December 7, 2025 • 42 mins
Dan is back giving the sermons ahead of Week 14 of the NFL kicking off, he discusses the comparisons of Indiana and Gopher football, and talks Vikings and possible draft picks for the purple.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I like to think of myself as a professional. And
as I woke up this morning thinking about how I
wanted to approach today's one hour edition of Sunday Sermons,
I said to myself, Dan, this program is not based
in Indianapolis, Indiana. It's not in Kocomo, it's not in Evansville.
(00:25):
It's not in Gary, Indiana, where you were born. It's
Minneapolis St.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Paul.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
So if you try to turn the one hour or
tour on a day the Vikings are hosting a professional
football game on Who's your Hotline, You're being unprofessional. So
then I said to myself, well, how can is there
a way that I can link what the Indiana Hoosiers
(00:55):
football team did last night in Columbus? I should say
an Indiana Columbus is another one of those cities that
I think of out of the state of Indiana and
the Minnesota Vikings. Is there a way to link the
two where I can justify it, or more easily justify
talking about what took place last night the impossible taking
(01:16):
place last night professionally. And I think, thanks in some
no small measure to the audience that all often gives
me good material, I think the answer is Yes, I
think we can do it. Starting with today's game Vikings
(01:41):
game high noon right here in the fan pregame ten o'clock.
Should the new battle cry for the Minnesota Vikings the
rest of this season be flopping for Fernando?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's the question.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Fernando, of course, is the starting quarterback, the seemingly almost
too good to be true, Fernando Mendoza, who, as we
were reminded by one of the hard the big time
college football wonks, was the one hundred and thirty fourth
ranked quarterback prospect in the class of twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
One hundred and thirty fourth ranked.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And by the way, they didn't steal them from Miami
or Ohio State or even Penn State or Michigan.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
They stole them from cow.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
And now we have to ask, as JJ McCarthy gets
the ball again, now being told, stop worrying about your fundamentals,
just go out have fun fling the ball wherever it
goes it goes, don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Should we flop for Fernando?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Would this team's long term interests be better served if
we could make our way down the National Football League
standings the rest of the year and be in position.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
As preposterous as.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
It sounds to drafting a quarterback with our first round
pick again bratch On Brian kfan text line has opened
six four to six A six. Now the mcbobos will say, Dan,
do you remember what happened during JJ McCarthy's last year
(03:32):
at the University of Michigan, Michigan. Do you remember those games?
Do you remember what how that? Forget the conference title game,
how the tournament postseason National Championship tournament went for JJ
in Michigan and went very well, very very too, Davy.
(03:52):
But I got to tell you, boys and girls, the
throws again made yesterday in Hey Moments by Mendoza. That's
big time stuff there. I refuse to believe there's a
scout out there who didn't wouldn't come away from that
(04:14):
going my god. Those are throws, game on the line,
throws he's done in several games, including Penn State and
then obviously last night. And we're not talking about little,
you know, like ten yard hunting peck throws. We're talking
about downfield into coverage, lasers, darts, fearlessly being thrown.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And by the way, I don't think there's any danger.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Of Fernando Mendoza introducing us to his alter ego on
Sundays to unassuming you heard him, kid takes nothing for granted,
there's not going to be a whiff of controversy that quarterback.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So is it?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
In all?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Really all things be equal? Woul the vikings be better
serve the rest of this season? Flopping for Fernando. By
the way, I'll consider another expression if your alliteration's even
better than flopping for Fernando. But that's pretty good And
that came from a listener overnight. Need to fall to
(05:29):
the Mendoza line. Do people realize? And if you don't,
I don't blame you, because again, this is not Indianapolis, Indiana.
This is Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The absurdity of what
Kurt Signetti has done in two seasons in a college
(05:51):
football waste land. The link there's another link to this market,
and it's it's painful. Also, we have a major college
team here, University of Minnesota. They're also in the Big Ten.
And what some us have clamored for during every era,
including the PJ. Fleck era, where the floor has definitely
(06:15):
been raised, is the ability to raise the ceiling maybe
once every five years. Once every three years, is that
too much to ask? Maybe maybe once out of every
five to a place where you go, oh my god,
how did they do that? We had one season that
approximated that, but there's been no follow up on it. Again,
(06:40):
as feeble as the University of Minnesota football program has
been historically, it's miles and miles ahead of what Indiana
University represents.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
It's not even close.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
In fact, I believe just a couple of weeks ago,
because Signetti, I think his record now is twenty four
and two.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Twenty four and two Indian we had a university. It's absurd.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That because of all those wins, I think this season,
just a few weeks ago, Northwestern passed Minnesota passed Indiana
as the all time losingest college football program. Others can
check on that, but the point is that's what Indiana
has been. They have not outright won the Big Ten
(07:29):
title since nineteen forty five, the end of World War Two.
I attended many of these horrific football occasions in memorial statement.
By the way, back then, if you're a student, let's
(07:49):
say the game was a one o'clock start, you could
decide at twelve fifty kind of bored, nothing else to do.
Let's go the IU game, walk across campus, walk in.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I'm not even sure.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
They even make it pay and sit wherever you want
to sit, have your own section if you wanted to
sit there. And so maybe for Gopher fans it is
painful to think about. Well, wait a minute, what I
keep hearing is that here it's impossible, just impossible. Can't
be done even for a short period of time, like
(08:29):
what Indiana has done the last two seasons, especially this year,
can't be done. Not fair to compare. Really, I think
deep down a lot of people would say that doesn't
really add up. That does not make any sense, does it.
Indiana now has a lot of money coming in. But
(08:51):
do you think they had a lot of money coming
in when Signetti walked in the door?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
The answers, No, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Mark Cuban hadn't given a dime to the football program ever,
to any university, you'd give them money to other sports
programs and other parts of the university.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Now is he willing to yes? Now is the money
coming in?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yes, But don't confuse this and make it sound like, well,
they had a whole bunch of stuff in place, from
the moment Signette he got there that no one else
in the Big Ten, including at Minnesota, could have. That's
just a lie. It's demonstrably provably false. Now, yeah, they're
on a roll, and now I'm sure they do have
(09:34):
are going to have more money coming in to get
quarterbacks and other key players from this point forward, at
least as long as things go this well, but this is.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's a bad argument.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Using Indiana is a bad argument if you're trying to
support and buttress the PJ. Fleck legacy. Here his run
here as well. I'll tell the story later.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It was against Ohio State, by the way, I think,
see how.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Many games in a row Indiana has lost to as
Glenn Mason would say, he always says Ohio State, Ohio State,
not Ohio.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I'll find it in a minute.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
But I attended, actually this particular game, I didn't attend,
but I attended some, you know, Ohio State Indiana games
in which it was generally fifty six to nothing or
fifty six to three, or whatever the case may be,
scores like that. But it was an Ohio State Indiana
game in Bloomington that resulted in what I've classified in
(10:48):
my career as the great Bob Knight ashtray incident inside
the Memorial Stadium football press box. Again, I bring it
up to just layout just how absurd it is that
Indiana not only is in the position they're in, but
(11:08):
that they would be able to do it at the
expense of the aforementioned Ohio State Buckeyes. We'll get to
all of that on Who's Your Hotline. We will talk
some vikings. I have a piece of sound that Dan
n Asoda first brought to my attention and I passed
(11:28):
along to Brett Blakemore to play later in the show
that is new to me. Now maybe fran Tarkenton has
said this before and I've missed it, but I found
it fascinating because it's a recent, very recent interview that
Sir Francis gave.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
So that'll be a part of the discussion as well.
We'll give.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Blake Moore a chance to explain why the honeymoon is
over for the Minnesota wild very quickly out of nowhere
Wolves when they're fifth in a row and get it
done in dramatic fashion after once again playing with their
food through much of the ballgame. So all mix and
match as much as we can between now and ten
(12:11):
o'clock this very morning.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Vikings Football Sunday will commence.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
At the top of the album Sunday Sermon's brought to
you by jtr Rufe.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Thirty in a row, Ohio State had won the last
thirty games against Indiana. You can do the math on
how far back that goes. I think the all time
history now stands Indiana thirteen wins, Ohio State eighty one victories,
and a grand total of five ties between the two clubs.
(12:51):
Here's my question to this audience, which is a Minneapolis
Saint Paul audience.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Did you watch last night? Were you curious?
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Even if you didn't have a rooting interest, if you're
a football fan, I would think leave my allegiance because
I went to school there out of the discussion for
a moment, because I think I'd like, I'm a big
follow the story guy, So I'd like to think that
any Big Ten team that reversed its fortunes to the
(13:21):
degree that Indiana has the last two years would be
a story I would follow whether it was here. I mean, well,
it's not going to be here, obviously. I don't mean
that literally Bloomington, Indiana or Evanston, Illinois or whatever the case,
may be very curious to see how many Rubes paid
(13:43):
attention to it. Bratchawan Bryant Cafean text line is open
at six four six eight six And do you believe
in or is this too much? Prisoner of the moment?
Go with the flopping for Fernando mantra moving forward the
(14:06):
rest of this meaningless season, other than I guess finding
out about McCarthy now, it could end up being that
they're flopping for Fernando without even trying. I mean, they
could play the next five games with no evil intent
or ill intent to flop and still lose or lose.
(14:28):
I don't know if we can lose enough. I don't
know how far down we can go. I'm assuming there's
there have to be some records worse than ours right now,
and there's no lottery in the National Football League first
round right top of the first round. They don't do
a lottery, so it's strictly record. I think in this
case they've got to be what do we Yeah, I mean, well,
(14:49):
Washington's worse than us.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
They're three and nine right now, we're four and eight, correct,
I've got it.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
So if the season ended right now, the Vikings be
picking eleventh.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We're not gonna get Fernando at eleven. I don't think now.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Now, I will say I previous to the last few weeks,
I've read a few scouts say, well, they're not so
sure about them. Is it the lack of athleticism? Because
I don't think he's the most athletic guy. But I'll
be honest with you, the quarterback whisper, are you kidding me?
(15:29):
How much would he love to work with a kid
who's got an arm like that, who can has touch,
can layer the ball, can throw short, can throw medium,
can throw long. I gotta believe the quarterback Whisper would
(15:51):
take that in a minute if he has that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So what you're saying is you are buying into Mendoza
manners very much.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
So okay, yeah, Early, I I have to say I
I knew nothing about him when he you know, when
he transferred, very little about him and early what I
saw it was impossible to get a read on it
because the teams they were playing were awful, just awful.
As it turns out, they were steamrolling those teams, not
(16:20):
just because those teams were crappy, but because they were
that good, because they ended up steamrolling a number of
teams in the Big Ten. I mean, in all seriousness,
how deep is the is? This is the chasm between
(16:40):
what you saw the Golden Gophers do in Columbus against
Ohio State and what you saw Indiana's defense do against
that same Buckeye team last night.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I get it.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
One game was in Columbus and one game was quote
unquote neutral tarat to my sources say it was about
sixty forty Indiana fans, So it wasn't like it was
I'm sure hostile at times, but I think it was
one of those games where the loudness was going to
depend and where it came from was going to depend
(17:16):
on who was hot, who was succeeding at that given point.
Now it's getting really crazy. Jared from Saint Charles getting greedy.
He doesn't just want Mendoza, he wants Signetti to package deal.
(17:42):
Hadn't heard that rumor yet. I guess it's a matter
of time. Even though Signetti just got that big contract
extension what two months ago, I'm wondering if the AD
is going to be feel obligated to give him another one,
or is there any way. You think that somehow PJ
can finnagel another matrict extension out of Indiana success.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Well, I'll say this, we found out in my home
state that contract extensions signed this year don't mean anything
because Matt Campbell signed one in August.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
It's a great party left of Penn State. Think about that.
That's a great point.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Uh huh? Are you bitter? I mean you're more Iowa
guy than Iowa State guy?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
No, I'm not either one one. Okay, I prefer Iowa State.
That's my mom's squad, so I feel for her. But
that's got to be devastating. How about Iowa State basketball?
Did you see what they did?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Number one Perdue destroyed the top ranked team. I think
the stat I saw was it was the it tied
for the greatest margin of victory knocking off a number
one ranked team in their gym.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Impressive. I know nothing about Were they supposed to be
good top ten team? Yeah, they got it. They got
to be moving up at this point.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I would say, whoa Mendoza is Kirk Cousins with slightly
more athleticism. I'm not sure how to take that. That's
not the but it wouldn't be that an insult. No,
I guess you're right. I mean, statistically, I just I
always feel like I felt like with Cousins, the whole
was lesser than the sum of the parts in terms
(19:10):
of the numbers, and you know, in terms of where
it took them, where the team ended up going. I
don't know, Dan, I didn't have a dog in the fight,
and I watched. I was caught up in the story.
It's what makes sports great, Eve without having a rooting interest.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Well said.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think that's I believe, despite my interest. And by
the way, like I said, I, I was so traumatized
and so bored by so much losing that I'm not
I mean the sweatshirt, the hoodie I'm wearing now Indiana football.
I didn't buy this five years ago. Be the first
(19:46):
to say it. I didn't buy it ten years ago.
I bought it last year. I think it was during
the run last year, if I'm not mistaken, and or run.
That didn't end all that well because when they played
better teams, as even Signetty has a knowledge, they weren't
particularly competitive at Ohio State, and I think the Notre
Dame game was their postseason game. But I do think
(20:10):
forget the name that that's it's it's it is why
they think most people watch sports seeing the improbable play
out and going how far can this go? Can they
actually win? You know, I know they're going to get
to the Big Ten title game. We can actually win it?
And then can they do something beyond that? It's I
(20:31):
know the football stories have looked. I don't think they
have found I don't think it's possible to find a
turnaround at a terrible football school that could possibly match
this at you know, this level Big Ten or higher
conference level. I just don't think there is any precedent
for it. And that's also what makes it so remarkable
(20:54):
and unique. What would you rather do with JJ if
we flop for Fernando a JJ for nothing basically to
see how Fernando does, or draft him with a high
pick and trade him to a team for maybe even
more draft picks and some players to fill in some
gaps in the team. Well, that's that's that's going even
deeper than I thought. Let me be honest, A lot
of the whole flopping for Fernando as we like a literation,
(21:17):
and it's timely because of the fact that Indiana won
last night. It's it's not all that I haven't really
given it much of a deeper thought I have. I
will say, watching this team as closely as I have
this year, I think he's going to.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Be a really good pro quarterback. I really do. I
think he's a.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Pure he he's been playing the position longer he's I
think he's just a purer passer than JJ McCarthy, even
though obviously JJ McCarthy had some wonderful moments.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
But go ahead, you're gonna say.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Well, I just want to read this text because I
think it says everything. It's bailing out the Gophers again
from six to one to two guys, says hi Dan
Deaniana story's incredible tale, once in a lifetime, once in generation,
an experience. That's kind of my point to say it
could happen anywhere Minnesota specifically, though technically true, is a
preposterous statement. How many coaches did Indiana shofvel through before
(22:11):
striking gold?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Answer? A lot.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
It's fun to dream, but for every signette there's a
road filled with coaching roadkill.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Well, it's probably it's probably easier. It's it's it's easier
to finesse this. If you think of it that way,
yause it's then you don't have to be troubled by it.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But we've said this before.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We haven't had a single bump of ascension to a
significant place, even once, like Northwestern has done a couple
of times. I'm going back over decades. Obviously, University Wisconsin, which,
believe it or not, once upon a time was a
terrible football program. Right, wild to say now it is
wild to say it seems impossible now. But but but
(22:52):
but but yeah, it's it's it's a different world at
this point. Maybe it'll change again. I don't know, it's
p I mean, there have been teams where you go,
well that what have they ever done? And they haven't
sustained it. I'll grant that point. But my comeback has
always been, well, just we're back to the ceiling. Lavelle
(23:14):
stole our bit on this, I think in his Sunday
column that the floor has been raised.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
We've talked about this many times.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
In fact, I cided a start Immune story in which
the headline, I thought asked some very good questions, and
the number one question was, but how how high.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Can you raise the ceiling?
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And let's face it, the ceiling has more than leveled
off and even occasionally gone back the other direction. This year,
it's just middle of the pack kind of a thing
where we can, you know, pound our chests.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
We finished with.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
A winning record in the conference, right, and how often
have we done that at all? Leaving aside who you
beat and who you lost to. All right, let's get
to the bottom of the hour break now. I do
want to talk. I want to play that targeted sound
and we'll keep looking at some texts come again via
the bratch around Brian Kafan text line. If we're get
(24:11):
any injury updates, we will give them. Let me know
if you hear anything there. Blake Moore pre Vikings football
Sunday will commence at ten am, opening kickoff just past noon,
and then the second game of the doubleheader.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
A whopper for you. Are you on your way to Lamba?
Are you leaving here and going to Lamba?
Speaker 5 (24:30):
I'm actually going to the People Stadium today? Is that
right for you over there? Well, that's kind of a
letdown for you.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
It's two losing teams, your Packers club playing for first
first place, hosting the Bears.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
My gal's a big Vikings galon she said, you gotta do.
I want to go to one game where you're not
actively rooting against.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Said, Okay, this might be the closest you can get to.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, exactly, all right, Vikings aren't action at high noon
right here in the fan against the Washington Commanders. And
it's been a long time since Fran Tarkanin has played
for the Purple, but he's going to be ever you know,
(25:16):
associated with the Minnesota Vikings. And he had an interview
I think this was in New York earlier this week,
in which the subject of losing all those Super Bowls
Vikings have lost four Fran played in three came up,
and I want you to listen. How long does this go?
(25:36):
We may have to fade out of it. I think
it's Is it about three minutes or is it longer
than that? I don't think it's that long, not even
that long. Okay, good, let's listen if you maybe some
of you have heard it already, but I think it's
worthy of discussion on a number of levels. So let's
listen to And I don't know who he's with. I
apologize for that w FAM I believe is a WFN. Okay,
I don't know who the individuals are. So you might
(25:58):
hear some other voices, but I think will be very distinctive.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
We lost is is back in those days, there was
a two week from your last game to win a
championship to the Super Bowl. And we went back home.
But Grant, my great friend and great coach, said go
back home, come back and be here Sunday, will fly
down to the We didn't practice. And you know, I've
(26:26):
talked to other quarterbacks who played in the Super Bowl.
They practiced that week and it was a hard practice
and they they we didn't do anything. And I and
that in those years I put in the offense those
three games, I didn't put in the offense because they
put it in when I was back in Atlanta, Georgia.
We didn't come close to winning us.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
That is crazy to me. That is we didn't.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Every team we lost years years before, years after, we
had no chance because we weren't.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
We weren't prepared.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Wow, strong words. Now maybe he has spoken this before
and I've missed it. But it is interesting because you know,
Fran had a great relationship with Bud, great respect for
Bud and I We had Bud in this studio many
times over the years, and I'm not sure we ever
covered this subject because I'm not sure I was ever
(27:21):
aware of it.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Now I'm assuming somebody's doing a hope.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Somebody's doing a fact check that Fran is accurate and
you know, not just sort of exaggerating the picture from
back then. But if true, it is pretty stunning. Now
we know Bud prided himself on less is more. In fact,
he thought that was part of his success. He didn't
(27:46):
believe in just driving players mercilessly forever.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
He was tough. He had tough practices, but.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
They weren't as long and he was, you know, notorious
for I don't want my coaches in the office at
two in the morning. You're not impressing me. Go do
something else. It's healthier. And at some point analysis paralysis
by analysis ends up working against the team if there's
too much of it. But it is stunning if it's
(28:16):
true that you wouldn't completely I mean, use at least
part of that week to prepare and to prepare your team. Now,
is that Fran looking for an explanation for statistically not
very good performances in the three Viking Super Bowls. He
(28:38):
was a part of Miami Pittsburgh Oakland, in which, of course,
the Vikings lost all three one touchdown, six interceptions for
fran and a quarterback rating of forty three point seven.
That includes against Pittsburgh eleven for twenty six, one hundred
and two yards, zero touchdowns, three picks, quarterback rating of
(29:02):
fourteen point one. That's a JJ McCarthy quarterback rating you're
talking about there.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
So who knows?
Speaker 1 (29:08):
I mean, is that him trying to, you know, looking back,
taking a little of the pressure off himself, maybe because
he didn't perform particularly well. But we know the world
was different then, and I'm assuming generally teams didn't prepare
as long as when I say as long, but in
as many days as they would now in this specialized
(29:32):
world where he got you know, twenty two assistant coaches
and all that sort of thing. But I did find
that pretty interesting, And frankly, there were stretches of several
of those games in which it looked like the fightens
hadn't practiced. So who knows whether any of that would
have made a difference, or they just weren't as good
as they thought they were, or they just didn't rise
up to the occasion. But I didn't think that was
(29:54):
rather interesting. This is from Ron out of Golden Valley.
I don't know what Ryan Day thinking last night, especially
if he's willing to settle for the tie on fourth down.
Ohio State now running on third and one with a
running back averaging four point eighty eight yards per carrying
the game out, thinking yourself with the game in the balance,
very koc like, Well, it's interesting because.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I look at it a little differently. I was not
as offended as.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Other people that they didn't go for it on that
second fourth and one with four minutes to go to
tie the game. I don't think that was an indefensible decision.
But I do think, and this goes back to the
play calling part, if my intention is to not go
forward on fourth and one, then I don't pass on
third down. In other words, if I'm going to try
(30:46):
to pass a tricky pass play on third down and one,
as they did, and I think he ended up going
to another receiver in the end zone, great defensive play
to knock it away.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
That to me is the problem with the sequence.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
If I want to try take one shot at the
end zone or just by throwing on third down, that
I'm saying to everybody, but I'm going to take a
shot on the ground too. I'm going for it on
fourth down. So for me, it's more the place selection
on third down. If you do not intend to go
for it on fourth down, and we'll never know the
answer to it, you know, what was the right decision.
(31:27):
And then you know, I mean, obviously the kid misses
the field goal. Indiana missed a not quite as close
but a very makeable field goal in the first half
as well. The other story that, and you know, Guardian
and I have talked about this going all the way
back to much earlier in the season. To me, what's
different about Indiana even from a year ago, is just
(31:49):
how stout they are at the line of scrimmage. That
they are really good defensively up front. I think they
had five sacks early on saying, and then their linebackers
are disciplined, they play apparently almost all zone. They just
don't make very many mistakes. It's a really good, damn
good defense. But the line of scrimmage, they're very good
(32:12):
offensively and defensive and defensive and now their offensive line
is a little league because I think the right tackles
hurt the regular and so Fernando had to move around
a little bit and he got nailed a few times.
But to me, it's at the line of scrimmage that
they're good. The other story that's emerged by the way,
they're arguably their second best receiver got hurt early in
the game, was not available the rest of the game.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
And Charlie Becker, who ended up being the hero late
in the season.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Through the first nine games of this year, he caught
seven passes. He ends up being a star the rest
of the season for them. In the Penn State game,
huge and obviously it was massive again last night.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
How did you feel about the.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
You know, just taking the three points or trying to
take the three points on the fourth and one.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
I mean, it ended up working out for him, and
they know what they're doing is you just don't want
to pull a you know, you know, no.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
It didn't work out for him. You missed the field goal.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
What I'm saying is would they be better should Ohio
State in that situation you're down three four minutes to go,
do you say we're Ohio State, We're going for it
on fourth down in one because you ain't gonna stop us.
Now if we're ever going to prove what we are.
We're gonna prove it on this play, and we're gonna
keep going. And even if eventually we have to settle
for a field goal, we're gonna keep running out clock,
(33:28):
or we're gonna go ahead and get a touchdown and
win the game.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Right now, I thought you were talking about something else. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I mean, if you're the big bat Ohio State and
you want to put everything on the table, and I'd
say you go for it. It doesn't always work out though,
you know, if you think back to last week Vikings game,
you go for it, you try to get too cute
and it turns into disaster. I was watching a little
bit of the Georgia Alabama game and they went forward
(33:53):
on a handful of fourth downs where there's a person
going to run the ball right at you because we're
better than you.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 5 (33:57):
So you got to have the execution to do it,
and I for whatever reason, you just have any trust
in them.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Dan Fellow, who's your here living in Minnesota? So like you,
I'm not really one of us. Grew up right down
Highway thirty seven from Bloomington in Bedford, Indiana. Never thought
I would see the day, watch the whole game. Still
can't believe it. Let me get to a couple more ts. Oh,
while I'm looking for some more texts. Of course, now
(34:23):
it's logged me out and now I'm gonna have to
go through that nonsense.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
What's happening to do?
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Are you ready to get worried about the wild because
then we lose to another bad team.
Speaker 5 (34:30):
Yeah, that's a team that they've dominated this season in
Minnesota and Vancouver.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So yeah, it's it sucks. I'm not on the panic.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
It's hard to you know, it has been two or
three stinkers, and Heines has been very vocal about who was.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
In that last night it was Wolstet.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Uh oh yeah, not great. It's been a couple of
games where Heines has said they got out, competed, outskated out,
blanked out, blanked out, blanked and you name it. But
does that overrule a month of unbelievable hockey. I don't
think so yet. No it does not. I do think
they're going to have to do something. I agree with
(35:08):
what Pat said yesterday and beyond the pond that they're
going to have to do something. The deadline to contend
and what does he want what's he looking for? Top six?
And well, I think he would like to see ROSSI
out the door. I'm obviously not of that mind. Don't
want to put too many words in his mouth. You
agree to disagree on that, Yeah, but I do think
they need to add and it stinks that it's they've
(35:32):
put together a couple of stingers announced become more of
a trend than a mirage.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
But I don't think it outweighs the month of November yet.
But if you put together one or two more, you
want to see it.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
Yeah, It's it's not good to just not be competitive
in games that you should be competitive in.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
All right, I'm looking for Have you seen any updates?
Because I have not?
Speaker 1 (35:54):
On our two offensive lineman both listed his questionable including
Christian dearrisaw has anything been mentioned via social media to
this point? Because I I don't see anything, but I'm
gonna keep looking just in case Daniels is playing for Washington. Correct,
I think that much wetter.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
True.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Look, I'm gonna check one other place here. No, I'm
not seeing anything. Yeah, So I guess it's maybe it's
a little too soon, but I'm sure we'll be getting
that very very shortly. Again, I mean the the whether
you believe in flopping for Fernando or not, the storyline
(36:35):
is the reason people will watch today is Okay, let's
see how if the kid can play a little better, right,
I mean, that's that's basically it.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I mean, it's all now. All the eyes are gonna
be on McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
And as I said Friday, you know, originally my thought was, well,
in a sense, the pressure is off because even if
he has mistakes, commits some some mistake during the game,
it won't feel like there's as much at stake because
the team is no longer competing for a playoff spot,
which is the goal when the season began. On the
(37:09):
other hand, because the next three teams the Vikings play
starting with today have statistically speaking, three of the worst
five defenses in the league, that is going to add
I think a certain burden back to JJ as in,
I'm bet it, man, I'm better get something done in
these games around They're really going to be down on
(37:29):
me here.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
In this town.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
I also believe, and you said you're going so you're
going to be able to be a judge of this.
I think this is one of those occasions when the
crowd could get could get surly very easily. If the
Vikings struggle early offensively again, oh, I think they'll turn
pretty quickly there. Now, if he plays well, they'll cheer,
(37:51):
they'll be back on it and they'll say, yeah, let's go.
Maybe he's figuring some stuff out. But I'm just saying
if he struggles against this defense, against a three and
nine team at home, it will become a hostile environment
very quickly.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
Don't you think the only birds that the big glass
windows can't kill her the boo birds? Apparently they they will.
I mean, if if it's a third and four and
JJ airmails justin Jefferson ways exactly, I mean, they're going
to come out exactly. But we mentioned earlier that if
the season ends today in Minnesota would be drafting eleventh.
One of the teams ahead of them is Washington at six.
(38:25):
So okay, something to keep in mind. If jj Airmail
is a pass, maybe it's not all.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Yeah, I will have to see how that goes. But yeah,
I don't, I mean, I I will be well. I
was about to saying it gonna be shocked if we
see brosmur again this season, but you can't say that
because JJ, among other things, also hats to prove he
can stay healthy. And so who knows, I mean, there
could be another he could get nicked up, some other injury,
(38:50):
God forbid, another you know, concussion protocol.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Kind of a thing.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Who's to say, and we could end up seeing a
little bit more of a Brosmer. In all honesty, Brozmer
probably deserves a second chance too. If McCarthy deserves a fifth, sixth,
and seventh chance, then Broser at some point probably deserves
a second. But all the eyes are on McCarthy the
rest of the season because this team has invested so
much in him, and I do think I hope they've
(39:14):
figured out trying to burnish the legend of JJ before
he performs was a just a massive blunder. You know,
about the alter ego and the toughness, and he'll run
through walls for you and all all the factor all
these things that we've heard about him might end up
(39:37):
being true, but they don't stick without results. And when
the results have been as putrid as they've been so far,
even though it's again not nearly enough of a sample
size to make any firm draw any firm conclusions, then
nobody's you know, the people are gonna start rolling their
eyes about the myths. You're better off sort of keeping
(40:00):
it to play better, help him play better. Just make
just put together three or four or five plays in
a row, right, and then in one drive, and then
maybe you do it in a second drive in the
second quarter, and you and you just build on it
that way. And they don't have to be spectacular plays.
(40:21):
I don't think they just have to be first down plays.
And if you can mix in something that's big, that's
good too, because what's weird is if if the head
coach really believed everything he said about his fundamentals, then
he still has to improve his fundamentals. And just because
they're now saying forget about that doesn't mean it wasn't relevant.
(40:44):
It just means they're desperate right now and they're worried
that they're gonna end up the players gonna end up
going into a confidence spin in the wrong direction. And
so we're doing the old let's just go ahead and
make some plays, yes, go I just you know, don't
don't overthink it, because there is such a thing as overthinking.
Although I think that the head coach is probably contributed
(41:04):
to that by trying to put too much on his
plate too soon. By the way, there's I don't see
any defense that Fernando can't solve.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
I mean everything. I mean it looks to me like just.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
You want to throw a man at him, you want
to throw his zone, you want him to throw short.
It's okay, you want him. You want him to throw
a dart when it has to be made thirty two
yards down a field to basically ice the game, He'll
do that too. So you know, flopping for Fernando might
not be the worst idea. My guess is we're not
going to be able to flop badly enough to catch
(41:42):
some of those other teams.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
We'll have to see. They're on pace. They've lost four
in a row. Yeah, you're right about that. It's a
four game losing streak.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
And by the way, if they don't win tonight or today,
they may well go with only one home victory this season.
The Cincinnati game is their only one.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
I do wanted to spell one thing. Yes, no Green
and Gold will be warned by me today. Good for you,
I condemn that. Are you confident about your game three
twenty five? I'm optimistic. I'm not confident.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But it's bear weather. I mean, it's not snowy, but
it's hacker weather.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
It's also a packer weather. They did play the Ice
Bowl and win it, didn't they.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
That is true. It's a very good point. Push push,
Brett Blake Moore. Thank you for your help today.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Vikings Football Sunday is right around the corner and we
will join you tomorrow once again at three o'clock on
bumper to bumper, bumper Bob.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
We'll talk then
I like to think of myself as a professional. And
as I woke up this morning thinking about how I
wanted to approach today's one hour edition of Sunday Sermons,
I said to myself, Dan, this program is not based
in Indianapolis, Indiana. It's not in Kocomo, it's not in Evansville.
(00:25):
It's not in Gary, Indiana, where you were born. It's
Minneapolis St.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Paul.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
So if you try to turn the one hour or
tour on a day the Vikings are hosting a professional
football game on Who's your Hotline, You're being unprofessional. So
then I said to myself, well, how can is there
a way that I can link what the Indiana Hoosiers
(00:55):
football team did last night in Columbus? I should say
an Indiana Columbus is another one of those cities that
I think of out of the state of Indiana and
the Minnesota Vikings. Is there a way to link the
two where I can justify it, or more easily justify
talking about what took place last night the impossible taking
(01:16):
place last night professionally. And I think, thanks in some
no small measure to the audience that all often gives
me good material, I think the answer is Yes, I
think we can do it. Starting with today's game Vikings
(01:41):
game high noon right here in the fan pregame ten o'clock.
Should the new battle cry for the Minnesota Vikings the
rest of this season be flopping for Fernando?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's the question.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Fernando, of course, is the starting quarterback, the seemingly almost
too good to be true, Fernando Mendoza, who, as we
were reminded by one of the hard the big time
college football wonks, was the one hundred and thirty fourth
ranked quarterback prospect in the class of twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
One hundred and thirty fourth ranked.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And by the way, they didn't steal them from Miami
or Ohio State or even Penn State or Michigan.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
They stole them from cow.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
And now we have to ask, as JJ McCarthy gets
the ball again, now being told, stop worrying about your fundamentals,
just go out have fun fling the ball wherever it
goes it goes, don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Should we flop for Fernando?
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Would this team's long term interests be better served if
we could make our way down the National Football League
standings the rest of the year and be in position.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
As preposterous as.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
It sounds to drafting a quarterback with our first round
pick again bratch On Brian kfan text line has opened
six four to six A six. Now the mcbobos will say, Dan,
do you remember what happened during JJ McCarthy's last year
(03:32):
at the University of Michigan, Michigan. Do you remember those games?
Do you remember what how that? Forget the conference title game,
how the tournament postseason National Championship tournament went for JJ
in Michigan and went very well, very very too, Davy.
(03:52):
But I got to tell you, boys and girls, the
throws again made yesterday in Hey Moments by Mendoza. That's
big time stuff there. I refuse to believe there's a
scout out there who didn't wouldn't come away from that
(04:14):
going my god. Those are throws, game on the line,
throws he's done in several games, including Penn State and
then obviously last night. And we're not talking about little,
you know, like ten yard hunting peck throws. We're talking
about downfield into coverage, lasers, darts, fearlessly being thrown.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And by the way, I don't think there's any danger.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Of Fernando Mendoza introducing us to his alter ego on
Sundays to unassuming you heard him, kid takes nothing for granted,
there's not going to be a whiff of controversy that quarterback.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So is it?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
In all?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Really all things be equal? Woul the vikings be better
serve the rest of this season? Flopping for Fernando. By
the way, I'll consider another expression if your alliteration's even
better than flopping for Fernando. But that's pretty good And
that came from a listener overnight. Need to fall to
(05:29):
the Mendoza line. Do people realize? And if you don't,
I don't blame you, because again, this is not Indianapolis, Indiana.
This is Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The absurdity of what
Kurt Signetti has done in two seasons in a college
(05:51):
football waste land. The link there's another link to this market,
and it's it's painful. Also, we have a major college
team here, University of Minnesota. They're also in the Big Ten.
And what some us have clamored for during every era,
including the PJ. Fleck era, where the floor has definitely
(06:15):
been raised, is the ability to raise the ceiling maybe
once every five years. Once every three years, is that
too much to ask? Maybe maybe once out of every
five to a place where you go, oh my god,
how did they do that? We had one season that
approximated that, but there's been no follow up on it. Again,
(06:40):
as feeble as the University of Minnesota football program has
been historically, it's miles and miles ahead of what Indiana
University represents.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
It's not even close.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
In fact, I believe just a couple of weeks ago,
because Signetti, I think his record now is twenty four
and two.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Twenty four and two Indian we had a university. It's absurd.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That because of all those wins, I think this season,
just a few weeks ago, Northwestern passed Minnesota passed Indiana
as the all time losingest college football program. Others can
check on that, but the point is that's what Indiana
has been. They have not outright won the Big Ten
(07:29):
title since nineteen forty five, the end of World War Two.
I attended many of these horrific football occasions in memorial statement.
By the way, back then, if you're a student, let's
(07:49):
say the game was a one o'clock start, you could
decide at twelve fifty kind of bored, nothing else to do.
Let's go the IU game, walk across campus, walk in.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
I'm not even sure.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
They even make it pay and sit wherever you want
to sit, have your own section if you wanted to
sit there. And so maybe for Gopher fans it is
painful to think about. Well, wait a minute, what I
keep hearing is that here it's impossible, just impossible. Can't
be done even for a short period of time, like
(08:29):
what Indiana has done the last two seasons, especially this year,
can't be done. Not fair to compare. Really, I think
deep down a lot of people would say that doesn't
really add up. That does not make any sense, does it.
Indiana now has a lot of money coming in. But
(08:51):
do you think they had a lot of money coming
in when Signetti walked in the door?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
The answers, No, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Mark Cuban hadn't given a dime to the football program ever,
to any university, you'd give them money to other sports
programs and other parts of the university.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Now is he willing to yes? Now is the money
coming in?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Yes, But don't confuse this and make it sound like, well,
they had a whole bunch of stuff in place, from
the moment Signette he got there that no one else
in the Big Ten, including at Minnesota, could have. That's
just a lie. It's demonstrably provably false. Now, yeah, they're
on a roll, and now I'm sure they do have
(09:34):
are going to have more money coming in to get
quarterbacks and other key players from this point forward, at
least as long as things go this well, but this is.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's a bad argument.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Using Indiana is a bad argument if you're trying to
support and buttress the PJ. Fleck legacy. Here his run
here as well. I'll tell the story later.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It was against Ohio State, by the way, I think,
see how.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Many games in a row Indiana has lost to as
Glenn Mason would say, he always says Ohio State, Ohio State,
not Ohio.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I'll find it in a minute.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
But I attended, actually this particular game, I didn't attend,
but I attended some, you know, Ohio State Indiana games
in which it was generally fifty six to nothing or
fifty six to three, or whatever the case may be,
scores like that. But it was an Ohio State Indiana
game in Bloomington that resulted in what I've classified in
(10:48):
my career as the great Bob Knight ashtray incident inside
the Memorial Stadium football press box. Again, I bring it
up to just layout just how absurd it is that
Indiana not only is in the position they're in, but
(11:08):
that they would be able to do it at the
expense of the aforementioned Ohio State Buckeyes. We'll get to
all of that on Who's Your Hotline. We will talk
some vikings. I have a piece of sound that Dan
n Asoda first brought to my attention and I passed
(11:28):
along to Brett Blakemore to play later in the show
that is new to me. Now maybe fran Tarkenton has
said this before and I've missed it, but I found
it fascinating because it's a recent, very recent interview that
Sir Francis gave.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
So that'll be a part of the discussion as well.
We'll give.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Blake Moore a chance to explain why the honeymoon is
over for the Minnesota wild very quickly out of nowhere
Wolves when they're fifth in a row and get it
done in dramatic fashion after once again playing with their
food through much of the ballgame. So all mix and
match as much as we can between now and ten
(12:11):
o'clock this very morning.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Vikings Football Sunday will commence.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
At the top of the album Sunday Sermon's brought to
you by jtr Rufe.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Thirty in a row, Ohio State had won the last
thirty games against Indiana. You can do the math on
how far back that goes. I think the all time
history now stands Indiana thirteen wins, Ohio State eighty one victories,
and a grand total of five ties between the two clubs.
(12:51):
Here's my question to this audience, which is a Minneapolis
Saint Paul audience.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Did you watch last night? Were you curious?
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Even if you didn't have a rooting interest, if you're
a football fan, I would think leave my allegiance because
I went to school there out of the discussion for
a moment, because I think I'd like, I'm a big
follow the story guy, So I'd like to think that
any Big Ten team that reversed its fortunes to the
(13:21):
degree that Indiana has the last two years would be
a story I would follow whether it was here. I mean, well,
it's not going to be here, obviously. I don't mean
that literally Bloomington, Indiana or Evanston, Illinois or whatever the case,
may be very curious to see how many Rubes paid
(13:43):
attention to it. Bratchawan Bryant Cafean text line is open
at six four six eight six And do you believe
in or is this too much? Prisoner of the moment?
Go with the flopping for Fernando mantra moving forward the
(14:06):
rest of this meaningless season, other than I guess finding
out about McCarthy now, it could end up being that
they're flopping for Fernando without even trying. I mean, they
could play the next five games with no evil intent
or ill intent to flop and still lose or lose.
(14:28):
I don't know if we can lose enough. I don't
know how far down we can go. I'm assuming there's
there have to be some records worse than ours right now,
and there's no lottery in the National Football League first
round right top of the first round. They don't do
a lottery, so it's strictly record. I think in this
case they've got to be what do we Yeah, I mean, well,
(14:49):
Washington's worse than us.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
They're three and nine right now, we're four and eight, correct,
I've got it.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
So if the season ended right now, the Vikings be
picking eleventh.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We're not gonna get Fernando at eleven. I don't think now.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Now, I will say I previous to the last few weeks,
I've read a few scouts say, well, they're not so
sure about them. Is it the lack of athleticism? Because
I don't think he's the most athletic guy. But I'll
be honest with you, the quarterback whisper, are you kidding me?
(15:29):
How much would he love to work with a kid
who's got an arm like that, who can has touch,
can layer the ball, can throw short, can throw medium,
can throw long. I gotta believe the quarterback Whisper would
(15:51):
take that in a minute if he has that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So what you're saying is you are buying into Mendoza
manners very much.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
So okay, yeah, Early, I I have to say I
I knew nothing about him when he you know, when
he transferred, very little about him and early what I
saw it was impossible to get a read on it
because the teams they were playing were awful, just awful.
As it turns out, they were steamrolling those teams, not
(16:20):
just because those teams were crappy, but because they were
that good, because they ended up steamrolling a number of
teams in the Big Ten. I mean, in all seriousness,
how deep is the is? This is the chasm between
(16:40):
what you saw the Golden Gophers do in Columbus against
Ohio State and what you saw Indiana's defense do against
that same Buckeye team last night.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I get it.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
One game was in Columbus and one game was quote
unquote neutral tarat to my sources say it was about
sixty forty Indiana fans, So it wasn't like it was
I'm sure hostile at times, but I think it was
one of those games where the loudness was going to
depend and where it came from was going to depend
(17:16):
on who was hot, who was succeeding at that given point.
Now it's getting really crazy. Jared from Saint Charles getting greedy.
He doesn't just want Mendoza, he wants Signetti to package deal.
(17:42):
Hadn't heard that rumor yet. I guess it's a matter
of time. Even though Signetti just got that big contract
extension what two months ago, I'm wondering if the AD
is going to be feel obligated to give him another one,
or is there any way. You think that somehow PJ
can finnagel another matrict extension out of Indiana success.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Well, I'll say this, we found out in my home
state that contract extensions signed this year don't mean anything
because Matt Campbell signed one in August.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
It's a great party left of Penn State. Think about that.
That's a great point.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Uh huh? Are you bitter? I mean you're more Iowa
guy than Iowa State guy?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
No, I'm not either one one. Okay, I prefer Iowa State.
That's my mom's squad, so I feel for her. But
that's got to be devastating. How about Iowa State basketball?
Did you see what they did?
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Number one Perdue destroyed the top ranked team. I think
the stat I saw was it was the it tied
for the greatest margin of victory knocking off a number
one ranked team in their gym.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Impressive. I know nothing about Were they supposed to be
good top ten team? Yeah, they got it. They got
to be moving up at this point.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
I would say, whoa Mendoza is Kirk Cousins with slightly
more athleticism. I'm not sure how to take that. That's
not the but it wouldn't be that an insult. No,
I guess you're right. I mean, statistically, I just I
always feel like I felt like with Cousins, the whole
was lesser than the sum of the parts in terms
(19:10):
of the numbers, and you know, in terms of where
it took them, where the team ended up going. I
don't know, Dan, I didn't have a dog in the fight,
and I watched. I was caught up in the story.
It's what makes sports great, Eve without having a rooting interest.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Well said.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think that's I believe, despite my interest. And by
the way, like I said, I, I was so traumatized
and so bored by so much losing that I'm not
I mean the sweatshirt, the hoodie I'm wearing now Indiana football.
I didn't buy this five years ago. Be the first
(19:46):
to say it. I didn't buy it ten years ago.
I bought it last year. I think it was during
the run last year, if I'm not mistaken, and or run.
That didn't end all that well because when they played
better teams, as even Signetty has a knowledge, they weren't
particularly competitive at Ohio State, and I think the Notre
Dame game was their postseason game. But I do think
(20:10):
forget the name that that's it's it's it is why
they think most people watch sports seeing the improbable play
out and going how far can this go? Can they
actually win? You know, I know they're going to get
to the Big Ten title game. We can actually win it?
And then can they do something beyond that? It's I
(20:31):
know the football stories have looked. I don't think they
have found I don't think it's possible to find a
turnaround at a terrible football school that could possibly match
this at you know, this level Big Ten or higher
conference level. I just don't think there is any precedent
for it. And that's also what makes it so remarkable
(20:54):
and unique. What would you rather do with JJ if
we flop for Fernando a JJ for nothing basically to
see how Fernando does, or draft him with a high
pick and trade him to a team for maybe even
more draft picks and some players to fill in some
gaps in the team. Well, that's that's that's going even
deeper than I thought. Let me be honest, A lot
of the whole flopping for Fernando as we like a literation,
(21:17):
and it's timely because of the fact that Indiana won
last night. It's it's not all that I haven't really
given it much of a deeper thought I have. I
will say, watching this team as closely as I have
this year, I think he's going to.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Be a really good pro quarterback. I really do. I
think he's a.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Pure he he's been playing the position longer he's I
think he's just a purer passer than JJ McCarthy, even
though obviously JJ McCarthy had some wonderful moments.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
But go ahead, you're gonna say.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
Well, I just want to read this text because I
think it says everything. It's bailing out the Gophers again
from six to one to two guys, says hi Dan
Deaniana story's incredible tale, once in a lifetime, once in generation,
an experience. That's kind of my point to say it
could happen anywhere Minnesota specifically, though technically true, is a
preposterous statement. How many coaches did Indiana shofvel through before
(22:11):
striking gold?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Answer? A lot.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
It's fun to dream, but for every signette there's a
road filled with coaching roadkill.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Well, it's probably it's probably easier. It's it's it's easier
to finesse this. If you think of it that way,
yause it's then you don't have to be troubled by it.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But we've said this before.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
We haven't had a single bump of ascension to a
significant place, even once, like Northwestern has done a couple
of times. I'm going back over decades. Obviously, University Wisconsin, which,
believe it or not, once upon a time was a
terrible football program. Right, wild to say now it is
wild to say it seems impossible now. But but but
(22:52):
but but yeah, it's it's it's a different world at
this point. Maybe it'll change again. I don't know, it's
p I mean, there have been teams where you go,
well that what have they ever done? And they haven't
sustained it. I'll grant that point. But my comeback has
always been, well, just we're back to the ceiling. Lavelle
(23:14):
stole our bit on this, I think in his Sunday
column that the floor has been raised.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
We've talked about this many times.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
In fact, I cided a start Immune story in which
the headline, I thought asked some very good questions, and
the number one question was, but how how high.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Can you raise the ceiling?
Speaker 1 (23:35):
And let's face it, the ceiling has more than leveled
off and even occasionally gone back the other direction. This year,
it's just middle of the pack kind of a thing
where we can, you know, pound our chests.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
We finished with.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
A winning record in the conference, right, and how often
have we done that at all? Leaving aside who you
beat and who you lost to. All right, let's get
to the bottom of the hour break now. I do
want to talk. I want to play that targeted sound
and we'll keep looking at some texts come again via
the bratch around Brian Kafan text line. If we're get
(24:11):
any injury updates, we will give them. Let me know
if you hear anything there. Blake Moore pre Vikings football
Sunday will commence at ten am, opening kickoff just past noon,
and then the second game of the doubleheader.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
A whopper for you. Are you on your way to Lamba?
Are you leaving here and going to Lamba?
Speaker 5 (24:30):
I'm actually going to the People Stadium today? Is that
right for you over there? Well, that's kind of a
letdown for you.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
It's two losing teams, your Packers club playing for first
first place, hosting the Bears.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
My gal's a big Vikings galon she said, you gotta do.
I want to go to one game where you're not
actively rooting against.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Said, Okay, this might be the closest you can get to.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, exactly, all right, Vikings aren't action at high noon
right here in the fan against the Washington Commanders. And
it's been a long time since Fran Tarkanin has played
for the Purple, but he's going to be ever you know,
(25:16):
associated with the Minnesota Vikings. And he had an interview
I think this was in New York earlier this week,
in which the subject of losing all those Super Bowls
Vikings have lost four Fran played in three came up,
and I want you to listen. How long does this go?
(25:36):
We may have to fade out of it. I think
it's Is it about three minutes or is it longer
than that? I don't think it's that long, not even
that long. Okay, good, let's listen if you maybe some
of you have heard it already, but I think it's
worthy of discussion on a number of levels. So let's
listen to And I don't know who he's with. I
apologize for that w FAM I believe is a WFN. Okay,
I don't know who the individuals are. So you might
(25:58):
hear some other voices, but I think will be very distinctive.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
We lost is is back in those days, there was
a two week from your last game to win a
championship to the Super Bowl. And we went back home.
But Grant, my great friend and great coach, said go
back home, come back and be here Sunday, will fly
down to the We didn't practice. And you know, I've
(26:26):
talked to other quarterbacks who played in the Super Bowl.
They practiced that week and it was a hard practice
and they they we didn't do anything. And I and
that in those years I put in the offense those
three games, I didn't put in the offense because they
put it in when I was back in Atlanta, Georgia.
We didn't come close to winning us.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
That is crazy to me. That is we didn't.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Every team we lost years years before, years after, we
had no chance because we weren't.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
We weren't prepared.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Wow, strong words. Now maybe he has spoken this before
and I've missed it. But it is interesting because you know,
Fran had a great relationship with Bud, great respect for
Bud and I We had Bud in this studio many
times over the years, and I'm not sure we ever
covered this subject because I'm not sure I was ever
(27:21):
aware of it.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Now I'm assuming somebody's doing a hope.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Somebody's doing a fact check that Fran is accurate and
you know, not just sort of exaggerating the picture from
back then. But if true, it is pretty stunning. Now
we know Bud prided himself on less is more. In fact,
he thought that was part of his success. He didn't
(27:46):
believe in just driving players mercilessly forever.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
He was tough. He had tough practices, but.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
They weren't as long and he was, you know, notorious
for I don't want my coaches in the office at
two in the morning. You're not impressing me. Go do
something else. It's healthier. And at some point analysis paralysis
by analysis ends up working against the team if there's
too much of it. But it is stunning if it's
(28:16):
true that you wouldn't completely I mean, use at least
part of that week to prepare and to prepare your team. Now,
is that Fran looking for an explanation for statistically not
very good performances in the three Viking Super Bowls. He
(28:38):
was a part of Miami Pittsburgh Oakland, in which, of course,
the Vikings lost all three one touchdown, six interceptions for
fran and a quarterback rating of forty three point seven.
That includes against Pittsburgh eleven for twenty six, one hundred
and two yards, zero touchdowns, three picks, quarterback rating of
(29:02):
fourteen point one. That's a JJ McCarthy quarterback rating you're
talking about there.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
So who knows?
Speaker 1 (29:08):
I mean, is that him trying to, you know, looking back,
taking a little of the pressure off himself, maybe because
he didn't perform particularly well. But we know the world
was different then, and I'm assuming generally teams didn't prepare
as long as when I say as long, but in
as many days as they would now in this specialized
(29:32):
world where he got you know, twenty two assistant coaches
and all that sort of thing. But I did find
that pretty interesting, And frankly, there were stretches of several
of those games in which it looked like the fightens
hadn't practiced. So who knows whether any of that would
have made a difference, or they just weren't as good
as they thought they were, or they just didn't rise
up to the occasion. But I didn't think that was
(29:54):
rather interesting. This is from Ron out of Golden Valley.
I don't know what Ryan Day thinking last night, especially
if he's willing to settle for the tie on fourth down.
Ohio State now running on third and one with a
running back averaging four point eighty eight yards per carrying
the game out, thinking yourself with the game in the balance,
very koc like, Well, it's interesting because.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I look at it a little differently. I was not
as offended as.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Other people that they didn't go for it on that
second fourth and one with four minutes to go to
tie the game. I don't think that was an indefensible decision.
But I do think, and this goes back to the
play calling part, if my intention is to not go
forward on fourth and one, then I don't pass on
third down. In other words, if I'm going to try
(30:46):
to pass a tricky pass play on third down and one,
as they did, and I think he ended up going
to another receiver in the end zone, great defensive play
to knock it away.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
That to me is the problem with the sequence.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
If I want to try take one shot at the
end zone or just by throwing on third down, that
I'm saying to everybody, but I'm going to take a
shot on the ground too. I'm going for it on
fourth down. So for me, it's more the place selection
on third down. If you do not intend to go
for it on fourth down, and we'll never know the
answer to it, you know, what was the right decision.
(31:27):
And then you know, I mean, obviously the kid misses
the field goal. Indiana missed a not quite as close
but a very makeable field goal in the first half
as well. The other story that, and you know, Guardian
and I have talked about this going all the way
back to much earlier in the season. To me, what's
different about Indiana even from a year ago, is just
(31:49):
how stout they are at the line of scrimmage. That
they are really good defensively up front. I think they
had five sacks early on saying, and then their linebackers
are disciplined, they play apparently almost all zone. They just
don't make very many mistakes. It's a really good, damn
good defense. But the line of scrimmage, they're very good
(32:12):
offensively and defensive and defensive and now their offensive line
is a little league because I think the right tackles
hurt the regular and so Fernando had to move around
a little bit and he got nailed a few times.
But to me, it's at the line of scrimmage that
they're good. The other story that's emerged by the way,
they're arguably their second best receiver got hurt early in
the game, was not available the rest of the game.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
And Charlie Becker, who ended up being the hero late
in the season.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Through the first nine games of this year, he caught
seven passes. He ends up being a star the rest
of the season for them. In the Penn State game,
huge and obviously it was massive again last night.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
How did you feel about the.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
You know, just taking the three points or trying to
take the three points on the fourth and one.
Speaker 5 (32:59):
I mean, it ended up working out for him, and
they know what they're doing is you just don't want
to pull a you know, you know, no.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
It didn't work out for him. You missed the field goal.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
What I'm saying is would they be better should Ohio
State in that situation you're down three four minutes to go,
do you say we're Ohio State, We're going for it
on fourth down in one because you ain't gonna stop us.
Now if we're ever going to prove what we are.
We're gonna prove it on this play, and we're gonna
keep going. And even if eventually we have to settle
for a field goal, we're gonna keep running out clock,
(33:28):
or we're gonna go ahead and get a touchdown and
win the game.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Right now, I thought you were talking about something else. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
I mean, if you're the big bat Ohio State and
you want to put everything on the table, and I'd
say you go for it. It doesn't always work out though,
you know, if you think back to last week Vikings game,
you go for it, you try to get too cute
and it turns into disaster. I was watching a little
bit of the Georgia Alabama game and they went forward
(33:53):
on a handful of fourth downs where there's a person
going to run the ball right at you because we're
better than you.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 5 (33:57):
So you got to have the execution to do it,
and I for whatever reason, you just have any trust
in them.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Dan Fellow, who's your here living in Minnesota? So like you,
I'm not really one of us. Grew up right down
Highway thirty seven from Bloomington in Bedford, Indiana. Never thought
I would see the day, watch the whole game. Still
can't believe it. Let me get to a couple more ts. Oh,
while I'm looking for some more texts. Of course, now
(34:23):
it's logged me out and now I'm gonna have to
go through that nonsense.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
What's happening to do?
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Are you ready to get worried about the wild because
then we lose to another bad team.
Speaker 5 (34:30):
Yeah, that's a team that they've dominated this season in
Minnesota and Vancouver.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
So yeah, it's it sucks. I'm not on the panic.
Speaker 5 (34:39):
It's hard to you know, it has been two or
three stinkers, and Heines has been very vocal about who was.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
In that last night it was Wolstet.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Uh oh yeah, not great. It's been a couple of
games where Heines has said they got out, competed, outskated out,
blanked out, blanked out, blanked and you name it. But
does that overrule a month of unbelievable hockey. I don't
think so yet. No it does not. I do think
they're going to have to do something. I agree with
(35:08):
what Pat said yesterday and beyond the pond that they're
going to have to do something. The deadline to contend
and what does he want what's he looking for? Top six?
And well, I think he would like to see ROSSI
out the door. I'm obviously not of that mind. Don't
want to put too many words in his mouth. You
agree to disagree on that, Yeah, but I do think
they need to add and it stinks that it's they've
(35:32):
put together a couple of stingers announced become more of
a trend than a mirage.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
But I don't think it outweighs the month of November yet.
But if you put together one or two more, you
want to see it.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
Yeah, It's it's not good to just not be competitive
in games that you should be competitive in.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
All right, I'm looking for Have you seen any updates?
Because I have not?
Speaker 1 (35:54):
On our two offensive lineman both listed his questionable including
Christian dearrisaw has anything been mentioned via social media to
this point? Because I I don't see anything, but I'm
gonna keep looking just in case Daniels is playing for Washington. Correct,
I think that much wetter.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
True.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
Look, I'm gonna check one other place here. No, I'm
not seeing anything. Yeah, So I guess it's maybe it's
a little too soon, but I'm sure we'll be getting
that very very shortly. Again, I mean the the whether
you believe in flopping for Fernando or not, the storyline
(36:35):
is the reason people will watch today is Okay, let's
see how if the kid can play a little better, right,
I mean, that's that's basically it.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I mean, it's all now. All the eyes are gonna
be on McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
And as I said Friday, you know, originally my thought was, well,
in a sense, the pressure is off because even if
he has mistakes, commits some some mistake during the game,
it won't feel like there's as much at stake because
the team is no longer competing for a playoff spot,
which is the goal when the season began. On the
(37:09):
other hand, because the next three teams the Vikings play
starting with today have statistically speaking, three of the worst
five defenses in the league, that is going to add
I think a certain burden back to JJ as in,
I'm bet it, man, I'm better get something done in
these games around They're really going to be down on
(37:29):
me here.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
In this town.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
I also believe, and you said you're going so you're
going to be able to be a judge of this.
I think this is one of those occasions when the
crowd could get could get surly very easily. If the
Vikings struggle early offensively again, oh, I think they'll turn
pretty quickly there. Now, if he plays well, they'll cheer,
(37:51):
they'll be back on it and they'll say, yeah, let's go.
Maybe he's figuring some stuff out. But I'm just saying
if he struggles against this defense, against a three and
nine team at home, it will become a hostile environment
very quickly.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
Don't you think the only birds that the big glass
windows can't kill her the boo birds? Apparently they they will.
I mean, if if it's a third and four and
JJ airmails justin Jefferson ways exactly, I mean, they're going
to come out exactly. But we mentioned earlier that if
the season ends today in Minnesota would be drafting eleventh.
One of the teams ahead of them is Washington at six.
(38:25):
So okay, something to keep in mind. If jj Airmail
is a pass, maybe it's not all.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Yeah, I will have to see how that goes. But yeah,
I don't, I mean, I I will be well. I
was about to saying it gonna be shocked if we
see brosmur again this season, but you can't say that
because JJ, among other things, also hats to prove he
can stay healthy. And so who knows, I mean, there
could be another he could get nicked up, some other injury,
(38:50):
God forbid, another you know, concussion protocol.
Speaker 2 (38:52):
Kind of a thing.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Who's to say, and we could end up seeing a
little bit more of a Brosmer. In all honesty, Brozmer
probably deserves a second chance too. If McCarthy deserves a fifth, sixth,
and seventh chance, then Broser at some point probably deserves
a second. But all the eyes are on McCarthy the
rest of the season because this team has invested so
much in him, and I do think I hope they've
(39:14):
figured out trying to burnish the legend of JJ before
he performs was a just a massive blunder. You know,
about the alter ego and the toughness, and he'll run
through walls for you and all all the factor all
these things that we've heard about him might end up
(39:37):
being true, but they don't stick without results. And when
the results have been as putrid as they've been so far,
even though it's again not nearly enough of a sample
size to make any firm draw any firm conclusions, then
nobody's you know, the people are gonna start rolling their
eyes about the myths. You're better off sort of keeping
(40:00):
it to play better, help him play better. Just make
just put together three or four or five plays in
a row, right, and then in one drive, and then
maybe you do it in a second drive in the
second quarter, and you and you just build on it
that way. And they don't have to be spectacular plays.
(40:21):
I don't think they just have to be first down plays.
And if you can mix in something that's big, that's
good too, because what's weird is if if the head
coach really believed everything he said about his fundamentals, then
he still has to improve his fundamentals. And just because
they're now saying forget about that doesn't mean it wasn't relevant.
(40:44):
It just means they're desperate right now and they're worried
that they're gonna end up the players gonna end up
going into a confidence spin in the wrong direction. And
so we're doing the old let's just go ahead and
make some plays, yes, go I just you know, don't
don't overthink it, because there is such a thing as overthinking.
Although I think that the head coach is probably contributed
(41:04):
to that by trying to put too much on his
plate too soon. By the way, there's I don't see
any defense that Fernando can't solve.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
I mean everything. I mean it looks to me like just.
Speaker 1 (41:20):
You want to throw a man at him, you want
to throw his zone, you want him to throw short.
It's okay, you want him. You want him to throw
a dart when it has to be made thirty two
yards down a field to basically ice the game, He'll
do that too. So you know, flopping for Fernando might
not be the worst idea. My guess is we're not
going to be able to flop badly enough to catch
(41:42):
some of those other teams.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
We'll have to see. They're on pace. They've lost four
in a row. Yeah, you're right about that. It's a
four game losing streak.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
And by the way, if they don't win tonight or today,
they may well go with only one home victory this season.
The Cincinnati game is their only one.
Speaker 5 (41:57):
I do wanted to spell one thing. Yes, no Green
and Gold will be warned by me today. Good for you,
I condemn that. Are you confident about your game three
twenty five? I'm optimistic. I'm not confident.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But it's bear weather. I mean, it's not snowy, but
it's hacker weather.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
It's also a packer weather. They did play the Ice
Bowl and win it, didn't they.
Speaker 2 (42:14):
That is true. It's a very good point. Push push,
Brett Blake Moore. Thank you for your help today.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Vikings Football Sunday is right around the corner and we
will join you tomorrow once again at three o'clock on
bumper to bumper, bumper Bob.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
We'll talk then
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