January 14, 2025 • 50 mins
Vikings get dominated by the Rams and the season is over. Full hour of takes and talkers off the loss yesterday.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, we ain't heard that about a million times. Brian
McKnight's one last cry.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Which is the.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Rally slash battle call, slash end of it all call
by nine to noon in certain scenarios, all right, three two,
and yesterday was one of those scenarios where the Minnesota
Vikings got bounced from the postseason by the Los Angeles Rams.
Good morning, it's Paul Allen by your side, offering up
(00:29):
the therapeutic davenport of love today and we're going to
do so about thirty minutes from now at eight hundred
three two zero five three two six. I know we
don't take calls often, yours truly wants to talk to
you today, and have you talked to me more so
than somebody spitballing something positive or negative? We react and
(00:50):
we move on and the machine continues. I just excuse me.
I'm looking forward to chatting with people today. I'm not
choked up, all right, it's I mean, Brian McKnight choked
me up a little bit. But this this is where
and tear on the old vocal cords. And here we
are at nine o'clock. Good morning, Eric Nordquist with the
(01:12):
excellent and a superb work as master mixer of the
Monday Morning Montage on a Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know the problem with that song, pa is it's
becoming almost too formulaic where it's it's becoming I'm becoming
way too familiar with the song. I'm becoming too familiar
with one Last Cry? And oh I wonder when this
chorus hits and and how the song flows.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, actually, I know it really well.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Actually does not take me a ntime to assemble that
montage back.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
On our feet again.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
All we do is win when when Yeah, those sorts
of things that might require a little more effort and
duty and focus than sadly Brian mcnight's One Last Cry,
because it's becoming all too familiar to me as a
Vikings loving sports fan.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Now you know that you've done something, or offered something,
or played something frequently when we get into our album storage,
because all of our montages are actually played off albums,
and when you pull out Brian McKnight's greatest hits, you
(02:22):
notice a couple of things. One, it should have been
Brian McKnight's greatest hit. I always love that one. I
don't really know where to find the other nine songs.
But secondly, you don't have to blow dust off of it.
It's not a dusty it doesn't have It has so
much wear and tear on it from being played nine
(02:42):
to noon that you got to worry about the scratches
and everything because the needles down on it so frequently,
including this morning after the Ram the Rams. I think
it's fair to say the Los Angeles Rams dismantled the
Minnesota Vikings yesterday.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
But think about this.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Two weeks ago they carried and paraded Darnold around the
locker room after beating Green Bay. And now if you
franchise tagging with the intent to trade him, you might
get laughed out of the chat. I mean, we're two
weeks removed from or he's a jolly good fellow, for
he's a jolly goodfell For he's a jolly good fellow.
(03:29):
Nobody can ninety nine bottles a beer on the wall,
ninety nine bottles a beer. Two weeks ago they closed
on nine consecutive wins, and now it's wine consecutive nothings,
as in w h I n dead dead like that,
outclassed and smashed by teams that bullied the Minnesota Vikings.
(03:54):
And all of this comes with with due respect. You know,
there were facets like Jim Peterson, the ever alltruistic analyst
for the vast and never expanding Minnesota Timberwolves television network.
Rady by a Side, He had a tweet last night
that I caught when we got back from Arizona that
you know, it was just like, hey, thanks for the memories. Wonderful,
(04:17):
wonderful season. Games are great, games are super exciting. Its
Cole Purple, right, that's accurate. That's accurate. But it's accurate
once you regain consciousness from the metaphorical two by four
hitting you in your forehead.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh wait, that was after the Lions game.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It's it's prescient and it's palpable, and it's in play.
After you gain consciousness from being hit by a cinder
block that fell from the sky and just like hitch,
you over top of the head going wow after all
that this, I mean that to a certain extent was
(04:58):
the Darnold game at Detroit, And it also to a
certain extent was last night at State Farm Stadium, where
the Vikings lost to the La Rams, who advanced to
Philadelphia to take on the Eagles next week. There it
just ended with two that had some head scratching to
it that requires it requires something A and Brian McKnight
(05:22):
one last cry like fashion nine to noon is far
too accustomed to doing around this time of January, or
maybe even a week previous, and that's unpacking, unpacking the
context of the who, what, where, when and why. I
mean looking back, looking at the now and then looking
(05:43):
forward and to nine to noon has We've just become
far too accustomed doing that at this time of the
year and outclassed and smashed by teams. The Bully the
Minnesota Vikings is a fair way to put it. And
that's with all due respect over the last two I mean,
it's street fight stuff, and we were on the wrong
side of the nunjuks.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
The Rams defense.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
You know, when I wrote this, I didn't think it
out that much because I was tired. So if quick twitch,
if something hits you here that you think I'm missing
and by all means jump in here. The con the
Rams defense is the best we've seen all season, and
we scored three touchdowns against them the entire season, I
think at the end of the equation looking at where
(06:28):
they were Week eight. All right, now, you know, like
I told you yesterday, in this very segment and it
was just in passing. They are better than they were
when we saw them week eight. And that's a testament
to what they do. How when I say what they do,
(06:49):
it's an organizational So what do they do well?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
They don't let things linger.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
They will have problems and they may be game after
game after game, but then they fixed them and they're
not required to be fixed again. So they get some
players healthy, getting their left guard back. Steven Avila was
a was a very very underrated piece of inclusion for
the La Rams and people are like Steven Avilla, they
(07:16):
we're happy for you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He was a left guard, all right.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I mean I would imagine on fan line last night,
or we're gonna you know, the right guard, the left guard,
the guard situation, the interior, the Minnesota Vikings offensive line.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I always love that one.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
They matter and when there is a no tomorrow scenario
and you're able to put somebody in there you like
more than somebody else and they come through, it matters.
So it's it's in watching their Arizona game two games
ago and they're they're Buffalo Bill's game. The Rams that
there were just there were two polarizing things that that
(07:52):
were eye opening to me into the game. Then they
came to fruition the fact that these kids cam Kenchins,
the rookie Kane Jalen McCullough a rookie safety. Then you
have the second year guy, Kobe Durant, a Kobe Turner,
and then you have Byron Young, the caw to wear
zero face mask guy, and then the Florida State rookies
(08:16):
in Verse and Fisk, And you know, that's how it's
supposed to work. When you draft talented high enders, they
get better as the season moves on. And one thing
that I felt was that I underrated dramatically into this
game was the fact that and we mentioned it, but
I mean, I think I should have elevated it within
(08:38):
my heart when it comes to what matters most and
why Sean McVay giving giving more than a handful of rams,
in fact, more than half of his starting offense and
defense a week off and not playing in that Seattle game.
They were so fresh last night. They just fired out
(09:01):
of the gate doing that six furlongs and one to
eight and four and here they are they And when
McVeigh was asked, you know, basically it was put to
him like this, well, I mean, you do know if
you lose this game, you're going to either get a
fourteen win Vikings team or a fourteen win Lions team.
And McVeigh, you know, he didn't speak like the leader
of Rube Nation and be like, well, why am I
(09:23):
going to trip on that? I mean, I know we
lost to the Lions earlier this season, but we had
him beat nineteen different ways, and we're better now than
we were then, and the other team we already beat,
So that's just I know what he felt. He wasn't
scared of either of those teams or really anybody in
the postseason, and he recognized with my players legs and minds,
(09:46):
discretion is the better part of valor here, and they
need rest. They're tired, and we are relying on about
eight of these guys that if we can get them fresh,
we might be able to make one big run while
others experience one last cry. And I underrated that into
the game. I guess I wasn't thinking about it too much,
(10:07):
but they were super fresh and souper fired up. Specifically,
what I think is the best defense the Minnesota Vikings
faced all season. A team with an identity of high
end offense. That would be the Minnesota Vikings. I mean,
you got Sam Darnold throwing more twenty five yard completions
than any quarterback in the NFL. You got one receiver
(10:28):
with ten touchdowns, you got another receiver with nine receiving
and a one rushing touchdown. You're going to put your
game changing tight end on a touchdown during the evening
and those have some high end numbers to them. So
the identity is that of high end offense or offense.
(10:49):
And again, with all due respect, it just cannot go
twenty one consecutive possession stands a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I just can't.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I mean back to Cam Akers catching a touchdown with
fifty one seconds to go in the third quarter against
the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I mean that was absolutely astounding.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That's where that's where I would lean on kind of
the idea you're talking. And I think that their defense
in the moment that became the toughest challenge the Vikings
have faced all season because of that speed, because they
were fresh, there were a lot of variables in the mix.
But you mentioned that the possessions this going back through
of course the Lions game as well. You know, statistically
(11:29):
you can just kind of pick box scores and rankings.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I have a hard time.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Putting the Rams in that spot as being the best
defense that we've faced all year, because in some ways,
I think we'd be giving the Rams too much credit
for the deficiencies that we saw over the last two games,
no doubt. And eventually, and there's plenty of time to
get to it, it's going to be specific.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
To that quarterback spot.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
What went right, what went woefully wrong, and so but
that the speed of verse and fit Kobe Turner on
the inside at times one v one with with Reisner
winning every single play. Neville Gallimore, Yeah, I don't know
if he has ten sacks in his career.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
He had like two sacks last night.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, they just kept coming, and that in combination with
the quarterback. Uh, I mean just I don't know if
it was stick him on his hand with that ball
last night, but one one thousand and two, one thousand
and three, one thousand, suddenly it's seven one thousand and
he's hitting the turf.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
It was. It was ugly, man.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
This this next patch comes, I mean it comes with
nothing personal.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
It's business.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
But I was thinking about it on the flight back
last night, because yeah, I think there are twenty three
or twenty four unrestricted free agents the Minnesota Vikings have. Now,
you know, there are some some quite prominent and familiar
names as we go around here. And you know, then
you you also have in the neighborhood. I think of
eighty million dollars under the cap that can be finagled.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
You you you.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Have the draft, but I think we have a super
special four picks there compensatories aside, so that that obviously
all is coming at us on a one last cry
Tuesday where it's not like we're going to go through
every single unrestricted free agent at this moment, and and
you know, try to determine, you know, who's the best
(13:14):
fit and why for the Minnesota Vikings moving forward, given
they have the cash that they have. But there's a
name that I'm going to drop later and I'm gonna
respectfully ask for a working cell phone number for this individual,
and and you know, then go through the rigmarole of hey,
given I'm not a W two team employee of the
(13:35):
Minnesota Vikings, is it cool if I get this guy's
number and I just call him and then I know
he's got a game coming up this weekend. But you know,
I just like to I don't know, I just like
to call him and see what he's doing. Let's get
the process started. So this again, nothing personal. This is business,
unrestricted free agents and the emotional quick twitch. Emphasis on
the word emotional, because that's what that That's who I am,
(13:56):
That's what that was when it was written, and that's.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
What this is.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
So it's just going to be a name and gone
or a name and returns. And if there is anything
that requires a why Lord knows. On a one last
cry Tuesday, we have plenty of time to unpacked, identify,
and weave our way through the Let's say, Aaron Jones gone, Yeah,
(14:26):
Aaron Jones gone, Yep, cam Akers returns yep, cam by
them gone Byron Murphy Jr. Probably gone due to price,
and I hope that's not the case.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Well, those two in a row buying them and Murphy.
I look at those two guys specifically from a cost standpoint,
those might be the most significantly priced free agents coming
up here in a couple of months for quass right
and see that, you know, entire secondary except for Mittellus
who's got one year left and I can't wait to
play back. I mean, it's emotion but tremendous work that
(15:01):
Lieber did with his Harrison Smith interview. Mattellus has one
year left and Harrison Smith is on the Willy Woney track.
Other than that, Shack Griffin, Gilmore, Murphy, as you mentioned,
are almost our entire back end is upcoming into free agency.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Biran Murphy Junior.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Like I said, I mean, I really really hope there's
a way to get him back on the team.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Now, what a season he had.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Shack Griffin gone, Stefan Gilmore gone, Johnny Mount returns, Trent
Sherfield senior returns, Sam Darnold gone, ye, Cam Robinson gone,
Dalton Reisner gone. There are more names, but those are
just the ones that I wanted to drop in there.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, I like that, And you know, at some point
I would, you know, in their talkers glory, I get
that on a Tuesday in which are season's over. Cam
Robinson's interesting to me only because I want to know
more about where Christian darrisaw is at.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I thought you were in process.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Looks when I thought Cam Robinson last, I thought you
just were going to say what I thought For about
three seconds, not that the minds have to be in
unison and or locksteps, specifically when our hearts are first
thing I thought was Cam Robinson Canny play guard. And
I'm not messing with you. I mean, he's big, interesting,
He's big, He's a people mover, and that's like, you know,
(16:19):
that's again, we have a lot of time. Yeah, on
a one last cry Tuesday, throw up to the scouting
combine and free agency and all that to slice and
dice our way through all things. That's why this is
the emotional quick twitch from your emotional announcer.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
And good morning.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Were you able to hear the totality of head coaches
post game last night?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Well that's why I requested here in the opening segment
that we play back Ben Lieber with Harrison Smith, because
after I got done with the Vikings postgame report podcast
for Vikings dot Com that Ben Lieber, that Pete Ersage
and I do after each game, I zip down to
the locker room and you know I saw I saw
(17:03):
the director of dispute, the game management coordinator, Ryan Cordell
walk out, Mike Petton, associate head coach, outside linebackers coach
walk out. Yeah, and I'm like, wow, damn, I mean,
they're getting out here fast and I miss everything. Well,
the media, the scribes, the columnists, Sue Jim Suehn, they
were all still outside of the locker room, so it
(17:24):
they're you know, knowing people who are in the locker room.
Like when O'Connell does his the pacing back and forth
and celebratory postgame preaches and speeches and things like that,
you know, usually then they'll open the doors and in
comes everybody. But that wasn't the case yesterday. And after
(17:45):
chatting with a few people, there were so many tears
in that locker room.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Right before I got in there, uh there, I was told.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
That you know, there, I don't want to weeping and
like shoulders going up and down. That that's you know,
that may be a little bit of a stretch. But
the sadness in that locker room yesterday after a one
last cry Monday, it definitely resonated and was not lost
on me. Specifically with Joshua matellus Man, he was all
shaken up after the game, but I walked up I
(18:14):
saw Ben Leeb interviewing Harrison Smith, and Hockey kind of
gave me like, you know, you don't want to disrupt
the interview. He kind of gave me like his hand
like here. I saw what and stood next to it,
and I heard Harrison start to get into quite the
emotional response to something. But you know, then the head
of security, Dave Chorus, and Kevin O'Connell were starting to
(18:35):
head over to the press conference, so I did not.
I go to so many Kevin O'Connell press conferences, I
didn't want to miss the one last cry one, so
I went over there and I missed the end of
the Harrison Smith interview. That's why I want to hear
it back. And if you missed it, because it was
late last night on kfa N right before fan line.
I you know, I purposely didn't listen to it because
I want all of us to enjoy it together. And
(18:57):
the question would be what's next for our beloved hit man? Yeah,
it's I mean, it's a perplexing situation for that young man.
Then I hear Jonathan Grenard as I'm driving in this morning,
Ben Lieber with just excellent, excellent interviews. After the game
last night, I didn't even know E chatted with Jonathan Grenard,
and then Grenard's talking about Harrison Smith, and you know
(19:18):
the fact there was a galvanizing as this.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Thing went on.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Man, this guy so well respected and so well loved
in this locker room and by the coaches and by
the fan base. We wanted to win the whole thing
for Harrison. We want just in case that's it. He
stayed with the same team all of his career. He's
been a bastion of excellence and you know, a fringe
Hall of Fame type player. He's Viking's immortality and Grenard
(19:42):
really opened a vane on that and that that was
moving listening to that this morning, as was Harrison Smith
with Ben Lieber last evening. And here's what he shared
with Ben after a one last cry Monday.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
All Right, everybody, this is going to be a potential
a tough one. I'm standing right next to Harrison Smith,
and you know, it's hard not to notice walking in
this pretty emotional locker room. You specifically making sure that
you talk to everybody, every single player, offense, defense, training staff, coaches,
you know, spending time letting you letting everybody know how
(20:18):
much you appreciate them. Why is it important for you
do that on this particular game.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
There's a lot that goes into this.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
It's not strictly players, and I just want to give
my thanks to everybody that makes it go. Obviously wish
we could have a better result here.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Today, but it's tough for a swallow right now.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
But spending one of the most fun teams I've ever
played on at any level. And there's a lot to
be said about about this group, and I really just
wish I had a couple more weeks with.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Them, to be honest, when did you know that this
defensive unit was special?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
I thought we had a chance pretty early. You never
know till the lights come on, but it was pretty early.
It was pretty early, and uh, you know, I wish
we could have done a little more today, But guys
were this group. This group enjoyed playing with each other
and playing for each other, and that's what SO defense
(21:34):
is about. It's also about winning, so you know, last
game of the year. It's it's tough, it's tough to
to wrap your mind around it all, but the competitive
spirit of this group is very high. And uh, obviously
(21:54):
wish we could have had a better result today.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
When you think about Brian flu Or as in what
he's done schematically and to get the best out of you.
What are some of the things that you appreciate about
his his leadership.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I'd say there's a lot his consistency, his clarity, his creativity,
his willingness to try things that I have not experienced
in the game of football. To do that at this
level is it's harder than just saying that it's you
(22:33):
gotta kind of gotta let him hang a little bit,
And that's I appreciate that approach, and we had a
lot of success with it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
You know, probably could have done more.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
But I would say when you as you know, as
you get older in your plan, like it's it's it's
tough to enjoy every day because things might not always
feel as good as they used to. But like just
the amount of joy and fun I had this year
working with our staff and with our players go all
(23:09):
time high, all time high.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
What do you think the future holds for you?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
The road you have any sort of timeline and when
you want to make any decision on anything.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
Not really I haven't wanted to think about it. Kind
of selfishly, just live in the moment, and I'm kind
of still in that moment, So it'll come when it comes.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Well, whether it comes this offseason or comes a few
years from now. I just want to just say thank
you for myself and all the Vikings fans out there.
You're one of one and we all love you, and
I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Thanks man, I.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Appreciate that Holy cow, appreciate Viking's Nation. Everything they all
it's meant to me. So thank you.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Well.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I was told that was jarring and it was all caps.
J A R R I N G. I mean you
talk about cracking the uncrackable, putting fatigue on the indefatigable.
I mean not Joe Lever got got choked up doing
uh doing doing the drive by Wow. Uh great great
job by Ben Lever, not only on the sidelines analyzing
(24:32):
the games, but uh with those postgame interviews and the
grenard one I said was fantastic, and it was trump
by Harrison Smith and those appointed questions and and a
couple of guys who really respect each other just opening
veins about something that.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah, something that that that it's at me.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
I mean, I really really liked being around this team,
all the new players, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Garnard, Blake Cashman,
Aaron Jones getting to know steph On Gilmore and the
awkward moment I had with him and an elevator in
New Jersey, you know, having never spoken to him and
now he's on the team, and knowing that all these
kids check out social media, and the way he's kind
of side eyeing me and the elevator. He probably heard
(25:14):
a million times some things that I said during the
comeback against the Indianapolis Colts. And then now we're in
an elevator for ten floors or not speaking to each other,
and he can't figure out how to get his card
key to mess with the button for his floor, and
I go, let me help you, and then I do
it for him, and the elevator door opens and he
stops and turns around and says, thank you, Paul.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I always love that one. And I'm like, he knows
my name, he knows who I am. He heard it.
He had to have heard it, the Jefferson Gilmore thing.
I throw him out of the games.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Then the next uh, then the next morning, on the
sideline before the Giants game, I come up and I
apologize to him. I should introduce myself to you, in
that elevator and you know, welcome to the team and
stuff like that, and then you know, then yesterday I'm
chatting with Stefan Gilmore's son for like three minutes in
the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale. So it's things
(26:05):
like that, at least for yours, truly in common thread fashion,
that either define you know, how much I really appreciate
being around those people and those players and coaches and
stuff like that. And man, this was this was a wonderful,
wonderful group and a wonderful, wonderful year that had a
splat to it at the end for fans, for announcers,
(26:28):
for sideline analysts, and you could hear in Ben's voice
in chatting with a Harrison Smith that encapsulated the way
a lot of family members, extended family members, or those
who go on the grind and sweat this thing because
they enjoy it felt now that it's over and it's
over like that, and it's so crazy and zany that
(26:50):
it's over like that. So sorry to be so negatory
with you know, some of the some of the commentary
in the opening segment, but magical seasons like this one
just cannot splat as if it fell face first from
a fifty story high rise. And there's much more to
get into during the course of a Today's show. Once again,
(27:10):
we are going to take some phone calls. I'm leaving
at eleven o'clock and before that, Paul Charchion eighteen leagues
Friday Football Feast, joins at ten. Pete Bursich, the analyst,
joins at ten thirty five. Lavelle Neil the Third, the
columnist for the stribis here at eleven o'clock with Nordo.
But there are some things into which I would like
to die next segment and during the time that I'm
(27:31):
here today, I'm back with everybody tomorrow. But call us
and just share what's on your mind right now, and
you can just just unfurrole what's in your heart about
this distraction factor known as Minnesota Vikings Vikings football being
something on which you rely to distract you and us
from things in our lives, and we love it. And
(27:54):
now it's done for the two zero two four eight
hundred and three two zero five three two six hundred
three two zero five three two six. Of course, we
have the talkback machine via the free iHeartRadio app thirty
seconds there if you are so inclined.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Thank you timber Tech.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Thank you timber tech dot com for what's on deck
nine to noon. Thank you mister Eric Nordquist for the
impeccable one last Crime montage. And most importantly, thanks to
everybody for listening to nine noon and Kfan and those
Vikings games. When you do here at FM one hundred
point three k F A M. I'm Paul Allen, and
we'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
And before we pause, the Fan does indeed want to
give you a chance to put a grand in your
hand with the National Cash Contest. All you got to
do go to kfan dot com. Aser the keyword pay, pay, pay,
and you might get paid is in one thousand dollars.
The keyword is pay at kfan dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
And all right out here we are nine thirty eight
(29:50):
and one hundred pointy three, kay, hey, and thanks for calling.
We've got a bunch of them and we're going to
take as many as we can over the next of
segments up to the Friday Football Feast. Co host Paul
Charchion joining nine to noon at about ten oh three,
and you know, just just to just to land the
plane for this portion of the equation spitballing a bunch
(30:14):
of different things, and that's just kind of what kind
kind of what we and fans do in metaphorical watercooler radio.
It's like, what happened to Sam Hey, I wonder what
JJ thinks hear that interview with Harry and natcho it.
You know they both were really sad. I wonder if
Harrison Smith's going to be back. Andrew Van Ginkel, who
knew you heard the name, had no idea he.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Was that good.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
It's it's it's a spitballing Tuesday on one last cry Monday.
And here we are the sure the Minnesota Vikings lost
all four games to the Lions and Rams, and both
those teams absolutely can get to the winner circle known
as the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
The La Rams are going the right way in a hurry,
and their coaching staff and specifically their head coach are
just so good at what they do that if their
defense plays the way it played last night, and if
Stafford can stay poised and they get the right players involved,
which would include Hookah Nakua Nakua cool satisfied it is,
(31:17):
but see that's the rub is that's the rub we
lost to the Lions and Rams, who yes, can get
to the Super Bowl. And the rub is one is
in our division and the other has the fastest, youngest,
most up and coming defense in the game. So the
rub is sure you went zero four against them, but
(31:39):
they ain't gone anywhere.
Speaker 6 (31:40):
Now.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
The Rams have a tricky situation with Matthew Stafford, who's
thirty seven years of age, you know, and Matthew ain't great. Okay,
Matthew has been great. Matthew ain't great right now. Matthew
hasn't been great for about a month and a half.
In the Bills game, in the second half, Matthew Stafford
was great. But old people get a little creaky times,
you know. Old people are trying to get to the
(32:02):
finish line and get the second ring. Matthew smart. I
got a lot of respect for him. He's one of
the toughest players I've ever come across in my years
calling Minnesota Vikings football. I love Matthew Stafford, but he's
lost some on his fastball. Mentally, he still sees it
clearly and sees it the same way, but he just
(32:22):
he's right at the end.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
So is there an element to that, PA where you
kind of tip your captain McVeigh and what he's been
able to do around him to continue that where he's
limiting the mistakes. We were talking about it into the
game yesterday where seven of his last ten games, going
back to the Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Game, we ate.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Seven of those ten games, he was not sacked at all.
So the combination of the quick game that we were
on the wrong side of, we gate to the protection
getting Steve Avila you mentioned that damn good left guard
I think TCU cat from a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Ago, and the ability too and Higbee getting healthy. I
mean he had fifty eight yards in the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
And so we were in a spot this year where
we were able to praise ourselves. You know, Cashman's out
for a few weeks, comes back, gets healthy, Ivan Pace
goes to ir comes back, gets healthy. We go into
this game last night, maybe one of the healthiest teams
in the playoffs, where every all of our preferred starters
except for Christian Dearisaw were available last night. But what
(33:24):
McVeigh has been able to do with maybe the inadequacies
in the aging of Matthew Stafford nothing short or remarkable,
And that is Nakua Nakua until you're satisfied in that
quick game and working with Kyron and all that, it's
been really impressive.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Let's see what the rub is is is, you know,
and I heard O'Connell say this after the game, you know,
reminding here where we are the losses. It came from
these two teams and they're both very good, right, But
the rub is the Lions ain't going anywhere. I mean,
they have the quarterback, they have the two running, they
have the right receivers, they they they defensively, they when
(34:04):
they get them healthy they have they ain't going anywhere.
And the Rams ain't going anywhere either. But you got
that quarterback situation they'll be facing here in the very
near future. As to like thank Harrison Smith, think Matthew Stafford.
You know, Stafford came into the game in nine hit
man in twenty twelve, so it's this could this could
be Matthews last season. If that's the case, well they're
(34:27):
going to have to work around something for a little bit,
raise somebody new. But look at what they have around
the individual. So the the foresight they've had knowing that
that day is coming, that the Super Bowl winning quarterback's
going to leave. We feel we're going to fortify it
enough as we raise a young quarterback.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
So those two ain't going anywhere. But here's the bit.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
So they finished fourteen and four and and you know
it's it's being a racetrack raised a guy. The class
of the competition matters a lot to me. And I'm
not going to qualify some of these teams five thousand
dollars claimers that thistle down in Cleveland or Kentucky Derby winners,
or Breeders Cup Classic winners, or somebody wins the Arc
(35:08):
de Triomph in France. But I think you'll understand what
I'm saying here when it's fourteen and four. We swept
the AFC South. Cool, all right, I know the Texans
went over the weekend. Good luck with Herbert in the postseason,
the rest of your life. It We swept the AFC South.
We swept the Bears, Yeah, okay, swept Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Sweet.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I mean, they got bounced right, and they can't possibly
trust their quarterback in big spots, and unlike the others
in the division, have him on an absurd player friendly deal.
So there's that. Arizona, the cards are so good. Two
teams got to use their stadium in the playoffs because
they didn't make it. They beat Seattle, a middling squad.
(35:54):
They killed Atlanta, which ended up being awful. The Jets.
That bunch stinks. You get the bit. The Vikings beat
two teams that made the playoffs, so that has to
factor into the equation when you're looking at the level
of class of the teams you beat or lack thereof. Now, finally,
before the phone calls, because we promised and we care
(36:15):
about you and you assumably care about us, the quarterback
room next year, I predict at this stage, with a
right to change it multiple times in the off season,
the quarterback room, I believe will be JJ McCarthy, Daniel Jones,
and Brett Rippon. So we'll leave that right there and
(36:37):
we'll move into the off season together, won't we. Kyle,
it's Paul Allen.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Good morning. Hey, what's up man? How you doing.
Speaker 7 (36:48):
Good?
Speaker 8 (36:49):
Good?
Speaker 7 (36:49):
Appreciate the Vine. Just wanted to bring some optimism to
the end of the year here. You know, we got
JJ McCarthy on tap. I think I think we're going
to be going to go next year. You know, we
weren't supposed to be good this year. So I mean,
let's let's take a win for twenty twenty four and
you know, roll hard into twenty twenty five with JJ.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Mack Amen, Joe and Worthington. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
Say, I would like to have that offensive line. See
if they can find a tape of the ninety eight
offensive line. They move their feet, they protected. We need
help with that. If you're beat around the corner. Hey,
you've got to survive. Sam had a tough day, but
we also need to show a little heart. Let's get going,
(37:44):
get that offensive line move and we'll compete again next year.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Thanks Bud, Aaron and Little Canada.
Speaker 9 (37:50):
Good morning, Hey, Paul, heydo popping on. Kind of speaking
the same sentiment as Kyle in that I just enjoyed
this season because you know, going into it, I'm only
twenty six, but most liking the season. I absolutely rub
it up.
Speaker 8 (38:08):
It's so pumped up.
Speaker 10 (38:09):
And this year I had a little bit more attempted
expectations to you know, we had darnold, we didn't know
what to expect, and a lot of new guys and
it's kind of a free year in my opinion, and
just brought a lot of joy and looking forward to
JJ next season, and just as we got the head coach,
we got all the right pieces, So you know, I'm optimistic.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
That's an altruistic approach to things and look at things
and it happens to be factual, and it vibes with
my heart too. But nevertheless, it doesn't mean this being
this is your splat down we go from fifty floors
leader of the fan in KFA in dot com still
doesn't sting. So the end the moment stings, but the
(38:53):
altruistic look to the future definitely has some brightness to it.
And in polarizing fashion, you're listening to nine to noon,
all right, these phone calls coming up right now or
actually about a minute, minute and a half from now.
(39:13):
But first, just a couple of quick points that I
want to get out there because I think their baseline
when it comes to where the twenty twenty four Minnesota
Vikings are moving forward into the twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
And I joked about it earlier.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
But not being a Minnesota Vikings W two team employee,
I just I wonder if it's possible for me to
secure a working cell phone number for Chiefs soon to
be free agent guard Tray Smith. I always love that
one who's a badass. So that's like immediately moving forward
where my mind went. I mean, I cracked open the
(39:51):
potential unrestricted or the free agents that won't be signed
before free agency and read up a little bit on
them last night, lying back from the Valley of No Fun,
and that's the one that jumped out of me right there.
Holy cow. So that's just like where we are now.
I'm sure I'm not the first to think that or
say that. And then we get to something the head
coach said repeatedly the last two weeks, and it's I
(40:15):
need to do a better job. Is I can be
better there? I need to do a better job. It's
it's not lip service. It's not lip service deflecting attention
from others who failed. It is sometimes and it's age old.
So after the Lions game, people are pounding on the quarterback,
(40:37):
you know. So therefore coaches and coordinators will say this, this, this,
and I need to do a better job and that. Generally,
when you say that, you don't get pressed. And this
includes me Tuesdays with Kevin O'Connell where that that you know,
when I say that that I just.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Love this season.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
I mean the the implementation of Kevin O'Connell, Justin Jefferson,
and Harrison Smith with live mikes during preseason games, along
with Kevin being with nine to noon each and every
Tuesday for what was scheduled to be fifteen seventeen minutes
ended up being twenty five thirty minutes every single week.
(41:14):
Those those are you know, those are career highlights for
me because they're consistent and they're fun and people enjoy
them and I enjoy them, and the coach enjoys them.
You know that all plays into it with this leader,
Kevin O'Connell, who I absolutely adore and will stick by
what I said at a Friday football feast with Paul Charchi,
(41:35):
and I believe the Minnesota Vikings are going to win
a Super Bowl with Kevin O'Connell. I don't know when
it's going to be. Kind of thought it might get
close this year, which it did, but then we have
the splat factor. But it's not lip service deflecting attention
from those in the Covenant who failed. I know he
means it, and I wonder what goes into it, and
(41:56):
that is a big overarching A talker for the twenty
twenty five Minnesota Vikings that it's you know, it's like
when he says and I need to do a better job,
out'm press him.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Nobody presses him, so therefore we don't get the answer.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
And they they never Kevin or anybody who says something
like that, they never come out and say, and I
need to do a better job, you know, like I
need to do this on third and six or longer.
I need to do this inside the five, or I
need to manage this with fourth downs, or I need
to have a better hold of this.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
You know.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
Maybe maybe in his season closing press conference we'll hear
a little more. But until we do, it opens It
opens the door for those who care like us and
follow it the way we do, to think what does
he mean? What does he mean? And it's it's you know,
the details matter, but the overarching viewpoint it matters more
(42:53):
because there are so many plays run during the course
of a season. You know, to hammer on like one, two, three,
that's unfair, But to look at you know, to decompress
and look back at certain facets and to mesh it
with I need to do a better job. I need
to do a better job for Sam. I can do
(43:13):
a better job there. I think that's fascinating, the vulnerability
with it and the sensibility with it and self awareness.
But you know, there's no answer to it until we're
giving an answer, and then if we're not giving an answer,
then we get to speculate, and that's what we do
at FN one hundred point three.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
K f an Marty Saint Paul, what's going on there, Marte?
Speaker 6 (43:37):
I got a lot of love for you, Pa Man.
It was tough listening to fan line last night because
the knee jerk knocked a lot of our rooms loopy.
And I know I might be in the minority on
this one, but I I want them to bring back
Sam Donald. The man had an epic season. And regardless
of how these last two plays, when I know they
(43:58):
get into the mix when you consider things and the
what have you done for me lately? Scenario? But I
love Sam Donald. I think he had a great season,
a tremendous year for the Vikings and for a team
that was supposed to be five to six wins, exceeding
expectations like they did. I got a lot of positivity.
I hope Harrison Smith comes back even and I don't
(44:19):
know if Flores would ever consider this or the whole apparatus.
But and that guy would be an emotional leader. I
know he's not real outspoken, but just as an assistant
coach or something like that. And I hope he I
know the whole future is in his hands, but I
hope he comes back. And I just I want to
see a lot more positivity and perspective from from the
roofs out there, especially the Pitchport Nation crowd because and
(44:43):
maybe it'll settle in you know, we're Minnesotan's, maybe it'll
settle in everybody's angry that we never win a playoff game.
Call the negativity in this town sucks, you know that.
But let's let's bring a full circle.
Speaker 10 (44:53):
Man and Martin.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
Marty, you're terrific.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
Yeah you got to You have all the KFA and tricks,
and you played from the heart. And I'm not going
to rule out what you said. I'm not going to
say that it's going to happen. But if you formulate
the opinion we put all this time into this reclamation
project and the majority of it was good, and you know,
then the what we saw most recently two times does
(45:19):
not have to be the overarching answer. I'm not mad
at that take at all, you know, But then the
next step is, if you believe that, what's the cost
And to an aside, you know, I just wonder these
last two games for Sam Darnold a free agent. I mean,
those games potentially cost that man thirty million dollars tens
(45:41):
of millions of dollars. Tens of millions, is the right
way to put it, if you believe it's going to
be you know, a forty ish on average with the promises,
and then the yearly take his trajectory.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
Is is really the same Grand Canyon esque gap between
two spots of into that Lion's game, you could win
the division and have the one seat, or you're going
on the road. Similarly, Sam Darnold into that game was
potentially playing for one hundred million guaranteed.
Speaker 8 (46:07):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (46:08):
And I think that that has also drastically changed as
we watched the fate of our team last night.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
But when they say not only it's a business, but
it's an emotional game, which it is, sure it is.
Two weeks ago he was elevated on shoulders and they're
all singing, he's a jolly good fellow.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
For he's a jolly good fellow.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Yeah, he's a jolly good fell And now you got
an announcer flying over like Nebraska two forty five in
the morning, crafting. I think our quarterback room next year
is going to be McCarthy, Jones and Rippin'.
Speaker 2 (46:40):
I always love that one. I think quickly it changes, right.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
But I think I'm gonna you know, I would bet it,
but I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't. I wouldn't exactly
proclaim that's what it is. Well, let it play itself out.
But Marty's call was fantastic, and we appreciate your passion.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
Man.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Brian in Minneapolis, good morning, Oh my bad, here we go.
Brian in Minneapolis, good.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Morning, good morning. Are my hair? Yeah? Yeah, we got you. Yeah,
we got you. B what's up man?
Speaker 8 (47:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (47:13):
So there's a lot of piling on Sam Darnald this morning,
and you know, deservedly so. But I don't hear a
lot of talk. And I appreciate you talking.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
About hold on, hold on Old, let's pump the brakes. Okay,
there has not been a lot of piling on Sam
Darnold nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Okay, there hasn't.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
I mean, we're stating facts about the contractual situations. I
don't know what the knucklehead factor was like on fan
line last night. Sadly I didn't get a chance to listen,
but no, I just wanted to get that straight that there,
that this this is not your pileon Leader nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
Okay, fair point.
Speaker 11 (47:45):
Yeah, I read two hands article in the script this
morning and he was doing some piling on, so it's
out there. But the point I wanted to make Pa
is that, you know, there's a lot of talk about
Donald and here's his role and the failures at the auctions.
Speaker 9 (47:58):
Last night.
Speaker 11 (48:02):
You talked about McVeigh and what he did with with
his quarterback to make things easier, helped him to succeed.
Did KOC do enough of that for Donald? You know,
I watched that Lions game where they brought pressure after
pressure and you saw the severs running deep routes. There
was not the quick hitters, the easy outs that that
Donald could have hit.
Speaker 8 (48:21):
Right, did he make me?
Speaker 11 (48:22):
Did KOs make the adjustments he needed to to help
Donald succeed in this game because he knew that the
Rams were going to imitate exactly what the Lions did
in that game.
Speaker 1 (48:30):
I think I think that's a very fair point. And
when it comes to the head coach after the Lions
and and and one last cry Monday, saying you know
I can be better, I needed to do better. Stuff
like that, it's it's if you go down the road
that O'Connell and or the offensive staff let down Sam Donald.
(48:51):
I would say, shame on you, because Sam Donald. Nobody
wanted Sam Donald. Sam Donald was not starting for any
teams in the NFL until he was given a chance
here and the time and the sweat equity they put
into that man to get him to all those touchdowns,
the most touchdowns in the history of Minnesota Vikings football
(49:12):
for a first first time starter, more than Brett Farv
in two thousand and nine. Sam came through the coaching
staff and Sam Meshton came through all right. Then the
rubber met the road against two teams that can go
to the super Bowl and the the the the tire
came up bald, and the whole Darnold Express went off
(49:32):
the highway and then it toppled and it was perilous.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
So it's when Kevin says.
Speaker 1 (49:40):
And I can do a better job, and I'm going
to put that on me that's part of it, and
you know there are details to it, but the overarching
part of it plays into what my man just said.
It's like, you know, when when when watching this one
back for some others back, you know it's in certain
second and what third and whatever, fourth and whatever, it's
(50:03):
meshing what happens with where the players went on the
field and why, and that requires time because you know
they're called hot routes, and of course the Minnesota Vikings
have hot routes for difficult situations. But you know, they
just thinking about Stafford last night, in certain situations where
in essence, he knew the rush was going to come
(50:25):
at him fast and he would get it off quickly
to somebody and it either would work or the play
would be blown up. But he got it off and
it was complete. You know, So this is this all
plays into what we were talking about that previous segment,
and I thought that phone call was terrific. Let's welcome
Paul Charchion into the equation when Nine to Noon continues
(50:46):
at KFAM
Yeah, we ain't heard that about a million times. Brian
McKnight's one last cry.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Which is the.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Rally slash battle call, slash end of it all call
by nine to noon in certain scenarios, all right, three two,
and yesterday was one of those scenarios where the Minnesota
Vikings got bounced from the postseason by the Los Angeles Rams.
Good morning, it's Paul Allen by your side, offering up
(00:29):
the therapeutic davenport of love today and we're going to
do so about thirty minutes from now at eight hundred
three two zero five three two six. I know we
don't take calls often, yours truly wants to talk to
you today, and have you talked to me more so
than somebody spitballing something positive or negative? We react and
(00:50):
we move on and the machine continues. I just excuse me.
I'm looking forward to chatting with people today. I'm not
choked up, all right, it's I mean, Brian McKnight choked
me up a little bit. But this this is where
and tear on the old vocal cords. And here we
are at nine o'clock. Good morning, Eric Nordquist with the
(01:12):
excellent and a superb work as master mixer of the
Monday Morning Montage on a Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know the problem with that song, pa is it's
becoming almost too formulaic where it's it's becoming I'm becoming
way too familiar with the song. I'm becoming too familiar
with one Last Cry? And oh I wonder when this
chorus hits and and how the song flows.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, actually, I know it really well.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Actually does not take me a ntime to assemble that
montage back.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
On our feet again.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
All we do is win when when Yeah, those sorts
of things that might require a little more effort and
duty and focus than sadly Brian mcnight's One Last Cry,
because it's becoming all too familiar to me as a
Vikings loving sports fan.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Now you know that you've done something, or offered something,
or played something frequently when we get into our album storage,
because all of our montages are actually played off albums,
and when you pull out Brian McKnight's greatest hits, you
(02:22):
notice a couple of things. One, it should have been
Brian McKnight's greatest hit. I always love that one. I
don't really know where to find the other nine songs.
But secondly, you don't have to blow dust off of it.
It's not a dusty it doesn't have It has so
much wear and tear on it from being played nine
(02:42):
to noon that you got to worry about the scratches
and everything because the needles down on it so frequently,
including this morning after the Ram the Rams. I think
it's fair to say the Los Angeles Rams dismantled the
Minnesota Vikings yesterday.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
But think about this.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Two weeks ago they carried and paraded Darnold around the
locker room after beating Green Bay. And now if you
franchise tagging with the intent to trade him, you might
get laughed out of the chat. I mean, we're two
weeks removed from or he's a jolly good fellow, for
he's a jolly goodfell For he's a jolly good fellow.
(03:29):
Nobody can ninety nine bottles a beer on the wall,
ninety nine bottles a beer. Two weeks ago they closed
on nine consecutive wins, and now it's wine consecutive nothings,
as in w h I n dead dead like that,
outclassed and smashed by teams that bullied the Minnesota Vikings.
(03:54):
And all of this comes with with due respect. You know,
there were facets like Jim Peterson, the ever alltruistic analyst
for the vast and never expanding Minnesota Timberwolves television network.
Rady by a Side, He had a tweet last night
that I caught when we got back from Arizona that
you know, it was just like, hey, thanks for the memories. Wonderful,
(04:17):
wonderful season. Games are great, games are super exciting. Its
Cole Purple, right, that's accurate. That's accurate. But it's accurate
once you regain consciousness from the metaphorical two by four
hitting you in your forehead.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Oh wait, that was after the Lions game.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It's it's prescient and it's palpable, and it's in play.
After you gain consciousness from being hit by a cinder
block that fell from the sky and just like hitch,
you over top of the head going wow after all
that this, I mean that to a certain extent was
(04:58):
the Darnold game at Detroit, And it also to a
certain extent was last night at State Farm Stadium, where
the Vikings lost to the La Rams, who advanced to
Philadelphia to take on the Eagles next week. There it
just ended with two that had some head scratching to
it that requires it requires something A and Brian McKnight
(05:22):
one last cry like fashion nine to noon is far
too accustomed to doing around this time of January, or
maybe even a week previous, and that's unpacking, unpacking the
context of the who, what, where, when and why. I
mean looking back, looking at the now and then looking
(05:43):
forward and to nine to noon has We've just become
far too accustomed doing that at this time of the
year and outclassed and smashed by teams. The Bully the
Minnesota Vikings is a fair way to put it. And
that's with all due respect over the last two I mean,
it's street fight stuff, and we were on the wrong
side of the nunjuks.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
The Rams defense.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
You know, when I wrote this, I didn't think it
out that much because I was tired. So if quick twitch,
if something hits you here that you think I'm missing
and by all means jump in here. The con the
Rams defense is the best we've seen all season, and
we scored three touchdowns against them the entire season, I
think at the end of the equation looking at where
(06:28):
they were Week eight. All right, now, you know, like
I told you yesterday, in this very segment and it
was just in passing. They are better than they were
when we saw them week eight. And that's a testament
to what they do. How when I say what they do,
(06:49):
it's an organizational So what do they do well?
Speaker 2 (06:52):
They don't let things linger.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
They will have problems and they may be game after
game after game, but then they fixed them and they're
not required to be fixed again. So they get some
players healthy, getting their left guard back. Steven Avila was
a was a very very underrated piece of inclusion for
the La Rams and people are like Steven Avilla, they
(07:16):
we're happy for you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He was a left guard, all right.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I mean I would imagine on fan line last night,
or we're gonna you know, the right guard, the left guard,
the guard situation, the interior, the Minnesota Vikings offensive line.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I always love that one.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
They matter and when there is a no tomorrow scenario
and you're able to put somebody in there you like
more than somebody else and they come through, it matters.
So it's it's in watching their Arizona game two games
ago and they're they're Buffalo Bill's game. The Rams that
there were just there were two polarizing things that that
(07:52):
were eye opening to me into the game. Then they
came to fruition the fact that these kids cam Kenchins,
the rookie Kane Jalen McCullough a rookie safety. Then you
have the second year guy, Kobe Durant, a Kobe Turner,
and then you have Byron Young, the caw to wear
zero face mask guy, and then the Florida State rookies
(08:16):
in Verse and Fisk, And you know, that's how it's
supposed to work. When you draft talented high enders, they
get better as the season moves on. And one thing
that I felt was that I underrated dramatically into this
game was the fact that and we mentioned it, but
I mean, I think I should have elevated it within
(08:38):
my heart when it comes to what matters most and
why Sean McVay giving giving more than a handful of rams,
in fact, more than half of his starting offense and
defense a week off and not playing in that Seattle game.
They were so fresh last night. They just fired out
(09:01):
of the gate doing that six furlongs and one to
eight and four and here they are they And when
McVeigh was asked, you know, basically it was put to
him like this, well, I mean, you do know if
you lose this game, you're going to either get a
fourteen win Vikings team or a fourteen win Lions team.
And McVeigh, you know, he didn't speak like the leader
of Rube Nation and be like, well, why am I
(09:23):
going to trip on that? I mean, I know we
lost to the Lions earlier this season, but we had
him beat nineteen different ways, and we're better now than
we were then, and the other team we already beat,
So that's just I know what he felt. He wasn't
scared of either of those teams or really anybody in
the postseason, and he recognized with my players legs and minds,
(09:46):
discretion is the better part of valor here, and they
need rest. They're tired, and we are relying on about
eight of these guys that if we can get them fresh,
we might be able to make one big run while
others experience one last cry. And I underrated that into
the game. I guess I wasn't thinking about it too much,
(10:07):
but they were super fresh and souper fired up. Specifically,
what I think is the best defense the Minnesota Vikings
faced all season. A team with an identity of high
end offense. That would be the Minnesota Vikings. I mean,
you got Sam Darnold throwing more twenty five yard completions
than any quarterback in the NFL. You got one receiver
(10:28):
with ten touchdowns, you got another receiver with nine receiving
and a one rushing touchdown. You're going to put your
game changing tight end on a touchdown during the evening
and those have some high end numbers to them. So
the identity is that of high end offense or offense.
(10:49):
And again, with all due respect, it just cannot go
twenty one consecutive possession stands a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I just can't.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I mean back to Cam Akers catching a touchdown with
fifty one seconds to go in the third quarter against
the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I mean that was absolutely astounding.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That's where that's where I would lean on kind of
the idea you're talking. And I think that their defense
in the moment that became the toughest challenge the Vikings
have faced all season because of that speed, because they
were fresh, there were a lot of variables in the mix.
But you mentioned that the possessions this going back through
of course the Lions game as well. You know, statistically
(11:29):
you can just kind of pick box scores and rankings.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I have a hard time.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Putting the Rams in that spot as being the best
defense that we've faced all year, because in some ways,
I think we'd be giving the Rams too much credit
for the deficiencies that we saw over the last two games,
no doubt. And eventually, and there's plenty of time to
get to it, it's going to be specific.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
To that quarterback spot.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
What went right, what went woefully wrong, and so but
that the speed of verse and fit Kobe Turner on
the inside at times one v one with with Reisner
winning every single play. Neville Gallimore, Yeah, I don't know
if he has ten sacks in his career.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
He had like two sacks last night.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, they just kept coming, and that in combination with
the quarterback. Uh, I mean just I don't know if
it was stick him on his hand with that ball
last night, but one one thousand and two, one thousand
and three, one thousand, suddenly it's seven one thousand and
he's hitting the turf.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
It was. It was ugly, man.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
This this next patch comes, I mean it comes with
nothing personal.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
It's business.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
But I was thinking about it on the flight back
last night, because yeah, I think there are twenty three
or twenty four unrestricted free agents the Minnesota Vikings have. Now,
you know, there are some some quite prominent and familiar
names as we go around here. And you know, then
you you also have in the neighborhood. I think of
eighty million dollars under the cap that can be finagled.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
You you you.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Have the draft, but I think we have a super
special four picks there compensatories aside, so that that obviously
all is coming at us on a one last cry
Tuesday where it's not like we're going to go through
every single unrestricted free agent at this moment, and and
you know, try to determine, you know, who's the best
(13:14):
fit and why for the Minnesota Vikings moving forward, given
they have the cash that they have. But there's a
name that I'm going to drop later and I'm gonna
respectfully ask for a working cell phone number for this individual,
and and you know, then go through the rigmarole of hey,
given I'm not a W two team employee of the
(13:35):
Minnesota Vikings, is it cool if I get this guy's
number and I just call him and then I know
he's got a game coming up this weekend. But you know,
I just like to I don't know, I just like
to call him and see what he's doing. Let's get
the process started. So this again, nothing personal. This is business,
unrestricted free agents and the emotional quick twitch. Emphasis on
the word emotional, because that's what that That's who I am,
(13:56):
That's what that was when it was written, and that's.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
What this is.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
So it's just going to be a name and gone
or a name and returns. And if there is anything
that requires a why Lord knows. On a one last
cry Tuesday, we have plenty of time to unpacked, identify,
and weave our way through the Let's say, Aaron Jones gone, Yeah,
(14:26):
Aaron Jones gone, Yep, cam Akers returns yep, cam by
them gone Byron Murphy Jr. Probably gone due to price,
and I hope that's not the case.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Well, those two in a row buying them and Murphy.
I look at those two guys specifically from a cost standpoint,
those might be the most significantly priced free agents coming
up here in a couple of months for quass right
and see that, you know, entire secondary except for Mittellus
who's got one year left and I can't wait to
play back. I mean, it's emotion but tremendous work that
(15:01):
Lieber did with his Harrison Smith interview. Mattellus has one
year left and Harrison Smith is on the Willy Woney track.
Other than that, Shack Griffin, Gilmore, Murphy, as you mentioned,
are almost our entire back end is upcoming into free agency.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Biran Murphy Junior.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Like I said, I mean, I really really hope there's
a way to get him back on the team.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Now, what a season he had.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Shack Griffin gone, Stefan Gilmore gone, Johnny Mount returns, Trent
Sherfield senior returns, Sam Darnold gone, ye, Cam Robinson gone,
Dalton Reisner gone. There are more names, but those are
just the ones that I wanted to drop in there.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, I like that, And you know, at some point
I would, you know, in their talkers glory, I get
that on a Tuesday in which are season's over. Cam
Robinson's interesting to me only because I want to know
more about where Christian darrisaw is at.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
I thought you were in process.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Looks when I thought Cam Robinson last, I thought you
just were going to say what I thought For about
three seconds, not that the minds have to be in
unison and or locksteps, specifically when our hearts are first
thing I thought was Cam Robinson Canny play guard. And
I'm not messing with you. I mean, he's big, interesting,
He's big, He's a people mover, and that's like, you know,
(16:19):
that's again, we have a lot of time. Yeah, on
a one last cry Tuesday, throw up to the scouting
combine and free agency and all that to slice and
dice our way through all things. That's why this is
the emotional quick twitch from your emotional announcer.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
And good morning.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Were you able to hear the totality of head coaches
post game last night?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Well that's why I requested here in the opening segment
that we play back Ben Lieber with Harrison Smith, because
after I got done with the Vikings postgame report podcast
for Vikings dot Com that Ben Lieber, that Pete Ersage
and I do after each game, I zip down to
the locker room and you know I saw I saw
(17:03):
the director of dispute, the game management coordinator, Ryan Cordell
walk out, Mike Petton, associate head coach, outside linebackers coach
walk out. Yeah, and I'm like, wow, damn, I mean,
they're getting out here fast and I miss everything. Well,
the media, the scribes, the columnists, Sue Jim Suehn, they
were all still outside of the locker room, so it
(17:24):
they're you know, knowing people who are in the locker room.
Like when O'Connell does his the pacing back and forth
and celebratory postgame preaches and speeches and things like that,
you know, usually then they'll open the doors and in
comes everybody. But that wasn't the case yesterday. And after
(17:45):
chatting with a few people, there were so many tears
in that locker room.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Right before I got in there, uh there, I was told.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
That you know, there, I don't want to weeping and
like shoulders going up and down. That that's you know,
that may be a little bit of a stretch. But
the sadness in that locker room yesterday after a one
last cry Monday, it definitely resonated and was not lost
on me. Specifically with Joshua matellus Man, he was all
shaken up after the game, but I walked up I
(18:14):
saw Ben Leeb interviewing Harrison Smith, and Hockey kind of
gave me like, you know, you don't want to disrupt
the interview. He kind of gave me like his hand
like here. I saw what and stood next to it,
and I heard Harrison start to get into quite the
emotional response to something. But you know, then the head
of security, Dave Chorus, and Kevin O'Connell were starting to
(18:35):
head over to the press conference, so I did not.
I go to so many Kevin O'Connell press conferences, I
didn't want to miss the one last cry one, so
I went over there and I missed the end of
the Harrison Smith interview. That's why I want to hear
it back. And if you missed it, because it was
late last night on kfa N right before fan line.
I you know, I purposely didn't listen to it because
I want all of us to enjoy it together. And
(18:57):
the question would be what's next for our beloved hit man? Yeah,
it's I mean, it's a perplexing situation for that young man.
Then I hear Jonathan Grenard as I'm driving in this morning,
Ben Lieber with just excellent, excellent interviews. After the game
last night, I didn't even know E chatted with Jonathan Grenard,
and then Grenard's talking about Harrison Smith, and you know
(19:18):
the fact there was a galvanizing as this.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Thing went on.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Man, this guy so well respected and so well loved
in this locker room and by the coaches and by
the fan base. We wanted to win the whole thing
for Harrison. We want just in case that's it. He
stayed with the same team all of his career. He's
been a bastion of excellence and you know, a fringe
Hall of Fame type player. He's Viking's immortality and Grenard
(19:42):
really opened a vane on that and that that was
moving listening to that this morning, as was Harrison Smith
with Ben Lieber last evening. And here's what he shared
with Ben after a one last cry Monday.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
All Right, everybody, this is going to be a potential
a tough one. I'm standing right next to Harrison Smith,
and you know, it's hard not to notice walking in
this pretty emotional locker room. You specifically making sure that
you talk to everybody, every single player, offense, defense, training staff, coaches,
you know, spending time letting you letting everybody know how
(20:18):
much you appreciate them. Why is it important for you
do that on this particular game.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
There's a lot that goes into this.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
It's not strictly players, and I just want to give
my thanks to everybody that makes it go. Obviously wish
we could have a better result here.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Today, but it's tough for a swallow right now.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
But spending one of the most fun teams I've ever
played on at any level. And there's a lot to
be said about about this group, and I really just
wish I had a couple more weeks with.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Them, to be honest, when did you know that this
defensive unit was special?
Speaker 5 (21:09):
I thought we had a chance pretty early. You never
know till the lights come on, but it was pretty early.
It was pretty early, and uh, you know, I wish
we could have done a little more today, But guys
were this group. This group enjoyed playing with each other
and playing for each other, and that's what SO defense
(21:34):
is about. It's also about winning, so you know, last
game of the year. It's it's tough, it's tough to
to wrap your mind around it all, but the competitive
spirit of this group is very high. And uh, obviously
(21:54):
wish we could have had a better result today.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
When you think about Brian flu Or as in what
he's done schematically and to get the best out of you.
What are some of the things that you appreciate about
his his leadership.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I'd say there's a lot his consistency, his clarity, his creativity,
his willingness to try things that I have not experienced
in the game of football. To do that at this
level is it's harder than just saying that it's you
(22:33):
gotta kind of gotta let him hang a little bit,
And that's I appreciate that approach, and we had a
lot of success with it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
You know, probably could have done more.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
But I would say when you as you know, as
you get older in your plan, like it's it's it's
tough to enjoy every day because things might not always
feel as good as they used to. But like just
the amount of joy and fun I had this year
working with our staff and with our players go all
(23:09):
time high, all time high.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
What do you think the future holds for you?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
The road you have any sort of timeline and when
you want to make any decision on anything.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
Not really I haven't wanted to think about it. Kind
of selfishly, just live in the moment, and I'm kind
of still in that moment, So it'll come when it comes.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Well, whether it comes this offseason or comes a few
years from now. I just want to just say thank
you for myself and all the Vikings fans out there.
You're one of one and we all love you, and
I appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
Thanks man, I.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Appreciate that Holy cow, appreciate Viking's Nation. Everything they all
it's meant to me. So thank you.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Well.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
I was told that was jarring and it was all caps.
J A R R I N G. I mean you
talk about cracking the uncrackable, putting fatigue on the indefatigable.
I mean not Joe Lever got got choked up doing
uh doing doing the drive by Wow. Uh great great
job by Ben Lever, not only on the sidelines analyzing
(24:32):
the games, but uh with those postgame interviews and the
grenard one I said was fantastic, and it was trump
by Harrison Smith and those appointed questions and and a
couple of guys who really respect each other just opening
veins about something that.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah, something that that that it's at me.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
I mean, I really really liked being around this team,
all the new players, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Garnard, Blake Cashman,
Aaron Jones getting to know steph On Gilmore and the
awkward moment I had with him and an elevator in
New Jersey, you know, having never spoken to him and
now he's on the team, and knowing that all these
kids check out social media, and the way he's kind
of side eyeing me and the elevator. He probably heard
(25:14):
a million times some things that I said during the
comeback against the Indianapolis Colts. And then now we're in
an elevator for ten floors or not speaking to each other,
and he can't figure out how to get his card
key to mess with the button for his floor, and
I go, let me help you, and then I do
it for him, and the elevator door opens and he
stops and turns around and says, thank you, Paul.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I always love that one. And I'm like, he knows
my name, he knows who I am. He heard it.
He had to have heard it, the Jefferson Gilmore thing.
I throw him out of the games.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Then the next uh, then the next morning, on the
sideline before the Giants game, I come up and I
apologize to him. I should introduce myself to you, in
that elevator and you know, welcome to the team and
stuff like that, and then you know, then yesterday I'm
chatting with Stefan Gilmore's son for like three minutes in
the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale. So it's things
(26:05):
like that, at least for yours, truly in common thread fashion,
that either define you know, how much I really appreciate
being around those people and those players and coaches and
stuff like that. And man, this was this was a wonderful,
wonderful group and a wonderful, wonderful year that had a
splat to it at the end for fans, for announcers,
(26:28):
for sideline analysts, and you could hear in Ben's voice
in chatting with a Harrison Smith that encapsulated the way
a lot of family members, extended family members, or those
who go on the grind and sweat this thing because
they enjoy it felt now that it's over and it's
over like that, and it's so crazy and zany that
(26:50):
it's over like that. So sorry to be so negatory
with you know, some of the some of the commentary
in the opening segment, but magical seasons like this one
just cannot splat as if it fell face first from
a fifty story high rise. And there's much more to
get into during the course of a Today's show. Once again,
(27:10):
we are going to take some phone calls. I'm leaving
at eleven o'clock and before that, Paul Charchion eighteen leagues
Friday Football Feast, joins at ten. Pete Bursich, the analyst,
joins at ten thirty five. Lavelle Neil the Third, the
columnist for the stribis here at eleven o'clock with Nordo.
But there are some things into which I would like
to die next segment and during the time that I'm
(27:31):
here today, I'm back with everybody tomorrow. But call us
and just share what's on your mind right now, and
you can just just unfurrole what's in your heart about
this distraction factor known as Minnesota Vikings Vikings football being
something on which you rely to distract you and us
from things in our lives, and we love it. And
(27:54):
now it's done for the two zero two four eight
hundred and three two zero five three two six hundred
three two zero five three two six. Of course, we
have the talkback machine via the free iHeartRadio app thirty
seconds there if you are so inclined.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Thank you timber Tech.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Thank you timber tech dot com for what's on deck
nine to noon. Thank you mister Eric Nordquist for the
impeccable one last Crime montage. And most importantly, thanks to
everybody for listening to nine noon and Kfan and those
Vikings games. When you do here at FM one hundred
point three k F A M. I'm Paul Allen, and
we'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
And before we pause, the Fan does indeed want to
give you a chance to put a grand in your
hand with the National Cash Contest. All you got to
do go to kfan dot com. Aser the keyword pay, pay, pay,
and you might get paid is in one thousand dollars.
The keyword is pay at kfan dot com.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
And all right out here we are nine thirty eight
(29:50):
and one hundred pointy three, kay, hey, and thanks for calling.
We've got a bunch of them and we're going to
take as many as we can over the next of
segments up to the Friday Football Feast. Co host Paul
Charchion joining nine to noon at about ten oh three,
and you know, just just to just to land the
plane for this portion of the equation spitballing a bunch
(30:14):
of different things, and that's just kind of what kind
kind of what we and fans do in metaphorical watercooler radio.
It's like, what happened to Sam Hey, I wonder what
JJ thinks hear that interview with Harry and natcho it.
You know they both were really sad. I wonder if
Harrison Smith's going to be back. Andrew Van Ginkel, who
knew you heard the name, had no idea he.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Was that good.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
It's it's it's a spitballing Tuesday on one last cry Monday.
And here we are the sure the Minnesota Vikings lost
all four games to the Lions and Rams, and both
those teams absolutely can get to the winner circle known
as the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
The La Rams are going the right way in a hurry,
and their coaching staff and specifically their head coach are
just so good at what they do that if their
defense plays the way it played last night, and if
Stafford can stay poised and they get the right players involved,
which would include Hookah Nakua Nakua cool satisfied it is,
(31:17):
but see that's the rub is that's the rub we
lost to the Lions and Rams, who yes, can get
to the Super Bowl. And the rub is one is
in our division and the other has the fastest, youngest,
most up and coming defense in the game. So the
rub is sure you went zero four against them, but
(31:39):
they ain't gone anywhere.
Speaker 6 (31:40):
Now.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
The Rams have a tricky situation with Matthew Stafford, who's
thirty seven years of age, you know, and Matthew ain't great. Okay,
Matthew has been great. Matthew ain't great right now. Matthew
hasn't been great for about a month and a half.
In the Bills game, in the second half, Matthew Stafford
was great. But old people get a little creaky times,
you know. Old people are trying to get to the
(32:02):
finish line and get the second ring. Matthew smart. I
got a lot of respect for him. He's one of
the toughest players I've ever come across in my years
calling Minnesota Vikings football. I love Matthew Stafford, but he's
lost some on his fastball. Mentally, he still sees it
clearly and sees it the same way, but he just
(32:22):
he's right at the end.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
So is there an element to that, PA where you
kind of tip your captain McVeigh and what he's been
able to do around him to continue that where he's
limiting the mistakes. We were talking about it into the
game yesterday where seven of his last ten games, going
back to the Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Game, we ate.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
Seven of those ten games, he was not sacked at all.
So the combination of the quick game that we were
on the wrong side of, we gate to the protection
getting Steve Avila you mentioned that damn good left guard
I think TCU cat from a couple of years.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Ago, and the ability too and Higbee getting healthy. I
mean he had fifty eight yards in the first quarter.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
And so we were in a spot this year where
we were able to praise ourselves. You know, Cashman's out
for a few weeks, comes back, gets healthy, Ivan Pace
goes to ir comes back, gets healthy. We go into
this game last night, maybe one of the healthiest teams
in the playoffs, where every all of our preferred starters
except for Christian Dearisaw were available last night. But what
(33:24):
McVeigh has been able to do with maybe the inadequacies
in the aging of Matthew Stafford nothing short or remarkable,
And that is Nakua Nakua until you're satisfied in that
quick game and working with Kyron and all that, it's
been really impressive.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Let's see what the rub is is is, you know,
and I heard O'Connell say this after the game, you know,
reminding here where we are the losses. It came from
these two teams and they're both very good, right, But
the rub is the Lions ain't going anywhere. I mean,
they have the quarterback, they have the two running, they
have the right receivers, they they they defensively, they when
(34:04):
they get them healthy they have they ain't going anywhere.
And the Rams ain't going anywhere either. But you got
that quarterback situation they'll be facing here in the very
near future. As to like thank Harrison Smith, think Matthew Stafford.
You know, Stafford came into the game in nine hit
man in twenty twelve, so it's this could this could
be Matthews last season. If that's the case, well they're
(34:27):
going to have to work around something for a little bit,
raise somebody new. But look at what they have around
the individual. So the the foresight they've had knowing that
that day is coming, that the Super Bowl winning quarterback's
going to leave. We feel we're going to fortify it
enough as we raise a young quarterback.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
So those two ain't going anywhere. But here's the bit.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
So they finished fourteen and four and and you know
it's it's being a racetrack raised a guy. The class
of the competition matters a lot to me. And I'm
not going to qualify some of these teams five thousand
dollars claimers that thistle down in Cleveland or Kentucky Derby winners,
or Breeders Cup Classic winners, or somebody wins the Arc
(35:08):
de Triomph in France. But I think you'll understand what
I'm saying here when it's fourteen and four. We swept
the AFC South. Cool, all right, I know the Texans
went over the weekend. Good luck with Herbert in the postseason,
the rest of your life. It We swept the AFC South.
We swept the Bears, Yeah, okay, swept Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Sweet.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I mean, they got bounced right, and they can't possibly
trust their quarterback in big spots, and unlike the others
in the division, have him on an absurd player friendly deal.
So there's that. Arizona, the cards are so good. Two
teams got to use their stadium in the playoffs because
they didn't make it. They beat Seattle, a middling squad.
(35:54):
They killed Atlanta, which ended up being awful. The Jets.
That bunch stinks. You get the bit. The Vikings beat
two teams that made the playoffs, so that has to
factor into the equation when you're looking at the level
of class of the teams you beat or lack thereof. Now, finally,
before the phone calls, because we promised and we care
(36:15):
about you and you assumably care about us, the quarterback
room next year, I predict at this stage, with a
right to change it multiple times in the off season,
the quarterback room, I believe will be JJ McCarthy, Daniel Jones,
and Brett Rippon. So we'll leave that right there and
(36:37):
we'll move into the off season together, won't we. Kyle,
it's Paul Allen.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Good morning. Hey, what's up man? How you doing.
Speaker 7 (36:48):
Good?
Speaker 8 (36:49):
Good?
Speaker 7 (36:49):
Appreciate the Vine. Just wanted to bring some optimism to
the end of the year here. You know, we got
JJ McCarthy on tap. I think I think we're going
to be going to go next year. You know, we
weren't supposed to be good this year. So I mean,
let's let's take a win for twenty twenty four and
you know, roll hard into twenty twenty five with JJ.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Mack Amen, Joe and Worthington. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 8 (37:20):
Say, I would like to have that offensive line. See
if they can find a tape of the ninety eight
offensive line. They move their feet, they protected. We need
help with that. If you're beat around the corner. Hey,
you've got to survive. Sam had a tough day, but
we also need to show a little heart. Let's get going,
(37:44):
get that offensive line move and we'll compete again next year.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Thanks Bud, Aaron and Little Canada.
Speaker 9 (37:50):
Good morning, Hey, Paul, heydo popping on. Kind of speaking
the same sentiment as Kyle in that I just enjoyed
this season because you know, going into it, I'm only
twenty six, but most liking the season. I absolutely rub
it up.
Speaker 8 (38:08):
It's so pumped up.
Speaker 10 (38:09):
And this year I had a little bit more attempted
expectations to you know, we had darnold, we didn't know
what to expect, and a lot of new guys and
it's kind of a free year in my opinion, and
just brought a lot of joy and looking forward to
JJ next season, and just as we got the head coach,
we got all the right pieces, So you know, I'm optimistic.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
That's an altruistic approach to things and look at things
and it happens to be factual, and it vibes with
my heart too. But nevertheless, it doesn't mean this being
this is your splat down we go from fifty floors
leader of the fan in KFA in dot com still
doesn't sting. So the end the moment stings, but the
(38:53):
altruistic look to the future definitely has some brightness to it.
And in polarizing fashion, you're listening to nine to noon,
all right, these phone calls coming up right now or
actually about a minute, minute and a half from now.
(39:13):
But first, just a couple of quick points that I
want to get out there because I think their baseline
when it comes to where the twenty twenty four Minnesota
Vikings are moving forward into the twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
And I joked about it earlier.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
But not being a Minnesota Vikings W two team employee,
I just I wonder if it's possible for me to
secure a working cell phone number for Chiefs soon to
be free agent guard Tray Smith. I always love that
one who's a badass. So that's like immediately moving forward
where my mind went. I mean, I cracked open the
(39:51):
potential unrestricted or the free agents that won't be signed
before free agency and read up a little bit on
them last night, lying back from the Valley of No Fun,
and that's the one that jumped out of me right there.
Holy cow. So that's just like where we are now.
I'm sure I'm not the first to think that or
say that. And then we get to something the head
coach said repeatedly the last two weeks, and it's I
(40:15):
need to do a better job. Is I can be
better there? I need to do a better job. It's
it's not lip service. It's not lip service deflecting attention
from others who failed. It is sometimes and it's age old.
So after the Lions game, people are pounding on the quarterback,
(40:37):
you know. So therefore coaches and coordinators will say this, this, this,
and I need to do a better job and that. Generally,
when you say that, you don't get pressed. And this
includes me Tuesdays with Kevin O'Connell where that that you know,
when I say that that I just.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Love this season.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
I mean the the implementation of Kevin O'Connell, Justin Jefferson,
and Harrison Smith with live mikes during preseason games, along
with Kevin being with nine to noon each and every
Tuesday for what was scheduled to be fifteen seventeen minutes
ended up being twenty five thirty minutes every single week.
(41:14):
Those those are you know, those are career highlights for
me because they're consistent and they're fun and people enjoy
them and I enjoy them, and the coach enjoys them.
You know that all plays into it with this leader,
Kevin O'Connell, who I absolutely adore and will stick by
what I said at a Friday football feast with Paul Charchi,
(41:35):
and I believe the Minnesota Vikings are going to win
a Super Bowl with Kevin O'Connell. I don't know when
it's going to be. Kind of thought it might get
close this year, which it did, but then we have
the splat factor. But it's not lip service deflecting attention
from those in the Covenant who failed. I know he
means it, and I wonder what goes into it, and
(41:56):
that is a big overarching A talker for the twenty
twenty five Minnesota Vikings that it's you know, it's like
when he says and I need to do a better job,
out'm press him.
Speaker 2 (42:09):
Nobody presses him, so therefore we don't get the answer.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
And they they never Kevin or anybody who says something
like that, they never come out and say, and I
need to do a better job, you know, like I
need to do this on third and six or longer.
I need to do this inside the five, or I
need to manage this with fourth downs, or I need
to have a better hold of this.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
You know.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
Maybe maybe in his season closing press conference we'll hear
a little more. But until we do, it opens It
opens the door for those who care like us and
follow it the way we do, to think what does
he mean? What does he mean? And it's it's you know,
the details matter, but the overarching viewpoint it matters more
(42:53):
because there are so many plays run during the course
of a season. You know, to hammer on like one, two, three,
that's unfair, But to look at you know, to decompress
and look back at certain facets and to mesh it
with I need to do a better job. I need
to do a better job for Sam. I can do
(43:13):
a better job there. I think that's fascinating, the vulnerability
with it and the sensibility with it and self awareness.
But you know, there's no answer to it until we're
giving an answer, and then if we're not giving an answer,
then we get to speculate, and that's what we do
at FN one hundred point three.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
K f an Marty Saint Paul, what's going on there, Marte?
Speaker 6 (43:37):
I got a lot of love for you, Pa Man.
It was tough listening to fan line last night because
the knee jerk knocked a lot of our rooms loopy.
And I know I might be in the minority on
this one, but I I want them to bring back
Sam Donald. The man had an epic season. And regardless
of how these last two plays, when I know they
(43:58):
get into the mix when you consider things and the
what have you done for me lately? Scenario? But I
love Sam Donald. I think he had a great season,
a tremendous year for the Vikings and for a team
that was supposed to be five to six wins, exceeding
expectations like they did. I got a lot of positivity.
I hope Harrison Smith comes back even and I don't
(44:19):
know if Flores would ever consider this or the whole apparatus.
But and that guy would be an emotional leader. I
know he's not real outspoken, but just as an assistant
coach or something like that. And I hope he I
know the whole future is in his hands, but I
hope he comes back. And I just I want to
see a lot more positivity and perspective from from the
roofs out there, especially the Pitchport Nation crowd because and
(44:43):
maybe it'll settle in you know, we're Minnesotan's, maybe it'll
settle in everybody's angry that we never win a playoff game.
Call the negativity in this town sucks, you know that.
But let's let's bring a full circle.
Speaker 10 (44:53):
Man and Martin.
Speaker 2 (44:57):
Marty, you're terrific.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
Yeah you got to You have all the KFA and tricks,
and you played from the heart. And I'm not going
to rule out what you said. I'm not going to
say that it's going to happen. But if you formulate
the opinion we put all this time into this reclamation
project and the majority of it was good, and you know,
then the what we saw most recently two times does
(45:19):
not have to be the overarching answer. I'm not mad
at that take at all, you know, But then the
next step is, if you believe that, what's the cost
And to an aside, you know, I just wonder these
last two games for Sam Darnold a free agent. I mean,
those games potentially cost that man thirty million dollars tens
(45:41):
of millions of dollars. Tens of millions, is the right
way to put it, if you believe it's going to
be you know, a forty ish on average with the promises,
and then the yearly take his trajectory.
Speaker 3 (45:51):
Is is really the same Grand Canyon esque gap between
two spots of into that Lion's game, you could win
the division and have the one seat, or you're going
on the road. Similarly, Sam Darnold into that game was
potentially playing for one hundred million guaranteed.
Speaker 8 (46:07):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (46:08):
And I think that that has also drastically changed as
we watched the fate of our team last night.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
But when they say not only it's a business, but
it's an emotional game, which it is, sure it is.
Two weeks ago he was elevated on shoulders and they're
all singing, he's a jolly good fellow.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
For he's a jolly good fellow.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Yeah, he's a jolly good fell And now you got
an announcer flying over like Nebraska two forty five in
the morning, crafting. I think our quarterback room next year
is going to be McCarthy, Jones and Rippin'.
Speaker 2 (46:40):
I always love that one. I think quickly it changes, right.
Speaker 1 (46:42):
But I think I'm gonna you know, I would bet it,
but I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't. I wouldn't exactly
proclaim that's what it is. Well, let it play itself out.
But Marty's call was fantastic, and we appreciate your passion.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
Man.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Brian in Minneapolis, good morning, Oh my bad, here we go.
Brian in Minneapolis, good.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Morning, good morning. Are my hair? Yeah? Yeah, we got you. Yeah,
we got you. B what's up man?
Speaker 8 (47:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (47:13):
So there's a lot of piling on Sam Darnald this morning,
and you know, deservedly so. But I don't hear a
lot of talk. And I appreciate you talking.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
About hold on, hold on Old, let's pump the brakes. Okay,
there has not been a lot of piling on Sam
Darnold nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Okay, there hasn't.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
I mean, we're stating facts about the contractual situations. I
don't know what the knucklehead factor was like on fan
line last night. Sadly I didn't get a chance to listen,
but no, I just wanted to get that straight that there,
that this this is not your pileon Leader nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
Okay, fair point.
Speaker 11 (47:45):
Yeah, I read two hands article in the script this
morning and he was doing some piling on, so it's
out there. But the point I wanted to make Pa
is that, you know, there's a lot of talk about
Donald and here's his role and the failures at the auctions.
Speaker 9 (47:58):
Last night.
Speaker 11 (48:02):
You talked about McVeigh and what he did with with
his quarterback to make things easier, helped him to succeed.
Did KOC do enough of that for Donald? You know,
I watched that Lions game where they brought pressure after
pressure and you saw the severs running deep routes. There
was not the quick hitters, the easy outs that that
Donald could have hit.
Speaker 8 (48:21):
Right, did he make me?
Speaker 11 (48:22):
Did KOs make the adjustments he needed to to help
Donald succeed in this game because he knew that the
Rams were going to imitate exactly what the Lions did
in that game.
Speaker 1 (48:30):
I think I think that's a very fair point. And
when it comes to the head coach after the Lions
and and and one last cry Monday, saying you know
I can be better, I needed to do better. Stuff
like that, it's it's if you go down the road
that O'Connell and or the offensive staff let down Sam Donald.
(48:51):
I would say, shame on you, because Sam Donald. Nobody
wanted Sam Donald. Sam Donald was not starting for any
teams in the NFL until he was given a chance
here and the time and the sweat equity they put
into that man to get him to all those touchdowns,
the most touchdowns in the history of Minnesota Vikings football
(49:12):
for a first first time starter, more than Brett Farv
in two thousand and nine. Sam came through the coaching
staff and Sam Meshton came through all right. Then the
rubber met the road against two teams that can go
to the super Bowl and the the the the tire
came up bald, and the whole Darnold Express went off
(49:32):
the highway and then it toppled and it was perilous.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
So it's when Kevin says.
Speaker 1 (49:40):
And I can do a better job, and I'm going
to put that on me that's part of it, and
you know there are details to it, but the overarching
part of it plays into what my man just said.
It's like, you know, when when when watching this one
back for some others back, you know it's in certain
second and what third and whatever, fourth and whatever, it's
(50:03):
meshing what happens with where the players went on the
field and why, and that requires time because you know
they're called hot routes, and of course the Minnesota Vikings
have hot routes for difficult situations. But you know, they
just thinking about Stafford last night, in certain situations where
in essence, he knew the rush was going to come
(50:25):
at him fast and he would get it off quickly
to somebody and it either would work or the play
would be blown up. But he got it off and
it was complete. You know, So this is this all
plays into what we were talking about that previous segment,
and I thought that phone call was terrific. Let's welcome
Paul Charchion into the equation when Nine to Noon continues
(50:46):
at KFAM
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