Top 5, Lou Nanne! - Bumper to Bumper 12/30/25 Hour Three

Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Human.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Just in case you missed it, it's the top five
sports talkers of the day. Now it's time for Dan
Barrero's Top five and five brought to you by Gutter
Helmet of Minnesota.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Never clean your gutters again.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Learn more at gutter Helmet mnat dot com.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
All right, guards you from Barrero today to Bumper Ludani
about thirty minutes from now, we'll talk Wild, We'll talk
World Juniors with Luigi gret blakemore at the Controls about
our nine of his board op shift today the producer
Bumper to Bumpers today, what's going on in the top five?

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Time now for the obligatory Kevin Fallness Minnesota Wildmnshit, Yeah, it.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Feels dirty kind of doing that, despite the fact that
he had two hours to also talk Wild today.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
But is that all it was? It was just two hours.
Maybe it was the Rose. I feel like I caught
all of it and then was here and caught all
of it.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
Well, you were on for one of those hours that
ate into us the potential common Man program time slot.
So the Wild they're on fire right now. I believe
there's six one and one since the Quinn Hughes trade.
I think He's got a point in every single game,
five to two winners. In Vegas, it was domination from
the start. The game was over probably the end of
the first period, twenty seconds in or something. Johansson gets

(01:46):
on the board and then it's a flurry and avalanche
of goals from the Wild. This is a fun team,
and I do think they're a move away from being
really really serious contenders. I think Bill Garn's on that,
whether it be an O'Reilly or a Taje.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Thompson. But this is fun to watch, and it's fun
to have a guy.

Speaker 4 (02:03):
You know, when Caprisov has the puck and he's skating,
you think he does things that you just don't see
anywhere else, like that's so unique, like you never and
now we got two of those guys. Quinn Hughes was
embarrassing Vegas. There was a couple times in the second
period where he literally made me say out loud, Wow,
I can't believe he just did that.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
He's so fun to watch.

Speaker 4 (02:22):
We've got two amazing game changers and a lot of
depth scoring on the way as well. So what's not
like how far away are the Wild? There's still a
little bit of ways, but they're a lot closer than
they were.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
But also in the last month, they've beaten both of
the teams that you just mentioned, Right, They've beaten Dallas
and they've beaten Colorado.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, and that was before the Quinn Hughes trade. This
is true. That only helps. That was before we became Quinnesota. Correct.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
And they have two goalies that are still I haven't
been around for about a week, but they're still playing
really well, right they are. So they are easily the closest.
And that feels like it happened fast. I know it's
been forever since they felt like a contender. They've had
one hundred point seasons and things like that. We know
about the first round playoff exit's the whole deal.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
But even that one hundred point season, they didn't have
like super star capability.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
You're right, and you remember this because you were on
with me the next day after I went to the
Washington game, the Capitol game where they blanked the Caps
five rip I think, and we opened to the show
and I said, it's the wild in Vegas Golden Knights
in the Western Conference Finals, and you're on your own
after that, because the Central teams are going to have
to play the central teams. Someone's got to come out
of the Pacific, right and we'll see who they are.

(03:30):
But that's how enamored I was. And that was game
two of the Quinn Hughes era, I think it was.
And I heard Russo even today say he doesn't even
know if Hughes's practice with the Wild yet. He's just
out there winging it like you do with Common eleven
forty five every day that you fill in for ten
and let's just wing it.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
And I landed.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
I get my days confused. Saturday Night was the overtime
winner right where they tied it up. They got the
power play six on four Saturday in Winnipeg. And I'm
sure you're going to get to the Wolves because you
know you have to. It's the obligatory guards eat.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Yes, I should get that made.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
But so you have the two going at the same time,
and I'll talk about the wild thing in a minute,
but you go from the elation of the wild to
then the Wolves just playing just ridiculously bad, no energy
Saturday Night prices, which pisses me off. When because I'm
a ticket buyer, people might not believe it. I mean,
I'm a season ticket holder oh, good for me with

(04:29):
the Wolves. But I actually buy more tickets than probably
anybody here at this station.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
Full disclosure.

Speaker 3 (04:34):
I get free ones a lot too, but I'd buy
them more often than not, just because I don't like
all was asking. And I mean, I've given my tickets
to you before, right, you can vounce for this, right
like I purchase tickets. And so I get so offended
for the people that are buying the tickets consistently they're
going and then the team just doesn't bother to show up.

(04:57):
This isn't I should have brought it up because it's
it's talk about the while. But that was the Wolves
on Saturday. Yeah, Saturday night in the city. You're coming
off that epic Christmas game where Ant's going crazy. You know,
your joker is going crazy. He's out for like a month,
by the way, he got hurt yesterday, and that's what
they paid to watch. It just makes me so mad.
It just makes me so mad because I know how

(05:19):
much I know how expensive these games are. So I'm
watching the Winnipeg game though before and we had just
gotten home from the airport and we're watching it, and
the whole family's there and at six on four and
they tie it up and then, my god, was at
a good goal in overtime? Is capriceof to Hughes who
scored the game winner?

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Who else? Exactly? The other fifty goal guy?

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Take that, Johnny Athletic for sure, And like you think
about it, it's because it was Caprice off to Hughes
to Boldie, right, it was those three. So think about
that sentence right there, Caprice off to Hughes to Boldy.
My god, what a hey. That's a hell of a trio.

(06:01):
And that's three big knockers and they stole that game
in Winnipeg. Yeah, you know, getting the goal late and
then coming out in no tea and finishing it like
that's when you know things are going well. It's tremendous.
It's as good as it gets. And we love it
because we carry all the games and it's fun to

(06:23):
watch and we desperately especially every show is like this.
But I know I speak for Dan. When we can
have a run and you can cover it and you
can get the guests you want to get and you
can follow the games and feel the energy. For me,
there's nothing more invigorating than that, and you feel like
again they're gonna have to go through the gauntlet. As
you mentioned, the Central is no joke. Yeah, but it

(06:45):
feels like they have a chance, which is as much
as you can ask for.

Speaker 4 (06:49):
I think it's ridiculous with this playoff format that you
know three of the top teams in the NHL are
all in the Central, You're going to finish third. I
mean a team is going to finish third in the
entire NHL and not have home ice advantage in the
first round.

Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, they got to fix this, kind of like the
wild card thing in the NFL. Yeah, like they like
the Vikings went through last year, and like Seattle or
San Francisco is going to feel like this year it's
the third a twelve win team at least that'll be
a wild card.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
I had the exact same experience as you Saturday night,
except the other game I was watching was in Green Bay,
and they didn't show up for that cam either, And
people paid their harder money and sat outside on a
Saturday just for their defense to completely not show up.

Speaker 1 (07:27):
They not care.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
And I.

Speaker 1 (07:30):
Not to make it about Green Bay, but no, but yeah,
but it does bother me.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
And I know just because he bought a ticket doesn't
mean that it's going to work out, but just the
effort stuff bothers me. And I actually because I said
that on Saturday, I said, I think I reiterated first
on Twitter that it's the wild in Vegas Golden Nights
in the Western Conference Finals and you're on your own
after that, and then I said, just an absolutely future
display of basketball by the Wolves. And then it dawned
to me because I had no idea what DAYA was

(07:55):
Saturday night too, which means tickets are more expensive and
people from out of town are more likely to come in.
And I got multiple replies for people saying, yeah, I
came in from out of town, brought my son, brought
my daughter.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
That sucked. Why did I do that?

Speaker 3 (08:06):
And I just feel bad for those people because it
is a big deal. And somebody just texted into the
Branshawn Brian campegn text line six four six eighty six,
like it was for the people that that was their
game to go to. Maybe they got a Christmas present
two days before and it said, Hey, we're going to
the Wolves game. They're playing the Nets. Who Yes, I
know they've been playing hard and they play together and

(08:27):
they always try, but they'd won I think nine games
before they came in here, like, come on, that should
be a rap like that now, fairness and savagery. The
Wolves handled Chicago last night, little slow start, then Ant
showed up and bang. It was pretty much a laffer.
But I would say that's required, that's required, and I'm
I'm a Wolves A one day one Timberwolves Breakfast Club
nineteen eighty nine, waiting for Bill Musselman's autograph on a

(08:48):
pennant that I still have. All Right, so I've been
with this club. I love this club, but it just
there's still too much of that stuff. And even FINCHI
said it after Saturday. It's like self awareness. It's only
good if you do something about it. Like Seinfeld one said,
anybody can just take a reservation. You have to hold
the reservation. Dan Akroyd and Tommy Boy, you've pinpointed the problem.

(09:11):
Now step two is washing it off pine Tree air freshener,
Like we should be past this with the Wolves, and
that's what is frustrating about it.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
Anyway, we were talking about the Wild, Yeah we were.
I was going to move on to the Wolves. Yeah
you did, mention Vane, I got to it. H I
think he got to it.

Speaker 4 (09:27):
I think it was interesting that nas Red actually led
in points to Chicago and the Prince uniforms see Chicago
as well.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah, he shot very well.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
I should we get to the World Junior's update Halvey's
standing by. I think we need to get I have it.
He just texted me how he is ready. And it's
nice that Dan's going to be able to join us
for this as well. The World Juniors continues a lot
of the games are right here on the fan. We're
going to talk to Louis about it. About twenty minutes
from now. They play Sweden tomorrow night. I'm going to
be there for that one. Oh good for me, and

(09:54):
hopefully i'll be there Friday as well for the quarters.

Speaker 1 (09:56):
Oh good for me.

Speaker 5 (09:57):
But let's check in with Halby. Now, let's head to
the x or A high school hockey tournament.

Speaker 6 (10:01):
Update.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
Well, let me make sure he's there. Hang out.

Speaker 5 (10:03):
I don't know thought he was there. He's not even
ready yet. Zach Are you there yet? Did you find him?

Speaker 1 (10:10):
I found him?

Speaker 6 (10:11):
Zach?

Speaker 1 (10:11):
You there.

Speaker 3 (10:12):
I was just in the press conference for Bruce Planned
after their six to five victory over Saint Claul Cathedral
and they're obviously pretty happy. A heck of a hockey game,
the second of two great games here at the x
lest far It sets up a Class A championship game
tomorrow between Hermantown and monta Celo Andale Maple Lake.

Speaker 6 (10:37):
So guards the bre it's gonna.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
Be a why do you catch your breath? Yeah? Right?

Speaker 3 (10:45):
I literally splitted across the saber press pocket. Is there
a medic at the Xcel Energy Center or Depeedic Center.
All right, we'll take over from here and we'll get
back here a little bit later. You catch your breath,
we don't want Yeah, you think you're ready, now you
think you think so? All right, hold on, if you're
not doing an echo in my ear, if you could
take that out, I got an echo.

Speaker 5 (11:04):
That's what he's got, the ab abbot. It's abbit's fault.
He's got an echo. Probably probably narrator would say he
was in fact not ready. He was in fact not
ready to go. So more halb tomorrow with the the
Sweden in the United States game. I think Parish is
with him as well.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
It's going to be immediately following the wild game against
San Jose, the Wilder on the road obviously, because Grand
Casino arena is being used for the World Juniors. We'll
talk to Luigi a little bit more about that.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
Anything else you want to get to in the top five?
Do you want to straddle or do you want les traddle?
All right, let's traddle. Let's do it.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
Good clock management, thank you, Let's traddle. We've got more
to get to. What are we talking about?

Speaker 4 (11:41):
On the other side, Sean McVay plans to play the
starters in week eighteen despite them having nothing to play for.

Speaker 1 (11:46):
And I think it's ridiculous, all right, I look forward
to it.

Speaker 4 (11:51):
Yeah, before the ball drops, drop your take. It's a
purple Talkback Tuesday on KFA N. Open the iHeartRadio at
hit the red microphone icon when you're listening to KFA
and in thirty seconds or less, tell us your favorite
Vikings moment for Tony twenty five winners. All day long
KFA N dot com Keey were contests for more info.

Speaker 3 (12:46):
All right, let's get to Brett Blake Moore's final couple
at top five at five Nuggets before Lunani joins us
to talk World Juniors as well as the hottest team
in hockey and the team perhaps closest to a championship
in their respective sport that we have here in Minnesota
right now, that would be the Minnesota Wild. But you've
got a few more things you want to cove and
clean up here before we kick it over to Luigi.

Speaker 1 (13:06):
So I did want to mention the the Sean McVay stuff.
That's what I tease.

Speaker 4 (13:09):
So I'll go with it, he said earlier, because they don't.
They have essentially nothing to play for. Maybe there's some
seeding you go from a four to a five. I'm
not sure, but they're out of the NFC West, which
it felt like they were a shoe in for the
one seed, like without a doubt, they looked like the favorite.

Speaker 7 (13:25):
That's true in Stafford's like MVP candidate, Well he couldn't
stop turning the ball over whoops whoopsie. But when they
said no, they were going to play anyways, they being
the starters, we need to play. We need to play
better football. So I don't know what the consequences are
in those different types of things, but we've got to
play better.

Speaker 4 (13:42):
I'm here to tell you. I mean, I don't We'll see.
Maybe they come out on the other side of things.
They play great next week and they go into the
playoffs or playing Arizona. Maybe they go in with all
the momentum in the world because they played great against
the Cardinals and here we go. But if one gets
hurt more than they already have, Yeah, it's it's a

(14:04):
tough gamble to make. And I think we're gonna have
a live analog of the Rams playing in Arizona with
essentially nothing to play for. They're going to play their
starters in Green Bay who have nothing to play for
and are probably not going to play their starters. By
all accounts, I highly doubt Jordan Love's even in pads,
let alone sees the field.

Speaker 1 (14:22):
Yeah, but let me ask you this, because I understand
the point you're making.

Speaker 3 (14:26):
What if Jordan Love was healthy, What if Jordan Love
was just straight up healthy, would you want him to
play on this weekend? No, he was still with everything,
if he had no injury issues, if he was healthy,
if everything.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
Was fine, he practiced all last week, But would you
want him so?

Speaker 3 (14:44):
Because I think that's the difference is that he's he's
banged up, right, has been for a couple of weeks.
They need him to be healthy to have any shot
right at making any type of run.

Speaker 1 (14:55):
Yeah, I think. Yeah, it's a tough because it and
we do this every year, right, This isn't a new conversation.
We do this every year. My Fantasy championships are on
week seventeen. Do you arrest them or do.

Speaker 3 (15:10):
I'm gonna trust the guy though, that's won the Super Bowl,
that knows the pulse of his team, that knows what
he knows what it looks like to win a Super Bowl.
And if he doesn't feel like they're there and they
need to play a little bit more, he's and he's
not going to be stupid if the game gets out
of hand, I'm guessing he'll get guys out. But yeah,
I see what you're saying. I always lean play. I

(15:35):
usually lean play because I do think football is one
of those sports. You see it in a lot of
these games right now, Like I think you'll see it
in some of these college football bowl games.

Speaker 1 (15:43):
The teams that just won. And we could even look
this up from last year.

Speaker 3 (15:46):
I know some of it's different because the quote unquote
worst teams had the higher seeds last year, like the
Arizona States. Yeah, you know who else is exactly your squad?
I saw their foot coach By the way, did I
tell you this? No, I might tell that story after
Louis because I was in a predicament and I didn't
know what to do in Phoenix last week?

Speaker 1 (16:07):
Did I tell you I was in Phoenix?

Speaker 3 (16:09):
Like, I think Oregon has an advantage over Texas Tech
this week because they played. I think Alabama has a
little advantage over Indiana because they played recently.

Speaker 1 (16:17):
Like, I think football is one of those things.

Speaker 3 (16:19):
They're so ritualistic, they're so ingrained in the process, just
getting your body. Like you Now, if you're injured or
you're a little bit hurt, then yeah, you sit if
there's nothing to play for. But if you're healthy and
you're just ready to go, I think you play. I
think you play and you get ready to go. I'm
not necessarily saying it's wrong. I'm just saying this debate

(16:39):
that has been raging on, it's an evergreen debate, especially
this time of the year, will have a live I mean,
it may work out that they play unbelievable and that
you know, it's the classic rest first rust.

Speaker 1 (16:50):
Yes, that's what it is.

Speaker 4 (16:51):
Yeah, And they could play great and the momentum carries
on and they make a deep run the playoffs or
something terrible happens and knock on would we don't want anything,
but if a key piece.

Speaker 1 (17:02):
We're to go down.

Speaker 3 (17:03):
And it's easy to second guess. Yeah, it's the easiest
second guests of all time, probably because.

Speaker 4 (17:09):
It's the most hindsight thing of all time too, because
you go into the first round and now you're god
forbid missing your quarterback or a star wide receiver. Now
you're like, why the hell do we play him in
a meaningless game that made no sense? So it's the
easy Monday morning quarterback.

Speaker 1 (17:24):
But but you're doing it beforehand.

Speaker 4 (17:26):
I'm not even saying it's wrong. I'm just saying we're
going to have a live experiment and we'll see. It's
a huge gamble. I think it's a bigger gamble than
sitting them and potentially coming out rusty, because at.

Speaker 1 (17:38):
Least you're healthy, at least they're playing. That's this, you're done.
If someone's gone. Are you going to the Border Battle
this weekend?

Speaker 8 (17:45):
I am.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
I will be aretty excited.

Speaker 4 (17:48):
I'm excited to be there, and I think the Vikings
put on a good I'll have a fun time and
they put on a great presentation. I love going to games.
I went to the Commander's game. That was a fun
one to be at. Yeah, I for the game itself,
not really, I mean, Malik Willis go crazy.

Speaker 6 (18:05):
I know.

Speaker 4 (18:06):
I was really scared when they lost to the Bears.
I was really scared it would come down to this
week and the Vikings would come into this game being
able to play spoiler and just go we're going to
knock him out of the playoffs and show because I've
been to one of those games. The last time Rogers
played for the pack was against the Lions, who had
nothing to play for it besides eliminate us.

Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 4 (18:25):
That was the worst four hour drive after a game
I've ever had. Just it was all time low moment.
Rogers is gone, We're out of the playoffs. What's going
to happen next? It hasn't been too bad, but not
a whole lot of playoff success either.

Speaker 1 (18:40):
How what's the temperature?

Speaker 3 (18:42):
Because you and I have not talked since all the
injuries and you know even you know the acls and
all that stuff, and how has it been, you know
on the Packer preview review podcast show, How how's Davy doing?
I know, didn't he fill in at some point last week.
I think he fililled in last weekend. This week, I'm
Barbara Bumper. Yeah again, I don't know what day it is,

(19:03):
so forgive me on Chad Abbit's schedule, but yeah, I do.
You might need it for best of later, thank you.
I know I'm well aware of the best of that
I need to put together for a host that hasn't
been here in two weeks. So that should be a
hell of a show on New Year's Day. I look
forward to figuring out what I come up with, having
just done Christmas Best of last week. But that'll be great. Sure,
it'll be good. Tune in New Year's Day. Who knows

(19:24):
what you're going? Who knows what you're gonna miss? I
know Gerby canceled Christmas, basically I caught that, but then
it turns out that they did have Christmas. The holiday
spirit moved them or something like that, and they did
end up having some type of Christmas. We will talk
to him on Friday, so we'll get the update there.
But how's it been for what's the group chat looking
like with Cynicon and you?

Speaker 4 (19:42):
Right now, we'll say pre Denver, I mean, I'll just
say it. We're thinking soupy. We are thinking Super Bowl.
This is I mean, it's everything's coming together. Everyone's playing great.
Mike is a game changer. And then within twenty real
world minutes, Watson, Micah, Zach, Tom, everyone just starts going

(20:04):
dropping like flies, and especially the Micah one where you
just knew right away, non contact, no one with him
five feet of him and just goes down holding his knee.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
You knew it was over.

Speaker 4 (20:13):
And then the Broncos defense is no joke then, so
that's just shock in awe and the Bears game after
that was just devastation. It was very twenty fourteen NFC
Championship game and on site kick muffed. Just was that
against Seattle? Yeah it was yeah, Yeah, I knew, I
just wanted to do. Yeah it was Russell Wilson. Weren't

(20:34):
you guys up twenty one zero.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
In that game?

Speaker 1 (20:36):
Uh huh yeah, three touchdowns? My mom said, why are
you watching this game? They already won. That's too bad. Anyways,
that didn't work out. Yeah, I was in high school
at that point. Do you feel like though you guys
deserve it at all?

Speaker 3 (20:49):
Because the second that anything really gets going, like you
and Synecon are so insufferable and arrogant and cocky, and
you'll start wearing your Packers stuff here like every day.

Speaker 1 (20:57):
Do you feel like I've got a wide collection?

Speaker 6 (20:59):
I know you do.

Speaker 1 (21:00):
Do you feel like the.

Speaker 3 (21:01):
Second that you show a pulse, which like, remember two
years ago, you didn't do it until like this week
because Rogers last year, because the team was dreadful, and
then Tua had the concussions, which.

Speaker 1 (21:10):
Still pisses me off.

Speaker 3 (21:11):
And through a gift, through multiple gifts, and that completely
resurrected your whole season. I didn't even know you were
a Packer fan until like December thirtieth because they had
been so bad, and then all of a sudden you
started wearing your stuff. Do you feel like do you
feel like your obnoxious arrogance brings any of this upon you?
That the second that Jordan Love starts looking like the

(21:32):
guy that he should be for the money that he's making,
you guys flaunted in our faces, when again, once again
we're going through it with a car eliminated with the
quarterback meltdown and we're a disaster and my guy brose
murd The Brownstones are empty right now, which is not
fun around the holidays.

Speaker 1 (21:47):
Do you feel like, do you feel like you deserve
any of what comes to you? Do I think it
affects anything?

Speaker 3 (21:55):
No, No, I don't think it does either. But you
feel like, do you feel like maybe you guys should
slow roll a little bit? Set of after you beat
the Lions Week one saying we're going to the super Bowl.

Speaker 4 (22:04):
Well, I mean, if you judge from the tweets and
texts that we get in response, which granted we bring on,
we do get people going.

Speaker 1 (22:13):
Yeah, So there is that aspect to it.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
You're not expecting any sympathy is what I'm I guess
getting for because I have none.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
And that's fine. I have none. No, I love you,
I have none. That's fair.

Speaker 4 (22:25):
I mean I've yeah, I've seen one big game in
my lifetime, which I understand is one more than most
people listening, including me. I was in middle school and
it was amazing. But I have experienced nothing but playoff
heartbreak and great understand great quarterback play and we're blasting work.
But you know, it's it's not like I'm rolling in.
I'm not a Chiefs fan. You know, I'm not a

(22:46):
Patriots fan. I'm not rolling in the rings.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
How about the Patriots being just rocked out again. Yeah,
coaching matters.

Speaker 1 (22:52):
It really does.

Speaker 3 (22:53):
You just look look around the league, the teams that
are kind of back at it. And I hate to
say it, but Sean Paige and obviously he's a good coach. Yeah,
And I know they're doing a lot of it defensively,
and bo Nicks has been solid. He's not Drew Brees
two point zero. But you look at Vrabel, you look
at Ben Johnson, you look at Harbaugh. The Chargers now
we're eleven and five after like kind of scuffling through

(23:15):
the middle portion of the season, like they really have,
they really had.

Speaker 1 (23:19):
Coaching matters. It's and I know that sounds stupid, but
it really matters. I do want to set the records
trade on one thing before we leave the Green and
Gold permanently. You're arrogance.

Speaker 4 (23:28):
No no one ripped Green Bay more after that loss
than me and Sinecon. We rip them to shreds on
Packer preview Slash review. It was embarrassing. And so it's
not like it's just oh, we're still going to the
super Bowl. No one doubted like it was soft, gutless.

(23:49):
They wanted no part. It looked like they were the
dolphins that just didn't want any part in playing in
the cold weather.

Speaker 1 (23:54):
It was embarrassing.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
I love this text to walk us off before against Nanny.
It's not about you, and I don't even know if
you know this in joke. This is not really an
inside joke, but it proves the point of some of
the things we're up against some time. When you do
a show that's very topical all the time, which is
bumper to bumper, which is why I like it, because
it's always fresh, it's always new, we'd like to think
so at least we're always covering whatever's happening, right Like

(24:17):
tenn Tobee I.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
Think has the easiest best of job ever.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Let's just rack up program password for three hours, a
couple of rock talks in there, and we're on with
the rest of our day.

Speaker 1 (24:26):
Right.

Speaker 3 (24:26):
They're all evergreen as we call them, Yes, exactly ours
or not, so it's a little bit different. Seven six
three Tech says I'll be working Thursday. Wouldn't mind hearing
Sarah Spain again for Best of I always love that one.
That is steven andover. Maybe I will play Sarah Spain
for Best Of. I think that would be the fourth
time that I would have used it for a best

(24:47):
of situation. I'll give that some thought. Maybe Sarah Spain
can make a comeback on New Year's Day. How's it
going in the World Junior Hockey Championship of the World.
We'll ask Lou Nanny and lot more when we come back.

Speaker 1 (25:09):
Well sneaks around the world from the ride China the World.

Speaker 3 (25:25):
Nanny brought to you back kemps, Luigi Nana, Merry Christmas,
Happy New Year on the Connecticut Water Systems hotline.

Speaker 6 (25:34):
How are you the same?

Speaker 8 (25:36):
Are my favorite football broadcaster from the golfers.

Speaker 6 (25:40):
It brought him a big win.

Speaker 1 (25:42):
It was huge. You wanted overtime in the Rate Bowl,
didn't you.

Speaker 3 (25:44):
You weren't gonna be ready to start the World Juniors
until the Rate Bowl came to its natural conclusion?

Speaker 1 (25:51):
Is that fair to say?

Speaker 6 (25:53):
Oh, well, I don't. I don't call that a natural conclusion.

Speaker 3 (25:56):
I was open and then sooner, Yeah, I wasn't because
I was enjoying Arizona, which I know you can appreciate,
and the seventy degrees and sun that we had. How
about this, Luig, I was out of Walgreens in somewhere
Paradise Valley Scottsdale somewhere, and they had handwarmers at the
cashier at the checkout.

Speaker 1 (26:14):
Can you think of it? Dump?

Speaker 3 (26:15):
I mean, I know, you get soft when when you
live down south and fifty six degrees feels cold. But that,
to me was the funniest thing I saw the entire trip,
was handwarmers in Scottsdale.

Speaker 8 (26:25):
Yeah, it's funny when you get the sun cities anywhere
down in the southern part of the United States, when
they get to the fifty five sixty degrees, all of
a sudden, you see for quotes coming out too.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yeah, some nice coats as I don't have to tell
you in Scottsdale for sure. All right, I want to
talk World Juniors first and then I want to talk
wild You obviously have had a lot to do with
the World Juniors the last year or so, coming into
the build up. Now that it's here, just what's it
been like to watch, to be a part of, to
see Obviously the US is on a great run. The
arena looks awesome. I'll be there tomorrow against for Sweden,

(26:57):
which I'm excited about. It's the first time in around
to actually go to the Games. So now that it's
here's what's it like to see the event match the
build up.

Speaker 8 (27:07):
Well, first of all, the hockey has been terrific. It's
just been absolutely terrific. It doesn't matter, you know, which
building you go to, whether you go to the Grand Casino,
where you go to three em at Mariucci, You're going
to see some good games and a lot of talent
out there, that's for sure, and.

Speaker 6 (27:25):
A number of.

Speaker 8 (27:26):
Close games between the best teams. And I get a
little concerned about that because we're, as you know, into
a one game playoff when we start with the quarterfinals
and you lose one and you're out. You when you
keep going, So it's going to be tough. The crowds
have been good at Real, real good at Grand Casino.
For the US, we knew that we're going to be

(27:50):
a little disappointed in the crowds that re Emitt Mariucci
because many of the Canadians have come down.

Speaker 6 (27:55):
But the games have been.

Speaker 8 (27:56):
Good there, and there's still the Canadian games still had
some you know, loud, loud people cheering for them there
and and all the country. Is a good part about it.
They they seem to have a good representation many I
know one of my friends is just talking to just
with some of the suite. They're really excited to come

(28:19):
to Minnesota. It's the first time you've ever been there.
And I know looking at the German delegation they had
a number of families there, so all the all of
the families have coming. And the reason why I'm excited
because I I've been seeing it for a year and
I think it's even more now. The state of Minnesota
and especially the Twin Cities needs to get some positive publicity,

(28:42):
and this junior tournament does it before. He gives the
exposure to much of the good parts of the Minnesota
and the state, and and we're getting that around the world.
TSN just watching the game now with Latvia and UH Denmark,
they're covering all all day long. In Canada, we got
the NHL network all day long.

Speaker 6 (29:03):
Here we got the European.

Speaker 8 (29:07):
Broadcasters and media, so the coverage has been excellent. Tsm's
got I think he got two crews here and I
know I've just talked to well, we talked about Jeff
Merrick called me today, sposed to be here yesterday the
podcaster and we were going to do a podcast yesterday.
We'll probably do it later in the week, but they've

(29:28):
had some bad travel problems. Someone from Toronto. They've closed
the airport for a couple of days. But he's doing
tonight about seven thirty, so he'll finally get here and
that helps a little bit because we have been having
some people have a tough time getting here from the
Canadian cities because of the storms.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
Yeah, I was going to say, how fitting is it
that as we're welcoming the world to Minneapolis, we have
our first big snow Nambi event and in freezing rain
and blowing snow, and but it should feel like hockey weather,
right if this was I mean, I'm sure you would
take Hawaii weather you always would, or Palm Beach weather
you always would. But it's kind of kind of fitting
that if you want to make it to this thing,

(30:10):
you've you got to. It's like going out to the
pond when you were a kid. You gotta you gotta
buck up and get out there.

Speaker 8 (30:16):
Well, the best part about is they showed on television
and you know, nothing shows any more beautiful than snow
on the tree, that's right.

Speaker 6 (30:24):
And you can't see the ice in the road.

Speaker 8 (30:27):
You could keep snow on the road, So snow is pretty. Yeah,
in my mind, it's the best scene from Afar, but
that's right.

Speaker 6 (30:35):
I used to like to see it.

Speaker 8 (30:36):
Close and it is a gorgeous look for the Twin Cities,
so we like that part of it.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
I loved what Bob Motsko said before the tournament that
our job as coaches he's He's talked about the depth
of the US.

Speaker 1 (30:49):
Team and how many great players.

Speaker 3 (30:52):
You know, maybe even some of the best players weren't
on the team because they had a need for something
else or they had a different thought. And obvious there's
talent all over the United States. You're a part of that,
growing the game down in Florida like you have been
for twenty years. But he said, you know, the death
has never been better. We've got a super talented group.
Our job, and I'm paraphrasing, is to give them bumpers

(31:14):
and let the talent shine through the group play. Is
that what you've seen from the US side of things.

Speaker 6 (31:22):
Well, I'm a little nervous about the US play so far.

Speaker 8 (31:24):
And first of all, we lost two of our best
players and Cole Hudson got hit with that shot beyond
his neck and he's in concussion.

Speaker 6 (31:35):
Protocol.

Speaker 8 (31:36):
I think they might keep him out all the time.
I'm not certain about that. He might be out for
seven days. And plant covered last night too, so I
don't know how severe that is. And those are two
key players. And our goaltending it's been a little bit
a little bit soft, especially in the first and third games,

(31:57):
and I know we're going to need better goalten than that.
And our play last last night. We start off pretty
good the first five minutes. After that, we didn't play
very well in the first period. I was getting concerned,
but we bounced back really good in the second and
third period of the US played really well and should
have one deserved to win and did win.

Speaker 6 (32:17):
That's the best part about it. But I get concerned.

Speaker 8 (32:20):
Because, as I said, we're going to that one game
playoff here after tomorrow's game with Sweden, which is going
to be important for seeding. And that's that's something that
I That's why I'm watching these this lasting in Denmark
game because last year, last year, knock Canada out in
the crossover the quarterfinals the ether before checkno Canada out.

(32:44):
And it's looking to me like we may catch either.
I think it could be either Lastier or Finland and
those they're all tough games, but those those games all
concerned me. We got to get to the quarterfinal day.

Speaker 6 (33:00):
Already.

Speaker 8 (33:00):
It's really important to get that or Sunday to get
that game because they give you a chance to get
a medal.

Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
I wanted to ask you because obviously tomorrow is for
Group A USA and Sweden, and I wondered if if
that is as important as people say it is, or
maybe as someone like me would assume. And you're saying, yeah,
the go get the group, go get the top seed.
I think Bob said, yeah, the seed's important, but I
just want us to be playing well. Does it matter?

(33:29):
Is it big time for you? Like, obviously it's an
important game tomorrow, Yes, it is.

Speaker 8 (33:36):
The First thing I wanted to stay away the US
to stay away from was any matchup with Canada in
the quarterfinals. I didn't want to see that for sure,
which I don't I don't think it have to be
a couple of big upsets they have to play them,
but I was I was hoping for Latio and I

(33:59):
think the chance of in the US, but we got
to play good against Sweden.

Speaker 6 (34:03):
That's the key. Yep, that Swedish game in Swedes.

Speaker 8 (34:07):
Right now, I say, are the dark hurts to win
it behind Canada and US, So we'll see.

Speaker 6 (34:15):
What happens, all right.

Speaker 3 (34:16):
I want to talk about a couple of individual players
in this tournament. He already mentioned one of them, Cole Hudson,
for the casual, and I would put myself, even though
as you know, I'm a hockey dad. Proud might four
dad and my son will be going to at least
one of these games with me here in the next
few days. Bob called him their best player straight up,
which I think is a pretty big compliment.

Speaker 1 (34:33):
So who are they missing right now in Cole Hudson.

Speaker 8 (34:38):
Well, just look at Quinn Hughes and he's the same size.
He's not quite us, but he's I'm already a top defenseman.
He was the leading scorer I think, on the team
last year in the championship games in Ottawa, and he
was a dominant player there along I and Billiam played

(34:58):
together near a sensational He's back this year. And the
odd part of it odd to tell you because I've
been watching this kid and he's really a good occupier
and I rarely ever see him make a couple of
mistakes in a row and the shift that he got hurt.
I was just saying to my wife, is that's the

(35:18):
most mistakes I've ever seen that kid make. And it
was he had three times that he had an opportunity
to get the puck out and clean me and did
the or he got it out and they took it
right back in instead of what his usual play is like,
he was getting the puck out of his own He's
so good at that and not getting it out that

(35:40):
last time is when they took the shots from the
blue line and he turned around to watch a guy
in front of that and he got it right in
the neck and that's when.

Speaker 6 (35:48):
He got hurt.

Speaker 8 (35:49):
But he is he's a real, real, tremendous talent and
the backbone of the defense for moving the pucket and
setting up place. They got another excellent defenseman there. I
think it's going to be real high draft pick. The
names Chaz Reid number twenty five. He's big, he moves

(36:10):
a puck well. He's going to have to improve just
a little bit defensively and he will because he's so
young right now. He plays in sus Marie with the
junior grounds. But he's a real good one, But when
you're missing the guy that you're a puck mover and
also point producers, that's huge shit. And plant is you know,

(36:34):
he's just a terrific player and he was having a
good tournament and I hope he's not hurt bad enough
that he can't play tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (36:44):
I have to ask you about Will Zellers because that's
a name that jumps out if you're from Minnesota. And
I remember Kurt Zeller's years and years ago sending out
a tweet about going to watch Maple Grove in the
state hockey tournament.

Speaker 1 (36:56):
I thought, Oh, that's cool.

Speaker 3 (36:57):
You know, he's checking out his constituents, he's hanging out,
he's you know, being one with the people. And I
didn't realize his kid was a wagon until like two
years ago. It's a small world. Luis pretty cool that
Will Zellers is on this team and obviously a really
good player.

Speaker 1 (37:12):
What do we need to know about him?

Speaker 8 (37:15):
Well, we need to know that this kid's really been
a force offensively for him. He's been terrific.

Speaker 6 (37:21):
Scoring goals and even the one that he got.

Speaker 8 (37:24):
Last night, he went to the net like you should
go to the net a pass game and actually carried
it off his skate.

Speaker 6 (37:31):
It was on a stick.

Speaker 8 (37:32):
He would have just tapped it in because he had
the whole wide open net. But he's been a real
force for them offensively, and then he's been extremely productive,
much more so than I think they thought he would be,
because you weren't sure at the end of he was
getting on a team or not. But he's been really good.

(37:55):
He's been good in college just here, and he's been
real good for this team, and he's been an offensive
leader for him.

Speaker 3 (38:02):
We're talking about Lunani making his weekly appearance on Bumper
to Bumper. He's brought to you by Kemp's on the
Connecticut Water Systems Hotline. We're going to talk wild here
in a minute as well. But they had dominant performance
over Vegas yesterday. They've got San Jose to mar I've
got some wild questions for Luigi. But a couple more
about the World Juniors. Give us the state of Canada's
game throughout the tournament. As someone who's there looking to

(38:23):
get back on the metal stand, and obviously this means
a lot to him up there, as you know very well.
I know McKenna had a hat trick the other day.
They had nine goals, and I want to know more
about him in particular in a second. But you mentioned
you want to avoid them in the quarterfinals at all costs.
They're going for Group B tomorrow night, while the US
goes for Group A. What's the state of their game
and play right now?

Speaker 8 (38:45):
Well, in the first game, and I want to tell
you that that that game with Checks, the check that
they had it was Canada and Check. I keep saying
check of Levakia. You know the countrys were split. We
got both Checks and Slovak now, but checking Canada proves
the game that he would want to see night in

(39:06):
and night out. It was tremendous. There were nine minutes
stretches of no whistles, just puck moving. Transition was phenomenal.
I actually think that the Checks could have won that
game just as easily as they lost it.

Speaker 6 (39:23):
He lost the six four with an opening goal, but.

Speaker 8 (39:27):
They they they essentially a shot Canada, and I think
they had the little marginal play too. But Canada has
got a couple of real good players won this. Brady Martin,
he was drafted number five last year, I think he was,
and he was tremendous in that first game and Martne
and the captain he's also good, and they talked, you know,

(39:52):
McKenna could be the first pick overall. Yep, but McKenna
that game wasn't nearly as good as go to org again,
as Son had a tremendous game there.

Speaker 6 (40:03):
So they they've got they've got an excellent team.

Speaker 8 (40:07):
But they almost lost that game. They had to go
overtime to beat last via to knock them out last year,
so they're not winning like they should be winning.

Speaker 6 (40:16):
But they are winning. That's a difference.

Speaker 8 (40:20):
But it cost him a point now and and uh
in that h standing when when they had to win
an overtime rather than if you wouldn't regulation get three
points and two if you win an overtime and one
if you lose in overtime. So uh, that was a
big point for him, but I don't think it's going

(40:40):
to hurt him. But they they do have good depth,
good size, good speed, and they moved the puck really well.

Speaker 1 (40:50):
So let's transition to the wild.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
In our remaining minutes, I mentioned they win again yesterday,
they play again tomorrow. I went to the Washington game
Luigs with my nine year old and I actually I
told him I was excited he was going to get
to see Ovechkin play, because you know how many more
opportunities are we going to get to have that. Oh,
Vechkin's a little older. I think we'll all agree he
might not be the ov. You know that we remember
from fifteen years ago. So my nine year old doesn't

(41:14):
believe me that he scored more goals than anybody because
he wasn't much of a factor that night. He's like,
are you sure, Dad, that's the guy. I'm like, yah,
it's the guy. He's just forty. Like just trust me,
all right, he's forty. But the Quinn Hughes thing, now
that we've had two weeks to kind of watch it,
I said it the next day. I used to just
watch Caprice off when I would be at the games
because it's just for me so much fun to just

(41:35):
watch him. I've moved on to Hughes because it's the
same phenomenon and it's the newer version of it. And
even the other day when I got home from Phoenix
on Saturday night, you watch that overtime goal and it's
Caprice off to Hughes to Boldie. That's pretty damn exciting.
And it's just been It's such a refreshing thing to

(41:57):
feel that about this team, that it really feels like
they have a chance to make this thing pretty interesting.

Speaker 1 (42:02):
What have your early Hughes impressions been.

Speaker 8 (42:05):
Well, he's been everything that they advertised why they wanted them.
When you watch him play, as he said, it's effortless,
it's smooth, and it's just the right play. He just
knows how to always make the right play coming out
of his zone. Look how much easier the while they're
getting out of their zone. How he released pressure when

(42:29):
he has the puck ninety five times out of one hundred,
he's going to make the right play and the puck
is going to be out of the zone. He just
he is just so good at puck movement, He's so
good at escape. The way he can just get out
of trouble. They said he could stick handle in the
phone boots that I'm serious.

Speaker 6 (42:48):
It's just amazing.

Speaker 1 (42:49):
Yep.

Speaker 8 (42:50):
The kind of agility has unescates and and the fact
that he knows when to move up with the play
went to hold back, and as you said, overtime, I
started laughing about it. With that goal, I just was
so perfect, so such a beautiful play. And you got
the three stars and the team making it so effortlessly.

(43:11):
The fans are very very lucky to have that treesome
to watch, and I'm really confident they're going to sign
sign youth.

Speaker 6 (43:21):
And so when you look ahead to what.

Speaker 8 (43:23):
You got to watch with the Wild for years with
that threesome, it's just spectacular. And then you got all
the other good players with him. I mean, we get
start naming the other ones there. You know they favor
and Eric Sinek et cetera. And the goals that he's
been excellent. The defense now.

Speaker 6 (43:40):
With that move, now you've got three really three.

Speaker 8 (43:43):
Good sets of defenseman to play and they all have
different strengths. And you know the ability of brought in
to skate and defend, and you got physicalness back there
with Middleton Bgos and it's just that. And you still
got Spurgeon and all smart and while he played, he
got Lil Golds, he got last name with just fantastic.

(44:05):
I didn't like to stay up that late, but I
had to watch it.

Speaker 6 (44:08):
It was worthwhile.

Speaker 3 (44:09):
Well, I go back to you know, when you and
I would be watching the games at what was then
the X in the KFA and booth and the while
to get a power play right, and you just watch them,
you know, kind of muck around and have trouble getting
it into the zone and they're they're tripped up at
the blue line and then the puck gets thrown all
the way down there and it's like, all right, what
are they going to do here?

Speaker 1 (44:26):
The first power play against Washington, he was just takes it.

Speaker 3 (44:30):
It's like having a penetrating point guard in basketball that
just controls everything.

Speaker 1 (44:34):
He takes it, Louis. They had the puck for ninety seconds.

Speaker 3 (44:36):
The first line power play was out in the first
power play for ninety seconds before they had to change
because they just had to puck that long.

Speaker 1 (44:43):
That's something that we just have not seen here forever.

Speaker 3 (44:45):
And that's what in that And he just got here
like thirty six hours before that, and he was already
making that big of an impact.

Speaker 8 (44:52):
Well, you have to realize that when you look at it,
there's only two guys essentially in the league that control
of puck that defense is mccarr and it's the youth.
That's why it was even fun to watch him play
against Colorado, and that night Colorado has it better of it.
But those two defensemen when they get the puck and

(45:13):
start moving with it or move the puck, and it's
fun to watch because it's done quickly, it's done properly,
and it's just the transition for both of those teams
just gets that much better when they got ahold that
puck and he he maccarr, both of them. They do
it all the time. That's why the fans are so

(45:35):
lucky to be able to watch that.

Speaker 6 (45:38):
The guy is.

Speaker 8 (45:41):
You would say he's just a genius if you if
he was a teacher, they're a genius. They have genius
in their ability to.

Speaker 6 (45:49):
Move that puck and make the right place.

Speaker 3 (45:53):
Let's wrap it up with a text from Ed and
Saint Paul. Please ask Lou about the USA Hockey Olympic
team that's due to be revealed on Friday, if he
has any insider expects a surprise or two with the
Olympics right around the corner.

Speaker 1 (46:04):
What do we need to know?

Speaker 8 (46:05):
Well, I don't have any insight, but I do expect
some surprises. And I say that because I'm not I'm
not certain about some of the physical conditions. Some of
the guys think they got some guys injured, and I
don't know what the situation is with they're injuries. They
never talk about injuries. Yeah, we'll let you know what's

(46:26):
going on. But like I think, there there's gotta there's
got to be a change, at least one change I
think on defense from what they had and one change
it forward. At least they could have two changes forward.

Speaker 6 (46:39):
So we'll see what happens.

Speaker 8 (46:40):
I also think canadall have two changes. I think Candell
had Celebrini and Wilson, which they didn't have before. And
and uh, I don't know how you could ever leave
off that Wilson off the Canadian came when he's produced
like he has, and he's also so big and physical
and and.

Speaker 6 (46:58):
You need you need to in the game.

Speaker 8 (47:00):
So it's going to be interesting. But you still they
can name the team, but you've still got a lot
of games till they get to play. And sure, the
way guys are going down right now, there's going to
be there could be, and I wouldn't be surprised that
there will be some critical injuries to these teams.

Speaker 3 (47:18):
Will the Arena in Italy be done? Have you made
progress on that in the last couple of weeks, Well,
it'll be done.

Speaker 8 (47:24):
They're not going to not get it unless they got
to wait work twenty four hours a day.

Speaker 6 (47:29):
Yeah, they're not gonna They're not going to make.

Speaker 8 (47:31):
A big think about the three and a half inch
three and a half feet shorter. But they got to
get all the construction part done so it doesn't affect
the players. Hey, you know, when you get down to it,
if you have to play just the players without the crowd,
you do it because you've still got the TV revenue
and that and that's you know, it's a big centerpiece

(47:55):
of the Olympics. Is hockey is a big part of it,
as scheme is. Well, so I'm I'm sure they'll be
playing and there might be some some stuff in the
building that they're not happy with, but the games would
go on.

Speaker 6 (48:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (48:09):
I feel like we do this every two or four
years with the Olympics. Right that some venue was in
danger of not being ready, or the river in France
isn't going to be up to code. Remember we talked
about that last year that there was too much sewage
even though they like drained the whole thing. And then
it seemed like I remember Lebron and Steph and Anthony
Edwards and Simone Biles all on those boats in Paris.
I feel like they went everything went off without a

(48:30):
hitch there, so that was good.

Speaker 8 (48:32):
So you know, I was in Greece one year before
the Summer Olympics and it was a month before and
I was sure that they weren't going to be able
to participate, and they did so somehow, some way, they
all was get it done.

Speaker 1 (48:45):
All right.

Speaker 3 (48:46):
So the finals, the championship game for the World Juniors,
I think is next Monday, right, It's on the fifth,
if I remember correctly. So I assume Tuesday, January sixth.
It's a six am msp to p or how how quick?
How quickly are you moving?

Speaker 8 (49:05):
You're wrong?

Speaker 6 (49:05):
I'm going on the championship dam I'm going.

Speaker 1 (49:09):
You're gonna drop the puck like you did for the
outdoor game. You say, hi, I don't right.

Speaker 6 (49:13):
I asked them, do I have any duties on the
last day and they said no.

Speaker 8 (49:16):
I said, I'm out of here, okay, Canada fifty I'll
be able to watch some TV.

Speaker 6 (49:23):
I'll be there.

Speaker 8 (49:24):
I'll be there by ten thirty of Minneapolis time, and
so I'll watch the TV.

Speaker 3 (49:30):
Oh man, see, I thought you'd at least go through.
But yeah, I don't have any they're not. I'm going
to talk to somebody there and I'm going to talk
to Wendy and say Louis needs to do some at
the title game.

Speaker 1 (49:39):
Let's have him drop the pike, especially for the USA Canada.
I mean, those are your two kinds.

Speaker 6 (49:43):
Dropped it in the first game. I don't have to
drop it anymore.

Speaker 3 (49:45):
Now we're gonna get a petition. We're going to make
you stay just to bother you. Great stuff, great to
hear your voice. I will hopefully maybe see you tomorrow.
I'm gonna hopefully make it on Friday as well, So
I'm looking forward to.

Speaker 1 (49:54):
Getting down there.

Speaker 3 (49:55):
The videos that I've seen and just watching the games
and listening to the games here and the fan It's exciting.

Speaker 1 (50:00):
It's cool that it's here.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
I know you're excited for it as well, even if
you are leaving on Championship Monday.

Speaker 1 (50:04):
And hope to see you down there, Luis.

Speaker 6 (50:06):
Thanks again, gay buddy, look forward to it. Thanks.

Speaker 3 (50:09):
That is loun Nanni on the Connecticut Water Systems Hotline,
brought to you as always by Kemp's final half hour
Bumper Bumper. On this Monday, we'll get back to some
of the Vikings discussion, the Floors discussion. Maybe a Wolves
thing er two definitely a wild thing or two. A
lot more to get to in our final twenty five minutes,

(50:30):
We're going out with a.

Speaker 1 (50:30):
Bang Friday with a Border Battle feast.

Speaker 4 (50:33):
Join us buffal Wild Wings, Egans, Paul Allen, Nordo, Alec
Lewis aged Jet for a season finale against Green Bay
that Cinnecon will be there as well. Enjoyed, great food,
lots of football talkers. Your shot of prizes doors open
at eight am. Full details KFA dot com, key recolendar.

Speaker 1 (51:03):
So I'm in Minnesotan Brett Blake Moore. I try not
to take on all of our worst traits.

Speaker 3 (51:12):
I try not to be super defensive, although I'm reminded
almost daily about how much I'm annoyed by the fact
that Indianapolis continues to call themselves the greatest host city
of all time and everything is better in Indy, and
the national media just laps it up because they like
to go to Saint Almos and have shrimp cocktail, which
is fine, it's good. But Costco has shrimp cocktail too,

(51:32):
and it's also fine and good, and it's a lot
less expensive. And you can get a lot more of it.
And we've all had it. If you've been to Indy
and you're a media member, you've been to sant Almos
and it's a great steakhouse. But we've got Murray's and
we've got Manny's, and we've got Jacks, and we've got
Pittsburgh Blue like everybody else does Capitol Grill. It's not
that big of a deal. But I have to say
I got a little annoyed earlier in the week, and

(51:56):
it's World Junior Hockey related where I'm watching a game
right now between Latvia and Denmark. Looks like Latvia is
going to prevail four point one seconds to go. Spoiler
alert for those DVR in it.

Speaker 1 (52:09):
Oh, you just ruined somebody's nights.

Speaker 3 (52:11):
Yeah, I know, apologies to the Latvians and the Danish,
but it's five to three. Looks like Latvia acutics dominated too.
Oh they just put in the empty net or you're
about a second ahead of me there.

Speaker 1 (52:21):
But there was all this.

Speaker 3 (52:24):
There's like a rivalry between the US and Canada, right
there is for obvious reasons, because we're bordering countries. Apparently
there's a lot of things going on between US politically
right now, I'm trying to stay out of all of that.

Speaker 1 (52:36):
I'm not really that interested in any of it. Maybe
I should be.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
I know that no one from Canada's coming to these games,
which I think is hurting attendance at three am arena
at Mariucci. I'm sure some people are checking out the
Canadian team because they've got a lot of good players
right that we're definitely going to see in the NHL.
It's the pre eminent hockey country in the world, and
the US is obviously they made some inroads there. But

(53:03):
it was starting to bother me last week. And you
might remember when the Big Ten Tournament was here for basketball,
there was somebody from Indiana that basically tweeted out a
picture on quarterfinal Thursday like this would never happen in
Indy for the eleven o'clock game, by the way, which
I've been to, Oh good for me in Indy, in
Chicago at multiple Big Ten Tournament sites in the twenty

(53:25):
years that I've done this job, twenty plus, and it
just set me off because Indiana thinks they invented basketball. Now,
what's funny is they're a football school. And even though
we stayed at the Graduate Hotel in Indy and all
the room keys were characters from Hoosiers. I got Norman
Dale like ID cards because it's the Graduate Hotel. They're

(53:45):
a football school now and they're really not even that
concerned with basketball, but.

Speaker 1 (53:48):
They think they invented it.

Speaker 3 (53:49):
They think every Big ten tournament should be there, they
think every Final four should be there. And it's pretty
obvious to me to Canada thinks every World junior event
should be there and that no one else should ever
get it, and that how come the state of hockey
can't support it. And they were talking about some of
the ticket sales when the ticket sales were tepping for
some of the some of the rounds. Now, I'm not

(54:12):
here to say that everything that's been done and said
and pitched and made available to everybody has been the
most perfectly smooth thing of all time. But it just
rankled me. It made me annoyed me because the comments are, well,
this would never happen in Canada. Look at all the

(54:32):
open seats for the US game. Look at all the
open seats for the Canada game. I thought this was
the state of hockey, not the state of hockey. And
I got ripped for this. I got into the Canadian algorithm.
Oh but I just used myself as an example. And
I know I don't speak for everybody, but I think
I speak for a lot of people because even though
I'm the only person for me Dinah that doesn't know
how to skate, I am in the hockey community now

(54:57):
as a hashtag hockey dad, and I'm learning as I go.

Speaker 1 (55:00):
I don't know everything, but I talk to people, I
read things. I try to ask questions.

Speaker 3 (55:04):
When we have, you know, safety meetings and parent parties,
I'm usually hanging around with them listening.

Speaker 1 (55:09):
I'm trying to observe what's going on. I don't know
this world. I'm trying to.

Speaker 3 (55:13):
Assimilate as best as I can. I don't speak to
hockey language. You know this, But for a hockey parent
who my son is the p one audience for this event,
like he should be going to this, he will be
going to this at some point. Part of the problem
and you have this pre eminent world junior event in

(55:35):
the state of hockey. A lot of the people that
want to go have hockey. We couldn't go to the
first handful of games we had hockey. Most of the
people I know their kids are on like seventy two teams.
It's December twenty eighth, twenty ninth, thirty thirty. First you
think we take a holiday break, No, we don't. Those

(55:56):
banners don't hang themselves. It's time to practice. We've got
extra ice. Who do USA play? Last game Slovakia? We
can't go to USA Slovakia. We got to have a
scrimmage against Team forty three.

Speaker 1 (56:11):
We have hockey.

Speaker 3 (56:12):
So I tweeted that out, just pretty benigns, like, Hey,
a lot of us like have stuff. I want to
go and the first opportunity I have to go is tomorrow.
And guess what I'll be there, probably bringing my wife.
Don't tell my nine year old, but we'll be there.
And I got absolutely crushed in the comments because and
people are right. Do you think the Canada doesn't have

(56:33):
that problem? Like you did not think that they don't
have hockey while this tournament's going on? Yes, I know,
but it just feels different because it is like the
national pastime up there.

Speaker 1 (56:42):
It's not it's the state's pastime.

Speaker 6 (56:44):
Here.

Speaker 3 (56:45):
We took our knocks in the penalty box. Our mother
was a referee. There's a blue line around our state,
I get all of it. I'm in all of it now.
But because I got that a lot, so I just
simply tweeted out, look, I'm just telling you my reality.
I would have loved to about an all session pass
been at every game with my son. However, he's busy.
He has a schedule and we have hockey and we'll

(57:07):
be there when we can. Well, not to mention it's
some of it's noon on a workday.

Speaker 4 (57:12):
There's that too, Like there's that too, so surreal, and
this isn't the first time that a sensation like this
has happened. I mean, y NHC isn't even doing there.
They used to come to what was the X now
Grand sed Arena every year. Guess what, they're not going anymore, right,
we have the Frozen Four as well. It was okay, Yeah,
So I think we support our own and I think

(57:33):
that's why the tournament does so well. Yes, I think
that's why the Wild do so well. And I think
Team USA has done really well as well.

Speaker 3 (57:39):
It seems like it's been awesome. You were there on
this game and I can't wait to get there. And
the other thing too, is you know, as the tournament
picks up steam like every you know, every big ten
tournament quarterfinal Thursday looks like Denmark and Latvia. Yeah, just
did right, yep. And even though this was and again

(57:59):
that was in the middle of a work day too, right,
Like I doubt people. I'm pretty sure our attendance is
going to be pretty consistent outside of Canada. Who's not
coming for a million different reasons, as we've already laid out,
Like that's where they're going to get hurt, right, Like
Marucci should be packed for the Canadian games. I don't
know if it is. Historically it would have been, right,
And it's just not because they don't want to come.

(58:20):
I get why they don't want to come, but that's
a tough break. It's not because people don't support hockey here.
I just got so defensive and I did get crushed,
and part of it I think I deserved because they
obviously have hockey in Canada too, their kids are playing
it in Canada too.

Speaker 4 (58:36):
Why are they coming down? Are they not committed to
their team? I don't want to drive.

Speaker 3 (58:41):
I think it's more complicated than that. And I but
that doesn't make a good bit though. Yeah, I know,
but I don't want to make a bit out of
geopolitical problems.

Speaker 1 (58:48):
Oh I wasn't going out. That's smart enough to do it. Yeah,
I'm also reminded. Thanks.

Speaker 3 (58:54):
Indeed, like Minneapolis has so many great steakhouses, Mancini's in
Saint Paul right up there with St.

Speaker 1 (59:01):
Almos.

Speaker 3 (59:01):
In fact, i'd say better ambiance, vibe, way better Mancini's
in St. Paul than Saint Almos or Harry and is He's.
And I know for a fact the bartenders are even
better because if you go get a drink at Mancini's
in St. Paul, it's a good chance our guy Tim
Cheat is the one slinging it for you, and you
can't get that in Indianapolis.

Speaker 1 (59:21):
Final segment of Bumper to Bumper tonight. After that.

Speaker 3 (59:55):
It's the Bumper to Bumper Show Wrap American Pressure commercial
grade Rusher Washers since nineteen seventy five, they bring you
the show rap.

Speaker 1 (01:00:04):
Final segment of the show tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:00:07):
Tomorrow we have wild Hockey in the afternoon against San
Jose and that goes right into USA World Juniors against Sweden.
For all the Group A Marbles it is Halvey. I
believe Mark Parrish is on there as well. I heard
Halvey with Kevin Faunas a little bit earlier in the show.
Heck of a Hockey game, the second of two great

(01:00:29):
games here at the Xcellus.

Speaker 1 (01:00:31):
Fuck.

Speaker 3 (01:00:31):
He's doing a great job on the call. It is
fun when Halvey gets the random bounts of energy. It's
amazing what the young man can do. Don't let the
kfan dot com slash watch YouTube streaming of the power
tray at morning show fool you.

Speaker 1 (01:00:42):
Helvey's got some jump hermantown. So when he gets a little.

Speaker 3 (01:00:45):
Jump and a little cold air Halvey in that grand
casino arena, it's something to be hold.

Speaker 1 (01:00:49):
And he's doing a great job calling the games.

Speaker 3 (01:00:51):
Rykerlee, the Michigan State spartan, gets it over, gets it back, left.

Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
Hermantown power and it's six to four.

Speaker 3 (01:01:07):
Here's my other favorite moment from Halvey on the call
this year World Juniors. I don't know what what was?
It was Slovakia last game? It was who did we
played before Switzerland? I believe I think this is from
the Switzerland game.

Speaker 1 (01:01:19):
I go back to.

Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
This is really embarrassing to admit, Okay, I'm right, I
was it was the District too Youth Hockey. Uh playoffs
and uh, and I can't believe admitted to this on
the radio, But Anthony Lapanta was the public address announcer
for our game. We had too many men parasites volunteered
this sermon just so Anthony Lapanta would say my name.

Speaker 6 (01:01:44):
That's that's sad.

Speaker 1 (01:01:45):
Well, you had a future in broadcast. I was hermantown.

Speaker 3 (01:01:50):
He's one of one and he's on the call. But
this you were there. You've been at the games. Uh,
one game or two games?

Speaker 1 (01:01:59):
This is that was my first game. Are you going
to make it back? I hope so? You intend? It
is awesome, right, it's so good.

Speaker 4 (01:02:05):
Yeah, I'm trying to weasel my way if they do
play Canada. If and when they do, that's a game
I want to go to.

Speaker 3 (01:02:11):
Well, apparently Louie's not using his tickets. Yeah, maybe I
should have asked Louis, can can break get your tickets
because he's that's so classic, Louis. I'm going to help
you in tournament. I'm gonna do everything I can do.
I have any duties on the championship game, I don't. Okay,
I'm going to I'm going to West Palm. Thanks, good night,
and good luck, I'll watch the game on my sling

(01:02:32):
box staring out at the ocean. That's just so classic
that cracks me up. Couldn't go one more day? Could
go one more night? Has to get down there.

Speaker 1 (01:02:40):
You've seen the roads I have, can't blame them, And
now we're gonna be driving home in the dark.

Speaker 3 (01:02:45):
Hopefully something has changed since I first got here about
six hours ago, but the roads have been dicey, be careful.

Speaker 7 (01:02:51):
Everybody it rained before guards he It's impossible to get
rid of it, I know, but get your tickets for
tomorrow's game and then Friday's games at five o'clock, which
is very exciting.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
Well, the quarterfinals won and done, and it should be cool.
It should be very fun and hopefully people are able
to make it. Hopefully people are able to make it
to Grand Casino Arena to watch the Americans. What else
did I want to talk about?

Speaker 6 (01:03:10):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (01:03:10):
I wanted to thank Kevin Seaffert for joining in studio,
for braving the elements and coming in studio for an
hour of Viking Stocks. Spoiler alert If you missed it,
you might hear it on the Best of Bumper to
Bumper on New Year's Day because it was a nice
clean hour of Vikings Packer discussion, Brian Flores discussion, JJ
McCarthy discussion.

Speaker 1 (01:03:31):
It was good stuff with Seaffert.

Speaker 3 (01:03:33):
So if you missed it podcasted or just listen to
New Year's Day because I have a hunch you're going
to hear that. Coming up next, we've got Vikings Country
with Muss and then tomorrow, as I mentioned, there is
a Wild Hockey game in the afternoon and then a
little bit later the World Junior Game with Halvey Hermantown, Hermantown,
Mark Parrish and Sweden from Grand Casino Arena. Thanks for

(01:03:54):
pulling the triple shift, double shift whatever it was today, Brett.
Thanks everybody for listening all it'll be podcasted. Vikings Country
is next. Have an elite Tuesday evening