StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: The Timberwolves have lost five games in a row, and a big culprit has been their play down the stretch of games. They have a net rating of minus-31 in the fourth quarter of games this season, and the mark is even worse during "clutch" situations. Can they figure that out and steer out of this skid? Perhaps, but an increasingly difficult schedule won't help. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan joins host Michael Rand to break down some of what he has witnessed with the 3-5 Vikings so far this season. Souhan also dives into the issue of vaccinations, which played a role in the most recent Vikings loss (minus Harrison Smith) and Packers loss (minus Aaron Rodgers). And it sounds like Souhan isn't impressed with the Gophers football team and the timing of P.J. Fleck's contract extension. 25:00: The Gophers basketball teams opened Tuesday, with the men getting Ben Johnson's first win and the women losing a stunner to Jacksonville. 28:00: Troubling allegations against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

On the Tuesday Morning Nickelback edition of Daily Delivery, Michael Rand welcomes in a trio of guests: *Vikings writer Andrew Krammer breaks down the Vikings' broken passing game -- in particular their inability to get the ball to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen -- in his latest film review. The big problem is that it's not just one problem affecting the passing game. *My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team finds Rand and Keith Richotte talking about an all-too-familiar narrative. The Vikings looked good early against Baltimore, then couldn't get any offense going again until desperation time. Meanwhile, their defense was worn down. *Gophers football writer Randy Johnson tries to explain how Minnesota could lose to Illinois -- and whether the Gophers can rebound against Iowa.

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. Among the key topics discussed: *The Vikings were in position to beat Baltimore despite a huge disparity in several key categories. The Ravens held the ball for twice as long as the Vikings and had almost three times as many first downs (36 to 13) in an overtime win. Still, if the Vikings could have done more with a two-touchdown lead or an overtime turnover, they would have won. Instead, questions about their season are fresh again with their record at 3-5. *The Gophers football team might have been caught looking ahead to Iowa. A 14-6 home loss to Illinois put them at 4-2 in the Big Ten, tied with three other teams in the West. Reusse wondered, and it's a good question: Why does a two-touchdown deficit against a bad team feel insurmountable? *What happened to the Wolves and Karl-Anthony Towns? They went 0-4 on a recent homestand and were outscored by 97 points when KAT was on the floor. Reusse's answer: That's the Wolves. *The Wild and Loons saved the weekend with clutch performances. The Wild rallied for a in improbable win at Pittsburgh then used a four-goal surge to beat the Islanders. The Loons hung on for a tie against the L.A. Galaxy to make the playoffs.

Introduction: Vikings fans have wondered in recent weeks whether the team might shake up the offensive line given the inconsistent play -- particularly on the interior of the line where Kirk Cousins often feels pressure. Out of necessity on Sunday, they will. Center Garrett Bradbury landed on the COVID list, meaning offseason acquisition Mason Cole will get a shot. Whether that's an upgrade or downgrade remains to be seen. 5:00: Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig tries to atone for last week's 5-10 record on picks with another shot at this week's slate. The reeling Vikings are nearly a touchdown underdog at Baltimore, and same goes for the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers at Green Bay. 18:00: Jerry Zgoda joins for a look at a big Sunday in Major League Soccer. For Minnesota United, the simplest route to the playoffs is this: Earn at least a tie against the L.A. Galaxy in their finale, and they are in. Lose and they will need some help. 25:00: Karl-Anthony Towns says he was hacked. The NFL is trying to determine if Aaron Rodgers violated COVID protocols. And I'm sitting here in a hot dog costume trying to figure out the guy who did this.

Introduction: Aaron Rodgers will miss Sunday's game against Kansas City after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19 -- news that revealed that Rodgers is also apparently not vaccinated despite him saying in late August that he was "immunized" when asked about his status. Rodgers' attempt at misdirection is worse than a flat-out lie or being a vaccine denier because he is trying to have it both ways. 7:00: Marcus Fuller joins the show to help preview the Gophers men's basketball season, which starts Tuesday against Kansas City. Ben Johnson has a tall task ahead of him both in terms of the short-term and the long-term, but he is willing to meet it head on. 21:00: P.J. Fleck's new contract was well-earned, and Gophers fans should hope that he means it when he says he is here for the long haul. 25:00: The Wolves scored plenty of points against the Clippers on Wednesday, but their defense was bad in a 126-115 loss. Now they are 3-4 and in serious danger of squandering a good start and early opportunity against a soft schedule.

Introduction: The Wild at least temporarily halted one of those stretches for Minnesota sports teams with a 5-4 overtime win over Ottawa. Perhaps just as important in that game: Kirill Kaprizov scored for the first time this season on his 32nd shot of the year. Minnesota is 6-3 on the season with just two goals combined from Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala, which should mean better times area ahead when they get hot. 5:00: Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show for an examination of the team's 3-3 start. The optimism that permeated the team after a win at Milwaukee has dissipated after home losses to Denver and Orlando. Minnesota's offense seems stuck in the mud, and the Wolves might not have D'Angelo Russell when they play the Clippers on Wednesday. That might actually improve the offense, though, based on how things have gone so far this year. 22:00: Atlanta won the World Series after being below .500 at the All-Star break. Should that give hope to the Twins that a turnaround is possible? 26:00: The Gophers are No. 20 in the initial College Football Playoff Rankings. While it will be tough for them to crack the Top 4 this year -- or any year -- thinking about a 12-team possible future playoff is a lot more manageable.

Introduction: It's Tuesday Morning Nickelback time, with a deep dive into the Vikings and the Gophers football team. 2:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer tries to help answer the big question of the week during our film review segment. What went wrong with the Vikings' offense against Dallas on Sunday night, and who is to blame? Within the context of that question is another important one: Is there anything that can be done to fix it? 11:00: My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team does not miss its mark this week. The Vikings let Dallas hang around and the defense had an opportunity to be the hero of the game. But like so many other times this season, that side of the ball couldn't get it done when it mattered most. 23:00: Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins the show for a happier subject. Minnesota has won four games in a row and controls its destiny in the Big Ten West. Showdowns with Iowa and Wisconsin loom later this month.

Introduction: Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand to rehash the fresh pain of the latest Vikings debacle, a 20-16 Sunday Night Football loss to Dallas and backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Minnesota had all the advantages in this game but still couldn't deliver a victory that it very much needed. Afterward, wide receiver Adam Thielen revealed frustration -- echoed by countless fans -- at how the Vikings seem to just let teams hang around in games. 15:00: In happier Minnesota sports news, the Gophers football team clobbered Northwestern 41-14 on Saturday, setting up a final four games in which they control their own destiny. They are 4-1, alone atop the Big Ten West standings, with big games against Iowa and Wisconsin (both 3-2) in their last four. 22:00: Houston extended the World Series with an improbable rally in Atlanta. The Timberwolves can stop teams but suddenly can't score. And a big win for Minnesota United.

Introduction: The Wild's first visit to Seattle for an NHL game didn't quite go as planned. With multiple players sidelined by COVID and injuries, the short-handed Wild lost 4-1. Though two of the goals were empty-net tallies, Minnesota was outplayed badly in the middle part of the game and now has a negative goal differential on the season even with a 5-2 record. 4:00: Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig joins the show for his weekly NFL picks segment and to break down the big Sunday night showdown between the Vikings and the Cowboys. It started out as his upset special when the Vikings were 2.5-point underdogs. Now Minnesota is suddenly a 2.5-point favorite -- adding fuel to the idea that Dak Prescott will give his injured calf one more week to heal. 20:00: Green Bay escaped with another victory on Thursday in Arizona, another reminder of the thin margins in the NFL. 22:00: Reader queries on Anthony Edwards and the NHL scandal. 28:00: A new hitting coach for the Twins is a high-risk, high-reward hire.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand dissects the Timberwolves' big 113-108 victory on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. You'll hear postgame comments from Anthony Edwards and head coach Chris Finch postgame as well as a "voicemail" from Star Tribune beat writer Chris Hine with all the key points of the game. The Wolves' Big Three came up big at various moments, and their defensive rebounding was much better with Jarred Vanderbilt in the starting lineup. 11:00: Former Twins pitcher Glen Perkins joins the show to talk about his old teammate Eddie Rosario and all the success he is having in the playoffs. It's a great perspective not only about what makes Rosario great but also about why the Twins weren't necessarily wrong to let him go. 23:00: Minnesota United lost precious ground in the MLS playoff race when it lost 2-1 in Vancouver on Wednesday, after which head coach Adrian Heath had pointed comments about the team's defense. With just two games left in the season, the Loons are on the outside looking in.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a spin through his list of the 25 best Timberwolves players of all-time. Was it a difficult task? Yes. Were there some snubs? Maybe. Was there a surprise with the No. 1 player? Um, no. 9:00: Columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to provide insight into his latest Football Across Minnesota column and to share some opinions about the Gophers football team, the Wolves and the Wild. Scoggins and Rand talked about the Gophers' overpowering performance on both sides of the line of scrimmage on Saturday, Anthony Edwards' continuing evolution as a leader for the Wolves and the Wild's promising start thanks to much better team speed. 27:00: Rand takes note of two more Eddie Rosario hits in Game 1 of the World Series -- another win for Atlanta and another game that took four-plus hours. And a Gophers women's basketball recruiting nugget that should give you hope for the future.

Introduction: In the most recent step in his evolution as the Wolves' leader -- even though he just turned 20 a couple months ago -- Anthony Edwards said after Minnesota's first loss of the season Monday that he and his top-scoring teammates must do a better job sharing the ball and getting other players involved on offense. "There's no 'I' in team. We can't beat five people with three people," Edwards said after a 107-98 loss to New Orleans. "We beat five people with five people." 7:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show after Minnesota's most recent impressive win, 34-16 over Maryland. With games coming up against Northwestern and Illinois, the path to a special season is there. But when the competition stiffens later in the year, the Gophers will also need to be able to diversify their offense and pass the ball. 16:00: Star Tribune soccer writer Jerry Zgoda joins the show to help advance two big matches this week. The U.S. Women's National Team plays Tuesday at Allianz Field against Korea Republic in what will be Carli Lloyd's final match. And Minnesota United has a key match Wednesday in Vancouver as it tries to hang onto a playoff spot.

Columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports as only they can provide. 3:00: Even without the Vikings playing, it was a busy weekend -- including another impressive win by P.J. Fleck's Gophers football team. Minnesota is now 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, good enough for a tie atop the West standings. With two more winnable games on the horizon before a showdown with Iowa, it's Ok to think big. 11:00: Former Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario was named MVP of the National League Championship Series with Atlanta and will now play in the World Series for the first time. Reusse weighs in on all that makes Rosario great. 20:00: Reusse watched the Gophers volleyball team over the weekend and was concerned about a certain level of slippage from that program. Then the final three sets against Ohio State assuaged those fears. 28:00: The Wolves are 2-0 and playing defense (at least so far). The Wild is 4-1 even after a clunker on Sunday. There's plenty to like from both.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand found himself irrationally intrigued by Thursday night's NFL matchup between the Browns and Broncos because it featured a couple of old friends: Case Keenum quarterbacked the Browns in the absence of the injured Baker Mayfield, while Teddy Bridgewater is the Broncos' starter. The Browns prevailed in a 17-14 win, but more than anything the game reinforced that the Vikings got the best quarterback in Kirk Cousins when they made their 2018 decision. 4:00: Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig joins the show for his weekly picks segment. It's not a marquee week in the NFL, but Craig found several upsets that he likes this week. He wouldn't go so far out on a limb, though, to pick any of the three double-digit underdogs to win outright. 18:00: Rand can't help himself. As the Ben Simmons situation continues to erupt in Philadelphia, he's still pining for a trade. Were you persuaded the Wolves should exit that chat by one good regular season performance? Also, with the NFL trade deadline coming in early November, is there anything the Vikings can do to bolster their cornerback depth? 20:00: The Star Tribune's Megan Ryan helps Rand break down a big weekend in men's college hockey with the No. 4 Gophers playing a home-and-away series against No. 5 Minnesota-Duluth. Which of these programs should be considered the model in the state?

Introduction: A big question heading into this Timberwolves season was whether a team that has floundered on defense for several seasons could finally find its way and at least be average on that side of the ball. Their 124-106 victory in Wednesday's opener over Houston was a positive indicator, albeit against a really bad team. The Wolves had 18 steals and 13 blocked shots in the win, which helped fuel an offensive surge from Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell. 8:00: Wild goalie Cam Talbot joins the podcast and gives us an inside glimpse into the Wild's 6-5 comeback win over Winnipeg in Tuesday's home opener. Talbot also provides insight into why he signed with the Wild last season and shares the story of his journey to the NHL. 26:00: A new feature on Daily Delivery starts with a "voicemail" from Jon Marthaler and some Minnesota United soccer talk after the Loons rallied for a very important 3-2 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand is *usually* never one to give up on a game, but he did it on Tuesday night and regretted it. When the Wild gave up what looked like an empty-net goal with a little over a minute left in its home opener Tuesday vs. Winnipeg, Rand started channel surfing. It wasn't until more than an hour later, as he was scrolling social media, that he found out what happened: the goal was disallowed, the Wild tied it and then won in overtime on a pair of Joel Eriksson Ek goals. The Wild is undefeated and Rand is utterly defeated. 5:00: Wolves executive vice president Sachin Gupta joins the show to help preview the Timberwolves season as they begin play Wednesday night at Target Center against the Rockets. After the drama of the last month when Gersson Rosas was fired, can the Wolves stay drama-free and have a good direction on the court? And does Gupta, who helped invent ESPN's popular Trade Machine, still hop on it for a spin? 16:00: Continuing the Wolves theme, beat writer Chris Hine joins for a look at this year's roster and whether second-year coach Chris Finch can help a defense that has struggled for years become at least league average. Plus a Ben Simmons discussion as that situation continues to get ugly. 34:00: Bring on the robot umps.

It's Tuesday Morning Nickelback on Daily Delivery with three distinct and flavorful football segments: 2:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins for his weekly film review, helping host Michael Rand dissect how the Vikings were able to get their deep passing game going against the Panthers in Sunday's win. It showed a willingness to adapt on the part of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as well as an improvement in pass protection from the offensive line. 10:00: But did the offense do enough, even on a day when they gained more than 500 yards? One could say the Vikings still don't have enough trust in that side of the ball until absolutely necessary, and that the lack of trust could be this team's downfall. That and more were central to the discussion on this week's "My Least Favorite Team Is My Favorite Team." 25:00: Whether it was culture, skill or some combination of both, the Gophers' 30-23 win over Nebraska on Saturday put Minnesota in great position for a successful season. They'll need to continue to be balanced on offense as the season goes on, as Randy Johnson talked about and wrote about recently.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at another memorable weekend in sports -- and one in which Minnesota teams pretty much couldn't lose. The Gophers won. The Vikings won. The Loons won. The Wild won twice. It had Reusse in a ... positive mood? Well, sort of. After the Vikings' 34-28 overtime win over the Panthers, another harder-than-it-needed-to-be affair, Reusse declared the Vikings too talented to miss the playoffs. At 3-3 heading into the bye and with a stiff schedule test coming out of it, we will see if he is right. What's not in doubt: QB Kirk Cousins bailed out a defense that played well again for 55 minutes but couldn't close out another double-digit lead. The Gophers' win over Nebraska was declared a triumph of culture by head coach P.J. Fleck, part of a budding (and lopsided) rivalry with Scott Frost's Huskers. Combined with a stunning Iowa loss, it put Minnesota in control of its own destiny in the Big Ten West. Plus two Wild road wins to start the season are a good sign, while Reusse declared the Wolves to be ready to flirt with .500 and reach the NBA's play-in tournament.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand stayed up relatively late to watch the end of the epic deciding game of Giants vs. Dodgers, which finished after a clutch hit by Cody Bellinger and a bad check swing call on the Giants. In the big picture of it all, this much was not a surprise: The team with the biggest payroll in baseball advanced in the playoffs, while the overachiever did not. 5:00: Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins the show to preview a season that begins Friday in Anaheim. Can the Wild sustain last year's level of success -- this year against better competition and over 82 games? What does Year 2 of Kirill Kaprizov look like now that he won't take any teams by surprise? Can Kevin Fiala solidify his place in the team's long-term future? And what will this revamped defense look like? Those are some of the key story lines heading into an intriguing season. 20:00: Star Tribune NFL/Vikings writer Mark Craig joins the show for the weekly picks segment. The Vikings started out as a betting underdog against Carolina, but doubts over Christian McCaffrey's availability have moved the line a few points and now Minnesota is favored. It's a huge swing game for the Vikings, and it comes right after a wild ending against Detroit.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand watched the new-look NHL on TNT on Wednesday and came away with a positive outlook. There's something about the production quality on TNT that has always been high, and the channel has had massive success with its NBA studio show. If it can keep working to brand the NHL the same way -- having Charles Barkley playing goalie for Wayne Gretzky on Wednesday's debut was a good start -- the league will be in good hands. 5:00: Jason Gurwin from The Streamable joins the show for an update on where we stand with fans' ability -- and inability -- to watch Bally Sports North. Subscribers to Hulu and YouTube TV have been without BSN (formerly Fox Sports North) for about a year now, and there's no relief in sight. What we need now is a recalibration of our expectations. The problem is that for cord-cutters who don't want an expensive cable or satellite package, any sort of direct-to-consumer app offering a full package of in-market games they want doesn't seem to be on the immediate horizon. So viewers are stuck between the recent past and the distant future. 18:00: Rand gives some expanded thoughts on how the TV question ties into the question of legal sports gambling, while answering several reader emails from the larger story he wrote Sunday about the explosion of sports betting nationwide and what it means for Minnesota. He also shares some personal experiences about betting on offshore apps, something that is widespread. 29:00: If you're not watching the WNBA right now, you're missing out.

Introduction: Just when you thought the Kyrie Irving story couldn't get more bizarre or ridiculous, we read in The Athletic that the Nets guard -- who isn't vaccinated for COVID-19 and isn't going to be able to play this year as a result -- is taking a stand against mandates and wants to be a "voice for the voiceless." We learned all that, of course, from anonymous sources. The fact that Irving could have gotten the vaccine for several months before mandates were prevalent, and the irony of an anonymous source uttering that quote is almost too much to take. 4:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins host Michael Rand to discuss Neal's column on Jon Gruden and the fallout from the e-mails that led to his resignation. Neal says nothing will change in the NFL until more women and minorities are hired to help change the culture. Rand wonders if Gruden's firing, while completely justified, is just a cover for the NFL to avoid having to dive deeper into the other 650,000 emails that were reviewed as part of the probe into the Washington Football Team. Those in power don't give it up willingly, even when they should. 12:00: Star Tribune college basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins the show to give an update on Gophers men's basketball. The upcoming season could be rough, but it will be the beginning of Ben Johnson's vision. Also, a recruiting update from Fuller as well.

It's Tuesday Morning Nickelback time on Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand welcomes in three guests to break down the biggest stories in Minnesota football. 2:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins for his film review segment looking at the Vikings' disappointing run defense. After spending a lot of money and energy trying to fix that part of their team, the Vikings have had poor results so far this season. What was Detroit doing to exploit them? And might it get better once Anthony Barr is fully back to being himself? 11:00: My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team featuring Keith Richotte has a good back-and-forth between Rand and Richotte about the tension that exists between Kirk Cousins and Mike Zimmer following their postgame Alpha male shoving on Sunday. Just remember: The first time Cousins shouted "You like that!" in 2015 it was about vindication and proving doubters wrong. 26:00: Randy Johnson joins to talk about the latest Gophers football news that Trey Potts is out for the season and to preview Saturday's game against Nebraska.

Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend, which was dominated by a you-can't-make-this-up Vikings game. After being in control but failing to put away Detroit, the Vikings watched the Lions somehow grab a 17-16 lead with 37 seconds left, only to have Kirk Cousins and Greg Joseph rescue a win with some clutch throws and a clutch kick. But the win doesn't mask the underlying issues: The Vikings only scored 19 points a week after putting up just seven against Cleveland. There seem to be trust issues or playcalling issues -- or both -- holding the Vikings back. And even in a moment of exuberance after the winning field goal, there was a strange exchange between Cousins and head coach Mike Zimmer that ended with Zimmer shoving Cousins. Maybe it was just the excitement of the moment? Rand and Reusse also talk about the interminable MLB playoff games and two very disappointing soccer results.

Introduction: Thursday night is why we watch sports. Two games. Two things you might never see again. A straight steal of home by Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena in a playoff game against Boston, the first such postseason steal in 76 years. And a double punt -- yes, a double punt -- in the Seahawks vs. Rams game. 4:00: Mark Craig joins host Michael Rand for their NFL picks segment. Mark is basically taunting Vikings fans by saying there is no way they can lose to the Lions on Sunday. While Rand tends to agree, anything is possible. Plus a look at the Packers vs. Bengals and other big matchups this weekend. 17:00: Mike Hastings, head coach for the Minnesota State (Mankato) men's hockey team, joins the show to preview a big weekend series between the No. 1 Mavericks and No. 2 St. Cloud State. We also discuss the expanding State of Hockey with St. Thomas joining Division I and just how Hastings has been able to build such a successful program at Mankato.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of Wild owner Craig Leipold's comments Wednesday on Ryan Suter and Zach Parise plus the Kirill Kaprizov signing. On both fronts, it was a good dose of honesty from the Wild owner. Leipold said he would do the Parise and Suter signings again "in an absolute second" and said he was convinced Kaprizov would sign. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to talk about some interesting Twins news about reassigning their hitting coach and his plan to put Jorge Polanco back at shortstop in 2022 (which has Rand's support as well). Plus Neal and Rand revisit the predictions they made about individual performances for Twins players six months ago to see who fared better. Let's just say La Velle did better than Rand -- and the Twins. 21:00: Four things about Phil Miller's season-ending Twins roster breakdown caught Rand's eye. 25:00: Some love for the Wild Card format, something MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred actually got right. And Rand answers a couple of your burning questions about music.

Introduction: Michael Rand doesn't watch as much baseball as he used to, which at various points in his life has been A LOT of baseball. But Wednesday night's Wild Card game between the Yankees and Red Sox drew him in for a number of reasons and made him realize just how great the game can still be. Plus, the Yankees lost. So all was well with the night. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to talk about his latest Football Across Minnesota column, which leads with him partaking in film review with the Minnesota State (Mankato) football team -- an eye-opening experience that left Scoggins appreciating just how intricate football really is. Scoggins and Rand also tried to get to the heart of the Vikings' offensive line problems, and Scoggins confessed that he has Wolves and Wild fever already in early October. 24:00: Is Kyrie Irving really only going to play road games for the Nets this season? Andrew Wiggins was stubborn, but at least he got the COVID vaccine. Irving seems prepared to hold out. And good news for soccer fans: The MLS All-Star Game is coming to Allianz Field in 2022.

Introduction: On the first segment of Tuesday Morning Nickelback, Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins host Michael Rand for a film review segment looking back at Sunday's 14-7 loss to the Browns. Familiar problems resurfaced quickly in that game. Namely: Any team with a stout front four that can get pressure without sending extra rushers is going to have success against most teams. But it's particularly problematic for the Vikings because of their offensive line deficiencies and Kirk Cousins' inability to improvise. 12:00: Keith Richotte joins for My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team, where he and Rand start talking about best possible outcomes for the 1-3 Vikings. Barring a level of consistency we haven't seen yet this year, and keeping in mind a tough remaining 13 games, it seems as though getting back into the playoff mix and maybe getting in as a low seed is the highest this team can aim. If you're a fan, you want to see victories. Intellectually, a complete teardown might make more sense. 26:00: Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins the show to look back at Saturday's win in the rain at Purdue and to provide an update on running back Trey Potts, who stayed behind in Indiana with an unspecified ailment. 37:00: What if these Tuesday shows were called Village Idiot instead of Tuesday Morning Nickelback?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend. The Vikings continue to insist they are a good team, even after they scored just seven points in a home loss to the stout Browns. But are they really a team that "has a chance to be pretty darn good," as Mike Zimmer said afterward, or are they just trying to talk themselves into that to avoid sinking their confidence levels? An offense that didn't score a single point and had a hard time moving the ball (or protecting Kirk Cousins) after a nice opening drive makes all of that questionable. Reusse also dissected what we know and don't know about the Twins as their season came to a quiet end. While Rand pointed out they were basically a .500 team after a disastrous 42 games and did manage to avoid a 90-loss season, Reusse was not in the mood for sugarcoating. The rotation is in shambles. Middle infield is a big question. And we still don't know which young position players will help them in 2022. All of that sits amid a backdrop of what should be a great postseason -- followed by a tumultuous offseason. The Gophers football team, meanwhile, picked up a much-needed win in the rain at Purdue. Looking ahead at the schedule after next weekend's bye shows a real opportunity for P.J. Fleck's team to get on a roll.

Introduction: A tweet from a reader helped host Michael Rand tie all his thoughts together like the rug in The Big Lebowski. The question was about just what went wrong with the Twins' evaluation of pitching in 2021. While the answer is unknown, the fact that Twins evaluators are probably stumped as well leads to an offseason path: If pitching is going to improve, money needs to be spent. If money is going to be spent, the Twins need to find a way to trade Josh Donaldson. It's just that simple, even if trading an expensive mid-30s third baseman entering an offseason where the collective bargaining agreement expires is very complicated. 6:00: Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig joins for his weekly picks segment and also gives listeners a sneak peek at his Sunday story on Browns coach Kevin Stefanski. Craig is in Cleveland reporting the story on the former Vikings offensive coordinator. 18:00: Jon Marthaler breaks down an important stretch for Minnesota United, which is hanging onto the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer's Western Conference as of Friday. Marthaler and Rand also get into the idea of U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan being an MLS coach soon. 29:00: NBA vaccination headlines are all about Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins possibly missing home games, but if the whole country was as vaccinated as the NBA we would be in great shape.

Introduction: We have a new entry for injury of the year: Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams fractured his right (pitching) hand and is expected to miss the entire postseason. The culprit? He says that after having a few drinks while celebrating Milwaukee clinching the NL Central title on Sunday, he went home and punched a wall. Kids, that's definitely what not to do. 3:00: That said, the Twins might like to have that problem. Instead, they are playing out the final days of a lost season. Host Michael Rand welcomed Twins beat writer Phil Miller onto the show to talk through what bright spots they saw in 2021 and whether there is any way for a quick turnaround in 2022. Long story short: Probably not, unless Derek Falvey and Thad Levine absolutely nail a few pitching acquisitions in what Miller said is the most important offseason they have had here. 19:00: Local distance runner Carrie Tollefson joins the show to talk about Sunday's Twin Cities Marathon. She has a time goal of somewhere in the 2 hour, 53 minute range -- which will be enough to be competitive in this year's race. But more than that, Tollefson just wants to enjoy herself and encourages everyone else to appreciate the day as well.

Introduction: At the outset of the show, host Michael Rand gives a rundown of the convergence of sports seasons that is happening in this moment. Minnesota United plays Wednesday night and this weekend as it tries to make an MLS playoff push. The Vikings have a huge game Sunday against Cleveland, as do the Gophers against Purdue on Saturday. Would you believe that the Gophers men's hockey season starts this weekend? Gophers men's and women's basketball practice is underway, as is training camp for the Wolves and the preseason for the Wild. Meanwhile, the Lynx would still be playing if they hadn't lost Sunday. And the Twins still have five games left before this season is mercifully done. It ... is ... a lot. 7:00: Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a deeper examination of the story lines -- and, let's face it, instability -- that will define this season. Incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez met with reporters Monday and detailed their thoughts on the franchise and the eventual push for a new arena. Sachin Gupta, who replaced President Gersson Rosas as the team's top personnel decisionmaker when Rosas was fired last week, has a big task ahead. And what does it all mean for Karl-Anthony Towns, who talked openly Monday about all the change he has seen in his time here.

Introduction: It's Tuesday Morning Nickelback time, starting with Andrew Krammer's film review. Krammer joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the Vikings' 30-17 victory over Seattle and how new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme is doing a good job at helping the team's offensive line and Kirk Cousins be comfortable. Getting the ball out quickly and keeping defenses guessing have been staples of their success so far, as have route combinations that clearly confused Seattle on Sunday. 10:00: Keith Richotte Jr. joins the show for My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team, which was suddenly positive for a change. It sure didn't look that way when the Vikings trailed Seattle 17-7, but 23 consecutive points on Sunday changed the narrative on the season quickly. While Richotte is still predicting nothing more than an up-and-down year, at least a win is a win. 23:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show to try to explain to Rand just what happened at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday when Minnesota -- a 30.5 point favorite -- somehow lost to Bowling Green 14-10. What does the loss tell us about QB Tanner Morgan? And can the Gophers pick up the pieces and move forward?

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at another unpredictable and packed weekend of Minnesota sports. We didn't expect to lead the show with Gophers vs. Bowling Green, but when the home team loses 14-10 as a 30.5-point favorite things change. Minnesota was beyond flat on offense, made multiple special teams miscues and drew little inspiration from coach P.J. Fleck -- whose in-game decisions were questionable as well -- in the shocking defeat. On the flip side, the Vikings won their first game of the season in impressive fashion, scoring the final 23 points against Seattle in a 30-17 victory. Good blocking. One of Kirk Cousins' best games. A defense that shut out Seattle after a shaky start. And solid special teams. Those are not things the Vikings have come to count on since the start of last season, but they were in full supply as the Vikings finally defeated Russell Wilson. Plus: The Lynx were knocked out of the playoffs far more quickly than they would have liked, losing 89-76 to Chicago in Sunday's single elimination quarterfinal playoff game. And the Twins managed to help the Yankees in the playoffs, even in this year.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand talks about Jalen Suggs' revelation that he would have signed with the Gophers to play football and basketball if former basketball coach Richard Pitino had recruited him harder. What should we make of that? It's probably a moot point now, but it certainly doesn't speak well of Pitino's in-state recruiting when he was here. 3:00: Stefan Fatsis, co-host of Slate's "Hang Up And Listen" podcast and author of "A Few Seconds of Panic" joins the show to talk about his experiences as a would-be placekicker in Broncos training camp several years ago and how that gives him a window into the mind of Vikings kicker Greg Joseph. 21:00: NFL/Vikings writer Mark Craig joins Rand for their weekly picks segment. Craig had the Packers winning the Super Bowl before the season started. Now he doesn't even have them in the NFC title game? Wow! 35:00: The Lynx know their playoff opponent -- Chicago -- and Sunday's single elimination game won't be easy. Plus some good Vikings news for a change.

Intro: Host Michael Rand examines one of the most interesting questions in the fallout of Timberwolves President Gersson Rosas being fired on Wednesday: What happens now in the Wolves' reported pursuit of Ben Simmons? Plus thoughts on Joe Ryan's latest strong outing for the Twins and an interesting Kyle Rudolph quote that sure seems like a shot at Mike Zimmer. 6:00: Wild general manager Bill Guerin joins the podcast after Tuesday's big news that budding star Kirill Kaprizov signed a five-year, $45 million contract. Guerin said he got the best night of sleep in a long time after it happened, and he also explained the process that eventually got the deal to the finish line right before training camp started. 15:00: Star Tribune Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins the show for more discussion of the impact of Kaprizov's deal and what to watch for as training camp begins. 29:00: Former Wolves wing Andrew Wiggins -- the centerpiece of Rosas' biggest trade as Wolves President -- reportedly isn't vaccinated and might not be able to play for the Warriors until that happens.

Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine and columnist Chip Scoggins join host Michael Rand to break down the big Wednesday news that Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas has been fired less than a week before the start of training camp. What led to the stunning decision? What are the immediate ramifications for a pursuit of Ben Simmons and the happiness of Karl-Anthony Towns? What should we expect from Sachin Gupta, who will be in charge of big decisions at least for now? And will this organization ever get it right?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand has two main thoughts about Tuesday's big news that the Wild signed Kirill Kaprizov to a new contract. 1) Obviously it's a good thing that they got it done. It took longer than expected, but not quite long enough to be a training camp distraction, and the five-year, $45 million term is right on what Rand projected a month ago. 2) If signing Kaprizov was difficult, now comes the even harder part: navigating future seasons with so much money tied up in Zach Parise and Ryan Suter's buyouts. 6:00: The Star Tribune's Jeff Day joins the show to talk about St. Thomas football and how the transition to Division I has been going so far. The Tommies are 1-1 in football and face Butler on Saturday in their Division I home opener. There are infinite unknowns within the UST athletic department regarding the transition, which is both intimidating and invigorating all at once, Day said. 20:00: Rand runs through a bunch of good listener questions, including one about Ben Simmons and the report Tuesday that Simmons won't report to 76ers camp and won't play for Philadelphia again. What implications does that have on a possible trade to the Wolves? Plus questions about the Vikings, a hot take on Marco Rossi and a Twin Cities Marathon query.

On this installment of Tuesday Morning Nickelback, Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins host Michael Rand for a film review of the Vikings' heartbreaking 34-33 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. The Vikings defense had a feast-or-famine type of day trying to contain Kyler Murray, with Danielle Hunter registering three sacks and Nick Vigil returning an interception for a touchdown but Murray throwing for 400 yards and putting up 34 points. What will the Vikings' approach tell us about how they might try to defend a similar QB, Russell Wilson, next week? 11:00: The Vikings are playing Whac-A-Mole with their problems through two weeks of the season. In Week 1, the offensive line was poor, but the kicking game was solid. In Week 2, it was the reverse. In the latest installment of My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team, Rand and Keith Richotte get into that idea and wonder what will be the next problem to emerge -- and how long Mike Zimmer can withstand losses, even close ones, before his tenure as head coach will come to an end. 27:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show for some brighter news. The Gophers rolled over Colorado 30-0 on Saturday, giving rise to the hope that this could be a special season after all. With Bowling Green offering a chance to fine-tune things before Big Ten play resumes, we'll learn even more about Minnesota soon.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a head-shaking look back at Sunday's 34-33 Vikings loss in Arizona. Almost as though he spoke it into existence, Reusse has been chuckling at the idea for weeks of poor Mike Zimmer being saddled with kicking woes for yet another year, and it only took two games for it to materialize. Greg Joseph's missed 37-yard field goal -- and earlier missed extra point -- was the most glaring difference Sunday during a game in which the Vikings played quite well in a lot of facets. Reusse and Rand also marvel at the Gophers' 30-0 win at Colorado, a statement victory that could portend good things for that program going forward. And the Twins finally got pitcher Jose Berrios some run support. All they had to do was trade him to Toronto and try a bullpen game against the hot Blue Jays to do it.

Introduction: Minnesota sports fans believe two things in the very fabric of their being. One: Referees are out to get their favorite team(s), to the point that questionable calls don't even out over time. Two: If the Gophers hire a competent coach, there is a need to worry immediately about that coach leaving for a better job. That second point brings us to rumblings this week that P.J. Fleck could be a candidate for the suddenly vacant USC job. Host Michael Rand reminds you that Fleck almost certainly isn't going anywhere, and that this is probably just a means to get another contract extension. 5:00: 60 years ago the Vikings played their first game. They won big, then lost a bunch of games the rest of the year, setting fans up for the rest of their history. 7:00: Star Tribune Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig joins the show for our weekly picks segment. A listener wrote to Mark after last week's picks thanking him for his Week 1 selections because he took the opposite of that advice and won a lot of money. We'll see if this week's slate of games is any kinder to our picks (and the Packers). 24:00: Jon Marthaler joins the show for an update on Minnesota United, which has fallen out of playoff position but might be getting some important offensive players back this weekend for a key match with the L.A. Galaxy. 30:00: History was made on Thursday when the Gophers and St. Thomas played in volleyball, the first time those schools have met as Division I programs.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand declares there is a new contender this summer for most disappointing Minnesota team, which is hard to fathom considering how bad the Twins have been. But consider: After a 4-0 drubbing at Sporting KC on Wednesday, Minnesota United's season record stands at 8 wins, 8 losses and 7 draws. It doesn't get much more mediocre than that, and there's one more particularly alarming eight: The Loons, who had championship aspirations at the start of the year, are now in eighth place in the Western Conference -- and only the top seven make the playoffs. 5:00: The Wolves introduced all of their offseason acquisitions to the media on Wednesday, with perhaps the most interesting voice coming from veteran guard Patrick Beverley. He has played in 59 career playoff games and he said accountability is the biggest thing the Wolves will need in order to succeed this season. 8:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joined Rand to talk about a number of subjects, including which NFC North team should be most alarmed about its Week 1 loss. Neal's answer: The Vikings, even though the Packers lost 38-3. Topics also covered: His upcoming weekend in Colorado and Arizona to cover the Gophers and Vikings; Joe Ryan's injury scare; and soccer Twitter. 27:00: Wild prospect Marco Rossi is back on the ice and feeling great after a scary year of COVID complications. That's great news for him -- and the Wild, which will need all the young talent it can get after buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

Intro: When Twins pitcher Joe Ryan was hit in the hand by a batted ball on Tuesday, fans -- and Ryan himself -- immediately feared the worst. But the rookie, who seems to have a flair for drama, sounds like he is actually OK even after he left the field and didn't return to the Twins' 3-1 loss to Cleveland. 5:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins host Michael Rand for a look at his debut Football Across Minnesota column, a weekly feature highlighting moments from all levels of football in the state this fall. He shares his thoughts on the Vikings' offensive line, the Gophers' defensive line and a story from the northern part of the state that puts it all in perspective. 22:00: Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns tweeted on Tuesday about the silliness of vaccine skeptics, a nice contrast to the spotlight often put on athletes who are against getting the spotlight for their anti-vaccine stances. 25:00: The standings are tightening up for the Lynx and the Loons. Here are some things to watch for in the next week for both Minnesota United and the Lynx.

Introduction: Anyone can be a Monday Morning Quarterback and come in hot with the next day’s takes. Not everyone can let the football stew for an extra day, then analyze it through a different lens – all while incorporating one of Canada’s pre-eminent rock bands. That's what Tuesday Morning Nickelback, a new weekly feature on Daily Delivery during the football season, is all about. You'll get four standard components to the show every week. For example, this week: 2:00: Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins to help break down one of the biggest moments in the Vikings' 27-24 loss to the Bengals on Sunday: Joe Burrow's 50-yard TD pass to Ja'Marr Chase late in the first half over Vikings corner Bashaud Breeland. How did Chase get so open? How rough was Breeland's debut? Krammer has all those answers. 11:00: Host Michael Rand's longtime friend Keith Richotte joins to break down the Vikings' loss from a more casual and visceral perspective in a segment we call My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team. Richotte likes to watch Vikings sped up after they are all over, meaning he saw a penalty flag once very 12 seconds on Sunday. The key takeaway: Every fear about the Vikings, except for the kicker, has come true so far. 24:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson takes a look back at a closer-than-expected Gophers win over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday and notes that the defense -- which has yet to produce a sack in two games -- will need to improve at Colorado this coming weekend.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a scathing dissection of the Vikings' 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals in Sunday's season-opener. If you were worried about the Vikings' offensive line, their vibe, their continuity and their depth coming into the season, none of those fears were alleviated in a game marred by penalties, big plays allowed on defense and a late fumble by Dalvin Cook. About the best thing that happened was some solid work in the kicking game. After a dismal training camp, the Vikings couldn't just flip a switch. And it as Reusse wondering if the Vikings have simply tuned out their head coach -- or of Mike Zimmer's time has merely run its course. 20:00: The Gophers got their first win of the season, but they had to sweat a little in the end. After taking a 21-3 halftime lead against Miami (Ohio), Minnesota hung on for a 31-26 victory. If P.J. Fleck's team is going to compete in the Big Ten West, the defense must show improvement and consistency. 26:00: Reusse temporarily had a case of the Bens, getting Johnson and Simmons confused. But eventually he made his point: He doesn't like Rand's constant stumping for the 76ers' Simmons.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand woke up Friday morning, looked at the date and came to the realization that two huge issues that seemed to be in the distance are much closer to a needed resolution; Whether the 76ers are going to trade Ben Simmons (to the Timberwolves) and a contract extension for Wild wing Kirill Kaprizov. With the Wild's preseason opener 15 days away and NBA training camps opening in 18 days, these two looming stories that have occupied our thoughts for a lot of the summer are overlapping now with football season. 5:00: Rand welcomes Vikings/NFL writer Mark Craig onto the show to talk about his season outlook and his Week 1 picks. He has the Packers winning the Super Bowl, so prepare yourselves accordingly. Rand, meanwhile, has the Vikings going 7-10. 29:00: Mike McCarthy botched another game for Dallas in its 31-29 NFL opener loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand breaks down Twins rookie Joe Ryan's second MLB start, which included 6 1/3 perfect innings -- and a much more consistent mix of his four pitches than he used at the outset of his debut last week. If he can continue to throw his fastball, slider, changeup and curveball for strikes and in various counts, Ryan has a very bright future. 5:00: The Lynx had a chance to move into prime playoff territory on Wednesday, but a blowout loss at Las Vegas dimmed those hopes. Still, the rest of Minnesota's schedule is forgiving and a top-four regular-season finish is well within reach. 7:00: State Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, joins the show to talk about the future of sports wagering in Minnesota. With Iowa already having legalized sports wagering and Wisconsin on deck, where do we stand in Minnesota? And how did we get here in the first place, with countless states legalizing sports wagering and the public sentiment toward it shifting almost by the minute? 29:00: The U.S. men rallied for four second-half goals to defeat Honduras 4-1 in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday, much to the surprise of the doom and gloom soccer crowd on Twitter.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes that Twins closer Alex Colome has rebounded from a disastrous start to this season and now -- somehow -- has his ERA for the year under 4 after another clean inning and save on Tuesday. It's too little, too late but if we're going to rip Colome for how he pitched early on we at least need to acknowledge that he has been much better since mid-June. 3:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the show to provide an update after a 45-31 season-opening loss to Ohio State in which star running back Mohamed Ibrahim was lost for the year with an injury. Where Minnesota goes from here largely will be determined by its running back depth and how well its defense adjusts to competition not as stiff as that offered by the Buckeyes. 12:00: My least favorite team is my favorite team with Keith Richotte -- the last preseason installment before the Vikings season begins finds us talking about three things: Will you be rooting for the Vikings' season to go REALLY bad if they aren't really good? Is Warren Moon the best comparison to Kirk Cousins when it comes to Vikings' all-time QBs? And how much should we be concerned about yet another midstream switch on special teams? 30:00: Huge game for the Lynx on Wednesday against Las Vegas with significant WNBA playoff implications.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand and immediately gets going on one of his favorite gripes: That the Twins are doing a disservice to their young pitchers, particularly Bailey Ober, by limiting his innings in 2021. His point is a good one: Sometimes you have to look at situations case-by-case, and if Ober seems like he's strong enough to go deeper into games (and the season), let him. How else are you going to find out about what he can do in 2022? Reusse and Rand then dive into the Gophers' 45-31 loss to Ohio State, the impact of the loss of Mohamed Ibrahim and P.J. Fleck's performance. And a check-in on the state town ball tournament, which Reusse reports had its best attendance since 1959.

Wolves coach Chris Finch and beat writer Chris Hine joined host Michael Rand at the State Fair recently to talk about the offseason -- including the revelation that Anthony Edwards, according to Finch, has grown an inch or two since the Wolves drafted him. What should we expect this season, and did Finch ever go and get that beverage?

Gophers women's basketball coach Lindsay Whalen and beat writer Kent Youngblood joined host Michael Rand at the State Fair recently to talk about the upcoming season, how much Whalen misses playing and whether she could have capitalized on her name, image and likeness if the rule was in place back in her time with the Gophers.