In The Zone: NFL Winding Down, Wolves Trending Up

The FAN's Dave Sinykin and Trent Tucker are back talking some Wolves and Gopher hoops, NBA news, and they preview Week 17 in the NFL!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gets paid no one on a Saturday morning. That means
you are in the zone. I'm the fan. Good morning
one and all. I am Dave Sinekon. I am joined
as always by my partner, the Professor of Pacology sporting
the new sweatshirt co for legend, NBA champion and hockey
Dad double t Trent Tucker.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good morning, partner, Good morning Davy. How are you.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
I'm good and enjoying the holidays very much so yeah,
very much so good. I'm getting ready for the big
snowstorm coming in tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
A big snowstorm.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
Get a hunker down, get all things ready. But yeah,
it's was a great Christmas day, great snowstammy. I mean
how much snow coming?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
We'll ask meteorologist associate producer Brett Blakemore to join in.
Good morning, Brett. By the way, welcome back from your
sunny time in Arizona.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
Yeah, it was very nice. No snow there. The fan
has learned. I think they're going to get like six
to eight tomorrow tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
That thanks. It's a big snowstorm. That's something. Yeah, that
is you better fire up to snowblower, Dave.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yeah, or make sure my service is ready to show
up on one of the other.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
You know, so.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
You would think, well, at least it's you know, big
NFL Sunday, if you're stuck inside in a snowstorm, perfect
day to watch football. But neither of our teams will
be playing tomorrow, so it's not a typical Sunday of
football Week seventeen. Will should be some good games right
already be in the books there, Yeah, there are a few.
It's not a it's not a great slate. I mean
we've already had three. We have two more today. You know,
it's only ten eleven games tomorrow. But yeah, there are

(01:31):
a few egos in the find a way to watch
the Eagles and Bills do play tomorrow, Yes, that's it
should be a good game. It should be a good game.
Philly really has nothing to play for. I mean, they
can get the two or the three, but then they
are playing their starters from all I've heard, well.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
I mean it's you know, you still want to build
some some chemistry and some rhythm and some confident momentumy
moving to the playoffs, no question. You know, you lose
three games in a road and now they've won two
in a row. And you're trying to see if you
can can get It's a team moving in the right
direction and going up to Buffalo and knowing that Buffalo
is playing for something, right yep, And if you can

(02:07):
find a way to win that game, you know, that's
a that's a major confidence boost as you get ready.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
For playoff football. Definitely one of the better matchups. I'll
be watching Bears Niners on Sunday night. You should be
a good game as well. Yeah, ask me if I'm
over what happened last Saturday night in Chicago?

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Are you not? Really? No? No, it's it's very rough, fun,
but you may never get over that.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
That's it was shades of the twenty fourteen championship game
in Seattle. It was so the parallels were striking.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, I was.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
That's why I didn't call you, because I didn't you know,
you appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yes, for those that may not recalled. Trent texted me
late in that game, good luck in the super Bowl.
Congrats good luck in the Super Bowl, and I'm like, dude, Then.

Speaker 4 (02:47):
I walked away from the TV because I thought the
game was over.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, I wish I had done that.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Last Saturday was similar, you know, I the Bears had
a point one percent chance to win the game at
the two middle morning. I don't think that's I mean,
how do you right, Well, the Packers are able to
find ways to lose games like that.

Speaker 4 (03:05):
You know how much facious chance they had point one.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
Point one ninety nine point nine percent chance, just like
in Seattle, just cover the on side kick and you're
basically gonna win the North.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Well, I saw your needs a tenth of a second,
right for you?

Speaker 1 (03:19):
Yes, for most of us mortals, we need more than
a tenth of a second to get a shot off.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
All right.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Well, much more on the NFL and obviously the NBA,
but I feel like PJ deserves its flowers. This morning
as we start.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
I heard they had a good football game.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
That was That was fun, That was you know, these
bowl games for many are somewhat meaningless, but for teams
like the Minnesota and New Mexico, they had almost complete
rosters playing, you know, lots of motivation to try to
finish things strong and.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
The Gophers.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
If I watched almost all of it, I was I
was pretty locked in as I was just doing some
prep for this show and I'm filling in for Dan tomorrow,
so just kind of looking ahead to Sunday. I had
the game on and when the Gophers scored Jalen Smith
scores to go up fourteen to six, he kind of
felt like, well, this New Mexico hasn't moved the ball

(04:10):
since the first quarter, Like this is gonna be tough
for them to engineer a drive to get into this game.
And then they take the kickoff one hundred yards for
a touchdown and get the two point conversion and suddenly
it's tied and the Gophers are in the meat grinder
and it was.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Entertaining down the stretch.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
The fake punt by New Mexico Anthony Smith gets the
guy in the backfield. Here the Gophers on the forty
with a chance in the fourth quarter just to put
points on the board and win, and they get stopped
three and out. They punt, both teams punt back and forth,
and then the Gophers in overtime, after New Mexico kicks
the field goal, they get the touchdown pass from Lindsay

(04:46):
to Jalen Smith. Again, the Mancato kid was special and
that diving touchdown catch was spectacular to win the game
and PJ seven to zero in Bowl games, and that's significant.
I understand Bowl games don't mean what they used to,
and a lot of times you're playing teams that couldn't
care less that they're playing, But that says something about
the program that you go out and just take care

(05:07):
of business and have some fun and actually win games.
Seven to zero for pj in Bold as good for
him and good news for the Gophers. Following the game,
Anthony Smith, they're all everything. Past Rusher announced he's coming
back to Dickey Town for another season. So that's a
huge retention for that program. And just one little takeaway.
You know, the new Mexico coach is a guy named
Jason Eck who in his first year turned that program around,

(05:32):
got to nine wins, seventy new players on that roster,
just completely changed the roster over seven zero.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
He grew up in Lacrosse. He well, he was born
in Lacrosse.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
I think as a kid he ended up growing up
in Atlanta, but he walked down on Wisconsin. He was
a Badger, and there's sort of rumblings that if things
don't go well for the Badgers next year, this is
a guy that might be in line to take over
for fickle. Jason Eck the new Mexico coach, So the
rivalry may have spawned yesterday between PJ and Ecks. If
he ends up at the Badgers, that might be a

(06:05):
battle for the Acts for years to come if if
things go his way. So it's just something to kind
of salt away what might happen down the road. But
a nice win for the Gophers as they close out
their season, get their their tenth win of the season
or ninth win of the season, I guess I didn't
keep track, but a buy and large a fairly successful
season despite the three blowouts on the road in the

(06:28):
Big Ten. They close things the right way and there's
like six bowl games today and then we finally get
the quarterfinals coming up Wednesday and Thursday, and that's I
for me. I've never really cared much about it obviously
until this year. You do, yeah, and it's it is
something fun to look forward to here in the middle
of the week with all the football happening this weekend. Obviously,

(06:48):
the Pack plays tonight in a big game, but I'm
I'm so dialed into the Rose Bowl next Thursday. I
can't wait for the college football playoffs four o'clock.

Speaker 4 (06:58):
I mean, they would come when you see the IU
football going against the powerhouse from UH Tuscaloose.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
And be favored by a touchdown over over said powerhouse. Yeah, no,
it's it's all crazy stuff. And hopefully from my standpoint,
they will they'll survive, and the UH shut up all
those SEC fans that believe that they play a different
sport down.

Speaker 4 (07:18):
Well, your team, your team has answered the call. You know,
in two major in two major events, going out to Oregon.
I can remember you and I sitting here. You were
just hoping that in the fourth quarter that the game
could be close and that you would have something that
could keep your attention.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yeah, just show we belong as kind of was my mantra.
Organ and you knock off a team that no one
gave you a chance to be. And you said the
same thing about the Big Ten championship game against the
Ohouse State Buckeye.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
I know, I'm just hoping that we could start believing.

Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, you know that, you know that we can hang
in so too big, too big contests. You know, two
major obstacles in front of you. Indiana found a way
to overcome both of them. And so now he comes
to a third big test.

Speaker 1 (08:03):
Of the year. It's a long break for these teams
that had buys. You know, it's like three and a
half weeks. I wonder if that's a good thing or
a bad thing, Like is that just too much time
for some of these teams to just pick it up
and go.

Speaker 4 (08:12):
You know, some people are going to tell you, well, yeah,
it's too much time. And then some people may tell
you that you know needed the healing time, but you
don't know.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
You just don't know.

Speaker 4 (08:24):
I mean, you know, I don't think anyone can give
you a right or wrong answer. It is because you
just don't know how people are going to respond, you know,
with the time off one way or the other.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
That's true one hundred percent. I just you know, I
got to find something to worry about. So for now
I'm worried about what God we're gonna get any momentum
BA just had a big game.

Speaker 4 (08:43):
There were to just say, hey, we the number one
team in the country and we have a chance to
move on. Well, it's the only way you can win
the championship, right go I did in playoff. You have
to get there, you have no question about it.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
I'm told the Gopers finished eight and five, So I
wasn't quite correct there with the nine and ten numbers.
But you know, you look at the what were the
good wins for the season there, there weren't a lot like, okay,
that was a good win for this team. They didn't
have a lot of those. But you know, you got
to a bowl game. You want it against a team
that turned its season around. So you know, at least

(09:16):
you leave the season with positive vibes. And I believe
the quarterback's coming back and we don't mention Anthony Smith's
coming back. And you know, it was a chance yesterday
for a lot of guys to step up and show
that all right, you know, Brockington the wide receiver didn't
play because he's going to enter the draft, and here's
Jalen Smith for Mankato stepping in and with two great
touchdown catches. So it was a nice opportunity for some

(09:37):
of those guys to to step in with the bright
lights and show that they might be ready for Uh.

Speaker 4 (09:43):
That's that's the most flower thing, you know, when you
when you're on a team and playing time may not
may not be you know, in the foe right at
the start, yeah, but at some point in time, do
you want to get a chance to show what you
can do. And guess what, preparation throughout the season is
so important and you have to, you know, work on
your skill development. You have to stay in shape, and

(10:04):
you have to do some of the extra things that
that's going to get you prepared when that moment shows up.
And I know that some coaches may not want to
see players, you know, do a whole lot of you know,
skill development outside of practice, especially during the season, but
I think it's very important for all kids at least
have you know, maybe one or two days where they

(10:25):
can they can go back and work on your skill development.
It is because when you when you get into a
tight situation, you want to know that you can handle
these moments because your preparation has has has put you
in a position to be successful.

Speaker 1 (10:42):
Yeah, and it shows right it chose when when guys
have trained the right way and have that opportunity to
be ready for the right moment.

Speaker 4 (10:50):
You know, you're here some guys who all want you
to burn out on and want you to wear down,
you know. But you know, Kobe Bryant always says this,
you know, the only time he was nervous in the
game and Nobody would ever think that Kobe Bryant was
ever nervous because of the tremendous talent that he had
and the swagger. He said, the only time I was
nervous when I felt like that I was unprepared. He said,

(11:14):
if I'd know now I've gone out and done the
extra work that I need to do, we may not win,
but I'm not nervous. It's because I know I'm well
prepared to win this matchup. Yeah, and so I I
thought that was a great message to come from one
of the all time greats to talk about, you know,
not only his off season training in skilled development, but

(11:38):
it's in season training in skilled development outside of practice
as well.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
No, it's a great lesson because of all the athletes,
the great athletes that you say, who do you think
has never been nervous?

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Kobe be up there on the list. He's just the
black mom.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
But he was just like, never had that fear, that
never had that indecision or that wondering if he was right.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
So that's that's a great message.

Speaker 4 (12:00):
Everybody's different, and you know, and I think sometimes it's
hard for coaches to, you know, to deviate from what
they think is the right thing to do, you know,
for kids and for players.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
You know.

Speaker 4 (12:12):
But I always said, you know, the really good coaches
who become great coaches, you know they're able to identify,
you know, what you do well, your personality and how
it fits into the structure of a team, and then
come up with a plan that works for everybody, because
you're not going to have twelve to fifteen to twenty

(12:33):
players who all think alike, who all react to certain
things the same way. We have different personalities. Some guys
are more aggressive than others. Some guys are very skilled
and very chill, but it seems like that they're not
working hard. But because you know they're effortless, they can
get the job done much differently than somebody else. And
as a head coach, you have to be able to

(12:55):
recognize that so that you can put all of your
players in a situation racial what now the puzzle can
be complete, So that's going to give you a chance
to find that success.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
I'm not sure if the Wolves were nervous in Denver
Thursday night. I do know that when these two teams play,
something weird tends to happen, something crazy tends to happen.
It was a crazy Christmas night to close out a
big day of basketball. And on Christmas Day, let's chat
about the state of our favorite basketball team when we
come back. They're back in action tonight, but boy do
they leave it on the court in Denver on Christmas Night.

(13:27):
We will break down the week that was for the
Wolves as we roll on in the zone on the fan.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
Comer back a twenty on a Saturday morning.

Speaker 1 (14:02):
You're in the zone, Tucker Sinnekon, Blake Moore with you
till ten o'clock at that time, as usual, will pass
the puck to beyond the pond as Fawnless and Nicoletti
will break down big week obviously, gigantic week of puck
action in Saint Paul, the World Juniors underway all week long.

Speaker 2 (14:22):
They'll break that down.

Speaker 1 (14:23):
They'll talk plenty of wild the wild in action tonight
in Winnipeg. Some fun hockey. You know it's they call
it the state of hockey. I don't know if you
were aware of that.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
Today.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
I'm the fan. Will live up today. Let me know that. Yes,
that's what I'm here for, yeh the fan. We will
have NFL action in the afternoon. Texans Chargers, the afternoon
game that is another game that has significant playoff significance,
and then about five point forty five will kill that
game and go to Wild pregame Wild Jets six o'clock

(14:53):
on the fan.

Speaker 2 (14:54):
Tonight.

Speaker 1 (14:54):
Wolves nets can be heard on the iHeart app on
the Timberwolves channel on the iHeart app. Game tips at
just after seven o'clock from Target No, Yeah, from Target center.

Speaker 4 (15:05):
Wild half is the Wild have not done well in Winnipeg,
have they not?

Speaker 3 (15:10):
In recent history? But they played them well the last time.

Speaker 4 (15:13):
Car. What's their record over the last what eight and
nine games? So I'm not good?

Speaker 2 (15:18):
Not good? Huh?

Speaker 1 (15:19):
And are you taking specifically in Winnipeg and Winnipeg. Yeah,
it's like one seven and something or is it?

Speaker 2 (15:24):
Really?

Speaker 3 (15:25):
It hasn't been good. But the last time they were
there was November twenty third, they beat them three nothing,
So hopefully that continues.

Speaker 4 (15:31):
Hope that's a changing, something can change in the favor
of them. But I read somewhere where they have not
done you know as of late, well in Winnipeg.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
I want to let folks know what you're wearing today,
by the way, because for the thirty years I've known you,
back when we first started the show, you were coming
out with the hoopologies line of sportswear. Your trademarked word
the science If people wonder where whopology came from, that
was your word, Yes, the science of basketball, hoopology basketball. Yeah,
I still have some treasured uh hoopology sports wear, sweatshirt,

(16:08):
a hockey shirt that I that I still have a
couple of hats. Today you're sporting puckology, which I think
shows the evolution of double T Trent Tucker from NBA
champion to hockey dad. Is this a new line of
sports where you're going to start?

Speaker 2 (16:24):
Is Actually, if I can trademarket, you know, I like it.

Speaker 3 (16:27):
I think it has a better ring personal puckology.

Speaker 1 (16:30):
It's that hard k sound, right, the pluckology in the
middle hoop That's that's the line. That is the line.
So plenty of puck on this very radio station the
rest of the day. Today Wolves, as I said, available
on the iHeart app tonight. Wolves had a two in
one week. They opened up with a very narrow, rather
uninspired win over a down trodden Milwaukee Bucks squad by

(16:54):
three points early in the week. They followed that up
beating the New York Knicks solid win over Cat who
was spectacle killer and the Knicks who are without Jalen Brunson.
But the Wolves were without Jayden McDaniels, and they got
the win there to go to twenty and ten for
the season, which takes us to Christmas Night in Denver,
the third meeting against the Nuggets. The Wolves had dropped

(17:14):
the first two, but I believe they had been on
the back end of back to backs both those times.
They had to go play against Denver, so a little
bit against the Wolves.

Speaker 2 (17:24):
None of that.

Speaker 1 (17:25):
This time, the Nuggets are down three starters. Wolves have
a chance to again show how they dominate this team
because they have the last couple of seasons. Not the case.
Christmas night, I'll be honest. I fought sleep. I tried
to stay awake. It was a long day from it
was a long game. It was a long game. It
was a long day from Christmas morning. We were mother

(17:47):
in law's house at like eleven, were there all day,
you know, all day long, watching the bikes and then
stranger things. Everybody's watching that. I finally take off around
nine to go home to catch the Wolves, and then
I get on the couch and sometime late third quarter,
I was out and I woke up fourth quarter and
I fought it.

Speaker 2 (18:04):
The sam As on top of eighth right. Now, Yeah,
there was a challenge.

Speaker 1 (18:06):
They challenged a play like in three minutes to go,
and at that point I just I was out, So
I missed. I saw the highlights, obviously I relived everything.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
But what a game.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
A game that it looked like the Wolves were in
great shade, that it looked like they were absolutely dead
and buried. And then they had the great run late
in the game. Ant who has struggled a lot during.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
The game, it was a big three points shot.

Speaker 1 (18:30):
He hit hits the three at the buzzer, and obviously
I think I think I read. The last thirty five
points in regulation for the Wolves were all Aunt, Randall
and McDaniels, just those three guys, and they didn't get
much from anybody else offensively.

Speaker 2 (18:43):
That should be enough, but three, the big three came through.

Speaker 1 (18:47):
And then you you go to a nine zero run
to start overtime, and you're thinking, hey, it's over right,
it's over done.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
Deal, you know, the breaking near the two game loser
streak against this team.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
Yeah, and then Jokic decides to score seventeen points at
overtime himself. Defense goes sour and the Wolves fall one
to one thirty eight. An gets tossed. I still don't
really understand the ejection. Okay, did you see the I mean,
you know, he goes in for a slam and he
kind of touches Jokicic's arm as the ball's beging bounded

(19:19):
or maybe the ball.

Speaker 2 (19:20):
I just it was to me.

Speaker 1 (19:23):
For Scott Foster to toss him at that moment, in
the closing seconds of an overtime game.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
It was a Scott Foster game, and you can't do no.

Speaker 1 (19:32):
Jokic fifty six points, sixteen rebounds, fifteen assists. He's absurd,
he is absolutely Yeah, well that's who he is. Kind
of he's kind of a modern day Will Chamberlain. So
the Wolves fall by four in a game that had
about seventeen storylines, and now we're zero and three against
the Nuggets. Denver scored twenty three points in three minutes

(19:57):
of over twenty.

Speaker 2 (19:59):
Three points in three minutes of action.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
I mean, can you how can you get that many
possessions in three minutes?

Speaker 2 (20:07):
Feels three points feels like that would be hard. Well,
there were a number of take files.

Speaker 1 (20:11):
The Wolves were trying to extend the game and fouling
once they were down a little bit. But yeah, that
is hard to do, and it did again show the significant,
profound problem this team has defensively when Rudy Gobert is
not on the court. I mean, it's it's so stark
and so I mean, we've talked at nauseum since summer

(20:35):
about the point guard situation here, but.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
We also said, you know, what are we doing at
backup center?

Speaker 1 (20:41):
Like, because we talked about how the Nuggets bring in Valashunis,
because that was their big issue last year when Jokic
left the court. They had no inside presence, not that
Yokich is a defender, but there was nothing to stop anybody.
And so they they addressed that someone like that on
this roster would really be nice right about now because
that every guy knows how to play. It's a problem,

(21:02):
double Tea. It's a problem defensively when Rudy is not
out there, and you know, Bearonja clearly is you know,
at eighteen nineteen is not the answer for a team
that's looking to compete. So you know, maybe you go
out looking come trade deadline for a big body to
help you out defensively, because I think this is a
major issue because Rudy was in foul trouble Christmas night.

Speaker 2 (21:24):
And just fifty six everybody's trouble.

Speaker 1 (21:29):
But he couldn't he couldn't stand in the court long
enough to do what he needs to do and this
team needs to do when he's out there. And Jalen
Clark played five minutes, so I I haven't read a lot.
I don't know if there was any kind of an
issue injury wise. I don't think there was, but it
just it was a strange game. When you look at
the box score, there was very little bench very few

(21:49):
bench minutes outside of you know, Nas basically and Conley.
I mean, Shannon dilly Ham's not in the rotation right now,
so Bones and Clark and Shannon were the guys and
they didn't.

Speaker 2 (22:00):
Bones got minutes, but the other guys didn't.

Speaker 1 (22:02):
That I just feel like, when Gobert's off the court,
you've got to really figure something out defensively. Why not
make sure you're.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
There's a major hole in your defense right And.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
Then Clark is a very good defender, so it feels
like put him out there at least to protect the
wings a little bit and give you a solid defensive presence.

Speaker 4 (22:19):
But you still need that that guy that can protect
the house and you, like I said, you and I
talked about this a lot over the summer about the
two glaring positions that the Wolves needed to address point guard,
and I thought the center position as well, because Mike Colley,

(22:40):
we all know that how good he has been throughout
his career. You know, he's on the other side of that,
and at some point in time, Rudy Gobert is going
to be in the same situation with a young core
still in the mix. Will you have those two major
holes filled so that this team can stay in the
championship window and if you're not able, you know, to

(23:03):
find their replacements and having guys who can play at
a very high level where that window can close very
quickly in all sports, all sports, thinking about like the
Detroit Lions right now, fans are thinking, was that our window?

Speaker 1 (23:16):
Like is it gone now? You know, they were number
one seed on the outside looking.

Speaker 4 (23:21):
In a few years ago when they had a chance
to beat San Francisco and Dan Campbell went against the
traditional way of getting putting points on the board. I
felt like that that was their opportunities missed. You know you,
you I understand you know you, You're different than some
other people. You take you take gambles here and there,

(23:42):
but when you're trying to get, you know, to the
biggest game of the year in football, you have to
go back to some of the old traditional ways to win.
And I felt like at that point in time, he
was the guy they let his team down, more so
than the players.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
I think a lot of the fan base probably agrees
with that sent it that it was right there. Just
be normal, Just hunt the ball, you know, yes, just
don't put the foot on the gas constantly. It doesn't
always work that way. So yeah, more on the Lions
and more in the NFL as we go, But as
far as the Wolves go, they sit kind of in

(24:17):
that four or five spot right now despite the lost
Thursday night at twenty and eleven their fifth but they're
within percentage points of the Lakers right now, and the
Lakers are kind of in free fall modes, so as
they still try to figure out this roster and there's
plenty of season left to go. In about five weeks
till the trade deadline, they are in position, but they're
looking up right now at four teams that are playing

(24:40):
really good basketball. And we'll get next segment to talk
about the San Antonio Spurs and what they've done the
last week. But where this Wolves team wants to go,
and that's to the Final Four, at least as it's
currently constituted. It doesn't feel like they've got the horses
right now to compete with the best of the West.
Would you agree, well, yeah, And it set those two

(25:00):
key positions. You know, Rudy Gobert is going to give
you still consistent and good play, but the major hole
right now is the point guard position. And whether I'm
with you and probably majority of the Wolves fans, we
are hoping that at some point in time before the
trade deadline comes and goes, that you know, Collie and

(25:23):
and and and the crew are going to really really
address that situation so that if we get towards the playoffs,
that this moment here doesn't.

Speaker 2 (25:31):
Come back to haunt us.

Speaker 4 (25:33):
And like I said before, I was very surprised that
with all the good work that Connie has done throughout
his career in terms of identifying what his team needs
at a certain time throughout the season, that they did
not aggressively address that situation during the offseason.

Speaker 1 (25:51):
You know, and who knows, maybe they did, maybe they tried.
You know, I'm not going to just say they darted.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
Well, it didn't happen, so it did not have.

Speaker 1 (25:59):
The only thing that we can go by, and I
think we clearly we understand that and cannot be the guy. No,
he's not point guard. He's so much better off the ball.
He's so much more comfortable off the ball.

Speaker 4 (26:09):
And I played, I guess and with some really good
point guards. Now, you can throw an off guard out
there every once in a while, but when you're talking
about for a large portion of the season and then
critical moments come playoff ten, you need a point guard
to run that position. That's why it's called point guard.

(26:32):
And you have to go out and find and identify
that guy who can do that. You know, Mark Jackson
and Rod Strickland. I played with those two very talented
and qualified, high level point guards. I played against John
Stockton and Magic Johnson. And then you know, there was
a guy from you named Isaiah Thomas. I mean, you know,

(26:52):
when you get a ball to those players, all the
other players now can go do what they're supposed to
do best is because this guy is going to be
able to take care of the ball and direct us
and get us into what we need to get into
so that we can operate on the offensive end. That's
what a quality point guard is all about. You need

(27:13):
those guys if you're want to have a chance to
win a championship. And the Wolves are there, They're in
that window. So I'm hoping before the trade dayline, the
tread the trade dadline coming goes that they are lucky
enough to address that situation.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
So it'll be the talker for these next four or
five weeks. So I think we all believe something has
to get done to shake this thing up and give
ant that support in the backcourt to win close games,
to have that clutch point guard to settle things down.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
We'll see what they do.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
We'll pause here, continue our NBA discussion when we come back.
Quite an enlightening week in the NBA as far as
the Kings of the Hill getting knocked down a couple
times by the same team. Have the Spurs become title
contenders right in front of our eyes. We'll chat about
that when we come back in the zonars. How we're

(28:32):
back eight forty one on a Saturday morning. You're in
the zone. Trent Tucker, Dave sinnecon Brett, Blake Moore. We're
here till ten. We're talking some NBA. We'll switch gears
to the NFL and our number two as is our want.
We talked about the Wolves falling on Christmas night in Denver.
They're back in action tonight against the Brooklyn Nets. So
rather quick turnaround after a late night game in Denver,

(28:55):
they get the Nets that they had on the road,
double t for four no I think three road games
at Chicago Monday, at Atlanta Wednesday. Then they're at the
Heat before playing the Wizards. I believe that game is
back here, so a little Eastern Conference action. Some of

(29:15):
the have knots in the Eastern. The Bulls though, are
always tricky. Yeah, and that'll be Monday and then Wednesday's
and afternoon game Atlanta on New Year's Eve they'll play
I think at two o'clock on Wednesday in Atlanta. Speaking
of the Bulls, they host the Bucks tonight and Yannis
apparently will be back. Okay, he going to test the
calf out in pregame, but after missing eight games, he

(29:38):
might be back. It's probably too late for a Bucks
team that has gone too and twelve without him this season,
they are twelve and nineteen and down down on the
Eastern Conference standings, but far well like eleventh or twelve.

Speaker 2 (29:52):
I mean they're right, I mean they still can get
to ten, can't. Yeah, you can get to ten. But
may the run. Hey, I guess say get in the game.
To get in a game. Man, If I'm in a game,
I got a chance. That's all that matters.

Speaker 4 (30:03):
Right, I'm twenty outside looking in, and you know, you
know season is over right, got two chances to Slim
and none, and Slim is out to doing.

Speaker 2 (30:11):
Out the door. Baby.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
Let's let's talk about the big talker in the NBA,
and that is the fact that twice this week the
Spurs have beaten the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's three times
they've beaten them this season. They have only lost five times.
Three of them now have come to the Spurs. And
when San Antonio beat them Tuesday, you know, I thought,
like many, I'm sure all right, rematch on Christmas Day
in Oka. See, this could be a blood bath. I mean,

(30:35):
the Thunder is going to be out for blood to
show that this team, which isn't even playing really at
full strength. Webbin Yama's not starting for them right now
is he works his way back from the calf injury.
He's coming off the bench. And on Christmas Day, what
do they do? They call out into Okace and hammered
them again. And Trent, I think the Spurs are making

(30:57):
an absolute statement, like you might think we're too young
with these young guards we've got and twenty two talented
man that that squad has made a statement this league
this week knocking off the Thunder two times. And for
all of us that thought this was like just going
to be a coronation for the Thunder with maybe a
seventy five win season, h the Spurs are channeling Lee

(31:19):
Corso and saying not so fast, my friend. Pretty impressive
stuff by the Spurs this week.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Huh.

Speaker 4 (31:23):
Well, you know, there there are certain teams that they
may have your number. And you talk about the Spurs
young core, but I think the one guy that has
been the real glue for them has been Harrison Barnes.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
He has played really well for him and veteran.

Speaker 4 (31:42):
Guy's been around understand, you know what it takes to
be a good playoff player, and he has been consistent
and solid for this team all season long, and.

Speaker 1 (31:50):
They don't have a lot of that on their roster right,
a lot of like veteran guys that have been through
the wars. Barnes fits that mole, but that that's that's
not a team that has like a few veterans sprinkled
in to know that this is a team that's still
learning on the fly and a coach that's learning on
the fly. So a guy like Barnes has to be
really helpful for that roster.

Speaker 4 (32:08):
Well, then if your Oklahoma City knowing that here's the
team that they have all the right ingredients to beat us,
and this team could be a problem if we are
to face them come playoff time. So hopefully along there
there's journey towards another championship, there's somebody else that they

(32:30):
don't play well against can knock them off. And I
can go back, Dave, you know, during my time and
when the Pistons won this second NBA championship back to
back in the late eighties, we were the only team
they're in the New York Nicks that beat the Detroit
Pistons four straight times in the regular season. Is because

(32:52):
we had a style of play that they could not
figure out we could beat the Detroit Pistons with out
pressing and trapping game. And then we had Patrick Ewan
in the middle of who they couldn't deal with. We
had three point shoots, we had point guards, and the
Pistons wanted to play in the eighties and maybe low nineties.
And our whole goal was to speed the game up,

(33:15):
make them play faster than they want to play. And
if we got to ninety five points, we knew that
we had a great chance to win. And I think
the San Antonio Spurs right now, with their personnel and
how they play. You got good athleticism, they got speed,
they got quality at just about every position that can
make it tough for the Oklahoma City Thunder to operate
on the offensive end. This is this is one of

(33:37):
these teams that Oklahoma City is hoping that they don't
have to facecome playoff time.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
I think you're right.

Speaker 1 (33:44):
And what's kind of scary for the rest of the
league is I mentioned you know, Wemby's not one hundred percent.
They're working him back. Their three point shooting has been terrible.
The Spurs, like Harper and Castle, these guys are shooting
like twenty five, twenty eight percent. That's going to get better.
I mean they are going to prove a three point shooter.
So you just look at what the ceiling might be
for this Spurs team, which still has draft capital and

(34:06):
you know, young talent coming out of every pore.

Speaker 2 (34:10):
They're building something really special.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
And obviously they have a guy that you know, within
a couple of years maybe the best player on the planet.

Speaker 2 (34:16):
Yeah, and come and play all the time.

Speaker 4 (34:17):
When the game slows down, you know, how closer can
they get him to the basket where he can be
even more effective?

Speaker 2 (34:27):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (34:27):
You know you regular season, you got him on the
perimeter and he's he's showing his skill where he can
put it down the floor, you know, make a spin
move here there, look very spectacular. But when the game
slows down and that team has a chance to study
you and they see you on a daily basis, well,
they're going to begin to take some of that perimeterive

(34:48):
stuff away. And if he can go to a post
up game, you're not going to find many guys in
the leader can guard him because he's seven to five
and then once he decides to throw a jump hook,
he's probably nine feet. Talk now, you got to come
with the double team. And when the double team has
to come from the top and from the side, now
it opens up driving lanes and open up guys to

(35:10):
get easier looks at the basket. So I'm hoping that
you know, when you watch San Antonio grow, that the
coaching staff will have, you know, the necessary the necessary
choos to make those different adjustments come playoff time and
put him in a better position to help his team.

Speaker 1 (35:27):
Yeah, I think they're all learning on the fly how
to take this unique, never before seen unicorn type talent
and figure out what's the best way to get the
most out of him.

Speaker 2 (35:36):
That's still a working problem.

Speaker 4 (35:38):
Because I think, you know, the uniqueness of him is
that you can use him in so many different ways
for him to be effective. So if if we're going
to load up and put smaller guys on him to
take away his perimeter of the game, well, now you
know that he has the talent also to play with

(35:58):
us back to the basket. But does the coaching staff
have the ability to make those adjustments and put that
in their game plan to make this team more effective.
I don't think it's going to come down to the
players in San Antonio being able to make adjustments to
a playoff time. Can the coaching staff deviate away from

(36:19):
their plan to make those adjustments.

Speaker 2 (36:21):
Yeah, that's what we'll learn as we go.

Speaker 1 (36:24):
I like the feistiness Wemby showing he's trying to develop
a bit of a rivalry to chet Holmbreun, which is
kind of fun. And how do we feel about the
skull chat? Did you see this Tuesday night in San Antonio?
Wemby had the big drum out there and they're trying to,
you know, get that going in the crowd for Spurs games.
They got the whole skull chap. They're not saying skull

(36:46):
I don't know what they're saying, but they're saying something.
They're doing the thing with the clapping and their drumming
and they're trying they're increasing the pace just like they
do at us Bank Stadium. They're taking a page out
of the Vikings playbook. Who took a page out of
what was it some soccer team across the world that
that the Vikings took this from. It's making its way
to the San Antonio Spurs well as.

Speaker 3 (37:07):
An Icelandic team. I believe is that Whatlandic national team that.

Speaker 2 (37:11):
Might be it was I'm the wrong guy to ask.

Speaker 1 (37:13):
I just wonder how Vikings Nation feels about the Spurs
stealing their bit and that that's going to be too
happy about it. I mean, if we're playing the Spurs,
if the Wolves are playing the Spurs in the playoffs
and you go to the Skull and they're doing the
Skull champ pre game, how are we going to feel
about that? I mean to me, to me, I couldn't
care less, but I'm wondering what we may not feel
good about that. Yeah, it feels like they took something
from us, right.

Speaker 3 (37:33):
I loved Wemby when he introduced he goes, it's something
we've been working hot, like been working hard.

Speaker 2 (37:39):
Yeah, yeah, very original.

Speaker 4 (37:40):
I mean, he's he's a very unique talent. I mean,
and you look at the perimeter. Guys are showing right
now that they can beat you in so many different ways.
But come playoff time, you know, things begin to shift
and if the outside game and the perimeter game is
not working, how can you use Wenby now in different
position to help your team win? Because he has the

(38:03):
ability where you can make those adjustments. You know, he's
not just a one dimensional guy. And I'm hoping come
playoff time that the Spurs coaching staff, not against the Wolves,
but against some of the other teams, you know, can
see how they can use them differently.

Speaker 1 (38:20):
They'll be fun to watch and see what they do
with him. I'm just so impressed by what they've done
to the Thunder. I mean to beat them Tuesday, then
go into their house and beat them, not just beat
him on Christmas Day one seventeen to one oh two,
like this was not even.

Speaker 4 (38:32):
I'm telling you that. There's some teams last Gamer.

Speaker 1 (38:34):
And they held SG eight to seven for nineteen shooting
from the floor on his home court on Christmas Day.
They were the grints.

Speaker 4 (38:42):
They have they it's just this team is put together.
They can that can create havoc for OKC and they
know that.

Speaker 1 (38:54):
Somebody texted and said, you know, Deer and Foxes of
Attorney's twenty eight, and I get that. But he hasn't
been through a lot of real deep playoff runs, right,
I mean, he hasn't yet been proved proven And I
love the guy.

Speaker 4 (39:05):
But he's great to you know, he's great to have
because he's really good in that mid range game. You know,
he can use that pick and roll and get into
the middle of the floor and he's got the little
nice little step back jump shot or he can get
all the way to the rim off of one bounce.
You know, he's in a very very good situation and
they're using him in the right way. And yeah, come

(39:25):
playoff time. You know, he's a guy that you know
they can go to and count him. But Harrison Bond
so far to me, has you know, he has been
the glue guy that that has really made this thing work.

Speaker 2 (39:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (39:35):
I think the only thing worrying Spurs fans right now
who have to just be completely giddy that after the
Duncan pop era, it looks like they have a new era,
just like the Patriots look like what Drake may have
post Tom Brady. I think the only worry you have
as a Spurs fan is you look at Wenby and
you go, that's a seven foot five guy that moves
a lot, and can he stay on the court all

(39:57):
that body hold up well?

Speaker 4 (39:58):
And also as a hit coach, you know you have
to take him out of situations where he can get hurt.
When you when you're that tall, you know you don't
want him out there trying to twist and to turn
and change directions four and five times, because now you
put it in position where he can step on somebody's foot,
where he can he can twist the knee. And when

(40:22):
you have that type of talent, make the game easy
for him, make the game simple, you know, allow him
to make the game even easier for his teammates. But
when he's out there trying to be Alice Carusso off
the driven from twenty eight feet, to me, that's not
that's not a good way to use his ability against
a team like that, And all of a sudden, now

(40:43):
you put him in a situation to get hurt.

Speaker 2 (40:44):
Now I get it.

Speaker 1 (40:45):
It's just got to be so tempting to have a
guy with those dimensions that is able to put the
ball on the floor. You know, at that size, you
got to be tempted to see what he can do.
But you're right, you got to be smart about it too.

Speaker 4 (40:55):
Well, it's great to have him out there, I mean,
but more times than not, if Alex Carusso any other
good preimer to defender, if you say it to them,
we're going to let him catch the ball to twenty
eight feet and see how many times he can beat us.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
Off the dribble. They would take that matchup any single day,
no doubt.

Speaker 4 (41:16):
But if you put him down about eight feet and
Alex Carusso has got a got a guy seven for five,
he has no chance at all. So it's going to
be important to see if the San Antonio Spurs coaches,
especially come playoff time, can they make those adjustments to
use Winby in the right way.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
Also on Christmas Day, the Houston Rockets destroyed the Lakers
one nineteen ninety six, a game that was uncompetitive from
the start. They were up fifteen in the first quarter
never looked back. Following the game, Laker coach JJ Reddick
was pretty frontal about how he felt about his team's performance.
Double d says, we don't care enough. We don't care
enough to do what was necessary to win. We didn't
care enough to be a professional. He was very frontal

(41:55):
about the effort or lack thereof. And I actually saw
a cutup of clips from that game just focused on
Lebron and it was shocking to see him not hustling
down the court, turning the ball over.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
Well, I understand he's not.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
The youngest dude, but you know, you just expect Lebron
on Christmas Day to be out there doing Lebron type things,
and and he just looked disinterested and wanted to be
anywhere else but there. And I think there are significant
concerns now. Austin Reeves has a CAF injury. He's out
at least a month. This is a team that has
dropped three in a row, all their ten losses, and

(42:35):
they're right with the Wolves.

Speaker 2 (42:36):
I think they're like twenty and ten.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
They're all ten of their losses had been double figure
losses because you're not defended.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
They can't play defense.

Speaker 1 (42:45):
And when we saw them play the Wolves and beat
the Wolves earlier, we thought, yeah, this team suddenly now
with Luca, Lebron and Reeves, it's gonna be a tough team.
But now you watch them playing, this is kind of
a flute game. The Wolves kind of away.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
I think as it turned out, it was you can't
it's hard to take the Lakers seriously right now.

Speaker 4 (43:02):
Well, if you can't defend, I mean, going into Round
one of the playoffs a year ago, we talked about,
you know, how could the Wolves beat this team where
you make guys play defense who are not interested in
playing defense. If you are allowed Luca and Reeves and
Lebron James just to run up and down the floor

(43:23):
and not play defense, and you're going to play right
into that style. Well, yeah, they can beat you playing
that way. You have to force Luca Dodgers to do
things that he does not want to do. And the
major thing that he does not want to do is
play defense because it wears him out. It's hard work.
Playing defense is hard work. He has never ever been

(43:47):
committed to playing defense. And if you have the personnel
that can force him to do things that he does
not want to do, at some point in time, he's
going to fall apart. And you see that. That's why
JJ red is very concerned. It's because there's a lot
of money in Lebron James, there's a lot of money
in Luca, there's a lot of money in Austin Reeves.

(44:10):
And if these are your three top guys going forward
and they can't play defense, he's gonna be very very
hard for you guys to find any success come playoff time.

Speaker 2 (44:18):
What do you do with Lebron? I mean, do you.

Speaker 1 (44:22):
Try to find a way to move off of him
at this point and can't because what team is gonna aidend.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
Anybody's gonna takehim because.

Speaker 1 (44:28):
You'd have to bring back the salary to La and
you're not gonna cut him no, because he does. He
does still fill the arena when he's out there. So
that's just it's an interesting spot the Lakers are in.
And now with Reeve's gone for a month plus, they're
gonna count on Lebron even more and we'll see if
he's up to the challenge, because, as you say, they
ain't stop anybody.

Speaker 2 (44:46):
They're gonna have to score.

Speaker 1 (44:47):
They just lost twenty points a game and Lebron hasn't
shown yet that he's wait night out.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
For all the greatness of.

Speaker 4 (44:55):
Lebron James, he's not thirty three, he's forty one. Yeah,
he still looks great, Bay, he looks great. He would
have moments here there where he's sticking have those nights.
Still gonna have it anywhere between fifteen to twenty points
a game. He's gonna still slam dunk on some people
and give you some highlights. But what the Lakers really

(45:16):
need for him to do, he's not young enough to
do that anymore. He can't do it on a nightly basis.
It's not his fault is fill the time catching up
with him and if the Lakers were not aware and
address the situation before he got to this moment.

Speaker 2 (45:37):
Is not Lebron James's fault, it's their fault.

Speaker 1 (45:39):
Yeah, let's pause here at top of the hour break,
I do have a couple of Wolves related texts that
I want to get to with you. And then we'll
turn our retention to the National Football League and hour
number two. Your Vikings have won four in a row.
Is that a good thing to you? Is that a
bad thing to you? We'll chat about that and look,
I had to a week seventeen slate as the NFL
playoffs get into focus. Our number two in the zone.

(46:00):
After these nine oh four on a Saturday morning, you're

(46:24):
in the zone. Tucker Sinnecon Blake Moore hanging out for
another hour or so beyond the pond follows us today
as usual at ten o'clock, we'll have NFL Action mid
afternoon three o'clock or so, Texans at Chargers, and then we'll,
I don't know, probably sometime around the beginning of the
fourth quarter, we'll switch over to wild coverage Wild pregame

(46:45):
at five point forty five on the Fan Wild at
the Winnipeg Jets tonight. They'll drop the puck shortly after six.
You'll hear it right here on the Home for the
Wild one hundred point three FM.

Speaker 2 (46:54):
The Fan.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
The Wolves game will be available via the iHeart app
the Timberwolves channel. There in you will listen to a
Wolve's action at seven o'clock tonight. Maybe I'll have the
transistor by my ear because I'll be focused on NFL
football tonight when the Wolves are playing.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
Tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (47:11):
Your NFL Sunday begins, of course with Packer Preview Review edition.
Blake Moore and I will be here at eight o'clock
tomorrow to analyze what we see tonight at lambeau Field
and what is likely. I'm putting quotes around the word
likely likely the last home game for the Green Bay
Packers tonight with Malik Willis under center against Snoop Putley

(47:34):
for the Baltimore Ravens. Just what the networks we're hoping
when they put Packers Ravens on primetime.

Speaker 3 (47:39):
The NFL has really been swinging and missing and striking
out a lot with these matchups lately, But.

Speaker 1 (47:44):
Three third string quarterbacks on Christmas Day, that's not what
they were looking for, almost all of them meaningless games.

Speaker 3 (47:50):
Yeah, it's probably gonna be the last home game. It
is unbelievable how fast the season has gone by crazy.
It feels like yesterday we're in training camp. It's going
faster and faster, which is scary. Also, I just learned
that Harrison Barnes, we were talking about him last segment.
I watched him in high school. He went to Ames,
he played against my school a bunch. He's now thirty three,
so time is moving.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
Talk about.

Speaker 3 (48:11):
Yeah, it's gonna be most likely the last home game.
The Bears lose out, Packers win out, then the Packers
can still win the North. But I don't I mean,
I'd like to see next week selfishly something to play
for and not be a complete bye week at US
Bank Stadium. But any of those, if the Bears beat
San fran or if we lose to the Lamarlus Ravens

(48:34):
at home, then it won't be anything anyway, So may
as well sit everybody.

Speaker 1 (48:37):
Imagine having a ticket as a Viking fan to next
week's game, which you were excited about right the beginning
of the season. I got Week eighteen Vikings Packers. Maybe
they'll flex it because the North will be up on
the line and we'll we'll know obviously a lot more
by you know, after the Bears game tomorrow night, whether
the game will mean anything to Green Bay. We'll find
out if JJ McCarthy is going to play or not.

(48:59):
So it could end up being JJ McCarthy and the
Vikes with a chance to take away a chance at
the North title for the pack I mean, everything on
the line, or it could be Brozmer against Willis or
Clayton Tune for the Packers in a meaningless game. So
I mean, if you have the tickets, the range is

(49:19):
stark about as stark as it could be.

Speaker 3 (49:22):
Yeah, I mean, I'm sure the NFL is hoping for
the former, but I am too. But it would be
nice to get a home game. But we were kind
of talking pre show that there isn't really if the
Packers play their best. Obviously, if they play their worst,
you saw it in Chicago where everything that could possibly
go wrong went wrong. But if they do play their best,
which they can do, there's not really a team maybe Sands,

(49:45):
the Rams and even them, they've you know, Lafleur's had
a pretty sterling and good track record against them. There's
not really anyone that like scares you to death, so
the seating does matter to'd be nice to win a
home game or get a home game, but it's not
the end of the world.

Speaker 1 (50:01):
I can't remember an NFL season where we're getting close
to the playoffs and there's not a team that you go, yeah,
that's the team that's likely to win, or that's the
team you don't want to face. With no Chiefs, likely,
no Ravens, a newtered Bills team that doesn't look anything
like the team they've been in the AFC and the
NFC with no dominant you know, whether it's the Niners

(50:22):
of the past or the Lions the last couple of years,
it's just so wide open that it feels like, just
give me a ticket to the dance and I'll take
my chances.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
Right, I will say this, you know, bringing it back
to the Purple though, and there isn't really there's no
one that you're scared of. To answer your question, but
is this not worst case scenario going into you're eliminated
three weeks out, you are playing meaningless games, but you're
winning them. So now like if I would have told

(50:49):
Vikings fans the beginning of the year. You've got nothing
to play for for the last almost month of the season,
and you're gonna pick seventeenth. That's terrible.

Speaker 2 (50:57):
That NFL purgatory.

Speaker 3 (50:59):
Yeah, that is Minnesota sports in a nutshell.

Speaker 2 (51:02):
R double T.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
I'd like to first of all, thank you and the
Vikings publicly for delivering us a playoff spot by knocking off.
Thank you the Lions on Christmas afternoon at the US
Bank Stadium.

Speaker 2 (51:17):
Appreciate that. Thank you.

Speaker 1 (51:18):
Just take some of the edge off, especially now that
we learn that loves not playing tonight. I still like
Green Bay's chances tonight, but knowing that you got the
Ravens tonight, likely without Lamar Jackson, who's doubtful with a
back injury he sustained last week.

Speaker 4 (51:33):
There's a lot of conversation in Baltimore about him maybe
not being able to coexist with his head coaching. Yeah,
that's isn't that crazy? The two time MVP.

Speaker 1 (51:43):
Just some of the words from John Harbaugh and just
some of the body language and the messaging just feels
like that relationship might be playing itself out. And imagine
if Lamar Jackson's available or Joe Burrow is available, called
another quarterback who didn't seem real happy with the state
of his organization. We talked about it a month ago
Double Team when we said, you know, it's not looking

(52:03):
like a playoff season for the Vikings, but at least
you got four or five games to watch JJ McCarthy
play and see what you got, maybe have more data
to decide what to do with that position as far
as bringing in competition. And then again he's out again
with another injury. Yeah, he got nailed, I understand, But
now he's played nine games out of thirty three, you know,
and you start to think, all right, yes, is this

(52:26):
a guy that he's still young and he still is
a story to be told. We might not even think
about this three years from now, but right now nine
out of thirty three is alarming, and you're concerned. You
have to be concerned. And we don't know if he'll
play in the finale yet. We'll obviously learn that as
the week goes on, whether that hand is healed, whether
they feel it's in his or the team's best interest.

(52:46):
I mean, how bad did you feel for Brosmor the
other day looking at that offensive line and knowing he
has no shot against that line, and the Lions aren't
that ferocious of a pass rush, but Hutchinson's actually pretty good.
Obviously down well, they were down five offensive starters. I
think three linemen and McCarthy would have had very little
chance either. So does it serve the organization? Well, if

(53:09):
those linemen are still out. We know Kelly's out, and
I don't think Darrisaw's playing, and obviously he's out. And O'Neil,
who knows, what are you going to learn if he
plays it a Week eight team, whether maybe it's meaningless,
maybe you can hurt the Packers' chances if they still
have a chance to win the North. I don't know
how much you gain because of what you've got around
McCarthy available to play.

Speaker 2 (53:28):
In Week eighteen. Yeah, I agree.

Speaker 1 (53:32):
I mean at this point, let's just move on, right,
So next year, I was saying, yeah, I'm with you
on it. How do you feel about the four game
winning streak and the fact that, well.

Speaker 4 (53:41):
You want to win games because I think, as you,
you want to end the season in the best possible
situation that you can, so that hopefully it's a carryover
into next year. The guys wants the season ends, you know,
they feel a little bit better about themselves. Some guys
got a chance to play. Maybe the coaching staff now

(54:02):
maybe have a different opinion about a player here or
there at this time of the year compared to when
they saw him a month ago. And a lot of
these guys are fighting, you know, for an opportunity to
stay in the league or stay on this team. So
I think is important to try to win as many
games as you can, whether the season is lost or not.

(54:23):
It's because you're moving forward and you're hoping that maybe
you know, at the end of the season how we
ended up. You know, it could be a carryover for
a lot of these guys going into next year.

Speaker 2 (54:35):
Right.

Speaker 1 (54:35):
But big picture, a few weeks ago, you're looking at
a top ten pick in the first round. Now you're
at seventeen, which, again, you can find a great player
at seventeen, but the pool at seven, eight, nine is
obviously a lot more enticing if you're there.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Yeah, but you can't, you know, because.

Speaker 4 (54:53):
These guys who are playing now are fighting for their
livelihood and they're going to go out there and give
you everything they get. Is because they want to stay
in the league. They may not play for you, but
somebody else is watching them, and I you know, I
talk to my kids and other kids and other players

(55:16):
who I have the opportunity to come in contact with.
I said, every time you go out to play, you
never know who's watching you. You never know who you's
watching it. Season may not be going well in terms
of wins and losses, but yes, in that moment, somebody
might say, no, what that guy looking play for me?

(55:39):
So I always put your best foot forward, no matter
what the situation looks like. Tell you what Andrew van
Geco can play for me any day of the week.
As as ludicrous as the offense was three nine yards
net passing for your Vikings on that day with all
the sacks, the fewest amount of net yards ever in
a Vikings victory and five hundred and some wins, the
defense was lights out and Ben Ginkel was lights out.

(56:02):
Harrison Smith, I mean, if that was, you know, his
second to last home game at US Bank Stadium, what
a way to go out. The Hall of Famer was
all over the field, and it just again points to
the job Brian Flores has done this season. And he's
a free agent too. You know, we're all talking about
what are they gonna do at quarterback. We're gonna bring

(56:23):
in competition. That's a draft gonna look like, who are
gonna bring back salary caps?

Speaker 2 (56:26):
A mess.

Speaker 1 (56:28):
They've got to extend Flores. I'm sure they want to,
and I'm just curious for you. They will, right But
from your standpoint, do you think there's any part of
Brian Flores thinking.

Speaker 2 (56:37):
I shot coach?

Speaker 1 (56:39):
Well, for sure, that's not where I was going because
I don't think he's going to get that shot. I mean,
he's suing the league in like five teams, and you know,
I'm not saying I think he does deserve a shot
for sure. I'm just not sure he's gonna get the opportunity.
My thing was, is he thinking this organization right now
does not know where it is a quarterback. The offense
is in flux. I'd love a chance if somebody wants

(57:00):
me to go run a defense for a team that
I think has the quarterback. Like here's a terrible example,
because they have no talent. To the Cincinnati Bengals. They
got the quarterback, they got the receivers, they have the
offense defense is a hot mess. If you bring Brian
Flores in there to reshape your defense and that challenge.
He might find a team like that that feels like
it's got pieces on one side of the ball but

(57:21):
needs help on the other. I'm just wondering. I'm sure
Brian loves it here. Maybe he would never entertain the
idea of a lateral move to a different team. But
are any Viking fans a little concerned that some team
might throw a ton of money to say, be our
defensive coordinator. We've got the quarterback, we have a chance
to win it all. You don't know what you have
at QB in Minnesota.

Speaker 4 (57:43):
Yeah, you know, the organization has to be concerned because
somebody may do exactly what you just said, because teams
are always looking, you know, to steal your product, and
if they can pluck you know, some personnel people away
from you, that's going that's going to make you weaker

(58:03):
at that at that position. It can only make us
stronger off for sure. Yeah, if you are are at
the top of the Vikings organizations, you're you're very concerned
about about about someone coming in and offering a ton
of money to your top defensive coordinator.

Speaker 1 (58:19):
I mean, look what he did on Christmas Day with
a defense that was missing. You know Mattelis Grenard. I
don't know who else. I mean they he did not
have his full compliment of players.

Speaker 2 (58:28):
He did.

Speaker 1 (58:28):
Some guys out there that have you hat to prove themselves.
Look what he's done with Redmond and help him develop
into a really nice future piece for this defense. I
think that's just gonna be an interesting thing to follow.
Maybe because they talked about extending him before the season,
and I think he said, now, you know what, let's wait,
let's see how the year goes.

Speaker 2 (58:44):
And he bet on himself.

Speaker 1 (58:46):
And good for him because I whatever the Vikes, we're
gonna pay him, you gotta pay a little bit more now. Yeah,
he's he is worth his weight in goal. There's no question. Well,
I think you said the right word development. And when
you have a coach that can develop and teach and
get players to understand what they need to do and

(59:07):
where they need to get better at, that.

Speaker 4 (59:10):
Guy is is rare. There's a lot of coaches who
may have certain titles in certain positions, but they can't
teach and develop.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
They may tell you that we need to get better
in these areas.

Speaker 4 (59:24):
But if you're going to tell a player of that,
no matter what sport it may be, but then you
have to have the ability to teach it and show
them why they need to do X, Y and Z.
And you know, if you got someone like the Vikings
have it, the defensive coordinated that can develop young players
and get them better. Man, they have to roll out

(59:48):
the bank for this guy. Yeah, because it's hard, Dave,
I'm telling you it is hard to find guys who
can teach and develop and coach.

Speaker 2 (59:59):
That is hard are to find.

Speaker 4 (01:00:01):
When you look at youth sports today, there are a
ton of kids playing and there are a lot of
great young athletes because it's in hockey, basketball, football, baseball, soccer,
whatever it may be. But you don't have a lot
of development and a lot of teaching. And that's why
when some guys who really don't make it, it's not

(01:00:25):
because they're not good enough. They're not prepared enough to
get it done. And so if you find a guy
who's a rarity that can do those three things, you
got to do everything in your power to keep him
on your team. Because I see it every day, I
hear about it every day, and I watch it every

(01:00:45):
day because I'm close to you sports more so now
than I've ever been and I talk to a bunch
of guys who from the NHL level to the USHL,
to the WHL to the junior levels, and the one
thing they always talk about, kids are not developed. Kids

(01:01:06):
are not prepared. Kids are not fundamentally sound. The talented,
but they're not educated enough to play this game at
the highest level. And that's why you might see a
guy with less talent who understands the game a little
bit better the guy that plays fifteen years in the
National Hockey League of the NFL or the NBA. And

(01:01:28):
so when you find someone that has those qualities, Dave,
you got to keep them around for as long as
you can.

Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
Yeah, and you just hope your kids are lucky enough
to have someone like that.

Speaker 4 (01:01:40):
I mean, it's important for young people to get good coaching.
A lot of parents who spend a lot of money,
they put everything on the line, and I know a
lot of them are disappointed at the end of the day.
Is because they did not get the bank for their

(01:02:00):
buck that they were looking for.

Speaker 1 (01:02:01):
Yeah, I mean, Texter Brent Brent reminds us, Look with
the Lions, did they let their best coach walk out
the door? And they're finding out you know what it's
like life without Ben Johnson, that you've got Dan Campbell
calling plays, you know, at a seventh grade level, like
he's running the same plays over and over again, and
the Vikings are feasting because they know what's coming, because
there's nothing clever going on.

Speaker 4 (01:02:22):
Look at Kayler Wins, I mean, you know, maybe he
didn't have the most consistent year, but you can see
the development you know that Ben Johnson has given him.
You know, I've always said this, when you ask me
to do something, you have to be able to explain
to why.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
Yeah, now, you.

Speaker 4 (01:02:44):
Can't tell me to be a better shooter. You can't
tell me to be a better defensive player. You can't
I need for you to do this better. But if
you can't explain to me why I need to do
this better, what is never going to happen Because somebody
has to be able to teach you how to do
those things. I was very fortunate as a as a

(01:03:04):
young player in U sports. I've always had good coaches.
I had good teachers, I had good mentors, and they
worked on me with the fundamentals coming from high school
to college and before I even got to college, well
in high school or junior high school, I was pretty
one of the one of the tallest kids play, so

(01:03:25):
I played center. Some guys said, you're not going to
be seven feet tall. It's okay, he said, So I
need for you now to learn how to handle the basketball. Well, why,
he said, because if you're going to play beyond high school,
you gotta put the guard position. So if you can't
drive by the time you get to be eighteen, your

(01:03:47):
basketball career is over. Because there's no way in the
world that you can play against Kevin Mchill.

Speaker 2 (01:03:55):
That's gonna get a little ugly, you know.

Speaker 4 (01:03:56):
But the fact of the matter that I had at
coaches in place that you forecast and see that, and
they helped me develop, you know, the perimeter skills that
I needed to get at a young age so that
I could play basketball beyond high school. And that's what's

(01:04:17):
missing in today's game. And you can it's okay to
be tough on kids. It's okay to be hard, it's
okay to be demanding, but you got to be fair
and then you got to be able to teach. That's
what's going to help these kids get to the next
lep Yeah, I mean, that's a tough combo to put
together in one person. Orn't enough of those people around,
I don't think. But when you find them, you treasure them.

(01:04:39):
Now that's going to give you a much better chance.

Speaker 1 (01:04:41):
Let's pause and look ahead to the slate that's left
in week seventeen, including a big one at Lambo tonight.
For my squad, We're not going to do a Packer
preview here, but we will look ahead to Packers Ravens
tonight and some of the other key matchups in week
seventeen as the playoffs come into focus.

Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
In the zone rolls on after the back with you.

(01:05:25):
Nine eight.

Speaker 1 (01:05:26):
You're in the zone, Trent Tucker and Dave Sitekin. Another
half hour or so, we're talking NFL Week seventeen. Three
games in the books to today, the rest and tomorrow,
and then of course Monday night. We'll get Texans Chargers
this afternoon at three point thirty. You'll hear much of
that game on the fan before we switch over to
Wild Jets at five point forty five. Interesting game there,

(01:05:48):
as the Chargers have been hot, the Texans have been hot.
LA hasn't really beaten anybody of note. I think the
Texans have a good chance to go on the road
and that defense against a Chargers offensive line, it's in shambles.
I think that the Texans have a chance to wrap
up a playoff for today and then tonight it's the
Packers and Ravens and it's some Elie willis kind of

(01:06:09):
a surprise double t. We know that Love suffered the
concussion after the cheap shot hit in Chicago.

Speaker 2 (01:06:16):
It's like, Okay, I mean, is he gonna be ready
for playoffs? Yeah? I mean he practiced this week. That's
what was encouraging.

Speaker 1 (01:06:22):
All week was he was on the practice field Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday and taking all the reps basically like.

Speaker 2 (01:06:28):
He was does this game mean anything for you guys?
It does?

Speaker 1 (01:06:31):
Okay, if Green Bay can win these last two and
the Bears lose their last two, Bay wins the North
and gets the two or three seed. So maybe not likely,
but we'll get to that those chances in a second.
On Love, you know, you have to get through the
whole concussion protocol. We understand that just because he's on
the practice field doesn't mean that independent neurologist is going

(01:06:52):
to say, yep, you've checked all the boxes, and clearly
yesterday he didn't check all the boxes. So they said, nope,
you are not quite ready. But he's close and should.
Next week's game at US Bank still means something to
Green Bay. Love plays even if it doesn't mean anything
to Green Bay. Maybe he starts just to give him
again a little action after having not played in two

(01:07:14):
and a half weeks. So it's Malik Willis who also
got hurt on the last player regulation. If you saw
that he was, I don't know why they didn't just
take a knee and go into overtime. They're at your
own seventeen yard line with twenty some seconds left. You're
not going to Malik Willis is not going to bring
you down the field in seventeen seconds. That's not his game.
And he goes, you know, he gets hit in the shoulder.

(01:07:35):
You can tell it's hurting him. Then he gets sick
this week. In fact, everybody's sick this week. The whole
Packer team is sick. There are nine questionable Packers heading
into this game tonight. Seven of them have illnesses. Yeah,
so I don't know who's going to play, but it
looks like Willis is starting and Clayton Tune as the
backup quarterback for Green Bay tonight. And interesting little nugget there.

(01:07:57):
You know who Clayton Tune's top receiver was at the
University of Houston two years ago? Anyone, Anyone, Blake Moore, nothing,
Blake Mush, Matthew Golden, A lot was Clayton Tuons gold
number one receiver at Houston. Then Golden transferred to Texas
his senior year, and then Tune was drafted I think

(01:08:19):
by Arizona maybe in the fifth round. He got one
start for the Cardinals. He's your backup, No, Lamar Jackson tonight.
That's obviously huge. Baltimore needs the game to stay alive.
That they they lose, they're out or so they need
to win.

Speaker 2 (01:08:32):
They need to win. Packers don't need the win.

Speaker 1 (01:08:35):
But as we said, they win out, Bears lose out,
they win the North. Bears are in San Francisco tomorrow
night and then they close at home against the Lions.
And you might say, well, why would the Lions care? Right,
there are seasons over, Yes, so they can, right and
so again two years ago, that's what they did to

(01:08:55):
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Three years ago the end
of the twenty two season, eight and Ayden and they
make a running couple of years, right, they knock out
the Packers playoff hopes with nothing to play for.

Speaker 2 (01:09:04):
The difference this year is.

Speaker 4 (01:09:06):
That's the hardest team to play against.

Speaker 1 (01:09:10):
More often than not, those teams beat the teams that
have to win. It's statistically, you can you can look
at it. Back then, though, Detroit was that up and
coming team that wants the momentum to win a game
they don't need to. Now they're the deflated team that
was the number one seed a year ago and went
one and done, and now there are seasons. I don't
know how motivated they'll play, they'll be to play, how

(01:09:30):
many guys they will play. So I don't have any
delusions that they're going to go to Chicago and beat
the Bears. But I'm not going to dismiss the possibility
because you never know. If Campbell gets those guys to say,
you know what, we could crush these guys dreams, just
like we did the Green Bay a few years ago.

Speaker 4 (01:09:44):
Let's do it where there's some guy who's trying to
make the team now gets an opportunity to play.

Speaker 2 (01:09:48):
You know he's not going to hold back. No, A
lot of those young guys want to show something, he.

Speaker 4 (01:09:52):
Finds a little confidence here or there, see a little
silver line, and obviously say, hey, we can win this thing,
but also you could it could help me come next season.
So if you are the Bears in that situation, knowing
that this game here can clinch the division, you got
to be ready to go. And it's more pressure on
the team that should and favorite to win, compared against

(01:10:14):
the team just out there just planning out, just plan
out to find the game of the season.

Speaker 1 (01:10:18):
I actually give the Bears a chance in San Francisco
tomorrow night, mainly because they have two days of extra rest.
You know, they played Saturday and the Niners played on
the road Monday.

Speaker 4 (01:10:30):
How much rain is in California with all the floods
and all that bad, Whether they have out there, I
don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:10:35):
It's San Francisco on I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:10:36):
I haven't heard if that's an issue tomorrow night or not.
I think the Diners are much, you know, more complete team,
but their defense is not great. They if you look
at the teams the Niners have been beating up on,
it's nobody, you know, outside of their own division, nobody
real special. So I wouldn't be shocked if the Bears
go into San Francisco and win that game, they're only
three point underdogs. So you know, I think a lot

(01:10:58):
of people look at that and go only three points.
You see what the Niners just didn't indye, they destroyed them.
McCaffrey's on fire. I don't know that two days week seventeen,
when you've had your bodies get two extra days in
the other team, that to me is pretty significant this time.
That's a big advantage for Chicago. So that to me,
that's the most intriguing matchup. And the man out there

(01:11:19):
early too.

Speaker 2 (01:11:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:11:21):
Maybe so with the time change and you know what,
I go out, Yeah, nothing else to do? Wuld play football?

Speaker 2 (01:11:28):
Right if that's true? Yeah, no, no, that is true.

Speaker 1 (01:11:33):
So Packers tonight will have Packer Review tomorrow morning eight
o'clock to uh for Packer fans to listen. Why wouldn't you?
I don't know why you wouldn't. I'm in for bump
tomorrow too, so I'm sticking around for a few hours.
I'll be doing nine to eleven with Blake Moore will
be uh. We'll be hunkered down tomorrow from eight to eleven.
It's not going to be three hours of packer review.
So what time is the snowstorm supposed to hit early?

(01:11:55):
Or they've been tracking that more than I have.

Speaker 3 (01:11:58):
I've got it starting. It's going to rain, but I've
got it starting to snow around nine, So getting out
at eleven could be a challenge.

Speaker 2 (01:12:06):
So is it an all day thing?

Speaker 3 (01:12:08):
It's going to be all day through the night thing.

Speaker 1 (01:12:10):
Onside, We're due for something like that. It's been mild
and it's time.

Speaker 4 (01:12:15):
I love this well. I can get out and walk
and it's forty degrees. You can walk into snow. You
can handle. That's true.

Speaker 1 (01:12:20):
So alert for Sunday Sermons tomorrow. We may have to
pre name the snow nami in a homage to Bump
on Sunday morning, So folks out there start thinking about
a potential year ending snow nami that we can dial
up tomorrow morning on Sunday Sermons. Let's take our final pause.
I do have a couple of Wolves related texts that
I want to get your thoughts on, Double Tea and

(01:12:42):
a few more Week seventeen matchups I want to get
your thoughts on as the NFC and AFC playoffs come
much more into focus. Final segment in the Zone is up.
Right after the air, we are back. Final segment. Today's

(01:13:25):
edition of In the Zone with Tucker and Sinecon Beyond
the Pond follows us all your puck needs between ten
and noon, whether it's World Juniors, Wild Gophers, they got
you covered from ten to noon today again Wild Hockey
at six, Wolves on the iHeart app, Timberwolves channel at
seven o'clock.

Speaker 2 (01:13:42):
Wolves home tonight and Brooklyn Nets.

Speaker 1 (01:13:45):
Yes, they are home tonight before heading on a little
East Coast, well not East coast, Eastern Conference Swing Bulls,
Hawks Heat, Rolls, Hawks Heat.

Speaker 2 (01:13:56):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:13:57):
The Wolves, of course lost on Christmas night in a
wild one in Denver. In overtime one thirty eight, we
talked about Jokich's absurd evening fifty six, sixteen and fifteen,
including eighteen points in overtime. Eighteen points by Yokich in overtime,

(01:14:17):
which leads Adam from Deluthe to text into the Bradshawn
Brian Kafan text line. I know double T is not
a violent fan, but between Rudy and Nas and McDaniels
and Ryanndalds, someone go in there and rough Joker up
a little bit, and that man did whatever he wanted
the whole game, and almost like they forgot he played
for Denver, he said, sad, embarrassing. They had no answer
for him at all about double timminy, Well, you've always

(01:14:40):
talked about that, like just let I mean, if Jamal
Murray's gonna kill you, he probably will.

Speaker 2 (01:14:44):
Make somebody else win.

Speaker 1 (01:14:45):
This is a team down three starters, right, they didn't
have Cam Johnson or Gordon or Brown. That's when you've
got a pounce and you can't just let the one
all world player do whatever he wants. So you would
you espouse like, I don't know who grab baron barj
probably couldn't hurt Yogich if he tried.

Speaker 2 (01:15:02):
He has no meat on his bones.

Speaker 4 (01:15:04):
There's go double team him and make okay, you know,
now where's the double team coming from? Okay, who who's
the least likely to hurt us offensively? And if he does,
he patted him on the backside and say, hey man,
good game. But I can't let the best player score
eighteen points in overtime. Yeah, yeah, we know that he

(01:15:25):
can do that if we don't pay attention to him,
or if we don't try to take certain things away,
because he's that good. You just have to respect guys
who are that good.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
You know, he's the best big man passer of all time.
He will find if you double him, he'll find the
open guy. You just got to say, all right, well,
I've never heard of some of these guys he's playing with.

Speaker 2 (01:15:43):
Let them beat me.

Speaker 4 (01:15:43):
So that when it comes down to game planning, how
are we going to defend the best player in the game.

Speaker 2 (01:15:51):
Where's the double team coming from?

Speaker 4 (01:15:54):
And then once the double team comes from spot A
spot B now going to road take to that spot
or we're just going to stay home with the guys
we got, you gonna double and get back to your guy.

Speaker 2 (01:16:07):
He may not be a catch and shoot guy.

Speaker 4 (01:16:08):
If he's not a catch and shoot guy, then you
don't run at him as if he's Klay Townshend Steph Curry.
You go halfway because he know he wants to balls,
fake and drives and he gonna come right into you.
So that's what you know, Thiscott and report is all about.
Understand who you're planning against, and then you know, create
a game plan that your players can execute to see

(01:16:29):
if you can slow down the best offensive player.

Speaker 2 (01:16:32):
In the game.

Speaker 1 (01:16:33):
Yeah, it's a challenge no matter what, but you got
to make it somewhat difficult.

Speaker 4 (01:16:36):
What have you and I been talking about all morning?
This is where teaching comes in to play. You're in
that position to teach, and then you have to be
able to explain the why because you have a double
team from this guy. Because this guy here is not
a real catch and shoot guy. So when you close
out on him, don't run at him to take away

(01:16:58):
the three point shot. It's because he is a catch
and drive guy. And I can tell you I got if.
I got time to tell you one man, we got
nothing but time.

Speaker 2 (01:17:08):
You kidding me.

Speaker 4 (01:17:10):
I remember when I was doing TV for the Wolves
and Wally Zerbiak was playing, and Scottie Pippen was in Portland,
and I knew that they were going to double team
and they were going to double team off of Scottie Pippens.

Speaker 2 (01:17:26):
Man Phlip Sounds was a coach.

Speaker 4 (01:17:29):
So I told Waller, said, Wally, if you're the guy
in the rotation, when Scottie Pippen gets the ball to
three point line, don't run at him to take away
a three point shot. Go halfway because Pip is going
to ball fake and look to dry He rotated the
ball to Scottie Pippen. He ran at Scottie Pippen as

(01:17:52):
if he was Steph Curry. Scottie pipping ball fake, went
right around me and laid the ball in the bass.

Speaker 2 (01:17:57):
Dave.

Speaker 4 (01:17:57):
I took my hairsyts and set him on the table.
What are we doing here? What are we doing here?

Speaker 3 (01:18:03):
You know?

Speaker 1 (01:18:04):
Do my words have no effect on you? I'm trying
to help you out here, Wally. I know you're not
a defensive guy. I'm trying to help you.

Speaker 4 (01:18:11):
It doesn't you know, understanding the person now that you're
playing against makes it easier for you to defend people.

Speaker 2 (01:18:20):
It's like in the pick and roll.

Speaker 4 (01:18:22):
God comes off the pick and roll, Well, if he's
not looking to stop to shoot behind the pick and roll, well,
then there's no need to chase him over the top
of the pick. Just tell you, big man, to give
you some space so you can slide through and cut
before he turns the corner. So why am I chasing
the guy over the top of the screen that's looking
to drive That to me is not smart basketball. That's

(01:18:45):
telling me that you don't know the personnelity playing against. Yeah,
that's where teaching comes into play. You see so many
teams and so many players not reach the pinnacle to
where they should be. Is because of the lack of teaching.
That's where it all starts, no question.

Speaker 1 (01:19:01):
All right, let's over the last ten minutes or so,
let's go back to football for a minute. A couple
of interesting stories were involving pass rushers. I don't know
if you saw this out of Las Vegas yesterday, Pete
Carroll told his superstar pass rusher Max Crosby, they're gonna
shut him down, that he's been dealing with injuries and
he's not going to play this week. And he did
not take that one. He's like, are you kidding me?

(01:19:23):
I'm playing? And he stormed out of the organ all
to the facility he left. He said, can I just go?
They said yeah. He's furious. They're in full tanking mode
the last couple of weeks. They want the number one pick,
they eat a quarterback. You know, it'd be interesting if
Fernando Mendoza ends up going to the Raiders because he
idolizes Tom Brady, who is an owner of the Raiders.

(01:19:44):
It'd be kind of fun for him. I'm sure to
play for Tom Brady, but now people are connecting dots
and saying has Crosby done in Vegas?

Speaker 2 (01:19:52):
Has he had enough? Is this the last straw?

Speaker 1 (01:19:54):
If they're telling him we don't want to compete to
try to win these last two games, and we know
if you're on the field, you're to do everything you
can direct the quarterback of the other team. We don't
have that. That's just how you play, right. He does
not want to hear about tanking or draft position. He
wants to go out and play football. So you wonder
if that relationship can be mended. I don't know if
Carrol's coming back. I mean, the Raiders are just a

(01:20:15):
mass sumpster fire of an organization and have been forever,
at least the last twenty years.

Speaker 4 (01:20:20):
Doing a pretty good job with that team. Wasn't he
who was Peers? Antonio Peers? He's yes, they did.

Speaker 1 (01:20:28):
I think the problem that organization had this year was
bringing Chip Kelly in to run the offense, because that offense.

Speaker 4 (01:20:35):
Oh yeah, was the NFL levels. Ever since the.

Speaker 1 (01:20:38):
Entered Gino Smith looked so decent and better than average
and Seattle last year he looked like a different guy
in Vegas. I don't think he just fell off the map.
They didn't know how to use Bowers correctly, they didn't
use that know how to use Ashton Genty, their their
stud rookie running back. They just didn't have an offense
that suited that organization.

Speaker 4 (01:20:56):
Suited the players, yes and again, and a guy who
was running the players and he couldn't make an adjustment
to figure things out.

Speaker 1 (01:21:02):
Right, So now you've angered your best player who may
want out, and now you may have to look to,
you know, completely tear it down and maybe get a
couple number ones. You know, he if if Mike is
worth two ones, I think Max Crosby is too. And
I'm sure a team would would think very long and
hard about saying, you know what about it? That might
be worth it to bring that guy who never takes

(01:21:23):
a playoff.

Speaker 2 (01:21:24):
You imagine put him in with Vikings defense.

Speaker 1 (01:21:26):
Well, any team would say that, you guys are pretty
good already you got at him though, Well it would
be I mean, put him next on the other side
of Micah.

Speaker 2 (01:21:34):
How about that.

Speaker 1 (01:21:36):
I don't think we have draft picks to give the
Raiders for a couple of years, but that's an interesting
story to follow. The other pass rusher of note this
weekend is Miles Garrett, who's a half sack away from
the all time season sack record. He's got twenty two
sacks and loves the idea of setting that record against
Aaron Rodgers. Tomorrow they play the Steelers in Cleveland at
home in Well, here's the thing, No, but if the

(01:21:59):
Packers beat the Ravens tonight, the Steelers are in no
matter what happens tomorrow. So if you're the Steelers and
you've wrapped up the AFC North tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:22:07):
So you're a Packers fan.

Speaker 1 (01:22:09):
Yes, the Steelers are Packers fans tonight. The fans are
and the players i'm sure are as well. Do you
sit Rogers though, do you say, you know what, We
don't want you to have to deal with Miles Garrett
tomorrow because what if you get banged up with nothing
to play for? And yeah, you sit Rogers. So he
may not even get the sack record against Rodgers. It
might be Mason Rudolph or they've got that Ohio State
kid Will Howard might get some run.

Speaker 2 (01:22:30):
If Rogers doesn't play, there's no need to play Aaron
Rodgers if you're already in.

Speaker 1 (01:22:34):
Right, So, if I'm Miles Garrett, I want to Sarah
Sack Rogers. So I'm pulling for the hated Ravens tonight
to make the Steelers want to win that game.

Speaker 4 (01:22:43):
You called the Raiders and see what they want. I
don't know what the Cowboys can give you.

Speaker 1 (01:22:48):
Well, they've just traded multiple picks to get bring Quinn
and Williams in on their defensive line. I'm not sure
they have the capital to do it again now for Yeah.
I mean, dude, we could sit it for an hour
and think of teams that would take Max Crosby, I
mean every team, and he put him.

Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
In, put him in Dallas. I mean, he's a he's
a game changer.

Speaker 1 (01:23:03):
Yes, he is wherever he would be, and I have
a feeling that this kind of thing might be it
that talent.

Speaker 4 (01:23:10):
He's a talent and a horror where he is a
talent man. I mean, his motive is going all the time.
You know, somebody said give me a hundred, He's given
you one twenty.

Speaker 2 (01:23:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:23:19):
Yeah, he's on a shore list of guys I would
I would do whatever it takes to try to bring
into my organization because he does that everything the right way,
and he he he cares more than I think anybody
on the field like he literally never takes a playoff
for a guy that's running around like that. We watch
Parsons after four or five plays, man, he needs to
get out and catch his breath. I don't feel like

(01:23:41):
Crosby ever has.

Speaker 2 (01:23:42):
To do that.

Speaker 4 (01:23:42):
Yeah, some of guys they just they just have that,
They just have that energy, you know, they just wired differently.

Speaker 2 (01:23:49):
But he's fun to watch. He's fun to watch.

Speaker 1 (01:23:53):
So that's an interesting nugget. As far as how tonight's
game plays out. The motivation for teams like the Steelers,
obviously for Green Bay is well winner lose, and obviously
what the it for the Bears do in San Francisco
tomorrow night. We'll lead us to what week eighteen looks like.
Let's close our final few minutes looking ahead to weekend action,
beginning with your Wild. They're back in action tonight against Winnipeg.

(01:24:15):
Obviously they're unstoppable your Wild team. Right now, How were
feeling about where things sit as we get set to
turn to a new calendar year.

Speaker 2 (01:24:23):
Giddy?

Speaker 1 (01:24:24):
Can't wait for what the next few months bring. Take
down the hated jest. Tonight where we feeling, mister blakemore.

Speaker 3 (01:24:30):
I feel mostly good. They didn't play their best hockey
against Nashville, but that seems like forever ago. After the
little mini Christmas break, they're going to go on the
road for a while thanks to the World Juniors being here,
which we do love. I feel mostly good despite the
recent result. The overall trend is really upward, and it
can only get better as the more and more Quinn
Hughes plays with this team.

Speaker 2 (01:24:51):
I agree.

Speaker 1 (01:24:51):
So no, Obviously the juniors are here all week, so no,
while they're on the road for the number of games
we mentioned, the Wolves home tonight then hitting the road
for three, how do they respond from a long, tough
Christmas night game in Denver again playing one of the
have nots we've seen, you know, this team kind of
play with their food against teams that they are more
talented than. Curious to see how they respond double t

(01:25:14):
from you know, a game where it looked like they
were dead all night, then it looked like they were
in control, then it looked like they were dead a
team that they've handled in recent years. They're now zero
and three against We'll see them again later, but now
you've got to take care of business against you know,
the nets, the Hawks, the Bulls. These are the kind
of teams you got to just you're right there, four

(01:25:36):
or five in the West. Yes, you're looking up at
three or four really good teams. But this team's twenty
and eleven. That's kind of where we'd like to be
thirty thirty one games in. But they got to take
care of business.

Speaker 4 (01:25:46):
Too, no doubt about it, because you, as you talked about,
you know, these these are some of the games that
you should be able to win. But you don't want
to have a slip up. Now you've gotten to the
fifth spot. You know you can find your stuff in
seven in seven if you haven't, you know, a bad
week of basketball.

Speaker 2 (01:25:59):
Just a minute left.

Speaker 1 (01:26:00):
I've got several texts from guys saying, we talk about
no backup center. We just drafted one in the middle
of the first round. You know, he's seven to one,
seven to two. Why not throw him out there for
a few minutes on a night like that and see
what he can do?

Speaker 4 (01:26:12):
Your answer, stretch, what's that, guys, Chris Finch? Yeah, he
just doesn't trust he trusts eight guys. That's it, a nine.
That's bot far he's going to go.

Speaker 1 (01:26:21):
I mean, we talk about he's eighteen nineteen, he's only
played for four years. He needs to put muscle on,
learn the game. But I don't know. Five six minutes
of just running the court, banging around a little bit,
is that going to kill the guy? To just get
some experience that way in the middle of the season.
I'd like to see it if four or five minutes
can do him. Yet you can't. Oh yeah, this isn't
des moines. That's what you're saying.

Speaker 2 (01:26:40):
You have a four or five minute bad stretch. You
don't recover. Really, yeah you can't.

Speaker 4 (01:26:44):
Yeah, a game can get away from you very quickly.
I'll wait, especially especially gets a good team.

Speaker 2 (01:26:50):
Yeah you know.

Speaker 4 (01:26:51):
Bad teams, Yeah, you got time to me cover. But
a really good team and a two or three minutes span,
you know, THEI can put the game away.

Speaker 1 (01:26:58):
Happy New Year, same to you. By the Happy New
Year one and all. I'm back tomorrow morning on Sermons
with Blake Moore Brett. Thank you, as always, stay tuned.
Beyond the Pond is next.