December 22, 2025 • 48 mins
Top 5 plus Dan reads texts from listeners reacting to the good and the bad from the Vikings win vs the Giants.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Just in case you missed it, it's the Top five
sports stagers of the day. Now it's time for Dan
Barrero's Top five at five, brought to you by Gutter
Helmet of Minnesota, never clean your gutters again. Learn more
at gutter Helmet mn dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All right, as I mentioned, Guardzi is in Arizona tracking
the Golden Gophers. I can't remember the name of the
ball they're in, but they are in one of those
meaningless bulls, and so I don't even know if he's
on the rest of the week or not. I'm out
after today, but our good friend Sam is here to
(00:37):
give us a little late to Top five at five
because liber obviously always goes to about five point fifteen
what we used to call back in the day, the
five twenty sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Where would you like to begin.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Well, the Gophers are playing in the Rate Bowl for
you Guaranteed Rate Bowl against the New Mexico Lobos.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I think I kind of knew that, but I'm glad
you refreshed my memory. I'm not sure I did, that's
for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Let's start with the Timberwolves, who had a pretty busy weekend.
On Friday night, they took down the defending champs they
Oklahoma City Thunder one twelve to one oh seven, with
an eight to er run to end the game, and
was unbelievable at the end of that game, by.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The way, yes he was.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Then last night the Wolves beat the Giannis less Milwaukee
Bucks one o three to one hundred. The Wolves get
a day off today before hosting the defending NBA Cup champions,
the New York Knicks tomorrow night at the Target Center.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
The Return of a Cat.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Obviously, the Knicks are playing very well, although I think
they've had a relatively generous schedule, kind of like the Wolves.
And again, the Friday night game, which we talked a
little bit about on sermons.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Was impressive.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Needed we had all taught it certainly discussed the fact
that the Wolves had not The record was solid, but
it just had not feel like we had many of
those weighty victories that feel like there are more than
one victory in the regular season. And it turned out
to be a fit game. After Finchy lost his mind,
(02:03):
did the officiating change because of him?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I guess it's possible. If anybody listens to this show knows.
I kind of weary over officiating obsession. And we didn't
get to this part of it with Johnny, but in
his story he laid out very nicely that the numbers,
the actual facts don't even fit the conspiracy theory that
(02:27):
many Wolves fans feel about Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
That not only in that game.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
If you want to say, well that game is the
free throw disparity in the favor of the Wolves was
because Finchy lost his mind. Okay, you want to believe that,
go ahead, But the fact of the matter is, if you
look up the numbers, the Wolves on an average basis
get to the free throw line far more often than
Oklahoma City, despite the free throw merchant that they have
(02:53):
the SGA.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So I weary of it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I liked that it was a competitive game, and and
you know, to your point down the stretch Edwards was terrific.
And you know, two of the plays obviously were made
on the other end of the court. The shot he
made is a shot he can make. It's clutch when
you make it. I don't love the shot, to be
honest with you. I'd prefer a better shot. But he
(03:19):
nailed it. And then he had a block and obviously
a steal and so a reminder that it is best.
What Edwards represents is a terrific two way player, and
he got that done. I mentioned yesterday though, it's funny
on how it works, like if we play a good
team the night after we've played somebody else and we
(03:40):
don't play particularly well, we're immediately told it's a schedule
loss anywhen, and it's not really the wolf's fault. But
when the roles are reversed and we seem to gain
from the other team being in that position, the subject
never even comes up.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
And I guess that's just how the way it works.
That's just human nature.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Chris Finch find thirty five thousand dollars, by the way
for that Jackson.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
By the way.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
On that there's I feel like there's almost an insurrection
taking place around the league. Several other coaches are losing
their minds lately about officiating. So I don't know if
it's just viral or if there's something fundamentally concerning about
officiating that a number of these number of coaches are mentioning.
(04:19):
I don't know, is it consistency, Is it first half
seems to be officiated different than the second, that the
rules seemed to.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Change Lakers guy. Just last night.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It was more on consistency about what can be challenged
and what can't be challenged. So I don't know what
they're going to do in the NBA league offices, but
right now the officials are a little bit under siege.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Moving from Minneapolis to Saint Paul, the Wild had their
seven game win streak snapped at the hands of the
first place Colorado Avalanche, losing five to one. It's their
first loss since December sixth. Ryan Hartman scored the only goal,
which came in the third period. Whilstead had thirty seven
saves gave up four, there was one empty net and
the Wild will look to bounce back tomorrow night as
they host the National Predators at Grank Sino Arena.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
It was disappointing, uh, you know, obviously because the build
up had been it was large. Okay, it's this is
a new and improved Wild and here you have the
ultimate challenge and you get it at home, and you're
feeling really good about your your your club, and you
can look at it two ways. You can look at
it as wow, well, yeah they've made a nice jump,
but they still have to make another jump to match
(05:26):
what the lanch represent and that might end up being
the case, because the Colorado Avalanche record at this point
is uh is borderline of serd On the other hand,
I'd say that you're not here sooner or later you're
going to lose. You probably don't. You probably want to
lose a little bit more competitively than they did. And
(05:49):
I think we were down. I think we cut it
till two. I think we were down three to zero.
Then it was three to one, and that was the
extent of it, and that we had actually good pressure.
I watched that section of the game down three to one,
we had scoring opportunities to cut the goal to one
or not unable to do it. They opened it up
more So I wouldn't if I'm a hockey fan, I
(06:09):
wouldn't lose my mind over that lost because, as I said,
we were all kind of kidding about it. They weren't
going to go the rest of the season undefeated. On
the other hand, it tells you that as good as
they've been, it almost feels like the.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Colorado Avalanche, at least right now.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
On another plateau, the sports world on Friday night was
not focused on Minneapolis. It was focused on Miami. Probably
the most talked about, most hyped or maybe overhyped event
in recent memory, took place in Miami, Florida, on Friday night,
as Jake Paul faced Anthony Joshua. Joshua knocked out Paul
in the sixth round, broke his jaw. The estimates are
(06:48):
just that estimates, but they're expecting that each fighter made
around ninety two million dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Did you watch any of that? Are you being serious?
Ninety two million?
Speaker 5 (06:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
I mean Paul's expected to take home a little bit
more because he owns the promotion, but the estimates are
saying that it was a split purse of one hundred
and eighty four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
I guess I shouldn't be surprised with all the money
that's out there.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I did not watch any of it, did you I did?
I was how about this?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Instead of channel surfing, I was app surfing between that's
what the Wolves game and Netflix watching the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
That's what you gotta do.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Now, Well, I've complained about the fact that if I'm
watching one thing on direct TV and another thing on
the app. The old days of going back and forth
between the two a lot more frustrating now because that
it's not just pushing one button and you gotta go back.
I'm hoping that will be resolved somewhere down the road.
But I didn't get to see.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Any of it, I'm afraid.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Yeah, I mean, you didn't miss a whole lot. The
end was worth the weight, but it shouldn't have gone
six rounds. I was being stubborn because I was watching
the Wolves game. That's where my interest was. But you know,
it's like you can't take your eyes off.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Oh it's yeah, it's it is just like watching train
wrecks from time to time, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Speaking of Miami, though, let's talk about some college football playoffs.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
The second round is set.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
The Miami Hurricanes are going to play the Ohio State Buckeyes.
We have Georgia versus Old Miss Oregon versus Texas, and
the Rose Bowl will be Alabama versus Indians.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
My Hoosiers. Yeah, I don't know what to think.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I was asking my buddy Bozic, who is the gonna
be the better opponent or the easier opponent for the Hoosiers,
Oklahoma or Alabama. They look dead. And I did watch
a decent amount of that game. They obviously look dead.
And buried was they down seventeen to nothing early and
then when the thing turned, it absolutely really really turned.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
So I don't know what to think.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I think there's probably despite the season Indiana has had,
there's still gonna be a little bit of it. Let's
prove it to us in the postseason. And now it
gets funky because you know, the SEC snobs are everywhere.
So if Alabama takes care of business against Indiana the
rose Ball, it's going to get ugly, I think for
the Big Ten and for the Hoosiers.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
So we'll see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Although I think I honestly believe Indiana has a pretty
good chance to go a distance, and their quarterback at
this level I love. At the next level, I think
he's going to be really good too. Mendoza yes.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
And then lastly, just looking around the NFL, we already
talked about the Bears. In the Packers game, the Bears
win in overtime, lines lose on an offensive pass interference
call to end the game. There was obviously the suspension
that came down. But elsewhere around the NFL, the Jaggs
did beat to the number one seed Broncos, although Denver
sill Is in that top spot. Pat's beat the ravens
(09:39):
lamar Jackson left with a back injury. Chargers eliminated the Cowboys.
The Panthers beat the Bucks, so they are first in
the NFC South. They played the Bucks one more time
the last week of the season, and then lastly the
Eagles did clinch by beating the Commanders on her.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yeah, I foolishly had Adam Field back with Carolina. Well,
obviously that's where he'd been before he joined the Vikings,
and now he is with Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Over the Pittsburgh story. Pretty good again.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They took care of business that controversial finish against Detroit,
although I think that both those really There were two
offensive pass interference calls that worked against Detroit on that
last drive, and I thought they were both legitimate calls.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
I thought they were both very good calls.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I thought Rogers looked better than I'd seen him in
a while getting the ball out. Jacksonville might be the
the best team that nobody really pays much attention to
or knows about, right despite the what their their record is,
their ascension and we spent a lot of time on
(10:41):
the Bears Packers. We did have a cold call earlier
with Carl Gerbschmidt that could be podcastable later. It was
one of those disarming Carl calls, where as soon as
he realized it was us, he started blubbering. He started
crying and going back into his childhood for some story
worries that I didn't quite understand. But I don't trust
(11:04):
him when he does that, because I think that's him
trying to elicit sympathy and it takes the all the
hatred away that a lot of Vikings fans have for
him the way even better. That's very true. That's fine, right,
that's fine, good job, excellent job. Let's stay on schedule.
We'll pause a lot of good Vikings talking points we
have yet to explore, and a number of texts will
continue in that vein here on a.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Monday, on a bumper to bumper here on the fan.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
We're getting a correction another uh that is targeted at me,
and I think he's a couple of these folks are correct.
I had when we had Gerby on, when we called
cold called Gerby earlier in the show and left him blubbering.
I noted that the last time I remember him crying
(12:06):
quite that uncontrollably was after the Packers lost to Michael
Vick in a home playoff game at Lambeau and a
couple of people said, not so fast, my friend. That
time he called and left a voicemail for I think
it would have been mister Fun. Back then was January
of two thousand and eight, when the Packers were upset
(12:28):
in minus twenty win show by Eli Manning and the Giants.
He called left the crying message for producer Gary, who
was mister Fun Vintage Gerby. That is from Tom Columbia Heights.
I think he's right, And a couple other people had
said the same thing, so I'll offer that to sort
of correct the record. Let me get to another Vikings
(12:51):
talking point. I call this one the.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Let's see number one two three the JJ throw of
the game.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
Let's listen JJ McCarthy out of the shotgun on third down.
Here's a Giants blitz. McCarthy's straight drop crust of the
end zone, cross to Addison and complete. He could not
bring it in. The pass looked to be a good pass.
Jordan twisted himself around a little bit and the ball
hit him on the three, but he couldn't bring it in.
So here comes will record.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Yeah, he had an opportunity to kind of bend that
back justin mccor JJ McCarthy, excuse me, how to throw
that football a little bit early, but put it in
a really nice spot. So I'm actually kind of surprised
that he did not come up with it, just a
beautifully thrown ball. Looked like I hit him rund the
bread basket there, Paul ball.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, I'm with both of them on that one. That's
the one where I can, I will easily, without any
I guess, question or hesitation, defend the QB The ball
was slightly behind the receiver, but it was almost necessary
to do it, and that one was in both of
(14:02):
his hands, in his I think basically in his bread basket,
and somehow in twisting he could not hold on to it.
That I put on the ninety five percent on the receiver,
especially when your factor in that JJ kind of had
to get rid of the ball, perhaps a little bit
earlier than he wanted to. That pass is not to
be confused with what I call the Max Brosmer pass
(14:25):
of the game.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Max Brosmer the vikings four of eight on third down,
looking at a third and seventeen, He'll throw left to Jefferson,
caught it the forty six. Yes, that's a cold blood
of connection, right Hash left sideline twenty two yards Brosmer
to Justin Jefferson and a first down.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
What an absolute beauty of a catch by Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Ball that was.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
That's as good as you'll see out of that young man.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Holy cow, he's right about that. But that's a big
time throw. I think that's better, better throw than any
we had from a JJ McCarthy yesterday's I'll be honest,
we've had a lot of fun with the Brozemer stuff.
That's the kind of throw where you go, huh, he
can make that throw?
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
On third and what was it? I think seventeen? Now,
great response. You got to have a big time receiver
who can come down with the ball, keep his feet
and bounds. But that's the kind of throw that not
everybody can make that. I think if you're a scout,
(15:37):
if you're a general manager, if you're coach, you're going
somewhere down the road, maybe we can play with that
a little bit. That was extremely well done, and I
believe that was on the game winning field goal drive
that kept it alive early. If I'm not mistaken the
drive that ultimately, I honestly believe for a while I
thought the Giants were going to be perfectly content if
(16:00):
the Vikings had run out the clock that the rest
it just ended the game. They I don't think they
had any desire to be back on offense none whatsoever.
They did have one drop, the only good pass play
they had.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I remember who the receiver was who dropped it.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
They had one drop as well, and it stood out
just because they had so few pass plays that even
looked like pass plays.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Yes, I think Jackson that only had thirteen attempts the
whole game.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, it was a very curious state of affairs. I
get it, he's got concussion stuff, but.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It's it really is.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
It's like, if if you're gonna tighten it up that much,
then you do ask yourself, why are you playing him?
I mean play I know you don't want to play
Russell Wilson, I guess anymore, But why are you playing
him if he's, if you believe him to be at
this point, that limited unless it is an attempt to
tank responsibly as well, which might have might have something
(16:54):
to do with it. We spent a lot of time
on sermons, probably too much time for Bears haters on
Bears packers, because as I said then, regardless of what
team was involved on either end of that, that's that
was the story of the weekend. That game, that comeback
National TV game was astonishing. It was stunning in its
(17:18):
scope and in its totality, and the Bears down sixteen
to six with like two minutes to go, end up
scoring the last sixteen points of the game and win
in ot twenty two to sixteen. Now, you were not
at the game, but you were in the Windy City.
Was that just coincidence or what? What brought you to
the Chicago?
Speaker 4 (17:36):
Yeah? I was down there for a little bit of
work stuff, a little bit of family stuff. But yeah,
So actually I was down at the Field Museum on
Saturday morning, early afternoon, so they were starting to kind
of set up Soldier Field because the Field Museum is
right next door to the field it is, and it
was just it was already chaotic right away in the morning.
(17:56):
I don't even want to talk about how much I
paid for parking when I got down there, but it
was it was definitely pandemonium. You could you could feel
that energy kind of like what it was here when
the Vikings played the Lions. I mean that was a
road game last year, but there was there was a
lot of a lot of energy in downtown Chicago, and so.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Well, you know, we've talked about this here. I mean,
this is in the in the time, in the forty
years I've been here, it's always been a Vikings town. Now,
obviously there are exceptions. If the Twins are making a
run for the World Series, that changes for that period
of time, but it's a Vikings town. The Vikings are
on a plateau all their own, even if they're not
(18:36):
doing particularly well. But but when the engine's running, then
that's all anybody wants to talk about. That's where all
the energy comes from from a sports standpoint, And it's
the same in Chicago times ten. Probably it's it's a
Bears town. The Cubs finally had their their moment. Obviously,
the Bulls when Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan turned it
(18:58):
into a Bulls or as close as you could get
to that. But the Bears are on another level, just
as in Chicago, just as the Vikings on another level.
Here Field Museum is not a bad spot. Yeah, it
was great, one of those places that you could spend
ten days and you're still not going to get to everything.
It's funny you say that because it was my first
time going there. Yeah, I was there for I think
(19:20):
six hours and we didn't even get to see everything.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It's crazy, isn't it. It's so it's so immersive and
just huge.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
It's remarkable, and I can still remember the first field
trip we took to it and it was like then,
you know, everything's much bigger. Everything feels bigger because you're smaller,
and it's just a marvel. I mean, it's just such
an incredible, incredible place, and there I think it's still open.
Further south, there's the Museum of Science and Industry, which
I haven't been to in quite a while, but the
(19:49):
Field Museum was always the one that it just it
just felt like there was there was a great sense
of history in that place, for sure. We were talking
earlier about the Giants approach to offense. We call this
Vikings talking point simply that the Giants bench Russell Wilson
for this guy.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Jackson takes the snap, he gets away from the pressure, but.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Then Jaalen Rudman sacks.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
Him at the fifteen yard line. Dart on fourth down, back.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
To pass, sack and Drew.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Kick gold and the Vikings have turned over the New
York Giants on downs, Shotgun throws a pass to the left,
intercepted up the fingertips of tight end Theo Johnson Byron
Movie Junior Dart on a very deep drop about to
be sacked, and he is sacked for a fourth time today.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Yeah, that's pretty much how it went.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
And I guess you could say that's why they didn't
want to ever have him throw all that much. I
think one of those was they early decided to ignore
the field goal. I'm assuming on the basis of what
do they have to lose? I mean, there really wasn't
anything at stake, and they were unable to convert.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
But I have.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Rarely seen a game in which one of the teams
seemed less interested in attacking offensively in any way, shape
or form. And again, I you know, I understand that
they they're worried about the QB's health, They're don't they
don't feel very good about their their their passing game. Uh,
but at some point you do sort of ask, well,
(21:29):
why why did you I don't know if it's ever
happened that an NFL team has forfeited a game, But
are you almost better off forfeiting the game?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Because that that's how it felt.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
It felt like, well, we're not we're not even you know,
we know we're not a very good team. But even
if you're not a very good team, you're at home,
and aren't you supposed to at least try to win
the game, unless again, you've been ordered to uh to
tank responsibly.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
By the way, the money I game. Look who's on
the screen right now, it's our guy cam buying them.
Former Bumper to Bumper regular is being interviewed pregame. You
know they have these little with it in a while
pregame interviews on ESPN on Monday Night Countdown.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
And that's what's going on right now, our guy cam
buying them.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Who has three three interceptions this season for the Colts.
I'm assuming Philip Rivers is starting again, right he is? Yeah,
so that's the angle tonight. I didn't get to see
much of his work last week. I think they lost
ended up losing a close game, but lost of the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, And I think and I think the Seahawks had
to score late to get the victory for them. So yeah,
I mean, I'm curious to see how he looked. I mean,
I think he was not great in the last game,
but he didn't look inapt. He didn't look like he
shouldn't be out there. So and the Colts are very desperate,
obviously for for a victory victory as well. I'm assuming
that's on the fan tonight right when football uh gotta
(22:53):
be I would think. So, I don't think we have
any have any wild and we have any Wolves, I
don't believe.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Yeah, let me double check, double checks, Yeah, double check.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
They're they're taking on for the record the brock Purty
and the San Francisco forty nine ers as well. The
worst game in NFL history may be played next weekend
Giants Raiders.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Is that a matchup? My god, that could be very
very bad.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Lots of discussion around the RODA corul on who gets
that Vikings win JJ or Max?
Speaker 3 (23:23):
What's say you?
Speaker 2 (23:29):
It's probably a distinction not worth spending all that much
time on. But he did lead them on the the
alt what was ultimately the game winning drive, I believe,
so that would be Max, including that beautiful out pattern. Well,
you got to have some zip on the ball on
third and seventeen. That was a that was a very pretty,
(23:50):
very very pretty play. Let me get to a couple
of other well, actually, you know, I'll say the rest
of the talking points. I think we have like two left,
and let me get to a couple more texts as well.
Oh yeah, because somebody had asked any interest in to
Night's Tilt and Indie. Yeah, because mainly because of the
quarterback thing. That's that is the main thing for me,
(24:11):
and you know, the forty nine ers backup is we've
talked about the vikings. I believe are should be obligated
to add a veteran quarterback to the competition before next season.
I think whatever plans they had of anointing JJ should
(24:34):
be out the window, not necessarily because of his in
you know, his sort of spotty second season been a
little better lately, but has been overall statistically still pretty bad.
Not because of that, but because of availability. I still
believe you can't. You're not doing your due diligence as
(24:55):
an organization. You're not really protecting the assets you do have.
If you are simply saying we're going to close our
eyes roll the dice and hope that JJ McCarthy not
only can continue to improve, but to stay on the field.
I don't think you can do it for second straight year.
The question again is who do you get, what's the price?
(25:17):
How much does that affect you contractually? All those things
are fair points, but I believe that you're letting your
own organization down if you do not add a veteran
quarterback who can who is given an honest opportunity. I
might add to win the job. I don't mean he
has to win. It doesn't mean he's going to win it.
But I think that's if nothing else, if we've learned
(25:41):
nothing else about McCarthy, even if you're a mcbowbo and
love them, what's undeniable and inescapable right now is he
has not been able to stay on the field.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
So you got to head your bet.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You have to give yourself any kind of insurance that
is more than just the average backup quarterback, but a
quarterback that you at least envision as being a starter
and being a guy that the quarterback whisperer can work with. Again,
and I know the whole bit of the whole point
of drafting McCarthy was to get out of that miras,
to get off of that hamster wheel where we're constantly
(26:16):
just trying to bring in veterans and patch it together
and keep it together. The whole idea was, here's our
franchise quarterback. We're going to be done with this problem
for the next ten years, the way they are able
to do a generation after generation, for example in Green Bay.
That makes sense, and that ultimately still might take place.
But if you, as I said, miss as many as
(26:37):
much time as he has missed over the course of
the first two seasons in the league, I.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Just don't know. I don't know how you can you
can stay with it? Now?
Speaker 2 (26:51):
He played half of the game yesterday, So he played
in or started in nine games.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
So far over two seasons.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So that's going to be if he didn't play again
this season, out of thirty four possible regular season games
he played, he would have played in nine of them.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I can even do that math.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I think that's twenty five that he will have missed,
and that's not a good percentage, that's not a workable percentage,
and that, to me is what opens the door to
thinking of this philosophically differently than they might have when
they thought, we don't really want any kind of competition.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We think this is the guy.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Maybe he'll play the rest of the season without missing
the rest of his career, without missing another game. That happens,
it can change, but it's not a good look right now.
Four different injuries over that period of time. That's just
simply not workable. Top of the hour, break a couple
more Vikings talking points to get to. We will be
going the distance till six thirty right here on a
(27:52):
ball met Monday afternoon and evening here in the field.
(28:13):
We will have Niners Colts on our flagship FM one
point through the fan after as usual a day after
Vikings games, Viking rewind final half hour of the Bumper
Bumper program for today bratch On Bryant KFN text line
is open at six for six eight six.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
We've been talking a lot about injuries.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I don't believe there's any evidence that JJ McCarthy was
injured on this play, but this was the play that
ended his afternoon and quite possibly ended his season for
the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
As Ben Leeber on the sideline mentioned only touched down
in the game, JJ McCarthy is fourth rushing touchdown and
he goes back to.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Packlick out, he's buried by Brian Burns.
Speaker 6 (29:08):
And it's picked up by a giant for a defensive touchdown.
Tyler Nuban, the former go fer, scores against the Minnesota
Vikings on a Brian Burns sack and it's thirteen nine
Vikings Brian Burns.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Holy cow, there it is. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
It is one of those weird ended halves things where
you go, what do we do? How aggressive do we
want to be? And Koc being Koc's usually going to
be pretty aggressive. But on the other hand, the feeling was, well,
we're in the early part of the JJ McCarthy awakening,
so let's not push our luck too much. So it
(29:49):
was kind of an in between her Leeber thought that
he was already losing control of the ball before he
got hit. He got hit hard, and originally I think
there was some feeling, well, did he get hurt or
jarred or even concust on that play because it was
a very hard hit. It turns out it was something
hand related. We still don't have specifics on it. No
(30:10):
update today on his availability, but you saw many of
you saw the sideline shot where he was being examined
by either a doctor or a trainer, and almost seemed
to lose his mind when any pressure was put on
somewhere on that hand, whether it's the wrist or a finger.
I think it might have been a finger. Whatever might
have been the old hit that earlier hit his finger
on the helmet and a follow through on a pass attempt,
(30:34):
but that falls under the classification of the kind of
play at the end of the half where you're kind
of in control of things that just can't happen. There
has to be either better recognition or a better ability
to hang on to the ball, whatever the case may be.
I mean that to me, that felt like the freest
seven points that a team one team could possibly give
(30:56):
the other. And by the way, that's the the better
team giving to the inferior team. Now, ultimately it didn't
matter because they are, after all, the giants, but it
was not a very helpful play. Then he has trots
out or who actually walks early to the to the
locker room, the visiting locker room, and at that point
(31:17):
you could pretty much tell there was a good chance
that it was going to be a Brozemer second half
for your favorite football team. Speaking of injuries, and we
did talk about this with Lieber. This one, in some
ways maybe is being underrated and has a great deal.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Of significance because it goes.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Back to really one of the you know, offseason designs
of this team was we're going to go out and
spend some money on some veteran players and we're going
to remake this offensive line pretty much on the fly,
and that included the signing of center Ryan Kelly, and.
Speaker 7 (31:54):
We got a Viking offensive alignment. Now it looks like
Ryan Kelly who's slow to get up, but I think
it was Drew Philps. He's going to draw this penalty
because it was thrown way before Aaron Jones. Hopefully the
Vikings will get another three fifteen yards on this. But yeah,
Ryan Kelly being down, it's not good.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
Yeah, he's had myriad concussions during his career, cost him
some games this year due to concussion related symptoms. You
got Tyler Williams, who runs the sports performance and training department,
talking to a side judge saying we need a little
more time. Aaron Jones and Drew Phillips still jawing at
(32:31):
each other from AFAR and Michael Jurgens is warming up
to fill in for Ryan Kelly, who still lay.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
On his back.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah, none of that is good, and it's difficult to
believe that Ryan Kelly's career is going to go beyond
this season and probably shut down we all would assume
for the rest of the year. But when you have
the concussion history he does, Ultimately it's the player's choice.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Think it's difficult for.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Me to believe that he is not going to choose
discretion at some point being the better.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Form of valor. And we did.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
You know, the one thing that was discussed at the
time that the that this team made those offseason moves
and got very aggressive with, in this case two members
of the Indianapolis Colts, was whether you're running the risk
of adding players who are, shall we say, not done
(33:32):
but towards the back end a decent amount of mileage. Now,
I don't know how much information we were made aware
of regarding his concussion history, but in general, I think
there was some concern about that part of it, and
I think we've seen now the extent of why there
may have been a bit of a gamble. Even as
(33:55):
ambitious as those moves were, We're getting some veteran offensive
linemen who know what the hell they're doing with some
beef to them and some size to them. But the
question was always going to be at what expense?
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Right at?
Speaker 2 (34:08):
At is the money going to be worth it? Are
you getting players that you're going to be able to
hold on to for a you know, an extended period
of time. That's also the question, and his case, it
is very difficult to see a scenario where you're going
to be able to continue to count on him at all,
And so then you're back to, well, do you have
to go some other direction?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Maybe what other direction would that be?
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I'm not sure, but it's hard to believe that it
would not be the end of the road for an
individual who's had as many concussions as he has had.
And it's too bad because he's obviously he's been a
good to a very good player. A couple of texts
here to wrap up this segment of the program. Injuries
to players as Viking squareterbacks last three seasons, Cousins, Mullins,
(34:55):
Haul Dobbs, Darnald, although he didn't miss any, Wentz McCarthy.
Maybe it's not a jmac problem but a Vikings O
line problem. Though it was solved this year, but they
haven't been available themselves.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
O L still a big problem.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Solve that and maybe jjc's upright for more than three
four games in a row. It's part of it. I
just don't think it's all of it. I think that's
too easy. I think we've had I think research indicated
that some of the sacks were on the quarterbacks themselves,
especially in the case of McCarthy holding onto the ball
too long. So I again, could the line be more consistent?
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Could it? Could it stay? Could be healthier? Yes?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Might you make better decisions in terms of players who
give you a better chance to have better health?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Yes? Some of that's bad luck as as well. Dan,
this is the.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Second time KFC has gotten a key player injured by
being cute for a halftime life season was running a
play right where the half against the Rams, and that
played Derris towards Aco just take a knee. Well, yeah,
I get that, But then a lot of times you
have people who say that now, but also the same
ones who say, well, you're not being aggressive enough. You
(36:13):
know that can play both ways. I'm not all that
offended by it. If you're Let's remember something at the
point where McCarthy, as far as we know, is still healthy.
You're still trying to use these games to get him
the reps in various situations and circumstances.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
In one of those would be all right.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
We were kind of wanting to play it halfway here
at the end of the half. That means we're going
to try to make a couple of plays and if
we can get something going, we're gonna keep going. If
we can't, then we probably will sit on the ball. Now,
the unknown is that this is where it's goofy to
me on communication. So if he didn't get hurt on
the sack the strip sack, then presumably he had something
(37:00):
going on with his hand previous to that. Isn't that
something that might then impact how aggressive the head coach is.
That's to me where there's there's more to this story
that I'd like to get told than I hope it
will be will be told. That is the one area
where information probably should dictate a more conservative approach. And hey,
(37:22):
we're they're not going to be able to score, so
we're just going to get the hell out of dodge
for the For the half, I got a quarterback whose
right hand is a little bit funky and a little
bit iffy on the basis of whatever had taken place sooner.
So that's what I'm hoping the Jackals will able to
garner more information on, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
I forget.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
This is a big Christmas week for your favorite football team.
They will take on the Lions on Thursday, Christmas Day.
I think that's the Is that the second game on?
I think I think it's the second game of the three?
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Correct? Is a three?
Speaker 6 (38:00):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (38:00):
Yeah, so that's the middle one.
Speaker 4 (38:01):
Did you see the halftime announcement?
Speaker 3 (38:04):
By the way, I did? I did. I can't wait,
it's it's I was. I asked this earlier. I mean
we bought. I mean, maybe we don't.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Even need to play the game, you know, because there's
not as much a stake for the Vikings and not
that much for the Lions. So maybe we just have
a concert, don't even worry about playing. You know, it's
a possibility, I'll you. Well, my my fantasy, what I've
what I've clamored for is I want a third quarter
with Snoop in the cafe and press box or the
(38:31):
kfan booth in the press box, working the game with.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Pa and versage that would be that would be outstanding,
wouldn't it. It'd be very good.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
All right, one last break and we'll come back. Wrap
things up, remind you what you might have missed and
what's coming up the rest.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Of the week. It's the bumper to bumper show. Wrap well.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I want to thank our outstanding array of guests today
that included John Athletic at four two and Ben Leeber
joined a four forty seven Vikings talking points a big
part of the conversation today as well. We were not
graced by a current member of the Vikings. Some weeks
(39:14):
we've been able to have a Vikings guest, even after
Adam Thielen decided that it was time for him to
go elsewhere. A short week this week, so no guest there.
I also want to thank Sam Byrd kind enough to
help us today with guards the already landing I think
in Arizona. Blake Moore, I'm assuming he's on vacation somewhere.
(39:36):
It's a holiday season, so I appreciate your help today
as well, sir.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
It was fun. Thank you, Dan.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Yeah, this is a pleasure. I'm pretty sure, by the way,
you and I are the only two people in this
whole building.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
That's about You're about right. I think that's very, very true.
Everything's kind of been shut down. Altho it feels even
sometimes like regular weeks, it can be a little bit
like a ghost town as well. A couple of people
had said, you know, you're talking about the availability issue
for McCarthy, why aren't you bringing this up with Joe Burrow,
a guy that we've talked about earlier, that if you
(40:06):
could get a hold of him, you'd have to at
least entertain the possibility he never plays either. Well, it's
there's a couple of differences here, like, for example, this
year he's missed a bunch. I think Burrow played in
six games this year and he's done I think, or
close to it. Last year he played in seventeen. The
(40:27):
year before that he played in ten. The two years
before that he played sixteen apiece, and that was in
the sixteen game seasons. If I'm not mistaken, So I
wouldn't go too much on just what's happened this season
on Joe Burrow. Also, the difference would be he's Joe Burrow,
(40:48):
and to that extent, you're gonna give him a little bit.
He's got a little bit more equity than JJ McCarthy
at this level, and so to that extent, you're gonna
maybe be more willing to pray and hope that that,
for example, this year was an anomaly because he's so
damned effective as a passer and he's so good. That's
(41:10):
part of the sticky wicket with McCarthy. It's, well, I
don't care how tough it is. He's so damned good
at what he does, or has already shown how good
he can be. We got to hang with it, man,
We got to hang with it. He hadn't been good
enough in this short amount of time we've had a
chance to see him. And what the better part of
(41:31):
nine games he's he's played. He played better the last several,
although again I thought this last game was just okay
compared to the previous two.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
But you got a factor in.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
You gotta look, you gotta have your your your your
purple colored lenses out of your eyeballs a little bit
and just say, well, given him the extra mile or
going the extra mile with him on the basis of
what we've seen. That's not as easy as maybe taking
the gamble, as it would pertain to a guy like
Joe Burrow, who's not going to end up here. Realistically,
(42:05):
I don't expect that. I don't even know if necessary
that the Bengals are going to move on from him,
because that would be quite a surrender as well. But
those are two I think those are two completely different
animals that should not at all be related. And I'll
say again that whether the Vikings agree with this or not,
we'll find out, I think soon enough. I think you're
(42:27):
letting down your whole team, the other players on your
team if you do not give yourself a better option,
and that doesn't have to be any sort of statement
about that. Do you think JJ McCarthy is a failure.
It's a statement that JJ McCarthy to this point has
not been available. And if that problem goes away next year,
(42:50):
in the next five years, the problem will take care
of itself. But in the short run, for this upcoming season,
I just don't think you can go in and roll
the dice the way they did coming into this year
that you look back on it and you think they
really took a lot of gumption and gall to just
assume that you're going to be able to pick up
where you left off with a kid quarterback, and now,
(43:10):
especially with the amount of time that he has missed,
I give yourself a chance with another viable quarterback who
you view as more than just another backup, but a
guy who has a chance that you think to actually
keep your team in it, even if he has to
play four, five or six games. And maybe you go
a step further and you say, as circus like as
(43:33):
this can get, and I know that's what the vikings,
like a lot of teams want to avoid. You say,
we're having an open competition. We're just gonna let the
chips fall where they may and we'll see where it goes.
And if they're confident enough in JJ McCarthy, it'll end
up being JJ McCarthy who keeps the job. But if not,
maybe you learn something and you say, well, we got
(43:55):
to go with what we got to go. So we'll
see a lot of that, again depends on who's available,
what it'll cost, what you're willing to give up, the
amount of money, all those sorts of things I think
have to be entered into the into the mix. Tomorrow,
I'm assuming we'll get a little bit more information on
when the injury took place, because I think that's still
(44:17):
an open question. I've heard a lot of stuff has
been sent about videos showing him hitting his hand on
somebody's helmet. That is often the case in a situation
like this, and maybe it'll be We'll all be surprised.
Maybe he'll end up recovering quickly and whatever it is,
it's much much better now. And he'll start on Christmas
Day against the Detroit Lions. I wouldn't count on it necessarily,
(44:42):
And then guess what, brozmerg gets a start, his second start,
and who knows, maybe he's better equipped to handle this
opportunity than he was the first time around.
Speaker 3 (44:57):
When you're on the road, you're.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
Planning difficult conditions, you're playing Seattle, a good defensive team.
The Detroit Lions are not very good defensively. The fan
has learned. I don't believe. So that to me is
where it would get delicious. Actually, is if brozmer starts,
and unlike in Seattle dazzles, everybody a little bit is
(45:23):
pretty ends up being pretty good. And then, of course
we finished the regular season against the Green Bay Packers,
who are still licking their wounds after somehow blowing that
ten point lead late to the Monsters. The Midway the
Chicago Bear, so we will see the plan. By the way,
(45:48):
the rest of the week, I don't even know who's on.
I'm out for the holiday purposes the rest of this week,
so I don't know if guards he's on from Arizona
some for I know it could be Dave Sinnecon other people.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
Maybe Russo's hosting a show. I'm not exactly sure.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
And then a few of those days or holidays anyway
where I think we're doing best of or we're doing games.
Christmas is obviously all the action of the Vikings game
will be on the on the fan as well, so
we'll regroup on the other side and well into Hard
to Believe Man twenty twenty six as well. What are
(46:25):
your Christmas plans? Do you hang here? Do you go elsewhere?
What's the Uh?
Speaker 4 (46:29):
Yeah, I'll be I'll be in town. I'll be doing
stuff with my sister and her family.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
So are you from here? Yes?
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Okay, so you you grew up in the area, so
you're just hanging okay? Yeah? And the Chicago was it
what the Chicago Tribute said was some business and then
also just pleasure, just a weekend sort of get away,
a little bit exactly.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
Yeah, it's funny too because I was in I was
in Elgin on Saturday night. I was at the Grand
Victoria Casino. Oh, just a riverboat casino, and they have
a sports book there, and that was the closest thing
to a Vegas sports book I've I've seen a lot
of time. I mean, they were, they were all about it.
The no kidding, Oh yeah, I mean the Bears fans were.
I mean, it's you know, you're behind me lines at
(47:06):
that point. But yeah, we're very much into it.
Speaker 3 (47:08):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (47:09):
Well, Happy holidays, Merry Christmas to you and yours and
your family as well. Thanks for helping us out today,
as I said, and to the Rubes and the listeners,
I hope this whole week, whole holiday period goes very
very well for you. We appreciate your continued support of
the station. I hope most of you've gotten most of
Christmas shopping done. The bad news is if you like
(47:31):
Christmas atmosphere is I think it's supposed to be balmy,
like forty is forty five on Christmas Day than I read? Yeah,
mid thirties, but no more snow. I don't think I
don't think there's any snow on the forecast right now. No,
we're not going to get all the snow melted, are.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
We by then? I hope it'd be very messy, that
part is for sure.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
So here's the deal coming up next right here on
the fan, it's Vikings Rewind and then it is I
think a pretty interesting matchup Monday night football, San Francisco.
Forty nine ers in Indianapolis. Stick on the Colts Philip Rivers.
They're showing him on the screen right now.
Speaker 3 (48:06):
And look at that.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
He still has a full head of hair, and he's
about fifty six years old. Still looks good to me.
I'll look forward to that tonight. Enjoy the holidays. We'll
talk to you soon.
Just in case you missed it, it's the Top five
sports stagers of the day. Now it's time for Dan
Barrero's Top five at five, brought to you by Gutter
Helmet of Minnesota, never clean your gutters again. Learn more
at gutter Helmet mn dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All right, as I mentioned, Guardzi is in Arizona tracking
the Golden Gophers. I can't remember the name of the
ball they're in, but they are in one of those
meaningless bulls, and so I don't even know if he's
on the rest of the week or not. I'm out
after today, but our good friend Sam is here to
(00:37):
give us a little late to Top five at five
because liber obviously always goes to about five point fifteen
what we used to call back in the day, the
five twenty sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Where would you like to begin.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Well, the Gophers are playing in the Rate Bowl for
you Guaranteed Rate Bowl against the New Mexico Lobos.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I think I kind of knew that, but I'm glad
you refreshed my memory. I'm not sure I did, that's
for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Let's start with the Timberwolves, who had a pretty busy weekend.
On Friday night, they took down the defending champs they
Oklahoma City Thunder one twelve to one oh seven, with
an eight to er run to end the game, and
was unbelievable at the end of that game, by.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
The way, yes he was.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Then last night the Wolves beat the Giannis less Milwaukee
Bucks one o three to one hundred. The Wolves get
a day off today before hosting the defending NBA Cup champions,
the New York Knicks tomorrow night at the Target Center.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
The Return of a Cat.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Obviously, the Knicks are playing very well, although I think
they've had a relatively generous schedule, kind of like the Wolves.
And again, the Friday night game, which we talked a
little bit about on sermons.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Was impressive.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Needed we had all taught it certainly discussed the fact
that the Wolves had not The record was solid, but
it just had not feel like we had many of
those weighty victories that feel like there are more than
one victory in the regular season. And it turned out
to be a fit game. After Finchy lost his mind,
(02:03):
did the officiating change because of him?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
I guess it's possible. If anybody listens to this show knows.
I kind of weary over officiating obsession. And we didn't
get to this part of it with Johnny, but in
his story he laid out very nicely that the numbers,
the actual facts don't even fit the conspiracy theory that
(02:27):
many Wolves fans feel about Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
That not only in that game.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
If you want to say, well that game is the
free throw disparity in the favor of the Wolves was
because Finchy lost his mind. Okay, you want to believe that,
go ahead, But the fact of the matter is, if you
look up the numbers, the Wolves on an average basis
get to the free throw line far more often than
Oklahoma City, despite the free throw merchant that they have
(02:53):
the SGA.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
So I weary of it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I liked that it was a competitive game, and and
you know, to your point down the stretch Edwards was terrific.
And you know, two of the plays obviously were made
on the other end of the court. The shot he
made is a shot he can make. It's clutch when
you make it. I don't love the shot, to be
honest with you. I'd prefer a better shot. But he
(03:19):
nailed it. And then he had a block and obviously
a steal and so a reminder that it is best.
What Edwards represents is a terrific two way player, and
he got that done. I mentioned yesterday though, it's funny
on how it works, like if we play a good
team the night after we've played somebody else and we
(03:40):
don't play particularly well, we're immediately told it's a schedule
loss anywhen, and it's not really the wolf's fault. But
when the roles are reversed and we seem to gain
from the other team being in that position, the subject
never even comes up.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
And I guess that's just how the way it works.
That's just human nature.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Chris Finch find thirty five thousand dollars, by the way
for that Jackson.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
By the way.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
On that there's I feel like there's almost an insurrection
taking place around the league. Several other coaches are losing
their minds lately about officiating. So I don't know if
it's just viral or if there's something fundamentally concerning about
officiating that a number of these number of coaches are mentioning.
(04:19):
I don't know, is it consistency, Is it first half
seems to be officiated different than the second, that the
rules seemed to.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Change Lakers guy. Just last night.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
It was more on consistency about what can be challenged
and what can't be challenged. So I don't know what
they're going to do in the NBA league offices, but
right now the officials are a little bit under siege.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Moving from Minneapolis to Saint Paul, the Wild had their
seven game win streak snapped at the hands of the
first place Colorado Avalanche, losing five to one. It's their
first loss since December sixth. Ryan Hartman scored the only goal,
which came in the third period. Whilstead had thirty seven
saves gave up four, there was one empty net and
the Wild will look to bounce back tomorrow night as
they host the National Predators at Grank Sino Arena.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
It was disappointing, uh, you know, obviously because the build
up had been it was large. Okay, it's this is
a new and improved Wild and here you have the
ultimate challenge and you get it at home, and you're
feeling really good about your your your club, and you
can look at it two ways. You can look at
it as wow, well, yeah they've made a nice jump,
but they still have to make another jump to match
(05:26):
what the lanch represent and that might end up being
the case, because the Colorado Avalanche record at this point
is uh is borderline of serd On the other hand,
I'd say that you're not here sooner or later you're
going to lose. You probably don't. You probably want to
lose a little bit more competitively than they did. And
(05:49):
I think we were down. I think we cut it
till two. I think we were down three to zero.
Then it was three to one, and that was the
extent of it, and that we had actually good pressure.
I watched that section of the game down three to one,
we had scoring opportunities to cut the goal to one
or not unable to do it. They opened it up
more So I wouldn't if I'm a hockey fan, I
(06:09):
wouldn't lose my mind over that lost because, as I said,
we were all kind of kidding about it. They weren't
going to go the rest of the season undefeated. On
the other hand, it tells you that as good as
they've been, it almost feels like the.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Colorado Avalanche, at least right now.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
On another plateau, the sports world on Friday night was
not focused on Minneapolis. It was focused on Miami. Probably
the most talked about, most hyped or maybe overhyped event
in recent memory, took place in Miami, Florida, on Friday night,
as Jake Paul faced Anthony Joshua. Joshua knocked out Paul
in the sixth round, broke his jaw. The estimates are
(06:48):
just that estimates, but they're expecting that each fighter made
around ninety two million dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Did you watch any of that? Are you being serious?
Ninety two million?
Speaker 5 (06:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
I mean Paul's expected to take home a little bit
more because he owns the promotion, but the estimates are
saying that it was a split purse of one hundred
and eighty four million dollars.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
I guess I shouldn't be surprised with all the money
that's out there.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I did not watch any of it, did you I did?
I was how about this?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Instead of channel surfing, I was app surfing between that's
what the Wolves game and Netflix watching the fight.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
That's what you gotta do.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Now, Well, I've complained about the fact that if I'm
watching one thing on direct TV and another thing on
the app. The old days of going back and forth
between the two a lot more frustrating now because that
it's not just pushing one button and you gotta go back.
I'm hoping that will be resolved somewhere down the road.
But I didn't get to see.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Any of it, I'm afraid.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Yeah, I mean, you didn't miss a whole lot. The
end was worth the weight, but it shouldn't have gone
six rounds. I was being stubborn because I was watching
the Wolves game. That's where my interest was. But you know,
it's like you can't take your eyes off.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Oh it's yeah, it's it is just like watching train
wrecks from time to time, that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Speaking of Miami, though, let's talk about some college football playoffs.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
The second round is set.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
The Miami Hurricanes are going to play the Ohio State Buckeyes.
We have Georgia versus Old Miss Oregon versus Texas, and
the Rose Bowl will be Alabama versus Indians.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
My Hoosiers. Yeah, I don't know what to think.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
I was asking my buddy Bozic, who is the gonna
be the better opponent or the easier opponent for the Hoosiers,
Oklahoma or Alabama. They look dead. And I did watch
a decent amount of that game. They obviously look dead.
And buried was they down seventeen to nothing early and
then when the thing turned, it absolutely really really turned.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
So I don't know what to think.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I think there's probably despite the season Indiana has had,
there's still gonna be a little bit of it. Let's
prove it to us in the postseason. And now it
gets funky because you know, the SEC snobs are everywhere.
So if Alabama takes care of business against Indiana the
rose Ball, it's going to get ugly, I think for
the Big Ten and for the Hoosiers.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
So we'll see how that goes.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Although I think I honestly believe Indiana has a pretty
good chance to go a distance, and their quarterback at
this level I love. At the next level, I think
he's going to be really good too. Mendoza yes.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
And then lastly, just looking around the NFL, we already
talked about the Bears. In the Packers game, the Bears
win in overtime, lines lose on an offensive pass interference
call to end the game. There was obviously the suspension
that came down. But elsewhere around the NFL, the Jaggs
did beat to the number one seed Broncos, although Denver
sill Is in that top spot. Pat's beat the ravens
(09:39):
lamar Jackson left with a back injury. Chargers eliminated the Cowboys.
The Panthers beat the Bucks, so they are first in
the NFC South. They played the Bucks one more time
the last week of the season, and then lastly the
Eagles did clinch by beating the Commanders on her.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yeah, I foolishly had Adam Field back with Carolina. Well,
obviously that's where he'd been before he joined the Vikings,
and now he is with Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Over the Pittsburgh story. Pretty good again.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They took care of business that controversial finish against Detroit,
although I think that both those really There were two
offensive pass interference calls that worked against Detroit on that
last drive, and I thought they were both legitimate calls.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
I thought they were both very good calls.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I thought Rogers looked better than I'd seen him in
a while getting the ball out. Jacksonville might be the
the best team that nobody really pays much attention to
or knows about, right despite the what their their record is,
their ascension and we spent a lot of time on
(10:41):
the Bears Packers. We did have a cold call earlier
with Carl Gerbschmidt that could be podcastable later. It was
one of those disarming Carl calls, where as soon as
he realized it was us, he started blubbering. He started
crying and going back into his childhood for some story
worries that I didn't quite understand. But I don't trust
(11:04):
him when he does that, because I think that's him
trying to elicit sympathy and it takes the all the
hatred away that a lot of Vikings fans have for
him the way even better. That's very true. That's fine, right,
that's fine, good job, excellent job. Let's stay on schedule.
We'll pause a lot of good Vikings talking points we
have yet to explore, and a number of texts will
continue in that vein here on a.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Monday, on a bumper to bumper here on the fan.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
We're getting a correction another uh that is targeted at me,
and I think he's a couple of these folks are correct.
I had when we had Gerby on, when we called
cold called Gerby earlier in the show and left him blubbering.
I noted that the last time I remember him crying
(12:06):
quite that uncontrollably was after the Packers lost to Michael
Vick in a home playoff game at Lambeau and a
couple of people said, not so fast, my friend. That
time he called and left a voicemail for I think
it would have been mister Fun. Back then was January
of two thousand and eight, when the Packers were upset
(12:28):
in minus twenty win show by Eli Manning and the Giants.
He called left the crying message for producer Gary, who
was mister Fun Vintage Gerby. That is from Tom Columbia Heights.
I think he's right, And a couple other people had
said the same thing, so I'll offer that to sort
of correct the record. Let me get to another Vikings
(12:51):
talking point. I call this one the.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Let's see number one two three the JJ throw of
the game.
Speaker 6 (13:03):
Let's listen JJ McCarthy out of the shotgun on third down.
Here's a Giants blitz. McCarthy's straight drop crust of the
end zone, cross to Addison and complete. He could not
bring it in. The pass looked to be a good pass.
Jordan twisted himself around a little bit and the ball
hit him on the three, but he couldn't bring it in.
So here comes will record.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Yeah, he had an opportunity to kind of bend that
back justin mccor JJ McCarthy, excuse me, how to throw
that football a little bit early, but put it in
a really nice spot. So I'm actually kind of surprised
that he did not come up with it, just a
beautifully thrown ball. Looked like I hit him rund the
bread basket there, Paul ball.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, I'm with both of them on that one. That's
the one where I can, I will easily, without any
I guess, question or hesitation, defend the QB The ball
was slightly behind the receiver, but it was almost necessary
to do it, and that one was in both of
(14:02):
his hands, in his I think basically in his bread basket,
and somehow in twisting he could not hold on to it.
That I put on the ninety five percent on the receiver,
especially when your factor in that JJ kind of had
to get rid of the ball, perhaps a little bit
earlier than he wanted to. That pass is not to
be confused with what I call the Max Brosmer pass
(14:25):
of the game.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
Max Brosmer the vikings four of eight on third down,
looking at a third and seventeen, He'll throw left to Jefferson,
caught it the forty six. Yes, that's a cold blood
of connection, right Hash left sideline twenty two yards Brosmer
to Justin Jefferson and a first down.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
What an absolute beauty of a catch by Justin Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Ball that was.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
That's as good as you'll see out of that young man.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Holy cow, he's right about that. But that's a big
time throw. I think that's better, better throw than any
we had from a JJ McCarthy yesterday's I'll be honest,
we've had a lot of fun with the Brozemer stuff.
That's the kind of throw where you go, huh, he
can make that throw?
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
On third and what was it? I think seventeen? Now,
great response. You got to have a big time receiver
who can come down with the ball, keep his feet
and bounds. But that's the kind of throw that not
everybody can make that. I think if you're a scout,
(15:37):
if you're a general manager, if you're coach, you're going
somewhere down the road, maybe we can play with that
a little bit. That was extremely well done, and I
believe that was on the game winning field goal drive
that kept it alive early. If I'm not mistaken the
drive that ultimately, I honestly believe for a while I
thought the Giants were going to be perfectly content if
(16:00):
the Vikings had run out the clock that the rest
it just ended the game. They I don't think they
had any desire to be back on offense none whatsoever.
They did have one drop, the only good pass play
they had.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I remember who the receiver was who dropped it.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
They had one drop as well, and it stood out
just because they had so few pass plays that even
looked like pass plays.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Yes, I think Jackson that only had thirteen attempts the
whole game.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, it was a very curious state of affairs. I
get it, he's got concussion stuff, but.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It's it really is.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
It's like, if if you're gonna tighten it up that much,
then you do ask yourself, why are you playing him?
I mean play I know you don't want to play
Russell Wilson, I guess anymore, But why are you playing
him if he's, if you believe him to be at
this point, that limited unless it is an attempt to
tank responsibly as well, which might have might have something
(16:54):
to do with it. We spent a lot of time
on sermons, probably too much time for Bears haters on
Bears packers, because as I said then, regardless of what
team was involved on either end of that, that's that
was the story of the weekend. That game, that comeback
National TV game was astonishing. It was stunning in its
(17:18):
scope and in its totality, and the Bears down sixteen
to six with like two minutes to go, end up
scoring the last sixteen points of the game and win
in ot twenty two to sixteen. Now, you were not
at the game, but you were in the Windy City.
Was that just coincidence or what? What brought you to
the Chicago?
Speaker 4 (17:36):
Yeah? I was down there for a little bit of
work stuff, a little bit of family stuff. But yeah,
So actually I was down at the Field Museum on
Saturday morning, early afternoon, so they were starting to kind
of set up Soldier Field because the Field Museum is
right next door to the field it is, and it
was just it was already chaotic right away in the morning.
(17:56):
I don't even want to talk about how much I
paid for parking when I got down there, but it
was it was definitely pandemonium. You could you could feel
that energy kind of like what it was here when
the Vikings played the Lions. I mean that was a
road game last year, but there was there was a
lot of a lot of energy in downtown Chicago, and so.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Well, you know, we've talked about this here. I mean,
this is in the in the time, in the forty
years I've been here, it's always been a Vikings town. Now,
obviously there are exceptions. If the Twins are making a
run for the World Series, that changes for that period
of time, but it's a Vikings town. The Vikings are
on a plateau all their own, even if they're not
(18:36):
doing particularly well. But but when the engine's running, then
that's all anybody wants to talk about. That's where all
the energy comes from from a sports standpoint, And it's
the same in Chicago times ten. Probably it's it's a
Bears town. The Cubs finally had their their moment. Obviously,
the Bulls when Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan turned it
(18:58):
into a Bulls or as close as you could get
to that. But the Bears are on another level, just
as in Chicago, just as the Vikings on another level.
Here Field Museum is not a bad spot. Yeah, it
was great, one of those places that you could spend
ten days and you're still not going to get to everything.
It's funny you say that because it was my first
time going there. Yeah, I was there for I think
(19:20):
six hours and we didn't even get to see everything.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It's crazy, isn't it. It's so it's so immersive and
just huge.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
It's remarkable, and I can still remember the first field
trip we took to it and it was like then,
you know, everything's much bigger. Everything feels bigger because you're smaller,
and it's just a marvel. I mean, it's just such
an incredible, incredible place, and there I think it's still open.
Further south, there's the Museum of Science and Industry, which
I haven't been to in quite a while, but the
(19:49):
Field Museum was always the one that it just it
just felt like there was there was a great sense
of history in that place, for sure. We were talking
earlier about the Giants approach to offense. We call this
Vikings talking point simply that the Giants bench Russell Wilson
for this guy.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Jackson takes the snap, he gets away from the pressure, but.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Then Jaalen Rudman sacks.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
Him at the fifteen yard line. Dart on fourth down, back.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
To pass, sack and Drew.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Kick gold and the Vikings have turned over the New
York Giants on downs, Shotgun throws a pass to the left,
intercepted up the fingertips of tight end Theo Johnson Byron
Movie Junior Dart on a very deep drop about to
be sacked, and he is sacked for a fourth time today.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Yeah, that's pretty much how it went.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
And I guess you could say that's why they didn't
want to ever have him throw all that much. I
think one of those was they early decided to ignore
the field goal. I'm assuming on the basis of what
do they have to lose? I mean, there really wasn't
anything at stake, and they were unable to convert.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
But I have.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Rarely seen a game in which one of the teams
seemed less interested in attacking offensively in any way, shape
or form. And again, I you know, I understand that
they they're worried about the QB's health, They're don't they
don't feel very good about their their their passing game. Uh,
but at some point you do sort of ask, well,
(21:29):
why why did you I don't know if it's ever
happened that an NFL team has forfeited a game, But
are you almost better off forfeiting the game?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Because that that's how it felt.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
It felt like, well, we're not we're not even you know,
we know we're not a very good team. But even
if you're not a very good team, you're at home,
and aren't you supposed to at least try to win
the game, unless again, you've been ordered to uh to
tank responsibly.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
By the way, the money I game. Look who's on
the screen right now, it's our guy cam buying them.
Former Bumper to Bumper regular is being interviewed pregame. You
know they have these little with it in a while
pregame interviews on ESPN on Monday Night Countdown.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
And that's what's going on right now, our guy cam
buying them.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Who has three three interceptions this season for the Colts.
I'm assuming Philip Rivers is starting again, right he is? Yeah,
so that's the angle tonight. I didn't get to see
much of his work last week. I think they lost
ended up losing a close game, but lost of the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, And I think and I think the Seahawks had
to score late to get the victory for them. So yeah,
I mean, I'm curious to see how he looked. I mean,
I think he was not great in the last game,
but he didn't look inapt. He didn't look like he
shouldn't be out there. So and the Colts are very desperate,
obviously for for a victory victory as well. I'm assuming
that's on the fan tonight right when football uh gotta
(22:53):
be I would think. So, I don't think we have
any have any wild and we have any Wolves, I
don't believe.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Yeah, let me double check, double checks, Yeah, double check.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
They're they're taking on for the record the brock Purty
and the San Francisco forty nine ers as well. The
worst game in NFL history may be played next weekend
Giants Raiders.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
Is that a matchup? My god, that could be very
very bad.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Lots of discussion around the RODA corul on who gets
that Vikings win JJ or Max?
Speaker 3 (23:23):
What's say you?
Speaker 2 (23:29):
It's probably a distinction not worth spending all that much
time on. But he did lead them on the the
alt what was ultimately the game winning drive, I believe,
so that would be Max, including that beautiful out pattern. Well,
you got to have some zip on the ball on
third and seventeen. That was a that was a very pretty,
(23:50):
very very pretty play. Let me get to a couple
of other well, actually, you know, I'll say the rest
of the talking points. I think we have like two left,
and let me get to a couple more texts as well.
Oh yeah, because somebody had asked any interest in to
Night's Tilt and Indie. Yeah, because mainly because of the
quarterback thing. That's that is the main thing for me,
(24:11):
and you know, the forty nine ers backup is we've
talked about the vikings. I believe are should be obligated
to add a veteran quarterback to the competition before next season.
I think whatever plans they had of anointing JJ should
(24:34):
be out the window, not necessarily because of his in
you know, his sort of spotty second season been a
little better lately, but has been overall statistically still pretty bad.
Not because of that, but because of availability. I still
believe you can't. You're not doing your due diligence as
(24:55):
an organization. You're not really protecting the assets you do have.
If you are simply saying we're going to close our
eyes roll the dice and hope that JJ McCarthy not
only can continue to improve, but to stay on the field.
I don't think you can do it for second straight year.
The question again is who do you get, what's the price?
(25:17):
How much does that affect you contractually? All those things
are fair points, but I believe that you're letting your
own organization down if you do not add a veteran
quarterback who can who is given an honest opportunity. I
might add to win the job. I don't mean he
has to win. It doesn't mean he's going to win it.
But I think that's if nothing else, if we've learned
(25:41):
nothing else about McCarthy, even if you're a mcbowbo and
love them, what's undeniable and inescapable right now is he
has not been able to stay on the field.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
So you got to head your bet.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
You have to give yourself any kind of insurance that
is more than just the average backup quarterback, but a
quarterback that you at least envision as being a starter
and being a guy that the quarterback whisperer can work with. Again,
and I know the whole bit of the whole point
of drafting McCarthy was to get out of that miras,
to get off of that hamster wheel where we're constantly
(26:16):
just trying to bring in veterans and patch it together
and keep it together. The whole idea was, here's our
franchise quarterback. We're going to be done with this problem
for the next ten years, the way they are able
to do a generation after generation, for example in Green Bay.
That makes sense, and that ultimately still might take place.
But if you, as I said, miss as many as
(26:37):
much time as he has missed over the course of
the first two seasons in the league, I.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Just don't know. I don't know how you can you
can stay with it? Now?
Speaker 2 (26:51):
He played half of the game yesterday, So he played
in or started in nine games.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
So far over two seasons.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
So that's going to be if he didn't play again
this season, out of thirty four possible regular season games
he played, he would have played in nine of them.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I can even do that math.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I think that's twenty five that he will have missed,
and that's not a good percentage, that's not a workable percentage,
and that, to me is what opens the door to
thinking of this philosophically differently than they might have when
they thought, we don't really want any kind of competition.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
We think this is the guy.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Maybe he'll play the rest of the season without missing
the rest of his career, without missing another game. That happens,
it can change, but it's not a good look right now.
Four different injuries over that period of time. That's just
simply not workable. Top of the hour, break a couple
more Vikings talking points to get to. We will be
going the distance till six thirty right here on a
(27:52):
ball met Monday afternoon and evening here in the field.
(28:13):
We will have Niners Colts on our flagship FM one
point through the fan after as usual a day after
Vikings games, Viking rewind final half hour of the Bumper
Bumper program for today bratch On Bryant KFN text line
is open at six for six eight six.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
We've been talking a lot about injuries.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I don't believe there's any evidence that JJ McCarthy was
injured on this play, but this was the play that
ended his afternoon and quite possibly ended his season for
the Minnesota Vikings.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
As Ben Leeber on the sideline mentioned only touched down
in the game, JJ McCarthy is fourth rushing touchdown and
he goes back to.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Packlick out, he's buried by Brian Burns.
Speaker 6 (29:08):
And it's picked up by a giant for a defensive touchdown.
Tyler Nuban, the former go fer, scores against the Minnesota
Vikings on a Brian Burns sack and it's thirteen nine
Vikings Brian Burns.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
Holy cow, there it is. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
It is one of those weird ended halves things where
you go, what do we do? How aggressive do we
want to be? And Koc being Koc's usually going to
be pretty aggressive. But on the other hand, the feeling was, well,
we're in the early part of the JJ McCarthy awakening,
so let's not push our luck too much. So it
(29:49):
was kind of an in between her Leeber thought that
he was already losing control of the ball before he
got hit. He got hit hard, and originally I think
there was some feeling, well, did he get hurt or
jarred or even concust on that play because it was
a very hard hit. It turns out it was something
hand related. We still don't have specifics on it. No
(30:10):
update today on his availability, but you saw many of
you saw the sideline shot where he was being examined
by either a doctor or a trainer, and almost seemed
to lose his mind when any pressure was put on
somewhere on that hand, whether it's the wrist or a finger.
I think it might have been a finger. Whatever might
have been the old hit that earlier hit his finger
on the helmet and a follow through on a pass attempt,
(30:34):
but that falls under the classification of the kind of
play at the end of the half where you're kind
of in control of things that just can't happen. There
has to be either better recognition or a better ability
to hang on to the ball, whatever the case may be.
I mean that to me, that felt like the freest
seven points that a team one team could possibly give
(30:56):
the other. And by the way, that's the the better
team giving to the inferior team. Now, ultimately it didn't
matter because they are, after all, the giants, but it
was not a very helpful play. Then he has trots
out or who actually walks early to the to the
locker room, the visiting locker room, and at that point
(31:17):
you could pretty much tell there was a good chance
that it was going to be a Brozemer second half
for your favorite football team. Speaking of injuries, and we
did talk about this with Lieber. This one, in some
ways maybe is being underrated and has a great deal.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
Of significance because it goes.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Back to really one of the you know, offseason designs
of this team was we're going to go out and
spend some money on some veteran players and we're going
to remake this offensive line pretty much on the fly,
and that included the signing of center Ryan Kelly, and.
Speaker 7 (31:54):
We got a Viking offensive alignment. Now it looks like
Ryan Kelly who's slow to get up, but I think
it was Drew Philps. He's going to draw this penalty
because it was thrown way before Aaron Jones. Hopefully the
Vikings will get another three fifteen yards on this. But yeah,
Ryan Kelly being down, it's not good.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
Yeah, he's had myriad concussions during his career, cost him
some games this year due to concussion related symptoms. You
got Tyler Williams, who runs the sports performance and training department,
talking to a side judge saying we need a little
more time. Aaron Jones and Drew Phillips still jawing at
(32:31):
each other from AFAR and Michael Jurgens is warming up
to fill in for Ryan Kelly, who still lay.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
On his back.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah, none of that is good, and it's difficult to
believe that Ryan Kelly's career is going to go beyond
this season and probably shut down we all would assume
for the rest of the year. But when you have
the concussion history he does, Ultimately it's the player's choice.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Think it's difficult for.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Me to believe that he is not going to choose
discretion at some point being the better.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
Form of valor. And we did.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
You know, the one thing that was discussed at the
time that the that this team made those offseason moves
and got very aggressive with, in this case two members
of the Indianapolis Colts, was whether you're running the risk
of adding players who are, shall we say, not done
(33:32):
but towards the back end a decent amount of mileage. Now,
I don't know how much information we were made aware
of regarding his concussion history, but in general, I think
there was some concern about that part of it, and
I think we've seen now the extent of why there
may have been a bit of a gamble. Even as
(33:55):
ambitious as those moves were, We're getting some veteran offensive
linemen who know what the hell they're doing with some
beef to them and some size to them. But the
question was always going to be at what expense?
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Right at?
Speaker 2 (34:08):
At is the money going to be worth it? Are
you getting players that you're going to be able to
hold on to for a you know, an extended period
of time. That's also the question, and his case, it
is very difficult to see a scenario where you're going
to be able to continue to count on him at all,
And so then you're back to, well, do you have
to go some other direction?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Maybe what other direction would that be?
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I'm not sure, but it's hard to believe that it
would not be the end of the road for an
individual who's had as many concussions as he has had.
And it's too bad because he's obviously he's been a
good to a very good player. A couple of texts
here to wrap up this segment of the program. Injuries
to players as Viking squareterbacks last three seasons, Cousins, Mullins,
(34:55):
Haul Dobbs, Darnald, although he didn't miss any, Wentz McCarthy.
Maybe it's not a jmac problem but a Vikings O
line problem. Though it was solved this year, but they
haven't been available themselves.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
O L still a big problem.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Solve that and maybe jjc's upright for more than three
four games in a row. It's part of it. I
just don't think it's all of it. I think that's
too easy. I think we've had I think research indicated
that some of the sacks were on the quarterbacks themselves,
especially in the case of McCarthy holding onto the ball
too long. So I again, could the line be more consistent?
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Could it? Could it stay? Could be healthier? Yes?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Might you make better decisions in terms of players who
give you a better chance to have better health?
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Yes? Some of that's bad luck as as well. Dan,
this is the.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Second time KFC has gotten a key player injured by
being cute for a halftime life season was running a
play right where the half against the Rams, and that
played Derris towards Aco just take a knee. Well, yeah,
I get that, But then a lot of times you
have people who say that now, but also the same
ones who say, well, you're not being aggressive enough. You
(36:13):
know that can play both ways. I'm not all that
offended by it. If you're Let's remember something at the
point where McCarthy, as far as we know, is still healthy.
You're still trying to use these games to get him
the reps in various situations and circumstances.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
In one of those would be all right.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
We were kind of wanting to play it halfway here
at the end of the half. That means we're going
to try to make a couple of plays and if
we can get something going, we're gonna keep going. If
we can't, then we probably will sit on the ball. Now,
the unknown is that this is where it's goofy to
me on communication. So if he didn't get hurt on
the sack the strip sack, then presumably he had something
(37:00):
going on with his hand previous to that. Isn't that
something that might then impact how aggressive the head coach is.
That's to me where there's there's more to this story
that I'd like to get told than I hope it
will be will be told. That is the one area
where information probably should dictate a more conservative approach. And hey,
(37:22):
we're they're not going to be able to score, so
we're just going to get the hell out of dodge
for the For the half, I got a quarterback whose
right hand is a little bit funky and a little
bit iffy on the basis of whatever had taken place sooner.
So that's what I'm hoping the Jackals will able to
garner more information on, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
I forget.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
This is a big Christmas week for your favorite football team.
They will take on the Lions on Thursday, Christmas Day.
I think that's the Is that the second game on?
I think I think it's the second game of the three?
Speaker 3 (37:58):
Correct? Is a three?
Speaker 6 (38:00):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (38:00):
Yeah, so that's the middle one.
Speaker 4 (38:01):
Did you see the halftime announcement?
Speaker 3 (38:04):
By the way, I did? I did. I can't wait,
it's it's I was. I asked this earlier. I mean
we bought. I mean, maybe we don't.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Even need to play the game, you know, because there's
not as much a stake for the Vikings and not
that much for the Lions. So maybe we just have
a concert, don't even worry about playing. You know, it's
a possibility, I'll you. Well, my my fantasy, what I've
what I've clamored for is I want a third quarter
with Snoop in the cafe and press box or the
(38:31):
kfan booth in the press box, working the game with.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
Pa and versage that would be that would be outstanding,
wouldn't it. It'd be very good.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
All right, one last break and we'll come back. Wrap
things up, remind you what you might have missed and
what's coming up the rest.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Of the week. It's the bumper to bumper show. Wrap well.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
I want to thank our outstanding array of guests today
that included John Athletic at four two and Ben Leeber
joined a four forty seven Vikings talking points a big
part of the conversation today as well. We were not
graced by a current member of the Vikings. Some weeks
(39:14):
we've been able to have a Vikings guest, even after
Adam Thielen decided that it was time for him to
go elsewhere. A short week this week, so no guest there.
I also want to thank Sam Byrd kind enough to
help us today with guards the already landing I think
in Arizona. Blake Moore, I'm assuming he's on vacation somewhere.
(39:36):
It's a holiday season, so I appreciate your help today
as well, sir.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
It was fun. Thank you, Dan.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Yeah, this is a pleasure. I'm pretty sure, by the way,
you and I are the only two people in this
whole building.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
That's about You're about right. I think that's very, very true.
Everything's kind of been shut down. Altho it feels even
sometimes like regular weeks, it can be a little bit
like a ghost town as well. A couple of people
had said, you know, you're talking about the availability issue
for McCarthy, why aren't you bringing this up with Joe Burrow,
a guy that we've talked about earlier, that if you
(40:06):
could get a hold of him, you'd have to at
least entertain the possibility he never plays either. Well, it's
there's a couple of differences here, like, for example, this
year he's missed a bunch. I think Burrow played in
six games this year and he's done I think, or
close to it. Last year he played in seventeen. The
(40:27):
year before that he played in ten. The two years
before that he played sixteen apiece, and that was in
the sixteen game seasons. If I'm not mistaken, So I
wouldn't go too much on just what's happened this season
on Joe Burrow. Also, the difference would be he's Joe Burrow,
(40:48):
and to that extent, you're gonna give him a little bit.
He's got a little bit more equity than JJ McCarthy
at this level, and so to that extent, you're gonna
maybe be more willing to pray and hope that that,
for example, this year was an anomaly because he's so
damned effective as a passer and he's so good. That's
(41:10):
part of the sticky wicket with McCarthy. It's, well, I
don't care how tough it is. He's so damned good
at what he does, or has already shown how good
he can be. We got to hang with it, man,
We got to hang with it. He hadn't been good
enough in this short amount of time we've had a
chance to see him. And what the better part of
(41:31):
nine games he's he's played. He played better the last several,
although again I thought this last game was just okay
compared to the previous two.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
But you got a factor in.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
You gotta look, you gotta have your your your your
purple colored lenses out of your eyeballs a little bit
and just say, well, given him the extra mile or
going the extra mile with him on the basis of
what we've seen. That's not as easy as maybe taking
the gamble, as it would pertain to a guy like
Joe Burrow, who's not going to end up here. Realistically,
(42:05):
I don't expect that. I don't even know if necessary
that the Bengals are going to move on from him,
because that would be quite a surrender as well. But
those are two I think those are two completely different
animals that should not at all be related. And I'll
say again that whether the Vikings agree with this or not,
we'll find out, I think soon enough. I think you're
(42:27):
letting down your whole team, the other players on your
team if you do not give yourself a better option,
and that doesn't have to be any sort of statement
about that. Do you think JJ McCarthy is a failure.
It's a statement that JJ McCarthy to this point has
not been available. And if that problem goes away next year,
(42:50):
in the next five years, the problem will take care
of itself. But in the short run, for this upcoming season,
I just don't think you can go in and roll
the dice the way they did coming into this year
that you look back on it and you think they
really took a lot of gumption and gall to just
assume that you're going to be able to pick up
where you left off with a kid quarterback, and now,
(43:10):
especially with the amount of time that he has missed,
I give yourself a chance with another viable quarterback who
you view as more than just another backup, but a
guy who has a chance that you think to actually
keep your team in it, even if he has to
play four, five or six games. And maybe you go
a step further and you say, as circus like as
(43:33):
this can get, and I know that's what the vikings,
like a lot of teams want to avoid. You say,
we're having an open competition. We're just gonna let the
chips fall where they may and we'll see where it goes.
And if they're confident enough in JJ McCarthy, it'll end
up being JJ McCarthy who keeps the job. But if not,
maybe you learn something and you say, well, we got
(43:55):
to go with what we got to go. So we'll
see a lot of that, again depends on who's available,
what it'll cost, what you're willing to give up, the
amount of money, all those sorts of things I think
have to be entered into the into the mix. Tomorrow,
I'm assuming we'll get a little bit more information on
when the injury took place, because I think that's still
(44:17):
an open question. I've heard a lot of stuff has
been sent about videos showing him hitting his hand on
somebody's helmet. That is often the case in a situation
like this, and maybe it'll be We'll all be surprised.
Maybe he'll end up recovering quickly and whatever it is,
it's much much better now. And he'll start on Christmas
Day against the Detroit Lions. I wouldn't count on it necessarily,
(44:42):
And then guess what, brozmerg gets a start, his second start,
and who knows, maybe he's better equipped to handle this
opportunity than he was the first time around.
Speaker 3 (44:57):
When you're on the road, you're.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
Planning difficult conditions, you're playing Seattle, a good defensive team.
The Detroit Lions are not very good defensively. The fan
has learned. I don't believe. So that to me is
where it would get delicious. Actually, is if brozmer starts,
and unlike in Seattle dazzles, everybody a little bit is
(45:23):
pretty ends up being pretty good. And then, of course
we finished the regular season against the Green Bay Packers,
who are still licking their wounds after somehow blowing that
ten point lead late to the Monsters. The Midway the
Chicago Bear, so we will see the plan. By the way,
(45:48):
the rest of the week, I don't even know who's on.
I'm out for the holiday purposes the rest of this week,
so I don't know if guards he's on from Arizona
some for I know it could be Dave Sinnecon other people.
Speaker 3 (46:00):
Maybe Russo's hosting a show. I'm not exactly sure.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
And then a few of those days or holidays anyway
where I think we're doing best of or we're doing games.
Christmas is obviously all the action of the Vikings game
will be on the on the fan as well, so
we'll regroup on the other side and well into Hard
to Believe Man twenty twenty six as well. What are
(46:25):
your Christmas plans? Do you hang here? Do you go elsewhere?
What's the Uh?
Speaker 4 (46:29):
Yeah, I'll be I'll be in town. I'll be doing
stuff with my sister and her family.
Speaker 3 (46:33):
So are you from here? Yes?
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Okay, so you you grew up in the area, so
you're just hanging okay? Yeah? And the Chicago was it
what the Chicago Tribute said was some business and then
also just pleasure, just a weekend sort of get away,
a little bit exactly.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
Yeah, it's funny too because I was in I was
in Elgin on Saturday night. I was at the Grand
Victoria Casino. Oh, just a riverboat casino, and they have
a sports book there, and that was the closest thing
to a Vegas sports book I've I've seen a lot
of time. I mean, they were, they were all about it.
The no kidding, Oh yeah, I mean the Bears fans were.
I mean, it's you know, you're behind me lines at
(47:06):
that point. But yeah, we're very much into it.
Speaker 3 (47:08):
Interesting.
Speaker 2 (47:09):
Well, Happy holidays, Merry Christmas to you and yours and
your family as well. Thanks for helping us out today,
as I said, and to the Rubes and the listeners,
I hope this whole week, whole holiday period goes very
very well for you. We appreciate your continued support of
the station. I hope most of you've gotten most of
Christmas shopping done. The bad news is if you like
(47:31):
Christmas atmosphere is I think it's supposed to be balmy,
like forty is forty five on Christmas Day than I read? Yeah,
mid thirties, but no more snow. I don't think I
don't think there's any snow on the forecast right now. No,
we're not going to get all the snow melted, are.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
We by then? I hope it'd be very messy, that
part is for sure.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
So here's the deal coming up next right here on
the fan, it's Vikings Rewind and then it is I
think a pretty interesting matchup Monday night football, San Francisco.
Forty nine ers in Indianapolis. Stick on the Colts Philip Rivers.
They're showing him on the screen right now.
Speaker 3 (48:06):
And look at that.
Speaker 2 (48:07):
He still has a full head of hair, and he's
about fifty six years old. Still looks good to me.
I'll look forward to that tonight. Enjoy the holidays. We'll
talk to you soon.
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