November 7, 2025 • 32 mins
For Hour 3 of the Friday Football Feast has Audra Martin joining the show. Audra talks about the Twins and Wild, as well as her work with FanDuel Sports Network North.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fairy.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody having a good time.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Now?
Speaker 4 (00:21):
Our final guest for this Friday Football is a staple
with fan Dual Sports Network North, specifically with the Twins
in the Minnesota Wild. Can we get a witness and
a raucous round of applause for a dear friend of
(00:42):
mine for quite some time, Ladies and gentlemen, Audra Martin, Hello,
elk River?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Ondra Martin?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Great to see you and you always. And you know what,
when we were texting this week, You're like, I'm a
being elk River. I know, right.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I'm like, well, I mean you got to come on
the radio. So here we are about eleven ten with
a bepy of things to talk about. But you you
show up in this Minnesota Viking shirt.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
I was prepared for you.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You had to have bought that within five days. Last
five days?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Absolutely not?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Are you kidding? Okay, Viking.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I'm not trying to to you know, flood at Oudra
underscore Martin at Odd underscore Martin via the X machine.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Think about it. I think that's my handle is.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
With hate and stuff like that. But I mean, I've
never known you to be and if you're not a
Vikings fan, it's okay, because aren't you from Chicago or Illinois.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
I'm from Chicago, but let me tell you, never, once
in my life have I ever been a Bears fan.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
We are? Ever, how about that? This is let's bubble
down on it.
Speaker 6 (01:49):
So one of my best friends is here. Unfortunately, Tony
wanna call you out. He is also from the Chicago area,
is a Bears fan. But also I know but.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Yeah, I think he actually is secretly a huge Vikings fan.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Are you down?
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Yeah, you're you know what, his team's probably gonna be
six and three, so he should probably then, I mean,
you're an elite sports mind. So therefore, if you're from
the Chicago area not a Bears fan, high level of
appreciation for the Minnesota Vikings Bulls. What what do you
think of the Green Bay Packers? Audra Martin, Well.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Okay, being from Chicago, even though I was not a
Bears fan, really really strong dislike for.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Girls, fire and bullets right now.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Sorry, you know I love the Bears to know that
I don't like the Packers. And again, my best girlfriend,
Lindsay Hayes, who you know, is a huge Packers fan.
So we have got to Packers and Vikings games together
and we have a real hard time sitting next to
each other. It's real tough when your best friend is
one way and I'm this. You know that is you know,
(03:01):
it's like the house divided. Love you, girl, but not
right now.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Alec Lewis the athletic Audraa Martin Audre Martin Alex Lewis.
We've reconfigured the feast chart move to Utah. So we
got to Alec in the mix thanks to Steve's appliances
and Steve's appliances dot com at producers in the mix.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
And here's oder guys, talk about some baseball. You want
to talk baseball? I don't know, do you?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
She covers baseball and knows a lot about it.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I covered the Kansady Royals for three years. Okay, so
I'm somewhat familiar. The Twins just hired a manager.
Speaker 6 (03:31):
Yeah Shelton and my boy LaTroy Hawkins, Like, come.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
On, isn't he like Patrick Mahomes Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
Godfather?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, oh he is yeah, godfather yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
So Derek Shelton, yeah your thoughts Yeah, I'm pumped now.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
That is selfishly because I have worked with Derek Sheltons.
So it makes my job that much easier to have
that familiar do you guys all know what it's like
when you have to talk to a manager when times
are tough. When you have a good relationship with said manager,
it makes your job a little easier.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
You know.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
Dereck Shelton is in a tough position. There's no denying that.
You guys know.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
I'm a homer. I love the Twins. He's in a
tough spot. He was in a tough spot in Pittsburgh.
I don't think that anybody really would have gone into
Pittsburgh and had immediate success given what the situation was
in Pittsburgh. He's coming into the Twins not an easy situation.
But Derek Shelton is a brilliant baseball mind. There's a
reason that he has always been in the conversation for
(04:28):
managerial positions, and you look at you know, his track
record being part of the Yankees organization, going to Cleveland,
that comes with a lot of clout, and I am
really really excited to see what he will do now
having learned maybe not what to do, you know, I
think everybody, I don't care what job you have, right
(04:48):
you learn from your mistakes, you learn from adversity.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
It makes you better.
Speaker 6 (04:52):
And I'm really excited to see what Derek Shelton will
do given what he has gone through in the past,
and the familiarity with the organization and a clean saint
and whatever people's expectations are, let's say, knocks it out
of the park.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
How exciting is that.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Going to be for somebody who has given an opportunity
to have a second shot and do well with it.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
I think it's gonna be great. So I'm excited, LaTroy.
I just was texting with LaTroy about it. I'm pumped.
I'm already looking forward to March.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I should have asked you about Dan Hayes and Aaron
Gleaman before I asked you about Derek Shelton. Really, those
are my boy, those two I met a watch out. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
So, speaking of baseball, can I tell you guys a story?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Pa?
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Can we talk about Denver? So there are certain ballparks
right where where I'm like sitting in the camera. Well,
sometimes I'm not close to the fans removed well in
Denver and that was the first time I'd ever worked
a game in Denver, and I'm sitting there, and all
of a sudden, I hear somebody come up behind me
and is like, I don't even remember what you said
at race Fale. I didn't know it was Pa, but
(06:00):
you said something.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You blew me off this field.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
I literally all I hear is somebody, oh drama, and
I'm like, oh, here we go.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Oh god, it's not like it was you.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Okay, Yeah, you threw me off so hard to understand.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
You were working. So I went back to my seat,
which which you had to.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Walk all the way up to the top, never in
it actually five roads behind you, and.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
I would see you in Denver.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Right, damn?
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Why were you at forest Field?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Daughter lives in Denver. I just graduated from Colorado, helping
her get squared away from Boulder to Denver.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
You just graduated from Colorado.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
She did, so, yeah, I thought I knew the twins
were in town, and so therefore I thought i'd surprised
my dear old friend and she basically had no time.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
For your boy. Well I didn't know. I fans.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
It's not nice. Yeah, that's okay, it's not what I
want to hear. And again, I don't remember what you
said that.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
I just was like, oh, Yeah, go see that ballpark.
That ballpark is buy a bunch of dispensaries. So I
had to climb through a bunch of walking down a
zombies just to get to her in the camera.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, so I was a little flustered myself.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Made my day absolutely movemented well.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
As baseball would go. And Alec, like you said, he's
covering lo Caine and the Kansas City Royals for three
years and you've been on the Twins Beak quite some time.
How long?
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Oh my gosh, this is going to be my eleventh season.
Isn't that crazy? Yeah? I just feel like I moved here.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
What like to me, it feels like it was three
years ago when we were talking about this in the
commercial break. The last time I was on a Friday
football feast was my first year, and Pa was kind
enough to invite me to come down to Misstic.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
Lake and it was meet you in.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Church and Pa, bless your heart because I was new
and I was taking over for Jamie Hirsh and I
felt like I couldn't even fill her shoes. I was
so insecure and terrified of this new opportunity. And PA's like,
come on my show, give the fans a chance to
get to know you, and I have never forgotten how
quin do you were to me at the very beginning,
(08:04):
and so I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
And then we did the.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Box in the Box with Rachel Rams. Yeah, the Ponytail. Well, yeah,
correct me if I'm wrong here.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And job.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
You know, there are certain jobs could that all jobs
can be different, Certain jobs can be difficult. That is
more difficult than others. That baseball grind when when you're
covering baseball, whether you're sideline analyst, sideline reporter like Audra
or your beat rider like Alec, that is it tough?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
The grind that can be baseball.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
Yeah, tell me if you agree with this.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
I think the craziest thing about baseball season is at
the beginning flies by and you're like, oh my gosh,
all of a sudden, we're at the end of May,
and then July hits and you're like.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Oh god, it's only July. We still have so much
more to go.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
And this is even like, I mean, I covered the
Bomba squad right, which was like one of the most
exciting baseball seasons to ever be a part of. But
even that season, July girls around you're like, oh, and
then all of a sudden, you blink and it's September
twentieth and you're like, oh my god, we have ten
days left.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's the weirdest.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
It is a grind, but it's you blink and suddenly.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
It's over those people.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Every day. Yeah, it's actually kind of like silly. It's like, hey,
you I talked to the manager three times a day.
I talked to you three times yesterday. Have any talked
to my parents three times? And a week? Like baseball
is honestly for the people who do baseball day and
day out every year. That is that takes a different
level of commitment, frankly, like it just does.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
It's very different.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
And I think back to my time in Tennessee covering
the Titans, and I used to get really excited to
go on road trips and but you know, it's like
I also was kind of bummed because you're.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Only there for like a day. You know, you can't
really take advantage of it.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Well, then the flip side of baseball is suddenly you're
on a three city road trip and you wake up
in San Francisco and you think that you're in Kansas
City and your timing is all off and I'm like, oh,
wait a minute, I'm in San Francisco. I I'll leave
right now, and you don't know where you are. And then,
like me, I had a hard time getting into my
hotel room a couple weeks ago because I was using
my Starbucks gift card to try to get into the
(10:09):
hotel and I was like, oh, that's wrong, and then
I was like oh, And then on top of it,
I wasn't even at the right room. I was getting
into the hotel room number of the city that I
was in previously. Now I should just start over. I
should just go to bed and try again tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
It is a grind, right, you kind of become delirious
because it just is a lot.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
Well you were you were talking about it with me
off air, though, is that it does? It does have
that midsummer slog. But then when it's gone, you kind
of miss it. Yeah, I can just tell like, yea,
even as you've talked about it here on air, I'm
sure they can tell it as well.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Like you're pad like you love what you freaking do.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
I literally already cannot wait for March. Are there twins
fans here right now? Do we have I know Vikings right,
but I literally as much of a grind and as
difficult as this season was for a multitude of reasons,
I literally cannot wait for March.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
And March what about the hockey team? I mean, they're
in play right now.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
I know, and I know you guys know that I
haven't been around, but I will be back on air
for Wildlive in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I've been very excited.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Maybe that's why it's been a struggle.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
I was gonna say, what is the difference right now?
They're having a tough time. Uh, maybe I'm a good
luck term. What happens if I go back to work
in a couple of weeks and they rattle off like
sixteen wins in a row, do I feel like I
get like a finder's fee or something right, maybe like
ten percent of ticket sale or something gold.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
You've been the whole thing for all of us.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
Well, but I am it's been tough. I really really
miss my hockey people. I miss the game and the excitement.
There is nothing let's be honest, I love baseball, but
playoff hockey there's nothing like it. Right, And so there's
the dog Dames of the hockey season when things aren't
going well, it's tough, but I cannot wait to get back.
It's been tough, it's been hard to be away. But
(11:59):
now they're only like a couple of weeks out and
way back and it will be awesome.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
But back to you know, with that baseball team, eventually
pictures and catchers report and they're there's the there's the
obvious new with the coach, with Shelti and La Troy Hawkins.
You're clearly pumped about that, and that's awesome, But but
what is it, you know what, whether it's whether it's
just optimism or just appreciating the ability to wipe the
(12:24):
slate that was twenty twenty four?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
What what does really.
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Excite you about turning that page and and and getting
into the Twins again. As as Twins fans, you kind
of heard us smattering applause. There are a lot of
Twins fans in this room, but there are a lot
of Twins fans that want a better opportunity and they
want a better product, right, So you know, it's just
you know what, when you're turning the page, what pumps
you up about March and getting into that rhythm again?
Speaker 6 (12:50):
I hope this hasn't come across wrong. But a season
where there aren't a whole lot of expectations is exciting
because we don't know what's going to happen. There's a
lot of young players that I'm really excited about. And
as tough as it was, y'all have to understand when
I when I flew into Cleveland the day after the
trade deadline, I walked into the clubhouse and I was like, oh, yeah,
(13:13):
this is different.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Now.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Luckily, so many of the players that had.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Been brought up to, you know, fill those spots where
players already in the organization that I was familiar with.
And granted, I know it didn't go the way that
everybody wanted to, but even that first week after the
trade deadline, when there was that excitement at POP, I
think of Austin Martin. I mean, the kid just was
phenomenal the second half of the season, and he probably
(13:42):
wouldn't have given been given that opportunity to shine had
what transpired. So I look at people like that and
I get excited for the fact that it is a
clean slate. Who knows what's gonna happen. It could be
tough baseball as a grinds. I grew up a Cubs fan, y'all.
So when I was young, there's always next year was
part of my vocabulary.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Really, It's better than being a White Sox fan.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Right.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Well, wait, with the Cubs, it wasn't like Ryan Samberg
Mark Mark Grace that.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah, I'm forty years old and I still have a
Mark Grace poster.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
Remember that was my guy with Sean Dunstan the Animal teethought.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
Yeah, So I mean I I got used to the
grind of baseball. I'm like, okay, well, there's always next
year with the Twins right now, the young talent the
farm system, to me is exciting. I love that part
of baseball, especially with the Saints being across the street.
You can watch these players develop here in town and
then see them get the opportunity at the big league level,
(14:40):
which I think is awesome. And so yeah, I'm excited.
It may be tough. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Last
season was really tough, but you know, you go into
the season everybody does, with no expectations.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
You never know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I was listening to you real quick, like when you
said you're excited for March.
Speaker 5 (14:56):
Yeah, you do.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
When you're around those people every day, and then it
is like removed. It becomes like your community in a
lot of ways, and it's not like there's so much
downtime where you are just messing around with people, whether
it's execs or scouts or media or whatever. So like
you do, I would imagine I've always felt this way
of like you missed the community that you create with
(15:18):
that entire group.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, and that's one of the reasons that I am
actually really excited about Twins or the Wild because I
don't know if you guys have noticed, but now our
pre and post game show is on the road, which
means that I will.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Be traveling with the Wild.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
I've never traveled for hockey before, so it's and it's different.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
Right You're gone for a week and only playing three.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
Games in a week, whereas baseball you're working every single day,
so that familiarity and getting to know the player is
even better. And getting to talk to the coaches on
the plane or on the tarmac or on the bus
whatever is an element of my job with the Wild
that I've never had before, and the thought of having
that now is really exciting, and I'm excited to see
what I can do with that and make the shows
(15:59):
even bet kind of it's it's like a new challenge.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
We'll see how it goes.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
But yeah, I remember when when fan Duel came up
with that idea. It was during the summer because I
worked with Kevin Gorg three four days a week at
Canterbury Park and kg is kind of the so like
when you know when when when Audra does the pre
(16:25):
and the post say it's from if FanDuel had a
studio or when it had studios, it would be West
Walls or it would be I don't know, Harrish So
so that would be the analyst kind of the one
a on the show. Well, Kevin Gorg is that with
with the with the road game so and and I
(16:45):
have not just because of football season some other things.
I've watched a lot at this stage of the equation,
So I don't really know what the It must look great,
I mean being on the road with the pre and
the post. Kevin does the between between aid interviews and
stuff like that, but like what goes into that, like
like like where you set up stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Yeah, well, and that's the challenge I think that And
it's not even just us with the wild at fandual
Sports Network North. You know, a lot of the other
regionals are having to adapt and make changes like this.
I will say, I think the biggest benefit is that
you're in the building. You know, when we would do
studio shows, it's hard. You can't you can't fake the energy. Right,
you're in the building and you're getting ready for a
(17:28):
hockey game, and the sirens and the music and all that.
It is a different vibe. So now to be able
to do that on the road, I think it's it's
it's exciting, right, It's very different. You guys know, it
doesn't matter what realm of sports broadcasting, there's nothing better
than being well yeah, or being in Buffalo Wildwing's Elk River,
(17:49):
my people, my neighbors.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Yeah, they're bigging it. Lastly, and you're gonna think I'm
joking with this, but I'm not. Tobo Oddrop is a
really good singer. Okay, why didn't you advance your singing career?
I mean, like at a younger age eighteen, nineteen twenty whatever,
because you're a really, really good singer.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Thank you. I appreciate it. It's tough market to get
into our yea business.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
I mean, working in sports broadcasting is a tough market
and a tough business to crack. I thought about it.
I did some theater, musical theater post when I lived
in Atlanta. To me, singing is a fun thing. Yeah,
get to I don't need to make it my job, right,
I can do it for fun. I don't need to
make my whole life based on if I get a
(18:37):
gig singing.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
So like doing it for fun at Buffalo Wild Wings? Right?
Who wants to hear Augurs sing? Who wants ninety seconds?
A free show? Yeah? Can we get when they need
ninety seconds? Can we get ten seconds? This isn't fair.
You got to give us something, right to.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Be serious, Tony, what do we usually sing?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Queen?
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Can anybody.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Bine me?
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Somebody too? It's the morning, y'all.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
I can't thank you. That was fantastic. We can't wait
to watch Hi. I love you, I love you, and
thank you very much for coming. Bye, Odra, Martin.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Fan hel Grim, love you guys, thanks for having me Network.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Nor We'll be right back. Here comes Devin with the
cash thing.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
The fan and two minutes and junk truck.
Speaker 8 (19:32):
Want to give you a shot to win some Bonus
Bucks with our national cash contest.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Enter the keyword credit at KFA dot com. Now for
your shoutout winning that's keyword credit.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Enter it now at kf a n dot com.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Alec Lewis is a very hard worker and he writes
for The Athletic and the Athletic dot com. Here's some
of the fruit from Alex's tree of knowledge, oh, involving
the vikings in the Ravens. Let's start here. We have
about seven to seven and a half minutes for this segment.
Alex loves Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Why yeah. I mean this guy is a do everything player.
He's got unbelievable instincts. He's athletic. He looks slight, but
then he finds his way. You know, he's physical enough.
He uses his arm length really well. I said this
at the top. Two weeks ago, the Ravens acquired a
safety from the Chargers, a Looie Gilman. What that allowed
(20:47):
them to do is move Kyle Hamilton from the safety
spot to the box, and it's transformed their defense. I'm
not gonna act like it's a top five unit in
the NFL, but they are a very commendable defensive group
and Kyle Hamilton just call he just problem solves like
Andrew van Ginkle, like he just finds where to be
(21:07):
and is able to be there when he needs to
be there. And I didn't you know there's a lot
of hype for Kyle Hamilton nationally until I watched the film.
I'm not sure if I really credit, you know, understood
why people hype him the way they do.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
The name Andrew van Ginkle is mentioned from one of
Alex's stories during the course of the week. I don't
think it was the document, it was the story. Alec wrote,
watching Andrew Van Ginkle play is a privilege, and he
also wrote, Andrew Van Ginkle's role in containing Lamar Jackson
in the Pocket will be outsized. I don't know what
(21:44):
the outsized part means. But Van Ginkle, I mean, you
got him sounded like a cross between Lawrence Taylor and
Scott Studwell.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
I mean, he's so good. He is so good like
he Andrew van Ginkele. It's crazy because if he's just
like look at the athletic traits, you might not be like, man,
this guy is just a super athlete, but mentally it
feels like he is playing at an entirely different speed
than everybody else. He sees things that guys shouldn't or
(22:14):
don't typically see. He anticipates where to be in a
way that I just don't think many people in this
entire league would be able to anticipate. And he just
transformed like he just makes this defense. What you don't
see is he's communicating stunts, he's communicating when to drop,
like he is doing things that between stats aren't being
(22:35):
the cameras aren't trained on him, and he's just able
to change the game.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
So okay, now, in watching the Vikings defense against the Lions,
you watched all the plays, right, yeah, all right, So
do you think this is an envelope pusher or do
you think something Van Gankole did that led to the
jail in Redmonds?
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Act?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
I can't say I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
At the spin.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I mean, if they got him, if they have players
spinning off players to intentionally run into other offensive linemen
to free people for sacks, it's.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
It's about one of the most brilliant things that I've seen.
Do you understand what we're saying here? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:11):
I do, In terms of just finding those matchups and almost.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
The the decoy you're creating, trap I mean he's spun
off purposely to crash into Tate Ratledge, Yes, to get
to get Redmond. It was unbelievable and it.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Was it was purposeful. It was one of the I uh,
it was one of the first things I did after
I've watched the film. I texted a coach and I'm like,
is this you guys actively doing this?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I thought it was an accident.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Andrew Vin Giggle, by the way, is calling that on
the field.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
So he's, oh, come on, deciding on the field this
is gonna work. And then it it becomes a Jalen
Redmond stunt. Just it just playing at an entirely different place.
Speaker 7 (23:50):
You saw multiple different versions of that with the twists
on the other side. You saw it and Pace coming
free multiple times, Cashman coming free on the blitzing. All
the things that happened up front. Van Ginkle certainly an
a topic is part of that. Uh that that that
comes to fruition with five sacks on golf. Now, I
want to ask you about how we can their defensive
front's big dude, like like Matt Abuque for is one
(24:13):
of the best, one of the better interior d line
guys in the NFL. He's gone, and they've replaced him
with a bunch of names that frankly, I'm not that
familiar with.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Travis Jones, John Jenkins, Yeah, and I don't know much
about him, but they're tough man movers.
Speaker 7 (24:25):
Like how do we how do we run against these guys?
What kind of task is in front of our own line?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
It's a great question, and it's gonna be you know,
I or is it speed to the act? I'm of
the opinion it's gonna be difficult to run in this game,
both on the interior and on the edge. I would
be I would prefer to make those cornerbacks and Marlon
Humphrey and Nate Wiggins tackle, like you know, tackle on
(24:49):
the run game. That would be the preference. But they
play the run game since Kyle Hamilton's moved down, and
again you're gonna guys are gonna think I'm making this
guy out, but I mean, he really is an unbelievable player.
Their run defense has really taken a step, so, you know,
I don't I really think if JJ McCarthy can be
accurate and get the ball out, they can throw on
(25:11):
this group because the edge rushers of Baltimore are not
that dynamic. It's David Ajabo, Mike Green, Kyle van Noy,
who's really really old.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
However, because I said this yesterday to Ben Lieber, and
I don't like being uninformed, you know, with things like this,
so I put time into it. Last night I watched
the first half of the Ravens and Dolphins because I
didn't know who Teddy Buchanan was. I had no idea
who he was. Ted yee, yeah, ted D. Why where's
number forty?
Speaker 2 (25:42):
He's a demon though he is a demon on wheels,
Holy cal is he fast and all over the place.
He's their leading tackler.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Well, I mean, Rokwan two has come back, and Roquan
Smith looks like the Roquan Smith that got paid like
he does. So this is why, like, broadly, this Ravens
team is three and five, and you just look at
the record, and you look at some of the advanced
that throughout the course of the year, I don't think
those describe or depict the level of challenge that this
(26:12):
game really is. That's just how I feel about it.
You know, I'm not gonna be surprised that the Vikings
are very up for this challenge, but it is going
to be that in a lot of respects. This Ravens
team is just talented.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Alan Lewis, Nordo, Paul Allen.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Final segment Buffalo Wild Wings, Elk River after this, now
closing the Friday Football Feast the right. There are a
couple of former Gophers who play with the Baltimore Ravens,
where Shad Bateman is one of them. He's a wide
(26:46):
receiver and they're right guard. I think he's in his
fourth year from the University of Minnesota. Daniel fa Leiley,
He's a creature of a human being, just a big man.
Didn't really play at all the first two years that
started most stiff, not all of them the last couple
of years. Uh In in Alex prep that he sends
us his toll Stoy. He just laid it out like
(27:08):
Daniel fall is not very good.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Watch out. What do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (27:13):
I didn't know You're gonna just just verbade him? Yeah,
I just you know, Yeah, rich as a local kid,
he's not doesn't have the most wiggle. He's a massive guy.
But I just feel like one on one matchups, if
you get like a Javon Hargrave on him, you can
get to them. So, yeah, their offensive line, I didn't
you know the left tackle Ronnie Stanley's been there forever,
has been a good player, but he wasn't that impressive
(27:35):
on film. And then the right tackle Roger Rose Rosenngarten
thought like he was a solid player, but I you know,
this front can be gettable. And if they go heavy,
you gotta stop the run. And they're gonna try to
throw out a heavy like every team in the NFL
is trying to do right now, and can you cover?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
It's gonna be interesting, Ken Javon Hargrave, you know the
way Pas laid it.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
Out and just kind of going down the road of
the week kind of the idea of as this team
has gotten healthy, the way that we lauded Andrew van Ginkel,
like how much that meant maybe to what we saw
from a Javon Hargrave against the kiddies?
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Is it?
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Is this team equipped to play the contained game? With
Lamar We can talk about it that this is what
they need to do. Probably most teams talk about it.
Some are better at it than others. Are we equipped
if we get what we saw out of Detroit? Are
we equipped to play the contained game? On on Lamar
this weekend. Yeah, I think they are.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
I mean I really Andrew Van Ginkle and Jonathan Gernard
are selfless and smart on the edge, and then Jonathan
Allen and Javon Hargrave. These guys are disciplined and then
you know they know how to Javon Hargrave the same thing.
The one thing with Javon Hargrave that went a little
under the radar. He exited a game a few weeks
ago with a chest injury and we didn't really talk
about it. Then it snaps dip and everyone you know,
(28:48):
maybe it's performance related Bengals game.
Speaker 7 (28:51):
In fact, because it was it was so lopsided that
he did come in, we just kind of brushed it
off as in the side of victory.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Then it's honestly, I didn't even know what happened his
snaps dip, And yeah, some of it may have been performance,
but I also have to imagine the performance is probably
tied to the injury thing. So yeah, do I think
they're equipped for contained? Yes, I have a bigger question
of can the corners and the safeties and coverage be
sticky enough on their receiving core like that would bother
(29:19):
me a little more than the front being able to contain,
and both of them are going to be critical.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Well in closing. Hopefully we have time for thirty seconds.
Is Lamar in his first year he played sixteen games
through for twelve hundred yards. He didn't start all of them,
but they used him in all of them. Completion percentage
fifty one, fifty three. Last year he's going for four
thousand and change sixty six on the completes And people
are like, well, what change, what change?
Speaker 2 (29:41):
What changed?
Speaker 4 (29:42):
Well, you got better personnel around him. A but B,
it's what you wrote in your dock. In my opinion,
it used to be he sometimes would run with his
eyes down the field. Now every scramble his eyes are
down the field. He feels the pressure of the rushers,
but he also knows where his guys are to try
(30:03):
to dagger you.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, and this offense, he's gotten good with the passing.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
The offensive coordinator Todd Mounkin was at the University of
Georgia and was critical to them becoming the national championship
contender that they've become. The Ravens hired him to be
the OC and he's empowered Lamar like they've given him
latitude at the line of scrimmage. He makes checks depending
on what he sees.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
So yeah, Lamar offed that layoff against the Dolphins. He
was rusty as bleep the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And a half he was, and then he came alive
kind of down the stretch. It's it's just a it
is an immense challenge. And again, if you don't stop
Derrick Henry, it's it. It becomes kind of, yeah, it
becomes kind of a breaking point. But I expect this
to be a dog fight. If the Vikings can get
a lead early and get the crowd into it and
play from ahead, you probably feel pretty you know, like
(30:53):
this is pretty fun coming out of it, But I
you know, it's gonna be a really tough one. We're
talking about guys.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
Getting healthy as Hitman gotten healthy because I think about
like the way they used Laporta and finding those soft
spots specifically early and Flora shut him down basically after
that first drive. But just like Hitman has kind of
been ramping himself up in snaps, ramping himself up in productivity,
and what we saw on Sunday, like more of two
to two in the mix, battling with all those big
physical tight ends.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
That's something I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Yea, yeah, he's he looks healthy. He looked healthy in
that game. He was blitzing off the edge more than
I've seen the while. So yeah, I just I'm excited
to watch Lamar in person against this Flora's defense.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Nice John Boyce, that was fun.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Alec Lewis Nordo a part of the Friday Football Feast.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Hey, the street team there to serve you. In second
and none.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Fashion, Jared Well saved the day for those of you
here at Buffalo wil Wings up River. We had no
sound for a half hour and then it was booming
because he's the round.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Mound of sound and I'm Paul Allen.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
God bless all of you. Thank you very much. I
have a wonderful weekend. All right, thank you for coming.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Bye bye.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
M podcast Today's Paul Allen Show, or listen back to
previous show and interviews
Speaker 1 (32:09):
By going to the iHeartRadio app or kfa N dot com.
Fairy.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey, everybody having a good time.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Now?
Speaker 4 (00:21):
Our final guest for this Friday Football is a staple
with fan Dual Sports Network North, specifically with the Twins
in the Minnesota Wild. Can we get a witness and
a raucous round of applause for a dear friend of
(00:42):
mine for quite some time, Ladies and gentlemen, Audra Martin, Hello,
elk River?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Ondra Martin?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Thank you guys for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Great to see you and you always. And you know what,
when we were texting this week, You're like, I'm a
being elk River. I know, right.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I'm like, well, I mean you got to come on
the radio. So here we are about eleven ten with
a bepy of things to talk about. But you you
show up in this Minnesota Viking shirt.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
I was prepared for you.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
You had to have bought that within five days. Last
five days?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Absolutely not?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Are you kidding? Okay, Viking.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I'm not trying to to you know, flood at Oudra
underscore Martin at Odd underscore Martin via the X machine.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Think about it. I think that's my handle is.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
With hate and stuff like that. But I mean, I've
never known you to be and if you're not a
Vikings fan, it's okay, because aren't you from Chicago or Illinois.
Speaker 6 (01:40):
I'm from Chicago, but let me tell you, never, once
in my life have I ever been a Bears fan.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
We are? Ever, how about that? This is let's bubble
down on it.
Speaker 6 (01:49):
So one of my best friends is here. Unfortunately, Tony
wanna call you out. He is also from the Chicago area,
is a Bears fan. But also I know but.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Yeah, I think he actually is secretly a huge Vikings fan.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Are you down?
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Yeah, you're you know what, his team's probably gonna be
six and three, so he should probably then, I mean,
you're an elite sports mind. So therefore, if you're from
the Chicago area not a Bears fan, high level of
appreciation for the Minnesota Vikings Bulls. What what do you
think of the Green Bay Packers? Audra Martin, Well.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Okay, being from Chicago, even though I was not a
Bears fan, really really strong dislike for.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Girls, fire and bullets right now.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Sorry, you know I love the Bears to know that
I don't like the Packers. And again, my best girlfriend,
Lindsay Hayes, who you know, is a huge Packers fan.
So we have got to Packers and Vikings games together
and we have a real hard time sitting next to
each other. It's real tough when your best friend is
one way and I'm this. You know that is you know,
(03:01):
it's like the house divided. Love you, girl, but not
right now.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Alec Lewis the athletic Audraa Martin Audre Martin Alex Lewis.
We've reconfigured the feast chart move to Utah. So we
got to Alec in the mix thanks to Steve's appliances
and Steve's appliances dot com at producers in the mix.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
And here's oder guys, talk about some baseball. You want
to talk baseball? I don't know, do you?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
She covers baseball and knows a lot about it.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I covered the Kansady Royals for three years. Okay, so
I'm somewhat familiar. The Twins just hired a manager.
Speaker 6 (03:31):
Yeah Shelton and my boy LaTroy Hawkins, Like, come.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
On, isn't he like Patrick Mahomes Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:40):
Godfather?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, oh he is yeah, godfather yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
So Derek Shelton, yeah your thoughts Yeah, I'm pumped now.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
That is selfishly because I have worked with Derek Sheltons.
So it makes my job that much easier to have
that familiar do you guys all know what it's like
when you have to talk to a manager when times
are tough. When you have a good relationship with said manager,
it makes your job a little easier.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
You know.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
Dereck Shelton is in a tough position. There's no denying that.
You guys know.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
I'm a homer. I love the Twins. He's in a
tough spot. He was in a tough spot in Pittsburgh.
I don't think that anybody really would have gone into
Pittsburgh and had immediate success given what the situation was
in Pittsburgh. He's coming into the Twins not an easy situation.
But Derek Shelton is a brilliant baseball mind. There's a
reason that he has always been in the conversation for
(04:28):
managerial positions, and you look at you know, his track
record being part of the Yankees organization, going to Cleveland,
that comes with a lot of clout, and I am
really really excited to see what he will do now
having learned maybe not what to do, you know, I
think everybody, I don't care what job you have, right
(04:48):
you learn from your mistakes, you learn from adversity.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
It makes you better.
Speaker 6 (04:52):
And I'm really excited to see what Derek Shelton will
do given what he has gone through in the past,
and the familiarity with the organization and a clean saint
and whatever people's expectations are, let's say, knocks it out
of the park.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
How exciting is that.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Going to be for somebody who has given an opportunity
to have a second shot and do well with it.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
I think it's gonna be great. So I'm excited, LaTroy.
I just was texting with LaTroy about it. I'm pumped.
I'm already looking forward to March.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I should have asked you about Dan Hayes and Aaron
Gleaman before I asked you about Derek Shelton. Really, those
are my boy, those two I met a watch out. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
So, speaking of baseball, can I tell you guys a story?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Pa?
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Can we talk about Denver? So there are certain ballparks
right where where I'm like sitting in the camera. Well,
sometimes I'm not close to the fans removed well in
Denver and that was the first time I'd ever worked
a game in Denver, and I'm sitting there, and all
of a sudden, I hear somebody come up behind me
and is like, I don't even remember what you said
at race Fale. I didn't know it was Pa, but
(06:00):
you said something.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
You blew me off this field.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
I literally all I hear is somebody, oh drama, and
I'm like, oh, here we go.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Oh god, it's not like it was you.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Okay, Yeah, you threw me off so hard to understand.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
You were working. So I went back to my seat,
which which you had to.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
Walk all the way up to the top, never in
it actually five roads behind you, and.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
I would see you in Denver.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Right, damn?
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Why were you at forest Field?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Daughter lives in Denver. I just graduated from Colorado, helping
her get squared away from Boulder to Denver.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
You just graduated from Colorado.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
She did, so, yeah, I thought I knew the twins
were in town, and so therefore I thought i'd surprised
my dear old friend and she basically had no time.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
For your boy. Well I didn't know. I fans.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
It's not nice. Yeah, that's okay, it's not what I
want to hear. And again, I don't remember what you
said that.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
I just was like, oh, Yeah, go see that ballpark.
That ballpark is buy a bunch of dispensaries. So I
had to climb through a bunch of walking down a
zombies just to get to her in the camera.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Well, so I was a little flustered myself.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
Made my day absolutely movemented well.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
As baseball would go. And Alec, like you said, he's
covering lo Caine and the Kansas City Royals for three
years and you've been on the Twins Beak quite some time.
How long?
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Oh my gosh, this is going to be my eleventh season.
Isn't that crazy? Yeah? I just feel like I moved here.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
What like to me, it feels like it was three
years ago when we were talking about this in the
commercial break. The last time I was on a Friday
football feast was my first year, and Pa was kind
enough to invite me to come down to Misstic.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
Lake and it was meet you in.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Church and Pa, bless your heart because I was new
and I was taking over for Jamie Hirsh and I
felt like I couldn't even fill her shoes. I was
so insecure and terrified of this new opportunity. And PA's like,
come on my show, give the fans a chance to
get to know you, and I have never forgotten how
quin do you were to me at the very beginning,
(08:04):
and so I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
And then we did the.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Box in the Box with Rachel Rams. Yeah, the Ponytail. Well, yeah,
correct me if I'm wrong here.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
And job.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
You know, there are certain jobs could that all jobs
can be different, Certain jobs can be difficult. That is
more difficult than others. That baseball grind when when you're
covering baseball, whether you're sideline analyst, sideline reporter like Audra
or your beat rider like Alec, that is it tough?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
The grind that can be baseball.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
Yeah, tell me if you agree with this.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
I think the craziest thing about baseball season is at
the beginning flies by and you're like, oh my gosh,
all of a sudden, we're at the end of May,
and then July hits and you're like.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Oh god, it's only July. We still have so much
more to go.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
And this is even like, I mean, I covered the
Bomba squad right, which was like one of the most
exciting baseball seasons to ever be a part of. But
even that season, July girls around you're like, oh, and
then all of a sudden, you blink and it's September
twentieth and you're like, oh my god, we have ten
days left.
Speaker 5 (09:04):
It's the weirdest.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
It is a grind, but it's you blink and suddenly.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
It's over those people.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Every day. Yeah, it's actually kind of like silly. It's like, hey,
you I talked to the manager three times a day.
I talked to you three times yesterday. Have any talked
to my parents three times? And a week? Like baseball
is honestly for the people who do baseball day and
day out every year. That is that takes a different
level of commitment, frankly, like it just does.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
It's very different.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
And I think back to my time in Tennessee covering
the Titans, and I used to get really excited to
go on road trips and but you know, it's like
I also was kind of bummed because you're.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Only there for like a day. You know, you can't
really take advantage of it.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
Well, then the flip side of baseball is suddenly you're
on a three city road trip and you wake up
in San Francisco and you think that you're in Kansas
City and your timing is all off and I'm like, oh,
wait a minute, I'm in San Francisco. I I'll leave
right now, and you don't know where you are. And then,
like me, I had a hard time getting into my
hotel room a couple weeks ago because I was using
my Starbucks gift card to try to get into the
(10:09):
hotel and I was like, oh, that's wrong, and then
I was like oh, And then on top of it,
I wasn't even at the right room. I was getting
into the hotel room number of the city that I
was in previously. Now I should just start over. I
should just go to bed and try again tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
It is a grind, right, you kind of become delirious
because it just is a lot.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
Well you were you were talking about it with me
off air, though, is that it does? It does have
that midsummer slog. But then when it's gone, you kind
of miss it. Yeah, I can just tell like, yea,
even as you've talked about it here on air, I'm
sure they can tell it as well.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Like you're pad like you love what you freaking do.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
I literally already cannot wait for March. Are there twins
fans here right now? Do we have I know Vikings right,
but I literally as much of a grind and as
difficult as this season was for a multitude of reasons,
I literally cannot wait for March.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
And March what about the hockey team? I mean, they're
in play right now.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
I know, and I know you guys know that I
haven't been around, but I will be back on air
for Wildlive in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I've been very excited.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Maybe that's why it's been a struggle.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
I was gonna say, what is the difference right now?
They're having a tough time. Uh, maybe I'm a good
luck term. What happens if I go back to work
in a couple of weeks and they rattle off like
sixteen wins in a row, do I feel like I
get like a finder's fee or something right, maybe like
ten percent of ticket sale or something gold.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
You've been the whole thing for all of us.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
Well, but I am it's been tough. I really really
miss my hockey people. I miss the game and the excitement.
There is nothing let's be honest, I love baseball, but
playoff hockey there's nothing like it. Right, And so there's
the dog Dames of the hockey season when things aren't
going well, it's tough, but I cannot wait to get back.
It's been tough, it's been hard to be away. But
(11:59):
now they're only like a couple of weeks out and
way back and it will be awesome.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
But back to you know, with that baseball team, eventually
pictures and catchers report and they're there's the there's the
obvious new with the coach, with Shelti and La Troy Hawkins.
You're clearly pumped about that, and that's awesome, But but
what is it, you know what, whether it's whether it's
just optimism or just appreciating the ability to wipe the
(12:24):
slate that was twenty twenty four?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
What what does really.
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Excite you about turning that page and and and getting
into the Twins again. As as Twins fans, you kind
of heard us smattering applause. There are a lot of
Twins fans in this room, but there are a lot
of Twins fans that want a better opportunity and they
want a better product, right, So you know, it's just
you know what, when you're turning the page, what pumps
you up about March and getting into that rhythm again?
Speaker 6 (12:50):
I hope this hasn't come across wrong. But a season
where there aren't a whole lot of expectations is exciting
because we don't know what's going to happen. There's a
lot of young players that I'm really excited about. And
as tough as it was, y'all have to understand when
I when I flew into Cleveland the day after the
trade deadline, I walked into the clubhouse and I was like, oh, yeah,
(13:13):
this is different.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Now.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Luckily, so many of the players that had.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Been brought up to, you know, fill those spots where
players already in the organization that I was familiar with.
And granted, I know it didn't go the way that
everybody wanted to, but even that first week after the
trade deadline, when there was that excitement at POP, I
think of Austin Martin. I mean, the kid just was
phenomenal the second half of the season, and he probably
(13:42):
wouldn't have given been given that opportunity to shine had
what transpired. So I look at people like that and
I get excited for the fact that it is a
clean slate. Who knows what's gonna happen. It could be
tough baseball as a grinds. I grew up a Cubs fan, y'all.
So when I was young, there's always next year was
part of my vocabulary.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Really, It's better than being a White Sox fan.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Right.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Well, wait, with the Cubs, it wasn't like Ryan Samberg
Mark Mark Grace that.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah, I'm forty years old and I still have a
Mark Grace poster.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
Remember that was my guy with Sean Dunstan the Animal teethought.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:19):
Yeah, So I mean I I got used to the
grind of baseball. I'm like, okay, well, there's always next
year with the Twins right now, the young talent the
farm system, to me is exciting. I love that part
of baseball, especially with the Saints being across the street.
You can watch these players develop here in town and
then see them get the opportunity at the big league level,
(14:40):
which I think is awesome. And so yeah, I'm excited.
It may be tough. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Last
season was really tough, but you know, you go into
the season everybody does, with no expectations.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
You never know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
I was listening to you real quick, like when you
said you're excited for March.
Speaker 5 (14:56):
Yeah, you do.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
When you're around those people every day, and then it
is like removed. It becomes like your community in a
lot of ways, and it's not like there's so much
downtime where you are just messing around with people, whether
it's execs or scouts or media or whatever. So like
you do, I would imagine I've always felt this way
of like you missed the community that you create with
(15:18):
that entire group.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, and that's one of the reasons that I am
actually really excited about Twins or the Wild because I
don't know if you guys have noticed, but now our
pre and post game show is on the road, which
means that I will.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Be traveling with the Wild.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
I've never traveled for hockey before, so it's and it's different.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
Right You're gone for a week and only playing three.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
Games in a week, whereas baseball you're working every single day,
so that familiarity and getting to know the player is
even better. And getting to talk to the coaches on
the plane or on the tarmac or on the bus
whatever is an element of my job with the Wild
that I've never had before, and the thought of having
that now is really exciting, and I'm excited to see
what I can do with that and make the shows
(15:59):
even bet kind of it's it's like a new challenge.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
We'll see how it goes.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
But yeah, I remember when when fan Duel came up
with that idea. It was during the summer because I
worked with Kevin Gorg three four days a week at
Canterbury Park and kg is kind of the so like
when you know when when when Audra does the pre
(16:25):
and the post say it's from if FanDuel had a
studio or when it had studios, it would be West
Walls or it would be I don't know, Harrish So
so that would be the analyst kind of the one
a on the show. Well, Kevin Gorg is that with
with the with the road game so and and I
(16:45):
have not just because of football season some other things.
I've watched a lot at this stage of the equation,
So I don't really know what the It must look great,
I mean being on the road with the pre and
the post. Kevin does the between between aid interviews and
stuff like that, but like what goes into that, like
like like where you set up stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Yeah, well, and that's the challenge I think that And
it's not even just us with the wild at fandual
Sports Network North. You know, a lot of the other
regionals are having to adapt and make changes like this.
I will say, I think the biggest benefit is that
you're in the building. You know, when we would do
studio shows, it's hard. You can't you can't fake the energy. Right,
you're in the building and you're getting ready for a
(17:28):
hockey game, and the sirens and the music and all that.
It is a different vibe. So now to be able
to do that on the road, I think it's it's
it's exciting, right, It's very different. You guys know, it
doesn't matter what realm of sports broadcasting, there's nothing better
than being well yeah, or being in Buffalo Wildwing's Elk River,
(17:49):
my people, my neighbors.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Yeah, they're bigging it. Lastly, and you're gonna think I'm
joking with this, but I'm not. Tobo Oddrop is a
really good singer. Okay, why didn't you advance your singing career?
I mean, like at a younger age eighteen, nineteen twenty whatever,
because you're a really, really good singer.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Thank you. I appreciate it. It's tough market to get
into our yea business.
Speaker 6 (18:16):
I mean, working in sports broadcasting is a tough market
and a tough business to crack. I thought about it.
I did some theater, musical theater post when I lived
in Atlanta. To me, singing is a fun thing. Yeah,
get to I don't need to make it my job, right,
I can do it for fun. I don't need to
make my whole life based on if I get a
(18:37):
gig singing.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
So like doing it for fun at Buffalo Wild Wings? Right?
Who wants to hear Augurs sing? Who wants ninety seconds?
A free show? Yeah? Can we get when they need
ninety seconds? Can we get ten seconds? This isn't fair.
You got to give us something, right to.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Be serious, Tony, what do we usually sing?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Queen?
Speaker 5 (18:56):
Can anybody.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Bine me?
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Somebody too? It's the morning, y'all.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
I can't thank you. That was fantastic. We can't wait
to watch Hi. I love you, I love you, and
thank you very much for coming. Bye, Odra, Martin.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Fan hel Grim, love you guys, thanks for having me Network.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Nor We'll be right back. Here comes Devin with the
cash thing.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
The fan and two minutes and junk truck.
Speaker 8 (19:32):
Want to give you a shot to win some Bonus
Bucks with our national cash contest.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Enter the keyword credit at KFA dot com. Now for
your shoutout winning that's keyword credit.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Enter it now at kf a n dot com.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Alec Lewis is a very hard worker and he writes
for The Athletic and the Athletic dot com. Here's some
of the fruit from Alex's tree of knowledge, oh, involving
the vikings in the Ravens. Let's start here. We have
about seven to seven and a half minutes for this segment.
Alex loves Kyle Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Why yeah. I mean this guy is a do everything player.
He's got unbelievable instincts. He's athletic. He looks slight, but
then he finds his way. You know, he's physical enough.
He uses his arm length really well. I said this
at the top. Two weeks ago, the Ravens acquired a
safety from the Chargers, a Looie Gilman. What that allowed
(20:47):
them to do is move Kyle Hamilton from the safety
spot to the box, and it's transformed their defense. I'm
not gonna act like it's a top five unit in
the NFL, but they are a very commendable defensive group
and Kyle Hamilton just call he just problem solves like
Andrew van Ginkle, like he just finds where to be
(21:07):
and is able to be there when he needs to
be there. And I didn't you know there's a lot
of hype for Kyle Hamilton nationally until I watched the film.
I'm not sure if I really credit, you know, understood
why people hype him the way they do.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
The name Andrew van Ginkle is mentioned from one of
Alex's stories during the course of the week. I don't
think it was the document, it was the story. Alec wrote,
watching Andrew Van Ginkle play is a privilege, and he
also wrote, Andrew Van Ginkle's role in containing Lamar Jackson
in the Pocket will be outsized. I don't know what
(21:44):
the outsized part means. But Van Ginkle, I mean, you
got him sounded like a cross between Lawrence Taylor and
Scott Studwell.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
I mean, he's so good. He is so good like
he Andrew van Ginkele. It's crazy because if he's just
like look at the athletic traits, you might not be like, man,
this guy is just a super athlete, but mentally it
feels like he is playing at an entirely different speed
than everybody else. He sees things that guys shouldn't or
(22:14):
don't typically see. He anticipates where to be in a
way that I just don't think many people in this
entire league would be able to anticipate. And he just
transformed like he just makes this defense. What you don't
see is he's communicating stunts, he's communicating when to drop,
like he is doing things that between stats aren't being
(22:35):
the cameras aren't trained on him, and he's just able
to change the game.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
So okay, now, in watching the Vikings defense against the Lions,
you watched all the plays, right, yeah, all right, So
do you think this is an envelope pusher or do
you think something Van Gankole did that led to the
jail in Redmonds?
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Act?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
I can't say I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
At the spin.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I mean, if they got him, if they have players
spinning off players to intentionally run into other offensive linemen
to free people for sacks, it's.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
It's about one of the most brilliant things that I've seen.
Do you understand what we're saying here? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:11):
I do, In terms of just finding those matchups and almost.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
The the decoy you're creating, trap I mean he's spun
off purposely to crash into Tate Ratledge, Yes, to get
to get Redmond. It was unbelievable and it.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Was it was purposeful. It was one of the I uh,
it was one of the first things I did after
I've watched the film. I texted a coach and I'm like,
is this you guys actively doing this?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
I thought it was an accident.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Andrew Vin Giggle, by the way, is calling that on
the field.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
So he's, oh, come on, deciding on the field this
is gonna work. And then it it becomes a Jalen
Redmond stunt. Just it just playing at an entirely different place.
Speaker 7 (23:50):
You saw multiple different versions of that with the twists
on the other side. You saw it and Pace coming
free multiple times, Cashman coming free on the blitzing. All
the things that happened up front. Van Ginkle certainly an
a topic is part of that. Uh that that that
comes to fruition with five sacks on golf. Now, I
want to ask you about how we can their defensive
front's big dude, like like Matt Abuque for is one
(24:13):
of the best, one of the better interior d line
guys in the NFL. He's gone, and they've replaced him
with a bunch of names that frankly, I'm not that
familiar with.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Travis Jones, John Jenkins, Yeah, and I don't know much
about him, but they're tough man movers.
Speaker 7 (24:25):
Like how do we how do we run against these guys?
What kind of task is in front of our own line?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
It's a great question, and it's gonna be you know,
I or is it speed to the act? I'm of
the opinion it's gonna be difficult to run in this game,
both on the interior and on the edge. I would
be I would prefer to make those cornerbacks and Marlon
Humphrey and Nate Wiggins tackle, like you know, tackle on
(24:49):
the run game. That would be the preference. But they
play the run game since Kyle Hamilton's moved down, and
again you're gonna guys are gonna think I'm making this
guy out, but I mean, he really is an unbelievable player.
Their run defense has really taken a step, so, you know,
I don't I really think if JJ McCarthy can be
accurate and get the ball out, they can throw on
(25:11):
this group because the edge rushers of Baltimore are not
that dynamic. It's David Ajabo, Mike Green, Kyle van Noy,
who's really really old.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
However, because I said this yesterday to Ben Lieber, and
I don't like being uninformed, you know, with things like this,
so I put time into it. Last night I watched
the first half of the Ravens and Dolphins because I
didn't know who Teddy Buchanan was. I had no idea
who he was. Ted yee, yeah, ted D. Why where's
number forty?
Speaker 2 (25:42):
He's a demon though he is a demon on wheels,
Holy cal is he fast and all over the place.
He's their leading tackler.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Well, I mean, Rokwan two has come back, and Roquan
Smith looks like the Roquan Smith that got paid like
he does. So this is why, like, broadly, this Ravens
team is three and five, and you just look at
the record, and you look at some of the advanced
that throughout the course of the year, I don't think
those describe or depict the level of challenge that this
(26:12):
game really is. That's just how I feel about it.
You know, I'm not gonna be surprised that the Vikings
are very up for this challenge, but it is going
to be that in a lot of respects. This Ravens
team is just talented.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
Alan Lewis, Nordo, Paul Allen.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Final segment Buffalo Wild Wings, Elk River after this, now
closing the Friday Football Feast the right. There are a
couple of former Gophers who play with the Baltimore Ravens,
where Shad Bateman is one of them. He's a wide
(26:46):
receiver and they're right guard. I think he's in his
fourth year from the University of Minnesota. Daniel fa Leiley,
He's a creature of a human being, just a big man.
Didn't really play at all the first two years that
started most stiff, not all of them the last couple
of years. Uh In in Alex prep that he sends
us his toll Stoy. He just laid it out like
(27:08):
Daniel fall is not very good.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Watch out. What do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (27:13):
I didn't know You're gonna just just verbade him? Yeah,
I just you know, Yeah, rich as a local kid,
he's not doesn't have the most wiggle. He's a massive guy.
But I just feel like one on one matchups, if
you get like a Javon Hargrave on him, you can
get to them. So, yeah, their offensive line, I didn't
you know the left tackle Ronnie Stanley's been there forever,
has been a good player, but he wasn't that impressive
(27:35):
on film. And then the right tackle Roger Rose Rosenngarten
thought like he was a solid player, but I you know,
this front can be gettable. And if they go heavy,
you gotta stop the run. And they're gonna try to
throw out a heavy like every team in the NFL
is trying to do right now, and can you cover?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
It's gonna be interesting, Ken Javon Hargrave, you know the
way Pas laid it.
Speaker 7 (27:56):
Out and just kind of going down the road of
the week kind of the idea of as this team
has gotten healthy, the way that we lauded Andrew van Ginkel,
like how much that meant maybe to what we saw
from a Javon Hargrave against the kiddies?
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Is it?
Speaker 7 (28:09):
Is this team equipped to play the contained game? With
Lamar We can talk about it that this is what
they need to do. Probably most teams talk about it.
Some are better at it than others. Are we equipped
if we get what we saw out of Detroit? Are
we equipped to play the contained game? On on Lamar
this weekend. Yeah, I think they are.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
I mean I really Andrew Van Ginkle and Jonathan Gernard
are selfless and smart on the edge, and then Jonathan
Allen and Javon Hargrave. These guys are disciplined and then
you know they know how to Javon Hargrave the same thing.
The one thing with Javon Hargrave that went a little
under the radar. He exited a game a few weeks
ago with a chest injury and we didn't really talk
about it. Then it snaps dip and everyone you know,
(28:48):
maybe it's performance related Bengals game.
Speaker 7 (28:51):
In fact, because it was it was so lopsided that
he did come in, we just kind of brushed it
off as in the side of victory.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
Then it's honestly, I didn't even know what happened his
snaps dip, And yeah, some of it may have been performance,
but I also have to imagine the performance is probably
tied to the injury thing. So yeah, do I think
they're equipped for contained? Yes, I have a bigger question
of can the corners and the safeties and coverage be
sticky enough on their receiving core like that would bother
(29:19):
me a little more than the front being able to contain,
and both of them are going to be critical.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
Well in closing. Hopefully we have time for thirty seconds.
Is Lamar in his first year he played sixteen games
through for twelve hundred yards. He didn't start all of them,
but they used him in all of them. Completion percentage
fifty one, fifty three. Last year he's going for four
thousand and change sixty six on the completes And people
are like, well, what change, what change?
Speaker 2 (29:41):
What changed?
Speaker 4 (29:42):
Well, you got better personnel around him. A but B,
it's what you wrote in your dock. In my opinion,
it used to be he sometimes would run with his
eyes down the field. Now every scramble his eyes are
down the field. He feels the pressure of the rushers,
but he also knows where his guys are to try
(30:03):
to dagger you.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Yeah, and this offense, he's gotten good with the passing.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
The offensive coordinator Todd Mounkin was at the University of
Georgia and was critical to them becoming the national championship
contender that they've become. The Ravens hired him to be
the OC and he's empowered Lamar like they've given him
latitude at the line of scrimmage. He makes checks depending
on what he sees.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
So yeah, Lamar offed that layoff against the Dolphins. He
was rusty as bleep the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And a half he was, and then he came alive
kind of down the stretch. It's it's just a it
is an immense challenge. And again, if you don't stop
Derrick Henry, it's it. It becomes kind of, yeah, it
becomes kind of a breaking point. But I expect this
to be a dog fight. If the Vikings can get
a lead early and get the crowd into it and
play from ahead, you probably feel pretty you know, like
(30:53):
this is pretty fun coming out of it, But I
you know, it's gonna be a really tough one. We're
talking about guys.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
Getting healthy as Hitman gotten healthy because I think about
like the way they used Laporta and finding those soft
spots specifically early and Flora shut him down basically after
that first drive. But just like Hitman has kind of
been ramping himself up in snaps, ramping himself up in productivity,
and what we saw on Sunday, like more of two
to two in the mix, battling with all those big
physical tight ends.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
That's something I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Yea, yeah, he's he looks healthy. He looked healthy in
that game. He was blitzing off the edge more than
I've seen the while. So yeah, I just I'm excited
to watch Lamar in person against this Flora's defense.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Nice John Boyce, that was fun.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Alec Lewis Nordo a part of the Friday Football Feast.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
Hey, the street team there to serve you. In second
and none.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Fashion, Jared Well saved the day for those of you
here at Buffalo wil Wings up River. We had no
sound for a half hour and then it was booming
because he's the round.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Mound of sound and I'm Paul Allen.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
God bless all of you. Thank you very much. I
have a wonderful weekend. All right, thank you for coming.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Bye bye.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
M podcast Today's Paul Allen Show, or listen back to
previous show and interviews
Speaker 1 (32:09):
By going to the iHeartRadio app or kfa N dot com.
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