StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: Host Michael Rand dives into a report this week that Diamond Sports Group, which operates 19 regional sports networks including Bally Sports North, will soon be headed for bankruptcy. What does that mean for local teams in the near- and long-term -- and what might it mean for how we watch sports? 9:00: Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins Rand for a look at the Twins' very active offseason so far. They also get into story lines for spring training and Joe Mauer's Hall of Fame candidacy. 29:00: The Wild scored a key win, plus does a recent Jets hire portend an Aaron Rodgers trade?

Introduction: The Associated Press named five finalists for NFL Coach of the Year, and the Vikings' Kevin O'Connell wasn't one of them. That seems like a serious lack of respect for a first-year coach of a 13-win team, especially given how he help elevate MVP candidate Justin Jefferson. 7:00: Sarah McLellan joins host Michael Rand for a discussion of the Wild. After three straight losses, there are plenty of questions -- particularly as some roster sorting comes to the forefront. 27:00: The Wolves bounced back with a win over the Pelicans, two nights after a bad loss. That's how this team operates. Plus, will the Gophers win more in the back half of the Big Ten schedule?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes that the Wild are No. 3 in the NHL in most penalty minutes, which is sabotaging a lot of other good parts of their game. It showed up again in a 4-2 loss Tuesday in Tampa, after which Ryan Hartman (and Dean Evason) were disappointed. 5:00: Maybe Aaron Rodgers should just stay off the microphone until he knows what he actually wants to do? 9:00: Wolves beat writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a discussion of the Wolves' woeful record against bad teams, Rudy Gobert's ongoing fit, Karl-Anthony Towns' injury update and the looming trade deadline. 29:00: The Bomba Squad is no more.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the complicated world of WNBA free agency, which includes the Lynx, charter travel and superstar Breanna Stewart. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for a breakdown of Neal's five moves he would make if he were the Vikings this offseason. Plus he tries to talk himself into liking the trade of Luis Arraez. 27:00: The Twins made yet another trade on Monday; the Vikings are in the thick of their pursuit of a defensive coordinator; and the Wolves lost to another bad team.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at a busy weekend. The Twins got things started Friday with a blockbuster Luis Arraez trade, which Reusse doesn't like from a pure at-bat standpoint. The NFL gave us plenty to think about on Saturday and Sunday, while Reusse had a larger complaint about college basketball.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends some time on the three live local games Thursday, coming away with a new appreciation for the Wolves' Kyle Anderson after watching him up close in a 128-126 comeback win over Toronto. Meanwhile, the Wild had a clunker without the benched Matt Dumba and the Gophers men's basketball team took a step back. 10:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Megan Ryan helps explain just how much Carlos Correa means to the team and walks us through the rest of the offseason to-do list. 29:00: The unsurprising end of the Ed Donatell era.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand listened a few times to the Vikings' season-ending news conference Wednesday for clues as to how they might proceed this offseason. He found five things from GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah particularly interesting. You'll hear those five things, plus Rand's interpretation of them. 13:00: Star Tribune college basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins Rand to talk about the Gophers' season, progress, bigger picture basketball news and St. Thomas' massive fundraising win. 32:00: Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson has been the master of the routine.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand goes back to Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly's introductory news conference to find two instances during which Connelly says he just hopes he doesn't mess up a good thing. A little more than halfway into the season, following his offseason acquisition of Rudy Gobert, things don't feel very good. 10:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a breakdown of the Vikings' offseason to-do list and a little Wolves talk, too. Rand had hoped for a little optimism, but things evolved quickly into realism. 29:00: A huge new donation for St. Thomas.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a glancing view of the Wolves' 126-125 loss to Utah on Tuesday, with the intent of going more in-depth on the organization's trajectory on a future show. 7:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand for the final film review of the season. With the 31-24 loss to the Giants as the backdrop, they tackle this question: Was it the players or the scheme that let the Vikings down in key moments? 26:00: The final installment of Vikings poetry for the year. 40:00: Curtains for Tom Brady?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a breakdown of Sunday's 31-24 Vikings loss to the Giants in the playoffs at U.S. Bank Stadium. From another awful game by the defense to a questionable final play from Kirk Cousins, there was plenty to digest. Plus Reusse gives his thoughts on the rest of the NFL playoffs and the Twins signing Carlos Correa.

Host Michael Rand brings you a special, vent-filled Daily Delivery from U.S. Bank Stadium in the aftermath of the Vikings' season-ending 31-24 loss to the Giants in the Wild Card playoff game. A 13-4 season gave way to a host of familiar problems, including a disappearing defense. The sum total was the first one-score loss, coming at the worst possible time, to a mediocre foe that was nevertheless better than the Vikings on Sunday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand found himself intrigued by the Gophers men's basketball game on Thursday for the first time in a while. Not only did Ben Johnson's team end up prevailing in a 70-67 upset of Ohio State, but the broadcast "All Access" style on FS1 brought viewers very close to the action. Rand also touched on the Wild's big win over the Islanders. 10:00: Rand is joined by Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune and then Ed Valentine of Big Blue View -- a New York Giants SB Nation site -- to hit on all angles of Sunday's playoff game. 35:00: Robot umps reportedly are coming to Class AAA.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand ties a bow around the Carlos Correa coverage, highlighting the most important takeaways (and things Correa said) from Wednesday's news conference. The Twins are dealing in a significant risk-reward space, but they are better now than at the start of the week. 10:00: Jerry Zgoda joins Rand for a look at Minnesota United, which has several things to sort out as it begins training this week. 25:00: Anthony Edwards is fighting through a hip injury, but his teammates didn't show much fight at all in another disappointing loss to the Pistons on Wednesday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the 20-21 Timberwolves at the midpoint of their season, and offers up a couple reasons for optimism as well as a couple things to be wary of already this year. Bottom line: It feels like the ceiling has been considerably lowered on a season of great expectations, and there's a lot of work to be done to raise it again. 9:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for the second half of their Carlos Correa discussion as well as a look around the NFC North. Rand follows with some extended thoughts on why he is skeptical of the Correa deal as well as praise for the 13-4 Vikings. 28:00: Is Minnesota United going to sign a South Korean World Cup star?

La Velle E. Neal III joins host Michael Rand for an emergency special edition of the podcast for immediate reaction to the news that Carlos Correa is set to rejoin the Twins on a six-year, $200 million deal. They discuss the process, the risks for the Twins and ultimately what sort of impact this will have on the 2023 season and beyond.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes the ongoing developments with Carlos Correa, as multiple reports suggest Minnesota is getting deeper in renegotiations with the free agent shortstop, and wonders what the optics and reality of the situation would be if he really did wind up with the Twins. 5:00: Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a film review of the Vikings. The Giants' pass rush will test Minnesota's remade offensive line in the playoff opener, and as usual the Vikings will only go as far as the players up front can take them. 20:00: Some Vikings poetry is the only way to pay homage to that Bears game. 29:00: College football's inequality.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the final week of the NFL regular season and more. The Vikings coasted to a win over the disinterested Bears, but plenty of questions remain for Minnesota ahead of Sunday's playoff opener against the Giants. Meanwhile, the Packers were eliminated by the Lions on Sunday night -- the culmination of a mediocre season that Reusse predicted from the very beginning. Was that Aaron Rodgers' final game (at least in Green Bay)? Plus Reusse and Rand weigh in on the magic of the Bills, Carlos Correa, Gophers basketball and South Dakota State's championship over North Dakota State.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand can't help but look back a year to when the Vikings were seemingly choosing between Kevin O'Connell and Jim Harbaugh as head coach. O'Connell is 12-4, while Harbaugh had a stellar year after staying at Michigan, but now the Wolverines are being investigated by the NCAA and Harbaugh has been linked to the Carolina NFL job. 5:00: Is Kirk Ciarrocca headed to Rutgers to be their offensive coordinator? 9:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand for a look at Sunday's Bears game, Justin Jefferson beating double-teams and a playoff look-ahead. 24:00: Some story lines to watch for Minnesota United soccer.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes that the Wolves are finally figuring out a basic premise, that the players who are playing best in a particular game should be the ones on the court at the end. It paid dividends in a win on Wednesday, and maybe it will be a key going forward. 5:00: Wild coach Dean Evason keeps ascending along with his team in the aftermath of a 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. 9:00: Interventional cardiologist Dr. Louis Kohl of Hennepin Healthcare offers perspective on what happened to Bills safety Damar Hamlin and what comes next. 26:00: Some U.S. Soccer drama.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand can't help but wonder what in the world is going on with Carlos Correa. It was mid-December, almost two weeks before Christmas, when it was initially reported that he was signing a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants. A week later that deal fell apart, but now it's been two weeks and he still hasn't signed with the Mets. 5:00: The Gophers men's basketball team fought hard but lost 63-60 to the Badgers in Wisconsin on Tuesday. Perhaps the bigger takeaway is just how far this team is off the sports radar. 8:00: Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a look at that team. A spirited effort in a win over Denver was preceded by a six-game losing streak. Which Wolves team will show up Wednesday against Portland during Pride Night at Target Center? 29:00: Brian O'Neill to injured reserve, and a defining quote about Damar Hamlin.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand watched the scary situation unfold along with so many of you on Monday as Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field during a game against the Bengals. In addition to obviously hoping for the best outcome for Hamlin, Rand also encourages you to listen to those who played the game. They're the ones who have the best insights into what it must have felt like Monday. 5:00: The Wolves showed some heart and fight in a big win over Denver on Monday. Can they keep it up as the season goes along. 8:00: The Vikings film review focuses on the Packers shutting down Justin Jefferson and some of the woes of the Vikings' offensive line. Plus some more amazing Vikings poetry. 33:00: Will the offensive line be the Vikings' undoing?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which featured a lot of doom and gloom for two local teams. The Vikings were clobbered 41-17 by the Packers, dropping their still-strong record to 12-4 but raising even more concerns about how they have been playing lately. Can they rebound -- and get healthy -- in time for the playoffs? The Wolves, meanwhile, lost their sixth game in a row. They are vowing that they can make changes and that their problems can be fixed, but until we see evidence of progress it's hard to believe them. Plus thoughts on college football and the Wild.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand watched Thursday night's NFL game with a sense of horror. As we think about the Vikings' future and perhaps an eventual change at quarterback, be careful what you wish for because even with the No. 2 pick in a draft you can wind up with a QB like the Jets' Zach Wilson. He was booed off the field in a Jets loss Thursday, and he's more evidence that the wrong move at QB can set a franchise back for years. 7:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand for a discussion of Garrett Bradbury's injury, Justin Jefferson's smooth route-running and Vikings playoff scenarios. 28:00: There is a lot to be concerned about with the Gophers men's basketball team.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand examines a paradox in sports whereby a winning team can sometimes be taken for granted and underexposed compared to a team that has more drama but doesn't win as much. That seems to be happening this year with the Wild and Wolves; the Wild won their sixth game in a row Wednesday, while the Wolves fell to .500. 10:00: Some good news for local sports fans on the TV front as FuboTV has reached a carriage agreement with Bally Sports regional networks to carry those channels again soon. That gives cord cutters another option and could spur other streaming services like Hulu and YouTube TV to bring the channels back. 13:00: A deep dive into Gophers football recruiting off of Wednesday's signing day, including Gophers coach P.J. Fleck talking about Wisconsin's "negative" recruiting and the U's ability to retain in-state players. 24:00: Will the Carlos Correa deal lead to an Eduardo Escobar trade, and would the Twins make sense if that happened?

Introduction: If you were a Twins fan (or executive) disappointed when Carlos Correa chose a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants, it has to hurt even more to wake up to Wednesday's stunning news that he is instead going to the Mets on a 12-year, $315 million deal. That's in the neighborhood of the Twins' final offer (10 years, $285 million) and is in fact less if you add in the $35 million the Twins paid Correa in 2022. Maybe we can say this for sure now: Correa wanted to play in a large market and was never going to sign here long-term. 7:00: KFAN's Paul Allen joins host Michael Rand for a discussion of Allen's style as the Vikings' play-by-play voice, how he rose to lofty positions in the market and more. 32:00: An appreciation of Wild center Sam Steel.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes the strong play and good vibes from Anthony Edwards lately, and notices a pattern: He seems happiest when he's the unquestioned star of the show. The next step in his maturation process -- a journey that has seen him make key strides already this season -- is finding that same energy and joy when Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert return from their injuries. 7:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a film review from Saturday's dramatic win over the Colts. Lost in the zaniness of the comeback is this fact: the Vikings changed a lot of their defensive schemes in just one week. 21:00: Award-winning Vikings poetry, with a slight edit when it comes to the referees. 34:00: Gophers football recruiting.

Host Michael Rand and Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse take a look back at an amazing weekend in Minnesota sports. First and foremost, obviously, was the Vikings' NFL-record comeback from a 33-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Colts 39-36 in overtime Saturday. Trying to make sense of that game -- or this team -- is nearly impossible. But it did cement the Vikings' identity: a flawed team with a flare for drama. Reusse and Rand also talked about the Twins' signing of Joey Gallo, the Wolves' 150-point record-setting game against the Bulls and the Wild's winning streak.

Host Michael Rand still can't believe what he just saw -- parts of which he admits he did not see -- after the Vikings rallied from a 33-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Colts 39-36 in overtime to clinch the NFC North title in the 1000th game in franchise history. The twists and turns ... postgame audio from Kirk Cousins and Kevin O'Connell ... and plenty of listener commentary are all part of this bonus episode -- as is an interview with local journalist Aaron Rupar, a huge Vikings fan who made his triumphant return to Twitter late Friday after a suspension.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand uses the occasion of the Vikings' 1000th game on Saturday to recount his youth spent watching the Vikings and some of his favorite moments watching the purple over the years. 9:00: Longtime Vikings fan Ted Young joins Rand on the eve of what he hopes is a personal milestone. Young has seen the Vikings beat every team in the NFL in person -- except the Colts, their opponent during Saturday's 1000th game. It also happens to be a chance to clinch the NFC North. Young, who lives in Milwaukee, recalls his journey as a Vikings fan. 28:00: The Twins lost out on Carlos Rodon, but maybe the Wolves will get Patrick Beverley?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand has a few questions in the aftermath of the Twins losing out in their bid to sign Carlos Correa. It's a strange duality: Rand thinks the Twins are probably lucky they didn't wind up with Correa based on the cost compared to his ability, but he's also unclear what the Plan B is now that the dust has settled. And he's truly puzzled by Sonny Gray's continued inclusion in trade rumblings. 9:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand for a further dissection of the team's defense. Goessling will help try to explain some key points form defensive coordinator Ed Donatell's session with reporters Wednesday and discern what exactly is fixable this late in the year. 27:00: The Wild seems to be settling into a style and getting healthy, while the Wolves are just the opposite.

Introduction: The big news we had been waiting for arrived Tuesday night, with Carlos Correa making his free agency decision. The shortstop, who played one season for the Twins at $35.1 million, ended up agreeing to a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants -- a deal that will weaken the Twins in the short-term but might be the best thing for them in the long run, host Michael Rand says. 7:00: Rand and La Velle E. Neal III talked about the Twins, Vikings and Wolves. Fans of "A Christmas Carol" might either be delighted or horrified by how Rand decided to edit their Correa conversation, but please say regardless for insights into what the Twins might do next and how to fix the leaky Vikings defense. 32:00: Appreciating Mike Leach.

Introduction: In a jam-packed episode, host Michael Rand looks at the dismal Timberwolves perimeter defense after another loss to Portland. These are the times when the Wolves miss Patrick Beverley, whether they want to admit it or not. 4:00: The Twins signed a new catcher, Christian Vazquez, to shore up what became an overlooked weakness last season. 8:00: The Vikings are at a crossroads on defense, with coach Kevin O'Connell offering a tepid endorsement of coordinator Ed Donatell. Andrew Krammer will help Rand break that down. 32:00: A new Gophers volleyball coach.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the weekend in sports, which included a rare loss by the Vikings. Rand notes that they were set up to fail from the start by resting some players with minor injuries, while Reusse takes the pass rush to task. It added up to a lot of fan anger for a team that is still 10-3 and very much in control of its season. Plus thoughts on P.J. Fleck, the Gophers men's basketball team and Carlos Correa.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand revisits the trade that brought Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves ahead of his Friday return to face his old team in Utah. Would the Wolves still make the trade if they knew things would look so clunky so far this year? Would the Wolves have made the trade if someone other than Tim Connelly had been running the team? And would the trade make more sense if you knew another big move was yet to come? 11:00: Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand for a look ahead to Sunday's matchup against the Lions. With a win, the Vikings would clinch the NFC North title. That allows us to look ahead to discern which teams Minnesota might want to face -- and avoid -- once the playoffs come around. 33:00: The Baker Mayfield game was better than the Josh Freeman game.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a spin through a very busy day in sports, touching on a lot of big subjects. Among them: P.J. Fleck's contract extension, which includes a $1 million annual raise; Carlos Correa's place in the market now that several players have signed; Rudy Gobert's big game and how it impacts the Wolves; the Wild losing a two-goal lead in a loss to Calgary. 12:00: Jeff Day joins Rand for a thorough discussion of the Gophers volleyball team, which faces Ohio State on Thursday in the NCAA Sweet 16. 29:00: The Vikings are being hit by illness at a bad time.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the state of leadership on Minnesota sports teams, noting that the void with the Timberwolves stands out just as much as the strong leadership the Wild and Vikings seem to have. The Twins, meanwhile, continue to pursue Carlos Correa -- with leadership being a big piece of his value as well. 7:00: Star Tribune sports columnist Chip Scoggins and photojournalist Aaron Lavinsky join Rand for an extended conversation about their excellent story on the Red Lake football program that ran in Sunday's paper. What goes into a story like that? Scoggins and Lavinsky offer numerous insights. 32:00: The Twins moved up eight spots in the very first MLB draft lottery.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes a few developments that could impact the Twins' attempt to retain shortstop Carlos Correa in free agency. First, Trea Turner agreed to a massive 11-year, $300 million deal with the Phillies. Plus the Yankees said they aren't going to rush Aaron Judge and the Cubs reportedly met with Correa. What does it all mean for the Twins, who have money to spend? 6:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a film review from Sunday's victory. Why was the Vikings' red zone defense so good after being bad much of the year? And should there be a bigger offensive role for Jalen Reagor? 21:00: Your favorite poetry segment is back, with the proper syllables and perspective on the Vikings.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. The Vikings are now an unbelievable 9-0 in one-score games, displaying not just a flare for drama but a knack again for winning in the critical moments of a game. Their latest high-wire act came Sunday with a 27-22 win over the Jets that required two late defensive stands. The Wild and Gophers women's basketball teams also won in dramatic fashion, while the Timberwolves came unglued in a loss to the Thunder. For the Wolves, it's starting to look like real trouble is settling in.

Introduction: If we look at pure wins and losses, the Wolves and Wild both have identical 11-11 records. Both of them also have transcendent young players (Anthony Edwards and Kirill Kaprizov) who played major roles in encouraging wins this week. Can either or both of these teams generate the type of consistency needed to live up to lofty preseason expectations. 9:00: Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins host Michael Rand on a number of subjects, including the ongoing extra point woes of Greg Joseph and the unclear strengths of the team even at 9-2. Rand later takes note of the Patriots not moving the ball nearly as well against the Bills as they did last week vs. Minnesota. 31:00: The U.S. getting through group play in the World Cup seems even more impressive now.

Introduction: It was just one game, but Anthony Edwards looked like a different player without Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor during Wednesday's 109-101 victory over Memphis. We'll need to see a larger sample size before we overreact, but host Michael Rand has a couple of theories about why we saw a different Ant without KAT. 9:00: Star Tribune Gophers men's basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins Rand for an early look at Ben Johnson's team. They've struggled on offense so far, but there are signs of better times ahead. 30:00: Vikings corner Patrick Peterson took another shot at Kyler Murray; Will Aaron Rodgers finish the season?; A 12-team college football playoff could only help the Gophers.

Introduction: It's been proven through various studies that humans are wired to avoid pain more than they are wired to seek pleasure. That might explain some of the drama of sports, and particularly why it feels so draining while watching a team you are rooting for that is trying to protect a lead as opposed to one that is chasing a deficit. The U.S. men's soccer team gave us another lesson on Tuesday, as the Americans held on for a 1-0 win over Iran in a match that aged all of us more than 90 minutes (plus stoppage time). 8:00: With Karl-Anthony Towns out for several weeks with a calf strain, the Timberwolves are facing a critical (and fascinating) stretch of their season. Rand talked with Star Tribune beat writer Chris Hine about the implications of a KAT-free lineup and the various issues with the team that cropped up well before his injury. 30:00: St. Thomas is experiencing early D-I success, accelerating their football timeline and arrival on the local sports scene as a major player.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the disaster that was the Wolves game on Monday, when the team gave up 77 first-half points in another lopsided loss and then lost Karl-Anthony Towns to a non-contact injury in the second half. The hope is that the injury is just a calf strain. The bigger issue is an inconsistency of effort that has led to a 10-11 record. 8:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins for a film review, looking at an offensive line that has bounced back against New England. Also this question: Should the Vikings be blitzing more? ... And the Vikings poetry segment explores the question of which team's record is more surprising: The 9-2 Vikings or 4-8 Packers. 34:00: A demotion for Wild rookie Marco Rossi.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the long weekend in sports. The Gophers football team beat Wisconsin for the second straight season and third time in five years Saturday, prompting a moment of honesty and sensitivity from head coach P.J. Fleck. Did reasonable people really want him fired after the loss to Iowa the previous week? No. The Vikings can clinch the NFC North next week after another series of games went their way. The Wolves are 20 games into their season and no closer to answers than they were at the start. And Gophers volleyball has avoided the dreaded "distractions."

Introduction: On a football-dominant Thanksgiving edition of Daily Delivery, host Michael Rand is joined by Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling. The Vikings were demolished 40-3 on Sunday, and now face Bill Belichick's Patriots on short rest Thursday. Will their injuries -- and mounting inconsistencies -- be too much to overcome? Later on, Gophers beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show to review the frustrating 13-10 loss to Iowa and to set up what's left to play for Saturday vs. Wisconsin.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at perhaps the biggest coaching challenge of Kevin O'Connell's young career. Not only is his team coming off a 40-3 loss to Dallas, but he now must face Bill Belichick -- his former coach -- on a short week. How the Vikings perform Thursday will tell us a lot about the rest of the season. 8:00: WCCO radio's Henry Lake joins Rand for a look at the Wolves, the Vikings and the path that led Lake to WCCO. It's an entertaining conversation you won't want to miss. 30:00: A busy night heading into the holiday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the Timberwolves and Vikings and finds a common thread: Teams that shouldn't have to apologize for winning ugly -- but also teams that still have something to prove. The Wolves have won four in a row but heard some boos in the midst of their 105-101 comeback win Monday. The Vikings need to get their season back on track after Sunday's blowout loss. 10:00: Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins the show to talk about the evolving identity of the Wild, and how it is taking time to acclimate to a new style. 27:00: Twins President Dave St. Peter joins Rand to talk about the team's rebrand, on-field projections for 2023 and the TV situation.

It wasn't an overly cheerful edition of the podcast as Patrick Reusse joined host Michael Rand to primarily talk about the Vikings' 40-3 drubbing at the hands of Dallas and the Gophers' 13-10 loss to Iowa -- two defeats that were frustrating for much different reasons. The Vikings have major concerns, even at 8-2, after they had no answer for the Cowboys' pass rush nor get off the field on defense. With injuries mounting, Minnesota will need to prove that was just a one-game blip. The Gophers, meanwhile, will never have an easier path to a Big Ten title. But it eluded them once again, as P.J. Fleck's conservative approach kept him winless still in his career against Iowa. Plus thoughts on the Twins' new look -- and new left side of the infield.

Star Tribune Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Vikings heading into Sunday's big game against Dallas. Minnesota is a betting underdog despite its 8-1 record, so in a sense this is another prove-it game. The Vikings' lead in the NFC North grew again Thursday when Green Bay lost at home to Tennessee. 17:00: Local soccer guru Jon Marthaler joins Rand to preview the World Cup in Qatar, which begins this weekend. The U.S. squad, after missing the tournament entirely in 2018, has a reasonable chance to get out of group play. They will open Monday against Wales with plenty of questions but some optimism as well.

Introduction: Wolves guard Anthony Edwards played perhaps his most complete game of the season Wednesday in a 126-108 victory over Orlando. The challenge now for Edwards and the Wolves is stacking those good performances on top of each other -- something both the player and team have struggled to do. 10:00: Star Tribune Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins host Michael Rand for a preview of Saturday's huge game against Iowa. Can the Gophers win a defensive battle and defeat the Hawkeyes for the first time since 2014? 24:00: Another key Wild injury and some national spotlight for Vikings voice Paul Allen.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand came away unimpressed after watching the Wild skate to a drowsy 2-1 loss at Nashville on Tuesday. Head coach Dean Evason said he liked the team's game and thought the Wild generated enough push to succeed, but from the outside looking in Minnesota just doesn't seem like a dangerous team right now. 6:00: Rand asked Wolves coach Chris Finch and guard D'Angelo Russell about lineup combinations and building chemistry. Their answers were pretty different, but both responses underscored things the Wolves are still searching for this season. Later, Rand was joined by Star Tribune beat writer Chris Hine for an even deeper dive into the Wolves. 33:00: Something to watch for in tonight's Wolves game in Orlando.