December 23, 2025 • 42 mins
92Noon! VOX of all VOXs - Vikes Bites - Kwesi!
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Beggars season bright with Today's talk Back Tuesday on the
Fan Open Cafe on the iHeartRadio app, hit the red
microphone icon, thirty seconds or last tell us which Viking
has been the biggest gift to the team this year
winner selected all day long KFE dot com Keywort contest
for details.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And now the vox of all voxes ever to vox.
He he's a rochch He's Alan Roach from out Mile Highway.
I understand, heading to the cities for the Christmas life changer.
And he's also a Slaton, Minnesota native, so he's probably
gonna reconvene with some family and friends. And here comes
(00:47):
the voice of US Bank Stadium and Ball Arena, Alan
Roach at Mile High Roach via X. What's going on there? Roachi? Oh,
good morning, Pa Green Giant. Did did you did you
pull over on the side of the road heading to
that windy airport out Denver Way.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I'm on my way to Denver International Airport, home of
the eleven year construction plan, and I'm currently at I
seventy in.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Federal Have you have you ever when you when you
go down those escalators or got ready to head up
the escalators and you're buy those trams and you hear
I don't know what you say. The white zone is
for loading and unloading only, you know what I mean.
Have you ever been talking to somebody and then they
hear your voice on the overhead and they're like, wow,
(01:40):
that's weird.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Kind of purposely avoid that whole thing. I don't ever
talk when my when my kids were little, when they
were you know, four or five, six, seven years old,
and I'm standing on the train holding their hand as
we're coming up to a stop, I would reach down
and look at them and say down please ask. Then
right after that the hold on please would come over
(02:04):
the intercom and the train, and I'd get some pretty
good looks, and of course my kids would.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Go, Dad, that's so good. But I mean, you you're
you're prompt. I mean you're all squared away and stuff. Man,
I don't think you like to rush, and I know
I don't, but I mean at Denver International Airport sometimes
at I seventy, traffic can just sneak up on somebody,
and so maybe you're running a couple of seconds late.
So if you ever had to bellow for a tram
(02:30):
from like twenty feet away, ma'am, can you please hold
that door? I'm running late, And then they hear hold
on that would be so sweet.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
There's there's a message that says if the doors are closing,
first to hear that the doors are closing. And then
if somebody you know is still in the way or
getting on the train or has a backpack in the
way and the doors have to open back up, it
hus a message that says, you are delaying the departure
of the stream. And so every every now and then
(03:03):
I'll stick my foot in there just because I like
to hear that one.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
The the worst thing about Colorado sports teams doing well
is when you get on those trams and I'm out
there several times a year, it's instead of hearing hold
on tight, ma'am, get your foot out of the door.
You hear Hi.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
This is Cale mccarr and welcome to Denver International Airport.
Thanks for coming out and supporting all the sports teams.
Or you know, Hi, this is Haven Moses, or Hi,
this is Jamal Murray. You know, when the teams are
doing well, we lose the vox on the tram.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yeah, that's a message that is that is always there
and always changing, and you know, maybe sometimes it's Rick
up Church, maybe it's Carl Mecklenberg, some former Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I Alan roach at my OHI roach Vax. He's eyes
on the side of the road by ready to go
to the airport. So the game's Thursday. This is Tuesday.
You don't normally come back to Wednesday. So the assumption
here is we're gonna have some Christmas Eve festivities down
Slayton Way with friends and family and maybe the Winter family.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Not Trevor Winter. Yeah, I'm not sure. Where do you
shock for that guy. I'm not going to Slayton. I
will be going to Saint Louis Park tomorrow and spend
some time with my sister's family and my daughter. I
have a sleigh full of Christmas goodies as we speak,
and look forward to some family time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Indeed, and a week from Friday, sources indicate to me
before the Green Bay Packers game, we're going to have
the box of all boxes ever to Vox at eleven
am Buffalo wild Wings Egan for the Friday football Feast.
That's a week from Friday. Can you confirm or deny.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I will be I'll be flying in on the first
on Thursday. So I am excited being a a rookie
at the football feast. And my wife is very excited too,
although you know I have to get her out of
bed on her on her vacation from our hotel, but
she she's very excited to meet God's cartoon character. So
(05:17):
I hope to bring my lovely Brian alone.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Please do it's it's I mean, Buffalo wildlies might put
you to work. I mean we might hear ma'am your
six lemon pepper wings already, but I won't let.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Him do that.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
But I can't wait to see you. Nordo is excited
to talk to you. I'm battling a little something right
now with my throat and uh Nordo has a couple
of questions for you, and here they are.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
You know what I filled in a week ago, mister roach.
You you were texting me during a segment as we
were talking about respective blue line pairings Macarr of course,
and Quinn Hughes doing the matchup. How happy are you
ABS fans? You just got to roll in. You caught
us on a back to back. Yeah, absolutely, wax this
the other day. Nobody's ever going to catch the AVS
(06:02):
ball Arena, home of a Stanley Cup. Yet again, where
where's your head at with with your favorite hockey team
and our favorite hockey team?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, Rochie, So are you writing that one off as
a schedule loss? Is that what that was?
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
It was back to back, it was tough, it was
emotional the day before and we hand I mean when
it really mattered, of course, was Black Friday, and we
took care of business in the shootout. So yesterday it's
I mean, we're we're gearing up for April and May games.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
You guys can have all the mid December ones you want.
Be careful with that.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah, and that's exactly right. I mean, I'm a broken record.
I know I've said it on this show before, and
I say it to everybody, no matter what what sport
you're in, what season you're in. In the hockey, you
don't want to be the best team in the league
in October, November and December. That gets you absolutely nowhere.
Maybe it gets you, you know, at a better playoffs,
(07:00):
but you need to be the best team in the
league in April and May and June. And you know,
the Avalanche over the last five years, we've been the
best team in the league for two months at some
point of the season. And it was only the twenty
two two season where we were the best team in
the league in April and May, and that got us
(07:22):
Lord Stanley. So you know this team, Yes, they're they're
off to a dynamic start, a record breaking start, a
start that almost has never been equalled in league history.
I'n't a number the other day. The Avalanche, I think
are plus sixty in gold differential. What have we played
thirty three games? But that means they've won every game
(07:44):
by two goals, and like the next closest team in
gold differential is thirty. So yeah, the Avalanche right now
are just off the charts. But again, if we get
to if we get to March and the team is
struggling or having injuries, no one's really going to look
back and say, gee, we sure we're good. Then it's
(08:06):
not going to do you any good once we get
to where you need to be.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
For those of you not clued into this, Alan Roach
the voice of US Bank Stadium, so you've heard it there.
He's also the voice of ball Arena, does Super Bowls
and every big spot event in the history of the world.
Allan is done and with a ball arena. That's where
the Colorado Avalanche play and outside of the Vikings that's
his favorite team. And we're not mad at any four
of that. But you know, when the Wild did beat
(08:34):
the Avalanche on Black Friday and Valstat had a little
celebration to him, got under the skin of the box
of all boxes ever Devox so much so that we're
two and a half hours maybe two hours and forty
five minutes before the Washington Commander's Minnesota Vikings game. I'm
taping my stuff up. I'm highlighting the game calling depth chart.
All of a sudden, I hear PA, I've arrived in
(08:57):
Quinnesota or Pa, can you come say hello and I'll
walk up there. Oh no, this was actually at Brian
Harper's going away party last week. That's what it was
at the Vikings at the Vikings Museum. PA brought something
for you to see. You know what They were to
Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup winning rings. Come on that Roachie
(09:19):
gets for being the box. He was just showing me like,
do they have any of these in Quinnesota? I mean, Minnysea.
It was just fa, You're fantastic, Allen, get you get
a ring. Mister Roach had multiple rings.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I have a ring from two thousand run and a
ring from twenty twenty two, and I'm being fitted for
a ring in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
All right, now, here's the deal. All right Now, I'm
not a Vikings team employee, you know that. Yeah, I'm
on a higher gun ten ninety nine. That's not preferred,
But it's the lot in life God has given me.
And I love calling Vikings games. So if the Vikings
win a super Bowl and the Wilfs waffle, the rings
you and I will have for doing fan line and
boxing the game from Continental Diamond will have. It'll have
(10:02):
Justin Jefferson looking at it saying, dog, bro, where'd you
get that thing? That's unbelievable? Andy? And revetology. Oh someday,
we just got to win the game. First. Hey, you
know last year year, Alan, your Minnesota Vikings have not
allowed a passing touchdown six consecutive games. Prey good during
the twenty twenty five Covenant where yesterday Nordo and I
(10:24):
were kind of like, where did we go wrong? I
mean six in a row for b Flow with no
passing touchdowns? Jefferson cracks Jarvis Landry's receptions over six years.
He's going to get mosses Christmas Day receiving yards over
six years. I mean Cashman has like ten to sixteen
tackles every single game. Jalen Redman has six acts. Damn man.
(10:47):
That's just crazy, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Box Yeah, And I think it speaks to the locker room.
It speaks to what everybody wants to call culture. And
you know what Kevin O'Connell brought to the team and
the players that they have, and I think it really
puts an exclamation point on that because you look around
(11:09):
the league. You know, I think I don't know it
was last week or the week before. I kind of
looked at the schedule after the Sunday was over and
there were like eight teams that were out of the
playoffs already, and all of those teams lost except the Vikings.
And you know, it takes a lot to play this game,
to put your body basically out in the middle of
(11:31):
traffic on the freeway forty five times a day and
be able to get up for something that you know
is not going to lead where you wanted the road
to go. At the beginning of the season and the
Minnesota Vikings have done that way forever. When we have
a six win season, a seven win season and a disappointment,
(11:53):
normally there's a bounce back the following year, and that
does go to culture and it goes to you know,
the history of the Vikings. Hey man, we're We're not
reptiles or birds. We're bikings.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We're Bikings. You are the best mile High. Roach. Can't
wait to see you on Thursday. Merry Christmas, and God
bless you and your family. Thanks for the time, all right.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I look forward to seeing you at the Football Peast
next weekend.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Can't wait. That's gonna be good. See you about safe travels, Alan,
Merry Christmas, to all, Merry Christmas, and to all a
good night. To the segment with Alan Roach, the voice
of US Bank Stadium and airports across the Great Divide.
The white zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only.
A Quasia do Famensa joins nine to noon twenty minutes
(12:42):
from now. Don't leave.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
It's a special holiday edition of the Football Feast this
week and join Pa No No, alec Lewis, Buffalo Wild Wings, Roseville.
Is it Get you set for a Christmas Day Battle
with the Lions plus great eats, your shot prizes all
morning long. Doors open an eight am, gil kfa n
dot com, key Recolendar.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Fin baaby jjays.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas. We played at about
an hour ago if you missed it. One of our
favorite parody bits we do each and every year this
time Christmas season. As it is, It's time for twelve
days of a Vikings Christmas.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas Vikings fans.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
It's nine to noon. I'm Paul Allen Lenordo. On the
first day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me
I'll pick four Byron Murphy Junior. On the second day
of Christmas, My Vikings gave to me to Isaiah Roun
yours touchdowns and up pick or Mike nine Byron Murphy Junior.
(13:52):
On the third day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us three different quarterbacks just two tds for Jets
and pick for Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 7 (14:05):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
On the fourth day of Chris miss Our, Vikings gave
to us four picks thrown by Brose Murk. Give me
flow three more years to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and pick
four Byron Murphy Junior. On the fifth day of Chris
miss our Vikings gave to us five.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Wins for JJ, four picks thrown by Max.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Give b flow those three more years, just two tds
for Jets, finally an interception for Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
On the sixth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave
to me six sacks from Jalen Redmond, five wins for
JJ Dorothy, four tds for Oliver, Give me flow three
more years right now to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and an
interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the seventh day of
(15:06):
Chris miss my Vikings game to me seven dubs for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ Oki,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rodgers touchdowns, and finally an interception for number seven Byron
(15:27):
Murphy Junior. On the eighth day of Chris missed My
Vikings gave to me eight nasty losses. Seven dubs for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ,
fo tds for Naylor. Just go ahead and get me
for three years right now, only two tds for Jets.
(15:49):
What about that interception for Byron Murphy Juniors. On the
ninth day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me
foolish alter ego eight nasty losses. Me only won seven games,
six sacks from Jalen Redmond.
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Five dougs for jg.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
For tds for all over three different quarterbacks, only two
tds for Jets, and a pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
On the tenth day of Chris missed My Vikings gave
to me ten games with no honey for justin nine.
Speaker 7 (16:31):
Eight nasty losses.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Merely won seven games so far, six sacks for Jaalen Redmond,
five taking away for jj kJ, four tds for Jalen Naylor,
three different quarterbacks, just two tds for Jets, but that
pick at Metal Lands for Byron Murphy Junior. On the
eleventh day of Chris missed My Vikings gave to me
(16:56):
eleven games from feeling ten games with no hunt for justin.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
Nine eight nasty losses.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Seven dumps for the Skull, six sacks for sixty.
Speaker 7 (17:07):
One, five win for JJ.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Let's go, four picks thrown by Max three different quarterbacks,
a couple of Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and a big interception
for Byron Murphy Junior on the twelfth day of Chris
miss My Vikings gave to me twelve million O line combos,
eleven days in Europe, ten games with no honey for
(17:33):
Justin nine's injuries are a problem, eight nasty losses, seven
dumps for the Skull, six sacks for Jalen.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Redman, taking away win for jj JJ.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Four tds for Oliver and Naylor, three different quarterbacks to
Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and fine way a pick for my
guy Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
You'll be able to podcast that shortly via the I
Heart Radio app and PA's on GM watch Quasi Udolfo
mensa part of X's and O's with head coach Kevin
O'Connell on a weekly basis. Short week so during short
weeks we get the general manager. So we're gonna be
checking in with Quacy here next segment, but Brett producing
(18:20):
back at the six to five one Carpets plus Studios.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Thanks as always.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
But you know, we we were looking at the NFL
standings and scenarios and just kind of talking through it
in How.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
I don't want to say it's unique, but there's just
it's it's kind of boring, if that makes sense to you. Now,
it's not boring to you. Your favorite team is hanging
on by a thread. You just need another victory. It's
gonna be tough though, with this Jordan Love situation. I
don't know if you can beat the Ravens and then
it'll be a border battle week eighteen to maybe decide
(18:51):
whether you're in or out. But really, if you're looking
at these standings right now, Denver, you know, in the
AFC we can go through that. It's Denver at the
top spot right now. There just some sneaky tiebreaker related
bits that keep them over the twelve and three Patriots.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
But in the AFC, it's like, Okay, the Colts were
watching them cart.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Out Philip Rivers, who's looked kind of freaking good by
the way in his two games stint with Indy, but
they got to win out. They need some help with
the Chargers, So I guess that's not boring. But right
now the Texans are in the catbird seat at ten
and five and most likely will fill out the AFC
(19:30):
playoffs card with everyone else at least clinching a playoff spot.
Ravens they can win out, and they got Week eighteen
against the Steelers. But the only way the Ravens can
get in, and then by nature of this, the Steelers
as well, the only way they're getting in is going
to be as a division winner of the AFC North.
And similarly, on the NFC side, everyone's basically clinched except
(19:54):
for that final spot, and it's either going to be
the Packers or it's going to be the Lions. Now, Tampa,
they can win out, they got to beat the Panthers.
They'll win af the NFC South, So there's some drama there.
Losing that one in Caroline over the weekend not good
for Baker's bunch. But they have a chance to win
out and still win the South. But your Packers, Brett,
(20:14):
your Packers at nine to five and one, you get
the Ravens and then it's the border battle here. How
much are you sweating whether or not your favorite team's
going to find its way into that final wildcard spot?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
And good morning a little bit.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I was very panicked after the collapse where the pack
had a ninety nine percent chance to win the game
with three minutes left, and found a way to lose
very similar, almost in the exact same fashion they lost
in Seattle in twenty fourteen, which a common still refers
to as the greatest Vikings game of all time. It
is boring in the sense that the only thing that's
(20:49):
not at a ninety or above percent according to the
NFL analytics is the Panthers and the Bucks, who have
the box of a fifty seven percent chance to make
the playoffs cord in the NFL. They like them like
Steelers ninety one, Texans ninety seven, Green Bay ninety three.
So and we've still got two games left to play.
It's weird. I am stressed. I would like the Lamar
(21:09):
thing changes things, but the Jordan Love thing changes things
as well. So we'll see how Jordan Love what a
just a no good, very bad game. And I checked
out of sports for the rest of the weekend because
of it.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You maybe you guys said this while I was down
the hall. You need the Vikings right on Thursday. Yeah
on Thursday. Yeah, they need us on they do need
us on Thursday. Indeed, is it's simply enough.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Lion's got to win out Packers got to lose out
and that's really and then again, the bake Bucks still
control their destiny.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Went out, there'll be NFC South Division champs.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So it's kind of there aren't a ton of bits
this season in terms of the final couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
We're just trying to get out alive and.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Maybe, you know what, let's go beat those kiddies and
spoil their postseason chances. And we're all bitter about how
our season's gone. Let's spread some of that bitterness on
an otherwise beauty full holiday.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
So that's where we're at, playoff wise, And let's chat
with Minnesota Vikings general manager Quasi at dopho Mensa for
x'es and o's next exes and o's is in the
air this week with Quaissi a DOFO Mensa, general manager
for the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, the regular Tuesday guest.
We have some short week stuff going on right now
(22:21):
with a Christmas Day game at three point thirty, so
that's Thursday. And whenever we have short weeks taking place,
the general manager is nice enough to stop by, which
means we are nice enough to breach iHeart audio rules
and play some post Malone. Is it's post Malone? And
sway Lee, is that is that? Who that is? Yeah?
So that Brett Blakemore, who's a guy named the Great
(22:43):
Ship Love Covenant back at KFA, and he'll pull that
out of the podcast and we'll move on with our
lives here with x'es and o's and this is the
first time you've been here since. We have a second camera.
That's a Paigeager's camera. It's it's very tantamo out to
capture all three of my chins and that'll be your
camera there. And the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings
joins us with Christmas Thursday. So at at your household?
(23:07):
Do do you guys load up the kids with gifts
and toys and maybe a Beginner's Manual to Learning Predictive
Analytics for Business Forecasting and Planning by something CPF Eric
Wilson and good morning.
Speaker 8 (23:21):
Oh my god, that's too funny. You know that reminds
me of how I was brought up. You know, in
Sega Genesis I'm dating myself was a video game system.
I remember asking for my mom and she said, you
can have it, but these are you going to be
your first games, it was Jeopardy, Wheel a Fortune, and
there's like a third just educational game. I didn't get mad,
and that was not the first game really, But now
we you know I am who I am, So I
(23:43):
do a ton of little counting stuff with me your son,
because predictive analytics at the base base level is a
distant funk distance function. You're dis counting at the end
of the day, minimizing distance. So I trying to get
him counting and stuff like that. But you know what,
I will talk about Christmas. I had probably my one
of my favorite moments last week where I felt like
a My wife asked me to put together one of
his his toys and I kind of waited to the
(24:04):
last second. She's like, I'll have somebody else do it,
and I was like, you will not have somebody else
do it.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
I'm going to do it myself.
Speaker 8 (24:09):
So I get home at probably ten o'clock after a
long day and I'm it looked like a stick figure drawing.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
I don't know what the instructions were.
Speaker 8 (24:17):
I was like, I'm set up to fail here, and
she's she's like, you should just go to bed, which
was the wrong thing to say because I was like,
I'm never going to go to bed until I finished this.
So I'm up till one thirty putting together this. This
was it like, actually, I don't want to say just
in case my son says this got he's got to
be surprised on Christmas Day.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
But so did you put it together the right way?
Speaker 8 (24:36):
It is functional, It is really functional, and it works
and it's rare. It's crazy how proud of yourself you are.
And then also like this connection you feel to like
I just wanted to go up to every dad and
be like, hey, man, hey, me too.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
What if your wife had said, honey, honey, your hey,
the world needs white collar people too. The next door.
We need somebody blue collar like vern next door. Let's
have him come over and put this thing together. That
would have gone over.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
I would have tried to fix things in the house
that have been really bad for everybody.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Speaking, so that when I was putting this thing together.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
YEA.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
The The Beginner's Manual to Learning Predictive Analytics for Business
Forecasting and Planning by Eric Wilson, Well that's why I
used it because it was Eric Wilson, but not our
Eric Wilson. But speaking of our Eric Wilson. You know,
we Nordo and I last week because he's just been
he's been awesome, man, And you know it's we're going
to get into culture. And the way I'll phrase it
(25:29):
outside of culture is, hey, human nature gets to win too,
you know. And you see some scores and some things
from around the league from teams not going to the playoffs,
and you don't see it here. And that's culture and
that's Eric Wilson and Holy Kyle the way he and
Cashman are hitting right now. But with Eric, you doubled
his pay and it's not my business to be like,
is that what it took to get him here? But
(25:50):
he's won three in Green Bay after a handful of
one year deals, got one here too. His first bonus
in twenty seventeen was ten thousand dollars. See it makes
me smile too, you know, five hundred and change a year.
And Quasi and crew roll in like we want you,
we need you. Let's take that one three and make
it a two six. And he came over here. That's
great when things like that work out so well.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Nice hit on Eric, Yeah, you know, the great job
by the pro staff and the coaching staff when that
time of year, we've got to make sure that you're
aligned and especially that position. And Eric has just been
an awesome addition. You're talking about somebody who also loves Minnesota.
He had actually better offers and that he could have taken.
He ended up coming here because he loves it here,
had a great first experience here.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
A lot of guys can can relate to that.
Speaker 8 (26:33):
But you know, the versatility on the ball, off the ball,
how they use him is just a kind of a
chess piece and probably the most well conditioned athlete I've
ever been around.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Yeah, I'm playing, they can't make up the arms.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
All defensive snaps, but special teams. I mean at practice
he's he's taking all the reps of practice, he's helping
the alignment. After practice, he's shooting hoops afterwards. He got
a little game to him as well. So he's a
he's a unique person. We're really glad glad to add.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Him with the well just to give you a snapshot
into Quasi Adolpho Menso's life, Burstitch and I day of
the Cowboys game. It's a night game. We're sitting in
one of these nooks at this cool hotel. The team
stayed at and Quays walks by, and he stops and
he's cordial and he says hello, and you know, we're
chatting about a bunch of different things. But then as
(27:15):
he ended, yeah, he and and Okay, the Browns were
big underdogs at the Bears. But just the way you
ended it, I'll never forget because it gives us a
glimpse into your life where you're like, you mentioned three
or four things that could happen, and maybe the Browns
will beat the Bears and keep playoff hopes alive, and
it was a long shot. And so you went from
(27:36):
that to like, all right, well, I got to go
look at some people for the draft coming up. You
said a specific position. I'll stay away from that. I
gotta I gotta go look at some guys with the draft.
That right there, in a nutshell is your life.
Speaker 8 (27:46):
Yep, yep, it's it's it's awesome. It's you're living in tomorrow,
living in today, living in two weeks.
Speaker 6 (27:51):
It's uh. You know, that's the job.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
A lot a is asked of you in that sense,
but you've got to make sure that you're in the
right time space for the person who's in front of you.
And what I mean by that is, you know sometimes
with keV, you know the way my mind works, I'm drifting.
I want to talk about long term things, and he's
just trying to get through Wednesday practice, Frisday practice. And
I always have to make sure I adjust to meet
him in that space.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
And that's analogous for a relationships. No questions like men
and women or question marriages or whatever. It really is right,
no question, honey, I don't feel well. I don't want
to talk about Jill with all due respect.
Speaker 8 (28:23):
This this this job, and as probably in my my relationship.
Obviously they go together just to help you be better,
a better person for both.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Quasi's here with us for x'es and o's with the
with the final two and and and you can finish
with a winning record by insert seven and eight, finished
finished nine and eight, got a winning record. The fan
has learned. Why is that important? Given no playoffs for
the team or on the horizon this year?
Speaker 8 (28:46):
You know, it's and obviously it's disappointing that we weren't
going to be playing in that tournament because you know,
we talked earlier this year before the season starting being
the team that kind of probably needed to get going,
but will be that team that nobody wants to play
coming down here behind the stretch and look the way
our defense is playing, where we are offense starting to click,
and we're close to maybe being that. But you know,
it's a credit to Kevin and the culture he's built,
(29:07):
how he can keep guys motivated, the people that we
brought in here who love football. You know, that's a
that's a cliche that I think it's said. But when
a Josh Mattelis decides to play through multiple injuries for
multiple games for his team and comes in, you know,
doesn't want to be shut down. Like those are type
of people that set programs, and so I do think
it is important for us to continue to play good
football because also we're gonna have a lot of a
(29:28):
lot of these same players gonna be here next year.
Speaker 6 (29:30):
So we're building something.
Speaker 8 (29:31):
I think all momentums, all momentum is you know, contained
and it's real. And we got a lot of players,
young quarterbacks, ring received, young young this, young that veterans
who are going to be here next year, and we're
all building that cohesion towards you know what, we want
to be a better result next year.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
And Brian O'Neill is analogous to what you just said.
And here we are at MetLife and it's two and
a half three hours, two and a half hours before
the game. When I get down to the field two fifteen,
maybe there he is down there with Tyler with a
medical staff, and Cooper might have been there, the offensive
line coach, whomever. That's about twenty five percent those guys
(30:08):
play when they're doing that before the game. Oh by
the way, you're not going to the playoffs. Oh by
the way, it's called Oh by the way, it's Wendy.
Oh by the way, whatever hurts. And then I chatted
with him with a drive by as I call him
after the game about that. I mean, that's it phenomenal, man.
I mean, you talk about personal pride, pushing through things.
Not for yourself. That might be a little bonus there,
(30:28):
who knows, but it's for others. It's a y not
eye approach to his career. He's become one of my
favorite players in all my years calling games because of
things like that.
Speaker 8 (30:38):
Absolutely, you know, I try never to throw this term
around too often, but program player, that's what we mean
by program player, the type of ability he has, but
also the culture setting what he does to uplift others
and what he does to have that personal responsibility that
I'm sure that was built long ago with his parents,
his family, and I've never I haven't really met the
people that ever in his life with that type of accountability.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I met him in New Orleans, yeah, yeah, a couple
of years ago. And their dad and mom are straightforward.
That's where it comes from. And I actually I have
met his dad actually in the hotel one time. But
that's where that probably comes from. Just that accountability, the
self and and too team. That's that's awesome. Can you
imagine if, like your job at the highest level was
(31:19):
the way high school parents for like hockey players, the
absoletes and stuff, or they all got an opinion. They're
always yelling, They're always like, hey, play my some more
playing do this dude? Can you imagine like if somebody
came up to you and is like, my son's up
at the end of the year, what are you thinking, Well,
what would you do if that happened?
Speaker 8 (31:38):
I mean, the parents just get replaced by agents. My
job is probably not different than than than than that
in that sense, right, But you understand, it's human nature.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Everybody wants to play.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
They believe in that they've gotten to this place where
they're the one percent of the one percent of the
one percent because there's a belief.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
There's a belief that they should be out there.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
So just because they're on a field with other great players,
I mean, they don't think they should be playing, right.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
So it's just the job.
Speaker 8 (32:00):
It's great because you know what happens, it happens, It
absolutely happens. It's just a great dynamic. To me, I
was kind of those one of those self. I was like,
I don't think I'm as good as that guy. I
don't think I should be playing. So, you know, I
was kind of one of those realistic players.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
So it's good to be around the opposite.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Yeah, I've I've met some moms and dads this year,
probably more this year than I have from the sideline work.
Donovan Jackson's mom and dad. I mean, you can tell
that why he squared away. Well, Justin's dad too, Jefferson. Absolutely.
I mean, and that's like, you know, with with all
the media reports and social media, like Justin's handling this well,
and you see this in Seattle, He's sitting on a
(32:36):
helmet and he's not happy. Okay, maybe in that moment
he's not. But with Justin when you really get to
know him behind the scenes, man, he gets it. I
mean he yeah, he wants more. Sure, he doesn't want
to have two touchdowns, but he gets it from a
Y not I standpoint. And it never was a problem
with Justin behind the scenes. The way the season is
gone just unreal.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
I think, you know, adversity reveals character, and you know,
a lot of the great things he's done, you know,
we can talk about at nauseum. You could do a
whole show and multiple shows on it. But a lot
of stuff like this is what you know. But I'll
remember where the you know, everybody talks about the one
catch in twenty twenty two, but Buffalo, buff not Buffalo.
Speaker 6 (33:15):
What was the game where he had it.
Speaker 8 (33:17):
We didn't end up winning the game, but he had
a he recovered a fumble, he hustled back thirty yards
of recover Funbell then made a great fourth down catch
the next play. Things like that people don't remember, but
that's the ultimate competitor. So when they see the downsat
sitting on a cool or whatever, it's the same person
who the fire to win is just in him.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
And then the.
Speaker 8 (33:33):
Joyful guy off the field up where that comes from
his family, the upbring, the great life that he has. Yeah,
he's a special player to get another program player that
we're so glad to have.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Now, Kevin O'Connell speaks today Spearfish about one o'clock one
fifteen somewhere around there, twelve fifty and we're going to
carry it on KFA and we say Spearfish. Yes, he's
from Spearfish out Dakota's my nickname for that it's his
first time I should play basketball with him, and that
there was a basketball player named James Johnson who played
for the Miami.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Yeah, really good martial arts guy, some big time yea.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Yeah, he might be a little off guilter sometimes, but
they played against each other when James played in Montana
and Sam played in Spearfish. And Sam was a really
good South Dakota basketball player. I found this picture of
James Johnson just dunking on him. It's not true, okay,
but yeah, nickname Spearfish between us. So the point being
(34:23):
here is that Kevin O'Connell, when he speaks, probably will
offer some clarity on the quarterback situation into the Christmas
Day game at three point thirty, My quarterback question for
the general manager is despite the finger, what what are
you starting to see in McCarthy. You know you're going
to like moving forward.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
It's just there has big growth moments, you know.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
I try and make sure that my dialogue with him
is weighted incredibly positive because you know, if you think
about this world on thee, the external world, who's always
going to be negative, and then you've got coaching who
are going to be positive, but they're also going to
coach him. So me, I try and always make sure
i'm highlanding. Hey, man, this is a great thing that
I'm seeing. You're doing things like really playing up in
the pocket. You know a lot of young quarterbacks when
(35:04):
they get pressure in their face, they're trying to bail
out the back. He's very good about getting up in
the pocket either to make scrambles or make good decisions.
Some of those great plays that Kevin's already highlighted where
you know it's a play action shot play where he
just says, hey, it's not here, I'm going to check
it down to Aaron Jones for eight yards growth plays.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Those are growth plays.
Speaker 8 (35:19):
And then you see the special plays where he's rolling
out to his left and he hits nailor on an
aggressive decision or a playing the scene to TJ. So
you're seeing the plays where he you know, quarterback position.
To me, you know, it's a person who's maybe not
an expert, just kind of an evaluator and kind of
a big picture thinker about it. It's about being Clark
Kent superman. It's right, how many times you're going to
put the cape on, But sometimes you just need to
(35:40):
keep the glasses on and be that guy and kind
of do those things. And that's the balance these have
because the great ones are wired to want to put
the cape on all the time, and I think that
we're seeing him put the cape on a couple times,
three times four times a game, but also do the
Clark Kent things, the boring things that really just matriculate
offensive football down the field. So those are the things
that I'm really excited to see. Just the preparation, showing
(36:01):
up a week of practice, getting the game plan, doing
all those great things, being there for his team is
really exciting to see.
Speaker 7 (36:07):
So that's why a.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Few games ago when O'Connell at a press conference or
here at X's and O's when he said, I was
so proud of JJ he took the check down. I
didn't get it. I'm kind of always there, but the
Clark kept bit. Yeah, that's a wonderful analogy by Quasia
Dopa mensa general manager for the Minnesota Vikings. It's X's
and O's the Jaalen's first redman. It can be argued
(36:29):
he's the defensive MVP. That's my opinion. Nobody maybe nobody
else in here, but that's my opinion. How did you
guys find him last year?
Speaker 8 (36:36):
So that was you know, Ryan Grigson, As he's obviously
an accomplished history in this league. He will share he
loves looking at other leagues. He loves looking where he
doesn't think other people are. One of his first jobs
was in the CFL, so he's got an affinity to
other leagues and so he's really hard in our pro group.
Speaker 6 (36:54):
He's like, hey, I don't want you to don't just.
Speaker 8 (36:56):
Closs over those UFL guys or whatever, because because the
NFL miss and the markets aren't always perfectly efficient, there
are guys that slip through the cracks. Uh, so they
elevated him to RG and then RG and he's excitable guy.
So once he gets excited about something, he's making the
cut up. He's that big, big shadow figures in my doorway.
He's like, hey, we got to sign this guy. I
remember standing over his shoulder looking at the cut up
(37:17):
and he's you know, he's describing to me, and I'm like,
for a for a twitchy passwords guy, I feel like
the run game is better than you're you're giving on
and you know, and so that time of the year,
I think it was a May something like that. It's
you're not looking for Reggie White, You're you're looking for
a good player to come in and compete for your
ninety man.
Speaker 6 (37:31):
And see what happened.
Speaker 8 (37:32):
He had some unique circumstances coming out where blood clot
yes and some things like that, and so really ran
ran a really good combined time, really good athlete. As
you see the play style show up on film and man,
credit to that, to Marcus and that in the staff
of marj everybody this really put their hands on him.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
He's gotten a lot better.
Speaker 8 (37:51):
He's really really physical in the run game, has kind
of worked on his pass rush and then just a
play style. I love his play style, love the play
style in that room. So he's been excited to see him.
And the credits to personnel, credits to coaching. That's that's
one of those aligned success stories.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
And he's available and he's one of those I was
with the Dallas Renegades a year and change ago. You
can't make the club and the jub I'm playing through
this thing and he's come through six sacks, like eleven TFLs.
Then you get to the other Jalen Nailor, and he's
set to be an unrestricted free agent after the year.
So welcome to the microcosm of the life of the
general manager. It's like, yes, great sack by Wilson, Oh great, hey,
(38:29):
look at Nailor. Great. You know what I'm saying, is
you in the now and what's coming and how do
you handle that?
Speaker 8 (38:36):
You know, I first start with all these guys you
bring in, you call him on the draft day and
or you sign him in May. You're not lying when
you say you want them to achieve whatever their dream is.
You want the best version themselves, for their family, for themselves,
and obviously in the hope of helping the Viking so
first and foremost and really happened for daily Jalen. I
(38:57):
think when we drafted and we saw this coming, and
that first year he had a really good special teams role,
he had some good gunner reps and we were healthy
in that room, so he didn't get the time on offense.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
That next offseason he was amazing and it just got hurt.
Speaker 8 (39:09):
So I think some of this stuff we're seeing was
delayed a year because the injuries last year. Kind of
inconsistent with some things, but really works hard. I mean, Keenan,
I think is the best in the best in the NFL.
And you know that's just hands down how it is.
And so when he was going through some of those things,
they're in the indoor work with them, working on some
things and building up the confidence. They knew this was coming,
(39:29):
and so just proud of him, happy of him he
saw in college. It's it's difficult. Sometimes there's a guy who, Man,
this guy looks like he's getting open. He's just not
getting the ball. If you're looking at counting stats, maybe
the numbers weren't weren't there, but we're seeing a guy
who's getting open on tape, and he played on the
other side of a pretty good player plays for another
team or a division I won't name, but you know
we really liked him obviously, the combine stuff. An explosive player,
(39:50):
really good early speed in the forty and then just
a really great worker. Just and again if we mix
that with the room, the environment, a room led by
Justin Jefferson, you get to watch him take India every day.
You're gonna learn some things and you're going to listen
to Tony and Keenan and all the great environment.
Speaker 6 (40:06):
Kevin.
Speaker 8 (40:06):
I mean, he just gets such great coaching that this
is really happy for him. And look what, we'll cross
those bridges when we get to the off season. We'll
have those conversations. I know he loves it here and
we love him. We'll deal with those economic realities when
they come. But first and foremost happy for him.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
It is Will Reikerd a human or a machine.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
You know, it's fun.
Speaker 8 (40:24):
We remember the conversation about that, and you know hat
all our scouts we just love the guy. And you
know we talk a lot about kickers need to be
you know, everyone knows like closures in baseball. I'm always
just like you gotta be some messed up kind of dude,
three three guys. The stadium is yelling you got one
run three guys on. You kind of just look around
and it's like the joker almost like this, and you're
(40:44):
kind of kickers.
Speaker 6 (40:46):
Got to be the same, you know, And I just
admire people like that.
Speaker 8 (40:49):
So in the process, obviously we have all the expected
points added and all these metrics about how good he was,
and he.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Was top three in the class to us.
Speaker 8 (40:57):
But the story they told about him at the combine
workout and some of the stuff we had heard it,
but from the school about the competitor and how he's wired,
that was the stuff that was like, oh, I think
this guy has that machine or the joker, the lover
of chaos, and just you know, he makes a field
goal when he's doing the carmelo at the three point thing,
and it's just it's awesome to see that stuff. From
those ideas we had a couple of years come and
(41:17):
then and then to the player he is now.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Lastly, your analogies are great. By the way, Harrison Smith,
they hit man. If he's done after fourteen years, so
be it. He's not playing like a guy who's done.
I mean, okay, So we have the cat and mouse
with Dak. That that I mean flummox Dak. Let's just
put it that way. And Dak's im last game darts
Young running up there here, I come here, I come
(41:40):
back pedals, messed everything up. But when he did come
in there, he's faster now than he was at this
stage last season, don't you think.
Speaker 8 (41:49):
Yeah, he's I mean, he puts so much into it.
I'm sure if you interviewed him, he'd tell you about
that crazy machine he uses to extend his career.
Speaker 6 (41:57):
But he's you talk.
Speaker 8 (41:58):
About the mental game and how you're able to faster
because his mental game. I think Flow calls him probably
the smartest player he's ever been around.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Wow, it's Brian Flores says that.
Speaker 6 (42:06):
I'm pretty I'm pretty sure it was an offhand comment out.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Of rings with a lot of Patriots. Yeah, you know
what I mean. It's the ultimate compliment.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Yeah, And he's just that that level of player.
Speaker 8 (42:15):
And so you know, again, I've only been a GM
with Harrison Smith here, right, He's gonna be involved in
some way what he's done. I'm gonna make him great
to come here and just just give me the knowledge
and the lifeblood that he's given me just this organization
has been lucky.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
To have him. Sam Newton's holding a sign up for me.
I know you have Pat McAfee three minutes from now,
and that's going to be an hour fifteen, so we're
gonna let you go. Okay, Hey, my man, appreciate you
a little very much. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Chris do Fo mensa general manager for the Minnesota Vikings.
That's Xes and OS
Beggars season bright with Today's talk Back Tuesday on the
Fan Open Cafe on the iHeartRadio app, hit the red
microphone icon, thirty seconds or last tell us which Viking
has been the biggest gift to the team this year
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for details.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And now the vox of all voxes ever to vox.
He he's a rochch He's Alan Roach from out Mile Highway.
I understand, heading to the cities for the Christmas life changer.
And he's also a Slaton, Minnesota native, so he's probably
gonna reconvene with some family and friends. And here comes
(00:47):
the voice of US Bank Stadium and Ball Arena, Alan
Roach at Mile High Roach via X. What's going on there? Roachi? Oh,
good morning, Pa Green Giant. Did did you did you
pull over on the side of the road heading to
that windy airport out Denver Way.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I'm on my way to Denver International Airport, home of
the eleven year construction plan, and I'm currently at I
seventy in.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Federal Have you have you ever when you when you
go down those escalators or got ready to head up
the escalators and you're buy those trams and you hear
I don't know what you say. The white zone is
for loading and unloading only, you know what I mean.
Have you ever been talking to somebody and then they
hear your voice on the overhead and they're like, wow,
(01:40):
that's weird.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Kind of purposely avoid that whole thing. I don't ever
talk when my when my kids were little, when they
were you know, four or five, six, seven years old,
and I'm standing on the train holding their hand as
we're coming up to a stop, I would reach down
and look at them and say down please ask. Then
right after that the hold on please would come over
(02:04):
the intercom and the train, and I'd get some pretty
good looks, and of course my kids would.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Go, Dad, that's so good. But I mean, you you're
you're prompt. I mean you're all squared away and stuff. Man,
I don't think you like to rush, and I know
I don't, but I mean at Denver International Airport sometimes
at I seventy, traffic can just sneak up on somebody,
and so maybe you're running a couple of seconds late.
So if you ever had to bellow for a tram
(02:30):
from like twenty feet away, ma'am, can you please hold
that door? I'm running late, And then they hear hold
on that would be so sweet.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
There's there's a message that says if the doors are closing,
first to hear that the doors are closing. And then
if somebody you know is still in the way or
getting on the train or has a backpack in the
way and the doors have to open back up, it
hus a message that says, you are delaying the departure
of the stream. And so every every now and then
(03:03):
I'll stick my foot in there just because I like
to hear that one.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Well.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
The the worst thing about Colorado sports teams doing well
is when you get on those trams and I'm out
there several times a year, it's instead of hearing hold
on tight, ma'am, get your foot out of the door.
You hear Hi.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
This is Cale mccarr and welcome to Denver International Airport.
Thanks for coming out and supporting all the sports teams.
Or you know, Hi, this is Haven Moses, or Hi,
this is Jamal Murray. You know, when the teams are
doing well, we lose the vox on the tram.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Yeah, that's a message that is that is always there
and always changing, and you know, maybe sometimes it's Rick
up Church, maybe it's Carl Mecklenberg, some former Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I Alan roach at my OHI roach Vax. He's eyes
on the side of the road by ready to go
to the airport. So the game's Thursday. This is Tuesday.
You don't normally come back to Wednesday. So the assumption
here is we're gonna have some Christmas Eve festivities down
Slayton Way with friends and family and maybe the Winter family.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Not Trevor Winter. Yeah, I'm not sure. Where do you
shock for that guy. I'm not going to Slayton. I
will be going to Saint Louis Park tomorrow and spend
some time with my sister's family and my daughter. I
have a sleigh full of Christmas goodies as we speak,
and look forward to some family time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Indeed, and a week from Friday, sources indicate to me
before the Green Bay Packers game, we're going to have
the box of all boxes ever to Vox at eleven
am Buffalo wild Wings Egan for the Friday football Feast.
That's a week from Friday. Can you confirm or deny.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I will be I'll be flying in on the first
on Thursday. So I am excited being a a rookie
at the football feast. And my wife is very excited too,
although you know I have to get her out of
bed on her on her vacation from our hotel, but
she she's very excited to meet God's cartoon character. So
(05:17):
I hope to bring my lovely Brian alone.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Please do it's it's I mean, Buffalo wildlies might put
you to work. I mean we might hear ma'am your
six lemon pepper wings already, but I won't let.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Him do that.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
But I can't wait to see you. Nordo is excited
to talk to you. I'm battling a little something right
now with my throat and uh Nordo has a couple
of questions for you, and here they are.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
You know what I filled in a week ago, mister roach.
You you were texting me during a segment as we
were talking about respective blue line pairings Macarr of course,
and Quinn Hughes doing the matchup. How happy are you
ABS fans? You just got to roll in. You caught
us on a back to back. Yeah, absolutely, wax this
the other day. Nobody's ever going to catch the AVS
(06:02):
ball Arena, home of a Stanley Cup. Yet again, where
where's your head at with with your favorite hockey team
and our favorite hockey team?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, Rochie, So are you writing that one off as
a schedule loss? Is that what that was?
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:18):
It was back to back, it was tough, it was
emotional the day before and we hand I mean when
it really mattered, of course, was Black Friday, and we
took care of business in the shootout. So yesterday it's
I mean, we're we're gearing up for April and May games.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
You guys can have all the mid December ones you want.
Be careful with that.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Yeah, and that's exactly right. I mean, I'm a broken record.
I know I've said it on this show before, and
I say it to everybody, no matter what what sport
you're in, what season you're in. In the hockey, you
don't want to be the best team in the league
in October, November and December. That gets you absolutely nowhere.
Maybe it gets you, you know, at a better playoffs,
(07:00):
but you need to be the best team in the
league in April and May and June. And you know,
the Avalanche over the last five years, we've been the
best team in the league for two months at some
point of the season. And it was only the twenty
two two season where we were the best team in
the league in April and May, and that got us
(07:22):
Lord Stanley. So you know this team, Yes, they're they're
off to a dynamic start, a record breaking start, a
start that almost has never been equalled in league history.
I'n't a number the other day. The Avalanche, I think
are plus sixty in gold differential. What have we played
thirty three games? But that means they've won every game
(07:44):
by two goals, and like the next closest team in
gold differential is thirty. So yeah, the Avalanche right now
are just off the charts. But again, if we get
to if we get to March and the team is
struggling or having injuries, no one's really going to look
back and say, gee, we sure we're good. Then it's
(08:06):
not going to do you any good once we get
to where you need to be.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
For those of you not clued into this, Alan Roach
the voice of US Bank Stadium, so you've heard it there.
He's also the voice of ball Arena, does Super Bowls
and every big spot event in the history of the world.
Allan is done and with a ball arena. That's where
the Colorado Avalanche play and outside of the Vikings that's
his favorite team. And we're not mad at any four
of that. But you know, when the Wild did beat
(08:34):
the Avalanche on Black Friday and Valstat had a little
celebration to him, got under the skin of the box
of all boxes ever Devox so much so that we're
two and a half hours maybe two hours and forty
five minutes before the Washington Commander's Minnesota Vikings game. I'm
taping my stuff up. I'm highlighting the game calling depth chart.
All of a sudden, I hear PA, I've arrived in
(08:57):
Quinnesota or Pa, can you come say hello and I'll
walk up there. Oh no, this was actually at Brian
Harper's going away party last week. That's what it was
at the Vikings at the Vikings Museum. PA brought something
for you to see. You know what They were to
Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup winning rings. Come on that Roachie
(09:19):
gets for being the box. He was just showing me like,
do they have any of these in Quinnesota? I mean, Minnysea.
It was just fa, You're fantastic, Allen, get you get
a ring. Mister Roach had multiple rings.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I have a ring from two thousand run and a
ring from twenty twenty two, and I'm being fitted for
a ring in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
All right, now, here's the deal. All right Now, I'm
not a Vikings team employee, you know that. Yeah, I'm
on a higher gun ten ninety nine. That's not preferred,
But it's the lot in life God has given me.
And I love calling Vikings games. So if the Vikings
win a super Bowl and the Wilfs waffle, the rings
you and I will have for doing fan line and
boxing the game from Continental Diamond will have. It'll have
(10:02):
Justin Jefferson looking at it saying, dog, bro, where'd you
get that thing? That's unbelievable? Andy? And revetology. Oh someday,
we just got to win the game. First. Hey, you
know last year year, Alan, your Minnesota Vikings have not
allowed a passing touchdown six consecutive games. Prey good during
the twenty twenty five Covenant where yesterday Nordo and I
(10:24):
were kind of like, where did we go wrong? I
mean six in a row for b Flow with no
passing touchdowns? Jefferson cracks Jarvis Landry's receptions over six years.
He's going to get mosses Christmas Day receiving yards over
six years. I mean Cashman has like ten to sixteen
tackles every single game. Jalen Redman has six acts. Damn man.
(10:47):
That's just crazy, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Box Yeah, And I think it speaks to the locker room.
It speaks to what everybody wants to call culture. And
you know what Kevin O'Connell brought to the team and
the players that they have, and I think it really
puts an exclamation point on that because you look around
(11:09):
the league. You know, I think I don't know it
was last week or the week before. I kind of
looked at the schedule after the Sunday was over and
there were like eight teams that were out of the
playoffs already, and all of those teams lost except the Vikings.
And you know, it takes a lot to play this game,
to put your body basically out in the middle of
(11:31):
traffic on the freeway forty five times a day and
be able to get up for something that you know
is not going to lead where you wanted the road
to go. At the beginning of the season and the
Minnesota Vikings have done that way forever. When we have
a six win season, a seven win season and a disappointment,
(11:53):
normally there's a bounce back the following year, and that
does go to culture and it goes to you know,
the history of the Vikings. Hey man, we're We're not
reptiles or birds. We're bikings.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We're Bikings. You are the best mile High. Roach. Can't
wait to see you on Thursday. Merry Christmas, and God
bless you and your family. Thanks for the time, all right.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I look forward to seeing you at the Football Peast
next weekend.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Can't wait. That's gonna be good. See you about safe travels, Alan,
Merry Christmas, to all, Merry Christmas, and to all a
good night. To the segment with Alan Roach, the voice
of US Bank Stadium and airports across the Great Divide.
The white zone is for loading and unloading of passengers only.
A Quasia do Famensa joins nine to noon twenty minutes
(12:42):
from now. Don't leave.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
It's a special holiday edition of the Football Feast this
week and join Pa No No, alec Lewis, Buffalo Wild Wings, Roseville.
Is it Get you set for a Christmas Day Battle
with the Lions plus great eats, your shot prizes all
morning long. Doors open an eight am, gil kfa n
dot com, key Recolendar.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Fin baaby jjays.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas. We played at about
an hour ago if you missed it. One of our
favorite parody bits we do each and every year this
time Christmas season. As it is, It's time for twelve
days of a Vikings Christmas.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Oh yeah, Merry Christmas Vikings fans.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
It's nine to noon. I'm Paul Allen Lenordo. On the
first day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me
I'll pick four Byron Murphy Junior. On the second day
of Christmas, My Vikings gave to me to Isaiah Roun
yours touchdowns and up pick or Mike nine Byron Murphy Junior.
(13:52):
On the third day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us three different quarterbacks just two tds for Jets
and pick for Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 7 (14:05):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
On the fourth day of Chris miss Our, Vikings gave
to us four picks thrown by Brose Murk. Give me
flow three more years to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and pick
four Byron Murphy Junior. On the fifth day of Chris
miss our Vikings gave to us five.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Wins for JJ, four picks thrown by Max.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Give b flow those three more years, just two tds
for Jets, finally an interception for Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
On the sixth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave
to me six sacks from Jalen Redmond, five wins for
JJ Dorothy, four tds for Oliver, Give me flow three
more years right now to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and an
interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the seventh day of
(15:06):
Chris miss my Vikings game to me seven dubs for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ Oki,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rodgers touchdowns, and finally an interception for number seven Byron
(15:27):
Murphy Junior. On the eighth day of Chris missed My
Vikings gave to me eight nasty losses. Seven dubs for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ,
fo tds for Naylor. Just go ahead and get me
for three years right now, only two tds for Jets.
(15:49):
What about that interception for Byron Murphy Juniors. On the
ninth day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me
foolish alter ego eight nasty losses. Me only won seven games,
six sacks from Jalen Redmond.
Speaker 7 (16:07):
Five dougs for jg.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
For tds for all over three different quarterbacks, only two
tds for Jets, and a pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
On the tenth day of Chris missed My Vikings gave
to me ten games with no honey for justin nine.
Speaker 7 (16:31):
Eight nasty losses.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Merely won seven games so far, six sacks for Jaalen Redmond,
five taking away for jj kJ, four tds for Jalen Naylor,
three different quarterbacks, just two tds for Jets, but that
pick at Metal Lands for Byron Murphy Junior. On the
eleventh day of Chris missed My Vikings gave to me
(16:56):
eleven games from feeling ten games with no hunt for justin.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
Nine eight nasty losses.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Seven dumps for the Skull, six sacks for sixty.
Speaker 7 (17:07):
One, five win for JJ.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Let's go, four picks thrown by Max three different quarterbacks,
a couple of Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and a big interception
for Byron Murphy Junior on the twelfth day of Chris
miss My Vikings gave to me twelve million O line combos,
eleven days in Europe, ten games with no honey for
(17:33):
Justin nine's injuries are a problem, eight nasty losses, seven
dumps for the Skull, six sacks for Jalen.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Redman, taking away win for jj JJ.
Speaker 5 (17:45):
Four tds for Oliver and Naylor, three different quarterbacks to
Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns and fine way a pick for my
guy Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
You'll be able to podcast that shortly via the I
Heart Radio app and PA's on GM watch Quasi Udolfo
mensa part of X's and O's with head coach Kevin
O'Connell on a weekly basis. Short week so during short
weeks we get the general manager. So we're gonna be
checking in with Quacy here next segment, but Brett producing
(18:20):
back at the six to five one Carpets plus Studios.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Thanks as always.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
But you know, we we were looking at the NFL
standings and scenarios and just kind of talking through it
in How.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
I don't want to say it's unique, but there's just
it's it's kind of boring, if that makes sense to you. Now,
it's not boring to you. Your favorite team is hanging
on by a thread. You just need another victory. It's
gonna be tough though, with this Jordan Love situation. I
don't know if you can beat the Ravens and then
it'll be a border battle week eighteen to maybe decide
(18:51):
whether you're in or out. But really, if you're looking
at these standings right now, Denver, you know, in the
AFC we can go through that. It's Denver at the
top spot right now. There just some sneaky tiebreaker related
bits that keep them over the twelve and three Patriots.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
But in the AFC, it's like, Okay, the Colts were
watching them cart.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Out Philip Rivers, who's looked kind of freaking good by
the way in his two games stint with Indy, but
they got to win out. They need some help with
the Chargers, So I guess that's not boring. But right
now the Texans are in the catbird seat at ten
and five and most likely will fill out the AFC
(19:30):
playoffs card with everyone else at least clinching a playoff spot.
Ravens they can win out, and they got Week eighteen
against the Steelers. But the only way the Ravens can
get in, and then by nature of this, the Steelers
as well, the only way they're getting in is going
to be as a division winner of the AFC North.
And similarly, on the NFC side, everyone's basically clinched except
(19:54):
for that final spot, and it's either going to be
the Packers or it's going to be the Lions. Now, Tampa,
they can win out, they got to beat the Panthers.
They'll win af the NFC South, So there's some drama there.
Losing that one in Caroline over the weekend not good
for Baker's bunch. But they have a chance to win
out and still win the South. But your Packers, Brett,
(20:14):
your Packers at nine to five and one, you get
the Ravens and then it's the border battle here. How
much are you sweating whether or not your favorite team's
going to find its way into that final wildcard spot?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
And good morning a little bit.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I was very panicked after the collapse where the pack
had a ninety nine percent chance to win the game
with three minutes left, and found a way to lose
very similar, almost in the exact same fashion they lost
in Seattle in twenty fourteen, which a common still refers
to as the greatest Vikings game of all time. It
is boring in the sense that the only thing that's
(20:49):
not at a ninety or above percent according to the
NFL analytics is the Panthers and the Bucks, who have
the box of a fifty seven percent chance to make
the playoffs cord in the NFL. They like them like
Steelers ninety one, Texans ninety seven, Green Bay ninety three.
So and we've still got two games left to play.
It's weird. I am stressed. I would like the Lamar
(21:09):
thing changes things, but the Jordan Love thing changes things
as well. So we'll see how Jordan Love what a
just a no good, very bad game. And I checked
out of sports for the rest of the weekend because
of it.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You maybe you guys said this while I was down
the hall. You need the Vikings right on Thursday. Yeah
on Thursday. Yeah, they need us on they do need
us on Thursday. Indeed, is it's simply enough.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Lion's got to win out Packers got to lose out
and that's really and then again, the bake Bucks still
control their destiny.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Went out, there'll be NFC South Division champs.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
So it's kind of there aren't a ton of bits
this season in terms of the final couple of weeks.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
We're just trying to get out alive and.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Maybe, you know what, let's go beat those kiddies and
spoil their postseason chances. And we're all bitter about how
our season's gone. Let's spread some of that bitterness on
an otherwise beauty full holiday.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
So that's where we're at, playoff wise, And let's chat
with Minnesota Vikings general manager Quasi at dopho Mensa for
x'es and o's next exes and o's is in the
air this week with Quaissi a DOFO Mensa, general manager
for the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, the regular Tuesday guest.
We have some short week stuff going on right now
(22:21):
with a Christmas Day game at three point thirty, so
that's Thursday. And whenever we have short weeks taking place,
the general manager is nice enough to stop by, which
means we are nice enough to breach iHeart audio rules
and play some post Malone. Is it's post Malone? And
sway Lee, is that is that? Who that is? Yeah?
So that Brett Blakemore, who's a guy named the Great
(22:43):
Ship Love Covenant back at KFA, and he'll pull that
out of the podcast and we'll move on with our
lives here with x'es and o's and this is the
first time you've been here since. We have a second camera.
That's a Paigeager's camera. It's it's very tantamo out to
capture all three of my chins and that'll be your
camera there. And the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings
joins us with Christmas Thursday. So at at your household?
(23:07):
Do do you guys load up the kids with gifts
and toys and maybe a Beginner's Manual to Learning Predictive
Analytics for Business Forecasting and Planning by something CPF Eric
Wilson and good morning.
Speaker 8 (23:21):
Oh my god, that's too funny. You know that reminds
me of how I was brought up. You know, in
Sega Genesis I'm dating myself was a video game system.
I remember asking for my mom and she said, you
can have it, but these are you going to be
your first games, it was Jeopardy, Wheel a Fortune, and
there's like a third just educational game. I didn't get mad,
and that was not the first game really, But now
we you know I am who I am, So I
(23:43):
do a ton of little counting stuff with me your son,
because predictive analytics at the base base level is a
distant funk distance function. You're dis counting at the end
of the day, minimizing distance. So I trying to get
him counting and stuff like that. But you know what,
I will talk about Christmas. I had probably my one
of my favorite moments last week where I felt like
a My wife asked me to put together one of
his his toys and I kind of waited to the
(24:04):
last second. She's like, I'll have somebody else do it,
and I was like, you will not have somebody else
do it.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
I'm going to do it myself.
Speaker 8 (24:09):
So I get home at probably ten o'clock after a
long day and I'm it looked like a stick figure drawing.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
I don't know what the instructions were.
Speaker 8 (24:17):
I was like, I'm set up to fail here, and
she's she's like, you should just go to bed, which
was the wrong thing to say because I was like,
I'm never going to go to bed until I finished this.
So I'm up till one thirty putting together this. This
was it like, actually, I don't want to say just
in case my son says this got he's got to
be surprised on Christmas Day.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
But so did you put it together the right way?
Speaker 8 (24:36):
It is functional, It is really functional, and it works
and it's rare. It's crazy how proud of yourself you are.
And then also like this connection you feel to like
I just wanted to go up to every dad and
be like, hey, man, hey, me too.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
What if your wife had said, honey, honey, your hey,
the world needs white collar people too. The next door.
We need somebody blue collar like vern next door. Let's
have him come over and put this thing together. That
would have gone over.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
I would have tried to fix things in the house
that have been really bad for everybody.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Speaking, so that when I was putting this thing together.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
YEA.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
The The Beginner's Manual to Learning Predictive Analytics for Business
Forecasting and Planning by Eric Wilson, Well that's why I
used it because it was Eric Wilson, but not our
Eric Wilson. But speaking of our Eric Wilson. You know,
we Nordo and I last week because he's just been
he's been awesome, man, And you know it's we're going
to get into culture. And the way I'll phrase it
(25:29):
outside of culture is, hey, human nature gets to win too,
you know. And you see some scores and some things
from around the league from teams not going to the playoffs,
and you don't see it here. And that's culture and
that's Eric Wilson and Holy Kyle the way he and
Cashman are hitting right now. But with Eric, you doubled
his pay and it's not my business to be like,
is that what it took to get him here? But
(25:50):
he's won three in Green Bay after a handful of
one year deals, got one here too. His first bonus
in twenty seventeen was ten thousand dollars. See it makes
me smile too, you know, five hundred and change a year.
And Quasi and crew roll in like we want you,
we need you. Let's take that one three and make
it a two six. And he came over here. That's
great when things like that work out so well.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Nice hit on Eric, Yeah, you know, the great job
by the pro staff and the coaching staff when that
time of year, we've got to make sure that you're
aligned and especially that position. And Eric has just been
an awesome addition. You're talking about somebody who also loves Minnesota.
He had actually better offers and that he could have taken.
He ended up coming here because he loves it here,
had a great first experience here.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
A lot of guys can can relate to that.
Speaker 8 (26:33):
But you know, the versatility on the ball, off the ball,
how they use him is just a kind of a
chess piece and probably the most well conditioned athlete I've
ever been around.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Yeah, I'm playing, they can't make up the arms.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
All defensive snaps, but special teams. I mean at practice
he's he's taking all the reps of practice, he's helping
the alignment. After practice, he's shooting hoops afterwards. He got
a little game to him as well. So he's a
he's a unique person. We're really glad glad to add.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Him with the well just to give you a snapshot
into Quasi Adolpho Menso's life, Burstitch and I day of
the Cowboys game. It's a night game. We're sitting in
one of these nooks at this cool hotel. The team
stayed at and Quays walks by, and he stops and
he's cordial and he says hello, and you know, we're
chatting about a bunch of different things. But then as
(27:15):
he ended, yeah, he and and Okay, the Browns were
big underdogs at the Bears. But just the way you
ended it, I'll never forget because it gives us a
glimpse into your life where you're like, you mentioned three
or four things that could happen, and maybe the Browns
will beat the Bears and keep playoff hopes alive, and
it was a long shot. And so you went from
(27:36):
that to like, all right, well, I got to go
look at some people for the draft coming up. You
said a specific position. I'll stay away from that. I
gotta I gotta go look at some guys with the draft.
That right there, in a nutshell is your life.
Speaker 8 (27:46):
Yep, yep, it's it's it's awesome. It's you're living in tomorrow,
living in today, living in two weeks.
Speaker 6 (27:51):
It's uh. You know, that's the job.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
A lot a is asked of you in that sense,
but you've got to make sure that you're in the
right time space for the person who's in front of you.
And what I mean by that is, you know sometimes
with keV, you know the way my mind works, I'm drifting.
I want to talk about long term things, and he's
just trying to get through Wednesday practice, Frisday practice. And
I always have to make sure I adjust to meet
him in that space.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
And that's analogous for a relationships. No questions like men
and women or question marriages or whatever. It really is right,
no question, honey, I don't feel well. I don't want
to talk about Jill with all due respect.
Speaker 8 (28:23):
This this this job, and as probably in my my relationship.
Obviously they go together just to help you be better,
a better person for both.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Quasi's here with us for x'es and o's with the
with the final two and and and you can finish
with a winning record by insert seven and eight, finished
finished nine and eight, got a winning record. The fan
has learned. Why is that important? Given no playoffs for
the team or on the horizon this year?
Speaker 8 (28:46):
You know, it's and obviously it's disappointing that we weren't
going to be playing in that tournament because you know,
we talked earlier this year before the season starting being
the team that kind of probably needed to get going,
but will be that team that nobody wants to play
coming down here behind the stretch and look the way
our defense is playing, where we are offense starting to click,
and we're close to maybe being that. But you know,
it's a credit to Kevin and the culture he's built,
(29:07):
how he can keep guys motivated, the people that we
brought in here who love football. You know, that's a
that's a cliche that I think it's said. But when
a Josh Mattelis decides to play through multiple injuries for
multiple games for his team and comes in, you know,
doesn't want to be shut down. Like those are type
of people that set programs, and so I do think
it is important for us to continue to play good
football because also we're gonna have a lot of a
(29:28):
lot of these same players gonna be here next year.
Speaker 6 (29:30):
So we're building something.
Speaker 8 (29:31):
I think all momentums, all momentum is you know, contained
and it's real. And we got a lot of players,
young quarterbacks, ring received, young young this, young that veterans
who are going to be here next year, and we're
all building that cohesion towards you know what, we want
to be a better result next year.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
And Brian O'Neill is analogous to what you just said.
And here we are at MetLife and it's two and
a half three hours, two and a half hours before
the game. When I get down to the field two fifteen,
maybe there he is down there with Tyler with a
medical staff, and Cooper might have been there, the offensive
line coach, whomever. That's about twenty five percent those guys
(30:08):
play when they're doing that before the game. Oh by
the way, you're not going to the playoffs. Oh by
the way, it's called Oh by the way, it's Wendy.
Oh by the way, whatever hurts. And then I chatted
with him with a drive by as I call him
after the game about that. I mean, that's it phenomenal, man.
I mean, you talk about personal pride, pushing through things.
Not for yourself. That might be a little bonus there,
(30:28):
who knows, but it's for others. It's a y not
eye approach to his career. He's become one of my
favorite players in all my years calling games because of
things like that.
Speaker 8 (30:38):
Absolutely, you know, I try never to throw this term
around too often, but program player, that's what we mean
by program player, the type of ability he has, but
also the culture setting what he does to uplift others
and what he does to have that personal responsibility that
I'm sure that was built long ago with his parents,
his family, and I've never I haven't really met the
people that ever in his life with that type of accountability.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I met him in New Orleans, yeah, yeah, a couple
of years ago. And their dad and mom are straightforward.
That's where it comes from. And I actually I have
met his dad actually in the hotel one time. But
that's where that probably comes from. Just that accountability, the
self and and too team. That's that's awesome. Can you
imagine if, like your job at the highest level was
(31:19):
the way high school parents for like hockey players, the
absoletes and stuff, or they all got an opinion. They're
always yelling, They're always like, hey, play my some more
playing do this dude? Can you imagine like if somebody
came up to you and is like, my son's up
at the end of the year, what are you thinking, Well,
what would you do if that happened?
Speaker 8 (31:38):
I mean, the parents just get replaced by agents. My
job is probably not different than than than than that
in that sense, right, But you understand, it's human nature.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Everybody wants to play.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
They believe in that they've gotten to this place where
they're the one percent of the one percent of the
one percent because there's a belief.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
There's a belief that they should be out there.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
So just because they're on a field with other great players,
I mean, they don't think they should be playing, right.
Speaker 6 (31:58):
So it's just the job.
Speaker 8 (32:00):
It's great because you know what happens, it happens, It
absolutely happens. It's just a great dynamic. To me, I
was kind of those one of those self. I was like,
I don't think I'm as good as that guy. I
don't think I should be playing. So, you know, I
was kind of one of those realistic players.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
So it's good to be around the opposite.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Yeah, I've I've met some moms and dads this year,
probably more this year than I have from the sideline work.
Donovan Jackson's mom and dad. I mean, you can tell
that why he squared away. Well, Justin's dad too, Jefferson. Absolutely.
I mean, and that's like, you know, with with all
the media reports and social media, like Justin's handling this well,
and you see this in Seattle, He's sitting on a
(32:36):
helmet and he's not happy. Okay, maybe in that moment
he's not. But with Justin when you really get to
know him behind the scenes, man, he gets it. I
mean he yeah, he wants more. Sure, he doesn't want
to have two touchdowns, but he gets it from a
Y not I standpoint. And it never was a problem
with Justin behind the scenes. The way the season is
gone just unreal.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
I think, you know, adversity reveals character, and you know,
a lot of the great things he's done, you know,
we can talk about at nauseum. You could do a
whole show and multiple shows on it. But a lot
of stuff like this is what you know. But I'll
remember where the you know, everybody talks about the one
catch in twenty twenty two, but Buffalo, buff not Buffalo.
Speaker 6 (33:15):
What was the game where he had it.
Speaker 8 (33:17):
We didn't end up winning the game, but he had
a he recovered a fumble, he hustled back thirty yards
of recover Funbell then made a great fourth down catch
the next play. Things like that people don't remember, but
that's the ultimate competitor. So when they see the downsat
sitting on a cool or whatever, it's the same person
who the fire to win is just in him.
Speaker 6 (33:33):
And then the.
Speaker 8 (33:33):
Joyful guy off the field up where that comes from
his family, the upbring, the great life that he has. Yeah,
he's a special player to get another program player that
we're so glad to have.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Now, Kevin O'Connell speaks today Spearfish about one o'clock one
fifteen somewhere around there, twelve fifty and we're going to
carry it on KFA and we say Spearfish. Yes, he's
from Spearfish out Dakota's my nickname for that it's his
first time I should play basketball with him, and that
there was a basketball player named James Johnson who played
for the Miami.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Yeah, really good martial arts guy, some big time yea.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Yeah, he might be a little off guilter sometimes, but
they played against each other when James played in Montana
and Sam played in Spearfish. And Sam was a really
good South Dakota basketball player. I found this picture of
James Johnson just dunking on him. It's not true, okay,
but yeah, nickname Spearfish between us. So the point being
(34:23):
here is that Kevin O'Connell, when he speaks, probably will
offer some clarity on the quarterback situation into the Christmas
Day game at three point thirty, My quarterback question for
the general manager is despite the finger, what what are
you starting to see in McCarthy. You know you're going
to like moving forward.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
It's just there has big growth moments, you know.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
I try and make sure that my dialogue with him
is weighted incredibly positive because you know, if you think
about this world on thee, the external world, who's always
going to be negative, and then you've got coaching who
are going to be positive, but they're also going to
coach him. So me, I try and always make sure
i'm highlanding. Hey, man, this is a great thing that
I'm seeing. You're doing things like really playing up in
the pocket. You know a lot of young quarterbacks when
(35:04):
they get pressure in their face, they're trying to bail
out the back. He's very good about getting up in
the pocket either to make scrambles or make good decisions.
Some of those great plays that Kevin's already highlighted where
you know it's a play action shot play where he
just says, hey, it's not here, I'm going to check
it down to Aaron Jones for eight yards growth plays.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Those are growth plays.
Speaker 8 (35:19):
And then you see the special plays where he's rolling
out to his left and he hits nailor on an
aggressive decision or a playing the scene to TJ. So
you're seeing the plays where he you know, quarterback position.
To me, you know, it's a person who's maybe not
an expert, just kind of an evaluator and kind of
a big picture thinker about it. It's about being Clark
Kent superman. It's right, how many times you're going to
put the cape on, But sometimes you just need to
(35:40):
keep the glasses on and be that guy and kind
of do those things. And that's the balance these have
because the great ones are wired to want to put
the cape on all the time, and I think that
we're seeing him put the cape on a couple times,
three times four times a game, but also do the
Clark Kent things, the boring things that really just matriculate
offensive football down the field. So those are the things
that I'm really excited to see. Just the preparation, showing
(36:01):
up a week of practice, getting the game plan, doing
all those great things, being there for his team is
really exciting to see.
Speaker 7 (36:07):
So that's why a.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Few games ago when O'Connell at a press conference or
here at X's and O's when he said, I was
so proud of JJ he took the check down. I
didn't get it. I'm kind of always there, but the
Clark kept bit. Yeah, that's a wonderful analogy by Quasia
Dopa mensa general manager for the Minnesota Vikings. It's X's
and O's the Jaalen's first redman. It can be argued
(36:29):
he's the defensive MVP. That's my opinion. Nobody maybe nobody
else in here, but that's my opinion. How did you
guys find him last year?
Speaker 8 (36:36):
So that was you know, Ryan Grigson, As he's obviously
an accomplished history in this league. He will share he
loves looking at other leagues. He loves looking where he
doesn't think other people are. One of his first jobs
was in the CFL, so he's got an affinity to
other leagues and so he's really hard in our pro group.
Speaker 6 (36:54):
He's like, hey, I don't want you to don't just.
Speaker 8 (36:56):
Closs over those UFL guys or whatever, because because the
NFL miss and the markets aren't always perfectly efficient, there
are guys that slip through the cracks. Uh, so they
elevated him to RG and then RG and he's excitable guy.
So once he gets excited about something, he's making the
cut up. He's that big, big shadow figures in my doorway.
He's like, hey, we got to sign this guy. I
remember standing over his shoulder looking at the cut up
(37:17):
and he's you know, he's describing to me, and I'm like,
for a for a twitchy passwords guy, I feel like
the run game is better than you're you're giving on
and you know, and so that time of the year,
I think it was a May something like that. It's
you're not looking for Reggie White, You're you're looking for
a good player to come in and compete for your
ninety man.
Speaker 6 (37:31):
And see what happened.
Speaker 8 (37:32):
He had some unique circumstances coming out where blood clot
yes and some things like that, and so really ran
ran a really good combined time, really good athlete. As
you see the play style show up on film and man,
credit to that, to Marcus and that in the staff
of marj everybody this really put their hands on him.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
He's gotten a lot better.
Speaker 8 (37:51):
He's really really physical in the run game, has kind
of worked on his pass rush and then just a
play style. I love his play style, love the play
style in that room. So he's been excited to see him.
And the credits to personnel, credits to coaching. That's that's
one of those aligned success stories.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
And he's available and he's one of those I was
with the Dallas Renegades a year and change ago. You
can't make the club and the jub I'm playing through
this thing and he's come through six sacks, like eleven TFLs.
Then you get to the other Jalen Nailor, and he's
set to be an unrestricted free agent after the year.
So welcome to the microcosm of the life of the
general manager. It's like, yes, great sack by Wilson, Oh great, hey,
(38:29):
look at Nailor. Great. You know what I'm saying, is
you in the now and what's coming and how do
you handle that?
Speaker 8 (38:36):
You know, I first start with all these guys you
bring in, you call him on the draft day and
or you sign him in May. You're not lying when
you say you want them to achieve whatever their dream is.
You want the best version themselves, for their family, for themselves,
and obviously in the hope of helping the Viking so
first and foremost and really happened for daily Jalen. I
(38:57):
think when we drafted and we saw this coming, and
that first year he had a really good special teams role,
he had some good gunner reps and we were healthy
in that room, so he didn't get the time on offense.
Speaker 6 (39:05):
That next offseason he was amazing and it just got hurt.
Speaker 8 (39:09):
So I think some of this stuff we're seeing was
delayed a year because the injuries last year. Kind of
inconsistent with some things, but really works hard. I mean, Keenan,
I think is the best in the best in the NFL.
And you know that's just hands down how it is.
And so when he was going through some of those things,
they're in the indoor work with them, working on some
things and building up the confidence. They knew this was coming,
(39:29):
and so just proud of him, happy of him he
saw in college. It's it's difficult. Sometimes there's a guy who, Man,
this guy looks like he's getting open. He's just not
getting the ball. If you're looking at counting stats, maybe
the numbers weren't weren't there, but we're seeing a guy
who's getting open on tape, and he played on the
other side of a pretty good player plays for another
team or a division I won't name, but you know
we really liked him obviously, the combine stuff. An explosive player,
(39:50):
really good early speed in the forty and then just
a really great worker. Just and again if we mix
that with the room, the environment, a room led by
Justin Jefferson, you get to watch him take India every day.
You're gonna learn some things and you're going to listen
to Tony and Keenan and all the great environment.
Speaker 6 (40:06):
Kevin.
Speaker 8 (40:06):
I mean, he just gets such great coaching that this
is really happy for him. And look what, we'll cross
those bridges when we get to the off season. We'll
have those conversations. I know he loves it here and
we love him. We'll deal with those economic realities when
they come. But first and foremost happy for him.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
It is Will Reikerd a human or a machine.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
You know, it's fun.
Speaker 8 (40:24):
We remember the conversation about that, and you know hat
all our scouts we just love the guy. And you
know we talk a lot about kickers need to be
you know, everyone knows like closures in baseball. I'm always
just like you gotta be some messed up kind of dude,
three three guys. The stadium is yelling you got one
run three guys on. You kind of just look around
and it's like the joker almost like this, and you're
(40:44):
kind of kickers.
Speaker 6 (40:46):
Got to be the same, you know, And I just
admire people like that.
Speaker 8 (40:49):
So in the process, obviously we have all the expected
points added and all these metrics about how good he was,
and he.
Speaker 6 (40:54):
Was top three in the class to us.
Speaker 8 (40:57):
But the story they told about him at the combine
workout and some of the stuff we had heard it,
but from the school about the competitor and how he's wired,
that was the stuff that was like, oh, I think
this guy has that machine or the joker, the lover
of chaos, and just you know, he makes a field
goal when he's doing the carmelo at the three point thing,
and it's just it's awesome to see that stuff. From
those ideas we had a couple of years come and
(41:17):
then and then to the player he is now.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Lastly, your analogies are great. By the way, Harrison Smith,
they hit man. If he's done after fourteen years, so
be it. He's not playing like a guy who's done.
I mean, okay, So we have the cat and mouse
with Dak. That that I mean flummox Dak. Let's just
put it that way. And Dak's im last game darts
Young running up there here, I come here, I come
(41:40):
back pedals, messed everything up. But when he did come
in there, he's faster now than he was at this
stage last season, don't you think.
Speaker 8 (41:49):
Yeah, he's I mean, he puts so much into it.
I'm sure if you interviewed him, he'd tell you about
that crazy machine he uses to extend his career.
Speaker 6 (41:57):
But he's you talk.
Speaker 8 (41:58):
About the mental game and how you're able to faster
because his mental game. I think Flow calls him probably
the smartest player he's ever been around.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Wow, it's Brian Flores says that.
Speaker 6 (42:06):
I'm pretty I'm pretty sure it was an offhand comment out.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Of rings with a lot of Patriots. Yeah, you know
what I mean. It's the ultimate compliment.
Speaker 6 (42:12):
Yeah, And he's just that that level of player.
Speaker 8 (42:15):
And so you know, again, I've only been a GM
with Harrison Smith here, right, He's gonna be involved in
some way what he's done. I'm gonna make him great
to come here and just just give me the knowledge
and the lifeblood that he's given me just this organization
has been lucky.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
To have him. Sam Newton's holding a sign up for me.
I know you have Pat McAfee three minutes from now,
and that's going to be an hour fifteen, so we're
gonna let you go. Okay, Hey, my man, appreciate you
a little very much. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Chris do Fo mensa general manager for the Minnesota Vikings.
That's Xes and OS
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