StribSports Daily Delivery

Intro: Host Michael Rand dissects the Wolves-related events Thursday -- namely the trade (again) of Ricky Rubio and the decision not to jump into an NBA Draft in which they held no picks at the start of the evening. While the Rubio deal for Taurean Prince, a second-round pick and some cap room is hardly a blockbuster, it has benefits for the Wolves. And let's face it: Rubio was a subpar player for a lot of last season and wasn't going to be here much longer regardless. 12:00: Alex Goligoski, the headliner among three defensemen already signed by the Wild in free agency, joins the show to talk about returning to Minnesota to play professionally and how excited he is about the Wild's prospects this season. And happy birthday to Goligoski, the former Gophers standout, who turned 36 on Friday. 25:00: Another look at the MLB trade deadline, which is fast-approaching at 3 p.m. Friday. The Twins have only made one deal so far. That figures to change as the day goes on.

On this special episode of Daily Delivery, host Michael Rand checks in with Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan, who is in Tokyo along with Rachel Blount covering one of the biggest stories in Minnesota sports history: Suni Lee, the 18-year-old gymnast from St. Paul, won the Olympic gold medal in the women's all-around competition on Thursday morning. You'll hear Souhan's perspective on just how amazing this is, how it fits into the context of Minnesota sports history and how Lee's bravery in competing at the highest level sits side-by-side with Simon Biles' bravery in pulling out of the competition. Rand is then joined by Star Tribune reporter Zoe Jackson, who was in Oakdale with about 300 Lee supporters for a watch party early Thursday. You'll hear audio of the moment Jackson was talking to Lee's sister when Suni called on FaceTime from Tokyo, sending the watch party into an eruption of cheers. And Star Tribune Olympics editor Naila-Jean Meyers talks us through just how Lee was able to pull off a nearly flawless set of routines, and the strategy involved in bringing home Olympic gold.

Intro: The Twins lost 17-14 to Detroit, becoming the first team in MLB history to outhomer an opponent by a margin of seven (7-0 in this case) and lose. When you give up 17 runs, naturally host Michael Rand wants you to ... trade your best pitcher? Wait, what? Yep, now more than ever Rand is convinced that Jose Berrios -- with rumors heating up that teams are interested -- should be dealt before Friday's deadline. 5:00: Want some better news? Minnesota United came back for a dramatic draw against LAFC on Wednesday, pulling even late in stoppage time on Hassani Dotson's absolute rocket from 18 yards out. 7:00: The Wild was active early in free agency, signing three players on Wednesday -- highlighted by 36-year-old Minnesota native Alex Goligoski to anchor the defense. Rand has a question, though: Why spend $5 million on Goligoski even for one year after buying out another 36-year-old defenseman, Ryan Suter? 10:00: Star Tribune outdoors writer Bob Timmons joins the podcast to preview his special report on the Cuyuna State Recreation Area and all the good things happening there with mountain biking, other outdoor activities and -- perhaps most crucially -- economic development. 27:00: The NBA Draft is tonight, but the Wolves enter the evening without a first-round pick for the first time since 2012 and the second time since 2004. 29:00: Aaron Rodgers still sounds unhappy!

Intro: Host Michael Rand offers perspective on Simone Biles, the dominant U.S. gymnast who pulled out of the team and individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympics this week while citing her mental well-being as the reason. Jim Souhan had a very good column in Wednesday's paper on the subject, and Rand echoes the need for empathy as we watch athletes compete at the highest level. That extends to the Twins, too, who had another spectacular defeat in a difficult season Thursday. 7:00: Star Tribune Editorial Editor Scott Gillespie joins the show to talk about all things Wisconsin sports -- including, primarily, Aaron Rodgers and his return to the Packers. Gillespie, a known fan of teams across the border, had good thoughts on how fans feel about all this and what his hopes and dreams are for this season. 28:00: NHL free agency begins Wednesday, with the Wild perhaps pursuing an upgrade at center. Rand outlines one key stat that suggests reinforcements are very necessary.

Intro: In a drama-filled 24 hours, we needed to get to one important story at the beginning of the show. Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay QB who has been unhappy with the Packers for months and looked to be on the brink of sitting out training camp, arrived in Green Bay late Monday and appears headed toward at least a one-year truce to play for the Packers in 2021. That's a big deal across the NFL and particularly for the Vikings. 6:00: Gymnastics and swimming drama at the Olympics stole the show Monday night and very early Tuesday morning. 9:00: Star Tribune summer intern Christina Long joins the show to talk about Lakeville swimmer Regan Smith and all the support she is getting from her club team while swimming at the Olympics. Long also discusses the challenges of intern life and her journey from Arkansas to Minnesota. 23:00: The latest rumblings before the MLB trade deadline suggest that the Brewers are interested in Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson. If the Twins end up moving Donaldson, it will be another signal about how they feel about 2022. 29:00: A Mitch Garver quote you don't want to miss.

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend and a look ahead to some huge story lines in the next week. Intro: Cameron Champ lived up to his name by winning the 3M Open over the weekend in Blaine, blasting his way to a 15-under finish and his first tour win in almost two years. Reusse said TPC Twin Cities has exceeded his expectations as a good test of golf for the tour's best players. 8:00: What is the likelihood Jose Berrios is traded before this week's MLB deadline? Reusse started his answer to that question thinking it was about 50-50, then shifted to 60-40 in favor of a trade. By the time he and Rand were done talking about it, he was even more convinced that Berrios made his last start for the Twins on Saturday. And while Byron Buxton doesn't figure to be dealt at the deadline, he could be out the door this winter in a trade if negotiations with the Twins don't improve. 21:00: Most NFL training camps open this week. Reusse weighs in on what he thinks will happen with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and breaks out a pretty big opinion about what Rodgers' decision will mean for the Vikings.

Intro: Host Michael Rand breaks down the Twins' trade of Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay in a number of ways: What Cruz meant to the Twins will be hard to replicate, and as much as someone who played just 258 games here can define an era, Cruz did that. He was a lineup presence and the leader of the Bomba Squad. That said, the Twins did well to get two Class AAA pitchers in return for Cruz, and it was clearly a trade that makes sense. It's hard to remove the emotion from the trade, but if you can do that you will find a lot of good. 14:00: Gophers football beat writer Randy Johnson joins the podcast from Big Ten media day in Indianapolis where the talk has focused on players being able to profit off their name, image and likeness as well as what impact COVID will have on 2021 after the major disruptions of 2020. One thing is for sure: Gophers coach P.J. Fleck can't call his team young this year. The veteran group is intriguing and could be a contender. 28:00: It's draft night for the Wild, and with two first-round picks Minnesota is in good shape to draft key pieces that will be essential roster replacement in years to come.

Intro: Host Michael Rand runs through a few Twins items, including another piece of bad news in a season full of them -- rookie Alex Kirilloff is done for the season and will have wrist surgery. Rand also marvels at Shohei Ohtani, the pitching and hitting sensation for the Angels who is coming to Target Field starting Thursday. We've never seen anything like him in this lifetime. 6:00: Chris Hine joins the show for a spirited debate about whether the Wolves should pursue Ben Simmons in an offseason trade now that the year is over and off-the-court matters are going to start heating up in the NBA. Hine doesn't think Simmons is worth it; Rand acknowledges Simmons' flaws but thinks he would be a good fit with the Wolves. Hine also provides an update on the Wolves' ownership situation. 27:00: The NHL expansion draft was Wednesday, and the Wild took another hit to its blue line after Seattle selected defenseman Carson Soucy. That leaves the Wild with just three defensemen under contract after last week's buyout of Ryan Suter. Hear from GM Bill Guerin about losing Soucy and what comes next.

Intro: Host Michael Rand opens today's show with a nod to the Bucks, who claimed their first NBA title in 50 years behind a 50-point, 14-rebound, five-block mammoth performance from star Giannis Antetokounmpo in Tuesday's 105-98 Game 6 win over Phoenix. It's OK to like a Wisconsin team. The Bucks are likeable. Just try not to focus too much on how the Wolves could have drafted Giannis in 2013. 4:00: Rand is joined by Star Tribune Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan for a deep look at the Wild's plan going forward after last week's stunning news that they had bought out the contracts of not only Zach Parise but also Ryan Suter. It means savings this season but a lot of dead money on their salary cap in a couple of years. How do they navigate that challenge while still trying to build a competitive team -- particularly since they stand to lose another key affordable player in Wednesday's expansion draft? 29:00: Aaron Rodgers reportedly turned down a contract offer from Green Bay that would have made him the highest-paid player in the NFL. Where does that leave things with training camp set to open next week?

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes a look at the Jose Berrios situation with the Twins and comes to the conclusion that if the Twins are being smart they will look at how they have maximized Berrios' value -- under MLB's flawed economic system, mind you -- and continue to do that by trading him instead of attempting to re-sign him at a price that could reach $25 million a year. Twins beat writer Phil Miller then joins the show to talk about his reporting on Berrios and what might happen in the final 10 days before the trade deadline. 20:00: Game 6 of the NBA Finals is Tuesday night, with the Suns trailing 3-2 and needing a road win at Milwaukee to fend off elimination. One thing is for sure: Losses in Game 4 and Game 5 were not Devin Booker's fault. The Phoenix guard had 40-plus points in both games and needs more help from his teammates, particularly Chris Paul, in Game 6. 23:00: Minnesota United had a huge win over Seattle on Sunday, and it's worth revisiting. 26:00: Rand is officially worried about the reportedly "minor" calf injury to Vikings interior lineman Michael Pierce because he knows how these things go.

On Monday's episode, Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand as they catch up on all the biggest stories from the weekend and beyond. First up, Reusse and Rand tackle last week's huge decision by the Wild and GM Bill Guerin to buy out the contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter -- a move that will save the Wild on the salary cap in the short term but has plenty of long-term implications. Reusse wants Wild fans to remember that Parise and Suter, though coming well short of delivering a championship during their nine seasons here, did help revive a sluggish franchise. With the Bucks one game away from winning the NBA title, they also examine this question: Why don't Minnesota fans, who tend to loathe Wisconsin teams, seem to hate the Milwaukee Bucks? Quite the contrary, they actually seem to like the Bucks. And the poor Twins. If they thought they could do something special coming out of the All-Star break, as slugger Nelson Cruz said, getting shut out twice and being swept in Detroit probably wasn't the version of special they had in mind. But it does sharpen the focus even more on the impending trade deadline, including what to do with Jose Berrios. The Loons beat Seattle for the first time? Reusse wants to see more.

It's a special week at Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand takes a look back at five high-profile sporting events that took place in the Twin Cities within a one-year span 30 years ago. On today's episode, the finale of this five-part chronological series, Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a look back at the 1992 Final Four at the Metrodome. Yes, they awarded a Final Four to the same city and same site that had the Super Bowl just a couple months earlier. Duke won the title, but the lasting impact might have been Michigan's Fab Five freshmen, led by Jalen Rose, Chris Webber and Juwan Howard.

It's a special week at Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand takes a look back at five high-profile sporting events that took place in the Twin Cities within a one-year span 30 years ago. On today's episode, former Star Tribune editor Tim McGuire joins Rand for a look back at the Super Bowl hosted at the Metrodome in 1992, won 37-24 by Washington over Buffalo. The game and the run of Minnesota sports was memorable, but the story of the time might have been protests over the "Redskins" nickname that Washington only dropped last year.

It's a special week at Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand takes a look back at five high-profile sporting events that took place in the Twin Cities within a one-year span 30 years ago. On today's episode, Twins great Kent Hrbek offers his memories and perspectives from one of the greatest World Series ever played -- the dramatic 1991 series won in seven games by the Twins over Atlanta. Hrbek and Rand -- a huge Atlanta fan at the time -- even have a little battle over Ron Gant.

It's a special week at Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand takes a look back at five high-profile sporting events that took place in the Twin Cities within a one-year span 30 years ago. On today's episode, Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins Rand to offer perspectives on the 1991 U.S. Open at Hazeltine, which paved the way for two PGA Championships and two Ryder Cups to be awarded to the course in Chaska. Payne Stewart edged out Scott Simpson in a playoff almost exactly 30 years ago in a memorable big golf event.

It's a special week at Daily Delivery as host Michael Rand takes a look back at five high-profile sporting events that took place in the Twin Cities within a one-year span 30 years ago. First up: The 1991 Stanley Cup Finals, which came to Met Center after the North Stars -- just 27-39-14 in the regular season -- made a stunning playoff run to beat Chicago, St. Louis and Edmonton. One of the top players on that team, Brian Bellows, joins the podcast to make his case for that team not being as much of an underdog as we might think as well as to explain how that run was even possible.

Paul Klauda, the Star Tribune's high school sports editor for the last decade, joins host Michael Rand -- the paper's high school editor for five years before that -- to talk about the joys and challenges of covering prep sports. Klauda, who is transitioning to a new role at the Star Tribune at the end of July, offers unique perspectives on covering high school sports during the pandemic and a time of social justice change. And he also helps preview the All Metro Sports Awards, a series of big high school sports announcements coming from the Star Tribune next week.

Host Michael Rand takes a break from the typical format to devote 30 minutes to answering a bunch of questions from listeners. Among them: Ranking the six head coaches of major Minnesota pro sports teams in terms of the "hottest seats" and their job status; predicting the next wave of Twins call-ups; determining how much criticism the Wild should get if it doesn't add a better center to play with Kirill Kaprizov; plus inquiries about tacos and rollerblades, of course.

Intro: After a couple recent instances of questionable postponements, the Twins and White Sox played through the drizzle on Tuesday and got the game in. See, that wasn't so bad, was it? The down side was that the Twins lost 4-1, plunging further in the standings. 3:00: Columnist Chip Scoggins joins host Michael Rand for a breakdown of three looming topics: 1) If this is a make-or-break season for the Vikings, which way do we think it's headed? 2) The Gophers football team is primed for a big year with depth on both lines. But can they come close to the success of 2019? And if not now, when? 3) Will the Twins be big-time sellers at the trade deadline or just make minor moves in hopes of shaking off this season as a fluke? 28:00: Suns vs. Bucks doesn't quite feel like an NBA Finals series.

Intro: Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Twins pitching. Two days of good starting pitching equaled two wins for the Twins, but for the most part this season it hasn't gone that way. Are the Twins fooling themselves if they think they can turn things around in that department based on their track record, or is 2021 really the outlier when it comes to poor performance? 17:00: The conversation shifts to basketball as Reusse and Rand look at the NBA Finals through the lens of the Timberwolves. The Suns won just 19 games two years ago and weren't in the playoffs last year, either. The Bucks are a mid-market team built around a star player and other complementary pieces. Should this matchup give the Wolves hope that it could happen here? Reusse wouldn't go that far, but he does see signs of a competitive team in Minnesota.

Intro: Host Michael Rand laments a microcosm of 2021 game for Twins slugger Miguel Sano, who struck out four times in an 8-5 loss to the White Sox on Thursday. All four of those whiffs came with men on base, and he stranded a total of nine runners in another game that shows he just can't be trusted in this lineup going forward. 3:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins from Chicago, where he wrote columns from the Twins' disappointing sweep at the hands of the White Sox. Minnesota is now 14.5 games back in the AL Central race and 13 games back of a wild card spot. With the All-Star break approaching and the trade deadline looming, Twins players seem to be increasingly struck with the realization that this isn't their year. That leads to a natural question that Neal tries to answer: Which players might get traded (and how soon might those trades happen)? 25:00: It wouldn't be right if Rand didn't mention that Friday is the deadline for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers to opt out of the season if he wants to. 27:00: A good question from a listener leads to a rabbit hole of WNBA salary cap logistics.

Intro: Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson seems determined to be part of every news cycle. On Wednesday, he talked about having a confrontation with White Sox Lucas Giolito after Donaldson's actions and Giolito's words caused a stir on Tuesday. Donaldson also publicly called out Giolito's statistics and implicated him as a cheater. 6:00: Minnesota United beat writer Jerry Zgoda joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Loons, who are on a six-game unbeaten streak after an 0-4 start. What is behind the improved play? And will that get derailed by an MLS investigation into comments allegedly made by a Loons player in their latest win over Portland. 22:00: Meet Jose Miranda, the Twins prospect who slugged three home runs in his debut with the Class AAA Saints on Tuesday, which also happened to be his 23rd birthday. If his power isn't interesting enough, consider this: He's also Lin-Manuel Miranda's cousin. 28:00: The Lynx are back over .500 after an 8-3 stretch erased an 0-4 start.

Intro: To the surprise of nobody (at least outside of Dallas), the Wild's Kirill Kaprizov became the organization's first Calder Trophy winner on Tuesday, garnering 99 of a possible 100 first place votes to show just how lopsided the race with Stars runner-up Jason Robertson really was. That Gretzky-esque total only adds to Kaprizov's value, which is an interesting subject as he looks for a new contract this offseason. Host Michael Rand urges the Wild to get that figured out sooner rather than later. 4:00: Longtime NBA blogger and podcaster J.E. Skeets joins the show to talk about the excitement of this year's playoffs and to offer his perspective on a possible Timberwolves trade for Ben Simmons. He thinks a deal built around D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley would get it done; Rand isn't so sure. Plus Skeets dispenses great advice about getting into the sports media business. 27:00: Another day, another sticky substance controversy with Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson right in the middle. This time, it involves White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito -- who had some expletive-laced words for Donaldson after Chicago's 7-6 win on Tuesday.

Intro: Two of the last three Twins games have been "rained out" even though the chance of severe weather was questionable. In both cases -- a Twins home game Saturday against Cleveland and Monday's game at Chicago -- the home team looked like it manipulated MLB rules that leave the decision to start a game up to their discretion and used the opportunity to get some rest and recuperation. Decisions like that leave fans high and dry, cheat the game and are symptomatic of a larger societal problem, host Michael Rand argues. 8:00: Star Tribune writer Rachel Blount joins the show to break down a fantastic run at U.S. Olympic trials by many Minnesota hopefuls. In both sheer number and profile, Minnesota athletes are poised to have a great Summer Games -- particularly in women's and men's gymnastics, where three of the eight members of Team USA combined are Minnesotans. 25:00: A rescheduled Winter Classic is good news for local hockey fans, plus you'll need to get used to a new name for the Gophers football stadium.

Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend, and as usual Reusse is furious about something. This time: The Twins' decision to call off Saturday's game because of the threat of rain, which in his estimation was a thinly veiled attempt to rest pitchers and create more favorable matchups. Rand agreed, and both of them think it's a bad message to send to fans who showed up Saturday at Target Field, particularly those who traveled from far away to get there. 6:00: If the Twins are going to make the season interesting, they'll need to have a big series starting Monday in Chicago. Third baseman Josh Donaldson is trying to get them fired up, and he delivered Sunday with a home run as the Twins won the series against Cleveland and improved to 19-15 since a dreadful 14-28 start. 11:00: We got hosed! Sort of. And former Twin Hector Santiago ejected for sticky stuff in his glove. 20:00: Minnesota is the center of the Summer Olympics. With half of the women's gymnastics team and a host of others hailing from this state, it will be a Games to remember locally. 24:00: Stanley Cup Finals look ahead. 29:00: Sylvia Fowles appreciation after two monster games help get the Lynx back to .500 after their 0-4 start.

Intro: The Twins made a business decision in the offseason, cutting loose Eddie Rosario after a successful run in Minnesota's outfield. Saying the move backfired wouldn't be quite right because Rosario is having a pretty pedestrian season in Cleveland, but his value tends to show up in different ways. Among them: He tends to come up big, and he did that for Cleveland with a two-run single in the eighth inning of a 4-1 win over the Twins on Thursday. The game underscores just how much the Twins miss a durable, heart-and-soul player like Rosario. 5:00: MMA fighter and Minnesota native Tim Johnson joins the show in advance of the biggest bout of his career Friday in BELLATOR 261. His career was delayed twice by deployments with the Minnesota National Guard -- once to Iraq and recently as part of the Derek Chauvin trial -- but those seeming obstacles have only made him stronger. 19:00: Answering burning listener questions, including: Which Twins players are most likely to get traded in the next month? How soon before the Twins start making trades? What is my standard taco order? And if I could be any Twin Cities mascot for a day, which one would I pick and why?

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes a look at two big wins for local teams on Wednesday, with Minnesota United defeating Austin 2-0 in a full Allianz Field -- the first time the home of the Loons has had full capacity since the 2019 playoffs -- and the Lynx getting a big 87-85 road win over Atlanta. Both the Loons and Lynx started 0-4 but have rallied since then. Can they get their seasons back to level and beyond? 4:30: Rand is joined by three Minnesota sports fans -- Douglas Farmer, Corbitt Harrell and Tom Pederson -- to get their takes on both the ongoing inability to watch local Minnesota pro teams on Bally Sports North and what the future of watching sports on that channel (or any channel, if at all) might bring. All three shared their frustrations and perspectives as we head toward a time when sports viewing could become even more fragmented. 28:00: Are we heading toward a Hawks vs. Suns NBA Finals? As unlikely as that would have sounded a year ago, when neither team even made the playoffs, it's getting closer to a reality.

Intro: Major League Baseball's crackdown on pitchers using illegal substances on baseballs took a fairly dramatic turn on Tuesday when Phillies manager Joe Girardi and Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer had a confrontation over repeated checks of Scherzer. It led to the ejection of Girardi and is an example of how this won't be a smooth midyear transition for baseball to try to make. 5:00: Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins to talk about Tuesday's NBA draft lottery drawing, which saw the Wolves lose their 2021 draft pick because they didn't finish in the top three of the draft. Instead, the pick will go to Golden State as part of the early 2020 trade involving Andrew Wiggins and D'Angelo Russell. Any improvement the Wolves make this offseason likely will have to come either from development or trades. Hine also talks about the importance of NFL player Carl Nassib coming out as gay and shares his experiences and perspectives as a gay man. 26:00: There was major drama with the Badgers men's basketball program when a secret audio recording of a meeting between seniors and coaches was sent to the Wisconsin State Journal. Players were very critical of Gard during the February meeting, much of which was revealed on the audio recording.

Intro: Michael Rand stayed up for the longest game in MLB this season, and if you did as well there was a payoff: Unlikely heroics from Miguel Sano and Matt Shoemaker, two of the most disappointing Twins players so far this season, in an 7-5 win over the Reds that lasted 12 innings and more than five hours. The Twins have won five in a row and will need more heroics like that as they try to overcome their own 31-41 start and more adversity in the form of another Byron Buxton injury. 6:00: Gophers men's basketball beat writer Marcus Fuller joins Daily Delivery to break down a completely remade roster. With Ben Johnson's arrival as coach coinciding with the ramping up of the transfer portal, you won't recognize many players on this year's Gophers. Fuller evaluates who is coming in, who might help right away and what outgoing transfers surprised him the most. 28:00: Rand can't help himself and has to talk more about a possible Ben Simmons trade -- and how the Wolves can get into that mix. If you're a Wolves fan, you want to be in that discussion even after Simmons' postseason meltdown. But it would take a lot of assets to get a player like Simmons, flaws and all.

Intro: Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand at the outset for a look at a U.S. Open that chewed up a lot of golf's biggest names on Sunday. Left standing at the end was John Rahm, who made two clutch putts while his nearest competitors faded. 8:00: The NBA playoffs have been as wide open as any in recent memory, with huge clutch performances and ... some not so good. Ben Simmons fits into that latter category after going 24-for-71 from the free throw line in the postseason and refusing to shoot in Philadelphia's Game 7 home loss to the Hawks. Kevin Durant, meanwhile, played all 53 minutes of Brooklyn's Game 7 loss to Milwaukee -- as did others in the game. Is that even safe? 16:00: Byron Buxton returned to the Twins lineup over the weekend and provided a spark in two wins that extended the team's streak to four games. But the mystery of what happened in Seattle isn't any clearer. 22;00: MLB is set to crack down on cheating pitchers starting today. What will that look like? And Reusse makes a great point: For a sport trying to improve pace of play, isn't this just another thing to slow the game down?

Intro: Michael Rand takes a look at the Clippers, who are trying to break one of the most dreadful streaks in pro sports history on Friday night. Yes, things have been bad in Minnesota with a lot of our teams. But in 50 years, the Clippers have never even advanced to the NBA conference finals. That can change with a win over Utah. 4:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins the show to talk about his excellent story on three Twins pitchers who have overcome scary moments getting hit by baseballs. The mental side of recovering from a baseball hitting you in the head traveling more than 100 mph is as daunting as the physical side. And Miller also provides an update on Byron Buxton, who hasn't played for the Twins in seven weeks. What is his injury status? And is there some frustration between Buxton and the organization that could lead to bigger decisions ahead? 23:00: The value of interviews and a look at the Bears' QB situation.

Intro: The NFL has made it clear that players who aren't vaccinated during the 2021 season are going to have far less freedom than those who are vaccinated against COVID-19. With prominent Vikings players already saying they aren't vaccinated (yet), host Michael Rand wonders if there will be a locker room divide among NFL teams between this season. 4:00: Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show -- only fitting for the celebratory 100th episode of Daily Delivery. Hine, the first five-time guest in podcast history, breaks down the latest wrinkles in the proposed sale of the team to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, gives an Academy Award parallel for LaMelo Ball winning Rookie of the Year over Anthony Edwards, previews next week's draft lottery drawing and assigns Carole King songs to various Wolves players. 28:00: The Twins won on Wednesday, but they also lost two more players to seemingly minor injuries. The MLB leader in injury caution strikes again.

Intro: The Lynx fell to 4-6 with a 105-89 loss at Target Center to Chicago on Tuesday, and head coach/GM Cheryl Reeve was not happy about it afterward. She called out her players for not playing defense, she singled out her lineup for not showing up and she ripped herself for poor offensive coaching. Will this be a rallying point for a team with high expectations? 5:00: Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling joins the show to offer up early observations from a newsy week of minicamp. You'll hear his take on the Danielle Hunter contract restructure, what Sheldon Richardson's role might be after signing a one-year deal, how QB Kellen Mond looks and much more. 28:00: Kevin Durant had one of the greatest clutch games in NBA playoff history, playing all 48 minutes for the Nets in a must-win game over the Bucks while pouring in 49 points to go with 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Plus what do player attitudes about MLB pitchers cheating tell us about them?

Intro: The Vikings and Danielle Hunter reached a temporary solution in Hunter's quest for more money, with the Vikings giving him extra cash in 2021 and setting up a decision before 2022. It's another in a series of short-term moves for a team that seems to be loading up on defense for one season. Whether that's more than just an acknowledgement of how bad the defense was last year -- an attempt to save jobs, exploit a potential weakness in Green Bay or both -- is another question. 4:00: Musician Claire de lune joins the show for a discussion of the NBA, Lakers fandom and other topics. She'll help explain why she thinks so many artists are basketball fans, trash the Clippers at every possible moment and much more in an entertaining conversation. 30:00: Byron Buxton is traveling with the Twins but isn't playing yet after a rehab stint in St. Paul. That says about all you need to know about this season.

Michael Rand and Patrick Reusse look at an eventful recent stretch for the Twins, which included a 2-4 home stand against the Yankees and Astros while several of their key players continued to try to work their way back from injury. Both of them concluded that the Twins' pitching is to blame, and injuries don't tell much of the story -- just a bad plan and ineffectiveness. In a discussion about Byron Buxton rehabbing his latest injury in St. Paul while the Twins played key home games, Reusse said he senses Buxton is unhappy with the organization. As the trade deadline looms in about six weeks, there could be a purge of the Twins' roster. While Buxton is unlikely to be dealt midyear, don't rule out an offseason trade -- meaning none of the Twins' core of established players is untouchable. And a tribute to the life and career of Mudcat Grant, ace of the 1965 Twins, who died on Friday at age 85.

Intro: Michael Rand was three outs away from completely burying the Twins. And then four lasers -- two of them no-doubt two-run homers -- gave them a 7-5 walk-off win over the Yankees and closer Aroldis Chapman. It probably doesn't mean anything in the big picture of a lost season, but small moments along the way are still worthwhile. 7:00: Columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to talk about baseball's longstanding culture of cheating and the latest scandal involving pitchers using illegal substances on the ball to improve performance. And Neal and Rand talk about bad fan behavior at games, a problem that has reared its head in recent NBA playoff games. 28:00: Trading Danielle Hunter would be the easy solution for the Vikings, but not the best one. And farewell to the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL playoffs.

Intro: Host Michael Rand listened to Kirk Cousins' session with Vikings reporters on Wednesday and couldn't help but notice how drama-free things are in Minnesota right now -- particularly compared to the situation in Green Bay. Cousins talked about watching film of every game he's played in the NFL in an attempt to get better and also welcoming new QB Kellen Mond with open arms. No game shows. No missing practice. Just a nice quiet June. 6:00: Rachel Blount joins the show to talk about Minnesota's Olympic hopefuls and what to watch for in key U.S. trials in swimming + diving, track + field and gymnastics in the next couple of weeks. Blount and Rand also look into the big question overshadowing the games: Should they even be happening given the state of COVID-19 in Japan and fears of an outbreak? 28:00: Josh Donaldson vs. Gerrit Cole ended with a fizzle on Wednesday, especially if you're a Twins fan. Cole got whatever revenge he wanted by striking out Donaldson in his first two at-bats.

Intro: Aaron Rodgers didn't show up for the first day of "mandatory" minicamp with the Packers, adding another layer to his ongoing standoff with the organization. Teammates said they have his back while also hoping that he will return. In the mean time, the QB drafted a year ago to replace him -- Jordan Love -- had his share of struggles running the offense Tuesday. 6:00: Hall of Famer Rod Carew joins the show to talk about his new book, his impending new podcast and modern hitting. The former AL MVP and seven-time batting champion thinks hitters these days are trying too hard to hit home runs, which has as much to do with low batting averages as anything else. 22:00: Gerrit Cole addressed the media Tuesday and sure didn't sound like an innocent bystander in the illegal substances scandal. All eyes will be on Target Field on Wednesday when Cole pitches against the Twins and Josh Donaldson, the third baseman who named Cole as one of the pitchers doctoring the baseball. 28:00: Nikola Jokic, from draft afterthought to NBA MVP.

Intro: Michael Rand takes a spin through the NBA playoffs, where the Nets are cruising past the Bucks even without James Harden. It shows the value of having a Big Three -- and being able to withstand injuries to one of them as a result. It's what the Lakers couldn't do, and it's what the Wolves hope to build. 5:00: Twins beat writer Phil Miller joins the show to preview the upcoming Twins vs. Yankees series, to give an update on the Twins' returning to health in some key areas and to set up the likely big showdown of the week: Josh Donaldson vs. Gerrit Cole. The Twins third baseman has implicated Cole as a main offender in MLB's emerging controversy about pitchers using foreign substances to increase the spin rate on their pitches. Cole is slated to pitch Wednesday's game.

Patrick Reusse joins Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend, which included a dramatic collapse at the U.S. Open by women's golfer Lexi Thompson. It brings to mind two things: 1) Golf is the loneliest sport and most agonizing to watch when a player falls apart; 2) Minnesota fans are no strangers to watching such performances. Also on the show: A discussion of the resurgent Lynx, who won their third consecutive game Sunday after an 0-4 start. And a look at the Twins, who start a series with the Yankees on Tuesday but who also could soon be in "sell" mode with some of their key players -- including pitcher Jose Berrios.

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes a look at Wild GM Bill Guerin's end-of-year comments and takes issue with Guerin's assertion that this year proved the Wild doesn't need a No. 1 center. Maybe that was true in the regular season, but in the playoffs top-end center play was absolutely a glaring weakness that needs to be addressed at some point. 5:00: Tyler Dunne, who covered Aaron Rodgers for four seasons and now writes about a variety of in-depth NFL topics at golongtd.com, joins Rand for a breakdown of what's going on between Rodgers and Green Bay. Who's to blame, how did we get here, and how does Dunne think this will ultimately play out? 27:00: The Twins have been decimated by injuries, but don't let that steal the narrative around their pitching staff. It's been flat-out bad, as evidenced by an overall 4.68 ERA that ranks No. 25 in the majors, and that's come with many of the organization's preferred pitchers working at the start and end of games.

Intro: Joe Mauer joins Michael Rand to talk about his charity softball home run derby at Target Field on June 15, which will feature plenty of other notable Twins greats like Jim Thome and Justin Morneau. Mauer has been keeping plenty busy since retirement with his three kids, but he's looking forward to crushing some softballs over the fence for a good cause. He gives thoughts on this year's Twins, dad life and the trash talk between teammates. 8:00: Using the Mauer segment as a jumping off point, Rand talks about the 2011 Twins and how this year's team has some unfortunate parallels. Among them: What might be the start of a decline in the play of Nelson Cruz, much like we witnessed with Thome a decade ago. 13:00: Marcus Fuller joins the show to talk about Gophers men's basketball recruiting, the transfer portal and what to expect now that new coach Ben Johnson can start meeting with recruits face to face during a critical period in the program's future.

Intro: The Wild had a series of end-of-year interview sessions with players on Tuesday, including forward Zach Parise. His future will be a big question during the offseason -- even after he said Tuesday that he plans to be here for the foreseeable future. You'll hear Michael Rand's thoughts as well as audio of several interesting things Parise had to say. 8:00: Twins outfielder Rob Refsnyder has been one of the feel-good stories on this year's team. The journeyman, playing for his fifth MLB team since 2017, is hitting .320 and has provided a spark for a team decimated by injuries. He joins the podcast to talk about his approach to hitting, how grateful he is for this season and being a new dad. 25:00: The Blazers lost an all-time classic to the Nuggets on Tuesday, with Damian Lillard scoring 55 points in the double overtime defeat. The game should make you long for the Wolves to be a true playoff contender -- and Nikola Jokic's overall excellence should make you want more from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Intro: Minnesota's summer teams are starting to win a little more after very slow starts, but host Michael Rand says their struggles are a cautionary tale for the Wild going forward. Expectations were high for the Twins, Lynx and Minnesota United, but all three have struggled. Expectations for the Wild will similarly be high next season, but sports keeps proving that we should take nothing for granted. 5:00: Patrick Reusse joins the show. He and Rand talk about Tom Thibodeau's struggling Knicks and what seems to be their inevitable pursuit of Jimmy Butler plus the legacy of local sports media personality Dark Star, who died nine years ago today. 29:00 Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open offers a lesson in how media access should be handled.

Michael Rand breaks down the Wild's 6-2 loss to Vegas in Game 7 of their opening round playoff series, then is joined by Star Tribune beat writer Sarah McLellan for a bigger picture look at what the Wild learned during the playoffs and what roster decisions are looming going forward for a team that hopes to take another step next season. Who will the Wild lose in expansion? How does it afford free agents? And does Zach Parise still have a role?

Intro: Baseball has another cheating problem, and it's starting to come out more into the open: pitchers across the sport are reportedly doctoring baseballs with sunscreen, rosin and other substances to increase spin rate, movement and strikeouts. The issue became more public after Cardinals pitcher Giovanny Gallegos was asked to change his glove in a game earlier this week. St. Louis manager Mike Shildt was livid and called out cheating he says is widespread. Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson tweeted that he has "an entire catalog of video of these guys cheating." 5:00: A quick update on Jhoan Duran, the Twins prospect who had another eye-popping night pitching for St. Paul on Thursday. 6:00: Former Wild playoff hero Wes Walz joins Michael Rand for both a look ahead at Friday's Game 7 between the Wild and Vegas and a look back at the Wild's pair of Game 7 road wins back in 2003 when Walz was a player. Come for the great insights. Stay for the fantastic Todd Bertuzzi story. 28:00: The Heat is in trouble, down 3-0 to the Bucks. What does that mean for Jimmy Butler's future?

Intro: A 3-0 victory by the Wild over Vegas in Game 6 of their playoff series on Wednesday had plenty of drama and momentum plays, but the biggest key according to Michael Rand was head coach Dean Evason pushing all the right buttons and outpacing Vegas coach Pete DeBoer. Evason stayed the course with his lineup and was rewarded. He kept faith in his best players and was rewarded. And he put Vegas in a desperate situation -- enough so that DeBore made an emotional challenge to a disallowed goal that went in the Wild's favor and changed the game. Plus, plenty of talk about Zach Parise's big game -- and his future -- and postgame comments from Evason, Marcus Foligno and goalie Cam Talbot. 15:00: Randy Johnson joins the show to talk about the Gophers football team being able to hit the road recruiting next week for the first time in a while -- and the opportunity for P.J. Fleck's team in opening against Ohio State. 27:00: Remember the 2003 playoff run and setting up Friday's podcast appearance from Wes Walz.

Intro: The Twins are on a mini-streak with five wins in their last six games, and a big part of their success is thanks to journeyman Rob Refsnyder. He cracked two doubles and a home run in a 7-4 win over Baltimore on Tuesday and is hitting .438 with a 1.191 OPS in 32 at bats this season. Refsnyder's run is a reminder that unexpected success is the best kind for a sports fan and team. Also, strange injury alert: A Cleveland pitcher broke his thumb taking off his shirt? 6:00: Minnesota United head coach Adrian Heath joins the show to talk about the team's 0-4 start despite massive expectations, his continued optimism after two victories and some key additions to the team, criticism from fans and plenty of other subjects. 27:00: Game 6 of Wild vs. Vegas will quite possibly turn in the second period. The Wild has been outscored 8-1 in that period in the series as Vegas has taken advantage of the "long change" and hemmed the Wild in its own defensive zone.

Intro: Michael Rand dives into the Wild's Game 5 victory over Vegas, a 4-2 win in which Minnesota was outshot 40-14 but nonetheless prevailed. Zach Parise had a huge goal in his second game after being reinserted into the lineup, helping the Wild build a 3-1 lead and then hang on for dear life. You'll hear postgame clips from both Parise and head coach Dean Evason as well. 11:00: Rand welcomes a couple of Wild fans onto the show to hear their perspectives on Game 5 -- and to gauge where there overall confidence in the team is now compared to just before puck drop on Monday night. 19:00: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers made an appearance on SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne's final show Monday, helping clarify his situation with Green Bay. It sure sounds like he has already moved on from the organization in his mind. 26:00: Don't look now, but the Twins are starting to play better and win more. We're still at "enjoy any positive" instead of "check the standings" mode, but we'll see if that can still change.

Intro: Michael Rand examines the Wild's ongoing ability to score in the playoffs, a problem that goes back several periods, several games or an entire franchise history depending on how you want to look at it. But there is some hope: The Wild has rallied twice from 3-1 playoff deficits to win series. 5:00: Patrick Reusse joins for a breakdown of the weekend, including Phil Mickelson's stunning PGA Championship victory at age 50. Reusse might not like Mickelson, but he has to respect the accomplishment. Plus the Twins finally won an extra-inning game -- and they did it while Rand was scouting their next pitching prospect over in St. Paul. 28:00: 2020 NFL Draft regrade somehow finds the gap between the Vikings and Packers is even larger. Will that year go down as a huge Green Bay blunder?