July 31, 2024 • 34 mins
Nordo finishes the show with Twins writer Dan Hayes to react to the MLB Trade Deadline.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Punk Rocks superstars Green Day are headed to target Field Saturday,
August seventeenth. Don't miss out as they celebrate twenty years
their American Idiot album and thirty years of their Duchi album,
playing both in their entirety when they take the stage.
Take us still available for full details and to get
your tickets over to kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Keyword caolendar. Speaking of American Idiots, it's Nordo here filling
in for Pa. If PA was Gladys Knight, you can
consider me one of the pips. I suppose filling in
Final Hour nine to noon. And you know what Brett
to heck with trying to monetize a podcast. How about
we sponsor a segment called Covenant Cleanup, in which we
(00:42):
look we're dumb. We make mistakes on a daily basis,
something so simple as saying the rubber match can't be
it's not a rubber match. No, it's not. It's when
you lose both by a combined score of seventeen to two,
it's not a rubber match. And I made that error,
and that's embarrassing. And I received several text messages noting
that Meat Sauce may have made that mistake this morning
during the power trip, so that makes me feel even worse.
(01:05):
Hopefully to cheer me up and everyone else. Dan Hayes
of The Athletic joins me now at Dan Hayes MLB
via x follows the Minnesota Twins, writes about the Minnesota
Twins Fortheathletic dot Com.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
How you doing, Dan, I'm good, but I don't think
I'm going to cheer anybody up. Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
No. And you know what, that's not your job. Your
job is to cover the team and you do a
damn good job of it. And that's it. That is
indeed where I wanted to start, because yesterday the Twins
made a move before the deadline. Trevor Richards, thirty one
year old, made his debut in twenty eighteen. He's played
for This will be his fifth team. But I've seen
(01:45):
him referred to as a low leverage reliever that comes
to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a low end
prospect in Jay Harry going to Toronto. Your thoughts on
the move.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I mean, look, it's a nice piece and it'll help
round out the roster. I think he can help. They
think he can pitch against lefty he's got reverse splits,
hiss change up as nasty. So in that regard, it's
a decent piece. But I mean, I think that the
players in the clubhouse were expecting a big move, and
(02:20):
I think that fans certainly were expecting. Okay, look, actually,
let's put it in the context. I don't know that
a big move was to be had right now, because
we look at who was traded during this deadline. It's
not like we're talking about superstars getting moved. There was
very little in the way of impact talent move. There
was a lot of like number three and four pitchers
(02:43):
moved for absurd prices. And that is not to really
defend the Twins for not making the move. I just
think that they saw what was out there and they
realized that they'd be mortgaging their future. You know, Walker Jenkins,
brooks Lee, and Emanuel Rodriguez were the big asks. And
(03:07):
when you're talking about ten starts of like say, you say, Kakuchi,
that's the stupid price. To be honest, I wouldn't do
that either. I think this was lost in the offseason
more than you loshed yesterday. It just it basically kind
of comes to fruition yesterday because players expected some help
and they really didn't get much. But you know, you
(03:29):
can't it just it really began nine months ago, is
what was more when the problem started, and it just
surfaces with the deadline because the deadline provides the platform.
But this was a thing that they should have handled
so much longer ago.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, and I'm glad you went that way, Dan, And
you know this. You've been with the Twins, following the
Twins long enough. Now, regardless of what you're going to
say to my next question, you will be referred to
by some as a poll ad pocket protector, so you
know that. But let me ask you, because I mostly
agree with you, is this a situation with this team
(04:05):
as time goes on? That is? Is it a bigger
problem the philosophy of this team as it pertains to
making moves spending money in certain spots is the biggest
problem of the philosophy or is it the messaging and
how they communicate that to the fans.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, that's a good question. I don't know, because look,
they have spent money before, and we have done it recently.
They changed a lot of the ways they went about
things by signing Byron Buckson to an extension by signing
Carlos Korea for tuner billion dollars, things that nobody around
here has really seen. I know that Joe Mauer contract
was there, but like, if you didn't sign Joe Mauer
back then, you might as well pull up the franchise
(04:44):
and walk away. At that point, they have spent money.
I don't know. If this is a temporary thing, it
would not be good. If it's a permanent thing, there's
no question because I think when you look at this
team going come out last year, this is a team
to build around. It was a really exciting didn't run?
Should you have resigned Senegray? I don't think that would
have been realistic. Honestly, he was getting paid way too
(05:06):
much for a guy who the last year or two
you don't know what you're going to get. I think
this year you knew what you were going to maybe get.
But also his first year with the Twins, he had
went on the IL three times. That's not and he's
never had the healthiest track record, so I could see
why they didn't sign him, But that doesn't excuse not
signing another starter. And you know, I don't know that
(05:28):
the I think what Derek Falvey and Dad Levine did
in the offseason was one of the most creative jobs
I've ever seen to make do with what they had.
I mean to look, they tried to piece together the
rotation as best they could, and that's when you lost
twenty seven million off payroll. There was really no way
to do that. And yet there had been like ten
(05:51):
million more bucks to spend. Maybe you signed Eric Fetty
in the offseason and you're not in this position in
the first place. And the fact that despite the ingredients
in place for this great team, payroll was just gonna
be slashed. That was going to be it your little
wiggle room and financial constraints. That's troubling, There's no question
(06:11):
about that. I mean, it's it's hard to see how
if that's the permanent state, how that's good for the
franchise moving forward. If that's a temporary thing because of businesses.
You know, the TV deal absolutely fell apart, and I
don't I'm not gonna go on and speculate how much
they lost, but I know it was a great deal,
and I know it was more than what the Rangers
(06:32):
and the Guardians loss. And you know, everybody assumed the
Twins had the same thing that they got, where I
believe there were fifteen percent cuts. The Twins was more
than that. There's no question that the Twins was more
than that. I don't know how much, but it wouldn't
shock me if the payroll reduction was in line with that.
(06:52):
But the TV situation is not gonna get any better.
This was already the worst TV deal in baseball as
it was fifty four million dollars was bottom of the
barrel in baseball. And if it's if it's in fact
in that thirty million dollar range. Now, unless MLB comes
up with something, it's gonna get worse. I mean if
(07:12):
the if the team goes to streaming and it's direct
the customer. The Potters have forty thousand subscribers right now.
Do the math forty thousand at like one hundred and
twenty dollars a year, So Potters are making about four
million dollars off their their their rights right now. The
Potters used to get seventy million dollars annually from their
TV deal. So this is sort of systemic in baseball,
(07:35):
and it really impacts the Twins at the wrong time.
I'm hoping for the Twins fans sake, it's temporary. I
don't know though, you know, I really don't know where
this takes baseball. It's financial future and the fact that
you know, ten million dollars wasn't there to maybe go
after Eric Fetty who signed a two year, fifteen million
dollar deal with the White Sox and you know, boy
(07:59):
to day make out on that. You know, the Twins
could have signed him at the same time for the
same price and they'd be in a lot better shape.
Right now, they didn't have enough money, and yesterday and
the day before they faced unbearable prices to try and
trade for guys and you would have been mortgaging your future.
So they were in a no win position. And it
(08:19):
leaves the clubhouse just, you know, totally unsatisfied.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, I bet it does. And I'm curious about that.
How do you think that relationship exists? I mean, it
feels like, if you're Derek Falve, if you give him
X amount of money, he's going to spend up to
that line, right If you told him you could spend
like the Dodgers, he would go out and try to
spend like the Dodgers. So you know, the balance, like
Derek Falvey and Thad Levine trying to work through that.
(08:45):
I'm interested in how that dynamic exists, trying to present
some of this stuff to ownership and trying to get
the right answers that ultimately fit with the vision of
this team.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Well yeah, look look at the wo hit Polonko trade. Right,
he was gonna make ten million bucks. They trade him
to Seattle. Des Scoffani comes back to the Twins for
four millions. He's due to make twelve, but the Giants
and the Mariners paid eight million of it because of
all the injury concerns toward there. Justin Topa, who actually
may get back this weekend is set. I think he's
(09:18):
earning just a little bit over a million bucks. So
there's five million, and what they do. They went out
and spent five million bucks on Carlos Santin. So they
basically took the opportunity to trade Blanco and turn it
potentially into three pieces. I think there was a realization
on the baseball side that this is a team that
wasn't very far off from being a real competitor. I mean,
look at the run last year. They figured out a
(09:40):
way to get over Houston in that Game three. You know,
that first inning was so damaging with some regular the
four runs, and I think that really deflated the team.
And you know, Houston goes on to beat them in four.
But if the Twins had gotten through that and found
a way to win that series, that bullpen was nasty.
There was so much about it to like in a
al that was you know, I mean, look at Texas,
(10:03):
like how hot they got, but Texas had really noble pens.
Texas really had no starting staff. They were two guys
it was Jordan Montgomery and Eovaldi who were incredible, but
beyond that there were Max Schuers are you know, glued
together essentially, and they won the World Series. I think
the Twins realized how close they were last year and
(10:24):
knew going into this season that they were just as
in good as shape with a lot of young talent
ready to be realized at the major league level, like
Simeon Woods, Richardson, David Fest to all those guys Brooks League,
that they were going to get here and be able
to help that. They knew this was a team to
go around. They just they did everything they could in
the offseason. They were just handicapped by that that payroll slash,
(10:46):
and fans have responded in kind. I mean, this might
be the first time a team that won a division
loses in payroll. They were on pace for eighty thousand
fewer fans and a couple of good weekends could get
them there, and they might end up making the same
amount of attendance last year. But I mean, like, it's
not been a fun situation for sure, Well.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
That's been and this is Dan Hayes, the athletic at
Dan Hayes MLB. I mean the TV. I don't want
to entirely blame it on that, but it feels like
the TV situation is eighty percent of the reason they're
having mower attendance, right, I mean it is. It does
becoming out of site, out of mind situation for fans
that might love the team, but it's summertime. They can
(11:29):
go do other things if they can't catch the games
on a television.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And it's unfortunate because honestly, this is my eighteenth season
and this is one of the most talented teams I've
ever covered. It's a fun group, it's an interesting group.
I know Pablo Lopez has struggled, but he's a fascinating
dude who looks like he is on the right track
right now to recover in his season and getting back
to that eighth status. And you know, Carlos Boret is
(11:55):
an All Star. I know he's been hurt here for
two weeks. Royce Lewis Borkslee has come up in and
looked like the real deal at times, and the last
couple of days at Shortstop have looked pretty pretty good themselves.
And from Bucks is having the hell of a season.
And when you know close to fifty percent of your
home market can't see it, that's a real problem. Without question,
(12:17):
the Twins need to get You know, it's very unfortunate
time for them that this team was not on air
until you know, May one, until Friday. They were on
verge of their tenth victory in a row on May first,
when the dispute kicked in and Comcasts and Diamond went
at each other. And it's funny because Diamond didn't want
(12:40):
to go to a higher tier on comcasts. They were
fighting for that. Comcasts stuck to their their guns, and
comcasts got what they wanted three months later, and now
it's on a higher tier that fans have to pay
more for, which frankly stinks for fans. But also that's
the way cord cutting has been going, you know, all
acart purchasing an idea or like people were gonna pay
(13:03):
twenty bucks to watch Twin games at some point either
this year or next year, no matter what. But now
you pay for cable and that twenty bucks. So it's
all a mess, and it's very unfortunate because the Twins
again are a really talented team that you know, weren't
that far off a couple of days ago, and you know,
it's just it's not a really great couple of days,
(13:25):
to put it that way.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
One or two more for you here, Dan White, Sox
in town on Friday, So for that convenience charge, you
can hop back on Comcast and you can view it
or may why don't you go to the park. It
sounds like good seats are available and the Twins ownership
group would appreciate you showing up and nine dollars beer
night and hot dogs and all of that. But Dan,
I need you to help sell me some hope here
(13:47):
because I'm looking at things. I got kure love to
the sixty day Il brock Stewart's heard after the four
runs or so that he gave up the other night
in New York. We got rob we got we got
Randy dobnack back. I didn't even know he was still
with us. Carlos Korea and the foot thing like I
need you, I need you to sell some hope in
terms of this team getting healthy, because ultimately the games
(14:07):
still count, seasons still going on, and his team is
in the wild card mix for sure. Six and a
half games is starting to look ominous in the central
Like I need some hope here, Dan.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Look, there's still a great roster that was already in place.
They just wanted a little bit more. It will be
tricky that they have two rookies in the rotation the
rest away and the potential backups for that are more
rookies or young guys. And until Chris Paddock gets back,
and even Chris Pattock is coming up to Tommy john So.
But there is Carlos Korea coming back soon. Boryce Lewis
(14:42):
is healthy, Jose Miranda is healthy. Byron Bucks and is healthy.
Brooks Lee looks really good, especially since they put him
at short he might be limited and range for man.
He looks good with the glove they expected this position
group to carry them and you know, be able to
score a lot of runs. I think there's still a
lot of I'm left on the table. They have a
(15:03):
lot of home games pressed the way Pablo Lopez is
really I think his last five or six he's been
like a one eighty sixth the ra Maybe maybe I'm
wrong on that by a point, but he's been much better. Yeah,
the last five six times out, Bailey over looks amazing.
Joe Ryan has been consistent. So there's a lot of
(15:23):
good pieces. So the bullpen is tofa is going to
be added in. And I know that you know, Trevor
Richards doesn't does not make people run to the box
offs and go I need tickets right now. But he
should help. And you still have Duran Jack's alcalol. So
there's a lot of things to like about this team.
It's just a weird period where I think they're disappointed
(15:46):
in the clubhouse and fans are rightfully disappointed, just not
you know, having that starting pitcher that they needed.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
I dig it, man, Hey, thank you as always for
being willing to join wherever you are in the cunt
tree following this team. And uh, well we'll see at
Target Field this weekend. I assume as you cover the
White Sox in town, and you know, whatever happens today
in game three against the Mets, that feels like a
get right weekend at home should be fun.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, absolutely, White Sox. Man, They've they had to drop
the Socks from their name because they traded everybody yesterday.
So it's just the Chicago White now. It's it's there's
nobody left on that team, so they should be primed
for a suek. But it is not a great situation
there either. So that is a good fortunate time for
the for the Twins to be in them because you know,
(16:38):
they've they traded Eric, Betty, Tommy fam everybody. They're gone.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Cheers as always and we'll talk again soon. All right,
all right, thanks taking man, you too, Thank you. Dan
Hayes at Dan Hayes m LB via X covers in
Minnesota Twins, and it is not a rubber match at noon.
It is simply the third game. It's it's a save
face game, that's what it is. It's a save face
game with the aforementioned Pablo Lopez on the mound today
(17:07):
against Robbie Rosenhaus's favorite Metropolitans, and we're hoping that this
Twins offense can figure out how to score runs and
put Robbie in a bad mood at least for a
day before coming home to challenge the White Sox starting
on Friday. And you go watch it on TV again.
But as you heard it, and he did his best.
He did his best. But there's a hard selling, hard
(17:30):
selling hope these days for a team and money here,
not getting money there. The text messages fantastic, by the way,
And when we continue, we're going to jump back into
some NFL nuggets, some leftover big deal, no big deal,
looking around the NFL, a couple of things on the
Vikings as well. We're going to do that over the
final two segments with Brett Blake Moore. Here, I'm Nordo
(17:52):
and for Pa and as we were talking about, everything's
good with the host, no vocal maintenance. The void is
strong and he's ready to rock and he'll be back
in tomorrow. But we continue to how at noon next
Minnesota Vikings training camp is back.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We'll be there each day with great prizes up for grabs,
including kfan swag, preseason tickets and assigned Jordan Adison helmet
stop by finding our Mall of America Street team asking
you can enter to win. Don't forget the Mall of
America mystery cards. Everyone's a winner. Get tickets to training
camp today Vikings dot com slash Training Camp.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Vikings dot Com Slash Training Camp. Twins fans ever loyal,
ever not predictable, but they always come up big text
message machine six four six eighty six. But they do
have money. The pole Leads are one of the richest
owners in baseball, pocket protecting hard. And then did the
(18:48):
pole Leads file bankruptcy? I think they have a few
bucks even if the TV deal went sour. That's another one.
They're the cheapest organization in all sports. Embarrassment to all
Twins fans and all baseball fans for that matter. Once again,
some scrap heap washed a pitcher who was good like
five years ago, even if you call him good. I
hope they get contracted or swallown up by the baseball gods.
(19:10):
Just make them a minor league team. I officially am
not a Twins fan anymore. Oh, Baseball's dead in twenty
years anyway, farewell, bunch of cheap bleep owners. That's John
the mail carrier man. We gotta get John back in
a good mood because he's a precious cargo John. Okay,
don't take this out on the mail. Okay, keep things rolling.
(19:32):
But we love you and we love what you do.
Twins weren't handcuffs. Yeah, the owners are multi billionaires, worst
owners in all of sports. It's embarrassing. Then the obligatory
Fubo TV thing comes in. I'm not changing the Fubu
Fubo excuse me, it's not Fubu is fashion. Then something else.
Fubo is entertainment, Fuboo fashion, Fubo TV. Another one. I'm
(19:56):
not paying a dime to watch his team, either in
person or on cable. Twins are so close. They've done
nothing but cut to take advantage of the position they
were in. You're talking about a multi billionaire owner. No
one should feel sorry that they might have to shell
a few dollars in to win. It's Greg in Lakeville.
Oh and then a fair question should have hit this
with where's brooks Lee go when Carlos Korea comes back?
(20:18):
When is Carlos coming back? It's coming back soon? When
well kfan call out Brock Stewart, another highly paid Minnesota
ball player that doesn't play or pretends he's heard every
time he doesn't pitch. Well, just do what I do.
Another one says that was Steve. Another one, just do
what I do and don't watch baseball. Jeez, cheaper than
(20:39):
the A's. The sentiment is well heard. I'm with you,
and that's what they got to They got to figure
out how to navigate that. I still I contend it's
a combination of potentially moves that are not made. It's
the messaging associated with that, and then ultimately this team
(21:01):
isn't raising enough inside the system and developing enough talent.
In totality, this is a talented team. I agree with
Dan there, and this team can compete in the playoffs,
But ultimately there's a combination of those things. In the
public sentiment is harsh right now. It is heavy, it
(21:22):
is boiling, and the fans for the most part are
right on this a big deal or no big deal.
Something we were doing during the first hour, we did
some vikes, bites and training camp. A mod was great
in studio during the ten am hour as we look
at what's happening down in Egan and programming throughout the week.
I don't know if is common there again today is okay?
(21:43):
So both of them are out there so common Oh wow, okay,
So following our show another text. Are these texts you
reading or are they meat sauces tweets? That's a fair question.
I don't have his X account in front of me
at this moment, but I bet there's some similarities there.
(22:06):
There's no doubt the natives are restless. People are angry
about this, and for the most part, I do believe
that they should be. The TV contract in the short
term should be of zero conversation as it relates to
what you can do also in the short term financially
figure out the TV situation. These people signed a deal
(22:28):
in some ways, there's an aspect here of knowing that
the milk had gone bad, but you signed on the
deal anyway. So you're either going to take a short
term loss making the transition to streaming that was going
to create a consistency and potentially a new habit that
fans would pay for to have access, So you lose
(22:49):
money now building a platform for the long term, or
you tried to grab a few more bucks out of
the TV well knowing that there was a high likelihood
that we were going to experience what we experience this year,
Which do you think was the better option for the
long term?
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Not to mention during the off season when they cut payroll,
they just publicly said it. There's like, yeah, we're cutting payroll.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
We're very much right sizing the business.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
It was almost like if they were ashamed of it
and they knew it was the wrong thing, they would
have felt like they would have tried to hide it,
you know, or do it under the radar because they
know they should be spending more. They were just proud
of it. There's like, yeah, we're cutting it, don't care.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Well. That's the other thing, though, is the Twins fans
are trained. They know this. You can't hide this from them. Yeah,
and the messaging has been so bad for so long
that Twins fans the intenas go up very quickly with
this sort of thing. Back to the NFL, though, big deal,
No big deal. We are one of thirty two teams
(23:49):
handled a couple of bits earlier in the first hour,
but you had you had some NFL stuff that you prepared.
Jumping back to the NFL, jumping back to optimism and
hope in front of the twenty twenty four NFL season.
I do promise you you'll actually get to watch all
of these games. What are we Where are we headed to?
We're headed to Hudson Bay. Stop.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
If you heard this one before. Aaron Rodgers snapped at
his offense yesterday for a lousy practice, he was quote
or not he was quoted. Teammates were quoted. I believe
I think it was Garret Wilson. Don't quote me on that,
but I.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Think they were seeing I saw a video in which
they were they were hammering it out of the sideline.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yes, I think demonstrative was the word used to describe
Aaron Rogers on the sidelines.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Sure, a big deal or not a big deal?
Speaker 1 (24:34):
That Rogers is up to Rogers things out in New
York or New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
More, don't. I don't think it's a big deal. I
think that this is I mean, we see this, we
see camp fights, we see I think that we're trying
to make it a big deal because specifically, after he
skipped the mandatory mini camp because he was in Egypt,
he was checking out the Pyramids, which I hey, I'd
like to go the Egypt at some point. But if
(25:02):
I if I had a job in which I had
multiple months of the year in which I had nothing
going on. I might plan that trip to Egypt during
that time and not during mandatory mini camp. And every
thing about Aeron is he's gonna play you know, he's
gonna play semantics and word games, and ultimately he will
never be wrong. But the idea that effectively mini camp
(25:22):
has been reduced or mandatory camp has been reduced to
an OTA style like practice, and he was at the
other one. So therefore this was okay. Head coach didn't
seem like it was totally okay. And so I think
I think, you know, speaking of Intenna's being up, you're
gonna be extra sensitive to good times bad times. That
happened with the Jets. But I don't think it's any
big deal. I mean, Garrett Wilson, he just spent a
(25:44):
year dealing with Zach Wilson. He just spent a year
dealing with uh was it Tim Boyle. Yeah, he needed
to be lanced. I mean, that's that's what he was
dealing with with the quarterback spot. He's anticipating a healthy Rogers.
This is a very good defense. This This is probably,
if anything, it's a big deal because it's a good thing.
Aaron's asserting himself. It's it's business mode. Now. You watched
(26:08):
him in Green Bay for years. You know how he operates.
Now he's gonna get those guys right. And when Garrett
Wilson has ten touchdowns this year, he's not going to
be worried about that time in camp when they were
yelling at each other. I just feel like it just
escalated so fast.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Like I don't know, maybe this is just my green
and gold glasses, but I felt like when I was
a kid, I wasn't hearing about this stuff about Rogers,
and then it just slowly escalated as the.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Years went on. But you bought in for his way
or the highway, and it's gonna be his way. Yeah,
and his way here's a lot, you know, it's his
way has.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Been pretty good speaking of his way, and also on Rogers,
shocker here, probably not. I think they put out a
report not playing at all in the preseason.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
They're going to be smarts.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
They're trusting their instincts and not playing him, even though
he means he's basically taken what a whole year off
essentially of not getting in game, actual live fire. It's preseason.
It's not really live fire, but actual in game reps.
He's been doing it for so long, big deal. Are
not big deal that he's not even getting a snap
a look a dress in preseason, no big deal.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
And yeah, yeah, he's at this stage of his career.
He is recovering from an achilles again again. You know,
does Aaron Rodgers draw my ire from time to time?
Certainly when when he was in Green Bay. You know
now how he's in certain spots waxing poetic about various
(27:35):
worldview related issues and things. And there are a lot
of things I agree with him on, some my don't.
He's free to do those things. I'm not offended by
any of it. But my point is is that does
he draw my ire from time to time? Yes, But
if we can wipe away all that other stuff, the ayahuasca,
the Egyptian pharaohs and sarcophaguses and things, if we can
just wipe that all away and just say, what did
(27:56):
they pay him for? They didn't pay him to do
reps in preseason. He does not need to do reps
in preseason. He'll be ready and they opened the season.
I think at the Niners that's gonna be one hell
of a game, so he'll be ready for that. Though.
He is game for that, so no big deal.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Do we have a quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh. It apparently
is heating up between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The
old saying, if you've got two quarterbacks, you've got no quarterbacks.
I think they signed Fields with the intention. Yeah, you're
sitting buddy, like this is gonna be Russ's team that
your insurance.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Well, wasn't. Russ was doing like some things off to
the side again. Is he up to his usual like
shadow football antics. Remember when he would do that, he
was like no football, no teammates. He'd fake the handoff
and then he'd get his hand positioning right and then
he'd he'd roll out left right. I remember he had
I think he had a hand issue, and it was
a pregame, primetime game, and he was out there like
(28:52):
two hours before the game just running through some of
that on his own, and people were laughing at him,
and you know, mister unlimited and all that. Uh. I
think of the two I would take. I don't know
if there's a controversy, it just should be Russ. Am
I wrong on that.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So I don't have the reports saying Justin Fields continues
to shine, he's ready for a shot, and Russell Wilson
had a calf injury apparently that he's coming back from too.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah. I so yeah, Well see that's the thing, though,
is you can shine all you want Justin when when
Russ and Russ looked bad last couple of years with
the with the Broncos, totally get that Russ is still
better than Justin Fields. I don't even see how that's
how that's a deal. No want one more here? Yeah? Sure,
by the way, so no big deal on I'm big deal?
(29:40):
Are you a big deal?
Speaker 1 (29:41):
I think it's a fun story to follow, but I
don't think it's a big deal. I think Wilson will
win out eventually, but entertainment value big deal. Matt Stafford,
he got a huge deal. Speaking of deals, Uh, they restructured,
they revised it. He gets a twelve point five million
signing bonus, he gets some other guaranteed. The restructuring is
(30:02):
deal to potentially get some more help out in La
a team who I see online all the time of
watch out for the Rams. They this could be a
comeback year for them. I don't know what to make
of that.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
What say you, well, come back, yere, did they not?
Did they not play in the playoffs last year? I
mean they did? They lost to the kiddies. Correct. No, Here,
here's what's interesting about the Rams, And there's not a
ton of time. We'll break momentarily and then put a
rap on things next segment. I'm actually kind of impressed
because years ago, well not too long ago, a few
(30:34):
years ago, they win the Super Bowl. People like myself
I would be digging in that it was it was mercenaries,
it was guns for hire. They spent all those draft
picks on bringing in Jalen Ramsey and these other players,
and effectively, you know, people are on quasi about you know,
not caring about draft picks. I mean, the Rams didn't
(30:56):
have a first round pick. It felt like for half
a decade. I mean, they truly leveraged every resource they
had to win that Super Bowl that they won in
twenty twenty one. So now twenty twenty or twenty twenty one,
it doesn't matter anyway. Twenty twenty one, the question would be,
(31:17):
is now that you don't have all of those draft picks,
how do you rebuild this thing? McVeigh. Post Super Bowl win,
people were speculating that he might retire, and I do
believe that those speculations were all built upon the fact
of cupboards are bear, dude, and how are you going
to continue to bring this thing along? Aaron Donald not
getting any younger, and you are going to have to
(31:38):
not You're gonna have to get rid of the Jalen
Ramseys of the world. I think Ramsey's now back in
I think he's in Miami, he's back in Florida. Former Jaguar.
Of course, now he's with the Dolphins. But you were
going to have to leverage. You were going to have
to shed some of that high money talent, and you
were going to have to supplement via the draft, and
they had no freaking picks. And I must actually tip
(31:59):
my hand to less need to McVeigh to that group,
because now they found one of the best defensive players
in the draft last year. He's entering his second year
no more, Aaron Donald. I get that, But this is
actually a quality team. And Kyron Williams was a twelve
hundred yard rusher somewhere in that neighborhood. Last year, Puka
Nakua in the fifth round Cooper Cups still has some
(32:20):
tread on that tires has to stay healthy, their ability
to really come back from this, and now they do
have draft picks, and again they were a playoff team
last year, and so I actually have to tip my
cap to them with respect because I think it is
it's big deal. They had to free up some money
because Stafford's not getting any younger. I get that, And
(32:41):
I don't even know who's behind him right now. With
the Rams, they had the Georgia Cat Stetson Stetson Bennett.
I forget who their backup is though, because I don't
think Bennett's the backup. But I'm just really impressed that
the Rams have figured out without completely falling into a
half decade. They're very game and they're a competitive team
(33:03):
in an NFC that continues to look a little muddy
after you get by the Niners and the Eagles and
the kiddies. Oh my big deal, No big deal, Just
chatt an NFL on a Wednesday morning. It's nordowin for
PA Brett Blake Morris here final segment A shorty next
thanks to a mod Hicks Fox nine. Thanks to Dan
(33:24):
Hayes The Athletic for joining me today heavy on the
Vikings during the middle stretch it some NFL nuggets sprinkled
in throughout. Thanks to Brett for producing Dan covering the
Minnesota Twins and Hey, you got Trevor Richards So you're
pumped about that. Okay, you're not pumped about that. That's fine,
that's fine. We're gonna we're gonna get through this thing together.
(33:45):
I am pumped for the next six and a half
hours though, because both the grum and Bumper to bumper
with Dan Barrero common a tenn to be out of
training camp and of course mister Barrero and mister Guardsey
out there as well. So six and a half hours
from Vikings training camp down at Egan. Pa is going
to be back in the mix tomorrow, so he is,
uh but no longer and everything went well, so we're
(34:10):
excited about that. We're going to have Ben Lieber in
the mix. And then I believe Alec lewis from the Athletics,
So we'll be back in studio tomorrow and we're on
site at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center and Egan on Friday.
Friday Feast with charch As training camp rolls on. Thank
you for listening to the fan. Thank you for the
text messages, good, bad, ugly and everything in between. I
(34:32):
just appreciate you being in the fan fam. Have a
great afternoon and enjoy the camp coverage here on your
home for Vikings Football the Fan.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Podcast.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Today's Paul Allen's Show.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
We're listening back to previous show and interviews like going
to the iHeartRadio app for gfan dot com.
Punk Rocks superstars Green Day are headed to target Field Saturday,
August seventeenth. Don't miss out as they celebrate twenty years
their American Idiot album and thirty years of their Duchi album,
playing both in their entirety when they take the stage.
Take us still available for full details and to get
your tickets over to kfan dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Keyword caolendar. Speaking of American Idiots, it's Nordo here filling
in for Pa. If PA was Gladys Knight, you can
consider me one of the pips. I suppose filling in
Final Hour nine to noon. And you know what Brett
to heck with trying to monetize a podcast. How about
we sponsor a segment called Covenant Cleanup, in which we
(00:42):
look we're dumb. We make mistakes on a daily basis,
something so simple as saying the rubber match can't be
it's not a rubber match. No, it's not. It's when
you lose both by a combined score of seventeen to two,
it's not a rubber match. And I made that error,
and that's embarrassing. And I received several text messages noting
that Meat Sauce may have made that mistake this morning
during the power trip, so that makes me feel even worse.
(01:05):
Hopefully to cheer me up and everyone else. Dan Hayes
of The Athletic joins me now at Dan Hayes MLB
via x follows the Minnesota Twins, writes about the Minnesota
Twins Fortheathletic dot Com.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
How you doing, Dan, I'm good, but I don't think
I'm going to cheer anybody up. Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
No. And you know what, that's not your job. Your
job is to cover the team and you do a
damn good job of it. And that's it. That is
indeed where I wanted to start, because yesterday the Twins
made a move before the deadline. Trevor Richards, thirty one
year old, made his debut in twenty eighteen. He's played
for This will be his fifth team. But I've seen
(01:45):
him referred to as a low leverage reliever that comes
to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a low end
prospect in Jay Harry going to Toronto. Your thoughts on
the move.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I mean, look, it's a nice piece and it'll help
round out the roster. I think he can help. They
think he can pitch against lefty he's got reverse splits,
hiss change up as nasty. So in that regard, it's
a decent piece. But I mean, I think that the
players in the clubhouse were expecting a big move, and
(02:20):
I think that fans certainly were expecting. Okay, look, actually,
let's put it in the context. I don't know that
a big move was to be had right now, because
we look at who was traded during this deadline. It's
not like we're talking about superstars getting moved. There was
very little in the way of impact talent move. There
was a lot of like number three and four pitchers
(02:43):
moved for absurd prices. And that is not to really
defend the Twins for not making the move. I just
think that they saw what was out there and they
realized that they'd be mortgaging their future. You know, Walker Jenkins,
brooks Lee, and Emanuel Rodriguez were the big asks. And
(03:07):
when you're talking about ten starts of like say, you say, Kakuchi,
that's the stupid price. To be honest, I wouldn't do
that either. I think this was lost in the offseason
more than you loshed yesterday. It just it basically kind
of comes to fruition yesterday because players expected some help
and they really didn't get much. But you know, you
(03:29):
can't it just it really began nine months ago, is
what was more when the problem started, and it just
surfaces with the deadline because the deadline provides the platform.
But this was a thing that they should have handled
so much longer ago.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Well, and I'm glad you went that way, Dan, And
you know this. You've been with the Twins, following the
Twins long enough. Now, regardless of what you're going to
say to my next question, you will be referred to
by some as a poll ad pocket protector, so you
know that. But let me ask you, because I mostly
agree with you, is this a situation with this team
(04:05):
as time goes on? That is? Is it a bigger
problem the philosophy of this team as it pertains to
making moves spending money in certain spots is the biggest
problem of the philosophy or is it the messaging and
how they communicate that to the fans.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Yeah, that's a good question. I don't know, because look,
they have spent money before, and we have done it recently.
They changed a lot of the ways they went about
things by signing Byron Buckson to an extension by signing
Carlos Korea for tuner billion dollars, things that nobody around
here has really seen. I know that Joe Mauer contract
was there, but like, if you didn't sign Joe Mauer
back then, you might as well pull up the franchise
(04:44):
and walk away. At that point, they have spent money.
I don't know. If this is a temporary thing, it
would not be good. If it's a permanent thing, there's
no question because I think when you look at this
team going come out last year, this is a team
to build around. It was a really exciting didn't run?
Should you have resigned Senegray? I don't think that would
have been realistic. Honestly, he was getting paid way too
(05:06):
much for a guy who the last year or two
you don't know what you're going to get. I think
this year you knew what you were going to maybe get.
But also his first year with the Twins, he had
went on the IL three times. That's not and he's
never had the healthiest track record, so I could see
why they didn't sign him, But that doesn't excuse not
signing another starter. And you know, I don't know that
(05:28):
the I think what Derek Falvey and Dad Levine did
in the offseason was one of the most creative jobs
I've ever seen to make do with what they had.
I mean to look, they tried to piece together the
rotation as best they could, and that's when you lost
twenty seven million off payroll. There was really no way
to do that. And yet there had been like ten
(05:51):
million more bucks to spend. Maybe you signed Eric Fetty
in the offseason and you're not in this position in
the first place. And the fact that despite the ingredients
in place for this great team, payroll was just gonna
be slashed. That was going to be it your little
wiggle room and financial constraints. That's troubling, There's no question
(06:11):
about that. I mean, it's it's hard to see how
if that's the permanent state, how that's good for the
franchise moving forward. If that's a temporary thing because of businesses.
You know, the TV deal absolutely fell apart, and I
don't I'm not gonna go on and speculate how much
they lost, but I know it was a great deal,
and I know it was more than what the Rangers
(06:32):
and the Guardians loss. And you know, everybody assumed the
Twins had the same thing that they got, where I
believe there were fifteen percent cuts. The Twins was more
than that. There's no question that the Twins was more
than that. I don't know how much, but it wouldn't
shock me if the payroll reduction was in line with that.
(06:52):
But the TV situation is not gonna get any better.
This was already the worst TV deal in baseball as
it was fifty four million dollars was bottom of the
barrel in baseball. And if it's if it's in fact
in that thirty million dollar range. Now, unless MLB comes
up with something, it's gonna get worse. I mean if
(07:12):
the if the team goes to streaming and it's direct
the customer. The Potters have forty thousand subscribers right now.
Do the math forty thousand at like one hundred and
twenty dollars a year, So Potters are making about four
million dollars off their their their rights right now. The
Potters used to get seventy million dollars annually from their
TV deal. So this is sort of systemic in baseball,
(07:35):
and it really impacts the Twins at the wrong time.
I'm hoping for the Twins fans sake, it's temporary. I
don't know though, you know, I really don't know where
this takes baseball. It's financial future and the fact that
you know, ten million dollars wasn't there to maybe go
after Eric Fetty who signed a two year, fifteen million
dollar deal with the White Sox and you know, boy
(07:59):
to day make out on that. You know, the Twins
could have signed him at the same time for the
same price and they'd be in a lot better shape.
Right now, they didn't have enough money, and yesterday and
the day before they faced unbearable prices to try and
trade for guys and you would have been mortgaging your future.
So they were in a no win position. And it
(08:19):
leaves the clubhouse just, you know, totally unsatisfied.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, I bet it does. And I'm curious about that.
How do you think that relationship exists? I mean, it
feels like, if you're Derek Falve, if you give him
X amount of money, he's going to spend up to
that line, right If you told him you could spend
like the Dodgers, he would go out and try to
spend like the Dodgers. So you know, the balance, like
Derek Falvey and Thad Levine trying to work through that.
(08:45):
I'm interested in how that dynamic exists, trying to present
some of this stuff to ownership and trying to get
the right answers that ultimately fit with the vision of
this team.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Well yeah, look look at the wo hit Polonko trade. Right,
he was gonna make ten million bucks. They trade him
to Seattle. Des Scoffani comes back to the Twins for
four millions. He's due to make twelve, but the Giants
and the Mariners paid eight million of it because of
all the injury concerns toward there. Justin Topa, who actually
may get back this weekend is set. I think he's
(09:18):
earning just a little bit over a million bucks. So
there's five million, and what they do. They went out
and spent five million bucks on Carlos Santin. So they
basically took the opportunity to trade Blanco and turn it
potentially into three pieces. I think there was a realization
on the baseball side that this is a team that
wasn't very far off from being a real competitor. I mean,
look at the run last year. They figured out a
(09:40):
way to get over Houston in that Game three. You know,
that first inning was so damaging with some regular the
four runs, and I think that really deflated the team.
And you know, Houston goes on to beat them in four.
But if the Twins had gotten through that and found
a way to win that series, that bullpen was nasty.
There was so much about it to like in a
al that was you know, I mean, look at Texas,
(10:03):
like how hot they got, but Texas had really noble pens.
Texas really had no starting staff. They were two guys
it was Jordan Montgomery and Eovaldi who were incredible, but
beyond that there were Max Schuers are you know, glued
together essentially, and they won the World Series. I think
the Twins realized how close they were last year and
(10:24):
knew going into this season that they were just as
in good as shape with a lot of young talent
ready to be realized at the major league level, like
Simeon Woods, Richardson, David Fest to all those guys Brooks League,
that they were going to get here and be able
to help that. They knew this was a team to
go around. They just they did everything they could in
the offseason. They were just handicapped by that that payroll slash,
(10:46):
and fans have responded in kind. I mean, this might
be the first time a team that won a division
loses in payroll. They were on pace for eighty thousand
fewer fans and a couple of good weekends could get
them there, and they might end up making the same
amount of attendance last year. But I mean, like, it's
not been a fun situation for sure, Well.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
That's been and this is Dan Hayes, the athletic at
Dan Hayes MLB. I mean the TV. I don't want
to entirely blame it on that, but it feels like
the TV situation is eighty percent of the reason they're
having mower attendance, right, I mean it is. It does
becoming out of site, out of mind situation for fans
that might love the team, but it's summertime. They can
(11:29):
go do other things if they can't catch the games
on a television.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
And it's unfortunate because honestly, this is my eighteenth season
and this is one of the most talented teams I've
ever covered. It's a fun group, it's an interesting group.
I know Pablo Lopez has struggled, but he's a fascinating
dude who looks like he is on the right track
right now to recover in his season and getting back
to that eighth status. And you know, Carlos Boret is
(11:55):
an All Star. I know he's been hurt here for
two weeks. Royce Lewis Borkslee has come up in and
looked like the real deal at times, and the last
couple of days at Shortstop have looked pretty pretty good themselves.
And from Bucks is having the hell of a season.
And when you know close to fifty percent of your
home market can't see it, that's a real problem. Without question,
(12:17):
the Twins need to get You know, it's very unfortunate
time for them that this team was not on air
until you know, May one, until Friday. They were on
verge of their tenth victory in a row on May first,
when the dispute kicked in and Comcasts and Diamond went
at each other. And it's funny because Diamond didn't want
(12:40):
to go to a higher tier on comcasts. They were
fighting for that. Comcasts stuck to their their guns, and
comcasts got what they wanted three months later, and now
it's on a higher tier that fans have to pay
more for, which frankly stinks for fans. But also that's
the way cord cutting has been going, you know, all
acart purchasing an idea or like people were gonna pay
(13:03):
twenty bucks to watch Twin games at some point either
this year or next year, no matter what. But now
you pay for cable and that twenty bucks. So it's
all a mess, and it's very unfortunate because the Twins
again are a really talented team that you know, weren't
that far off a couple of days ago, and you know,
it's just it's not a really great couple of days,
(13:25):
to put it that way.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
One or two more for you here, Dan White, Sox
in town on Friday, So for that convenience charge, you
can hop back on Comcast and you can view it
or may why don't you go to the park. It
sounds like good seats are available and the Twins ownership
group would appreciate you showing up and nine dollars beer
night and hot dogs and all of that. But Dan,
I need you to help sell me some hope here
(13:47):
because I'm looking at things. I got kure love to
the sixty day Il brock Stewart's heard after the four
runs or so that he gave up the other night
in New York. We got rob we got we got
Randy dobnack back. I didn't even know he was still
with us. Carlos Korea and the foot thing like I
need you, I need you to sell some hope in
terms of this team getting healthy, because ultimately the games
(14:07):
still count, seasons still going on, and his team is
in the wild card mix for sure. Six and a
half games is starting to look ominous in the central
Like I need some hope here, Dan.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Look, there's still a great roster that was already in place.
They just wanted a little bit more. It will be
tricky that they have two rookies in the rotation the
rest away and the potential backups for that are more
rookies or young guys. And until Chris Paddock gets back,
and even Chris Pattock is coming up to Tommy john So.
But there is Carlos Korea coming back soon. Boryce Lewis
(14:42):
is healthy, Jose Miranda is healthy. Byron Bucks and is healthy.
Brooks Lee looks really good, especially since they put him
at short he might be limited and range for man.
He looks good with the glove they expected this position
group to carry them and you know, be able to
score a lot of runs. I think there's still a
lot of I'm left on the table. They have a
(15:03):
lot of home games pressed the way Pablo Lopez is
really I think his last five or six he's been
like a one eighty sixth the ra Maybe maybe I'm
wrong on that by a point, but he's been much better. Yeah,
the last five six times out, Bailey over looks amazing.
Joe Ryan has been consistent. So there's a lot of
(15:23):
good pieces. So the bullpen is tofa is going to
be added in. And I know that you know, Trevor
Richards doesn't does not make people run to the box
offs and go I need tickets right now. But he
should help. And you still have Duran Jack's alcalol. So
there's a lot of things to like about this team.
It's just a weird period where I think they're disappointed
(15:46):
in the clubhouse and fans are rightfully disappointed, just not
you know, having that starting pitcher that they needed.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
I dig it, man, Hey, thank you as always for
being willing to join wherever you are in the cunt
tree following this team. And uh, well we'll see at
Target Field this weekend. I assume as you cover the
White Sox in town, and you know, whatever happens today
in game three against the Mets, that feels like a
get right weekend at home should be fun.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, absolutely, White Sox. Man, They've they had to drop
the Socks from their name because they traded everybody yesterday.
So it's just the Chicago White now. It's it's there's
nobody left on that team, so they should be primed
for a suek. But it is not a great situation
there either. So that is a good fortunate time for
the for the Twins to be in them because you know,
(16:38):
they've they traded Eric, Betty, Tommy fam everybody. They're gone.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Cheers as always and we'll talk again soon. All right,
all right, thanks taking man, you too, Thank you. Dan
Hayes at Dan Hayes m LB via X covers in
Minnesota Twins, and it is not a rubber match at noon.
It is simply the third game. It's it's a save
face game, that's what it is. It's a save face
game with the aforementioned Pablo Lopez on the mound today
(17:07):
against Robbie Rosenhaus's favorite Metropolitans, and we're hoping that this
Twins offense can figure out how to score runs and
put Robbie in a bad mood at least for a
day before coming home to challenge the White Sox starting
on Friday. And you go watch it on TV again.
But as you heard it, and he did his best.
He did his best. But there's a hard selling, hard
(17:30):
selling hope these days for a team and money here,
not getting money there. The text messages fantastic, by the way,
And when we continue, we're going to jump back into
some NFL nuggets, some leftover big deal, no big deal,
looking around the NFL, a couple of things on the
Vikings as well. We're going to do that over the
final two segments with Brett Blake Moore. Here, I'm Nordo
(17:52):
and for Pa and as we were talking about, everything's
good with the host, no vocal maintenance. The void is
strong and he's ready to rock and he'll be back
in tomorrow. But we continue to how at noon next
Minnesota Vikings training camp is back.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
We'll be there each day with great prizes up for grabs,
including kfan swag, preseason tickets and assigned Jordan Adison helmet
stop by finding our Mall of America Street team asking
you can enter to win. Don't forget the Mall of
America mystery cards. Everyone's a winner. Get tickets to training
camp today Vikings dot com slash Training Camp.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Vikings dot Com Slash Training Camp. Twins fans ever loyal,
ever not predictable, but they always come up big text
message machine six four six eighty six. But they do
have money. The pole Leads are one of the richest
owners in baseball, pocket protecting hard. And then did the
(18:48):
pole Leads file bankruptcy? I think they have a few
bucks even if the TV deal went sour. That's another one.
They're the cheapest organization in all sports. Embarrassment to all
Twins fans and all baseball fans for that matter. Once again,
some scrap heap washed a pitcher who was good like
five years ago, even if you call him good. I
hope they get contracted or swallown up by the baseball gods.
(19:10):
Just make them a minor league team. I officially am
not a Twins fan anymore. Oh, Baseball's dead in twenty
years anyway, farewell, bunch of cheap bleep owners. That's John
the mail carrier man. We gotta get John back in
a good mood because he's a precious cargo John. Okay,
don't take this out on the mail. Okay, keep things rolling.
(19:32):
But we love you and we love what you do.
Twins weren't handcuffs. Yeah, the owners are multi billionaires, worst
owners in all of sports. It's embarrassing. Then the obligatory
Fubo TV thing comes in. I'm not changing the Fubu
Fubo excuse me, it's not Fubu is fashion. Then something else.
Fubo is entertainment, Fuboo fashion, Fubo TV. Another one. I'm
(19:56):
not paying a dime to watch his team, either in
person or on cable. Twins are so close. They've done
nothing but cut to take advantage of the position they
were in. You're talking about a multi billionaire owner. No
one should feel sorry that they might have to shell
a few dollars in to win. It's Greg in Lakeville.
Oh and then a fair question should have hit this
with where's brooks Lee go when Carlos Korea comes back?
(20:18):
When is Carlos coming back? It's coming back soon? When
well kfan call out Brock Stewart, another highly paid Minnesota
ball player that doesn't play or pretends he's heard every
time he doesn't pitch. Well, just do what I do.
Another one says that was Steve. Another one, just do
what I do and don't watch baseball. Jeez, cheaper than
(20:39):
the A's. The sentiment is well heard. I'm with you,
and that's what they got to They got to figure
out how to navigate that. I still I contend it's
a combination of potentially moves that are not made. It's
the messaging associated with that, and then ultimately this team
(21:01):
isn't raising enough inside the system and developing enough talent.
In totality, this is a talented team. I agree with
Dan there, and this team can compete in the playoffs,
But ultimately there's a combination of those things. In the
public sentiment is harsh right now. It is heavy, it
(21:22):
is boiling, and the fans for the most part are
right on this a big deal or no big deal.
Something we were doing during the first hour, we did
some vikes, bites and training camp. A mod was great
in studio during the ten am hour as we look
at what's happening down in Egan and programming throughout the week.
I don't know if is common there again today is okay?
(21:43):
So both of them are out there so common Oh wow, okay,
So following our show another text. Are these texts you
reading or are they meat sauces tweets? That's a fair question.
I don't have his X account in front of me
at this moment, but I bet there's some similarities there.
(22:06):
There's no doubt the natives are restless. People are angry
about this, and for the most part, I do believe
that they should be. The TV contract in the short
term should be of zero conversation as it relates to
what you can do also in the short term financially
figure out the TV situation. These people signed a deal
(22:28):
in some ways, there's an aspect here of knowing that
the milk had gone bad, but you signed on the
deal anyway. So you're either going to take a short
term loss making the transition to streaming that was going
to create a consistency and potentially a new habit that
fans would pay for to have access, So you lose
(22:49):
money now building a platform for the long term, or
you tried to grab a few more bucks out of
the TV well knowing that there was a high likelihood
that we were going to experience what we experience this year,
Which do you think was the better option for the
long term?
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Not to mention during the off season when they cut payroll,
they just publicly said it. There's like, yeah, we're cutting payroll.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
We're very much right sizing the business.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
It was almost like if they were ashamed of it
and they knew it was the wrong thing, they would
have felt like they would have tried to hide it,
you know, or do it under the radar because they
know they should be spending more. They were just proud
of it. There's like, yeah, we're cutting it, don't care.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Well. That's the other thing, though, is the Twins fans
are trained. They know this. You can't hide this from them. Yeah,
and the messaging has been so bad for so long
that Twins fans the intenas go up very quickly with
this sort of thing. Back to the NFL, though, big deal,
No big deal. We are one of thirty two teams
(23:49):
handled a couple of bits earlier in the first hour,
but you had you had some NFL stuff that you prepared.
Jumping back to the NFL, jumping back to optimism and
hope in front of the twenty twenty four NFL season.
I do promise you you'll actually get to watch all
of these games. What are we Where are we headed to?
We're headed to Hudson Bay. Stop.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
If you heard this one before. Aaron Rodgers snapped at
his offense yesterday for a lousy practice, he was quote
or not he was quoted. Teammates were quoted. I believe
I think it was Garret Wilson. Don't quote me on that,
but I.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Think they were seeing I saw a video in which
they were they were hammering it out of the sideline.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yes, I think demonstrative was the word used to describe
Aaron Rogers on the sidelines.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Sure, a big deal or not a big deal?
Speaker 1 (24:34):
That Rogers is up to Rogers things out in New
York or New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
More, don't. I don't think it's a big deal. I
think that this is I mean, we see this, we
see camp fights, we see I think that we're trying
to make it a big deal because specifically, after he
skipped the mandatory mini camp because he was in Egypt,
he was checking out the Pyramids, which I hey, I'd
like to go the Egypt at some point. But if
(25:02):
I if I had a job in which I had
multiple months of the year in which I had nothing
going on. I might plan that trip to Egypt during
that time and not during mandatory mini camp. And every
thing about Aeron is he's gonna play you know, he's
gonna play semantics and word games, and ultimately he will
never be wrong. But the idea that effectively mini camp
(25:22):
has been reduced or mandatory camp has been reduced to
an OTA style like practice, and he was at the
other one. So therefore this was okay. Head coach didn't
seem like it was totally okay. And so I think
I think, you know, speaking of Intenna's being up, you're
gonna be extra sensitive to good times bad times. That
happened with the Jets. But I don't think it's any
big deal. I mean, Garrett Wilson, he just spent a
(25:44):
year dealing with Zach Wilson. He just spent a year
dealing with uh was it Tim Boyle. Yeah, he needed
to be lanced. I mean, that's that's what he was
dealing with with the quarterback spot. He's anticipating a healthy Rogers.
This is a very good defense. This This is probably,
if anything, it's a big deal because it's a good thing.
Aaron's asserting himself. It's it's business mode. Now. You watched
(26:08):
him in Green Bay for years. You know how he operates.
Now he's gonna get those guys right. And when Garrett
Wilson has ten touchdowns this year, he's not going to
be worried about that time in camp when they were
yelling at each other. I just feel like it just
escalated so fast.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Like I don't know, maybe this is just my green
and gold glasses, but I felt like when I was
a kid, I wasn't hearing about this stuff about Rogers,
and then it just slowly escalated as the.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Years went on. But you bought in for his way
or the highway, and it's gonna be his way. Yeah,
and his way here's a lot, you know, it's his
way has.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Been pretty good speaking of his way, and also on Rogers,
shocker here, probably not. I think they put out a
report not playing at all in the preseason.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
They're going to be smarts.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
They're trusting their instincts and not playing him, even though
he means he's basically taken what a whole year off
essentially of not getting in game, actual live fire. It's preseason.
It's not really live fire, but actual in game reps.
He's been doing it for so long, big deal. Are
not big deal that he's not even getting a snap
a look a dress in preseason, no big deal.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
And yeah, yeah, he's at this stage of his career.
He is recovering from an achilles again again. You know,
does Aaron Rodgers draw my ire from time to time?
Certainly when when he was in Green Bay. You know
now how he's in certain spots waxing poetic about various
(27:35):
worldview related issues and things. And there are a lot
of things I agree with him on, some my don't.
He's free to do those things. I'm not offended by
any of it. But my point is is that does
he draw my ire from time to time? Yes, But
if we can wipe away all that other stuff, the ayahuasca,
the Egyptian pharaohs and sarcophaguses and things, if we can
just wipe that all away and just say, what did
(27:56):
they pay him for? They didn't pay him to do
reps in preseason. He does not need to do reps
in preseason. He'll be ready and they opened the season.
I think at the Niners that's gonna be one hell
of a game, so he'll be ready for that. Though.
He is game for that, so no big deal.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Do we have a quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh. It apparently
is heating up between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The
old saying, if you've got two quarterbacks, you've got no quarterbacks.
I think they signed Fields with the intention. Yeah, you're
sitting buddy, like this is gonna be Russ's team that
your insurance.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Well, wasn't. Russ was doing like some things off to
the side again. Is he up to his usual like
shadow football antics. Remember when he would do that, he
was like no football, no teammates. He'd fake the handoff
and then he'd get his hand positioning right and then
he'd he'd roll out left right. I remember he had
I think he had a hand issue, and it was
a pregame, primetime game, and he was out there like
(28:52):
two hours before the game just running through some of
that on his own, and people were laughing at him,
and you know, mister unlimited and all that. Uh. I
think of the two I would take. I don't know
if there's a controversy, it just should be Russ. Am
I wrong on that.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So I don't have the reports saying Justin Fields continues
to shine, he's ready for a shot, and Russell Wilson
had a calf injury apparently that he's coming back from too.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah. I so yeah, Well see that's the thing, though,
is you can shine all you want Justin when when
Russ and Russ looked bad last couple of years with
the with the Broncos, totally get that Russ is still
better than Justin Fields. I don't even see how that's
how that's a deal. No want one more here? Yeah? Sure,
by the way, so no big deal on I'm big deal?
(29:40):
Are you a big deal?
Speaker 1 (29:41):
I think it's a fun story to follow, but I
don't think it's a big deal. I think Wilson will
win out eventually, but entertainment value big deal. Matt Stafford,
he got a huge deal. Speaking of deals, Uh, they restructured,
they revised it. He gets a twelve point five million
signing bonus, he gets some other guaranteed. The restructuring is
(30:02):
deal to potentially get some more help out in La
a team who I see online all the time of
watch out for the Rams. They this could be a
comeback year for them. I don't know what to make
of that.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
What say you, well, come back, yere, did they not?
Did they not play in the playoffs last year? I
mean they did? They lost to the kiddies. Correct. No, Here,
here's what's interesting about the Rams, And there's not a
ton of time. We'll break momentarily and then put a
rap on things next segment. I'm actually kind of impressed
because years ago, well not too long ago, a few
(30:34):
years ago, they win the Super Bowl. People like myself
I would be digging in that it was it was mercenaries,
it was guns for hire. They spent all those draft
picks on bringing in Jalen Ramsey and these other players,
and effectively, you know, people are on quasi about you know,
not caring about draft picks. I mean, the Rams didn't
(30:56):
have a first round pick. It felt like for half
a decade. I mean, they truly leveraged every resource they
had to win that Super Bowl that they won in
twenty twenty one. So now twenty twenty or twenty twenty one,
it doesn't matter anyway. Twenty twenty one, the question would be,
(31:17):
is now that you don't have all of those draft picks,
how do you rebuild this thing? McVeigh. Post Super Bowl win,
people were speculating that he might retire, and I do
believe that those speculations were all built upon the fact
of cupboards are bear, dude, and how are you going
to continue to bring this thing along? Aaron Donald not
getting any younger, and you are going to have to
(31:38):
not You're gonna have to get rid of the Jalen
Ramseys of the world. I think Ramsey's now back in
I think he's in Miami, he's back in Florida. Former Jaguar.
Of course, now he's with the Dolphins. But you were
going to have to leverage. You were going to have
to shed some of that high money talent, and you
were going to have to supplement via the draft, and
they had no freaking picks. And I must actually tip
(31:59):
my hand to less need to McVeigh to that group,
because now they found one of the best defensive players
in the draft last year. He's entering his second year
no more, Aaron Donald. I get that, But this is
actually a quality team. And Kyron Williams was a twelve
hundred yard rusher somewhere in that neighborhood. Last year, Puka
Nakua in the fifth round Cooper Cups still has some
(32:20):
tread on that tires has to stay healthy, their ability
to really come back from this, and now they do
have draft picks, and again they were a playoff team
last year, and so I actually have to tip my
cap to them with respect because I think it is
it's big deal. They had to free up some money
because Stafford's not getting any younger. I get that, And
(32:41):
I don't even know who's behind him right now. With
the Rams, they had the Georgia Cat Stetson Stetson Bennett.
I forget who their backup is though, because I don't
think Bennett's the backup. But I'm just really impressed that
the Rams have figured out without completely falling into a
half decade. They're very game and they're a competitive team
(33:03):
in an NFC that continues to look a little muddy
after you get by the Niners and the Eagles and
the kiddies. Oh my big deal, No big deal, Just
chatt an NFL on a Wednesday morning. It's nordowin for
PA Brett Blake Morris here final segment A shorty next
thanks to a mod Hicks Fox nine. Thanks to Dan
(33:24):
Hayes The Athletic for joining me today heavy on the
Vikings during the middle stretch it some NFL nuggets sprinkled
in throughout. Thanks to Brett for producing Dan covering the
Minnesota Twins and Hey, you got Trevor Richards So you're
pumped about that. Okay, you're not pumped about that. That's fine,
that's fine. We're gonna we're gonna get through this thing together.
(33:45):
I am pumped for the next six and a half
hours though, because both the grum and Bumper to bumper
with Dan Barrero common a tenn to be out of
training camp and of course mister Barrero and mister Guardsey
out there as well. So six and a half hours
from Vikings training camp down at Egan. Pa is going
to be back in the mix tomorrow, so he is,
uh but no longer and everything went well, so we're
(34:10):
excited about that. We're going to have Ben Lieber in
the mix. And then I believe Alec lewis from the Athletics,
So we'll be back in studio tomorrow and we're on
site at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center and Egan on Friday.
Friday Feast with charch As training camp rolls on. Thank
you for listening to the fan. Thank you for the
text messages, good, bad, ugly and everything in between. I
(34:32):
just appreciate you being in the fan fam. Have a
great afternoon and enjoy the camp coverage here on your
home for Vikings Football the Fan.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
Podcast.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Today's Paul Allen's Show.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
We're listening back to previous show and interviews like going
to the iHeartRadio app for gfan dot com.
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