In The Zone: Bonus Zone! Winter Sports Rolling, NFL Week 10 Preview

The FAN's Dave Sinykin and Trent Tucker are back talking some Wolves hoops and plenty of NFL as the Vikings host the Ravens.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's eight oh one on a Saturday morning and you
are in the zone on the fan. Good morning, everybody.
I am Dave Sinneken. Pleased ask Punch to have my
partner in studio with me this morning. You know him
as the professor of hoopology. Go for legend NBA champion
double t Trent Tucker back in studio. We are together
and to celebrate, let's go an extra half hour to

(00:22):
Gay today. We're going eight to ten thirty because it's
just been too long. We need the time to bond,
to reconnect. We do. Nice to see you. Good to
see you as well. Last we heard you were in
Fargo with a younger son, James, for a hockey tournament.
I never did hear the the final results. How'd everything go?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Uh? They won one and tied to second. So the
first game was a good game for them.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Wait you go all the way to Fargo for just
two games? They had two games? Yeah wow and.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Friday Saturday. One Friday tied on Saturday where they disappointed.
I imagine maybe because you know, Morehead has always been good
and they have some very good players. I they had
a shadow had a very good game on Friday where
they just came out and played extremely well. But they
knew going into game number two things were going to

(01:13):
be different. It's because that's a that's a great hockey
program that has been put together, you know, by the
hockey or hockey organizers up there, you know, or they
just laid by Matt Cullen.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Oh wow, Yeah, that's a name even I know, which
is I think somewhat impressive. Speaking of Matt Collins, speaking
of your favorite winter teams, Good night, last night, Wild win,
Wolves win. It's a happy Friday night. It's a happy
Friday night. It's nice to see that, you know, the
Wild over the last few games are able to put
up you know, two scores in the first period.

Speaker 3 (01:45):
How about that starting strong?

Speaker 1 (01:47):
How about that right?

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Welcome back Matt Szucarello too, Yeah, instant impact.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Right, getting off to a good start, but being able
to hold a two old lead, you know after the
first period. It was was nice to see last night.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Islander is kind of terrible though we're not they're okay.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
I wouldn't say they're great, but they're definitely not a pushover.
I think they're above five hundred. So it was a
good win and I like to see valstet play. Well,
they put euar Off into the game, he scores, imagine that.
And then they put Zucarrello in and he contributed several times.
So all is well in Wildland right now?

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah? All what a change from at two ago.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
And that's the beauty of sports, you know. You know,
one day you're down on your team. In twenty four hours,
ladies say, hey, you know we can win Stanley Cuff.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
Yeah, or vice versa. If I go that far, one day,
you'd knock off Aaron Rodgers at his house. In the
next week you lose it home to the Panthers. So yes,
we understand the roller coaster that is sports fandom. Yeah,
before we get to the Wolves, you mentioned Morehead because
you were up in the Fargo area last weekend. I
feel like I need to start the show where they
shout out to the Lakeville South football team, which went

(02:49):
in and absolutely annihilated Maple Grove last night. I heard
Aple Grove had lost a game in two years since
the playoffs two years ago. The defending champs, unbeaten, looked
like an Apple salute machine and Lakeville South takes him
out forty nine to thirty one. They were up at
one point forty nine to nineteen running back Griffin Dean

(03:11):
with six touchdowns. That just that's unheard. That that just
stunned me that that ghetto Sara's like Maple Grove, but
it would give up forty nine points the run they've
been on for two seasons, so I really wanted to
give Lakeville South credit. They will face Morehead in the
six A semifinals at us Bank. The other game two
hated programs, Benataka any Dina, we'll go ahead to head

(03:31):
for the second time. He Dina takes out eaton Prairie
they did, and Taka destroyed Prior Lake last night. He
Dinah has beaten Minnetaka already this season, so a nice
little rematch. Congrats to all the teams on all levels
that advanced to playoff their playoff lives last night and
got to the semifinals of state. But that's a shocker
seeing Maple Grove go down. Kudos to the Lakeville South

(03:54):
squad for a very impressive win.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
You know, I guess you know Mason West who's a
quarterback for you dine and made the right decision to
come back and play high.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
School football once again.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
That worked out rather well for yeah, you know, Chicago
blackhaw first round draft pick. I think he's going to
go play with the Fargo Force after the football season
is over. But also he comes back for his final
the UF high school football and now he has a chance.
He's putting himself in the situation where he may win
a state championship.

Speaker 1 (04:18):
That's amazing, that's so sweet when that all works out, right,
that's right, because an injury could happen and you just go,
what was I doing?

Speaker 2 (04:25):
You know, right, I mean maybe the Chicago Blackhaws was
holding their breath and they still are.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yeah, probably game or two left, right, he can get.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Through the month of October without any injuries and began
to start his professional hockey career.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah, it's a great story. And again, good luck to
all the squads still alive in the state high school
football playoffs. Meanwhile, after a dispiriting performance in New York,
our Timberwolves returned home last night for their first NBA
Cup game of the season, and let's just say they
took out some of their frustrations on the Utah Jazz
last night, jumping out fifteen to two, twenty six to six,

(05:00):
forty three fifteen after one quarter on their way to
a forty point demolition of the Utah Jazz. And again,
not a lot to take out of it, because Utah
is terrible and they don't have Walker Custler for the
season any kind of the year. Yeah, he heard his shoulder,
I think. So they had no shop blocking or defensive
presence inside. But in light of what we had seen

(05:24):
last with the Wolves, two in one week, they go
on the road, they beat Charlotte and Brooklyn without Aunt
and comes back Wednesday and is still obviously not ant
right for sure, he was coming back from Madison Square
guard of course, but you know he's deferring early, like
he was just sort of trying to settle back in
and not that that was the difference. The Nicks dominated
on the boards on the other past.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
You know, it was unacceptable. You could have eighty three
points and a half.

Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, yeah, dropping them at that point to twenty seventh
in the league in defensive officials.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
You and I talked about this a few weeks ago,
how concerned we were about our team's overall defense. Yeah,
we believe we can score, but for us to get
back to where we were the last two years and
making the deep playoff run. We're going to have to
become strong muss again on the defensive end.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, a work in progress, still a lot to happen.
This is a Utah Jazz team that's going to be,
you know, in the bottom of the standings. They're still
in rebuild mode. They have some nice pieces, but that's
a team you should take care of it. In fact,
the five Wolves wins outside of the Portland win, they're
beating up the dregs of the league so far. The
combined record of the team the Wolves have beaten this
year at thirteen and thirty. You know, they've beaten up

(06:33):
the Pacers, who are one in seven or one in eight,
the Jazz, the Brooklyn Charlotte, you know, those kind of
teams which you have to do. We are old enough
to remember this team not beating those teams as regularly
as we would like the last couple of seasons. So yeah, good,
good for them. Crush the teams you're supposed to. But
now let's see them raise their level of play. Once

(06:54):
they get back. It's going to be another week or
so before they play a very good team. I think
Denver's in on the fifteen. Until then, at Sacramento in
Utah tomorrow and Monday, and then Friday night Sacramento's back
for NBA Cup game, So they have a nice little
part of their schedule to kind of work things out.
But it was alarming Wednesday night to watch them how

(07:15):
feeble they were on the boards. Granted, when they play
a big team like New York that's got multiple bigs
that you know, do the dirty stuff, they're they're going
to struggle and unless they do something about the backup
center position, either give Baron Jay a chance or make
a roster move to add some kind of defensive presence
because the alarming stat I think day Moore threw it

(07:37):
out earlier this week is when Go bears on the board,
their defensive ratings like one oh two, and when he's
off the floor it's one forty three. That's as bad
as there is in the league. They cannot defend when
Nas and Brandle are your two bigs, especially against a
team like New York that's gonna throw out, you know,
big after big at you. So it's a it's a

(07:57):
concern I think about the way the roster is constructed,
because there just isn't Like we talked about Denver adding
the big backup center, you know, to help out the
non Yolkic minutes. We need to help out the non
go bear minutes with some kind of defensive presence up front,
because it's a big problem that Rudy's not playing more
than thirty thirty two minutes a game.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
But also the players have to take some onus on
themselves to understand that when Rudy goes off the floor,
we have to collectively become a better defensive team and
rebounding team. I know, I heard Mike Conley talk about,
you know, pace of play. We want to get up
and down the floor, lie faster. But if you can't

(08:39):
rebound the basketball and the defense of man, you can't run.
So it's going to be important when Rudy goes off
to the floor that those guards don't leak out. They
have to come back in around their free throw line
to pick up those long, loose rebounds because last time
I checked, teams are still shooting three point shots, and
so when that ball bounces out and the big guys

(09:01):
are not in position to gather it, that's where your
guars have to be in their free throw line air
to pick up those long loose rebounds and if they
can get the ball first, now you can start your
fast break a lot quicker.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
But you know, just.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Relying on one guy to get it done on the
boards and defensively, it's not a good it's not a
good way to go.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
This team is pretty much intact right from the last
year to roster wise, and they've been a very good
defensive team. Take away Nikhil Alexander Walker, who's obviously a
very good defensive player. That's the one big subtraction. But
the pieces are here that have played good defense. It's
not like, yeah, you're right, you're trying to put new
pieces together. They know how to do it. You know,
they talk about energy and effort and cohesion and all

(09:43):
that stuff. Our big watchword heading into the season was continuity, Like,
these guys know how to play together. So to see
them struggle so defensively is alarming, and you figure that
is something that should be fixable because we've seen it.
And yes, some of the rotations are a bit different,
guys are getting different minutes and starting and all that,
but it feels fixable. And you know, last night was

(10:05):
the first time they held an opponent under one hundred
they held Utah to thirty seven percent shooting. You know,
the defense was great, But then you say, well, it's
Utah like Larie Marknen and who else scares you Kan'ty
George is a nice young player, but they you know,
this is not a team that's gonna scay with their weapons, correct,
and it's going to get a whole lot tougher. So
I guess I'm concerned mostly right now about when you

(10:28):
look at some of the teams in the West, they're
going to have to get past that have size, you know,
and obviously OKC comes to mind immediately San Antonio, which
is six and two Denver. There's a lot of size
among the good teams in the West, and they've got
to get bulkier or at least grittier defensively. If they
don't have the size to compete necessarily with some of

(10:48):
these teams, they have to figure out a way to
stay in the game. Defense. You know, the Wolves have
everything you just said is correct.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
They have the personnel because we have seen it over
the last two years, and what and what and when
what gave them a chance to win come playoff time
because they could play defense. You know, they can rebound
on both ends of the floor. You got you know,
you got Jay McDaniels, you got, you got Anthony Edwards.
You have good athletes at the small full in the

(11:16):
big guard position. Those guys should be able to pick
up four or five or six rebounds every single night
because they are not enough shots taken and enough shots
that are missed where they should be able to help
Rudy Gobert in the inside guys out. You can't run
the fast break unless you get the defensive rebound. And
so those guys now have to understand when Rudy is

(11:38):
off the floor, and maybe Chris Finch should even instill
that mindset into them. Even more is that we are
going to have to get this done as a group.
The last time I checked, you know, basketball was a
group activity.

Speaker 1 (11:50):
That is correct. You know teams are shooting twenty to
thirty thirty five threes a game. Wolves are shooting thirty
four threes a game right now, as you know, I mean,
most of those miss threes are going to be long rebounds.
You need to make a commitment and not just to
rely on the big guys underneath, because a lot of
those rebounds are coming out twelve fifteen feet and if
your guys are halfway down the court looking for a pass,
they ain't gonna get it because they're not going to

(12:11):
have the ball.

Speaker 2 (12:11):
Because right now, if you're scowling the Wolves, you would say,
you know that if we can block out Rudy and
allow him to be a factor on the defensive boards,
and if their guards and small forwards are not going
to come in and help him on the glass and
pick up those long, loose rebounds when the shot goes up,
attack the office basket because now that's where you might

(12:33):
be able to find some second and third chances. You know,
it's a concern, but it's not a major concern because
you know that you have a team that has to
personnel to correct that situation. We've been harping on the defense.
The good news is the offense is in rhythm and
gorgeous to watch. When we get back, we'll talk about

(12:53):
the other side of the ball much more. Wolves conversation.
We have so much to get to today. We need
two and a half hours.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
We're going to take it all the way to ten
thirty bonus in the Zone today, taking you up to
men's basketball. Gophers pregame as they get set to play
Alcorn State at eleven bonus in the zone to ten thirty,
which means we are just getting rolling. We're back with
much more after these Have you ever Saturn cut to

(13:36):
pig you round? What's we are back a twenty on
a Saturday morning. You're in the zone. Tucker and synecon
with Brett Blake Moore hanging out till ten thirty. Today

(13:57):
we will hand off to Gopher's pregame at ten thirty
and Gophers basketball game two eleven o'clock men's Golden Gophers
up against Alcorn State. That's at eleven o'clock on the
fan today, Barn at the Barn. I'm much more on
the Gophers hoops program coming up one o'clock. Fantasy Football
Weekly will air today at one o'clock or whenever you
care to listen on the iHeart app. And then tonight

(14:19):
we're carrying some college football LSU Alabama. I'm the fan
this very evening. Gophers football has a buye this week
before they head to Oregon next weekend. For us, it's
a big game, likely to be a tricky one. Oregon's
at Iowa today, which I'm interested to watch to see
if Iowa can. Some of the college football wonks believe

(14:43):
that the winner of this game will have a shot
at the college football playoffs. So it's a pretty large
game in Iowa City to see if Iowa can take
down the Oregon Ducks, to see if that team can
travel into a tough environment and win. My alma mater, Indiana,
will be at Penn State today at eleven o'clock, So
I'll be racing home at ten thirty to be home
for your kickoff. There is the second ranked now the

(15:06):
college football playoffs are out second ranked Indiana at Penn State,
laying fourteen and a half points. Penn State is a
fourteen and a half point underdog to Indiana. In the
world we live in today.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
And about what six or seven and eight weeks ago,
Penn State, yeah, was in their position.

Speaker 1 (15:23):
They were team Yeah, they were two or three, weren't they. Yeah.
It's how things have changed so quickly, hits in state football,
it is, And I just I don't know what to
do with this game, because in one respect, you go
all right flagging the dirt. This is Penn State's chance
and they're winless in the Big Ten. Their coach has
gone their quarterback's gone, they're seasons over. They just are

(15:45):
coming off a bad, you know, tough loss in Ohio State,
which is obviously difficult. Either you know, they rise up
for one final big game and try to show something
against Indiana, or they just lay down. They just say,
you know, some of the guys agents are saying, we're
leaving the program. Stay healthy. You know your coach is gone.
We're going to go enter the poor Like half the

(16:06):
team might be out the door. So I don't know
what to make Either it's a trap game like Indiana's
going to be careful because after this game, it was
a trap game. They got Wisconsin and Purdue after this.
That's all that separates them from a twelve to oh season.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
It has to be careful. You care to pros this
game the right way. You have to approach this game
like Penn State is Penn State. I thought Penn State
would be this year. Yeah, and I don't.

Speaker 1 (16:26):
I think the coach is probably pretty adept at making
sure the guys have their eyes on the prize. He's
kind of a no nonsense individual. Still as a longtime
fan of this program, although for most of my sixty
years on this planet, uh they've been an afterthought because
they've been just nothing. It's a weird situation to be in.
To go, God, be careful of Penn State had two

(16:48):
good years. You've had two good years. Well it's fun
to have a couple of kids there too, Like you know,
I got my kids. My whole goal with my kids
with Indiana was, man, I hope basketball could turn itself
around so you guys could experience what it's like to
be an assembly hall with a good who cares. It's
the football program they get to enjoy the last couple
of years.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
Well, you know, it's nice to see them, you know,
come back after a strong year a year ago. Yeah,
many people doubted them, say, oh, you know, they just
had the fluke of a season and this is not
real football in Indiana. But you say, hey, twelve months later,
you're in the same position they were a year ago.
So kudos to that football program.

Speaker 1 (17:25):
Yeah. And it's funny because I heard Common and ten
to Be a week or so ago talking and you know,
you take what those guys say with a grain of
salt because it's a bit half the time. But they
were basically dismissing Indiana's success by saying, well, yeah, throw
enough money at a program. Look, it can happen. You
can buy yourself a program. That's not what Indiana did.
Now going forward, they're gonna be able to bring in
great recruits. They have zero five star recruits. They only

(17:48):
have seven four star recruits. These are a bunch of
James Madison player, a bunch of guys that good football players.
That's what they ask Yes, they identified a good quarterback
at Cal and they brought them over, But nobody thought
fer Dando Mendoza was a Heisman Trophy before. They just
bought themselves a quarterback. Now you have to find the
right coach, and that's what Indiana did well. You know.

Speaker 2 (18:07):
Also, you know, there are a lot of kids who
are ranked high on certain boards here or there, and
maybe it's the competition that they play against from wherever,
from wherever they are from, and it leads to a
high rank and gives you a five star here or there.
But there are so many good players who get overlooked
just because of the environment that they live in. They

(18:28):
don't get the same type exposure. And it's great to
see that recruiters and coaches along with their staff are
able to go out and identify some of those good
players who are left off these you know, prep magazines
and all of these notoriety type magazines, and hey, this
guy here is a legitimate Division one football player. And

(18:50):
it's for me. I'm so ecstatic when I see a
program that can go out, go out and find guys
that nobody knows about.

Speaker 1 (18:58):
Me too, And since I'm close to the Indiana program
to see these James Madison players who didn't get recruited.
So they go to a school like James Madison, which
is a great football school at that level, and they
do great and they probably a lot of them. Just wonder, man,
what would have Could I have played in the Big twelve?
Could I have played in the SEC? And now they're
getting that chance with an Ilan for for Indiana, the

(19:20):
Lion's share of their great defensive players came from one
Double A programs that that knew they were good enough
but didn't get the look. And then they get that
look and that chance and they deliver. It has to
be so gratifying.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
It's because if as a recruiter, if you're not willing
to work and you're just going to rely on you know,
reports that you that you see or you read or
someone tells you about a player here or there. Well,
then you don't put the extra effort to go in
and see what this kid is all about. You say, well,
you know, he's at a small school in a small

(19:51):
town somewhere in Wisconsin or Michigan, and he's really not
on the major map. You know, some of these you know,
big outlets like E and guys like mail kaiping them
and not talking about these kids on a daily basis.
So well, why take the effort to go to that
small town and watch him play? Yeah, the competition is
not that great. But then all of a sudden, somebody

(20:13):
like Indiana, the guys are willing to put into work.
They're willing to get in their cars and drive into
those small towns and spend some cold nights watching these
guys play football on Friday nights with the whole town.
You know, we're rooting for them. And they say, hey,
you know what we just identify next on the linebacker.

Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah. At the Indiana University twenty years ago, Chris Signetty
was Nick Saban's recruiting coordinator. So that's his background that
he knows how to identify talent. Maybe finding a coach
that's cut his chops on recruiting for big time programs
and then tried to make his way up up the
ladder is the way to go. Not that it's always
going to work that way, but clearly there are coaches

(20:50):
out there that know how to identify talent. And when
you're a program like Minnesota or Indiana or any of
these programs that look up to the big boys in
a big conference recruiting everything and identifying talent when you
know you're not going to get the best of the best.
If you've got someone that's great at that, it can
turn your program around. Indiana c and that right now.

Speaker 2 (21:08):
I mean because you know, you think about guys who
come along and all of a sudden you say, where
did that guy come from? And he's a twelve to
fifteen year you know, professional athlete, and all of a sudden,
he makes all star teams and he's on the boiline
of being a Hall of Famer. Some guys blossom late,
but as you and I are talking about, you have

(21:30):
to be willing to identify what talent looks like and
then you know, look at your program and say where
do we need to get better at? And what player
or what kid is the right fit for this situation
and these positions to help us get better as a program.
And the guys who are able to do that. I mean,

(21:51):
that's a talent in itself, and I'm just it thrills
me to see, you know, guys who are able to
identify talent, you know, when other people have overlook those
kids for many years.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, I hear you. Texts coming in. We welcome your
input on whatever we're talking about, as always to the
brand Shawn Brian Cafe and text line six four six
eight six. Uh hang, I'm gonna put my glasses on
to see the area code H two O six. That's sleattle, right, Yeah,
I think so so two oh six guy chimes in
oh State in Texas, A and L will play for

(22:23):
the national championship. Well that's going on on a big lam.
You think one and three are going to play? That's
probably likely. But should I not be excited about my
alma mater being the number two team in the country
with a chance to knock off Ohio State? On December sixth.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
Said the best high school football team in the state
got beat last night by eighteen points.

Speaker 1 (22:40):
Sure did coming? Sure did bring it, A and M
bring it. Let's go.

Speaker 2 (22:43):
When it's a one and done deal, on any given day,
somebody can rise up and knock you off. So that's
the you know, that's the beauty of football, you know,
with baseball and basketball and hockey and you have you know,
a five or seven game series and what times they
not the best team? Right, He's going to win over
the long haul in a in a one and done

(23:04):
type situation, like Mark Madgins, that's where it's real comes
from because you get hot for ten days and you
can ride that wave of emotion and excitement all the
way to a national champions Yeah.

Speaker 1 (23:15):
And college football now with the twelve team playoff, gives
us you know, obviously multiple games to watch great teams
and not just a one and done. But they still
obviously have to keep winning. And I like the fact
that they reseeded the playoff this year where it's not
the top four conference champs are the top four seeds.
It's going to be seated the way they are, you know,
seated by the committee. So you know, for example, if

(23:38):
A and M and Bama could both be in the
top four in Ohio State Indiana could both be in
the top four could be the way it is now.
Even if you know Ohio State knocks off IU or
vice versa, you have to think they both have a
chance to stay.

Speaker 2 (23:49):
And that's you know, just because you've had a division
doesn't mean that you know you want the top four
teams in the NFL.

Speaker 1 (23:56):
I feel like they're inching toward that way, like I
think we'll see that at some point that the receive
the NFL playoffs. It's obviously not the case now, but
I think there's a groundswell for that to happen. I
didn't expect to go college football, but I started, you
know more in my sweatshirt, I'm excited about to Happy Valley,
your favorite place to travel and has a reason to
be excited. I know. Let's move on and talk Wolves

(24:16):
basketball when we come back. Mentioned it heading into this segment.
The offense has been spectacular. It was electric last night.
It was a beautiful thing to watch if you could
get past the ugliness of the court. More on that,
More on the Wolves when we come back in the zone.

(25:07):
I've stepped out to night. I know I'll be looking time.
Don't no one to.

Speaker 2 (25:13):
Catch my eyes.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
We are back eight thirty nine. You're in the zone.
Tucker and Sinecon hanging out till ten thirty today bonus
half hour in the zone taking you have to Gophers
men's basketball at the Barn this after eleven o'clock this
morning actually against Alcorn State. Wolves win by forty last
night one thirty seven to ninety seven to improve to
five and four. It was their first NBA Cup game

(25:37):
of the seasons. They are want to know in their
cake game, what's that the real cup game? Cupcake cupcake game? Yes, exactly,
well put Wolves group, by the way, includes Okac, which
will be the final game I think December nineteenth at Okac.
That might be for the automatic birth Sacramento, Utah and Phoenix.

(25:57):
They get very lucky with their group because it's all random.
You know, they go by, they don't stack it, you know,
they try to put similar they try to make it
as eaven as possible. And the Wolves in thunder get
the Kings, Jazz and Sons. Group C is an absolute gauntlet. Okay,
Group C is Denver, Houston, Golden State, San Antonio, and Portland.

(26:20):
All five of those teams are very good. I mean
that that is a very difficult group. So you compare
with what the Wolves ended up in. We kind of
lucked out well, at least the way it looks right now. Obviously,
it's nice.

Speaker 2 (26:31):
To see, you know, how the Trailblazers have kind of
gotten themselves and stayed together after their hair coach situation.
Because after the first game and seeing your hair coach
get the rest of the next morning, yeah, you know,
things could have could have fallen apart very quickly for
their team. But it's nice to see that the organization
was able to rally the troops and keep their their

(26:54):
minds in the right place. And now this team is
moving in the right direction.

Speaker 1 (26:58):
And we saw right opening night with thought this is
a good team. Like I mean, there was a very
lucky to win that game. They were very lucky to
win the game. As it turns out though that that's
a tough place to play, Okay, see loss to them.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
Maybe you know, you know, CHELSI was doing some things
behind the scenes.

Speaker 1 (27:11):
Right, can't rule it out. We could complained and criticized
and and agonized over what we've seen defensively for the
Wolves so far, it's a work in progress. It looked
better last night, but obviously creative Salt where you played offensively,
they have been outstanding. And I'm going to take you
back a few weeks and we were kind of previewing

(27:33):
the season and I made this grand prediction. I said,
maybe you remember this, Okay, I said, I'm going to
go with I think by the end of the year,
we're gonna say that Jaden McDaniels is the Wolf's second
best player. And Jayden has been terrific and I'm going
to get to him in a moment. But through nine games,
Julius Randall looks like an all NBA player, Like right

(27:55):
now he would be an All NBA player in this league.
He has been outstanding again, mostly on the offensive side.
Last night, his first half line first half fifteen ten
and nine. I mean, he just missed a triple double
in the first half. He ended up with nineteen twelve
and ten. He got the triple double in limited minutes.
The starters all played mid twenty minutes last night. We asked, like,

(28:18):
who's going to be the point guard for this team?
Randall might be the best point guard for this team.
He is so comfortable in this offense, the decisions he makes.
He's so good offensively, and that's been a shining light
through nine games is how comfortable he looks on that
side of the floor and just how talented we sometimes free.
We saw it obviously as a season when you got

(28:40):
back from the injury in February March, and how much
he improved and the offense improved. He's picked up rut
where he left off. He has been spectacular so far.

Speaker 2 (28:48):
Yeah, he's a very talented offensive player, you know, but
there are so many talented guys in the Western Conference,
I understand, and.

Speaker 1 (28:57):
It's gonna be tough to crack the All NBA list.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
And and that's I mean, it'd be aho lot easier
for him to make it. If his team becomes better
on the defensive end, they win. You gotta wine, and
that's how you're gonna win games. And you know you
you're going to have some very difficult challenges on the
nightly basis. We all know that because the Western Conference
is so stacked, so defense is going to have to
be your calling current. We know the Wolves can score.

(29:22):
We know they have offensive players who can get it done.
Like you said, Jade McDaniel has really stepped up his
offensive game.

Speaker 1 (29:28):
He was three for three from deep. He looks so
comfortable shooting now and he's not shooting a lot like
three threes. That's all you really want Jayden to shoot.
He had twenty two points last night, and again his
offensive game from where it was twelve months ago, it
looks like a different player.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
Yeah, I mean he's very like you said, he's he's
very efficient. You know, with this with his offensive game
understanding now when they take the outside shot, you know
he's using the balance at the right time, one or
two dribbles to get to a position to take a
shout to make the next play. But defense, this is
where you know they're going to have to have consistency

(30:04):
and balance. And Julius Randall could be an all NBA player,
but his team needs to become better on the defensive end.
And once they can, they can figure that thing out
and start to knock out some of these top teams.
Because you know, Winby is playing at the whole new level.
It Denver seems to be like a different basketball team.
The Trail Blazers are someone that we didn't think there

(30:27):
would be in the mix, but all of a sudden,
now they could be in the mix. I think if
Dallas gets healthy before this season, is all set and down.

Speaker 1 (30:33):
Dallas is dead. But you don't worry abou Dallas. They
won't get healthy.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
But if they got healthy, yeah, I mean, you know,
they have talent and and all of a sudden, now
you look at game sixty five or seven, it's a while.

Speaker 1 (30:46):
Where did this team come from?

Speaker 2 (30:48):
So winning some of these games against some of the
better teams when they come up. You know, as we
move in the next few weeks, defensively, that's where things
is going to have to start for the.

Speaker 1 (30:59):
Wolves, no doubt. We have to see a complete change
on that side of the floor. But it is fun
to watch when your team is cooking offensively. Listen to
some of these numbers. You know what the team is
shooting from deep so far through nine games as a
team from deep McDaniels, Jaden McDaniels fifty three percent from deep,

(31:19):
Ant fifty percent, Randall and Dante forty two percent. Right now,
both Randal and Ant are averaging twenty six a game
McDaniels eighteen, Devincenzo fourteen. The starters are delivering. The issue
has been the bench so far, and then the bench
with Dante's starting, you know, is NOAs and Conley you know,

(31:41):
and you know whoever's healthy, whether Shannon has not been
healthy of late, Jayalen Clark's been on and off the court.
Dillingham's getting more of a run now. We talked about
the depth of this team nine ten to eleven. Where
do you stop right now? They're four and a half deep,
five deep. I mean they need and NOAs you know,
I thought, looked more comfortable last night. We all know

(32:02):
what he's going through emotionally, dealing with the death of
his sister, the murder of his sister a couple of
months ago or whatever it was with Oh my goodness,
I mean one of your most vocal fans and your
beloved sister, you know who to lose that in an
act of violence like that, that that can scar you
for a long long time. So I'm still in the
grain of salt with Nas, like there's a lot of

(32:23):
things bigger than basketball going on with him. And but
but you've watched him play so far this season. He
doesn't look like the player that we remember, and that's understandable.
I saw some positive developments I thought from NAS's play
last night, and they're going to need that obviously.

Speaker 2 (32:42):
But also I think before it's all said and done,
you know that point guard situation is going to have
to be addressed and is going to have to be addressed.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
And but what do you mean by addressed? Do you
mean they'll find a point guard me? I mean during
the season or is that something I mean you look
at after the seasons. It could be a number of
guys out there who are big name guys. I don't
know if we have the opportunity or we're in a
situation where we can go out and pursue one of
those guys some of the names who are out there now,

(33:15):
let's see. But when you saw what the Portland Trail
Blazers did to the Wolves in game number one, and
after nine games you were five and four, and you
told me that the five wins that they have, they
haven't been a good team yet other than the Portland
trail Blaze out the game one.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
Yeah, that's going to you know, that's going to be
the game plan come playoff time. If I was a
team playing against the Wolves come playoff time with the
personnel that they have right now, knowing that they don't have,
you know, a real legitimate point guard in the in
the rotation or starting rotation, you apply pressure ninety four feet.

Speaker 1 (33:55):
We saw the Pacers do it and almost steal a
game with half of their roster out.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
And right now, you know that's the Achilles heel for
the Wolves. Can they run their offense against heavy pressure
for forty eight minutes and win a playoff matchup? If
a team has the personnel, you know, to to show
that they can apply that type of defensive pressure for
an entire game or an entire series.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
Well this just in. There are not terrific point guards
hanging out on trees for you to pick and pluck
an add to your roster. It's not going to be easy.

Speaker 2 (34:28):
Would you you know now, would you would you take
a would you take a would you make a phone
called the Memphis?

Speaker 1 (34:34):
Well that's that was going to be. My next point was,
let's talk about the Ja Moran situation. I think everybody knows,
suspended by for a game by the team after a
postgame exchange with the coach. Their coach comes from Europe
and then coaches players hard, and he has taken that
tack to the NBA, which I respect and take a
shot at it, but it does not mesh well with Jah.

(34:56):
He questioned his leadership, his effort, which I think were
watching John, notice that he wasn't given at all challenges
leadership in front of the team. John didn't take that. Well,
it sounds like they're headed toward a divorce. John's the
face of that franchise. And look, there's a lot that
comes with John Morant, right, I mean, he's been suspended

(35:17):
by the league multiple times, He's had issues flashing weapons
on social media. Looks like a young man that still
needs to figure things out. So let's forget the basketball
side of the equation for a second, because I don't
know that the Wolves have a trade package they could
offer Memphis like some other teams. So they don't control
a draft pick for six years. They can't give him

(35:39):
a draft pick, I don't think for the next six years,
so you can't offer them number ones. So I don't
think it's really something that's even in the realm of possibility.
But looking at the person who he is, what he brings,
the baggage that comes with him, it's not like, yeah,
John Moran, he's just got a little carry on backpack.
You're getting a lot of but he's got yeah, yeah,

(35:59):
he's a parcel waiting for multiple bags to come in.
There's a lot of baggage when you bring in Jamran.
Would you want that personality, assuming a trade could happen,
would you want the personality plus the talent to fit
with that that? Does it work for you? When you
look at the whole picture of what John Morant is,
could you ask me, I'm gonna ask you. You're the

(36:20):
basketball guy, would you do whatever it took to bring
in the point guard that is John Morant to pair
with Ant for the next I wouldn't. I would. I wouldn't.
I wouldn't tear up my entire team. No.

Speaker 2 (36:31):
But if I if I had a package I could
put together, I would definitely take a serious look at
it for sure. Maybe a change of scenery and with
some veteran guys around him, I could could help him
see a clear picture on things that he needs to
do better. But also, you know, there may be a
Trey Young.

Speaker 1 (36:51):
Who could be out there.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
I don't know if you could be in a position,
you know, to offer Atlanta any any, any type of package,
because Atlanta has some young players in the back court
and they and Trey Young has a knee injury. At
this stage, it's not serious he's out for about a month,
but they but they have played well without him in
the lineup. All of a sudden, Now he could be

(37:12):
somebody that, hey, this is the last year of his deal,
maybe he could be available. But I still believe that
just based on what I've seen so far. When teams
apply pressure to the Wolves, the offense struggles, and you're
not going to play Utah in late April, in the

(37:35):
first part of May, it's unlikely that you're not going
to see those teams. You're going to see the team
so far that you have not been able to beat,
And how do you address some of those issues as
the season moves along to make sure that you are
in a good position to beat those teams come playoff time.

Speaker 1 (37:54):
I understand the concern, and I agree that they're going
to have to figure out that position. When you talk
about Atlanta, you mentioned Trey Young. We've been sort of
salivating over him for a while. The fact that he's
out a month and they're they're playing good basketball so
far the first couple of games without him, if that continues,
because they've got a ton of young talent and they've
paid some of those guys big money, so they're starting
to get an expensive roster. They'd like to keep Christops.

(38:16):
He's only there for a year. He might be a
guy if they're winning without him, that they do decide
we can part with. But again I don't know. Actually,
if the rulesmen I have a not have assets, you're
gonna have to put nas Read. If you're talking about
trying to acquire a guy like jaw Or or Trace
Young or Trey Young, I think you're gonna have to
put Dillingham, Reid Shannon. I mean you're gonna have to

(38:37):
put some young pieces. And do you want to part
with the with nas we would?

Speaker 2 (38:41):
I mean I may have to because if because going
into the season with you and I kind of talked
about if they were able to acquire a high quality
point guard, who would it be.

Speaker 1 (38:54):
Would it be Julius Rando, would it be nas Read?

Speaker 2 (38:57):
And you signed nas Read to a long term contract,
and we were thinking, hey, if the Wolves are to
make a deal and Julius Random was somewhere into the
deal to bring in a quality point guard. Now you're
telling us that you believe that nas Reads is ready
to step in and play thirty eight to thirty nine
minutes at that power forward position because you've seen enough
body of work to believe that he can get it

(39:17):
done for the next four or five years. But which
one do you move? I mean, because it's hard to
see moving Randall right now, way he's playing. I don't
want to move. I've never said that before. I don't
want to move Randal. But at five and four, and
you just enlighten me that the teams we have beaten,

(39:38):
you know, and not the cream of the crop.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
I mean, you can only play the games on your schedule.
No enough yet you need more data points. I mean.

Speaker 2 (39:44):
So, but going forward, we all know what's going to
take to get to that final step. You need quality
point guard play. I mean because like I said, you know,
the recipe for any team playing against the Wolves, if
you have the person else who do it, is that
you have to apply a pressure ninety four feet because
they don't have a quality point guard they can handle

(40:06):
that type of pressure. And we saw what the Portland
Terblers did in game number one. I don't know if
the Wolves can do it. We don't know what they have,
you know, a personnel package that could attract someone of
that nature. But if they if they do it, and
if Tim Conny can find a way to make it happen,
if one of those guys are available, you know, that
might be the putt he needs, That might be the

(40:28):
butt he needs to push.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
Yeah. For me, on Job, part of me says, this environment,
this locker room where he's not the leader. You know,
necessarily you've got veterans, you've got and who I think.
I think Anton Job could could jive a little bit.
Julius Random could help him a lot as well. I
just don't know, though, I don't know that I'd be
on board. It's a real gamble with jobs.

Speaker 2 (40:46):
Well. I mean, you know is there are a lot
of guys who have come with you know, questionable backgrounds,
and they have gone to different places and all of
a sudden, down the locker room is different, and your
appears can sit down and talk to you differently than
sometimes the organizations or the head coach can and say, hey, man,

(41:07):
you know you're about to throw X, Y and Z away.
Let's just sit down and talk about this. Maybe I've
had some issues here or there and I was able
to overcome certain things, and you're going to have to
you know, process and eliminate some of the things in
your life to get better, you know, don't don't waste
this opportunity. He might be willing to listen and respect

(41:28):
some one of his peer and but if he's out
there and.

Speaker 1 (41:35):
And you make a call, for sure, you know you
got to think about it. I've gotten three or four
tech since we started this conversation saying, you know, move
Rudy in the deal. You gotta move Rudy. And I'm thinking,
have you seen this team when Rudy's not on the court, Like,
if you move Rudy, what are you doing as far
as a rebounder, shop, locker, any kind of presence, you

(41:56):
don't have anything.

Speaker 2 (41:57):
Well, then you're telling yourself that if that was the case,
you know, to pace a play. That the conversation that
came up about we got to play faster with someone
like Trey Young and John Morant within that conversation is
real because they can play a whole lot faster. But
you still need Rudy Gobert. You need you need somebody
that can block shots and rebound. Because we saw how

(42:19):
the Wolves were able to knock off the Lakers and
the Phoenix Suns over the last two years because they
didn't have a rim protector.

Speaker 1 (42:25):
Yeah, I just I'm intrigued by what Baron Jay is
going to bring this team down the road. But not
right now, not right now. Although that said, and we
have to break and we'll talk more on the other side. Okay,
why not throw Baron Jay out there a little bit
when Gobert's on the I'm with you. I mean, he
came in in garbage time, while garbage time was the
last ten minutes of the game. With you, he runs

(42:46):
the floor, he has impeccable timing, looking to block shots, finishes.
He's eighteen, he'll be nineteen very soon. At what point
do you say, all right, I understand he's very raw,
very green, but you're telling me six eight minutes of
non rudy minutes just to play some defense. Let's throw
them out there and see what you got.

Speaker 2 (43:03):
But thank you about the back court of a healthy, straight
minded Moran and Anthony Edwards.

Speaker 1 (43:11):
Yeah, that is I mean, straight minded might be difficult
to achieve, but yeah, that's that is intriguing to think
of a All right, top of the hour pause, More
NBA conversation coming up, plenty of NFL before we are done.
At ten thirty today, you're in the Zone on the fans.

(43:51):
We are back nineh three in about eight seconds on
a Saturday morning. You're in the zone. Trent Tucker, Dave Sinnekon,
Brett Blake Moore. We're here till ten thirty today. Bonus
half hour of in the zone will take you right
up to ten thirty. Pregame Gophers Alcorn State men's basketball
on the fan today. They'll tip off shortly after eleven.
Fantasy Football Weekly follows that at one. We'll carry LSU

(44:13):
Alabama tonight and then tomorrow. Of course it's all about
the NFL and the Purple. Actually, Packer preview at eight
o'clock tomorrow, we get an extra hour. We start later
eight o'clock. No Gophers, rewind, no Gopher game this weekend,
So Packer preview at eight, bump with Sunday sermons at nine,
then Vikings NFL Sunday at ten, and then of course

(44:34):
the noon kickoff, the big one, the Ravens in town.
Much more on the NFL, the Purple, the pack and
all of that coming up, as we still have ninety
minutes or so, plenty of time to get into the NFL.
We're still talking NBA, and we were dreaming about potential
point guards because we're looking at the big picture here
and I think everybody knows at some point the Wolves
do need to figure out that position. You know. Rob

(44:57):
Dillingham would be nice to say he's your answer, but
I'm not sure we all believe he's the answer, certainly
at this point. Although the last few games he's getting
fifteen sixteen minutes and starting to look a little more comfortable,
a little more confident, and that's a good development. But
obviously he's a long way away from being a guy
you want to count on to be your floor general.

(45:17):
We've talked about John Morant and Trey Young. A couple
of Texters have asked about d Aaron Fox, who will
make his season debut today for the Spurs, who are
six and two without him, second in the West. They
knocked off the Rockets last night by eleven in an
NBA Cup competition. Spurs are on their way with their
young superstar Victor Webbin Yama, and they're very good, young

(45:42):
talented backcourts to Fan Castle, the Rookie of the Year.
They added the number two pick in the draft, Dylan Harper,
so they've got a couple of young guards where does
Fox fit guy they just paid Starting next season, his
four year deal will kick in a four year, two
hundred and twenty nine million dollar deal for d Aaron Fox,
who I don't think he's the odd man out. He's

(46:03):
an all star quality guard. But who knows. Maybe they
entertain moving to Aaron Fox. I think I speak for
the room of all the point guards we're talking about.
For me, Dearon Fox would be number one a heartbeat.
I haven't an argu member that but a But I'll
take any of the two too, Yeah, I know, And

(46:24):
I would look at Trey. I'm less enthused about Jah.
You are more enthused about Jow. You think this environment
might suit him and as Dad comes along with it though,
and he's kind of an issue. You know. You want
to got those taking a good day cafe, They have
a conversation, have a nice little breakfast forty nine or
flapjacks and some syrup. Can't get much better than that,

(46:45):
you know. Again, just thinking about it, what kind of
package would entice the Spurs to look at moving to
Aaron Fox to a Western Conference rival. I think it's
the last thing they would do. So again, we're just
like al McGuire used to say, it's like seashells and balloons.
We're just kind of playing here. You know, again, I
think matching salaries, you're gonna have to give up on

(47:06):
your high paid guys. So is it Randall, is it Read?
It's not Gobet. They've they've got the big guys and
they have guards, and they have guards, so you're probably
gonna have to give them. You know, you don't want
to give up Jaden, right, you probably have to give
up nas Read, But that's not going to get the
spurs that excited. Try an all star guard for year six.

Speaker 2 (47:28):
They they get a big number, They get a big
number off the books they have. They have young talent,
you know that's locked in for the next three or
four years at a very comfortable salary. They have the
best they got arguably the next year. So the best
player in the league, and he's only going to get
better and the coaches will know how to use him

(47:51):
even in different ways where he can be even more efficient.
I think he's a guy that could easily shoot seventy
to seventy five percent about to see now he has
he has the game, that can play outside. But they're
nice and He should never go six for nineteen. He
should never have an off night offensively because if he

(48:13):
misses the first two shots, fment outside, just go post
him up.

Speaker 1 (48:16):
Who's going guard h miss seven five? Nobody? He should
shoot seventy five percent every night.

Speaker 2 (48:22):
He had a rough night the other night, and he
should I would have called the time out and.

Speaker 1 (48:28):
No because the Lakers. I think it was because what's
going to happen?

Speaker 2 (48:31):
I'm this is this is what scares me about him.

Speaker 1 (48:37):
He's uh is. He was generational talent. He's beyond generational talent.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
Okay, even though with the skill level that he brings
to the table, I don't want. What scares me is
that when he has to do it too many times,
trying to beat guys off the dribble, I'm afraid he's
going to get her.

Speaker 1 (49:01):
He's gonna get hurt because.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
That last offensive file that he got against the Lakers
the other night, that's that type of play. You should
not put him in a situation for that to happen.
Describe the play. He tried to be some guy from
twenty eight feet and then all of a sudden, he's
trying to get by a guy, and the guy slides
over and takes and gets the offensive charge, and now
he's out of the game. Coming down the stretch, he

(49:24):
picks up file number six against the Lakers.

Speaker 1 (49:28):
Who's going to guard him close to the basket? Nobody,
nobody DeAndre ayden o' try, but nobody quickness.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
So you're trying to win the game with a beyond
generational talent. Yeah, he Yeah, he's got to skilled the
play out here, but more times than not for San
Antonio to go for I think they could go or
should go. He's going to have to play more closer
to the basketball.

Speaker 1 (49:53):
And look at the way they're constructed. We just talked
about they have a three headed attack at guard that
he's the envy of anybody in the league. So I
put him down low. Yeah, he's got the he can
beat you out the dribble. Look at him going seven,
But what can he do bend the seventy. It's kind
of like the Yiannis thing, you know, like Kareem ap
Georgia bar. I mean, now Kareem didn't play like him
on the outside. Who could stop Kareem down low? Until

(50:16):
the last year or so or.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
Two when he's forty, he was the number he let
he had one shot that made him the all time
leading score in the history of basketball, and and when
and Winby's game is more diversified than Kareem's. But at
seven foot five, you throw the ball down low, he
goes with the jump hook.

Speaker 1 (50:37):
Who's gonna block that shot?

Speaker 2 (50:39):
Now, he can step out of there once a while,
knock down the three here or there. He could lead
he could lead the league in scoring and be the
most efficient all time leader in scoring in the history
of the game, just because of his size and talent.

Speaker 1 (50:51):
And he's probably still leading the league of block shots
as well.

Speaker 2 (50:54):
Yes, but I'm afraid that trying to put him in
a category. But you know, he's this guy's seven foot five.
He can beat you off the dribbles, he can twist
and turn, he's nimble, he can do all these things
here or there. Somebody is going to slide up under
him at the wrong time. I'm just afraid that with

(51:15):
the body type that he has.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
He's going to get hurt. He's going to get hurt. Yeah, No,
it's a fair fair thing to think about seven foot
five talent like this.

Speaker 2 (51:26):
And I got other perimblar guys that can play around him.
Hey man, you know we marching to the NBA champions
because there's nobody in the league can guard him, especially
when he's four or five feet away from the basket.
I mean, he easily could lead the league in scoring,
Dave and not take twenty five or thirty shots a night.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
Now they're still figuring out I think the best way too.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
And then think about you know, if you got multiple
guys that can play a certain role and now you
got spot up shooters, the double team has got to
come right all of a sudden. Now the offense flows
and he got this master standing behind us at seven
five and guards get out in pressure, pressure to ball,
take away, take away to space. You got your rint

(52:11):
protected behind you, and now we get out and run.
And when we don't have fast break, Sloyd dasay, it's
going side to the big film.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (52:19):
Yeah, it's a it's a simple game and when you
when you when you play it the right way.

Speaker 1 (52:23):
Spurs are six and two along with the Nuggets, looking
at the teams. The Wolves are looking up at Wolves
sitting at seventh in the west at five and four
mentioned okay, see of course on top of eight and one.
I think that the team I hate talking about because
we do it probably more than we should. But the
Lakers are seven and two. Lebron is starting to practice
now and they're gonna have to integrate him back into things.

(52:45):
Luca's missed a bunch of time, Reeves has missed a
bunch of time. Lebron hasn't played yet, and the Lakers
are seven and two. How legit are they as threats
in the West? And what likely will be Lebron's last
season well?

Speaker 2 (53:02):
Is is DeAndre Aiden their answer as a rim protector
come playoff time?

Speaker 1 (53:10):
That to me be the major concern. He's been good.

Speaker 2 (53:13):
I think the you know, the weaknesses on the perimeter
are still there. Even though Luca is playing well offensively,
he's missed some games. Like you mentioned, he's still a
weak defender. You can attack that situation if you have
the personnel to do it. And what hurt the Lakers
a year ago against the Wolves is that you know
Edward's McDaniels and Randolph and Najree those four guys could

(53:37):
put the ball down on the floor and attack the
rim because they had no one to provide resistance. If
DeAndre Aiden has become the guy that can provide that
resistance for the Lakers with those offensive weapons. Yeah, they
could be a tough outcome playoff time.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
How difficult will it be for them to integrate Lebron
into what they're doing.

Speaker 2 (53:56):
I think it's going to be very difficult. Maybe not very,
but difficult. I think so too, because the Brian James
cannot play off the ball. He needs the ball in
his hands. At his age, he's still good, but he's
not good enough to dominate the game like he used
to physically. And where's his mindset? Is he willing to

(54:19):
play off for Luca can? He's spart up in catch
and shoot and we all know that that's not the
strongest part of his game because he has been the
maestro for so many years, and now can he take
a bike take a back seat to another maestro in
Luka Dancic.

Speaker 1 (54:34):
It's gonna be really interesting to see how that works. Yeah,
JJ ready has got his hands full because they haven't
given the Brian James an extension, right, they haven't talked
about extending him beyond this year? And where is his head?

Speaker 2 (54:49):
How does he feel about the situation and the organization
going forward? You know, if things don't go well, with
him in the lineup, do you take him out? That's
not going to play well, right, I mean the guy
at Memphis made the tough call, call it out, Job Morant.
And if things with the Lakers when Lebron James comes
back and they get off to a somewhat what of

(55:11):
a sluggis start within him back in the lineup? Is
JJ ready and ready to make that call? You can't imagine.
I cannot imagine they'll figure it out. A couple of
teams in the West that are struggling. We mentioned Dallas earlier.
There are two and seven. Anthony Davis can't stay healthy.
Kyrie Irving is still not back.

Speaker 1 (55:28):
They're asking Cooper Flag to do a lot as a
rookie as a point guard, which he is not. At
two and seven. Were getting to the point where it's
almost lost season time for Dallas. I don't think so. No, No,
it's in nine games two and seven.

Speaker 2 (55:42):
Yeah, I mean, you know, we've we've seen teams up
to a slow start to make a run, saw go
and stake it up to a slow start a year ago.
Guys being hurt. You know, Steph Curry doesn't get hurt.
And in playoffs, maybe the second round, second round matchup
between them the Wolves, could it have been very interesting?

Speaker 1 (55:59):
Yeah know.

Speaker 2 (56:00):
And Anthony Davis with all the talent, you know, he's
just a guy that just can't stay healthy and losing
Kyrie Irvan was a major loss for him. No, Cooper
Flag is going to be a good player. I don't
know if he's going to be a game changer by himself.
I think he will be a good player. He can't
think he's an All Star player. I think he will
by himself this season, I don't think. I don't think

(56:21):
he's all He would be an All Star player, but
I don't. I don't see him being a guy that
can move the needle by himself.

Speaker 1 (56:28):
I'm going to respectfully disagree because I saw that duke.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Yeah, I saw the duke. I saw I saw him
go against Houston. He couldn't move that needle by himself.
And in the NBA, I think he'd be a He's
going to be a very good player. He's going to
get a lot of opportunities. But in terms of moving
that team by himself and the franchise mover, I just
don't see.

Speaker 1 (56:49):
Him doing that by himself.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
He's going to know he's going to he needs with
Kyrie Irvan in a healthy Anthony Davis all of a sudden,
now he's that third wheel over there that you got
to deal with. He did, he becomes he becomes a
major problem. That's a that's a better role for him,
certainly at this stage. But you asking him to be
a point point one hundred percent agree and you and
now what's going to happen.

Speaker 1 (57:09):
You won't wear him out. The other struggling team in
the West, the Clippers, who many believed might be one
of those teams that could surprise and make it to
the Western Conference finals or beyond record. They're three and
five to start the season.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
Again, it's not panic, but right we know the clip
is somehow, some way they catch up.

Speaker 1 (57:25):
They've just had some losses that make you scratch your
head a little bit. But what's going on with them?
That's where they are. Yeah, we got a lot of
stuff going on. You know, Choi is getting twenty eight
million on the table. Obama saying it's not happening. You know,
got to smooth things out, got to quiet people down.
So I think we can get back to playing good basketball. Yeah,
just something to watch that that's a team that's off
to a slower start than many thought. When we come back,

(57:45):
one more segment on the NBA, I want to look
at the East and in particular Cats comments following the
Wolves game I thought were interesting. A year for the trade,
I did not hear about that. Yeah, we'll talk about
that and some of the surprising teams in the East
before we hand things off to the NFL. Most of
our last hour we're here till ten thirty. We'll be
NFL related a little more in the NBA when we

(58:07):
come back in the Zone. Ill back nine twenty two

(58:46):
on a Saturday morning. We still got an hour and
change left. We're taking it till ten thirty today in
the Zone. Trentucker, Dave Sinnecon and Brett Blakemore. I got
a text earlier today and I should have like scrolled
down during the break since we had five or six
minutes to do it, and now I can't find it.
I'm not try I can find it, but somebody wanted
us to not not ignore the Game seven of the

(59:12):
World Series, which I had to look back and go, wait,
didn't we talk about that last week?

Speaker 3 (59:16):
No?

Speaker 1 (59:16):
It was last Saturday. Yeah, so it's been fantastic It's
as good a baseball game as you'll ever see. I
My heart goes out to the fans that to run.
Oh my god, they were so close, I mean so
close three the Dodgers.

Speaker 2 (59:30):
I mean, both teams were in great situations to win.
And what's the kid? Where had the home run? Was
it is Will Smith?

Speaker 1 (59:39):
The Dogs? The game one catch? Yeah? Yeah, is it?
Will Smith? Thinks? So, I don't you know what? You know,
he's won six straight World Series. That's amazing. That's amazing.

Speaker 2 (59:50):
He's been on the on the last six teams to
win the World Series.

Speaker 1 (59:53):
That's obviously never happened. Unless you're talking about the Yankees
when they won all their right back in the twenty
game seven. You can't. You can't beat that kind of
drama in sports.

Speaker 2 (01:00:05):
I mean, you know, everybody say no that the Blue Jays,
and they shouldn't. There's no reason for them to hang
in their heads. But how do you come back from that?
Because Toronto may not be built as an organization to

(01:00:26):
contend every year the Dodgers are. The Dodgers can can
overcome a tough loss and then get back up on
the mantle and and and make a run again the
next season.

Speaker 1 (01:00:39):
I just don't know if Toronto can do that well.
But they've got a pretty good payroll. I think they're
not one of the have nots. I think Toronto spends
a good shot, not not Dodger money, But I don't
look at them like the Twins, the Brewers. I think Toronto.
I don't follow baseball closely to know what their payroll is,
but I feel like Toronto is one of the halves
that they do spend a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:01:00):
But you know, there are certain teams that yearn in,
you're out, they are they are constructed and built to
make a run. You know, the Yankees, the Dodgers, they
got the money to maybe the Red Sox and some
of the Cubs. Yet uh but teams like Toronto, I mean,
when was the last time they were in the World Series?

Speaker 1 (01:01:21):
Long time ago?

Speaker 2 (01:01:23):
Yeah, So you know, history tells you that they are
not put together like you know the Dodgers are where
they can consistent believe they can make a run union
you're out. So that's why this loss to the Dodgers
in Game seven would be so hard for so many
players to overcome.

Speaker 1 (01:01:41):
Two outs away, right, I mean, there was just it
was there.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
And you had the bases loaded with one out a
sacrifice fly here either because won the game or tied
the game. And but the Dodgers made the place. I
know they have a big time payroll. They got guys
who make in astronomical amount of money. But you still
have to perform and clutch moments, and they were able
to get it done.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
This The game almost ended on a review. Could you imagine,
you know, that play at the plate where all games over,
By the way, that would have been so anti climactic.
You are being corrected by a number one, two, three,
four or five. All right, guys, you can stop texting
about Will Smith. We've got seven texts now in the
last minute there are two. Will Smith's the guy you're
talking about his three rings. Apparently there's a relief pitcher

(01:02:26):
also named Will Smith. So maybe you're or somebody say
he out there. He won like the last six World
Series on the team. But is it three?

Speaker 3 (01:02:33):
I think, Oh, Will Smith has been on the last six.

Speaker 1 (01:02:36):
Oh, that's what it is. Okay, and it's not the
one that is uh fresh prince either, that's the third
Will Smith.

Speaker 2 (01:02:42):
I got the name right, you did, Okay, you're correct,
But somebody's been on the last six, right, I'm thinking
that's correct.

Speaker 1 (01:02:47):
Yeah, that's great. Yeah, that was an amazing, amazing game seven.
It feels like it was a year ago already. You
know that this last Saturday. It's unbelievable. All right. A
couple more nuggets on on the NBA. After the Wolves
nixt game Wednesday night, Kat was asked, and I think
it was Dane Moore who asked him the question, like,

(01:03:08):
how does it feel a year and change removed from
the trade? You know you settled in, you know, And
Cat's answer was, I'm still stunned. I still can't believe it.
I still see that locker room. I look at those
fresh black jerseys with the trees that are back, and
I you know, it was very enlightening to me because
you know, again, these are human beings in Cat, you know,

(01:03:30):
is one of the more sensitive athletes that we've come
across that you know, everybody's different. Obviously, he's a guy
that you grew up here. He came here at the
age of twenty, is the number one pick. He became
the face of the franchise. We all know he was
loyal to this organization, this city. But the fact that
more than a year later where he took you know,

(01:03:51):
he and the Knicks went deep into the playoffs. He
was very successful. But here he has asked about it
thirteen fourteen months later and he says he's still stunned.
And I I said that he got traded. Yeah, that
it happened. And I just want to ask you because
obviously you've been around, you know, teammates that were traded
out of the blue and saw things, and it feels

(01:04:12):
like a year later they'd be at peace and they'd
be comfortable. But it feels like for Cat he still
can't get over it. I just would love to know
your take on hearing that. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:04:20):
I mean, some guys just believe that once you get
to a certain amount of years with an organization and
you and you signed a big time contract like he did,
and he just may have felt like that this is
where he was going to retire, and he was comfortable
with the city of Minneapolis. He was he was comfortable
with the organization, He enjoyed the guys that he played with,

(01:04:44):
so he just felt like that him being traded is
something that would never happen. It's not that he's not
happy in New York City. I think he was just
answering the question that, yeah, I was very surprised that
I got traded, and yeah, a lot of guys may
feel that well.

Speaker 1 (01:05:01):
And not only you see that that he got traded,
but the fact that it happened on the eve of
the season starting, like he I'm sure was just so
locked in like all right, here we go.

Speaker 2 (01:05:09):
Because he, you know, coming off of what had taken
place the prior season, he was a He was a major,
major catalyst in their success, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (01:05:20):
So he was terrific in that post.

Speaker 2 (01:05:22):
So he's thinking, well, if they're going to make a move,
they're not going to move me.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
There's no way they're going to move.

Speaker 2 (01:05:31):
Me for for a guy that was hurt doing his
current team playoff run. That's not going to happen. They're
not going to do that. There's no way I'm making
sixty million a year. That doesn't make sense. It's because
the Knicks made a run to the Western Conference playoffs
or wherever they got to with Julius Randall being hurt.

(01:05:52):
Why would so why would the Knicks trade me for
a guy that's been injured and he didn't perform as
well as I did. Come playoff time, So maybe that
was his thinking. But yeah, there's a lot of guys
who can feel like two or three or four years
after the trade has taken place, and if you ask
them that question, you would get that same answer.

Speaker 1 (01:06:11):
Wolves fans, whether trade happened, were not. For the most part,
we're not at all happy about the trade, and because
there was very little enthusiasm about Julius Randall from what
we had seen, right and you know, Dante was a
nice player, but he bounced around, you know, do you
want a championship Milwaukee goes to Golden State and moves
to New York. He was just kind of bouncing around.
Then there was a draft pick that you know, may

(01:06:33):
or may not be a draft pick because it was
Detroit's number one, which was a lot of reprotected and
sure enough, Detroit wins, gets in the playoffs, the Wolves
get the pick, they add Baron Jay And now suddenly
you look back as a Wolves fan a year later
and go Randall, who's a borderline all NBA player through
two weeks, Dante, who looks like a different player with
this team.

Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
He shocked, of course, And if you ask him that question,
he might give you the same answer.

Speaker 1 (01:06:57):
But I think from what I've read, Dante isn't a
place now where he is really happy. Where he is
like it's finally figured, like he's settled in and he
likes you know, the environment, that's the community and his
role and now he's starting and beget we don't know
what he is, but we know what the ceiling is. Like.
He has a chance to be a real legit. So

(01:07:18):
you got a third piece that you didn't even think
it was going to be a piece. It figured it
would convey as the second rounder in a few years,
and it's just nothing. He might be the starting center
on this team in a couple of seasons. So one
of those trades that I think worked for both teams,
and I think Wolves fans thirteen months later are looking
at that trade a whole lot differently than they were
with Hey.

Speaker 2 (01:07:36):
Yeah, But if you ask Dante the same question that
Karl was asked.

Speaker 1 (01:07:43):
He'd probably still say he's stunned. You think like you
think he still feels.

Speaker 2 (01:07:47):
It doesn't mean that, see I'm stunned that I got
traded doesn't mean that I don't feel good about where
I'm at. Correct, So I think Karl Anthony Towns is
very happy to be in New York City.

Speaker 1 (01:07:58):
I'm sure that's true.

Speaker 2 (01:08:00):
And I think Dante, as you just mentioned it, is
happy with his role here in Minneapolis.

Speaker 1 (01:08:05):
And we know Julius is very happy.

Speaker 2 (01:08:07):
But if you asked Dante, yeah, we made this run
and I was such a major part of what this
team did, and all of a sudden I get traded.

Speaker 1 (01:08:17):
Yeah. Yeah, he was the face of this team for
ten years. I'm stunned he was this franchise.

Speaker 2 (01:08:22):
Yeah, yeah, I just I don't know a year later,
the one or two of years being stunned is I'm
asking you a question. Are you unhappy about being in
New York That's another question.

Speaker 1 (01:08:34):
No, I get it. I just feel like the stun
part would wear off a year later, like he's still
stunned that it happened. That just struck me, like, really, yeah,
I know you were stunned what had happened, and maybe
throughout last season, but not an off season, and you've
got as far as they got. All right, now we're
settled in now.

Speaker 2 (01:08:49):
If you asked me the question, you know, am I
Are you unhappy being in New York City?

Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
He says, yes, I'd rather be in Minneapolis. But now
that's a whole different answers. That's what he understood. A
couple other quick nuggets. Do you know which team right
now is number one in the East? I don't. The
Detroit Pistons, wow, at seven and two, led by the
incredible K Cunningham, are on top of the East at

(01:09:14):
seven and two. Number two was the Chicago Bulls at
six and two, and then the Cabs and Bucks are
six and three. So things are a little topsy turvy.
We knew the East is going to be wide open
and maybe the cream will rise. Cleveland certainly is the
considered the favorite New York people think Orlando, you know,
might be ready to make a move. But here we
set nine ten games in and Detroit and Chicago are

(01:09:37):
on top of the East early on. I just I
find that really cool and interesting. The two teams that
have just been dreadful, Chicago especially, it just seemed like
a year ago. Yes, they were on their way, they've
they've drafted me. Well, they were a bad call away
from knocking off the Knicks. Yeah, they were that close.
They were that close. Chicago lost last night to the
Bucks one twenty six to one ten in an NBA

(01:09:59):
Cup game. The Bucks are six and three in a
year that everybody's watching how the Bucks do because some
believe Janis will be traded before the season ends. Many
others believe he'll be traded after the season, that this
is his last go unless you know, Milwaukee is able
to do something and tell you what they're not playing

(01:10:19):
in the end of the okay plays correct. Yeah, although
they knocked off the Pacers when Miles Turner returned to
Indiana earlier this week. Yannis last night scored nineteen points
in the fourth quarter to blow open a close game.
He ended up with forty one fifteen and nine. He's

(01:10:41):
averaging I think thirty two points a game. It's just,
you know, as a guy that grew up a Bucks fan,
every game is important because the Bucks need to win.
Otherwise the Knicks or some other team is going to
come calling with a package for Yannis, and I just
I like the fact that they're off to a six
and three start and the pieces they added around Yannis
this year. They've lost Kevin Porter for about a month.

(01:11:02):
But Ryan Rollins, you know, former Warrior draft pick he's
fourth season, scored thirty two the other night. He's become
a really nice point guard from and they needed somebody
to step up, and this Ryan Rollins kid did they.
Cole Anthony's become a nice addition for this team. A
mere coffee was in. He's in the rotation. He was
the eighth man out for the Bucks last night. So
he's getting some nice run. Not doing a lot scoring wise,

(01:11:24):
but giving them something. He's finding the room. They've got
good shooters around Giannis. You know, You've got aj Green
and Gary Trent and then guys that can knock down threes,
and they are leaning.

Speaker 2 (01:11:35):
Into and Giannis has to understand that if I played
closer to the basket, He's going to make it easier
for those guys to help me out. If I'm out
here driven that twenty eight feet more times than not,
all of a sudden, now those guys are not involved
in the offense because they're just standing around and watching
me play one on one basketball. But when all of

(01:11:56):
a sudden, now I'm located in a different spottle the
floor where the double team has to come, and I
can see the double team coming. See now I have
better vision to pick out the open shooters. These guys
become more valuable. I'm not asking them to do things
they can't do. They can play the role they were
brought here to play, and all of a sudden, now
we have a different basketball team.

Speaker 1 (01:12:17):
Yeah, it'd be fun to watch. They are off to
a solid start. Wolves will be back in action tomorrow night.
They're in Sacramento and then Utah back to back. A
little concerned, you know, they blew out Utah by forty,
and they kept the foot on the gas because the
point differential matters in the NBA Cup. You want to
win by as many as you can. You throw out
the politeness and you just roll teams if you can,

(01:12:38):
because you're in a Cup. You're in a group with OKC,
and if you lose to OKAC, your only way in
likely is to be the one wild card which has
the best point differential. So they ca Utah by forty.
And they did pull their their guys early in the
fourth order as get hurt, right, But you also might
have seen them pull them earlier had it not been
an NBA Cup game, because they wanted to win by

(01:12:59):
thirty or more. My point being, they're playing Utah again
Monday night, and I'm a little worried that all right,
that was embarrassing, and you're gonna see a different I
don't know if you TuS he quit a Cup game
or kill No, it's just a game. The next Cup
game of Sacramento Friday night at Target Center. But I
don't know. I just hate playing them again so quickly

(01:13:19):
after you beat them by forty. I think you're gonna
get a much different effort from YouTube about the court
last night was hideous. The puke green. I know you didn't.
You couldn't find the game because it was the wild
You didn't realize there was another chance to watch the Wolves.
You know, it's that that off green they have on
their That puky neon green was the color of the court.

(01:13:43):
All nobody could possibly like what that looked like. Okay,
they were wearing my favorite jerseys. Those it's kind of
dark gray with timber wolves across the front. I love those.
But you know to the KG days and that they
are going to the trees. I thought that was the
ugliest court I've ever seen until I watched the Denver
court against the Warriors last night. The pink it was worse.

(01:14:04):
It was worse. It was pink. It was pink. Yeah,
it was I don't know why they feel it just
didn't look it didn't work for me a basketball court. No,
it was not good. Uh, you're not against pink, but
I have nothing against the color pink. However, I don't
need my basketball court to be pink.

Speaker 3 (01:14:20):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
Denver blew out Golden State, by the way, who's still
without Steph Curry dealing with an illness. Denver looks legit
and looks like they are a Yeah, he knocked down
back to back threes last night when they just said
go that, we dare you form the top of the key.
He's a good shooter, nothing but net He's like, bring it,
I'll do this. I can do this all night. How

(01:14:42):
much time you got. He's a good he's a good shooter.

Speaker 2 (01:14:43):
But can you imagine if somehow those two guys can
play together and he can be that that rim protector. Yeah,
that seems for real because because just not blocking shots,
that's just he's not block shot.

Speaker 1 (01:14:57):
It's not his game. No.

Speaker 2 (01:14:58):
I mean when when the guy drives on he just
gets out of the way and takes the ball out
of the basket. And if Denver has has found and
figured out to put a player in that situation where
they can protect the rim. You know Vaker won the championship.
They got stay in power for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
Well pause here, Let's turn our attention to the National
football when we come back. Both of our teams were
involved with highly surprising results. Stop with the skull chant,
I don't need to see it. Let's chat about what
happened to our two squads last week and what it
means for the rest of the season when we come back.
In the summer file, we're back nine six on the fan.

(01:16:01):
This would normally be our final segment, but we have
bonus in the zone today. We'll take it up till
ten thirty when we had things off to Grim and
Nolan in company. It's a Gophers men's basketball on the
fan today. Game two will chat a little bit about
the Gophers in our ten o'clock hour. They'll have Missouri
next week, maybe the first real test to see what

(01:16:22):
the squad it looks like, but off to a good start.
More on that in a bit. Let's move to the
National Football League double t. I imagine we're both feeling
a little differently about our squads this Saturday than we
were a week ago. For sure, I didn't I had
the so I had the double screen going with the
Pack on top and the Vikes on my laptop. Didn't

(01:16:42):
see a ton. Wasn't paying a ton of attention to
the Vikings game because, like many people, as you're driving
past a car wreck, you just can't take your eyes
off of it. And that's how I fell watching the
Packers last week. But a remarkable eye opening victory for
your Minnesota Vikings in Motor City against a Lion's team
that was off of buy that were healthy and ready

(01:17:04):
to begin the quote unquote second half of their season
with a big divisional road win. Not so fast. My friend,
as Lee Corso likes to say, what maybe not surprised
you most, what got you most excited? That has you
do in the skull chant in studio today by what
you saw in Detroit last week?

Speaker 2 (01:17:22):
My defense was good. Oh, the upfront guys put pressure
on Jared Goff. They got to who when they needed
to get to him and to me. You know, when
if the defense is flying around and making those types
of plays and putting pressure on the opposition's offense, not
allowing them to find the comfort zone and feel good
about what they want to do, I like that a

(01:17:43):
whole lot.

Speaker 1 (01:17:44):
I don't blame you. And it's no surprise when you
get Andrew van ginkleback and you have Cashman back healthy.
I mean that that makes the defense complete. Those aren't
just guys that are starters that are back. Those are
difference makers that change everything around the field. And I
saw Gibbs a stat Jamior Gibbs stats from that game.
I'm like, well, did he get hurt? Like in the
first quarter? How do you hold Jamior Gibbs to eight yards?

(01:18:06):
I mean, it's again, part of it is taking nothing
away from the Purple. I'd be the last person to
do that. Of course, the Lions offensive line is a
wreck right now. They are not looking anything like that. Well,
we knew they made changes, but they're banged up and
they were no competition for what Brian Flores had that

(01:18:28):
Lions team. Again, they get Washington this week. That's a
big bounce back from the playoff embarrassment a year ago.
They'll be ready for Washington, But I don't know if
Detroit's got the offensive line to get that offense in
gear the way we're expecting it. Again, nothing away from
the Vikings. They dominated. They were the far better team
well against the Lions offense. But it was stunning to

(01:18:50):
see them not able to run the ball at all.
I guess the Vikings team that couldn't stop the run
the last few weeks.

Speaker 2 (01:18:55):
Yeah, I mean, you know, it was great to see,
you know, JJ the quarterback find some consistency with this
game and show great deal of confidence.

Speaker 1 (01:19:04):
And I mean nine, you're talking about nine? Nine yeah, nine, yeah,
and he likes to be called well once the game starts,
or once he's in the locker room before that, he
transforms okay, like doctor Jack Hyde, yes to nine. Okay, nine.
Good thing is not like number seventeen because that wouldn't
roll off the tongue quite as well. Oh yeah, you know, wow,
that becomes seventeen nine right, Nine works for that kind

(01:19:27):
of silliness. Some great players throughout the history of sports.
If it won number nine right.

Speaker 2 (01:19:34):
Throughout the history of sports, baseball, football, basketball, whatever it
maybe somebody's won them and nine it's been great.

Speaker 1 (01:19:39):
Well, sure is Matthew Stafford number nine. Think of Larry Heisel.
I remember him from the old Toys and Brewers. I
think he wore number nine. I don't know why his
name came to my head. Yeah, but I don't think
of number nine. Is your bruis No, agreed, But I
don't think of the number nine as like now we're
gonna get texts from every great number nine that came in.
I've got a handful here, so stand usual number nine.

(01:19:59):
I don't know why that name came to.

Speaker 3 (01:20:00):
My head in along the same thing. Ted Williams, Yeah,
that's what I was saying. Drew Brees number nine.

Speaker 1 (01:20:07):
I don't remember breezebying, but be gone that long. I
don't remember Breeze being number nine. Joe DiMaggio, Yeah, good baseball.
I get some all time baseball.

Speaker 3 (01:20:16):
Guys, Godi how Reggie Jackson.

Speaker 1 (01:20:19):
Reggie only that was before he turned to forty four,
when he was the Oakland I think he was Dwayne Wade.
There you go.

Speaker 2 (01:20:25):
Yeah, he's nine. He's nine.

Speaker 1 (01:20:28):
But none of all those great all timers ever referred
to themselves as nine. Okay, correct, But we have the nine.
So on that topic, the nine correct. Well, apparently you do.
On the topic. We had a text earlier from Micah
new Richmond who asks, by, you know, the stats don't
make JJ look like a star just yet. He was
offensive Player of the Week. The fan has learned, but

(01:20:49):
he's saying he feels like JJ has the IT factor,
Like you know, the locker room tends to gravitate toward him.
That Kirk never had that ability. He was more like
it fits the boardroomwards the locker room. And he asks,
what you would say that sort of fiery it factor
leadership actually does for a locker room. But if you
think JJ might have it.

Speaker 2 (01:21:10):
Well the if fact, that to me means that it's
the guy they can get it done no matter what's
happening around us.

Speaker 1 (01:21:20):
Yeah, yeah, that's the if fact. We believe in him.
Close moments he's going to make a play. He can.

Speaker 2 (01:21:26):
He can be having the worst game and somehow, some
way his teammates keep him close and he's going to
make a play.

Speaker 1 (01:21:34):
Here there. Forgive me if I'm not ready just yet
to annoint JJ as a guy who has the it fact.
But I don't know. But that's what it means to me. Okay, No,
I love that. I love that answer. But would you
say after three games that that JJ has the IT factor?
I mean, have you seen enough? Like a week ago,
we were wondering Kevin Siebert was reporting the Bikes are
keeping an eye on available quarterbacks I mean I see

(01:21:57):
him carried a wages.

Speaker 2 (01:21:58):
I've seen him play three games, and two of the
three games that I seen him play in critical moments,
he has been He's been very good. But now is
to say is that that's going to translate throughout the
rest of the season.

Speaker 1 (01:22:12):
The only time to tell, well, it's very encouraging if
nothing else to go in Detroit off a bad ankle
and we don't know. Maybe his ankle has been fine.
He led Michigan to a national championship. Well, yeah, he
managed Michigan. I wouldn't say he led Michigan. They didn't
rely on his arm a whole lot. He made a
place when he had to mess. Okay, he did, and
he looks like he came out of the draft looking

(01:22:33):
like everything you want. Maybe a few more inches might
be ideal. But the leadership, you know, the way Hiball
gushed about him, obviously all that appealed to the Vikings.

Speaker 2 (01:22:42):
And it's also amazing if your team makes believe in you.
You know, they just said know that, Hey, we we
believe we got a guy. All we have to do
is do our part. He might be struggling here there.
Let's keep the game close because we still believe that
this guy has something and he's going to get it done.
He's going to make one or two plays or three
plays here or there that's going to make a difference.

(01:23:04):
And so if if his team may have that type
of confidence in him, then his confidence is only going
to go through the roof because he knows that he
has to support you know, of his peers in that locker.

Speaker 1 (01:23:18):
Room, no question, and you know, having your tackles healthy
and in front, leading that offensive line and with the
receivers he's got, he is a support stat that's going
to make him look great running game.

Speaker 2 (01:23:29):
You know, if you can run the football all of
a sudden, now that that takes the pressure off the quarterback.
It allows him to have more options with the play
action and you know, keeps the defense off balance. More
things open up now for the wide receivers and maybe
Koc can expand his you know, his game plan. He
doesn't have to, you know, to shorten the game plan

(01:23:49):
and only call certain amount of plays because he's not
comfortable with the quarterback. You want to keep him safe.
But if if you can run the football and the
confidence is growing, now you can open open up the
playbook a little bit more. Now you now your offense
begins to look different. A text reminds us that JJS
not even the best number nine for the Vikings. Ever,

(01:24:10):
that's Tommy Kramer.

Speaker 1 (01:24:13):
Need need we forget that Tommy was number nine, as
was Mike madonnough By the way before Blakemore's time. But
maybe the greatest North Star player of all time was
number nine. Back to the Vikings and back to this game. This,
this is a fascinating game tomorrow with Baltimore coming to town,
a Ravens team that started one in five. It's a
huge games. It's it's it's just as important for Baltimore

(01:24:37):
that's in a division that three and five. They're the favorites,
even though Pittsburgh got a nice win over Indy last week. Uh,
I see a ton of points being scored tomorrow because
you know Baltimore is going to be able to move
the ball as good as the defense was. Lamar Jackson
has an answer for Brian Flores's blitzes, and that's just
running and he's healthy.

Speaker 2 (01:24:58):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:24:58):
They're relying on Derrek henry More. They're giving him the ball.
That running game has picked up. So Baltimore, to me,
is going to be able to move the ball, and
I think the Vikings are too. The Ravens have no
pass rush, their best defensive lineman's gone for the season,
and while their secondary was all banged up early and
they were hideous defensively early, they have gotten better on

(01:25:19):
the back end. You know, they've got some big names
back there. But you can score on Baltimore. I feel
like this feels like a game to me, first team
to thirty wins. I think both teams have a chance
to put thirty on the board. I think it's a
light them up offensive display because I don't think Baltimore
is going to I think JJ is going to have
a really good game against Baltimore. They don't present the

(01:25:41):
pass rush that's going to make him, I think a
little nervous because outside the pocket, yeah, his legs look good,
but he hasn't yet been really good outside of the
pocket as a thrower. I don't think Baltimore is going
to force him out of the pocket too much. I
think they're gonna get points on the board. The question
is how many and is it enough to score more
than Baltimore, Because I do think as good as that
defense looks with those linebackers back. It's Lamar Jackson and

(01:26:04):
if you flush him, and if you blitz him, you're
gonna pay the price because he's just gonna run it
down your throat and take off. And he's he's more
nimble now with the injury behind him. It's a to me,
it's the most interesting game on the docket tomorrow. It's
a big game for the Monday night game is big two.
We'll get to that.

Speaker 2 (01:26:21):
Yeah, it's a big it's it's a big game for
device because you want to you want to even convince
yourself as a team that what we did in Detroit
a week ago was not a fluke. We are building
on something here. We are moving it and trending in
the right direction. And you need to have, you know,

(01:26:43):
wins like Detroit and Baltimore and knocking off some of
these good teams to instill that self belief. You know what,
we are pretty good here. We have the confidence knowing
that we can go out and play against some of
these better teams, but you're going to have to beat
them between stell that type of confidence brought the entire team.

Speaker 1 (01:27:01):
Yeah, and you know last year my team couldn't beat
the good teams they beat up on the bad teams,
couldn't beat the good teams this year so far Green
Bay has been good against the good teams and can't
beat the mediocre teams. I will pause here. What happened
to my packers last week? I'll try to explain they
get the Eagles on Monday Night football without their best
explosive playmaker for the rest of the season. Where's my

(01:27:22):
head at with the pack? And more on Vike's Ravens
and some of the other big matchups in week ten
when we continue, Yes, we're not done. Another thirty minutes
of in the Zone starts right after these Wait, this

(01:28:05):
sounds like in the Zone bumper music. What are the
guys still doing at ten oh three on the air?
Just try to kick us out of here, just a
Dare you just try bonus in the Zone on this
Saturday morning, Tucker and Sinecon hanging out to the bottom
of the hour, We will have things off to Golden
Gopher Basketball Sky you mob Baby at the Barn Game
number two Alcorn State in the house. The Gophers opened

(01:28:27):
the season against Gardner Webb and got off to a
twenty three to one start in that game, where you
like that right. They were up thirty five in the
first half and yes, destroyed Gardner Web eighty seven to sixty.
A soft start to the season. I don't think Alcorn
State's going to provide much more resistance. But the next

(01:28:48):
game Wednesday night is at Missouri. You're playing an SEC
team at Missouri that figures. I checked it out. They
are projected to figure finish seventh or eighth in the SEC,
which is probably tournament worthy. That's a very deep, very
talented conference. Missouri went from oh to eighteen two years
ago in the conference to ten and eight a year
ago and projected be about that. So a really good

(01:29:11):
test for the Gophers coming up Wednesday. What stood out
in the opener Cad Tyson, who in the two exhibition
games had scored like twenty seven and twenty eight. Six'
Ten North carolina transfer who played In belmont the first
couple of, years goes To Chapel, hill doesn't get much,
run a couple points off the, bench so he transfers To.
Minnesota he scored thirty in the. Opener even, You Gray,

(01:29:37):
star even you who has your likeness gracing the walls
inside the, barn did not open Your gopher career with
a thirty? Piece did you had it passed Body Kevin
McHale For? Karana, yeah you were not the first. Option
do you remember and do you have any idea your
first game what your stat line was like your very
first game as A. GOPHER i might have fourteen to.

(01:29:58):
Fifteen maybe did you? START i know we've talked about.
This you did start as a, freshman but you didn't
put up. Thirty you put up fourteen or. FIFTEEN i,
THINKS i don't. Know somewhere around. There, encouraging exciting to
see what This tyson kid might do because every game he's,
played exhibition or, regular he has been a, stud a
kid That nico brought with him From Colorado. State Jalen Crocker.

(01:30:20):
Johnson he had thirteen, points fourteen. Rebounds so we're going
to start to get to know this, roster which only
Has Isaac asuma back from a year, ago fourteen new
faces on the. Roster everyone's going to get to.

Speaker 2 (01:30:33):
Know that's the way college basketball and college's to.

Speaker 1 (01:30:37):
Going, today, correct especially when a new coach comes in
and teams that players are going to leave with the
coach is. Gone, Yes indiana is the same Way indiana
and his own. People. Right indiana has an entire new
roster this, season and they were very impressive in their soft.
Opener they Got marquette.

Speaker 2 (01:30:51):
Tomorrow it'd be nice to, see you, know if you,
know they can bring that excitement back to The barn once, again.

Speaker 1 (01:30:59):
No doubt so. Far and a lot of people are talking.

Speaker 2 (01:31:03):
About that you need to change the, facilities but when
that place is, rocking.

Speaker 1 (01:31:09):
There is a second to. None, yeah something special about
that Old.

Speaker 2 (01:31:13):
BARN i was very fortunate to, have you, know some
some wonderful moments That William's arena and and here you
know the you, know the fans just you, know just
bringing that. Energy and there a lot of nights when
you know team may not may that be at his
best and that that crowd gets behind you and that
The barn starts to.

Speaker 1 (01:31:34):
Rock. Man it became that the sixth man for. You,
yeah those were great. Days and even after you and
The Clem haskins in the. Nineties, yeah when When Bobby
knight And Clem haskins were, marching matching off at the
bar and there was nothing like those. Games and there's
some really good players come to this.

Speaker 2 (01:31:50):
Program you look At Bobby jackson And Willie burdon and
Uh Sean. Leonard, yeah you, know just named some of
the guys go on the, road And Chris humphries And Rick,
ricord and there's been a lot of good players come
To Vincent greer and then you go back to the
older guys Like Lou hudson And Archie clark And Michael
thompson And kevin. McHale so there's been a lot of

(01:32:12):
good players come to this. Program it'd be nice to,
see you, know as we sit in the present and
move toward the, future that we can bring that excitement
once again back To Wims. Arena, yeah and a texta is,
saying slow, down, boys it's a, deep tough. Conference i'm
not saying they're gonna be competitive in The Big. TEN
i hope they, are but we just want to see
a talented team that comes. Together Ween. Rocket, yeah you,

(01:32:35):
KNOW i don't you, KNOW i don't want. To you,
Know i'm going to a few games here and, there
AND i see empty seats.

Speaker 1 (01:32:41):
AND i know, HER i know WHAT i was. Playing
there was no empty.

Speaker 2 (01:32:45):
Seats whether we were at that time you had Eighteen
Big ten, games whether we were nine and nine or
eight and, TEN Wims ring was always sold, out AND
i just know what the atmosphere feels.

Speaker 1 (01:32:56):
Like you, know when is that? Capacity now they start,
WINNING i think they'll start getting the kids back and
the alumni. Back All, right everybody Thinks i'm putting off
talking about my squad BECAUSE i PROMISED i would well
extra half an, hour? Correct? Correct you KNOW i was
worried last week about a trap game, possibility right two

(01:33:17):
primetime games before and after The eagles coming. Up would
they be a little sleepy against The panthers team that
had just gotten blown out forty to, nine but had
won three in a row With Bryce young as their. Quarterback,
uh he missed the game previous when they got blown.
OUT i think The packers should campaign THE nfl to
be allowed to take their bye week the week Of

(01:33:39):
Daylight savings. Ending every, Year Green bay has lost eleven
of the last twelve times they've played The sunday Of
Daylight savings time. Ending for whatever, reason they lose that.
Game so that's What i'm attributing the lass. To BUT
i think completely the game, starts they're moving it right
down the, field they're in the red, zone and their
rookie receivers save On williams fumbles and that was the

(01:34:02):
beginning of the. Momentum just a bad. Sign they did not.
Punt The packers did not punt in this, game yet
they scored thirteen. Points that's almost. Impossible but you say,
again they didn't punt the ball at. All they never
punted and they scored thirteen. Points. Wow they missed a field,
Goal they had, Turnovers they turned the ball over on

(01:34:26):
downs when they went forward on fourth and eight from
the eleven down seven in the early fourth, quarter when
they should have just kicked the field, goal which would
have changed. Everything McManus missed a forty four yard field.
Goal what alarmed me the most from this game Because
carolina's five and. FOUR i, mean they're not, terrible, no
but on the road they have not been. Good and
defense is not that. Bad. No but here's what bugged.

(01:34:47):
Me Green bay got beat up front on both sides
of the. Ball they've been a very good run defense
top five heading into that. Game ric O'Donnell went nuts on,
them and here Comes Saquon barkley tomorrow. Night so they're
gonna have to get the run. Defense that's the key
to the game because they've been very good against the
run until Last, sunday when you Knew carolina wanted to
run and they couldn't stop, them especially in the final

(01:35:07):
drive they tie the game at. Thirteen you just have
to Stop carolina from getting into a field goal. Range And,
donald they figured they're going to, throw so they surprise
him and run And donald runs it down their. Throat
so that bugged. Me and then, offensively the offensive line
right now is The achilles heel of this, team which
has been the. Strength they can't run block at. All
they are not running the football and last week Of

(01:35:30):
carolina team that does not rush the passer well at,
all or In Jordan love's, face more than any team has.
Been In Jordan love's, face he was never. Comfortable his
stats were. Fine in, fact you look at the advanced,
metrics he had the ninth best day as a quarterback last,
week despite the fact that the team only put up thirteen.
Points he was not the. Problem though he had a
bad pick and what should have been another pick in

(01:35:51):
the red zone when they went for it on fourth
and eight and he just threw it up in the.
Air he was not the. Problem was the offensive. Line not,
protecting not blocking the run for the running. Game and
here Comes, philly which by the, way is really good
upfront on both sides of the. Ball so they're gonna
have to figure things out really quickly because back to
back losses At lambeau and if they dropped to what

(01:36:13):
five three and, one.

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
Well you you you kept the rest of the teams
and no division in the. DIVISION i, mean and there
was a chance to really separate Losing you kept us
all in the race by losing that game Last.

Speaker 1 (01:36:30):
Sunday you, know you kept us in the. Race glad to,
oblige though not. REALLY i mean you look at The
bears at five and. Three, yeah, yeah and they almost
vomited last week too and figured out a way to
get the. Win that the most disheartening THING i mentioned
it was the line play up. Front, man you Lose Tucker.
CRAFT i, mean it's just that's a bad. LOT i

(01:36:51):
know every team loses guys for the, season and The
packers are like everybody, else but it feels like every
years been best. Receiver he's been the best playmaker offensively
for the. Team this, year two years, ago it Was Rashan.
Gary last, year It's Christian. Watson now It's tucker craft
and maybe he's not the last. One but one week
removed from the blow up game Against pittsburgh on the

(01:37:11):
very next, week he knew it when it. Happened it
was a non. Contact when you saw the, replay it
was like those that's that's the worst injury to. See
and he's such a fun player because he's he does
from a tight end. Spot he does everything you. Want he,
blocks he catches the, ball and then you can't tackle
him run and that's what you can't. Replace luke Musk

(01:37:33):
grave was a second round pick the year he was
drafted a month around. Later Mus graves fast and athletic
and and all, that but he doesn't break, tackles he doesn't.
Block you're gonna have to change what you're doing, offensively
maybe have more three receiver. Sets Tucker crafts is Modern
Dave Mike. Dicker. WOW i like. That Green bay might
be Without Matthew Golden, wix might be might or might

(01:37:57):
not be. Back golden miss practice. Yesterday, uh they're banged up,
offensively and so this is a a big game against
a team that knocked him out twice last, year and
the whole idea of the season was can you beat
teams like The. Eagles they started out the season they
beat The. Lions that was something they didn't do last.
Year this is their chance to, say all, right, yeah

(01:38:18):
we got to figure it out against the mediocre, teams bad,
teams but we can still compete on a high level
against the good. Teams that's what we wanted to see
From Green. Bay this is their second chance to do.
It they're gonna Get they're gonna get the chance On monday. Night.

Speaker 2 (01:38:29):
Yeah if if Say Kwan barkley is HAVING i Say
Kwan barkley of a year ago type, game.

Speaker 1 (01:38:39):
It makes it hard for your team to. Win and
they're coming off of. Bye, yeah and the game Before
barkley did finally break.

Speaker 2 (01:38:44):
Loose The giants against his old, Team, yep and that
allows you, know it allows play action and then so
many different your guy jail and confeast at that. Point,
yeah he can do so many different things now. Offensively
BUT i think the key going forward is that you're
gonna have to contained to. Run and this is what
you went out and Got Michael parsons. For this is his,

(01:39:05):
Game this is his, Game this is this this this
might be the game where he needs to make a
player two to make a.

Speaker 1 (01:39:13):
Difference it was his first game last week without a
pressure in his. Career so how Does carolina Take Michael parsons?
Away he's gonna beast, Again so everybody else this, this
this is the.

Speaker 2 (01:39:24):
GAME i believe That Michael parsons has to has to
make a major.

Speaker 1 (01:39:31):
Difference i'm a feeling after a silent, game we will.
See just. That The eagles Added Jalen, phillips the pass
rusher From miami the trade. Deadline they added Dec we're so. Happy,
yes he's happy going From miami To. Tilly. Uh they
also had a J. R alexander who couldn't get on
the field In. Baltimore the Former packer will be back
At lambeau tomorrow. Night i'm early. Time i'm sure they'll

(01:39:56):
throw him out, there, Right why wouldn't? They? Uh he
kind of looks like he's toe but we'll. See maybe
imagine if he gets to pick, six would you stop it? Now?
Please would he jump into the you know when you
jump into the. Stands he probably would try to do a. Lamboley,
Yeah i'm guessing we have to pause our final time
when we come back a couple other. Games i'm looking
At week ten that we want to chat, about and
we'll finish up with The wolves final ten fifteen minutes

(01:40:17):
coming up in The, zone all, right just a couple

(01:40:44):
of minutes left on this elongated edition Of in The.
Zone gophers basketball is. Next Fantasy Football weekly at one
o'clock on the fan today or whenever you like on
The iHeart Radio apple OF, Lsu alabama, Tonight little college
football of, Course Vike's Ravens tomorrow kick off pregame at,
Ten packer preview at eight, tomorrow an hour later than.

(01:41:05):
Usual getting the football conversation started on the fan tomorrow.
Morning let's finish up just looking at our two games
and how we're. Feeling what do you think about Your
purples chances with the Other purple team coming to your
house With Lamar Jackson Dereck henry in. Company feeling? GOOD
i feel GOOD o.

Speaker 2 (01:41:23):
Life where my defense is at AND i think that's
going to be the key tomorrow because the defense would
take some of the, PRESSURE i, believe off OF jj,
McCarthy allow him not to be in such great pressure
where he's going to have to win the game or
feel like he has to win the game by, himself
just on the offensive, end you. Know FOR i think
The packers did this a huge favor last week by

(01:41:46):
by allowing us to stay in this race by losing To.
Carolina so now it's up to the entire team to
take for the advantage of the opportunity that's in front
of them tomorrow Against Lamar jackson and The Baltimore.

Speaker 1 (01:41:58):
Ravens Lamar jackson in his career twenty four and three
AGAINST nfc teams the last nine games he started his,
team maybe his teams have scored at least twenty eight
points in his last nine. Starts so you're gonna need
to put points on the board to match up Because
baltimore will score against your. Defense they just they run
the ball so. Well but again With gakil And, cashman

(01:42:19):
it's a different. Defense it's A it's a fascinating. GAME
i can't wait to watch. IT i Give baltimore an
edge on a CLOSE i don't THINK i think four
and a half points is too, many BUT i think
they went a close. One i'll be surprised if you
guys can pull it. Out to, me this is the
game that we need to when it's this is a
big game for us, tomorrow no doubts a huge. Game
this will shock. YOU i like My packers' chances to
bounce back one day.

Speaker 2 (01:42:38):
Two for some, REASON i feel like that The packers
might get it done against the. Egos but it's very
hard for me to bet Against Jada hurts.

Speaker 1 (01:42:45):
Understood he's your. Boy enjoy your week double tea and
will do the. Same thank. You stay Tuned gophers men's
basketball from The. Barn that's. Next i'm. Fan enjoy your weekend.
Everybody For Brett blakemore and For Trent, Tucker I'm Dave.
Sinnecon thanks for making part of, us part of Your saturday.
Morning until Next, saturday see, ya