, to try to keep
them from establishing their their physical game. And if you know,
the one thing that Dallas did really well at times
was interfere and they fended off and fenced off at.

Speaker 1 (18:53):
The blue lines.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
And I think if Colorado could do that and then
you know, create some turnovers on Wild entries and get
to their five on five game where they are letting McKinnon.

Speaker 1 (19:01):
Skate with speed and Nature skate with speed.

Speaker 3 (19:04):
I think that's gonna be the biggest issues that I
could see the Wild out facing tonight. But I do
think the Wild, look, they've played the Wild. The Wild
to play Colorado well during the regular season. Yes, And
and you know what you said before too, It's like
it's not like they were blown out in games one
and two.

Speaker 1 (19:20):
It no, it was great.

Speaker 3 (19:21):
It felt like to me like that Colorado had a
chance to really prepare for the Wild, where the Wild
just showed up for a second round series, and you know,
and that's not really their fault. I mean, you know,
they did the league just all of a sudden, changed
the schedule because of TV and just to get on
a plane the next day essentially and go play. And
that's usually not the gift you get for ending a

(19:42):
series a little early, and so and so it just
I think it really hurt them, especially in game one,
and and I think they found their game last game. Now,
to your point earlier in the conversation, if the Wild
don't find their game again tonight, it's going to be
such a wasted opportunity. All of a sudden, They've let
you know that they didn't take advantage of winning Game three,
because I really do believe if the Wild win this

(20:04):
game tonight that they're gonna win the series.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
I really do. I mean, the Wild have won in
Denver many many times.

Speaker 3 (20:09):
I think that they are one team that can contend
with this Colorado team.

Speaker 1 (20:14):
And uh, and so we'll we'll see the way it goes.

Speaker 3 (20:17):
But I also think that when when the Wild look
at this opportunity of who they could potentially play in
the next round, I just think that you're going to
give every single thing that you could give to get
past this round because to me, the Stanley Cup final
is right in front of them, beautiful thing, you know,
and and that's why, you know, that's why we all
haven't liked the playoff format, because this is a conference

(20:39):
final in a second round matchup, and it's unfair to
both Colorado and Data and to Dallas it's ridiculous. Pants
is wrong again? How quick or.

Speaker 2 (20:49):
How soon will we can we expect what seems to
me to be inevitable?

Speaker 1 (20:54):
Michael Russo dot com.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
I mean, is it a matter of weeks, is it
a matter of months, is it a matter of a
couple of years or what do you think?

Speaker 1 (21:01):
Well, hopefully not.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
I don't have the uh One, I don't have the
guts that Aaron Gleman has.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
Two.

Speaker 3 (21:07):
I don't have the brand that Aaron Gleman has. I mean,
that's the one thing about Aaron. That's the one thing
about Aaron is that he's got such a wide audience
because he's so good at what he does. You know,
he's so you got a brand, I'd say you have
a brand, yeah, but but Aaron is a way, He's
got this ability to explain baseball in a statistical manner
that I just I don't have a way to do that.
Like to me, you know, I don't have that that

(21:29):
that wherewithal when it comes to hockey or intellect. Frankly,
so I I you know, look, I I you know,
really wish him luck. It's a huge loss for us
here in Minnesota with the athletic. We we love that Aaron,
you know, I wish it ended differently, you know, and
all that type of stuff. But he's got you know,
he's got a lot of guts and you know, just

(21:50):
I was reading an article today, have already how many
subscribers he has, and I think that just is a
testament to the respect level that people have for him,
and uh and how good he is at what he does.
So you know, I but you know, from ours, from
my standpoint, I hope that there it never has to
be a Michael Ruster dot com because I just I
don't think I can run my own business.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
And to me, you know, being at the Athletic, working
with Joe Smith and all that type of stuff, and
and the you know, the money that's behind the Athletic
right now, and and and frankly, you know the number
of subscribers that we have here in Minnesota. It's it's
the reason why I have two Wild Beeat writers and
so you know, I hope it never has to come.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
To that, that's for sure.

Speaker 2 (22:28):
I mean to me, it should be if you go
that route, it should be Russo Radio dot com because
literation is better.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
I wouldn't go with Michael Russo. Like that is the thing.

Speaker 3 (22:38):
Like if I ever left the Athletic, I don't know
if I would ever write another word, Like I don't
even know if you'd get a return text from me.
Like I look forward to the day that I never
have to write another articles, right, yeah, Like you know,
I kind of like want to go where you went,
you know, in stage wretch too. But uh you know,
I mean like like there's just certain people that need

(22:59):
an employer, and I'm probably one of them. Like you know,
like I don't want to buy my own health insurance.

Speaker 1 (23:04):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
I can't edit my own stuff, you know, like that
type of stuff where Aaron's just you know, I give
him a lot of credit. I mean's he's and I
think he's going to kill it.

Speaker 1 (23:13):
I really do.

Speaker 4 (23:14):
Well.

Speaker 5 (23:14):
I think you're already your own boss at the athletic.
I think that's the beauty of your situation. You're both worlds. Yeah,
I mean everybody there credit bringing him in. Yeah, yeah,
would make fun of if you let athletic, what would
Fallness make fun of it?

Speaker 3 (23:27):
I would need I would definitely need a fondness to
be nicer to me, because I would need to make
it work.

Speaker 1 (23:35):
He's such a clockwatcher.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah, Lauren today, just you know, guards he could attest
to this. I was wondering if he was going to
be here when we got here. There was all these
excuses in our text exchange.

Speaker 1 (23:46):
Hey, you don't have a car. I don't know all this. Yeah,
you're kidding. You might have to run the show for
the whole. We win this game, we win the cup,
for god's sake. What's he talking about? Why does he
not have a six o'clock for game? Yeah? I can't
work for an hour pregames. I agree totally. It's crazy.
It's because of Dan. He's not gonna give up his
real estate? Are you kidding me? It's not me saying

(24:07):
I don't want it.

Speaker 6 (24:08):
He say no, I'm not going to give it up,
And then he doesn't break on time for a hockey guest.

Speaker 2 (24:13):
So the tweet, that's the tweet. The tweet was five
oh seven that we came.

Speaker 1 (24:17):
Back with you. He's he's a minutes.

Speaker 2 (24:19):
Watcher, for God's sake, and yet he didn't even show
up at the biggest game of a year until like
ten minutes ago.

Speaker 3 (24:26):
It's crazy, It's unbelievable crazy. What's what is wrong with
the car? You need any help?

Speaker 6 (24:30):
Yeah, my transmissions out as a matter of fact, So yeah,
go home and let my wife use the car so
I could come back.

Speaker 1 (24:36):
Get an uber to Saint Paul from Saint Louis Park. Yes,
that's not bad. That's not drivetime radio stop. By the way,
I was going to ask you about that too, Law.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
I'm assuming there's gonna be a missile wild wine line
after the game right.

Speaker 6 (24:52):
Extended pregames starts at six thirty when you allow us
to jump on the airways with myself, Brandon molested.

Speaker 1 (24:58):
What about post games? What about post game?

Speaker 6 (25:00):
And then postgame wild fan line after the Grand Casino
postgame showed myself and Pat.

Speaker 5 (25:05):
There will be okay, okay, it was actually subject they
found that out like twelve minutes ago.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
Well, They should have been prepared for it. They should
have assumed where we did assume it. But we were
prepared for it. Yes, that's outstanding. Hopefully it's not a
wine line tonight. That's it's always a wine line. It
doesn't matter, win, loser, drop. Yeah, but that's sometimes the
fun of it. No question, have they taken the c
away from Koivu yet? Will that come up tonight? That's
never home and never gets old. Yeah, it won't.

Speaker 2 (25:35):
Man, it doesn't matter how many decades go by.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
No, it was alas ritual. That's true. It was great.

Speaker 3 (25:40):
I was doing a story the other day with Chuck
Fletcher and he mentioned Scandala and I had this recollection
of like that time, those times back in the day
when I was like campaigning for scandeal It to be
on the power plane. La Panton never lets me, uh
leave that down.

Speaker 1 (25:52):
Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. I have a wonderful game
tonight and we will chat soon. Thanks.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
All right, Russell Radio and a little bit of Allness
chiming in as well.

Speaker 1 (26:03):
We'll get caught up. We're guests free.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
I think the rest of the program right, we are
maybe a little bit more on the frost breaking news.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
What a bizarre story, strange story. Yeah, we'll get to that.

Speaker 5 (26:15):
There is also a san Antonio spur Davy that has
popped up on the injury report for Game five.

Speaker 1 (26:22):
Well that's a good tease. Bumper to bumper with Dan
Burrero on the fan.

Speaker 5 (26:28):
Shows to Mystic Lake Amphitheater the guests who will be
there June twenty fifth, three to eleven and Dirty Heads
on July eleventh and John Mellencamp on July fourteenth. You
can get to complete details on all the upcoming shows
on the concert page at kfan dot com. Make the
keyword calendar.

Speaker 1 (26:52):
Do you know how to pronounce the word ejection in French?

Speaker 5 (26:59):
I do not eject djet eject d.

Speaker 2 (27:04):
It was clear to me that the Spurs bench needed
Rudy Gobert to act as translator for one of his
prize pupils, even though they played for different teams. And
that might have been a little bit funky given the
frustration with the center the French center from for san

(27:29):
Antonio Davey. But that's because he could have pronounced that
and said because it appeared it appeared that Webby was
having it had to be explained to him that he's out.
You're done, it's over, get to the locker room. Rudy
could have walked over, put a hand on his shoulder
and said eject d and then he would have understood immediately.

(27:50):
He didn't have other people. But I'm guessing that's probably
a little much to ask Rudy to do under those conditions.
Maybe Rudy's mom eject sits next to our buddy Charlie
Swanson Lexus of Wisetta. Rudy's mom sits right next to
him in those seats. Yes, And I was actually sitting
next to Rudy's mom when Rudy was eject by the
Timberwolves when he punched Kyle Anderson.

Speaker 1 (28:12):
Oh yeah, remember that?

Speaker 5 (28:13):
So that wasn't like a those are the days the
refs kick you out a minute.

Speaker 1 (28:18):
He yeah, So Jaden punched a wall.

Speaker 2 (28:20):
Yeah, same game, So it was yeah, Jaden punched a
wall and your guy.

Speaker 1 (28:26):
Anderson.

Speaker 5 (28:26):
It wasn't Jaden punching Kyle. No, Jaden got into early
fouled trouble. Ye went back to the tunnel and punched
a wall. Poor choice, and we didn't have him for
the Denver City Series the first we might have won
that series too. Can I say another thing on behalf
of Jaden, who again you know, has had some difficulty
shooting the last couple of games in series, particularly Game three,

(28:49):
there was a sequence that I I if I had
a notebook with me, I would have written it down.
I want to say it was It had to have
been first half. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was for
half because they if this was towards the wolfs side
of the the where the wolves benches.

Speaker 6 (29:07):
And.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
He's he ends up whatever the switching that was going on,
whatever the defensive situation was, he ends up helping somebody
way to as you're looking at the basket to the right,
and then he suddenly realizes, wait a minute, I'm done
helping here.

Speaker 1 (29:27):
I got to get back to my guy.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
And he sprinted all the way to the other end,
like far left and got there in time. The subtle,
if you just watch him in all serious is defensively
in terms of effort expended. For sure, you know, again
he's not the perfect player. He's still consult sometimes his
shooting can be inconsistent, but in terms of flat out

(29:53):
defensive effort all over the court, including like I said, okay, here,
I'm gonna try to help, and I'll and I I
won't point like, Okay, no, Julius, you're closer. He's sprinting
all the way back across the court to get back
in front of the shooter. On the other end, it's
it's fascinating to watch him instead of watching the ball.

(30:15):
He's everywhere in that And that's where as much as
I've resisted, you know, the people who said, can't trade him,
it's untradable.

Speaker 1 (30:24):
Every time his name comes up, we always say no.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
And I had weakened on that and said, look, man,
you know something's going to have to give sometimes he
can't be untradable. I'm now heading back towards the direction
that I'd say he's pretty close to untradable because that
side of it, that part of it is just so
hard to find.

Speaker 1 (30:43):
Especially at that size.

Speaker 2 (30:45):
Even if he never matures or gets any better offensively
than he is to this moment.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
But he's continuing to get better offensive's shoot.

Speaker 5 (30:52):
I know the shooting hasn't been very good, but he
hit a couple of shots in the fourth quarter last
night too. Certainly in the second half where he's at
six seven, his shot is rarely blocked. With the matchup
that he has, he can body guys down low, he
can turn around, he's got a high release.

Speaker 1 (31:08):
It's a really nice offensive player.

Speaker 5 (31:10):
Speaking of defensive effort, because this is you mentioned Randall,
your guy who broke up the fight or who got
in the guy's face a couple of games ago was
bitter with Randall. Everybody gets mad at Rudy when the
Wolves don't rebound the ball well, when they give up
offensive rebounds. Yes, I would, and you can see this
when you're at the game more. You can probably see
it on TV too. But the amount of times Rudy,

(31:32):
especially last night, at times is Duoma Jaane is doing
and covering up for other people. Yeah, and then because
of that he's taken out of the rebounding position. Everybody
just assumes it's go beat Rudy, get a board. It's
like watch him cover up for people, yes, which which
my definition means he's not always going to be in
positions not to get the rebound. He's not, And yeah,

(31:55):
you'd like to see him get more. I don't know
how many he ended up with last night. I assumed
quite a few. But there's so many times where and
that's why it's a good strategy to try to get him,
you know, moving around and getting them away from the
basket as much as he can because and there's plenty
of guys that will break down defensively for the Wolves
even still that their defense is at the playoff level house.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
So it's just think about that.

Speaker 5 (32:16):
The next time you see a ball go over Rudy's
head and he doesn't grab it, he was probably helping
like two or three guys.

Speaker 2 (32:21):
It's and it's that goes back to if all you
do is follow the ball, then you're gonna miss a lot.
And I mean that's where the human eyes. I mean,
it's it's natural, that's the whey you go. But before
you destroy any player, really you might want to try
to pay attention to the context because a lot of
times it's what you don't see that led to the
vulnerability that ultimately ensues. This is for when we were

(32:47):
on I think when we had Russo Radio on. This
is from six to five to one guy. Can I
ask a short question, Dan or does it need to
be a full paragraph?

Speaker 1 (32:57):
That's uncalled for?

Speaker 2 (32:58):
Wow, But no, your questions can be We have definitely
we have stayed true to the conversational form that this
show has adhered to from the beginning. And so if
you're a listener and a texter and you text in
paragraphs leading up to the punchline or the question you have,

(33:21):
we often, in fact, not only do we quote some
of those texts, we laud them. That's okay to have
some layer. We're not interested in. You know, Dan Patrick brevity,
he's the best, he's outstanding at it.

Speaker 1 (33:33):
But that's not what we're trying to do. So no,
your questions.

Speaker 2 (33:36):
We got to be ourselves and your question can absolutely
be in a paragraph on a show that's about conversations.

Speaker 1 (33:44):
We do need to break here, get caught up.

Speaker 2 (33:48):
I'll ask you whether you agree with Russo about the
bold declaration he made late in our conversation, and that
wasn't a paragraph, that was in a single sentence.

Speaker 1 (33:59):
We'll just us that next you're listening to Barrero on
the Fan. It was a fun weekend on the fans.

Speaker 5 (34:06):
And password games and behind the scenes content. Just searched
k fan on YouTube and hit subscribe.

Speaker 4 (34:13):
Today on one hundred thousand awatt radio about what was
it maybe twenty minutes.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
Ago, Yeah boldly claimed that if the Minnesota wild even
up the series tonight at two and two, they will
not only even up the series, they will win the series.
That's where he went. Now I can even do the

(34:53):
math on this. They win the night, they still got
to win two more games they do, including one there,
which that means one there. So are you willing to
back up or agree with the bold proclamation that tonight?
Basically what he's saying, in effect, was the winner of
tonight's game will win the series. That's what he says.

Speaker 5 (35:14):
That's what he's saying. Yeah, I don't know if I
can go that far. He's Russo though right now with
the Athletic in the Future Michael Russo dot Com. He's
covered this for a long time. He knows how series
EBB and flow. I don't know if I could go
that far because I still think Colorado is so good
and they have the pedigree of the season. I want

(35:35):
to believe it. I think you want to believe it. Great,
But I'd also add this, it feels like a big
if to win tonight, not like an insurmountable if, but well,
the fact that they had to win the game the
other day right game three, you have to do it.

Speaker 1 (35:52):
You just know you have to do it.

Speaker 5 (35:53):
Colorado knows you have to do it, and nothing beats
urgency in the playoffs. We see its series after series
after series. Well, we've done the mirror. Let's do it
this way.

Speaker 2 (36:02):
Regardless of the position the two teams are in, because
they're one game apart, obviously, which of the two Winter
teams do you have greater confidence in to finish the job,
shock the world without home ice or home court advantage
and advance to the conference finals.

Speaker 5 (36:19):
This is where my basketball bona fides are going to.
I think it's the Wolves. Yeah, I think it's the Wolves.
I man, that just might be emotion. Yeah, I don't
know if I've thought about it, you know, breaking down
the all twenty two on both of them, but I
just I don't know.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
I feel like it's the Wolves, not by much. It's
funny because you can, I think you could. You can
parse it out both ways. You could say, I'm not
sure in this series the Wolves have had a single
win as dominant as the Wild already did in Game three.
But you can also say, every time you're about ready

(36:58):
to say it's got, it's run, it's course with the Wolves,
especially with the you know, the who they're missing and
who the opponent is, et cetera. Then they they muster
something up and I keep waiting. I mentioned this with
with Gleaman. The X factor I think that should scare
san Antonio a little bit is whether the Wolves have

(37:20):
a a good shoot like a streaky, great shooting game right,
which hasn't happened, and it's random. It may not happen
at all in this series, but they are capable of it.
Where let's just say both Jaden and Julius right are
well above five shoot well over fifty percent.

Speaker 6 (37:38):
And.

Speaker 1 (37:41):
That I mean, that's that's the X.

Speaker 2 (37:43):
Factor to the because that hasn't happened, and again didn't
san Antonio. I think they shot close to fifty percent
for the game.

Speaker 1 (37:51):
Double check the box score when you get a minute.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
I I know for most of the game they were
over fifty percent from the floor.

Speaker 1 (37:59):
I think we rebounded them. I think we did have
bad advantage.

Speaker 2 (38:02):
And it is interesting because ant said it was actually
harder to know how to run our offense without Wemby
on the floor because you're sort of conditioned for how
you have to play, right. But I believe the shooting
percent just say otherwise I think when he well when
when when Wemby was in game three, I should say
game four, we were under forty percent shooting. Yeah, the

(38:25):
rest of the game, I think we shot fifty percent.

Speaker 5 (38:27):
So the Wolves finished shooting forty five percent from the floor.

Speaker 2 (38:31):
They did go up over the course of that game.
When Wemby was on the was not available. Let me
so to go back to the wild thing. The Spurs,
by the way, shot forty eight percent for the game.
And what's crazy? So they did come down a little bit, Yeah,
and they.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
Only made six threes more. Well, that's trying to figure.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
Out does that mean we did a good job at
a three point line or does that mean they turned
around and said okay, Well because they they drove to
the basket with impunity and a lot of success too
much of that game.

Speaker 5 (38:59):
That was what was I'd be me crazy was we
didn't seem to have an answer for literally just a
couple picking rolls up top, yeah, and having Rudy drop
fifty feet back and having Jayden go over the top,
like to me, thirty feet away from the basket to
basically just give Fox whatever you wanted there. The other
reason I would lean the Wolves is because like, let's
have this conversation tomorrow. If the Wild tie it up

(39:21):
to to tonight, then it does change everything.

Speaker 1 (39:24):
I don't know if I can go.

Speaker 5 (39:25):
Yeah, they trying to win the Cup r just like that,
But it does just change its psychologically because they have
the same issues.

Speaker 1 (39:31):
I think that the Wolves do.

Speaker 5 (39:33):
Not that their best player is hurt because Carill's not hurt,
Quinn Hughes isn't hurt. But two really important pieces are
still out in Eric Sinek and Brodean. Obviously like those
guys play a lot, those guys are important in this series.

Speaker 1 (39:45):
They're certainly important. Well, here's another factor. Nine to five.
Two guy brings up.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
The Spurs scare me considerably less than the Avalanche. The
Wild have to beat the equivalent of the Thunder to
get to the Conerce finals. Now that might be a
little bit of an ex but not by much. Yeah,
I think it's look at it. It is because they are
a more obviously a more established team.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
The Spurs.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
We all know they're going to terrorize forever in the West.
Another reason we want to get over to the Eastern
Conference anytime. But that probably enters into this as well.
And I think in the case the Wolves for me
has become a little bit of as exasperating as they are,
this this notion you know, they they they won me

(40:27):
over a long way with the Game six against Denver,
and again, maybe Denver isn't as good as we thought.
They may look back on this whole situation say that's
a failure. But the fact is nobody gave the Wolves
a chance to win that Nobody in all seriousness gave
them a chance to win that game.

Speaker 1 (40:45):
Everybody was out right.

Speaker 2 (40:47):
Yeah, I mean Io included, and they won that game
by twelve, right.

Speaker 1 (40:53):
By the end of the game.

Speaker 2 (40:54):
And at that moment, for me, you're back to, yeah,
we know they're exasperating, but they got a gear in
them mentally. That means I can't I'm not gonna boldly
flat out guarantee anything, but I can't rule them out
or count them out at all, even in a series
that's going back to San Antonio and with Wemby allegedly

(41:15):
you know, possessed Anthony.

Speaker 5 (41:17):
He did make the point that you just alluded to,
And I tried to explain this to my eleven.

Speaker 1 (41:21):
Year old who was going through it when the Wolves were.

Speaker 5 (41:23):
Down eight last night after Fox hit that one three
that when Wemby went out, Like Cornette is obviously not Wemby,
but he knows his role absolutely. He's not a bad
player at all, Like he's obviously not. He's a great
backup center. Yeah, we would die to have a backup
center as.

Speaker 1 (41:41):
Good as he is.

Speaker 5 (41:41):
And so the rim protection is still going to be Okay,
it's not gonna be no, and I'm kind I kind
of don't love. Like since Game one when the Wolves
took everything at Wenby and he had fifty two blocks,
they haven't done that the same way. No, they've almost resigned.
They've almost, I think seated too much. Like Game one
they went We talked about it the day after they
get out of the twelve blocks, they got five of

(42:02):
them back and scored this time. The last three games,
I feel like they have seeded too much to them,
Like they haven't made him block shots, they've adjusted how
they're shooting it. They're doing all these things like Game one,
he blocked twelve shots and you won. So I don't
love how they're doing that. But when Cornet came, I
mean I was telling people that I was with and
that I was texting. It's like the Spurs still have

(42:23):
a lot of dudes, and now they're just they're free
rolling now because they know there's no pressure on them anymore.

Speaker 1 (42:28):
The Wolves have all the pressure now.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
And they ran a clinic offensive, yes thar, while we
were doing nothing in an integrated way in the third quarter.

Speaker 5 (42:38):
Offensive lit And so that's why I never relaxed at all,
because they've still got a lot of really nice pieces,
and they made good adjustments to say, we don't have
our guy, we're gonna do something totally different, and they
did for extended period of time.

Speaker 2 (42:52):
All right, top of the hour pause, we'll get to
some texts and who knows what else in our final
half hour.

Speaker 1 (42:57):
Don't forget wild take over at the bottom of the hour.

Speaker 2 (43:01):
Indeed, it is game number four opening face off schedule
for just past seven o'clock.

Speaker 1 (43:07):
You are listening to Barrero on the fan from the
one eight hundred ask Gary Traffic Center. This report is
sponsored by not p he suspended for Game five. Chances
to win tickets.

Speaker 5 (43:18):
Knowing what's going on with all your favorite kmfan shows,
follow Kfan one zero zero three and all our social
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Speaker 1 (43:26):
Follow the Sports Leader KFA.

Speaker 2 (43:32):
We're being called out or I'm being called out for
not paying off a tease regarding the Minnesota Frost.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
My apologies if I didn't.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
Although we have discussed this story at various points throughout
this evening show, the Frost were set slated to play
in Montreal in game number five, obviously best of five series.
So this was to advance to the I think it
would be the championship round, and the game has been

(44:01):
postponed allegedly because a large number of Montreal players aren't ill.
And I guess we'll have to look into history about
how often in a professional league that decision has made.
I mean, because you could, I guess, make the argument

(44:21):
as unlucky as it is, you'd say, well, if you
don't have enough players to play tonight or your main
players can't play, sorry, you either put to cobble together
the bench players or you forfeit. I mean, it's an
unsatisfying way to determine this thing, But I guess it

(44:43):
sounds like what's being used as an excuse for postponing
is the possibility that this illness is so transmittable that
you would be potentially spreading it to the opposing team,
the members of the Frost.

Speaker 1 (44:59):
Is that what's being suggested here?

Speaker 5 (45:03):
Really, we're getting so little information about it that it's
all just speculation.

Speaker 1 (45:09):
I think.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
And I have a little more information too, I don't know,
and I don't know how much how you know, forthcoming
the league officials are being on this thing. Maybe we
need to get stand casting on the line.

Speaker 1 (45:24):
Isn't he are?

Speaker 5 (45:25):
Yeah, he's the guy. He's the guy that live for
Billy Jean King text her that's it?

Speaker 1 (45:30):
I done? What's going on?

Speaker 2 (45:31):
So pretty extraordinary circumstances. Does that mean they play tomorrow night?
Does that mean that they wait a week? What do
they do again? It's unfortunate, and I guess we'll eventually,
I hope this story will be fleshed out more. We'll
get a little more detail on why this step.

Speaker 1 (45:49):
Was it.

Speaker 5 (45:50):
It literally you have nobody who can play, You don't
have enough players or do you just have it's your
main players who are out?

Speaker 2 (45:55):
And then I say, well that might be too bad.
Now if there's a again, if there's like a board
of health situation here, that makes it a little bit
more complicated than that will certainly that has to be
put under consideration. I just don't think there's much precedent
for this other than, as we said, in a COVID
period exactly where everything's shut down.

Speaker 1 (46:15):
Yes, right, and we all understood why correct.

Speaker 5 (46:17):
A rescheduled date for the game will be announced as
soon as medical guidance determines it is appropriate to resume play,
and update will be provided to fans within the next day.

Speaker 1 (46:26):
So that leads me to believe that it's not going
to be tomorrow.

Speaker 5 (46:30):
Probably not that I'm not sure, but they've also the
league has also already apparently determined that the next series,
because I think Audawa was already one. Game three in
the next series will be Monday in Ottawa, Okay, a
week from today, which means that in the next week
you'd have to play this game, Game five, and then

(46:52):
game one and two of the next series before you
play game three in Autawa. You get what I'm saying.
They've already announced it that. Well, I guess they could
change that. Maybe, I guess, yeah, they have to interesting, Well,
we'll have to see.

Speaker 2 (47:05):
We talked about this with Johnny, You and I haven't
talked about it separately, though, I and I don't know
did this question I'm not sure this question came up
in the postgame scrum with Finchy.

Speaker 1 (47:23):
The decision to hold on to that last time out.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
After two San Antonio Davy free throws cuts the Wolves
lead to three.

Speaker 1 (47:35):
Is inexcusable.

Speaker 2 (47:37):
It's indefensible as far as I'm concerned, and I get
believe me, I've been I get the whole.

Speaker 1 (47:42):
Thing on timeouts.

Speaker 2 (47:43):
You know, there's still twenty I think there was twenty
plus seconds left after the two free throws. I want
to hold on to it just in case to inbound
the ball under the basket. That if they don't even
have to work the whole length of the court, if they.

Speaker 1 (48:02):
Make a steal, which.

Speaker 2 (48:02):
They almost did, and the Wolves had so.

Speaker 1 (48:05):
Much trouble, and even if you'd make the.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
Decision to not call the timeout off the break, you
have to call it earlier than they did, as Iowa
was struggling stuck in.

Speaker 1 (48:19):
The back court.

Speaker 2 (48:20):
Yes, to such a degree that then when the Wolves
did take the timeout, they were forced to do what
throw the ball. They couldn't even throw the ball in
the back court because it would have been a second violation.
They had to throw what turned out to be a
really good over the top. Creoc loved touchdown pass Jaden

(48:40):
the six to ten Jayden to Desumu right and fortunately
then he got control of the ball after having some
trouble and they didn't call a jump ball, which they
I think they could have. They called a foul. He
hit the two free throws and it's back to a
two possession game. I that's a bad one man, and
I think that's been a vulnerability for Finchy I for

(49:03):
whatever he had. Remember the the inbounds and was this
backcourt or front court? I think it was also backcourt
on the side when when uh Anthony Edwards this was
in the game.

Speaker 4 (49:18):
Ye.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
Yeah, it's a.

Speaker 2 (49:19):
Terrible play where I'm going go to the front at
least in your if if the ball gets intercepted in
the front court, they got to go the length of
the court and usually you got you have the whole
court to use in inbounding the ball. So it's so
automatic to go to the front court, to go to
your front court. It was stunning to me that he

(49:42):
became so stubborn about I'm down to my last one.

Speaker 1 (49:45):
If I had two, it would have been easy. That's
the game, that's the game.

Speaker 2 (49:49):
You have to Cook to me that that that's a
that's an egregious decision.

Speaker 5 (49:52):
Part of the reason they were down to one is
because they had to call another time out with Ant
being doubled at mid court.

Speaker 1 (49:58):
Exactly right.

Speaker 5 (49:59):
I'm still not sure why that's so complicated for us.
They've made no secret he was about to go back
yet into the other side of the court, and so
as he's falling, he's calling time out, and he's in
the middle of the floor, which should actually mean it's
easier for someone to go to him and actually just
help him out.

Speaker 1 (50:15):
Absolutely, Yeah, I was screaming for it.

Speaker 5 (50:18):
I talked to Parker Fox about it on our post
game show last night, because the Gophers always had trouble
with this too. Patino Ben Johnson like, it's always amazing
to me that teams have trouble handling pressure late in games,
because it's Parker.

Speaker 1 (50:35):
We were joking about it.

Speaker 5 (50:36):
It's been a tendency, I said, Parker, like every single
basketball team from fourth grade on is working on press, press,
break and where to cut and where to go and
what to do with the ball and pass fake. And
he put Desumo in there to get another so they
couldn't foll Rudy and another ball handler, and Assuma then
throws a lazy pass the possession before that gets intercepted true,
and then he's having all kinds of trouble. It's it

(50:57):
is crazy to me that teams have such I would
have problems with it. Why not in that situation, Let's
put three ballhandlers out. Let's push Conley back out there
as well. I actually wanted to see a little bit
more of Connley in the second half. I know he
was getting hurt defensively because they got bigger guards, but
given their difficulty at times just with with setting up
and ball handling, I would have liked to see in

(51:18):
this case a little bit more of him. Put as
many ballhandlers as possible out there.

Speaker 1 (51:23):
I agrees with you. He said that postgame.

Speaker 5 (51:25):
Did he said, you're sitting there talking to Kyle Anderson, going, God,
I just I wish I could be out there. The
other part about it with Finchy is you got to, like,
you know, your team nineteen thousand people in there were
thinking they're not going to do this right. They're gonna
be lazy with it. They're not gonna cut like nas

(51:45):
went to turn instide of screen when he was wide
open to just turn and get the ball on one
of them, and even Ant was like trying to point, like,
no one's on.

Speaker 1 (51:51):
You don't screen for me, Go get the ball.

Speaker 5 (51:54):
And I don't know if I love Nas having it
in the corner there because he's but at least he's
a bigger guy that might be able to throw over.

Speaker 1 (51:58):
Somebody help us. And he was right under the back
I know he was.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
It's like your one strip ball strip away from they
got two more points and it's a one point game.

Speaker 5 (52:08):
Yeah, you just have to know your team is going
to make a mess of it and help them. That's
what the coach is there for, is that you supposed
to be. Now you could at the end of the day,
you could say, guys, come on, just break the press, like,
just be tight with the ball, cut hard, do a pass, fake,
get it around somebody, because assume we just tried to
float that one that ended up getting getting taken away.

Speaker 1 (52:27):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 5 (52:28):
It was quite the situation and thankfully Io used his
good calf and not his bad calf to keep that
ball in bounds on what was a beautiful throw from
Jaden mcdannel.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Is this a case of on the Frost Montreal game.
Is this a case of home cooking? The Canadian government
trying to protect their team and their chance to dethrone
us get a job by the officials? I nothing out,
I'm just saying, I'm I don't know, I'm asking, I'm
making no declaration.

Speaker 1 (52:56):
Hell, I mean, what kind of virus?

Speaker 4 (52:58):
Is this?

Speaker 2 (52:59):
That some text to me that they're actually trying to
protect fans? What kind of virus are we talking about here?
From a stomach virus?

Speaker 1 (53:07):
But also how does that even compute or is it something.

Speaker 5 (53:11):
More protecting fans?

Speaker 1 (53:13):
I mean, that's seems preposterous on its face, doesn't it.

Speaker 5 (53:17):
I would my assumption would be they just don't have
enough players to play, which is also though, like why
is that?

Speaker 1 (53:23):
Like that's bad luck?

Speaker 5 (53:26):
But it seems extreme that you just punt on the
whole situation and say we're gonna We're gonna play when
we can play.

Speaker 1 (53:34):
Let's take one last break.

Speaker 2 (53:35):
We'll refresh your memory on what you might have missed
earlier today, three outstanding guests, and we'll prepare you for
a wild hockey tonight and what we have coming up
tomorrow as well.

Speaker 1 (53:44):
It's nineteen seventy five it's the Bumper to Bumper Show rap.
What a program today.

Speaker 2 (53:50):
We had Aaron Gleaman in studio in the four o'clock
hour to discuss not only the Minnesota Twins, but his
big announcement. He's going solo Aaron Gleaman dot com and
he's looking for subscribers. We apparently sold him a lot
of subscriptions to their helped but he's off to a
very good start there, and he kind of gave us
some sense of his reasoning for why he decided to

(54:13):
leave the athletic and to make this decision, he definitely
tried hard to get in Johnny Athletics will when we
wrapped up with Johnny at three point thirty. In addition,
Russo Radio joined at five two tomorrow as a Louis
Day obviously, so we will review game four of the

(54:33):
second round series between the Wild and the Colorado Avalanche
with him, and I'm sure some other.

Speaker 1 (54:40):
Things might pop up as well. So Wolves Game five
is Tuesday, Game six is Friday night? Correct? Correct? Is
it possible the.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Time Friday night will indicate a possibility for our first
cage show in a long time.

Speaker 5 (54:55):
I would think that it's a seven o'clock tomorrow. I
would assume probably yes.

Speaker 1 (55:00):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (55:00):
I don't know if it's been safe. It has not been,
it had not been set as of early today. My
assumption has to do with some of his other series
might end tonight, like, yeah, Oklahoma City couldn't sweep the
Lakers tonight, correct, they can. And I think is a
Cleveland Detroit game four tonight as well.

Speaker 1 (55:15):
Believe tonight is Cleveland Detroit game four.

Speaker 2 (55:18):
Yeah, this is the Troitland has a chance to tie
that series up. James Harden finally showed up in in
game number three.

Speaker 5 (55:25):
Did we mention by the way that Daron Fox popped
up on the injury report?

Speaker 1 (55:28):
I think we teased it. We didn't tease it. We didn't.

Speaker 5 (55:30):
We didn't pay it off. You're right left ankle soreness?
Is that where assume a cheap shot at him?

Speaker 1 (55:36):
I think? So? Are we becoming a bunch?

Speaker 2 (55:37):
Are we going to become a kind of a cheap
shot artist team?

Speaker 1 (55:40):
I loves us.

Speaker 2 (55:43):
Yeah, there's a lot of people who love There's no
question about that. I feel like I did I tease
something for the last segment too?

Speaker 1 (55:49):
I don't think so. I thought I might have Oh
and no ERICSONAC tonight.

Speaker 2 (55:55):
I think that's been well established, correct, Brody ain't coming
back at all? Ericson K Maybe Evan actually next late
this series or the next series. I saved this one
from the three o'clock hour. You're getting called out really
for well, I'll let I'll let you. I'll give you
two minutes to respond. What happened to guards you? The
champion of ethical basketball? What's the interesting the guy flopping

(56:16):
on offense and a team pushing the limits of fouling
without getting called for it on defense, like the Wolves
are doing with Wemby.

Speaker 1 (56:22):
Isn't that gamesmanship? Isn't that part of what good teams,
wise teams do to quote unquote manipulate the rules or
bend the rules.

Speaker 5 (56:32):
I hadn't really thought of that, But no, I don't
think it's the same.

Speaker 1 (56:36):
Oh, all right, because.

Speaker 5 (56:37):
They're not trying to fool anybody. Yeah, a little bit trying.

Speaker 2 (56:41):
You're trying to fool You're trying to to to push
the envelope and say.

Speaker 1 (56:45):
Oh, why I didn't fallow, I didn't do anything.

Speaker 2 (56:47):
As you're as you're you know, hammering the big man,
and I don't know, No, I.

Speaker 1 (56:52):
Think no, I don't think that's the same at all.

Speaker 5 (56:53):
All right, By the way, you see Castle first possession
of the game, he threw his head back like three
times they did. Oh yeah, I did see. That's like,
that's we're going to start this right now. Well, that's
games and ship I know, I don't. I don't like it,
but I do. I don't think it's as different as
you do.

Speaker 2 (57:10):
But see, because I don't dismiss either as much as
you do, I think it is. Now, there's limits, I
get it, and there's there's some teams who exploit more
than others.

Speaker 1 (57:20):
I think that's undeniable.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
That gets back to I get I think again, whether
you blame a team the a team that does that,
or you blame the league for not sending the right
directives and messages to your officials in how to officiate that,
that's another issue probably for.

Speaker 5 (57:41):
I also think reffing playoff basketball and playoff hockey. Yes,
I think it's one of probably the hardest things to
do because you do a lot more physicality for sure,
right yeah, right, and then yeah, you let so much
stuff go and then you call some something like I
but because you kind of grade aligns and how much
physicality you're going to allow, on how different it is

(58:02):
from the regular season. I do think you find yourself
in tricky situations sometimes because of it, because it is
it's got to be a really hard game to officiate,
no question, you just let guys be I mean not
Jaden fouled Wemby fifty times before he threw the elbow.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
Not excusing it, no, but yeah, but they weren't vicious filed,
but they were fouled. Yeah, they were fouls, there's no
question about that.

Speaker 1 (58:25):
But