November 16, 2025 • 43 mins
Dan is back giving the sermons ahead of Week 11 of the NFL kicking off, he discusses the state of Gopher football and the need for KOC to run the ball.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Perhaps we use the next hour to clarify a few things,
because if nothing else, I'd like to believe that Sunday
Sermons is about clarity.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We attempt to.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Maybe look back not just on what has taken place
the day or night before or the Friday before, but
what has taken place over the course of an entire week.
A chance to reflect on analyzes that have been offered,
opinions have been offered, the opportunity, I guess, if necessary
to Sriwanga to backpedal if the belief is that we
(00:38):
went too far in one direction or another, and we've
been accused on this program, and I'm bumper to bumper.
By the way, I'm the host of both programs. My
name is Dan Barrero, Formering Stay in Rech newspaper the
Twin Cities. Brett Blakemore is with me for the third
consecutive day. How many days are with me? Next week?
How many days next week? Is guards the milking? Various duties?
(01:00):
You already have that.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Set, I've got the next couple of weeks. Uh next
week Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Are you serious? What is going on? I'm not complaxit. No,
you probably love it.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You get ot for all these don't you they all
count time and a half they're not. Yeah, that's also true.
Well it must be more go for our shoots, going
to go for women's basketball. And then well, I mean,
think how how hard it is to get to Chicago.
I mean you have to leave Friday at noon for
(01:32):
a Saturday game at Wrigley Field, don't you for the Gophers. Yeah,
at least that's a hard It's a hard journey. Is
it treacherous? Unbelievable? Anyway, I digress the discussion, the allegation,
and by the way, it's many of you are on
my side on this thing. I don't always respond to
(01:55):
those who are on my side because it's not as
interesting as debating those who aren't. But it's the feeling
that you're making too much of Koc's reluctance to implement
the running game too in effect.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I guess my mistake is.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I believed it. I actually, for the last two years
we've had a very similar discussion with KOC. The first
time we've shown up a training camp and he's brought
very graciously brought gifts like you know, Foo Foo bottled water,
special bottled water, not average bottled water, and we've bonded
(02:36):
and had a nice conversation, and in both cases, especially
this last training camp, he very earnestly said, I have
to call a different game.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's not even a choice anymore.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I am required to call a different game, which seemed
to imply a belief that this is the year, especially
after we went out and got a second running back,
that I'm ready to commit to. The running game, even
in a passing league, doesn't mean fifty to fifty. It
doesn't mean it has to be sixty forty. It means
(03:08):
you have to be smart about it and strategic about it,
and you can't run away from it.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
The first time.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
It doesn't seem to be going very well. And all
I've tried to do is then I listen. At some
point you go, well, what's wrong with this picture. I'm
not seeing the payoff. That's all I've attempted to do
is in that sense, to call him on what he
(03:34):
committed to. It has not been able to follow through
on as recently as this last game. I mentioned as
recently as Friday, But if you're not going to do
it against the Bears this week, as in now, in
just a matter of hours, you're not going to do
it because the Bears are ranked twenty ninth in the
league defensively in yards per attempt teams averaging five point
(03:58):
two yards an attempt. So in doing that, there is the
risk of leaving out an important piece to what is
going on with the Vikings offense and pretending that that
just running the ball more would solve everything. And in fairness,
(04:19):
that's oversimplified. It's not that simple. I think it would
be helpful. I think we're all looking for tools that
could help this offense and help this quarterback. And I
firmly stand by my commitment and belief that, unlike almost
every other coach from his coaching tree, he has never
(04:42):
gloried in including the running game the way every other
coach has come to, including who's the head coach for
the Rams McVeigh. McVeigh has come to believe in as well,
one of many who have. And yet the other piece
(05:03):
that to a certain extent, is beyond Koc's control, no
matter what he calls, cannot be ignored and should not
be ignored going into this game, and that is you
can't you can prepare all week your quarterback in a
(05:25):
way that you think is unique in a way you
think has proven to be successful as recently as a
year ago in resurrecting the career of Sam Darnold. But
in the end, no matter how well you prepare a
player or a quarterback in this case, he has to
make a certain percentage of the throws successfully and accurately,
(05:51):
or you can argue it really isn't going to matter
that much if you maybe in the over the course
of the game add ten to fifteen handoffs. And that's
the other elephant in the room that I.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I don't think we've ignored it.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I think we've been pretty hard on what the numbers
show regarding McCarthy's accuracy by every QBR standard, by every
quarterback ranking standard, at this young point in his season,
he has been worse than Christian Ponder. Does that mean
I think he's not capable of being better than Christian Ponder? No,
(06:30):
but the numbers are the numbers. He is historically inaccurate
so far. So if you're KOC, I can see him
in his office stewing and going, I got these chumble
owns at cafay in another places, constantly harping on the
running game I called a perfect play we had a
(06:52):
receiver open on that play that they wanted to be
to run on, and the ball was ten yards over
the receiver's head, or it was at his feet, or
it was thrown to a place where the other team
was able to pick it off. So that absolutely is
a significant piece of what has to get better moving forward,
(07:13):
regardless of how many times the Vikings run today.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
You can look up the percentages if you want.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
I'll give them to you a little bit later, and
they're not the last word you can text me with, well,
did you see what John Elway's percentages were when he
first got in the league, or several others.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
We can play that game forever.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I'm not here to say this would be the first
phenom quarterback who started slow.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
What I am saying is, if I'm in.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
The here and now, it is contributing to the current
condition of your club that is in literally must win territory.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Today. The Vikings season ends, if it.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hasn't already, and I know some people think it has
and they're actually relaxed about it moving forward. But if
you want to believe that this team wants to get
stay in the in the playoff chase or get back
in it. You beat the Bears today, not really. I
don't think shouldn't be the challenge of the century. Bears
have a very nice record, largely fashioned against weak competition.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
The game is here.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
There's a million reasons why the Bear the Viking should
be able to win this game. But they have to
win the game if you're going to move forward and
keep hope alive about the possibility of hanging around this
race and maybe just getting something going, because then maybe
you say, all right, well we got the two game
road trip. Maybe we split those two. Maybe maybe we
shocked the world and win them both in Green Bay
(08:44):
and Seattle. If you lose today, I don't think it matters,
and I think the whole thing might start unraveling more
than it already has. So yeah, it's not all about
the running game.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
It.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
We can argue you about.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
The play, the pass play calls, whether there are more
conservative calls that would better serve this QB early in
his career, But even then you say, well, there's you
got to be accurate with those throws too, And he
has been brutal or brilliant when it comes to his
accuracy numbers. And as I said, I'll give you more
of those a little bit later. So part of this
(09:24):
show will be about further previewing Vikings Bears, giving you
the latest injury news. Although I think it's pretty well
resolved and established who's in and who's out.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I guess the only question.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Will be of the Bear's cornerback, whether that he has
been declared officially in or not. Johnson, who just they
just took off ir and was listed as of late
in the week as questionable for this game.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
But we'll get to all of that. We will also discuss.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Your Minnesota Wild and two straight shutouts for your favorite goaltend,
a victory for the Wild against the legitimate opponent right
the record wise, the Ducks are off to a very
good start, you know, and maybe some hope, I don't know.
We'll also talk about I think the Wolves, even though
(10:15):
they're stubborn about not wanting to believe it, having to
come to grips with the fact that this Denver Nuggets team,
whose number they have tended to have, is not that
Denver Nuggets team. Denver is different, Denver is better, Denver
is deeper. As we told you before the season began,
they were going to be I thought they had probably
(10:38):
the best off season of any team in the league
in better finally supporting the best player in basketball.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And we will touch.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
On the Golden Gophers appearance in Eugene, and I use
that term loosely because they barely appeared. I mean, this
was another one of those those games where you kind
of shake your head and you say, why bother, why
bother making the trip? And I hope, I really do
(11:09):
hope at this point even PJ Fleck, and we know
PJ is upbeat, positive guy, would have the decency to
stop saying he's got a really.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Good football team, because.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
He can say it, but saying it doesn't transform it
into reality. He does not have a really good football team.
He has a middle of the road football team. It's
all he has. So so I'm hoping at some point
even he will have the decency to say, I'm not
expecting to hammer his team, but I'm hoping you have
the decency to stop saying we got a really good
(11:41):
football team.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
You don't.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You don't go on the road and lose by thirteen,
thirty nine, thirty eight and twenty nine and classify yourself
as a really good for I mean, you can classify yourself.
But nobody's cann take you serre. They're gonna laugh at you.
So I'm hoping that if nothing to me, that would
(12:05):
be mission accomplished going to Eugenie. If you come out
of that and say, okay, I'm done with that, I'll
find other ways to try to pet my team up
with two games left to go and all that. But
I hope that's the end of that nonsense, because people
can see with their own eyes that's not a really
good football team. It's a pretty flawed football team. And
(12:31):
I know it's because we don't have Phil Knight. I
know it's because we don't have Mark Cuban in the
latter case. That's another bit of myth making that excuse
makers here and elsewhere continue to perpetuate.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I've already told the.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Story how many times Mark Cuban has given a lot
of money to the university or to Indiana University, to
his university, his alma mater. This was after this the
Indiana success began. Signette was the first time the first
time that Cuban had spent any money on the football
program itself. So you can hide behind me, well, they
(13:08):
got Mark Cuban when in fact, the train had already
left the station in a significant way. Is he helping
and enhancing? Yes, but it becomes this easy game of
not their fault. They don't have they don't have a
big they're not a fat cat. Well you're supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
How can you? How can you make it work?
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I mean the only reason in he has head back
to back great seasons is Mark Cuban.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
That's it. It's a it's a wonderful.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Myth to perpetuate because then it makes you feel like, well,
there's it's nobody's fault here. It can't be anybody's fault here.
It's just about the fat cats. No other explanation could
be could be made. Look it up on what even
Mark Cuban has said he gave five million dollars to
the rugby program before he did anything for football.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And some other things.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Uh, he has spent money on at the university as well.
All right, let's take a pause here and we'll get
to some texts. The branch on Brian cafean text line
is open at six four six eighty six. Of course,
don't forget the Vikings football Sunday program will begin at
what time ten o'clock?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Top of the hour, and so we will.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Mix and match the rest of the way on a
very crisp Sunday morning here in the Twin cities of
Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Sunday Sermons brought to you by JT. R. Roofing.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Lots of texts coming into the bratch on Brian Cafean
text line, I love it on a Sunday morning, bright
eyed and bushy tailed.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
I do wish I'm a purist. You know that.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
This is a beautiful day for outdoor football. I mean,
I know that bridge has been crossed and there's no
looking back and all that stuff. But man, oh man,
this is uh beautiful, wouldn't it. I mean, it's not like,
you know, it's chili. What's the current temp? About thirty
five forty give her thirty seven, thirty seven and going
(15:22):
up to what today like forty five forty four? Okay,
So I mean again, that's it's football weather. It's football weather.
But but I'm saying it's it's not like you know,
windchill minus thirty weather either. Man oh man. The text
are coming in fast, Dan. It's sound this is from
(15:44):
Clayton out of Rochester. It sounds like JJ has A
is having a sore throwing hand and he has no
running game. Koc is trying to slay the bear with
a pellet gun. His hand's fine, I thought, or is
that just a bit?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We'll see?
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I guess we'll find out that would be pellet gun material.
This is from Rich and far Ago. It doesn't matter
if someone agreesy or not. This obsessed take is getting
really bad. You may need an intervention, Jim and Saint Paul, Dan,
you aren't spending too much time talking about the lack
(16:24):
of running game or running plays from Koc. He truly
doesn't believe that getting from a first and fifteen to
a second eleven is a worthwhile play, which is flat
out insane. Keep up the noise, maybe he will hear
it at some point. Flim flam Dan, you've asked Cooc
to run the ball three camps in a row. I
stopped believing him when Jaren Hall made his NFL debut
(16:46):
up fourteen points at Lambeau under five minutes left, and
he had Hall slinging it backed up against his own
endz his rationalization. The postgame presser wanted to see what
the kids got. Knowing Kirk had the achillinges. That's what
the next week of practice was for run three times
in punt. It's called damage control. I have additional specific
(17:09):
examples if you need to rip. Remember the third and
one when Hockinson went under center and pitched it to
our sixth quarterback, Pastronaut almost got his head taken off.
Just trust a normal run play. Well, in all honesty,
that's that was the litmus test. I can still remember
Seaffert reminding us that the Pastronaut year, it didn't matter
(17:34):
what quarterback we put in, we still had the number
one downfield passing rate in the entire National Football League.
That is really all you need to know about where
Koc's sensibilities are and mindset is that that's what he
wants to do, period, and he has convinced himself that
he's so good at it it doesn't matter who the
(17:55):
quarterback is. But in all honesty, maybe what i'd like
to think what convince is at least right now, the
accuracy numbers from its current quarterback make that a very
very dangerous proposition, I guess would be the best way
(18:16):
for me to put it. Let me see if I
can find on the fly here the numbers I'm looking for,
as folks keep as we like to stay in the
business texting, I know what I'm looking for.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Give me a second.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
By the way, A pregame show, of course, as always,
will start at ten o'clock.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Right here on the fan. We call it Vikings Football Sunday.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I've got something while you're looking for that right ahead,
remember yes or no Friday, we were talking about the
old Tice clip, the Yasa of the media round it.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I have it. Okay, it's for the opposite reason though, Okay.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
We didn't lose because of a play calm. We didn't
lose because we chose to run the ball. We didn't
lose because of anything. We don't lose because of the zebras.
We lost because we didn't make one more play. If
we made one more play, including the last played the game,
we win the game.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
But we didn't win the game.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Because why because we chose to run the ball and
not throwed because some Yahoo wanted me to throw the
Heffen ball. We lost because we didn't make one more play.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
So in this case, it was throw the ball, Tice.
What are you doing? What are you afraid of? Throw it? Which,
as I said, were you on with me today.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I mentioned that Orlovsky it's a great opposition to what's
going on here, because his complaint about your offense was
that head coach has got to stop running the ball
in second and ten. I'm yellings begging Kose to run
it on second and ten or even third and one,
(19:50):
and there it's got to throw the ball more So,
it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I'd love to trade. Well, yeah, I'm open to it.
You consider it. Well, air raid offense, Let love cook.
I'm ine.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
The wise old are owl Mark Craig Vikings Thought of
the week. How bad is JJ McCarthy's fifty three point
seven completion percentage? Well, it's worse than Christian Ponder's rookie
season fifty four point three and twenty eleven. It's worse
than Tavares Jackson's rookie year fifty eight point.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Zero in two thousand and six.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
And if McCarthy continues at this rate, it would be
the worst completion percentage by a Viking starter since rich
Gannon completed fifty two point one percent in nineteen ninety
two years ago. McCarthy led major college football and completion
percentage sety two point three.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
This is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Fix it.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
It's just factual.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Doesn't mean it can't get better, but it's just absolutely.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Part of the story.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Now, there are some people, and I've said this before,
who I'm not saying they're openly rooting for the Vikings
to lose today, but they're almost at a point where
they're going, let's just stop pretending that you know, this
plan is workable, even though we spend a lot of
money at a couple number of key positions and we're
(21:06):
actually an old that's again the great contradiction of what
the needle that the Vikings and koc are trying to
thread here. It's one of the oldest teams in the league,
which seemed to indicate, well, you want to get what
you can from those guys now, but you're gonna have
to have them accept the ups and downs, suffer the
(21:27):
slings and arrows of being a young quarterback in this league,
even if you're you're talented, right that it's it's kind
of a contradiction, But there are a lot of people
who said, we can relax. If they're not really in it,
then it's just you turn the season over to doing
whatever you just you throw them out there and then
maybe you do throw the ball fifty two times a game.
(21:48):
You just may you have him make as many throws
as possible, because it's not sort of like the Patriots
last year, it doesn't really matter whether you win or
lose the game, as counterintuitive as that sounds. In the
National Football League, where else are we doing early Thanksgiving
(22:13):
vibes today? This is Jordan and Northeast vibes can't be ruined.
Thirty four to ten, good guys. Naylor scores and JJ
rushes for another touchdown thirty four to ten. So he
has it a runaway kind of a ballgame, which would
be very interesting. Where else are we? Oh, I got
(22:35):
a good Oh, let me, let's take care. I'll hold
on to it. It's it's related to the to the
Mark Cuban business. But the text are coming in so
quickly it's almost hard to keep.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Up with them.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
I do want to touch on Puck.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Were you at the game? I was not. Were you
watching the game? I was watching it.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I need your opinion on that. I got to see
a little of that. I had some ara, but then
I did see a little bit more of the Wolves loss.
Because those games I think were almost like back to
back or they overlapped. I guess because I think the
wild game started at five and then the Wolves were
just passed seven. But we've got some more I do.
There is more vikings to cover, and there's some golden
(23:17):
golfer stuff to get to as as well. So we're
gonna try to squeeze in a bunch in our final
thirty minutes. The Bradshawn Brian cafe and text line is
on fire today.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
It's almost endless. How many.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Last night Elk River put up three out of ninety
yards in the state semi final game was zero passing
yards and an I and T.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So it could be worse.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
You have a university misoi of football just needs a
sports management course. That's a callback to That's an old
Sid Hartman joke. Good morning Dan. Any chance we see
the future Hall of Famer Max Brozmer today? Well, yeah,
there always is via injury. Maybe his hand will be worse,
Maybe on a through his handle hit a helmet again,
(24:01):
a bear helmet, and this time it'll be worse and
they'll we'll see Brosmer. There's a lot of people ready
for that. Hello, I'm a Gopher fan but also an
objective one. This might be the worst six and four
team I've ever seen. They should have lost home games
to Rutgers, Purduing, Michigan State, all who are lousy teams
with one to two total big ten wins between them.
Hopefully they can prove me wrong in the next two games.
(24:22):
But that's Rick from Columbia. There are some sensible Gopher
fans Columbia Heights, I should say go for fans out there,
which is good to say. Vikings will lose this game today.
KOC will be in pass mode all day, defense will
continue to be exposed in their middle of the field coverage.
By half, the Vikings will be down double digits. This
(24:44):
is from lost all Hope fan. Wow, that's it does
track well again.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
You go back to the first time these teams played.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
The Bears were dominating the Vikings and they were on
their way to probably the touchdown was going to clinch
the victory. They got to keep penalty called against them.
That drove them back and kind of changed the entire game.
Then the Vikings had the big fourth quarter, so there
will be I think a big revenge factor for the
Bears feeling that they gave that game away. But that
(25:14):
doesn't guarantee they're going to play well enough to win today.
And when it comes to desperation, if you care about
the desperation factor, there's no question that the Vikings are
the more desperate team. The question is whether you're good
enough to do something with your desperation.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
That's the open question.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
But I think in my view, the Bears are not
as good as the Ravens, despite record differences, and they're
not as good as who do we get killed by
the week before the Detroit game?
Speaker 2 (25:43):
The Chargers.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
They're certainly not as good as the Lions, and they're
not as good as the Chargers as well. That's one
of the advantages that the Vikings have today. All Right,
one more break, a mishmash a potpourri until ten right
here in the All right, your Minnesota while get another
(26:26):
shutout performance from your guy walst At Was he brilliant?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Was he was it?
Speaker 1 (26:33):
A virtuoso goaltending performance. Was a great defense in front
of him? Inept offense? A little of everything? What did
you observe?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Just I observed the lights out goalie who is confident
as ever. It goes to show that you can't just
blame you know, in years past as well. Have you
seen his numbers down in Iowa at all? Yes, you
can't trust him up here. It's like, well, that team
is not very good and hasn't made the AHL playoffs
in a long time. So you give the guy a chance,
(27:06):
and he's flourishing. He's the first rookie and Wild history
Tocord two straight shutouts, so six straight periods if not
more of goalless, no goals given up hockey. So the
guy is very, very good, very confident, very smooth. I
love goaltenders who I was never a big I love
stay Lock as a human, but just stylistically, I never
(27:27):
really enjoyed that style, and he's just so cool as
a qcumber back there, never really flustered.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I loved it. Here's the.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Trend that I think is the most essential in explaining
the upturn recently from Minnesota Wild points allowed going starting
with last night yesterday's game, zero two goals allowed.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Zero two zero two four two and two.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
You're gonna give And by the way, this team, over
the course of the whole season, certainly heading into that stretch,
was towards the very bottom of the league might have
been the worst. When it comes to goals against, which
of course is a shared stat that can be more
than about the goaltender. But to me, once again, this
doesn't mean we're on our way to the third round
(28:28):
of the playoffs. But you know how this team is built,
you're gonna always have to play to your strengths or
play give what's the best way in hockey, especially if
you're not blessed with extraordinary depth of offensive talent.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Line to line.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
It's low scoring, it's not giving up much, it's not
breaking down much where we're gonna have to get five
goals to win this game. It's to limit the opposition
to zero, one or two, and then even if your
offense is not purring, you're in the ballgame. Jacques Lamaire
taught me this, the great Jacques Lamire, the master of
(29:11):
that style of play. And I'm not saying we're playing
that style, but what I am saying is that's the
trend I see. That's better because if you go back
a little bit further in terms of goals against, it's
frightening four four six, six, four five, five seven. So
(29:31):
that's to me, what we're seeing now. Is it sustainable?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
What's it about this game isn't hockey. I don't think
it's complicated in that. If you're not blessed with extraordinary,
as I said, explosive offensive talent across the board, then
the fundamentals apply, and to me, the fundamentals start. You
could say it in any sport it's too but certainly
in hockey with legitimate defense or limiting the number of
(29:58):
scores by the other team.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
That's not rocket science. But that's still true, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
The Wild have explosive offensive talent, but they don't have
explosive offensive talent all the way across the way across
exactly a good note and a bad note at the
same time as the special teams, because the penalty kill
is markedly improved. Now there's still twenty six in the NHL,
which is not great, but they were historically bad even
a month ago. So the fact that they moved those
spots up it's now up to seventy three, that's good
(30:25):
part of it. But the power play, I mean, they
had all the chances in the world last night to
put that game to bed by like middle of the
second period, with all the power plays they had, and
they just for whatever reason, whether it was the Ducks
aggressive style, which I thoroughly enjoy of aggressive penalty killing
where they're trying to score goals, or if it's just
the Wilds inability to get in the zone and have
(30:46):
zone entries. Either way, the power play for some reason
or another, no matter what unit was out there was
really struggling last night, and they could have had that
game done well before they did the empty netter.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of work to do
in my view, to attain status that they've kind of
taken for granted. They've taken for granted that they're a
team built to beat and to play with the Denver Nuggets,
and they've proven that regular season and postseason. But this
(31:16):
is definitely a different Denver team as we predicted before
the season began. Denver improves to ten to two with
a one to twenty three to one to twelve victory
over the Wolves at home last night. Joker with an
ordinary triple double. I don't think he was as dominant
(31:38):
as he's been, but then in the fourth quarter when
it mattered, he was a maestro with the ball, scoring
and distributing. He finishes with twenty seven to twelve and eleven.
We know he's good, He's always good, and the Wolves
have been able to withstand that. Why, largely because his
supporting cast has tended to be Certainly was last year flawed,
(32:00):
yet there was no backup center. There weren't enough supporting
cast members that could be counted on when Joker was
off the floor. Yesterday, Denver actually increased their leads, had
advantages in both the first and second half when Joker
went to the bench two starters out. Let's remember that too,
(32:28):
Denver was down two starters Christian Braun ankle sprain, Cam
Johnson biceps strain. By the way, Brons supposed to be
out at least six weeks. Didn't matter because Denver's got
legitimate depth. How deep are they at this point? Well, again,
if you check out the box score from this game,
(32:50):
Aaron Gordon's a starter obviously and becoming a ridiculously affected
three point shooter. He had four for six yesterday twenty
three points. Tim Hardaway Junior New Edition twenty three points.
Peyton Watson twelve points. Valanchunis is the backup now to Joker,
(33:13):
only six points but effective. In other words, they finally
have a legitimate backup Bruce Brown is back.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
He got them seven points.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
So again, this is so generally so two of these
guys wouldn't be starting that we're starting, and that speaks
to the depth of this club.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
That's why they are are different.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
I know the Wolves are going to you know, just
write it off to Anthony had a bad shooting nine
he was eight for twenty three. That conveniently leaves out
he got to the free throw line a game high
twelve times and was ten for twelve. The fact is,
in the fourth quarter, with when the game was close,
one team executed its offense offense, I guess it would
(34:02):
be offense offensively much better than the other team did.
That's not just about I don't think just about shooting,
To be quite honest with you, I think it's a
little bit more complicated than that. Nasried had a brilliant
first half, fouled trouble, ended up with nineteen points, and
ultimately did file out. Doesn't mean the Wolves are a
bad team, but it means Denver is a cut above
(34:25):
what they've been and to boot, they have the best
still the guy who's the best player in basketball in Joker.
That's the reality that the Wolves are going to have
to deal with here in terms of moving forward, in
terms of what they want to be. Joker played thirty
seven minutes, which I think is actually high for him
(34:47):
this year. Gordon's plus minus was plus thirty three for
the record, but a very good performance there. There's not
a lot more to say regarding the Gofer Friday Night
game right here on the fan. I think the final
was thirty two to thirteen. I don't believe Oregon, with
(35:10):
their starters ever punted in the game. We've played four
games in the road. We've lost them all. We've been
in competitive. We've been competitive in one of the four,
and that was to cal a very mediocre middle of
the road at best team. We've lost by that game
(35:34):
double digits, even though it wasn't a Route thirteen. Since then,
we've lost to Ohio State, Iowa, and to Oregon by
thirty nine, thirty eight, and twenty nine. And you can
again play the blue Blood game if you'd like, if
it makes you feel better. Nil, they've got everything, we
(35:55):
have nothing, but you. No one's full by that. Ort
know one should be fooled by that straw man argument,
because everybody knows those to be factual points. Long term.
None of that explains not even being remotely competitive, So
(36:16):
stop pretending that the argument is about what's just unfair.
It's always been unfair. It's unfair now, perhaps in a
different way. But none of that explains not even participating
from the beginning of that game, not even competing quarterbacks
(36:40):
in those four games twenty three for twenty seven, three
twenty six, twelve for nineteen one thirty five, you could
tell that's the Iowa game, twenty four for thirty eight,
two seventy nine, twenty seven for thirty that was Oregon.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Three h six.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Touchdowns, eight ECUs hues, nine combined touchdowns, zero interceptions, one thousand,
forty six yards. So go ahead, you just make it
about nil, make it about all that. None of that
explains not ever joining the battle in three of those
(37:18):
four games. Is that really where we are in year nine?
Just got to write it off as well. It's Phil
Knight close circuit by the way to two one eight. Guy,
you revel in the Cuban connection more than we ever
did or will do you complete dufus As I wrote
back to him, I.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Hope you're not this moronic.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
The only time I challenge anybody to find a time
we've talked about Mark Cuban on this show in an
Indiana university or football sense, other than when it's brought
to my attention that either a fan or a media
member has invoked the name of Mark Q. Cuban to
basically say, can't be mad at the Gophers. They don't
(38:04):
have a Mark Cuban. Happens almost every day. Happened again today,
That's the only time you hear me bring it up.
And I was texting with with Rick Bosch. He's amused
by this whole thing too, because he also knows that
just in this past year is the first time that
Mark Cuban has ever ever given a buck to the
(38:27):
football program. I mentioned he's given a bunch of money
to rugby and a couple of others. He's definitely spent money,
but it's been at any nuniversity. Is all the monor,
but it's generally been more academic stuff than it's been
anything else. Let me see if I get the exact Uh, yeah,
it's so. Again, if it's easier to finesse what hasn't
(38:52):
happened here and what this year is not even close
to happening in a season in which we've shown great
ability to from behind Layton games against terrible teams better
than losing those games. We've got victories by three, seven, eighteen,
and three in the Big Ten. Knock yourselves out. The
(39:12):
one you know thorough victory was the Nebraska game, and
we gave all proper credit for the way they outplayed
and out coached in that game. But it's becoming this
sort of national almost what's the word I'm looking for here,
It's a cliche. Got to have a bag man, got
to have a legal bagman, Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban changed
(39:35):
everything in Indiana. It's just not factual. You could argue,
if you want to be the cynic, that Mark Cuban
jumped on the bandwagon that had already been long started
by Signetti, by whatever concoction he's come.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Up with, whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Stu he's brewed up, that's been as successful as it has.
It's mysterious because nobody really can get to handle on
why he's doing what he's doing at a place where
you're not supposed to be able to do it, and
they've had no money to do it. They've had less
money than here to do it. Historically, with worst facilities
until again more recently. So knock yourselves out again if
(40:19):
that's what you want to go with. And but stop
pretending that we're constantly hey, I use got cuban. No,
I bring it up with an eye roll because I
keep hearing it, and it's i'm i'm I. It's happening
more and more often because its one of those things
you just hear over and over again, and then people
start believing it just because it's becomes a popular thing
to say.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Who do your packers play this week?
Speaker 3 (40:42):
Get the Giants in New York noonkick trap game, so
must win CAFs what it is and they're starting Jamis.
They're starting Jamos new coach.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, well that sometimes you get a little bit of
juice from that little adrenaline. Jamis, as we've said before,
can throw five touchdowns and five picks and same game.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
Are you ball? Howking? Are you good?
Speaker 1 (41:02):
Interceptions the well they were last season, Yeah they were
not so much this year. So much this year they're
still a really good defense. So do you agree with Thorlowsky?
You want to see you want to unleash the beast
the quarterback just let them sling it.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Allegedly it's a real windy day today, oh in New York.
That might answer that.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
And also the Giants are one of the worst rush
defenses in the league, if not the worst. So I'd
like to just see the old line block a little
bit better than they have all season, which is not
a high bar to clear.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
No, well, well with no a lot more. I think
about the division. What if the Packers, what if you
lose again? Panic and the Vikings lose again? Funny game
that Years are the second place team in the division?
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Is that would that be? What it would be? What's
your current record? Off the top of my hand, you
got to tie? You know? That kind of screws up everything.
I hate that. Yeah, it does make everything confusing.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Are you five two and one? No, you have three losses?
Now they have three, so they're five to three and one,
five to three and one. So if you lose, you
be five to four and one. Theirs would be seven
and three.
Speaker 3 (42:03):
Right right now, the Bears are ahead of the pack
in the sixth seeders.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
They are what's our seed? Oh wait, how far how
far down the list you have to go? They would
be the tenth seed, which is that's not in the playoffs.
Right now unless they extended. What if we see Brozmer today,
ratings would be through the roof. It was Brosmer at
least locally. What if he was terrible then what do
(42:28):
you then? Where do you go? At that point?
Speaker 2 (42:31):
Then? I don't know what you do.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
Vikings Football Sunday is indeed on tap. Thank you for texting,
Thank you for stopping by to chat with us today,
and remember we'll be back for Bumper to Bumper tomorrow.
Vikings talking points among other things, beginning at three o'clock
right here on the Fani. We'll talk then
Perhaps we use the next hour to clarify a few things,
because if nothing else, I'd like to believe that Sunday
Sermons is about clarity.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We attempt to.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Maybe look back not just on what has taken place
the day or night before or the Friday before, but
what has taken place over the course of an entire week.
A chance to reflect on analyzes that have been offered,
opinions have been offered, the opportunity, I guess, if necessary
to Sriwanga to backpedal if the belief is that we
(00:38):
went too far in one direction or another, and we've
been accused on this program, and I'm bumper to bumper.
By the way, I'm the host of both programs. My
name is Dan Barrero, Formering Stay in Rech newspaper the
Twin Cities. Brett Blakemore is with me for the third
consecutive day. How many days are with me? Next week?
How many days next week? Is guards the milking? Various duties?
(01:00):
You already have that.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Set, I've got the next couple of weeks. Uh next
week Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Are you serious? What is going on? I'm not complaxit. No,
you probably love it.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You get ot for all these don't you they all
count time and a half they're not. Yeah, that's also true.
Well it must be more go for our shoots, going
to go for women's basketball. And then well, I mean,
think how how hard it is to get to Chicago.
I mean you have to leave Friday at noon for
(01:32):
a Saturday game at Wrigley Field, don't you for the Gophers. Yeah,
at least that's a hard It's a hard journey. Is
it treacherous? Unbelievable? Anyway, I digress the discussion, the allegation,
and by the way, it's many of you are on
my side on this thing. I don't always respond to
(01:55):
those who are on my side because it's not as
interesting as debating those who aren't. But it's the feeling
that you're making too much of Koc's reluctance to implement
the running game too in effect.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I guess my mistake is.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
I believed it. I actually, for the last two years
we've had a very similar discussion with KOC. The first
time we've shown up a training camp and he's brought
very graciously brought gifts like you know, Foo Foo bottled water,
special bottled water, not average bottled water, and we've bonded
(02:36):
and had a nice conversation, and in both cases, especially
this last training camp, he very earnestly said, I have
to call a different game.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's not even a choice anymore.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I am required to call a different game, which seemed
to imply a belief that this is the year, especially
after we went out and got a second running back,
that I'm ready to commit to. The running game, even
in a passing league, doesn't mean fifty to fifty. It
doesn't mean it has to be sixty forty. It means
(03:08):
you have to be smart about it and strategic about it,
and you can't run away from it.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
The first time.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
It doesn't seem to be going very well. And all
I've tried to do is then I listen. At some
point you go, well, what's wrong with this picture. I'm
not seeing the payoff. That's all I've attempted to do
is in that sense, to call him on what he
(03:34):
committed to. It has not been able to follow through
on as recently as this last game. I mentioned as
recently as Friday, But if you're not going to do
it against the Bears this week, as in now, in
just a matter of hours, you're not going to do
it because the Bears are ranked twenty ninth in the
league defensively in yards per attempt teams averaging five point
(03:58):
two yards an attempt. So in doing that, there is the
risk of leaving out an important piece to what is
going on with the Vikings offense and pretending that that
just running the ball more would solve everything. And in fairness,
(04:19):
that's oversimplified. It's not that simple. I think it would
be helpful. I think we're all looking for tools that
could help this offense and help this quarterback. And I
firmly stand by my commitment and belief that, unlike almost
every other coach from his coaching tree, he has never
(04:42):
gloried in including the running game the way every other
coach has come to, including who's the head coach for
the Rams McVeigh. McVeigh has come to believe in as well,
one of many who have. And yet the other piece
(05:03):
that to a certain extent, is beyond Koc's control, no
matter what he calls, cannot be ignored and should not
be ignored going into this game, and that is you
can't you can prepare all week your quarterback in a
(05:25):
way that you think is unique in a way you
think has proven to be successful as recently as a
year ago in resurrecting the career of Sam Darnold. But
in the end, no matter how well you prepare a
player or a quarterback in this case, he has to
make a certain percentage of the throws successfully and accurately,
(05:51):
or you can argue it really isn't going to matter
that much if you maybe in the over the course
of the game add ten to fifteen handoffs. And that's
the other elephant in the room that I.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I don't think we've ignored it.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I think we've been pretty hard on what the numbers
show regarding McCarthy's accuracy by every QBR standard, by every
quarterback ranking standard, at this young point in his season,
he has been worse than Christian Ponder. Does that mean
I think he's not capable of being better than Christian Ponder? No,
(06:30):
but the numbers are the numbers. He is historically inaccurate
so far. So if you're KOC, I can see him
in his office stewing and going, I got these chumble
owns at cafay in another places, constantly harping on the
running game I called a perfect play we had a
(06:52):
receiver open on that play that they wanted to be
to run on, and the ball was ten yards over
the receiver's head, or it was at his feet, or
it was thrown to a place where the other team
was able to pick it off. So that absolutely is
a significant piece of what has to get better moving forward,
(07:13):
regardless of how many times the Vikings run today.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
You can look up the percentages if you want.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
I'll give them to you a little bit later, and
they're not the last word you can text me with, well,
did you see what John Elway's percentages were when he
first got in the league, or several others.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
We can play that game forever.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I'm not here to say this would be the first
phenom quarterback who started slow.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
What I am saying is, if I'm in.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
The here and now, it is contributing to the current
condition of your club that is in literally must win territory.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Today. The Vikings season ends, if it.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hasn't already, and I know some people think it has
and they're actually relaxed about it moving forward. But if
you want to believe that this team wants to get
stay in the in the playoff chase or get back
in it. You beat the Bears today, not really. I
don't think shouldn't be the challenge of the century. Bears
have a very nice record, largely fashioned against weak competition.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
The game is here.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
There's a million reasons why the Bear the Viking should
be able to win this game. But they have to
win the game if you're going to move forward and
keep hope alive about the possibility of hanging around this
race and maybe just getting something going, because then maybe
you say, all right, well we got the two game
road trip. Maybe we split those two. Maybe maybe we
shocked the world and win them both in Green Bay
(08:44):
and Seattle. If you lose today, I don't think it matters,
and I think the whole thing might start unraveling more
than it already has. So yeah, it's not all about
the running game.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
It.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
We can argue you about.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
The play, the pass play calls, whether there are more
conservative calls that would better serve this QB early in
his career, But even then you say, well, there's you
got to be accurate with those throws too, And he
has been brutal or brilliant when it comes to his
accuracy numbers. And as I said, I'll give you more
of those a little bit later. So part of this
(09:24):
show will be about further previewing Vikings Bears, giving you
the latest injury news. Although I think it's pretty well
resolved and established who's in and who's out.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I guess the only question.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Will be of the Bear's cornerback, whether that he has
been declared officially in or not. Johnson, who just they
just took off ir and was listed as of late
in the week as questionable for this game.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
But we'll get to all of that. We will also discuss.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Your Minnesota Wild and two straight shutouts for your favorite goaltend,
a victory for the Wild against the legitimate opponent right
the record wise, the Ducks are off to a very
good start, you know, and maybe some hope, I don't know.
We'll also talk about I think the Wolves, even though
(10:15):
they're stubborn about not wanting to believe it, having to
come to grips with the fact that this Denver Nuggets team,
whose number they have tended to have, is not that
Denver Nuggets team. Denver is different, Denver is better, Denver
is deeper. As we told you before the season began,
they were going to be I thought they had probably
(10:38):
the best off season of any team in the league
in better finally supporting the best player in basketball.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
And we will touch.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
On the Golden Gophers appearance in Eugene, and I use
that term loosely because they barely appeared. I mean, this
was another one of those those games where you kind
of shake your head and you say, why bother, why
bother making the trip? And I hope, I really do
(11:09):
hope at this point even PJ Fleck, and we know
PJ is upbeat, positive guy, would have the decency to
stop saying he's got a really.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Good football team, because.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
He can say it, but saying it doesn't transform it
into reality. He does not have a really good football team.
He has a middle of the road football team. It's
all he has. So so I'm hoping at some point
even he will have the decency to say, I'm not
expecting to hammer his team, but I'm hoping you have
the decency to stop saying we got a really good
(11:41):
football team.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
You don't.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
You don't go on the road and lose by thirteen,
thirty nine, thirty eight and twenty nine and classify yourself
as a really good for I mean, you can classify yourself.
But nobody's cann take you serre. They're gonna laugh at you.
So I'm hoping that if nothing to me, that would
(12:05):
be mission accomplished going to Eugenie. If you come out
of that and say, okay, I'm done with that, I'll
find other ways to try to pet my team up
with two games left to go and all that. But
I hope that's the end of that nonsense, because people
can see with their own eyes that's not a really
good football team. It's a pretty flawed football team. And
(12:31):
I know it's because we don't have Phil Knight. I
know it's because we don't have Mark Cuban in the
latter case. That's another bit of myth making that excuse
makers here and elsewhere continue to perpetuate.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I've already told the.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Story how many times Mark Cuban has given a lot
of money to the university or to Indiana University, to
his university, his alma mater. This was after this the
Indiana success began. Signette was the first time the first
time that Cuban had spent any money on the football
program itself. So you can hide behind me, well, they
(13:08):
got Mark Cuban when in fact, the train had already
left the station in a significant way. Is he helping
and enhancing? Yes, but it becomes this easy game of
not their fault. They don't have they don't have a
big they're not a fat cat. Well you're supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
How can you? How can you make it work?
Speaker 1 (13:27):
I mean the only reason in he has head back
to back great seasons is Mark Cuban.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
That's it. It's a it's a wonderful.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Myth to perpetuate because then it makes you feel like, well,
there's it's nobody's fault here. It can't be anybody's fault here.
It's just about the fat cats. No other explanation could
be could be made. Look it up on what even
Mark Cuban has said he gave five million dollars to
the rugby program before he did anything for football.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And some other things.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Uh, he has spent money on at the university as well.
All right, let's take a pause here and we'll get
to some texts. The branch on Brian cafean text line
is open at six four six eighty six. Of course,
don't forget the Vikings football Sunday program will begin at
what time ten o'clock?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Top of the hour, and so we will.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Mix and match the rest of the way on a
very crisp Sunday morning here in the Twin cities of
Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Sunday Sermons brought to you by JT. R. Roofing.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Lots of texts coming into the bratch on Brian Cafean
text line, I love it on a Sunday morning, bright
eyed and bushy tailed.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
I do wish I'm a purist. You know that.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
This is a beautiful day for outdoor football. I mean,
I know that bridge has been crossed and there's no
looking back and all that stuff. But man, oh man,
this is uh beautiful, wouldn't it. I mean, it's not like,
you know, it's chili. What's the current temp? About thirty
five forty give her thirty seven, thirty seven and going
(15:22):
up to what today like forty five forty four? Okay,
So I mean again, that's it's football weather. It's football weather.
But but I'm saying it's it's not like you know,
windchill minus thirty weather either. Man oh man. The text
are coming in fast, Dan. It's sound this is from
(15:44):
Clayton out of Rochester. It sounds like JJ has A
is having a sore throwing hand and he has no
running game. Koc is trying to slay the bear with
a pellet gun. His hand's fine, I thought, or is
that just a bit?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We'll see?
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I guess we'll find out that would be pellet gun material.
This is from Rich and far Ago. It doesn't matter
if someone agreesy or not. This obsessed take is getting
really bad. You may need an intervention, Jim and Saint Paul, Dan,
you aren't spending too much time talking about the lack
(16:24):
of running game or running plays from Koc. He truly
doesn't believe that getting from a first and fifteen to
a second eleven is a worthwhile play, which is flat
out insane. Keep up the noise, maybe he will hear
it at some point. Flim flam Dan, you've asked Cooc
to run the ball three camps in a row. I
stopped believing him when Jaren Hall made his NFL debut
(16:46):
up fourteen points at Lambeau under five minutes left, and
he had Hall slinging it backed up against his own
endz his rationalization. The postgame presser wanted to see what
the kids got. Knowing Kirk had the achillinges. That's what
the next week of practice was for run three times
in punt. It's called damage control. I have additional specific
(17:09):
examples if you need to rip. Remember the third and
one when Hockinson went under center and pitched it to
our sixth quarterback, Pastronaut almost got his head taken off.
Just trust a normal run play. Well, in all honesty,
that's that was the litmus test. I can still remember
Seaffert reminding us that the Pastronaut year, it didn't matter
(17:34):
what quarterback we put in, we still had the number
one downfield passing rate in the entire National Football League.
That is really all you need to know about where
Koc's sensibilities are and mindset is that that's what he
wants to do, period, and he has convinced himself that
he's so good at it it doesn't matter who the
(17:55):
quarterback is. But in all honesty, maybe what i'd like
to think what convince is at least right now, the
accuracy numbers from its current quarterback make that a very
very dangerous proposition, I guess would be the best way
(18:16):
for me to put it. Let me see if I
can find on the fly here the numbers I'm looking for,
as folks keep as we like to stay in the
business texting, I know what I'm looking for.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Give me a second.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
By the way, A pregame show, of course, as always,
will start at ten o'clock.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Right here on the fan. We call it Vikings Football Sunday.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I've got something while you're looking for that right ahead,
remember yes or no Friday, we were talking about the
old Tice clip, the Yasa of the media round it.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I have it. Okay, it's for the opposite reason though, Okay.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
We didn't lose because of a play calm. We didn't
lose because we chose to run the ball. We didn't
lose because of anything. We don't lose because of the zebras.
We lost because we didn't make one more play. If
we made one more play, including the last played the game,
we win the game.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
But we didn't win the game.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Because why because we chose to run the ball and
not throwed because some Yahoo wanted me to throw the
Heffen ball. We lost because we didn't make one more play.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
So in this case, it was throw the ball, Tice.
What are you doing? What are you afraid of? Throw it? Which,
as I said, were you on with me today.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
I mentioned that Orlovsky it's a great opposition to what's
going on here, because his complaint about your offense was
that head coach has got to stop running the ball
in second and ten. I'm yellings begging Kose to run
it on second and ten or even third and one,
(19:50):
and there it's got to throw the ball more So,
it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I'd love to trade. Well, yeah, I'm open to it.
You consider it. Well, air raid offense, Let love cook.
I'm ine.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
The wise old are owl Mark Craig Vikings Thought of
the week. How bad is JJ McCarthy's fifty three point
seven completion percentage? Well, it's worse than Christian Ponder's rookie
season fifty four point three and twenty eleven. It's worse
than Tavares Jackson's rookie year fifty eight point.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Zero in two thousand and six.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
And if McCarthy continues at this rate, it would be
the worst completion percentage by a Viking starter since rich
Gannon completed fifty two point one percent in nineteen ninety
two years ago. McCarthy led major college football and completion
percentage sety two point three.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
This is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Fix it.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
It's just factual.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Doesn't mean it can't get better, but it's just absolutely.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Part of the story.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Now, there are some people, and I've said this before,
who I'm not saying they're openly rooting for the Vikings
to lose today, but they're almost at a point where
they're going, let's just stop pretending that you know, this
plan is workable, even though we spend a lot of
money at a couple number of key positions and we're
(21:06):
actually an old that's again the great contradiction of what
the needle that the Vikings and koc are trying to
thread here. It's one of the oldest teams in the league,
which seemed to indicate, well, you want to get what
you can from those guys now, but you're gonna have
to have them accept the ups and downs, suffer the
(21:27):
slings and arrows of being a young quarterback in this league,
even if you're you're talented, right that it's it's kind
of a contradiction, But there are a lot of people
who said, we can relax. If they're not really in it,
then it's just you turn the season over to doing
whatever you just you throw them out there and then
maybe you do throw the ball fifty two times a game.
(21:48):
You just may you have him make as many throws
as possible, because it's not sort of like the Patriots
last year, it doesn't really matter whether you win or
lose the game, as counterintuitive as that sounds. In the
National Football League, where else are we doing early Thanksgiving
(22:13):
vibes today? This is Jordan and Northeast vibes can't be ruined.
Thirty four to ten, good guys. Naylor scores and JJ
rushes for another touchdown thirty four to ten. So he
has it a runaway kind of a ballgame, which would
be very interesting. Where else are we? Oh, I got
(22:35):
a good Oh, let me, let's take care. I'll hold
on to it. It's it's related to the to the
Mark Cuban business. But the text are coming in so
quickly it's almost hard to keep.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Up with them.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
I do want to touch on Puck.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Were you at the game? I was not. Were you
watching the game? I was watching it.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I need your opinion on that. I got to see
a little of that. I had some ara, but then
I did see a little bit more of the Wolves loss.
Because those games I think were almost like back to
back or they overlapped. I guess because I think the
wild game started at five and then the Wolves were
just passed seven. But we've got some more I do.
There is more vikings to cover, and there's some golden
(23:17):
golfer stuff to get to as as well. So we're
gonna try to squeeze in a bunch in our final
thirty minutes. The Bradshawn Brian cafe and text line is
on fire today.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
It's almost endless. How many.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Last night Elk River put up three out of ninety
yards in the state semi final game was zero passing
yards and an I and T.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
So it could be worse.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
You have a university misoi of football just needs a
sports management course. That's a callback to That's an old
Sid Hartman joke. Good morning Dan. Any chance we see
the future Hall of Famer Max Brozmer today? Well, yeah,
there always is via injury. Maybe his hand will be worse,
Maybe on a through his handle hit a helmet again,
(24:01):
a bear helmet, and this time it'll be worse and
they'll we'll see Brosmer. There's a lot of people ready
for that. Hello, I'm a Gopher fan but also an
objective one. This might be the worst six and four
team I've ever seen. They should have lost home games
to Rutgers, Purduing, Michigan State, all who are lousy teams
with one to two total big ten wins between them.
Hopefully they can prove me wrong in the next two games.
(24:22):
But that's Rick from Columbia. There are some sensible Gopher
fans Columbia Heights, I should say go for fans out there,
which is good to say. Vikings will lose this game today.
KOC will be in pass mode all day, defense will
continue to be exposed in their middle of the field coverage.
By half, the Vikings will be down double digits. This
(24:44):
is from lost all Hope fan. Wow, that's it does
track well again.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
You go back to the first time these teams played.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
The Bears were dominating the Vikings and they were on
their way to probably the touchdown was going to clinch
the victory. They got to keep penalty called against them.
That drove them back and kind of changed the entire game.
Then the Vikings had the big fourth quarter, so there
will be I think a big revenge factor for the
Bears feeling that they gave that game away. But that
(25:14):
doesn't guarantee they're going to play well enough to win today.
And when it comes to desperation, if you care about
the desperation factor, there's no question that the Vikings are
the more desperate team. The question is whether you're good
enough to do something with your desperation.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
That's the open question.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
But I think in my view, the Bears are not
as good as the Ravens, despite record differences, and they're
not as good as who do we get killed by
the week before the Detroit game?
Speaker 2 (25:43):
The Chargers.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
They're certainly not as good as the Lions, and they're
not as good as the Chargers as well. That's one
of the advantages that the Vikings have today. All Right,
one more break, a mishmash a potpourri until ten right
here in the All right, your Minnesota while get another
(26:26):
shutout performance from your guy walst At Was he brilliant?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Was he was it?
Speaker 1 (26:33):
A virtuoso goaltending performance. Was a great defense in front
of him? Inept offense? A little of everything? What did
you observe?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Just I observed the lights out goalie who is confident
as ever. It goes to show that you can't just
blame you know, in years past as well. Have you
seen his numbers down in Iowa at all? Yes, you
can't trust him up here. It's like, well, that team
is not very good and hasn't made the AHL playoffs
in a long time. So you give the guy a chance,
(27:06):
and he's flourishing. He's the first rookie and Wild history
Tocord two straight shutouts, so six straight periods if not
more of goalless, no goals given up hockey. So the
guy is very, very good, very confident, very smooth. I
love goaltenders who I was never a big I love
stay Lock as a human, but just stylistically, I never
(27:27):
really enjoyed that style, and he's just so cool as
a qcumber back there, never really flustered.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I loved it. Here's the.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Trend that I think is the most essential in explaining
the upturn recently from Minnesota Wild points allowed going starting
with last night yesterday's game, zero two goals allowed.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Zero two zero two four two and two.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
You're gonna give And by the way, this team, over
the course of the whole season, certainly heading into that stretch,
was towards the very bottom of the league might have
been the worst. When it comes to goals against, which
of course is a shared stat that can be more
than about the goaltender. But to me, once again, this
doesn't mean we're on our way to the third round
(28:28):
of the playoffs. But you know how this team is built,
you're gonna always have to play to your strengths or
play give what's the best way in hockey, especially if
you're not blessed with extraordinary depth of offensive talent.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Line to line.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
It's low scoring, it's not giving up much, it's not
breaking down much where we're gonna have to get five
goals to win this game. It's to limit the opposition
to zero, one or two, and then even if your
offense is not purring, you're in the ballgame. Jacques Lamaire
taught me this, the great Jacques Lamire, the master of
(29:11):
that style of play. And I'm not saying we're playing
that style, but what I am saying is that's the
trend I see. That's better because if you go back
a little bit further in terms of goals against, it's
frightening four four six, six, four five, five seven. So
(29:31):
that's to me, what we're seeing now. Is it sustainable?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
What's it about this game isn't hockey. I don't think
it's complicated in that. If you're not blessed with extraordinary,
as I said, explosive offensive talent across the board, then
the fundamentals apply, and to me, the fundamentals start. You
could say it in any sport it's too but certainly
in hockey with legitimate defense or limiting the number of
(29:58):
scores by the other team.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
That's not rocket science. But that's still true, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
The Wild have explosive offensive talent, but they don't have
explosive offensive talent all the way across the way across
exactly a good note and a bad note at the
same time as the special teams, because the penalty kill
is markedly improved. Now there's still twenty six in the NHL,
which is not great, but they were historically bad even
a month ago. So the fact that they moved those
spots up it's now up to seventy three, that's good
(30:25):
part of it. But the power play, I mean, they
had all the chances in the world last night to
put that game to bed by like middle of the
second period, with all the power plays they had, and
they just for whatever reason, whether it was the Ducks
aggressive style, which I thoroughly enjoy of aggressive penalty killing
where they're trying to score goals, or if it's just
the Wilds inability to get in the zone and have
(30:46):
zone entries. Either way, the power play for some reason
or another, no matter what unit was out there was
really struggling last night, and they could have had that
game done well before they did the empty netter.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of work to do
in my view, to attain status that they've kind of
taken for granted. They've taken for granted that they're a
team built to beat and to play with the Denver Nuggets,
and they've proven that regular season and postseason. But this
(31:16):
is definitely a different Denver team as we predicted before
the season began. Denver improves to ten to two with
a one to twenty three to one to twelve victory
over the Wolves at home last night. Joker with an
ordinary triple double. I don't think he was as dominant
(31:38):
as he's been, but then in the fourth quarter when
it mattered, he was a maestro with the ball, scoring
and distributing. He finishes with twenty seven to twelve and eleven.
We know he's good, He's always good, and the Wolves
have been able to withstand that. Why, largely because his
supporting cast has tended to be Certainly was last year flawed,
(32:00):
yet there was no backup center. There weren't enough supporting
cast members that could be counted on when Joker was
off the floor. Yesterday, Denver actually increased their leads, had
advantages in both the first and second half when Joker
went to the bench two starters out. Let's remember that too,
(32:28):
Denver was down two starters Christian Braun ankle sprain, Cam
Johnson biceps strain. By the way, Brons supposed to be
out at least six weeks. Didn't matter because Denver's got
legitimate depth. How deep are they at this point? Well, again,
if you check out the box score from this game,
(32:50):
Aaron Gordon's a starter obviously and becoming a ridiculously affected
three point shooter. He had four for six yesterday twenty
three points. Tim Hardaway Junior New Edition twenty three points.
Peyton Watson twelve points. Valanchunis is the backup now to Joker,
(33:13):
only six points but effective. In other words, they finally
have a legitimate backup Bruce Brown is back.
Speaker 2 (33:22):
He got them seven points.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
So again, this is so generally so two of these
guys wouldn't be starting that we're starting, and that speaks
to the depth of this club.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
That's why they are are different.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
I know the Wolves are going to you know, just
write it off to Anthony had a bad shooting nine
he was eight for twenty three. That conveniently leaves out
he got to the free throw line a game high
twelve times and was ten for twelve. The fact is,
in the fourth quarter, with when the game was close,
one team executed its offense offense, I guess it would
(34:02):
be offense offensively much better than the other team did.
That's not just about I don't think just about shooting,
To be quite honest with you, I think it's a
little bit more complicated than that. Nasried had a brilliant
first half, fouled trouble, ended up with nineteen points, and
ultimately did file out. Doesn't mean the Wolves are a
bad team, but it means Denver is a cut above
(34:25):
what they've been and to boot, they have the best
still the guy who's the best player in basketball in Joker.
That's the reality that the Wolves are going to have
to deal with here in terms of moving forward, in
terms of what they want to be. Joker played thirty
seven minutes, which I think is actually high for him
(34:47):
this year. Gordon's plus minus was plus thirty three for
the record, but a very good performance there. There's not
a lot more to say regarding the Gofer Friday Night
game right here on the fan. I think the final
was thirty two to thirteen. I don't believe Oregon, with
(35:10):
their starters ever punted in the game. We've played four
games in the road. We've lost them all. We've been
in competitive. We've been competitive in one of the four,
and that was to cal a very mediocre middle of
the road at best team. We've lost by that game
(35:34):
double digits, even though it wasn't a Route thirteen. Since then,
we've lost to Ohio State, Iowa, and to Oregon by
thirty nine, thirty eight, and twenty nine. And you can
again play the blue Blood game if you'd like, if
it makes you feel better. Nil, they've got everything, we
(35:55):
have nothing, but you. No one's full by that. Ort
know one should be fooled by that straw man argument,
because everybody knows those to be factual points. Long term.
None of that explains not even being remotely competitive, So
(36:16):
stop pretending that the argument is about what's just unfair.
It's always been unfair. It's unfair now, perhaps in a
different way. But none of that explains not even participating
from the beginning of that game, not even competing quarterbacks
(36:40):
in those four games twenty three for twenty seven, three
twenty six, twelve for nineteen one thirty five, you could
tell that's the Iowa game, twenty four for thirty eight,
two seventy nine, twenty seven for thirty that was Oregon.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Three h six.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Touchdowns, eight ECUs hues, nine combined touchdowns, zero interceptions, one thousand,
forty six yards. So go ahead, you just make it
about nil, make it about all that. None of that
explains not ever joining the battle in three of those
(37:18):
four games. Is that really where we are in year nine?
Just got to write it off as well. It's Phil
Knight close circuit by the way to two one eight. Guy,
you revel in the Cuban connection more than we ever
did or will do you complete dufus As I wrote
back to him, I.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Hope you're not this moronic.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
The only time I challenge anybody to find a time
we've talked about Mark Cuban on this show in an
Indiana university or football sense, other than when it's brought
to my attention that either a fan or a media
member has invoked the name of Mark Q. Cuban to
basically say, can't be mad at the Gophers. They don't
(38:04):
have a Mark Cuban. Happens almost every day. Happened again today,
That's the only time you hear me bring it up.
And I was texting with with Rick Bosch. He's amused
by this whole thing too, because he also knows that
just in this past year is the first time that
Mark Cuban has ever ever given a buck to the
(38:27):
football program. I mentioned he's given a bunch of money
to rugby and a couple of others. He's definitely spent money,
but it's been at any nuniversity. Is all the monor,
but it's generally been more academic stuff than it's been
anything else. Let me see if I get the exact Uh, yeah,
it's so. Again, if it's easier to finesse what hasn't
(38:52):
happened here and what this year is not even close
to happening in a season in which we've shown great
ability to from behind Layton games against terrible teams better
than losing those games. We've got victories by three, seven, eighteen,
and three in the Big Ten. Knock yourselves out. The
(39:12):
one you know thorough victory was the Nebraska game, and
we gave all proper credit for the way they outplayed
and out coached in that game. But it's becoming this
sort of national almost what's the word I'm looking for here,
It's a cliche. Got to have a bag man, got
to have a legal bagman, Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban changed
(39:35):
everything in Indiana. It's just not factual. You could argue,
if you want to be the cynic, that Mark Cuban
jumped on the bandwagon that had already been long started
by Signetti, by whatever concoction he's come.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Up with, whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Stu he's brewed up, that's been as successful as it has.
It's mysterious because nobody really can get to handle on
why he's doing what he's doing at a place where
you're not supposed to be able to do it, and
they've had no money to do it. They've had less
money than here to do it. Historically, with worst facilities
until again more recently. So knock yourselves out again if
(40:19):
that's what you want to go with. And but stop
pretending that we're constantly hey, I use got cuban. No,
I bring it up with an eye roll because I
keep hearing it, and it's i'm i'm I. It's happening
more and more often because its one of those things
you just hear over and over again, and then people
start believing it just because it's becomes a popular thing
to say.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Who do your packers play this week?
Speaker 3 (40:42):
Get the Giants in New York noonkick trap game, so
must win CAFs what it is and they're starting Jamis.
They're starting Jamos new coach.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
Yeah, well that sometimes you get a little bit of
juice from that little adrenaline. Jamis, as we've said before,
can throw five touchdowns and five picks and same game.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
Are you ball? Howking? Are you good?
Speaker 1 (41:02):
Interceptions the well they were last season, Yeah they were
not so much this year. So much this year they're
still a really good defense. So do you agree with Thorlowsky?
You want to see you want to unleash the beast
the quarterback just let them sling it.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Allegedly it's a real windy day today, oh in New York.
That might answer that.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
And also the Giants are one of the worst rush
defenses in the league, if not the worst. So I'd
like to just see the old line block a little
bit better than they have all season, which is not
a high bar to clear.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
No, well, well with no a lot more. I think
about the division. What if the Packers, what if you
lose again? Panic and the Vikings lose again? Funny game
that Years are the second place team in the division?
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Is that would that be? What it would be? What's
your current record? Off the top of my hand, you
got to tie? You know? That kind of screws up everything.
I hate that. Yeah, it does make everything confusing.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
Are you five two and one? No, you have three losses?
Now they have three, so they're five to three and one,
five to three and one. So if you lose, you
be five to four and one. Theirs would be seven
and three.
Speaker 3 (42:03):
Right right now, the Bears are ahead of the pack
in the sixth seeders.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
They are what's our seed? Oh wait, how far how
far down the list you have to go? They would
be the tenth seed, which is that's not in the playoffs.
Right now unless they extended. What if we see Brozmer today,
ratings would be through the roof. It was Brosmer at
least locally. What if he was terrible then what do
(42:28):
you then? Where do you go? At that point?
Speaker 2 (42:31):
Then? I don't know what you do.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
Vikings Football Sunday is indeed on tap. Thank you for texting,
Thank you for stopping by to chat with us today,
and remember we'll be back for Bumper to Bumper tomorrow.
Vikings talking points among other things, beginning at three o'clock
right here on the Fani. We'll talk then
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