July 10, 2026 • 39 mins
Alec joins as we chat Vikings and run through a recent Fan Survey he put together on The Athletic!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let me know what you think. From Lake Relax to
Brazilian Wax super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Baby and I'm in because it's self explanatory on both sides.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Well, you were just telling me though off air that
you don't have to go to La to get the
Brazilian wax, so.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
We'll come in, We'll come in.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That was a well a you weren't supposed to share
that private conversation.
Speaker 5 (00:25):
Sorry, MB.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That was for my eyebrow waxing. I always loved that.
Have nothing to do with my hinter lens the nether regions.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
I shouldn't have said anything. Simple mistake of my part.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Hey, guys, this is Truman Minneapolis.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
How about from laval Land to.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
La La Land?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
From what what to La La Land?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, the transcription says lava oh, Lava Land. We did
have lava here like a billion years ago.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
But from yeah LoVa maybe maybe he met levelle oh
maybe wobble Land to catch a can. You're listening to
nine to.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Noon k F a m.
Speaker 6 (01:17):
Morning Nortal Dan from Rochester liquidated the four oh one
k on the plus eight and a half. How about
good for you, Bud from kicking the Norse Butts to
Randy's donuts.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I always Randy is Randy's. That's an iconic spot out west,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Not that I know of unless it's popped up within
the last quarter century.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
What's the what's the spot with the big somebody's holding
up a donut?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Is that Randy's? It might be Randy's.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Okay, we had cartoons. You got Rosco's chicken and waffles.
That's immortality. Fat burger is immortality. That burger is immortality.
And so Cow not super familiar with Randy's, but there
is a big donut bit der Wiener Schnitzel is also
southern California immortality.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
What about this?
Speaker 7 (02:12):
Hey, Paul, Hey, Nordle Charlie from Adrian from fishing with
leeches to making them our beaches.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know what you nailed at Nordo world famous. See so,
I've seen the donut, but I guess I never picked
up on the Randy on Manchester, which is close to Sofi.
It's Randy's, It's Randy's Donuts. It's that giant donut you
mentioned with the name Randy's on it. And with respect
to krispy Krame, I mean, my, oh my, they holy cow,
(02:46):
did these things look good?
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Randy's got a nice website. Yeah, I get the Randy's bit.
I thought he was talking about moss, but he's talking
about the donuts.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
As the Vikings are known to pillage, they set their
sights on this.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So five pillage the autumn wind is a Viking pillaging
just for fun. He'll knock you round and upside down
and laugh when he's conquered and won.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
A p anordo Alan and Afton.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
From oh and four to Lombardi Lore.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Okay, that's in.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I like that four lost super bowls last time they
were in the Super Bowl seventy seven. Everybody knows that.
Oh and four Lombardi Lore digging.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
It, Alan and Afton doing some heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Thanks kind of nice voice too.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
All Right, you.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
See blowing the horn in the land of Okay, let's
get to the next baby.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
They playing the game in San Fernando Valley?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Is that that's where it is? Okay?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Where? Where? What is?
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Where? The the U a certain.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Industry, vividly speaking, I believe that is a polarizing part
of the old all.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Right, So where do we go here?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
I can't get confirmation on Young Alec, whether it's studio
or phone he's in a bit of a meat grinder
right now. It's not a bad bit at all. It's
positive bit for him just popped up this morning, involves
editor in chief at New York Times. Oh so yeah, So,
I mean I told him, may Man, you got you
got to cancel or you got to postpone. No sweat,
(04:26):
like Nordo says, it's not saus it's antithetic. Antithetical tomd
And it certainly is no cap. And he left me
on red. So I mean, he could be in here
within the next eight minutes, or maybe we'd be calling
him in about ten minutes.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Okay, either way.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, that fan survey bit that he did, I don't
know if you read it.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah I did.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's really really good.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
No.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I was going to use it for vikes bites, but
then it just made more sense. Let's just get Alec
in studio if he can.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Or either that or I talked too long about something
that means absolutely nothing. And we clomped on bikes bites,
and like squirrels conserving nuts, we stored them off to
the side, didn't we.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
It's mid July.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The big stored him nuts off.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
To the side. Time of the year for all nine
to noon, two weeks before camp we store. Hey, this
is Midge from New Brighton, from the land of ten
Thousand Lakes to the state of big old fakes.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Man, you're just you're you're you're just all over this
this fake vibe. Everybody is actually let me see here
from Hotly Woodly would I don't like this one? I
want to hear some more gritty in a certain city.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
That's what. Yeah, again, we're we're on the grind over here.
Speaker 7 (05:39):
Hey, Hey, it's Shaggy from Zembroda. How about from green
Bay to l A. Thanks guys from green Bay. So
that is not so he's saying.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
I'm trying to figure out which way he's going with this.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, who's insane.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
What he's saying is the Green Bay Packers are going
to the Super Bowl or in green Bay? Oh just
started the scene? Maybe week one, Yeah, because the Vikings
will win that game.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So we have to stretch, so you could do Week
one in LA or Week one with Green Bay to
v Day in LA.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Oh, it's Valentine's Day two times day. I mean, how many? Honestly,
how many broken heart lines? Are you guys missing?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Check your watch can't tell me what time it is.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It's ten to fourteen. Where's Alex to.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Peak your head out and tell me what the climb?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It is starting to get hot in here, or has
got to take off all his clothes.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
That's not good for anybody.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I'm saving that one, Shaggy, I'm saving it. I'm gonna Rea,
I'm gonna tweak it. Shit, that's okay with you, Shaggy.
What about what could we.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Just do like Lombardi is for lovers?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Pa?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Are you do you really love the Vikings Homie as
a home? Who the hell would ever ask if I
really love the Minnesota Vikings? I mean, I can't stop
thinking about that now. Either that or you have misconstrued
what people have said and you twisted it for the
benefit of the producer and much to the chagrin of
(07:17):
the announcer.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
I've encountered people over the years.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
They cannot believe that you are as passionate as I'm not.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
From here, all in on the purple.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Maybe it's part of that, Okay, Well, we didn't have
twenty minute conversations about it.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I'm just like, yeah, eight eighteen twenty six. In the business,
we call that twenty eight years let's go ahead and
call it twenty eight to twenty nine years. Sure, I'm
sixty years old. I've lived here almost half my life.
I've called races at Canterbury Park, your beloved racetrack and
Shokapie for more than half my life. You raised your
(07:50):
kids here, raised my kids here, and one liked it
so much she left for Colorado.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Check your watch can't tell me what time it is?
Nine fifteen Colorado time, and I miss Cowley up. Peak
your head out and tell me what the climb.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
It is?
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Sixty nine and smoky in Amsterdam for the fan travelers forecast.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Now, this is Scott from South Minneapolis. We're doing the
gritty and all that drip all the way to the
sunset strip. I like that.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Mo Ma sh am good.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Hey, guys, max for me and I shortened mind up
from yesterday.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
From p CEO to Marilyn Monroe.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Thanks by what about pretty sure he's dead, but some
kind of Hugh Hefner line, some kind of playboy line,
some kind I mean, Hugh what does.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Hugh rhyme with? Hugh?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Who? Who?
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Who? Aloofine dot com?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, it's gotta be let me see here, you get
blotto in the grotto m so like last year, so.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Like last year.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
From wild card defeat to a San Francisco treat silenced
the whiners in the Home of the Niners destination denim
it so.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Far as the home of the Rams and the Chargers,
So you can play off rams and chargers Santa Monica.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Peer really easy to rhyme with the word chargers, but
uh peer, yeah, peer, trophy case getting larger. Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
From Loserville to Levi. Yeah, there you go, from from
Loserville to so Far.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Turn the frown upside down.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Fikes raised the Lombardy in Tinsiltown.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Like Tinsiltown did. Should I have a big voice?
Speaker 5 (09:59):
Guy?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Just say that my dingling.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
My dingling, my dingling.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
You might quit after I send them all these Oh
prob so I could so did I not know we
had this on the button bar?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I mean it's I'm the smart homeowner has dodged the
storm chasers.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Just received an emails, gave somebody some ideas. Yes, you did.
From the love boat to a gold coat.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
You think about that. What's the gold coat? I assume
the interview Hall of Fame. I guess the implication winning
at a high level. I think they just wanted to
use love boat. What about getting high at Sofi? I mean,
it is the land of Dispensary, so high, it's so far,
so high, it's so Fi. I mean, first time, first
(10:56):
time I had the privilege of going to so Fi.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Leave it was the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Chargers,
and I'm on the sideline. I think it's a late
November some December game in southern California. Yeah, you know,
as I'm on the sideline faking my adoration for the Vikings.
I always love that one because I'm an interloper. I
always love that one. But anyway, when I'm not interloping,
(11:21):
I'm on the sideline and dripping sweat and it's hot
as bleep. And so I'm doing the first part of
the pregame with Moss, So that would be let's call
it ten am Cornfields and like eight am. I don't
know what time it was. Now we'll call it three
o'clock game except so yeah, so it's whatever time it is.
(11:45):
I'm on with Moss and I'm melting down, man, because
I'm sweating. I just learned that SOFI did not have
air conditioning. There's no air conditioning at SOFI Stadium. Technically
it's open air, right correct, But it wasn't open but
it's and it was. It was abnormally hot. It was
unseasonably hot in the land where they have dispensaries. So
(12:09):
I think I said on the radio with Muss. I'm like,
I'm like, how did I put it?
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Like?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
They don't have air conditioning here? Little did I know
in the land of dispensaries they hydroponically or growing people.
I always love that one. And I got this purple
and gold hair coming off of me right now. I
always love that one. I'm being hydroponically grown right now.
Little did I know I was in a greenhouse.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Oh, alec, Texa, what do we got? Hey, PA's Mitch
from New Brighton. Hey from soda pops to flip flops.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, that's simple, all right, Alex is going to be
on the phone. That's fine.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, all good with that.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
That's fine.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
How about uh? I like this one? What aut Pa
and Nordal?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
How about from mittens and docking caps, gespitos and bikini straps.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
This is awesome. Yeah, that's a very very good one.
Then now the the full time package handler Lonnie Anderson
just wrote or do you.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Punch up his from the other day at all?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, the the second of two texts was please don't
repeat that on the radio.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Oh fair enough, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Repeat some of it, Lonnie from the galler Horn to
the land.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
Of This show is naughty and might make you a pomouse.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I didn't say the whole thing full time package handler guy.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Just people can put whatever word you know, corn, it's
probably corn.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
All right, Let's let's catch up with Alec Lewis from
the Athletic and the Athletic dot Com around the corner.
That'll take place next at f M one hundred point three,
k F A N.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Hey, guys, Jerry and Blue Earth Bikes win the big
one in LA for Lowly and Tanga Ray.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Come on, you're listening.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Live hold on now on iHeartRadio and free K.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
S A N.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Everything. All right, Yeah, we're great.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I as there was a meeting scheduled. It had already
been scheduled, but but ran a little long. So it happens.
It happens in the real world. You just got to
get over it, improve, keep keep grinding and uh yeah,
things are great.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Things are wild.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I was looking forward to seeing you, but I'll get
over it. We'll get over it. It's great to have
you on the radio show Alec Lewis at Alec Underscore
Lewis The Athletic and the Athletic dot Com. And the purpose,
the purpose of the promotion. Excuse me, the purpose of
the conversation was, did you tell editor and chief Guy
that jerk ash the the the fan survey piece at
(15:07):
the Athletic and the Athletic dot com. Uh and Nordo
read it a couple of days ago. We were going
to use it in bikes bikes, but we held off
because we knew we would chat with you today. I
got caught up on it over the last day and
a half. You you got a bunch of votes for
this for the individual topics. People love bits like fans
(15:28):
surveys that you can read at the Athletic or the
Athletic dot Com, don't they?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, thanks for promoting. I mean we are a cafe
and has been talking about the fan the Athletics fan
survey for the Minneso Vikings for like two weeks, which
is probably revelatory in the sense that the other topics
are world Cup and when is the LaMelo trade going
to be official? So appreciate the conversation about it. But yeah,
(15:53):
you know, fans, I always think every summer is a
great potential opportunity to just take the pulse of fans.
You see stuff on social media. Uh, you hear things
when you're at the grocery store and you see somebody
who who wants to talk vikings with you? But like,
what does the collective actually feel about the team. So
we do this survey every summer and have done it
(16:15):
for four years and got like three thousand you know
something responses and it was interesting certainly.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Well so whether it's Sewna Reiker or Sarah Ziggler, you know,
the higher ups with the New York Times Sports department,
why why did they have to do it this morning?
We wanted to see your cheery face. The happiness on
your countenance brings joy to the love covenant.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I you know, I've been on PTO because I'm trying
to refresh my brain and you can probably hear in
my voice like I am. There is a joy today
in knowing that we are multi. I mean, we're almost back,
you know, Nordo, We're almost back, almost training camp, and
so I am there, I've been I'm starting to think
about training camp and you can just hear the giddiness,
(17:02):
I think a little bit in the voice. But you know,
they wanted to get it over with on a Friday,
have a little review and then move forward. But that's there.
There was some survey talk, so we'll get into it.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So, I mean, obviously without oversharing, like how did the
review go A nine to noon? Thanks, you do a
great job.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
We love you.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
At the Friday football feast, we have all your albums
and read all your stories. Did they bang on you
for non essential clauses or prepositional phrases or something?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
No, I thought it was. I thought it was a
pretty solid review. I mean I I was pretty pretty
proud of the work over the last year. I definitely,
you know, to have to go to Dublin and where
England and be and be in Europe for two weeks,
that was That was probably the amount of expenses that
that were that were sent in probably needed to be
(17:53):
discussed a little bit. But but no, I think I
think you know, things are good. But but it's not
about it's not about reflection. It's about how can we
be our best. Yeah, what our best is required from
twenty twenty six season. That is what it's about right now.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Amen led the review with that, didn't they.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And we're as as a football season would go. We
are in the high red. I mean we've just come
into the red zone. The low red probably would be
the Baltimore Joints. And then when we get into the
end zone, that's that's the game against the Green Bay
Packers to begin things at the US Bank Stadium. How
about this, you know you well, I'm assuming I mean
(18:32):
determining how this review went from a from a fiscal standpoint.
Let's say the Vikings have a preseason game in New
Jersey against the Giants five weeks from tomorrow. Assumingly you'll
be there. I always love that one.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
So I haven't in past years going to the preseason games,
but I have been thinking a a a an early
fall trip to New York. I mean, that sounds pretty
fatle to me. And then the idea of, you know,
would the quarterbacks be playing, and if they are, shouldn't
you be there for that? I think that would be
a really you know, I think that's a pitch that
(19:11):
I could I could provide coming off this review, so
we'll see what's possible. I'll be very curious.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
All right, Well, I'm gonna be serious here too. I mean,
I mentioned it. Okay, we've all mentioned it in passing
a million times. I'm just gonna I mean, I'm gonna
be poignant or pointed with it. Do so the first
preseason game five weeks from tomorrow, which means training camp
is just a few weeks from right now, do you
(19:37):
envision the twenty twenty six Minnesota Vikings entering training camp
with one quarterback getting most of the primo reps? Or
are we going to take that Ota Mini camp competition
and roll it ride into training camp?
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Yeah, I would say, I mean from the very outset,
so the first few days like it. And I don't
say this with any intel because I really haven't. You know,
a lot of a lot of the staff, front office,
coaching staff has been on vacation. You probably are familiar
that Kevin O'Connell's on the golf course in Tahoe the
next three days playing in the American Century Championships. So
(20:18):
everybody's kind of out. So these questions haven't been asked
a ton, But I would say in the first few days,
I'd expect the competition to continue to to to I mean,
really be vivid and visual in terms of the amount
of reps each guy is taking and that. And then
at some point there will probably and and I think
(20:38):
the staff probably will hope it reveals itself. Uh, there
will be an advantage one way or another, and that
will help discern, help the team discern what they're gonna
you know, the player that they're going to provide more reps.
And and I would say, I mean, I I still
maintain that Kyler Murray is is going to get the
(21:01):
opportunity to win this job. But Jaj McCarthy will show
up with the chance to you know, to show growth
and improvement every day in practices and instances where Brian
Flores is not taking it easy and is is mixing
calls the way he would on a Sunday.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
So should McCarthy inherently because he's been here, if that's
the scenario. And I'm not going to predict the cut,
you know, like Kyler sixty five McCarthy whatever, wentz whatever.
But should McCarthy have an advantage in that situation heading
into training camp?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
No, I don't, I know, I don't think McCarthy would
have an advantage because you know, I would just say,
and you know, we've talked about it before. One guy
started for seven seasons in the NFL. One guy started
ten games, and that doesn't dictate anything other than you know,
an experience level. Obviously, Kyler Murray is you know, you
(22:01):
saw it in June. We stood on the sidelines next
to each other. He was working his way through the
system that the Vikings had had not dumbed down for
him at all to try to get him up to speed.
But now I don't think there's any clear advantage other
than the experience level and factor that both guys have had.
(22:23):
And I would just like, I really think training camp
is so revealing because it's it's open to everybody. You
see everything you see. You see throws made, you see
interceptions thrown, you see reactions from teammates, from coaches, and
the more sample size that you get four practices in
(22:44):
five practices in with pads, it's hard to I'd say,
you know, it's hard to really lie about what your
eyes are seeing. And so I think it will just
work out, you know, based upon what what everybody fans, media,
coaching staff, front office what they see. I think it
will just play it, you know, play itself out in
(23:06):
front of everyone's eyes.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
To the survey Alex put together at the Athletic and
the Athletic dot com. You can download the app to
That's where I read most of my stuff. This is
in no particular order, but since we're talking about quarterbacks
from the survey, and it's a confidence level type thing
where you know, there's certain shades of colors where it's
(23:29):
like if you're this this light purple or this fusia
incredible confidence, straight purple. You know you've got confidence, and
you've got the gray area in the middle, burnt orange
and some other color all the way on the far left.
Quarterback play level of confidence that the quarterback play will
be much improved from last season. About sixty percent think
(23:51):
it'll be better. About thirty percent are in the gray
area and are not sure. And that's with well over
three thousand people contribute in There also are comments tied
to this, but sixty quite confident that it'll be better,
thirty not sure.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Yeah, I mean, I absolutely think the quarterback play is
gonna be better, and it's you know, obviously Kyler Murray's
experience as part of that. But I also I've been
very open about this, like JJ McCarthy, regardless of how
twenty twenty five went, when we all remember it was
better down the stretch of the season. And he's also
a twenty three year old who, because of this competition,
(24:32):
has been really motivated to improve, so I would expect
him to be better. I would also clarify that the
room is deeper when you include Carson Wentz, and so
even if players do get hurt, even if there is
drop off or a need for multiple quarterbacks, you know,
there's more confidence in turning two those guys than there
(24:54):
was last year with Sam Howell and Max rosemur and
obviously eventually Carson Wentz. So I think I'd be probably
more than sixty percent confident that the quarterback play is
going to be better, and it better be.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I'll say there is a predictive side also to this survey.
It's not everything is your level of confidence. In For instance,
the the ALEC asked those taking part in the survey
to predict who the Viking starting quarterback will be. I
believe when they play Green Bay Week one, Kyler Murray
(25:29):
received close to seventy percent of the votes McCarthy got
about twenty nine. Wentz got one percent. Really, I mean
seventy percent is I mean really no surprise here. But
do you think that number is too high, too low,
or right where it needs to be?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
No?
Speaker 1 (25:45):
I think that that probably. I think the question might
have been who do you want to be the quarterback
six for the Vikings? And this was interesting. It was
like you just said it, but seventy percent of people
want Kyler Murray to be the quarterback in twenty twenty six.
Excuse me. But then the next question was who do
(26:06):
you want to be the quarterback of the future, and
it was more than fifty percent, said JJ McCarthy. So
it's an interesting like I think there are The way
I describe it is my sense from the fan base
through this survey was that people very much want better
quarterback play in twenty twenty six. Obviously, and however it
(26:26):
needs to happen to where that is the result. That's
what people want, But the fan base also wants a
young quarterback that it can cling to, that gives you
a chance every single fall, and that's what the Vikings
drafted JJ McCarty to be and so like, I almost
felt like my sense from the fan base in this
survey was that, you know, there's a push pull between
(26:49):
those two worlds that everyone's kind of sorting through and
sifting through and trying to conceptualize in your mind. Not everyone,
but a lot of people, And that is interesting.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Well, the quarterback of the future part you just talked about,
McCarthy goes fifty four and a half percent, Kyler is
eighteen and change, but someone else was that twenty seven
and a half percent. So I mean Vikings fans are
just all mentally twisted up over that part of the equation,
aren't they.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Absolutely? And I've said this like on my own podcast,
and I've said it in writing, like one of the
most interesting parts of this entire quarterback I'd say, saga
going back to let's just say the drafting of JJ
McCarthy in twenty twenty four, I believe it was is
just the psychology behind it all and from the fan
(27:42):
base in terms of like, I totally understand why every
Vikings fan would want the young quarterback that provides what
Patrick Mahomes is provided in Kansas City, what Josh Allen
is provided in Buffalo, where every fall once August rolls around.
Because you have that guy, you feel like you have
the chance to make it to the mountaintop. And so
(28:05):
I like the fan base having that perspective and clinging
to Jajon McCarthy as a byproduct of that is natural
and it's probably, you know, the perfect and correct approach
you know, to take. So yeah, it's it's interesting. But
you know, I think this season is going to reveal
(28:25):
so much about the quarterbacks, about Kevin O'Connell. It's just
going to be a clarifying data point in many many ways.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
We have good and better news for you.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Are you ready?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
The good news is nine to Noon genuinely loves you
whether you are here or on the phone. The better
news is we're going to hang up right now and
call you right back in a little bit.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Okay, I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Alec Lewis the Athletic Theathletic dot Com Back in a flash.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
You're listening live to fall Out.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Bonus, Aleck. We appreciate you. Alex Lewis having a good morning.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I was. I was planning on going all the way
to eleven anyway, So I mean this is I mean,
I just feel like I'm doing my due diligence here.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Okay, now they're the next the next question from the survey,
and we're going to frame it up like this. Yep, Well,
the Minnesota Vikings win a Super Bowl within the next
five seasons.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Louiserville sounds better in SM.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
A strong, strong sixty two percent. Luserville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Said no, what do you think of dem apples?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I didn't expect much
much more than that, frankly, but I do feel like
it's hard to take this this answer to that question
to not hear it with just overall confidence in the direction.
And I did well. I don't think fan confidence for
where the team is and is going was as high
(29:59):
as I've seen or was as high as it was
last year via this survey. Like I still do think
there's a very good amount of confidence and where things
are and what's possible, especially with the hire of Nolan
Teasley at GM. And there were multiple fans who said
that they thought that was a massive higher And I've
said to you and I've said in writing even that
(30:22):
I mean around the league, I think people were pretty impressed.
The Vikings landed on on Nolan Teasley. Now, the proof
will obviously be in the putting, but it's hard for
me not to think that the front office will be
driving in a direction that fans will should be proud
of and happy about.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I was as part of this survey.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
You kind of asked just a simple question like, hey,
do you think the Vikes should still add a free
agent pass rusher?
Speaker 4 (30:48):
And you know, it was nearly eighty percent. We're like, yeah,
we need one.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
And you know, if you had added names, I'm sure
there would have been a bunch of selections around the
various names. But you know, we we earlier in the week, Alec,
we kind of framed it up like where are we weak?
Speaker 4 (31:02):
We just kind of talked through some various aspects of it.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Would you consider whether it's adding a free agent pass
rusher or via that position group concerns question? You asked
which position group concerns fans the most. Cornerback was right
behind QB on that list as well. Are you thinking
about adding free agents? Are you concerned about the cornerback group?
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Where's your head sit at with that stuff and with
the free agent rushers? Let me add to this, let
me add this to it. THEA do you have any steam?
And B I've said the same two names for about
the last three weeks, so I actually put some time
into some more names. So any steam on the likes
of Joey Bosa, Leonard Floyd, von Miller, Hassan Reddick, Kyle
(31:47):
van Ney, Jadeveon Clowney or Jilani Tavai who played with
New England last year.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
No, I don't have any steam, but I mean I
definitely the edge rusher position and the edge rusher depth
is I mean, it's it's smart for everybody to be
included on it because behind Andrew Van Yinkel and Dallas Turner,
it's a bunch of undrafted players who are less proven
and Bo Richter and Tyler Battie and Chaz Chambliss and
(32:18):
so at some point, whether it's before training camp or
during training camp, I'm absolutely not gonna be surprised if
there is an edge rusher addition. Now, the question with
that spot is a how, like, you know, how open
are guys like von Miller, Joey Bosa, Jadavion Clowndy going
to be to potentially, you know, begin as kind of
(32:42):
a backup type role. I mean that's part of it.
And the other aspect is if they haven't signed to
this point, how much will they just want to wait
to see if there is an injury to where they
could then end up being in a starter type spot.
So once those questions start to I'd say, just you know,
clarify themselves. That's probably when I expect a Viking to
(33:03):
do something that I was pretty blown away. So only
asked me about Jadavion Clowney and I looked this up.
He was fourth and pressure rate among all pass rushers
last year, behind like Will Anderson, Micah Parsons and uh
and Nick Benito, and that blew me away. I mean,
I remember him looking good on tape before the Cowboys game.
But I think if you could secure a guy like that,
(33:26):
that would be a huge boon for depth, And then
I'm less concerned about the cornerback spot. I really think
James Pierre was the guy they coveted, and Brian Flores
has been able to make lemonade out of the cornerback
lemons that he's had, so not as much of a
concern as that rusher.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
To me, you had to follow up on that. That's
that's a great point.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Ale like the the idea that you know, whether it's
aging out or later stage as a career, one last
dance for some of these free agent pass rushers.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
PA listed some pretty big names.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
I mean, Joey Bosa has made a career of it,
Von Miller of and so the idea of coming here
and he's like, hang on a second, Like I gotta
split reps with Dallas Turner Like that, that seems like
that's got to be a difficult part of conversations they're
having with some of these guys.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Yeah, I mean, and it's not even split reps. I
mean you you know, with Dallas Turner, the Vikings want
to give him an opportunity to prove that he is
the first round pick that he showed himself to be
over the back half of the twenty twenty five season.
So maybe it's seventy five, twenty five, and if you
are Joey Bosa trying to earn one or two more
(34:32):
big time contract, how willing are you to step into
that type of role? And so again, like I think
it's a it's a marketplace conversation. At some point, let's
say August tenth, if Joey Bosa or any of these
names realize, and I'm just singling him out as an example,
if they realize that the market is not going to
allow them to be a starter, then they may be
(34:54):
more willing if the money is there to sign with
a place like Minnesota. That's just why I don't expect
this thing to have some very quick resolution. But there's
no doubt that depth at that spot is important, considering
they're also betting big on the interior defensive line with
Caleb Banks and Dominie Gorns and a lot of young
players who are unproven.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Oh hey, Marcus Davenport. Still I saw that good lot. Hey,
back back to the survey. This was also part of
our conversation this week, and I know you saw you
posted about it on x I played some audio from
Kevin O'Connell and his just a cool interview he did
with with Dan Patrick, and you know, run game improvement
part of your survey, Like, hey, what's an area you're
(35:36):
most curious about with the twenty twenty six team. It's
kind of until proven otherwise there's something I'm really feeling.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Optimistic that will be better.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
It was a part of Kevin O'Connell's optimism, not just
around the quarterback. But this offense improving in twenty twenty six,
and the fans really latched onto the idea of run
game improvement with this twenty twenty six incarnation as well.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Yeah, and I've said, like, if you want to be
a really big optimist about what the Vikings are capable
of in twenty twenty six, the idea of a really
good run game is really where, you know, if I'm
an optimistic Vikings fan, like, that's where I hang my
hat on, because then you can start to dictate to
defenses with an incredible combination of past catching weapons and
(36:21):
also a run game with the addition of Frank Smith,
and with you know, having Keith Carter be the offensive
line coach, and with the healthier offensive line that includes
Christian Darrisaw, you really can can squint and see the
vision of what's possible. But I will also say this,
that's the optimist view, if you if you took the
pessimist view, I mean, Kevin O'Connell has talked about the
(36:43):
run game every every spring fall summer that I've covered
this team, And while it was better than it's ever
been in twenty twenty five, it has not been a
phase of the team that strikes fear and opposing defenses.
And until it gets to that place, I think you
are probably going to be asking too much of any quarterback,
(37:05):
regardless of their experience level or their draft position or youth.
And so I just want to see that proof show
out on Sundays in the fall some September and until then,
Like I can understand buying in, but when you I think,
if you do see it, then it unlocks the potential
of this offense in a way really I haven't seen
(37:26):
under Kevin o'carber.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Lastly, Alec the from the survey surprised me a bit.
Maybe it shouldn't. NFC North opponent fans survey wise most
fear Bears fifty two percent. Then Lions and Packers, who
do we believe is the team to beat in the
division because Rube Nation three to four thousand of them
(37:49):
put the Bears at fifty two percent.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Yeah, I mean I can understand why people believe that
because you still have a young, developing core and Caleb Williams.
But more importantly, I think you have a head coach
and Ben Johnson who has proven to be an elite
level play caller and an elite level builder of culture
in Chicago. And I mean, you know, Pa and Nordo
(38:14):
and everybody listening to this, you know as well, when
you have the quarterback position in the head coach position settled,
and the head coach is as much of an offensive
you know, schematic expert as Ben Johnson is. I mean,
Ben Johnson's it's pretty low key, like people want to
talk about their pass game. Ben Johnson leads the run
(38:35):
game installs for the Chicago Bears offense, like he is
the one who walks through the nitty gritty of the
minutia of the run game in Chicago, and he did
the same in Detroit and and I think that's so
much of what helped develop the identity of that offense
and really helped Caleb Williams where he could then play
more free. So I understand the Bears. I think if
(38:57):
you're you know, I think poking holes in the Bears.
You priced, they're not going to have the turnover margin
defensively that they had in twenty twenty five, and that
would definitely affect them. But I can understand the pick,
and I believe Ben Johnson is really really good, So
I get it.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
My brother, have a wonderful weekend. Tell MD we say
hello and we'll chat soon.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Okay, love it, Thank you guys, talk soon.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, Sir Alex Lewis The Athletic, Theathletic dot com he's
going to be hosting on Tuesday by the way, Oh sweet.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
This next week we were talking about a really really
comprehensive and cool Vikings fans survey Alex put together at
the Athletic and the Athletic dot com, where I think
it was thirty six hundred people were like, team to
beat in the NFC North is the Chicago Bears. Maybe
we need to change our faces.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Chicago Bears.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Ain't I exc this this Pa
Let me know what you think. From Lake Relax to
Brazilian Wax super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Baby and I'm in because it's self explanatory on both sides.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Well, you were just telling me though off air that
you don't have to go to La to get the
Brazilian wax, so.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
We'll come in, We'll come in.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That was a well a you weren't supposed to share
that private conversation.
Speaker 5 (00:25):
Sorry, MB.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That was for my eyebrow waxing. I always loved that.
Have nothing to do with my hinter lens the nether regions.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
I shouldn't have said anything. Simple mistake of my part.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Hey, guys, this is Truman Minneapolis.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
How about from laval Land to.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
La La Land?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
From what what to La La Land?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, the transcription says lava oh, Lava Land. We did
have lava here like a billion years ago.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
But from yeah LoVa maybe maybe he met levelle oh
maybe wobble Land to catch a can. You're listening to
nine to.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Noon k F a m.
Speaker 6 (01:17):
Morning Nortal Dan from Rochester liquidated the four oh one
k on the plus eight and a half. How about
good for you, Bud from kicking the Norse Butts to
Randy's donuts.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
I always Randy is Randy's. That's an iconic spot out west,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Not that I know of unless it's popped up within
the last quarter century.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
What's the what's the spot with the big somebody's holding
up a donut?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Is that Randy's? It might be Randy's.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Okay, we had cartoons. You got Rosco's chicken and waffles.
That's immortality. Fat burger is immortality. That burger is immortality.
And so Cow not super familiar with Randy's, but there
is a big donut bit der Wiener Schnitzel is also
southern California immortality.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
What about this?
Speaker 7 (02:12):
Hey, Paul, Hey, Nordle Charlie from Adrian from fishing with
leeches to making them our beaches.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know what you nailed at Nordo world famous. See so,
I've seen the donut, but I guess I never picked
up on the Randy on Manchester, which is close to Sofi.
It's Randy's, It's Randy's Donuts. It's that giant donut you
mentioned with the name Randy's on it. And with respect
to krispy Krame, I mean, my, oh my, they holy cow,
(02:46):
did these things look good?
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Randy's got a nice website. Yeah, I get the Randy's bit.
I thought he was talking about moss, but he's talking
about the donuts.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
As the Vikings are known to pillage, they set their
sights on this.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So five pillage the autumn wind is a Viking pillaging
just for fun. He'll knock you round and upside down
and laugh when he's conquered and won.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
A p anordo Alan and Afton.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
From oh and four to Lombardi Lore.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Okay, that's in.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I like that four lost super bowls last time they
were in the Super Bowl seventy seven. Everybody knows that.
Oh and four Lombardi Lore digging.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
It, Alan and Afton doing some heavy lifting.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Thanks kind of nice voice too.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
All Right, you.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
See blowing the horn in the land of Okay, let's
get to the next baby.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
They playing the game in San Fernando Valley?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Is that that's where it is? Okay?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
Where? Where? What is?
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Where? The the U a certain.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Industry, vividly speaking, I believe that is a polarizing part
of the old all.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Right, So where do we go here?
Speaker 2 (04:04):
I can't get confirmation on Young Alec, whether it's studio
or phone he's in a bit of a meat grinder
right now. It's not a bad bit at all. It's
positive bit for him just popped up this morning, involves
editor in chief at New York Times. Oh so yeah, So,
I mean I told him, may Man, you got you
got to cancel or you got to postpone. No sweat,
(04:26):
like Nordo says, it's not saus it's antithetic. Antithetical tomd
And it certainly is no cap. And he left me
on red. So I mean, he could be in here
within the next eight minutes, or maybe we'd be calling
him in about ten minutes.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
Okay, either way.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, that fan survey bit that he did, I don't
know if you read it.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah I did.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's really really good.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
No.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I was going to use it for vikes bites, but
then it just made more sense. Let's just get Alec
in studio if he can.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Or either that or I talked too long about something
that means absolutely nothing. And we clomped on bikes bites,
and like squirrels conserving nuts, we stored them off to
the side, didn't we.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
It's mid July.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The big stored him nuts off.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
To the side. Time of the year for all nine
to noon, two weeks before camp we store. Hey, this
is Midge from New Brighton, from the land of ten
Thousand Lakes to the state of big old fakes.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Man, you're just you're you're you're just all over this
this fake vibe. Everybody is actually let me see here
from Hotly Woodly would I don't like this one? I
want to hear some more gritty in a certain city.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
That's what. Yeah, again, we're we're on the grind over here.
Speaker 7 (05:39):
Hey, Hey, it's Shaggy from Zembroda. How about from green
Bay to l A. Thanks guys from green Bay. So
that is not so he's saying.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
I'm trying to figure out which way he's going with this.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, who's insane.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
What he's saying is the Green Bay Packers are going
to the Super Bowl or in green Bay? Oh just
started the scene? Maybe week one, Yeah, because the Vikings
will win that game.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So we have to stretch, so you could do Week
one in LA or Week one with Green Bay to
v Day in LA.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Oh, it's Valentine's Day two times day. I mean, how many? Honestly,
how many broken heart lines? Are you guys missing?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Check your watch can't tell me what time it is.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It's ten to fourteen. Where's Alex to.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
Peak your head out and tell me what the climb?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It is starting to get hot in here, or has
got to take off all his clothes.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
That's not good for anybody.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
I'm saving that one, Shaggy, I'm saving it. I'm gonna Rea,
I'm gonna tweak it. Shit, that's okay with you, Shaggy.
What about what could we.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Just do like Lombardi is for lovers?
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Pa?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Are you do you really love the Vikings Homie as
a home? Who the hell would ever ask if I
really love the Minnesota Vikings? I mean, I can't stop
thinking about that now. Either that or you have misconstrued
what people have said and you twisted it for the
benefit of the producer and much to the chagrin of
(07:17):
the announcer.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
I've encountered people over the years.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
They cannot believe that you are as passionate as I'm not.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
From here, all in on the purple.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Maybe it's part of that, Okay, Well, we didn't have
twenty minute conversations about it.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I'm just like, yeah, eight eighteen twenty six. In the business,
we call that twenty eight years let's go ahead and
call it twenty eight to twenty nine years. Sure, I'm
sixty years old. I've lived here almost half my life.
I've called races at Canterbury Park, your beloved racetrack and
Shokapie for more than half my life. You raised your
(07:50):
kids here, raised my kids here, and one liked it
so much she left for Colorado.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Check your watch can't tell me what time it is?
Nine fifteen Colorado time, and I miss Cowley up. Peak
your head out and tell me what the climb.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
It is?
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Sixty nine and smoky in Amsterdam for the fan travelers forecast.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Now, this is Scott from South Minneapolis. We're doing the
gritty and all that drip all the way to the
sunset strip. I like that.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Mo Ma sh am good.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Hey, guys, max for me and I shortened mind up
from yesterday.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
From p CEO to Marilyn Monroe.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Thanks by what about pretty sure he's dead, but some
kind of Hugh Hefner line, some kind of playboy line,
some kind I mean, Hugh what does.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Hugh rhyme with? Hugh?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Who? Who?
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Who? Aloofine dot com?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, it's gotta be let me see here, you get
blotto in the grotto m so like last year, so.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Like last year.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
From wild card defeat to a San Francisco treat silenced
the whiners in the Home of the Niners destination denim
it so.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Far as the home of the Rams and the Chargers,
So you can play off rams and chargers Santa Monica.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Peer really easy to rhyme with the word chargers, but
uh peer, yeah, peer, trophy case getting larger. Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
From Loserville to Levi. Yeah, there you go, from from
Loserville to so Far.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
Turn the frown upside down.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Fikes raised the Lombardy in Tinsiltown.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
Like Tinsiltown did. Should I have a big voice?
Speaker 5 (09:59):
Guy?
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Just say that my dingling.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
My dingling, my dingling.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
You might quit after I send them all these Oh
prob so I could so did I not know we
had this on the button bar?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I mean it's I'm the smart homeowner has dodged the
storm chasers.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Just received an emails, gave somebody some ideas. Yes, you did.
From the love boat to a gold coat.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
You think about that. What's the gold coat? I assume
the interview Hall of Fame. I guess the implication winning
at a high level. I think they just wanted to
use love boat. What about getting high at Sofi? I mean,
it is the land of Dispensary, so high, it's so far,
so high, it's so Fi. I mean, first time, first
(10:56):
time I had the privilege of going to so Fi.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Leave it was the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Chargers,
and I'm on the sideline. I think it's a late
November some December game in southern California. Yeah, you know,
as I'm on the sideline faking my adoration for the Vikings.
I always love that one because I'm an interloper. I
always love that one. But anyway, when I'm not interloping,
(11:21):
I'm on the sideline and dripping sweat and it's hot
as bleep. And so I'm doing the first part of
the pregame with Moss, So that would be let's call
it ten am Cornfields and like eight am. I don't
know what time it was. Now we'll call it three
o'clock game except so yeah, so it's whatever time it is.
(11:45):
I'm on with Moss and I'm melting down, man, because
I'm sweating. I just learned that SOFI did not have
air conditioning. There's no air conditioning at SOFI Stadium. Technically
it's open air, right correct, But it wasn't open but
it's and it was. It was abnormally hot. It was
unseasonably hot in the land where they have dispensaries. So
(12:09):
I think I said on the radio with Muss. I'm like,
I'm like, how did I put it?
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Like?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
They don't have air conditioning here? Little did I know
in the land of dispensaries they hydroponically or growing people.
I always love that one. And I got this purple
and gold hair coming off of me right now. I
always love that one. I'm being hydroponically grown right now.
Little did I know I was in a greenhouse.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Oh, alec, Texa, what do we got? Hey, PA's Mitch
from New Brighton. Hey from soda pops to flip flops.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, that's simple, all right, Alex is going to be
on the phone. That's fine.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah, all good with that.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
That's fine.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
How about uh? I like this one? What aut Pa
and Nordal?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
How about from mittens and docking caps, gespitos and bikini straps.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
This is awesome. Yeah, that's a very very good one.
Then now the the full time package handler Lonnie Anderson
just wrote or do you.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Punch up his from the other day at all?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, the the second of two texts was please don't
repeat that on the radio.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Oh fair enough, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Repeat some of it, Lonnie from the galler Horn to
the land.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
Of This show is naughty and might make you a pomouse.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I didn't say the whole thing full time package handler guy.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Just people can put whatever word you know, corn, it's
probably corn.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
All right, Let's let's catch up with Alec Lewis from
the Athletic and the Athletic dot Com around the corner.
That'll take place next at f M one hundred point three,
k F A N.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Hey, guys, Jerry and Blue Earth Bikes win the big
one in LA for Lowly and Tanga Ray.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Come on, you're listening.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Live hold on now on iHeartRadio and free K.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
S A N.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Everything. All right, Yeah, we're great.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
I as there was a meeting scheduled. It had already
been scheduled, but but ran a little long. So it happens.
It happens in the real world. You just got to
get over it, improve, keep keep grinding and uh yeah,
things are great.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Things are wild.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
I was looking forward to seeing you, but I'll get
over it. We'll get over it. It's great to have
you on the radio show Alec Lewis at Alec Underscore
Lewis The Athletic and the Athletic dot Com. And the purpose,
the purpose of the promotion. Excuse me, the purpose of
the conversation was, did you tell editor and chief Guy
that jerk ash the the the fan survey piece at
(15:07):
the Athletic and the Athletic dot com. Uh and Nordo
read it a couple of days ago. We were going
to use it in bikes bikes, but we held off
because we knew we would chat with you today. I
got caught up on it over the last day and
a half. You you got a bunch of votes for
this for the individual topics. People love bits like fans
(15:28):
surveys that you can read at the Athletic or the
Athletic dot Com, don't they?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, thanks for promoting. I mean we are a cafe
and has been talking about the fan the Athletics fan
survey for the Minneso Vikings for like two weeks, which
is probably revelatory in the sense that the other topics
are world Cup and when is the LaMelo trade going
to be official? So appreciate the conversation about it. But yeah,
(15:53):
you know, fans, I always think every summer is a
great potential opportunity to just take the pulse of fans.
You see stuff on social media. Uh, you hear things
when you're at the grocery store and you see somebody
who who wants to talk vikings with you? But like,
what does the collective actually feel about the team. So
we do this survey every summer and have done it
(16:15):
for four years and got like three thousand you know
something responses and it was interesting certainly.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Well so whether it's Sewna Reiker or Sarah Ziggler, you know,
the higher ups with the New York Times Sports department,
why why did they have to do it this morning?
We wanted to see your cheery face. The happiness on
your countenance brings joy to the love covenant.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I you know, I've been on PTO because I'm trying
to refresh my brain and you can probably hear in
my voice like I am. There is a joy today
in knowing that we are multi. I mean, we're almost back,
you know, Nordo, We're almost back, almost training camp, and
so I am there, I've been I'm starting to think
about training camp and you can just hear the giddiness,
(17:02):
I think a little bit in the voice. But you know,
they wanted to get it over with on a Friday,
have a little review and then move forward. But that's there.
There was some survey talk, so we'll get into it.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So, I mean, obviously without oversharing, like how did the
review go A nine to noon? Thanks, you do a
great job.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
We love you.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
At the Friday football feast, we have all your albums
and read all your stories. Did they bang on you
for non essential clauses or prepositional phrases or something?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
No, I thought it was. I thought it was a
pretty solid review. I mean I I was pretty pretty
proud of the work over the last year. I definitely,
you know, to have to go to Dublin and where
England and be and be in Europe for two weeks,
that was That was probably the amount of expenses that
that were that were sent in probably needed to be
(17:53):
discussed a little bit. But but no, I think I
think you know, things are good. But but it's not
about it's not about reflection. It's about how can we
be our best. Yeah, what our best is required from
twenty twenty six season. That is what it's about right now.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Amen led the review with that, didn't they.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And we're as as a football season would go. We
are in the high red. I mean we've just come
into the red zone. The low red probably would be
the Baltimore Joints. And then when we get into the
end zone, that's that's the game against the Green Bay
Packers to begin things at the US Bank Stadium. How
about this, you know you well, I'm assuming I mean
(18:32):
determining how this review went from a from a fiscal standpoint.
Let's say the Vikings have a preseason game in New
Jersey against the Giants five weeks from tomorrow. Assumingly you'll
be there. I always love that one.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
So I haven't in past years going to the preseason games,
but I have been thinking a a a an early
fall trip to New York. I mean, that sounds pretty
fatle to me. And then the idea of, you know,
would the quarterbacks be playing, and if they are, shouldn't
you be there for that? I think that would be
a really you know, I think that's a pitch that
(19:11):
I could I could provide coming off this review, so
we'll see what's possible. I'll be very curious.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
All right, Well, I'm gonna be serious here too. I mean,
I mentioned it. Okay, we've all mentioned it in passing
a million times. I'm just gonna I mean, I'm gonna
be poignant or pointed with it. Do so the first
preseason game five weeks from tomorrow, which means training camp
is just a few weeks from right now, do you
(19:37):
envision the twenty twenty six Minnesota Vikings entering training camp
with one quarterback getting most of the primo reps? Or
are we going to take that Ota Mini camp competition
and roll it ride into training camp?
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Yeah, I would say, I mean from the very outset,
so the first few days like it. And I don't
say this with any intel because I really haven't. You know,
a lot of a lot of the staff, front office,
coaching staff has been on vacation. You probably are familiar
that Kevin O'Connell's on the golf course in Tahoe the
next three days playing in the American Century Championships. So
(20:18):
everybody's kind of out. So these questions haven't been asked
a ton, But I would say in the first few days,
I'd expect the competition to continue to to to I mean,
really be vivid and visual in terms of the amount
of reps each guy is taking and that. And then
at some point there will probably and and I think
(20:38):
the staff probably will hope it reveals itself. Uh, there
will be an advantage one way or another, and that
will help discern, help the team discern what they're gonna
you know, the player that they're going to provide more reps.
And and I would say, I mean, I I still
maintain that Kyler Murray is is going to get the
(21:01):
opportunity to win this job. But Jaj McCarthy will show
up with the chance to you know, to show growth
and improvement every day in practices and instances where Brian
Flores is not taking it easy and is is mixing
calls the way he would on a Sunday.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
So should McCarthy inherently because he's been here, if that's
the scenario. And I'm not going to predict the cut,
you know, like Kyler sixty five McCarthy whatever, wentz whatever.
But should McCarthy have an advantage in that situation heading
into training camp?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
No, I don't, I know, I don't think McCarthy would
have an advantage because you know, I would just say,
and you know, we've talked about it before. One guy
started for seven seasons in the NFL. One guy started
ten games, and that doesn't dictate anything other than you know,
an experience level. Obviously, Kyler Murray is you know, you
(22:01):
saw it in June. We stood on the sidelines next
to each other. He was working his way through the
system that the Vikings had had not dumbed down for
him at all to try to get him up to speed.
But now I don't think there's any clear advantage other
than the experience level and factor that both guys have had.
(22:23):
And I would just like, I really think training camp
is so revealing because it's it's open to everybody. You
see everything you see. You see throws made, you see
interceptions thrown, you see reactions from teammates, from coaches, and
the more sample size that you get four practices in
(22:44):
five practices in with pads, it's hard to I'd say,
you know, it's hard to really lie about what your
eyes are seeing. And so I think it will just
work out, you know, based upon what what everybody fans, media,
coaching staff, front office what they see. I think it
will just play it, you know, play itself out in
(23:06):
front of everyone's eyes.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
To the survey Alex put together at the Athletic and
the Athletic dot com. You can download the app to
That's where I read most of my stuff. This is
in no particular order, but since we're talking about quarterbacks
from the survey, and it's a confidence level type thing
where you know, there's certain shades of colors where it's
(23:29):
like if you're this this light purple or this fusia
incredible confidence, straight purple. You know you've got confidence, and
you've got the gray area in the middle, burnt orange
and some other color all the way on the far left.
Quarterback play level of confidence that the quarterback play will
be much improved from last season. About sixty percent think
(23:51):
it'll be better. About thirty percent are in the gray
area and are not sure. And that's with well over
three thousand people contribute in There also are comments tied
to this, but sixty quite confident that it'll be better,
thirty not sure.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Yeah, I mean, I absolutely think the quarterback play is
gonna be better, and it's you know, obviously Kyler Murray's
experience as part of that. But I also I've been
very open about this, like JJ McCarthy, regardless of how
twenty twenty five went, when we all remember it was
better down the stretch of the season. And he's also
a twenty three year old who, because of this competition,
(24:32):
has been really motivated to improve, so I would expect
him to be better. I would also clarify that the
room is deeper when you include Carson Wentz, and so
even if players do get hurt, even if there is
drop off or a need for multiple quarterbacks, you know,
there's more confidence in turning two those guys than there
(24:54):
was last year with Sam Howell and Max rosemur and
obviously eventually Carson Wentz. So I think I'd be probably
more than sixty percent confident that the quarterback play is
going to be better, and it better be.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I'll say there is a predictive side also to this survey.
It's not everything is your level of confidence. In For instance,
the the ALEC asked those taking part in the survey
to predict who the Viking starting quarterback will be. I
believe when they play Green Bay Week one, Kyler Murray
(25:29):
received close to seventy percent of the votes McCarthy got
about twenty nine. Wentz got one percent. Really, I mean
seventy percent is I mean really no surprise here. But
do you think that number is too high, too low,
or right where it needs to be?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
No?
Speaker 1 (25:45):
I think that that probably. I think the question might
have been who do you want to be the quarterback
six for the Vikings? And this was interesting. It was
like you just said it, but seventy percent of people
want Kyler Murray to be the quarterback in twenty twenty six.
Excuse me. But then the next question was who do
(26:06):
you want to be the quarterback of the future, and
it was more than fifty percent, said JJ McCarthy. So
it's an interesting like I think there are The way
I describe it is my sense from the fan base
through this survey was that people very much want better
quarterback play in twenty twenty six. Obviously, and however it
(26:26):
needs to happen to where that is the result. That's
what people want, But the fan base also wants a
young quarterback that it can cling to, that gives you
a chance every single fall, and that's what the Vikings
drafted JJ McCarty to be and so like, I almost
felt like my sense from the fan base in this
survey was that, you know, there's a push pull between
(26:49):
those two worlds that everyone's kind of sorting through and
sifting through and trying to conceptualize in your mind. Not everyone,
but a lot of people, And that is interesting.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Well, the quarterback of the future part you just talked about,
McCarthy goes fifty four and a half percent, Kyler is
eighteen and change, but someone else was that twenty seven
and a half percent. So I mean Vikings fans are
just all mentally twisted up over that part of the equation,
aren't they.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Absolutely? And I've said this like on my own podcast,
and I've said it in writing, like one of the
most interesting parts of this entire quarterback I'd say, saga
going back to let's just say the drafting of JJ
McCarthy in twenty twenty four, I believe it was is
just the psychology behind it all and from the fan
(27:42):
base in terms of like, I totally understand why every
Vikings fan would want the young quarterback that provides what
Patrick Mahomes is provided in Kansas City, what Josh Allen
is provided in Buffalo, where every fall once August rolls around.
Because you have that guy, you feel like you have
the chance to make it to the mountaintop. And so
(28:05):
I like the fan base having that perspective and clinging
to Jajon McCarthy as a byproduct of that is natural
and it's probably, you know, the perfect and correct approach
you know, to take. So yeah, it's it's interesting. But
you know, I think this season is going to reveal
(28:25):
so much about the quarterbacks, about Kevin O'Connell. It's just
going to be a clarifying data point in many many ways.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
We have good and better news for you.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Are you ready?
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
The good news is nine to Noon genuinely loves you
whether you are here or on the phone. The better
news is we're going to hang up right now and
call you right back in a little bit.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
Okay, I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Alec Lewis the Athletic Theathletic dot Com Back in a flash.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
You're listening live to fall Out.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Bonus, Aleck. We appreciate you. Alex Lewis having a good morning.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I was. I was planning on going all the way
to eleven anyway, So I mean this is I mean,
I just feel like I'm doing my due diligence here.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Okay, now they're the next the next question from the survey,
and we're going to frame it up like this. Yep, Well,
the Minnesota Vikings win a Super Bowl within the next
five seasons.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Louiserville sounds better in SM.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
A strong, strong sixty two percent. Luserville sounds better in FM.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Said no, what do you think of dem apples?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I didn't expect much
much more than that, frankly, but I do feel like
it's hard to take this this answer to that question
to not hear it with just overall confidence in the direction.
And I did well. I don't think fan confidence for
where the team is and is going was as high
(29:59):
as I've seen or was as high as it was
last year via this survey. Like I still do think
there's a very good amount of confidence and where things
are and what's possible, especially with the hire of Nolan
Teasley at GM. And there were multiple fans who said
that they thought that was a massive higher And I've
said to you and I've said in writing even that
(30:22):
I mean around the league, I think people were pretty impressed.
The Vikings landed on on Nolan Teasley. Now, the proof
will obviously be in the putting, but it's hard for
me not to think that the front office will be
driving in a direction that fans will should be proud
of and happy about.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
I was as part of this survey.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
You kind of asked just a simple question like, hey,
do you think the Vikes should still add a free
agent pass rusher?
Speaker 4 (30:48):
And you know, it was nearly eighty percent. We're like, yeah,
we need one.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
And you know, if you had added names, I'm sure
there would have been a bunch of selections around the
various names. But you know, we we earlier in the week, Alec,
we kind of framed it up like where are we weak?
Speaker 4 (31:02):
We just kind of talked through some various aspects of it.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Would you consider whether it's adding a free agent pass
rusher or via that position group concerns question? You asked
which position group concerns fans the most. Cornerback was right
behind QB on that list as well. Are you thinking
about adding free agents? Are you concerned about the cornerback group?
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Where's your head sit at with that stuff and with
the free agent rushers? Let me add to this, let
me add this to it. THEA do you have any steam?
And B I've said the same two names for about
the last three weeks, so I actually put some time
into some more names. So any steam on the likes
of Joey Bosa, Leonard Floyd, von Miller, Hassan Reddick, Kyle
(31:47):
van Ney, Jadeveon Clowney or Jilani Tavai who played with
New England last year.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
No, I don't have any steam, but I mean I
definitely the edge rusher position and the edge rusher depth
is I mean, it's it's smart for everybody to be
included on it because behind Andrew Van Yinkel and Dallas Turner,
it's a bunch of undrafted players who are less proven
and Bo Richter and Tyler Battie and Chaz Chambliss and
(32:18):
so at some point, whether it's before training camp or
during training camp, I'm absolutely not gonna be surprised if
there is an edge rusher addition. Now, the question with
that spot is a how, like, you know, how open
are guys like von Miller, Joey Bosa, Jadavion Clowndy going
to be to potentially, you know, begin as kind of
(32:42):
a backup type role. I mean that's part of it.
And the other aspect is if they haven't signed to
this point, how much will they just want to wait
to see if there is an injury to where they
could then end up being in a starter type spot.
So once those questions start to I'd say, just you know,
clarify themselves. That's probably when I expect a Viking to
(33:03):
do something that I was pretty blown away. So only
asked me about Jadavion Clowney and I looked this up.
He was fourth and pressure rate among all pass rushers
last year, behind like Will Anderson, Micah Parsons and uh
and Nick Benito, and that blew me away. I mean,
I remember him looking good on tape before the Cowboys game.
But I think if you could secure a guy like that,
(33:26):
that would be a huge boon for depth, And then
I'm less concerned about the cornerback spot. I really think
James Pierre was the guy they coveted, and Brian Flores
has been able to make lemonade out of the cornerback
lemons that he's had, so not as much of a
concern as that rusher.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
To me, you had to follow up on that. That's
that's a great point.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Ale like the the idea that you know, whether it's
aging out or later stage as a career, one last
dance for some of these free agent pass rushers.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
PA listed some pretty big names.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
I mean, Joey Bosa has made a career of it,
Von Miller of and so the idea of coming here
and he's like, hang on a second, Like I gotta
split reps with Dallas Turner Like that, that seems like
that's got to be a difficult part of conversations they're
having with some of these guys.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Yeah, I mean, and it's not even split reps. I
mean you you know, with Dallas Turner, the Vikings want
to give him an opportunity to prove that he is
the first round pick that he showed himself to be
over the back half of the twenty twenty five season.
So maybe it's seventy five, twenty five, and if you
are Joey Bosa trying to earn one or two more
(34:32):
big time contract, how willing are you to step into
that type of role? And so again, like I think
it's a it's a marketplace conversation. At some point, let's
say August tenth, if Joey Bosa or any of these
names realize, and I'm just singling him out as an example,
if they realize that the market is not going to
allow them to be a starter, then they may be
(34:54):
more willing if the money is there to sign with
a place like Minnesota. That's just why I don't expect
this thing to have some very quick resolution. But there's
no doubt that depth at that spot is important, considering
they're also betting big on the interior defensive line with
Caleb Banks and Dominie Gorns and a lot of young
players who are unproven.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Oh hey, Marcus Davenport. Still I saw that good lot. Hey,
back back to the survey. This was also part of
our conversation this week, and I know you saw you
posted about it on x I played some audio from
Kevin O'Connell and his just a cool interview he did
with with Dan Patrick, and you know, run game improvement
part of your survey, Like, hey, what's an area you're
(35:36):
most curious about with the twenty twenty six team. It's
kind of until proven otherwise there's something I'm really feeling.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Optimistic that will be better.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
It was a part of Kevin O'Connell's optimism, not just
around the quarterback. But this offense improving in twenty twenty six,
and the fans really latched onto the idea of run
game improvement with this twenty twenty six incarnation as well.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Yeah, and I've said, like, if you want to be
a really big optimist about what the Vikings are capable
of in twenty twenty six, the idea of a really
good run game is really where, you know, if I'm
an optimistic Vikings fan, like, that's where I hang my
hat on, because then you can start to dictate to
defenses with an incredible combination of past catching weapons and
(36:21):
also a run game with the addition of Frank Smith,
and with you know, having Keith Carter be the offensive
line coach, and with the healthier offensive line that includes
Christian Darrisaw, you really can can squint and see the
vision of what's possible. But I will also say this,
that's the optimist view, if you if you took the
pessimist view, I mean, Kevin O'Connell has talked about the
(36:43):
run game every every spring fall summer that I've covered
this team, And while it was better than it's ever
been in twenty twenty five, it has not been a
phase of the team that strikes fear and opposing defenses.
And until it gets to that place, I think you
are probably going to be asking too much of any quarterback,
(37:05):
regardless of their experience level or their draft position or youth.
And so I just want to see that proof show
out on Sundays in the fall some September and until then,
Like I can understand buying in, but when you I think,
if you do see it, then it unlocks the potential
of this offense in a way really I haven't seen
(37:26):
under Kevin o'carber.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Lastly, Alec the from the survey surprised me a bit.
Maybe it shouldn't. NFC North opponent fans survey wise most
fear Bears fifty two percent. Then Lions and Packers, who
do we believe is the team to beat in the
division because Rube Nation three to four thousand of them
(37:49):
put the Bears at fifty two percent.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Yeah, I mean I can understand why people believe that
because you still have a young, developing core and Caleb Williams.
But more importantly, I think you have a head coach
and Ben Johnson who has proven to be an elite
level play caller and an elite level builder of culture
in Chicago. And I mean, you know, Pa and Nordo
(38:14):
and everybody listening to this, you know as well, when
you have the quarterback position in the head coach position settled,
and the head coach is as much of an offensive
you know, schematic expert as Ben Johnson is. I mean,
Ben Johnson's it's pretty low key, like people want to
talk about their pass game. Ben Johnson leads the run
(38:35):
game installs for the Chicago Bears offense, like he is
the one who walks through the nitty gritty of the
minutia of the run game in Chicago, and he did
the same in Detroit and and I think that's so
much of what helped develop the identity of that offense
and really helped Caleb Williams where he could then play
more free. So I understand the Bears. I think if
(38:57):
you're you know, I think poking holes in the Bears.
You priced, they're not going to have the turnover margin
defensively that they had in twenty twenty five, and that
would definitely affect them. But I can understand the pick,
and I believe Ben Johnson is really really good, So
I get it.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
My brother, have a wonderful weekend. Tell MD we say
hello and we'll chat soon.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Okay, love it, Thank you guys, talk soon.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, Sir Alex Lewis The Athletic, Theathletic dot com he's
going to be hosting on Tuesday by the way, Oh sweet.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
This next week we were talking about a really really
comprehensive and cool Vikings fans survey Alex put together at
the Athletic and the Athletic dot com, where I think
it was thirty six hundred people were like, team to
beat in the NFC North is the Chicago Bears. Maybe
we need to change our faces.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Chicago Bears.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Ain't I exc this this Pa
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Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.