Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hardcore football.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Here comes describe Ben Gesling covers the Minnesota Vikings for
the Star Tribune and Star Tribune dot Com. Belove describe
at Ben Gesling via the tweet machine, follow him as
nine to Noon does if you are so inclined, and
Ben's inclusion his courtesy of Standard Heating and Air and
Standard Heating dot Com and here he is these you.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Think Tuesdays at tc O no, and I love having
Ben Gesling in studio here this morning. A kind of
misseeing him on Tuesdays at TCO, though, kind of enjoyed
TCO Tuesdays absolutely. Ten am, Ben's there, Lavelle exit, guests, enters.
I kind of enjoyed that that schedule we had going well.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
What we all truly enjoyed from different facets was the
feel good season the Minnesota Vikings just had. And I
steal that compound adjective from something that I either read
in the headline of the Star Tribune or via Twitter.
The feel good season is now shrouded with uncertainty and
(01:25):
what percolates with you about all of that? And good morning,
good morning.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Yeah, there is a lot to discuss, and I'm sure
we will over the next several months about how this
ended and what it's going to mean for a lot
of people, because this starts pretty immediately in terms of
the Vikings needing to figure out contracts for Kevin O'Connell
or quasi Adolfo Mensa for Sam Darnold, if that is
(01:52):
going to be part of the discussion, they have to
decide if it's going to be part of the discussion.
And then you have all of these other things that
come with it. You have Brian Flores, Josh Account getting
coaching interviews, Grant Yudinski reportedly getting a coordinator interview, So
you have this this thing's kind of happening in two buckets.
You have the common business effects of success, where people
(02:12):
want to hire your people and at least want to
talk to your people. And then you have the way
that this team was built, which was on all of
these guys with one year contracts and it was kind
of this, let's have let's get positions filled to be
competitive this year. I don't know that anybody would have
predicted that it would have been a fourteen win team,
but now you have a lot of these contracts that
(02:34):
are done, and Kevin O'Connell talked a lot this year
about it's nice when we can just close the doors.
And this team that nobody expected to do anything and
then became this contender that you know, flamed out in
the first round of the playoffs. There they were able
to shut a lot of that out. But that's over now.
I mean when they lose that game and players are
cleaning out their lockers, you get ushered into this other
(02:54):
part of the NFL calendar, which is a lot less
feel good. To use the phrase I think I put
in my story than what they were going through or
what they were doing the last few months.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Was okay, belovedscribe just a yes or a no for context,
and then we will build it from there.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Here's the question.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Do you expect this offseason the Minnesota Vikings and head
coach Kevin O'Connell to get together on a contract extension?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Okay, here's the question. Do you expect the extension by
the combine? Before the combine? I mean, just just think
about it. Yes, we're in Indianapolis. You know, Saint Elmo's this,
and Harry and is He's that, and the convention Center
this have subterfused that, ye in sneaky conversations all over
(03:43):
the place a w Marriott Hotel bar, right it. Yeah,
coaches with red teeth, all right, three to two. That's important.
I mean, at least from like a professional standpoint. I'll
be doing radio there, you'll be covering it. Yeah, you
really sweet. If the whole thing was done by then, yeah,
I think it will be.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
I mean, you know, Mark Wilf said when I talked
with the Wilsons in December for that twentieth anniversary story,
he said, we planned to talk to both Kevin O'Connor
and Quisiadolflamensa about their contracts after the season. Both are
up after next year. The Wilf's I have been as
gracious in their praise of both of those guys as
(04:23):
you could be. I mean, in my conversations with them.
The first thing Ziggie Wilf talked about when he got
on the phone was we think we have the right
people in place now, yeh. And I think they plan
to reward them for that. And I know there's been
a lot of discussion about why hasn't it been done yet?
This is kind of how they work, I mean, and
they said it in August. It's consistent.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, I never really had I I guess I never
you know, after the thirteen, the work they did to
get to the seven, even with the Josh Dobbs trick.
I mean, I just I wasn't thinking about that. Were
you about the contract stuff?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:57):
About like you know, really so and so got one
after two and here it's you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Well, I'll say this.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
I thought about it, and I asked about it in
August because Mike Zimmer got his first one after two years,
and Kevin O'Connell's resume through two years was almost identical
to Mike Zimmer's. So the question came up of why
did you decide not to do it this year? And
they didn't really get into a lot of the detail
of why they didn't, other than to say that every
situation is unique. But you can do the math. I mean,
(05:25):
it's they just drafted a quarterback. How is that going
to play out? Whereas Mike Zimmer had his quarterback at
that point with Teddy Bridgewater. You know, there's all of
that stuff. They won the division in year one stead
of your two, so the optics looked different. I get
all of that, but when I looked at it further,
the second and third deals they did with Zimmer were
(05:46):
in the final year of his contract, even to the
point where he I think they sent out the statements
we're not firing this guy before that Saints game in
the playoffs in nineteen. They still waited a couple of
months to do this, So this is kind of their
normal process. And I think a lot of the discussion
had started because hey, they did the first one with
Zimmer after two, but then the second and third ones
(06:08):
were different. So I think this is going to be
pretty common. I think they'll talk. I wouldn't be surprised
if it's this week or even next week to get
together and start on I mean, they have the season.
Any conversations, I'm sure it will start to be raised
as a topic then, at least to kind of set
the groundwork for it.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
All Right, well, you you brought it up, and I'm
going to find the proper button bar item down memory
lane we go. So do you believe in your heart
of hearts? Heart of hearts? Okay, if the Vikings at
the lost to the New Orleans Saints, Kevin Stefanski would
not have been the head coach next year.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Raise it an unfair question? Well, I'm trying to parse
the way you phrase it. So do I believe that
Kevin Stefanski that Mike Zimmer would have been fired.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yes, and Stefanski would have been the head coach and
not the head coach of the Cleveland Brown.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I'm I mean there was a lot of chatter about that. No,
I don't think they would have done it. Describe Ben
Gastline at Ben Guest via Twitter. What about Uaycey?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
You mentioned it, but I mean it's you know, because
there was no Day of Lion, super comfortable, distraction free
type of bomb that drops. Multiple teams are looking to
trade for quasy Adopho Mensa who I mean, just to
quickly and briefly in thumbnail sketch, go through the past
performances twenty twenty two draft and fast. It's a free
(07:21):
agency left a lot to be designed. Sure, did the
laundry list of free agents into this year and specifically
with McCarthy, with the assumption that works out well and
you have the quarterback, you have a quarterback on a
rookie deal obviously and it works yep. Well that's a
massive turnaround and played into specifically the free agents the
fourteen wins. So what about Quaycy and like before the combine, Well, yeah,
(07:46):
I would think they would do it. I mean, they
want to keep those guys on the same track. Now
there is a different set of things to figure out
with Quacy because you mentioned the drafts. I think you
have to look at all of that and say, is
this a resume that the plays the same way as
Kevin O'Connell's. Now, they are not fourteen and three this
year without the work that they did in free agency.
(08:07):
Great stop, that does not happen if they don't hit
as many home runs as they did. And yes, Sam
Darnold did not play well these last two games, and
that's going to be part of the discussion about his future.
But the year that he had, the year Aaron Jones had,
the moves they made on the defensive side of the ball,
that is the reason they ended up fourteen and three
in a year where a lot of people, myself included,
(08:29):
thought they'd missed the playoffs. So he deserves credit for that.
And I think the Wilfs like to have the GM
and the coach kind of in lockstep in terms of
their contracts. It will be interesting to me to see
if they play it the same way with Quacy aed
Ol Flamensa that they do with Kevin O'Connell. Because the
thing with Kevin O'Connell is there is a perception around
(08:51):
the league and this plays into the market that a
coach might have if he doesn't stay here. Kevin O'Connell
would have a very strong market. I think that part
of what has been talked about out is absolutely true.
I don't know if it works the same way for
Quasi Atol Famensa. And there's a lot of reasons that
we can get into for that. You know, it's just
a lot of how people kind of network around and
(09:12):
how people are viewed, I think play into these things.
But but the fans don't know him as well as
the head coach at that part of it after victories
is not WAC correct taste in the locker room throwing
out game balls.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
There is that.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
I mean, there is all of that stuff that plays
into these things. Perception matters, branding, image, all of that
stuff matters, and I think that goes into it. But
I think the Wilfs are very happy with both of
them and want to keep all of this stuff, you know,
kind of in lockstep as these two work together, especially
if you're going to turn it over to a young quarterback.
(09:46):
I don't think you want to be creating instability or
kind of tinkering with the foundation, because you know, every
team that's successful in the NFL, that sort of tripod
of the GM, the head coach and the quarterback all
being on the same page, all working well together matters
a lot. And you need to look no further to
(10:07):
that than Kansas City when they're possibly going to a
third Super Bowl and they're fifteen or sixteen to one
this year. So I think if they can keep those
things together, they're going to be very interested in doing that.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
What's the vibe or steam you can share with Brian
Flores and his opportunity to potentially become a head coach elsewhere.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Yeah, it's going to be interesting to watch that one too.
So he's got requests from the Jets, he's got requests
from the Bears and the Jaguars to interview for those jobs.
Jaguars yep, yeah, no way. I think it was all
three that he got requests from. And there's been some
chatter about the Raiders, you know, they don't I haven't
(10:49):
heard anything formal about that. I think people maybe are
connecting dots because Tom Brady and obviously Flora's and Brady
were together for a long time in New England. It's
going to be interesting to me how that plays out,
because I think his stock was as high as it's
going to get based on what happen during the season. Obviously,
these last two games don't play it terribly well for
him either. When I'd say one and a half where sure,
(11:11):
I mean, yep, I got you.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
The first half against the Lions, thank you, was really good.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
I mean, Gernard was an inch from wrecking the Think
Gernard if there's a better free agent signing anywhere, and
Ben Ginkel was the bomb. Cashman was really good too.
Jonathan Bernard was unbelievably.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Good for this team.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
He was and that's not just as a pass rusher
that's stopping the run, that's taking on blockers, that's taking
on chippers, all of those things.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
He's really really good.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
They that was an absolute, unqualified grand slam in free
agency for them.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
So yes, I will give you that.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
And I think even if that stripsack that Blake Casman
brings back for a touchdown gets called a touchdown or
not grounding on Monday night or not not an incomplete
pass and not grounding either, that game may change if
it's ten ten. So yes, I think Flores is going
to have a lot of attention on him. I think
he's going to have a market. I think it's also
(12:07):
going to be something where he will look pretty thoroughly
at what am I getting into with ownership? What am
I getting into with a general manager? Now, if Ryan
Grigson goes to the Jets and there's kind of a
package deal there, you know, maybe that's a good situation.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
But you got to think about ownership.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
I mean, he, he of all people, knows that you
have to be comfortable with the owners you're going to
be working with. And the conversations I've had with him
about this, every time we talk about it, he brings
up I like the fact that I'm not sleeping in
my office, that I can make it to my kids' games,
I can coach my kids teams right the lifestyle. And
(12:43):
he put it this way when I talked to him
for that story that I wrote on Sunday last week,
he said, there's kind of a window here. His kids
are like eleven ten, you know, kind of in that
range where they've got probably another six or seven years
before kids start leaving the house. And that's where my
kids are. You know, my kids are twelve ten, and
I feel that on a deep level of hey, the
clock's ticking here, so you have to enjoy the time
(13:05):
that you have with them. And you know, he talked
about that in terms of is this going to affect
whether I take a job? So I think he's going
to kind of look at all of those things. His
family's going to look at all those things. But at
the end of the day, there are only thirty two
of these jobs, and if you feel good about it,
then maybe you do it. But I do think he's
going to be pretty selective.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I've been infinitely more in thought about Flores and his
potential to leave than I have with the head coach Jaa,
and it's something that obviously Kevin O'Connell's contract needs to
be addressed. But I do ponder if he leaves, and
I think about the ripple effect of it, and maybe
it's maybe it's as easy you're just going to throw,
you know, maybe it's Deronte Jones or whatever the name is.
(13:44):
In terms of a potential successor to keep kind of
keep this train moving in the right direction. But whether
it's influenced potentially on the personnel side, identifying certain players,
you know, finding you know, how how can I make
cashman work how? And part of that can, of course
with van Ginkel being down in Miami prior, but that
(14:04):
influence over personnel in combination with the scheme and several
players in personnel that might not fit if we went
to a fourth th one switch and some of those things,
the ripple effect is really intriguing to me, if not
in some ways a bit scary.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I think that's one hundred percent right.
Because the thing with Brian Flores too, and Kevin O'Connell
has talked about this, is he started his career in
New England in the front office. He has a scouting background,
and I think that played very heavily in the moves
they made defensively this offseason. Andrew van Ginkel is as
(14:39):
prominent an example of this as you'll find. This was
a guy that the Dolphins had resigned on a one
year contract last year. Flores said they tried to get
him last year, but he ended up staying in Miami.
He signs here in a two year deal, he becomes
a second team All Pro. So that level of this
guy fits a particular role in our defense. And I
(14:59):
know him because I've coached him. And I can also
talk to the front office about how this will look.
I can work on the ways we should value him
in terms of the market. I mean all of that stuff.
I don't think he's sitting down with rober Zinsky and
doing that, but you can compare him to the rest
of the market and talk to scouts in a way
that scouts understand as a coach, and I think that matters.
(15:22):
I think a lot of the moves they made, I
think Blake Cashman was very much something Brian Flora's advocated
for after he met Mike Cheryl's YEP, and Mike Cheryl's
told him, hey, you need to watch this linebacker, and
Flora's watched him and said, oh, yeah, this guy's really good.
So a lot of those moves were driven by Flores
being able to say, this is how this guy fits
(15:42):
in what we want to do. Doesn't mean that Deronte
Jones or Mike Saravo or whoever else they'd bring in
can't do that. But I think that's a pretty valuable
skill set for them in this whole thing. So yes,
I think it's absolutely fair to worry about it. And
Kevin O'Connell has been pretty supportive of Brian Flores. I
mean when I talked with him for that story, he said,
I've supported fully. I have talked to him about, you know,
(16:05):
kind of structure of interview. I mean they've both been
through this before while coaching for a playoff team, so
this was not new. But even discussions about who you'd
bring with you as an offensive coordinator, all of those
things they've talked about it. So Kevin O'Connell is not
sitting here surprised by it or worried that it may happen.
But yes, it would have a major effect on how
(16:25):
they operate, and I think it's fair to think pretty
deeply about that.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
As Brian Floyers goes through these interviews.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
How much, say, do you know or believe Kevin O'Connell
has in personnel in draft picks who they take and why,
who they sign and why? And you know, I can't
possibly see it being a Mike Holme Grin with Green
Bay or Cima. You know, the coach and the vice
president of football. I mean, it's all Brad Schilders here. Yeah,
(16:52):
you know, like it's you know, I rather either said
it publicly or to me or somebody else, like you know,
I waited thirty years for this opportunity. I'm going to
do it the way I think it's supposed to be
done for better or for worse and or paraphrasing something
like that. And he had say overall of personnel. That's
(17:12):
not Kevin's lot in life. No, but it doesn't mean
he can't have a lot to say over personnel. Yeah,
I think that's right. I mean I don't think he
has the final call on it, but I do think
he has a lot of input on it and has
had a lot of input on it. I mean, he
meets with the Wilfs regularly. The Quaycy meets with the
Wills regularly as.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Well, and a lot of the discussions that Quacy has
with the Wilfs, a lot of the questions they will
ask is have you talked to Kevin about it? What
does Kevin think? A lot of the feedback that they
get from the Wolfs is the check in of are
you guys on the same page on this? I mean,
I had these conversations when I was working on the story.
That is very much something that the Wolfs are interested
(17:51):
in having happened, that everybody that that has to make
these moves work is on the same page or at
least can support it. I mean, that's very much something
they drive in their thought process and drive in their
decision making that they want to see happen from the
coach and the general manager. So I think Kevin O'Connell
has a say in this. I think Kevin O'Connell has
pretty open conversations with the people that pull the trigger.
(18:14):
Does he do it himself, No, but I think there's
already a pretty open line of communication in the way
that they do business. You know, maybe he's looking for
a little more of that. I haven't heard him say that.
I haven't gotten this sense explicitly that he's looking for that.
But as you're going through things of hey, how can
this work, I suppose that could be on the list.
I think he whether it's the quarterback, whether it's staying
(18:36):
to pict Jordan Addison a year ago. I think he's
had a lot of input on those things, and directly
or indirectly a lot of what he wants to see
happen is considered. I think in the decision making process
they have.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
More season closing speculation and conversation with the sensational scribe.
Ben Geslin from These dar Tribuneistar Tribune dot com is next.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
The fan wants to give you a chance to put
a grand in your hand with the National Cash Contest.
Go to kfan dot com and nentered the keyword grand.
You might win a grand with the keyword grand at
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Speaker 2 (19:40):
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Matt Castle joins nine to Noon
about thirty minutes from now. He's part of a podcast
in the iHeartRadio family and it's with a man named
Bobby Bones. And the show is called Let's Ball or
Let's Chat or something like that, and the the guests
(20:00):
out of the Gate. I think this podcast started this year,
Rolls out of the Gate with Kurt Warner, Yeah, Jared Allen,
Tim McGraw and then like on All the News e
and Rapaport, Rappaport yep. So Bobby Bones and Matt Castle
are making some plays this day and age when it
comes to the podcasting world.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Matt Castle frequent lots with Kevin O'Connell Mack Castle and
Kevin O'Connell because they play together in New England. So
I think they still stay in touch. And somebody was
in somebody's wedding or attended somebody's wedding. Yeah, they're still
They're still pretty good friends.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I think the.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
iHeart podcast if you are So Inclined to Search is
called Lots of Say with Bobby Bone, Lots to say,
lots to say, lots to say, all right, three two
with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle and the analyst. The
co host joins about twenty minutes thirty minutes from now
to chat about it. An hour from now, Chris Finch,
(20:54):
head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, makes his weekly stop
into The Love Covenant. But here's Ben Gesling of Standard
Heating and Air and Standard Heating dot Com with the
coaching situation all just all names and everything. I want
to land the plane like this is quarterbacks coach Josh
McCown considered head coaching stock.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I think he is.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
I mean, he actually had interest before he came to Minnesota.
I think the Texans talked to him maybe a couple
of years ago about it. He was young at that point,
but I think he'll probably have to climb the ladder
a little bit, but yes, I think you know, people
look for can you be in front of a room,
can you command a roster? Can you send a message,
(21:36):
deliver a message, have people follow you? And I think
everybody sees a lot of that in him, so that,
you know, an offensive coordinator job, a head coaching job,
I think is very much in his future and a
lot of the reason O'Connell brought him here was some
of those points where he could connect with players and
just coach the position from having played as long as
he has in the NFL. I mean, I think a
(21:57):
lot of the guys that make good coaches, it's tough
to be the best of the best, and I think,
go coach because you have that thing that I think
Jordan had and Magic Johnson had, where these guys that
are at the end of the roster are not wired
like I am, so I don't understand how to work
with them, how to motivate them, how to get the
best out of them, because they're just not cut from
(22:20):
the same material that I was in terms of drive
or talent or whatever it happens to be. The coaches
that have played that were probably a little more kind
of having to hang on the end of the roster.
I mean you see this in baseball. I think with
managers too, where if they've played, they haven't had great careers,
but it helps them understand enough and then relate to
(22:42):
the guys at the end of the roster a little
bit more effectively. So McCown made a career of that
and has seen everything in the NFL, so I think
a lot of those things give him a unique sort
of resume as he gets into this world and possibly
get some consideration for it in the next few years.
Here mad producer hit me with this text yesterday, maybe
(23:03):
in the evening, and I don't have the I think
I have the answer, but I wasn't completely sure, so
I saved it for you paraphrasing. Do you think JJ
McCarthy will be ready to go by organized team activities
in March or like, what what's that timeline like? Just
from a health perspective, Yeah, yeah, I think he will.
I mean it's a it was a meniscus, it's typically
(23:23):
you know, eight months or so, so at that point
probably not even eight months. I mean I would think yes,
by the time they come back in April. I mean,
even if you're talking eight months, that surgery was in August,
so that puts you in April. So yes, I think
he will be ready by the time players come back,
and then you know, by the time you're on the
field in like phase two of that that's late April
(23:45):
early May. Yeah, I think he'll be fine. Would the
right to change the opinion be wrong or just ignore it?
Where does a Darnold play next season? I I The
thing is, I think they've there's certainly been interested in
franchise tagging him. I wonder how much of that has
changed after the last few days. I mean, I just
(24:06):
don't know how you could. Yeah, and the original plan.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Franchise tearity trade him to Cleveland for right guard Wyatt Jelly.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
All of the day.
Speaker 4 (24:14):
Yeah, I mean that would I think be the reason
to tag him. I think would be at least to
be able to control what you get back for him
and ensure that it happens sooner than next year, because
if he leaves, you factor whatever contract he signs into
the soup of comppicks and you also get canceled out.
If they go spend a lot of money in free agency,
(24:37):
they could lose him and spend all his money on
other people, and they don't get the compicks. So if
they were to tag him, I think it would be
from the perspective of we control this market, we set
what we want, and we can get draft picks in
twenty five where we need them more so than we
do in twenty six where they still have the full
vot or draft picks. So I think it'd be more
(24:58):
that than signing him to be the long term answer.
I don't know how you could look at those last
two games when everything was on the line and look
at how he played, and maybe maybe you figure he grows.
I mean O'Connell alluded to that, but I don't think
you can bank on that. I just think that performance
in that spot is going to be a factor in
(25:19):
what happens going forward. And I say this not having
had a lot of background conversations with people about it yet,
But this is mostly me speaking from my own vantage
point on it and knowing how they feel about McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
I think that has to have had an effect on
what they do long term.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Cam buying them unrestricted free agent with bumper to bumper
with Burrero yesterday, and he's a weekly guest cam quote.
When it comes to being with the Vikings quote, I'm
treating it like it's over, but praying it's not.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Yeah, I had the same conversation with him yesterday. Oh
very much along those lines. That's a position that they need.
They're going to need reinforcements, I think, and Smith as well.
But I don't know that you pay safeties a lot
of money. I think it's going to depend on his
market because he's great in terms of creating turnovers. He's
(26:11):
been on the field a lot. I mean, he's been
able to stay healthy, remarkably well, played a lot of
snaps the last couple of years. But you do see
things with him, whether it's in coverage or sometimes open
field tackling where he has made some mistakes. So I
don't know between that and between that position. If he's
looking for big money on the open market, if the
(26:33):
Vikings would pay it, they'll have money to spend. But
they have a lot of holes to fill, and I
one hundred percent think they want to make a bigger
swing on the offensive line. Kevin O'Connell said it the
other night. I've heard that throughout the last number of weeks.
They know they need a serious set of reinforcements in
(26:54):
the middle of that offensive line. I think that is
job one, yep, And that's not a cheap job. They
also have to sign Corners, Bier, Murphy or people from
the outside. There's a lot of places where they're going
to need to spend money. So if you're saying, you know, eight, nine,
ten million a year, whatever it would be for buying them,
and again I'm spitballing here, but I don't know that
they would see that as a huge priority.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Agreed. Why did it.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Fall apart so terribly the last two Well, I mean
some of it was Darnold certainly. I think holding the ball,
you know, whether it's reads or whether it's him just
kind of footwork at jittery.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
How much of it was nerves? You know.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
I don't know that we're going to have a way
to quantify that perfectly, but I think some of it
was him. The protection certainly let them down. Dan Olovsky
had a really good breakdown of this an NFL Live yesterday,
of the ways that Sean McVay kind of knowing the
Vikings protections because he's coached with Kevin O'Connell, knew how
to attack those and knew how to get free runners.
You know a lot of the things you see Brian
(27:50):
Flores do to other teams, Chris Shula did to the
Vikings on Monday Night, and certainly the Lions did some
of this as well. So I think some of it
with protection, some of it was Donald. You know, just
that offense has to score in those spots. You're not
going to win playoff games in twenty twenty five without
an offense that can move the ball, put it in
(28:11):
the end zone, you know, to keep driving together consistently.
I think that was a lot of it. I think
the defense even Monday Night, I mean, they had a
lot of receivers running open in the first half of
that game. I did think they kind of tightened things
up and kept them kept it at least in a
position where the Vikings could have come back if the
(28:31):
offense was able to do more. So a lot of
it I think just comes down to whether it was
game plan, whether it was Donald's performance, whether it was
execution of the protection. I think a lot of it
falls on that side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Did Jefferson seem frustrated the majority of the season, And
when I say frustrated. It mostly is because of the
rackets and the triple coverage and the two for twenty
at the Chicago and the picks of Jacksonville. Then it
picks up a little bit, you know, and then it's
tough to get him in to the end zone because
of the coverages or yeah, him being missed multiple times.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
Like he was in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Yeah, do you I mean Justin is He's not the
kind that comes out and just bashes. No, But nevertheless,
you could just were round enough to wonder you know.
It's it's unfortunate that in his first year with this
new deal and a fourteen win season and what he
have fifteen hundred yards or whatever and ten touchdowns it,
(29:26):
I mean, those are those are wonderful numbers. But really
Justin is a is, at least the way I see it,
more of a he's more of a vie than an
eye guy. But he recognizes the eye is a very
important part of the equation. Yeah, and when it's not
coming through for whatever the reason, he gets upset.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Do you agree with that? I think he understands. He
even said it yesterday. He understands that he's really good.
I mean, and I don't say that in like an
arrogant way. I think he understands that because I'm the guy,
we are better. The collective is better when I have
the ball in my hands and when I have opportunities
to do what I do. I mean, it's no different
(30:06):
than you know, Jordan, Kobe, whoever, saying at the end
of the game, the ball needs to be in my
hands because I know I'm going to give us the
best chance to win. You've heard those guys talk about
that over the years. I think he comes at it
a lot from that perspective. So the problem is getting
him the ball is more difficult in the NFL than
it is in the NBA, where you can play io
and give Jordan the chance to go one on one at.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
The end of the game. So yeah, I think a
lot of it comes from that.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
I think there was certainly frustration in the middle of
the season when every week the questions are, hey, why
aren't you getting the ball, Why aren't you able to
get open? How do you beat all these coverages? And
he and Kevin O'Connell talk about this constantly. I mean,
there's always discussion of how do we free you and
get you open and make you a featured part of
the game plan. All of that I think happens enough
(30:51):
that he's not in any doubt or wondering about my
role in this offense. There's no equivocation on that. But yeah, yes,
I think it did frustrate at him. I think you
see it on the sidelines a lot. Yeah, I think
all of that is very fair.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
You're excellent, and we'll see out of the facility or
in studio here courtesy of standard heating and air, and
we look forward to the next opportunity. Thank you, Thank you,
Ben Gestling, Star Tribune. Star Tribune dot com. They have podcasts,
we have YouTube from Ben's new in home office, newsletters
and more.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
Star Tribune dot com. Don't leave the.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Writing now, Mattcastle, former Vikings quarterback, thirteen minutes from now,
Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, eleven thirty five,
and Norno with a news dunord right now courtesy.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
The Casino at Canterbury Park in Canterbury Park dot com.
You know, I talk about feeling the felt which you
can do poker, table games, blackjack all year round.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
But they have this bit going on later just a
couple of days. This weekend.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Really, it's the one hundred thousand dollars Bonus weekend that
starts this Friday, the seventeenth through the twenty first. Canterbury's
adding an extra one hundred k to the Ultimate Texas
Hold'em Table Game jackpot. So whatever the jackpot is, they're
dumping six figures into that thing as an additional bonus
(32:35):
and an opportunity for you to get paid. So love
Canterbury already. How about some extra cash in your pocket?
Thank you, Canterbury. Minnesota Timberwolves, Well, we got a double
feature tonight, PA, and we'll get to the hockey team momentarily.
But the Minnesota Timberwolves hosting the Dubs this evening eight thirty.
While you were enjoying and really mostly not enjoying the
festivities taking place down at State Farm, the Minnesota Timberwolves
(32:59):
kind of were messing around with the Wizards, the worst
team in the NBA, until Anthony Edwards just decided, you
know what, this team's awful and our team's better. So
I'm just gonna drop twenty in the fourth quarter and
we're going to cruise by the Wizards, which they ultimately did.
Now they're hosting the Dubs tonight. It's a national game
eight thirty PM. But I stumbled upon this as of
(33:19):
a couple of days ago because Aunt can't help himself.
He's been fined a total of two hundred and eighty
five thousand dollars this season.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
How much? Two hundred and eighty five K two eight
five And this.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Is from ESPN dot com for five different behavioral transgressions,
mostly for language. He was doct one hundred for profanity
during a live television interview, seventy five in a profane
public criticism of the officiating, twenty five K for profanity
in a media interview. In November, he was fined thirty
five for making an obscene gesture on the court. And
(33:53):
I believe most recently he was seen flipping off the refs.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
So he says, seems to mature. Well, that's that's where
I was going for.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
I don't know, you know, how you approach that with
you know, I mean, Finch's got to get a handle
on that by meat. And then also meanwhile, at the
same time, kind of keep Anthony on this trajectory that
he's going and it's not just that he has to
score forty a night for the Wolves to win. But
if he's gonna get that confidence, I know it was
against the worst team in the NBA, totally get it.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
But I need that.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
I need that ant in as many games as I
possibly can where he is uber confident, he's full Alpha,
and he's going to take over clutch moments in games
and hit those shots versus large stretches of games where
especially now the de Vincenzo is going to be doing
a lot of ball handling and and and of course
Randall's gonna get his There are moments in games in
(34:47):
the fourth quarter where ants like it's almost like he's
a three and D wing waiting for his chance to
take a corner three. No, that's not Anthony Edwards. That
can't be. And in moments like it can be. I
mean that because he can hit any shot. No, no part.
And this is part of the Finch conversation. Sorry to clip,
that's all good, But when you sign up for Julius Randall,
(35:09):
you sign up for a big who can run high
post offense with ball handling skills ten of ten better
than the previous guy, and you can pick and roll
with him.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
So in essence, it's point forward. Ants over there let's
get the double. I got you, so it's not necessarily
Luke Richard mbamute, Trevor Ariza stand in the corner and
hide and if we find you, you should feel you
should feel lucky that you're even on the team. But
I'm glad you brought up what you did because this
is FIFA Fairness and Fraudulents Act.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
And I'll look in the mirror here.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
Is maybe it's because of the vociferous, squeally high pitch
nature and I'm gonna lose my voice the rest of
the day by doing this with Kat and screaming that
like a child and then not getting calls for a month.
You know it's it's Finch, I know. And he shared
on the radio with yours. Surely he worked hard. They
(36:06):
worked hard on Cat. Yeah, not with that. He just
didn't do it right. Well At does every bit the
same stuff. He's not.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
He's just not as loud.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
He's just more coy and just a little more captain
coolish with it. And but he's not getting calls, so that,
you know, that's I'm gonna put that in the mix
today with up Beinch. I didn't have it in there,
but I did have it with uh off what you
That's that's why I clipped on Edwards in the corner
of fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
That's it.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
The question I'm gonna hit Finchy with what determines if
you run plays with Julius initiating the offense. They never
were initiating the offense with Karl Anthony Towns right. He
may have been the a topic, but they and this
is something that I'm telling I'm telling you it's going
to be good in the postseason once they get it
(36:55):
squared away. The from de Vincenzo to Conley, to Edwards
who can play a little point, to Randall who can
play some point and initiate the offense. I mean, those
are a lot of versatile options you have there. But
to play the two to three man game with Randall
free throw line extended or somewhere around there, initiating the offense,
(37:18):
working through Julius not being a ball hog, that seems
to be the bit right now. Yeah, But because you
have to double Julius Randall in high leverage situations if
he's in the key, if you don't want to get bounced,
because he's incredibly clever with what he does with the
head fakes and the shoulder shakes you double him. Well,
there's your guy correct in the corner about ready to
(37:40):
dagger you. And if he pumps and goes to the basket,
we'll see what's happening lately. A to eight from the
line at the Nation's Capitol, Davy, he's getting to the
line more so. I see these things morphinge and developing
ever so slowly.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
That's why off the radio last week you said something
to me, and then you know we're talking about the
wolves Dury news do Nord and I'm like, well, I'm
really glad I didn't do this, and pity those who
did choose to dagger the go bear move and be like,
you're an idiot.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Why does this guy even have the job? Are you
kidding me?
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Because it went from one to ten quickly the next season,
the next season. This is happening in season Okay, so
it was a zero, it was a one.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
It ain't a one right now.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Well, good might be a four or five, but we
still got a whole half a season to play with
the postseason. So something I hated. I hated watching how
this thing was working. Man. It was just I just
couldn't figure out why he's a ballhog. It's clear the
face of the franchise, the alpha, one of the very
best in the NBA, is frustrated. It could It's clear
something's up with Conley physically or whatever.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Dee Vincenzo. His box scores are bad.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Okay, now he's in the starting lineup and his overall
game is good.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
So see it's changing a little bit.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
It's changing markedly more quickly then with that go bear deal.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Yeah, that's that's fair to say. It just bugged me.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
And I don't know if you would have even been
able to see it, But Saturday night was kind of
the example I was giving or using in my head.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Memphis Memphis, you watched.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Yeah, because and that's the thing is is Randall's getting
his Evincenzo. It's the first blow up game really for
him in that starting opportunity.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Yeah, you have a tight fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (39:22):
I want to see him run by Memphis because they're
just so beaten up right now.
Speaker 2 (39:26):
And and Angel they got a Memphis team that's mostly back.
And when you have Jaren Jackson, Junior, Brandon Clark and
Zach Edy, Okay, that's a problem because that that may
not be a strength that's going to get him to
the NBA finals. Yeah, that's a lot of beef down
there to grab every shot that's missed, and that's part
of their calling card. But they just got Jahn Morant backed.
(39:49):
So when you got Moran those three Baine, when he's healthy,
by needs to shoot.
Speaker 3 (39:55):
Infinitely better than he has. It's a squad been down,
but it can be a squad, you know. But then
Anthony not taking a shot and really handling the ball
for like seven eight minutes, and then you're putting him
in that spot where he's gonna hit. He tries those
two threes at the buzzer. Yeah, that just bugged me
a bit. But if I know what you mean, if
ultimately that is, and specifically now that de Vincenzo's you know,
getting this starting opportunity, Randal does need to get his.
(40:19):
He does need to have those opportunities and play to
his strengths. Julius needs to share the balancing acts. You know,
however that you know wherever the scales are weighted currently,
let's level that out a bit.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
It is I think it is okay, I mean.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
It's Julius needs to share Julius is sharing. What goes
into Julius sharing? Julius needs to handle the ball. God
gifted him with an ability at his height and size.
The ball handling by Julius Randall mostly is the absolute bomb.
I mean, you can do so many things with him,
even in tight quarters. Well, you're eventually gonna have to
(40:57):
double him, or they're just gonna keep feeding the kid
and he's gonna go for thirty. All right, here comes
the double. Well, now Ant goes for forty. So what's next?
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Guinea?
Speaker 2 (41:06):
More offense out of Gobert. I've heard that before. I
hate that idea. Does it make me right? I don't
think Rudy can catch He can't catch a ball, No,
he can't. So then you got DiVincenzo, McDaniels, the rest
of them. Let's pause here and we can reignite some news,
do Nord if you want, along with some of those
some of those goodbye chats.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
We gotta talk to Weta, we gotta talk to Matt Castle. Yep.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And I'm also Caprice Off was at the morning skate
today Price Off in favor off to the side.
Speaker 1 (41:32):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
Oh really okay? Is that what it was that's what
Joe Smith said. Yeah, all right, do they play tonight
or tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (41:37):
It's a seven thirty puck drop right here in the
fan hosting the.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Oilers Edmonton tonight that the Wolves are eight thirty against
the Dubs. Chris Finch thirty five minutes from now. Great
conversation there about the Timberwolves. I love that Matt Castle,
former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, joins nine in noon around the corner,
I got up