StribSports Daily Delivery

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which begins with a look at where the Gophers men's basketball coaching search is at the moment. It sounds like former U assistant and current Colorado State coach Niko Medved is the front-runner, but timing will make things interesting this week. Plus Reusse and Rand get into the Timberwolves' eight-game winning streak and another ill-timed injury for the Twins' Royce Lewis. And the Wild are in free-fall while the Loons somehow coughed up a three-goal lead this weekend.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with a second-day thought on the Gophers men's basketball coaching situation. AD Mark Coyle fired Ben Johnson after four seasons, and there's a long list of potential replacements. One guy who would probably be on the list and really is an ideal coach for this era: Richard Pitino, the guy Coyle fired four years ago, who is thriving at New Mexico and could be in line for the Virginia job. 8:00: Star Tribune writer Ben Goessling joins Rand to break down the latest on the Vikings' free agency moves, which mostly have been about upgrading their offensive and defensive lines. But one question that hasn't gone away yet: What about Aaron Rodgers? 34:00: The Wild are really struggling to score.

In Part two of Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast, Chip Scoggins and Michael Rand break down the news that Ben Johnson has been fired as Gophers men's basketball coach. What were the underlying causes? What didn't work with Johnson? Who will AD Mark Coyle try to target in his next hire? And how will a new coach benefit from increased money being pumped into the program?

It's a newsy day on Daily Delivery! On Part One, host Michael Rand starts with the overnight news that Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson has been fired. 8:00: The Wolves rolled the Nuggets by 20 for their sixth consecutive victory. 12:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins from Florida for an update on the Twins, including the sale of the team. 34:00: Aaron Rodgers just won't go away.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Vikings, who are going for it in free agency. Themes that have emerged: J.J. McCarthy is going to be the guy at QB this year; interior line play on both sides of the ball has been bolstered; and the Vikings clearly see themselves as contenders in 2025. 12:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins Rand to break down red-hot Minnesota, which has won five straight games heading into Wednesday's showdown against Denver. 28:00: Wayzata did it again, this time winning at Hopkins to take another boys basketball section final.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Vikings, who have been very busy in free agency in the first 24 hours of negotiations. Letting Sam Darnold go (to Seattle) opened up a bunch of cap space, which the Vikings are using to beef up the interior of their offensive and defensive lines. It's a new era of Vikings football. 10:00: Star Tribune Gophers basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins the show to break down the state of the men's team heading into the Big Ten Tournament. The 12th-seeded Gophers will play 13th-seeded Northwestern on Wednesday. Whenever the season ends, which could be very soon, a decision on Ben Johnson's future is sure to follow. 30:00: Listeners weigh in on the future of the Gophers men's basketball team.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. Plenty of things happened on Sunday, but they had to start with the biggest one: Reusse joined the social media platform Bluesky after dumping Twitter/X after a dustup over a Beastie Boys song. They eventually got to sports, which included another strong Wolves victory (their fifth in a row), a Wild loss, a Gophers men's basketball loss and a surprising Gophers men's hockey defeat. Plus some thoughts on NFL free agency, with teams free to negotiate with players officially starting today even if they clearly have been negotiating for a while now. Where will QB Sam Darnold wind up?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wild's second trade in the last week, this one for 6-6 Bruins forward Justin Brazeau. The move didn't clear salary cap space, so maybe more is to come for the Wild before Friday's trade deadline. Rand also looks at the boys' hockey state tournament and a big matchup Friday between Edina and Moorhead. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their weekly debate segment. With Neal in Florida for Twins spring training, this one was all about baseball. Three big Twins questions that sparked disagreement: Relying on the healthy of their three big players; the depth of the starting rotation; and just how good the bullpen really is. 26:00: A good result Thursday for the Twins and a listener in support of Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with three basketball games from Wednesday. The Gophers women lost in the Big Ten Tournament opener against Washington, leaving their NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy. The Gophers men lost at home to Wisconsin, but a bigger question about their future emerged. And Jaden McDaniels had 29 points in a Wolves win, continuing a stretch of excellence. 11:00: Andrew Krammer joins Rand to break down everything he learned during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Where do things stand with Sam Darnold? And who will the Vikings be targeting in the draft and free agency? 33:00: Defensive players to watch in free agency.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves, who produced a satisfying result Tuesday in a 126-112 win over Philadelphia. The game was tied late in the third quarter before Minnesota pulled away from the slumping, short-handed 76ers. Facing a bunch of beatable teams, can the Wolves lock in and stack up some wins? Plus Rand dissects the news that the Vikings didn't use the franchise tag on QB Sam Darnold. 10:00: Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins Rand for a look ahead to Friday's NHL trade deadline. The Wild, who won 4-3 late Tuesday at Seattle, are in a precarious place with their salary cap and with injuries to three of their top players. 30:00: Wednesday is a huge day for Gophers basketball.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the complex world of NFL finances, which makes the Vikings' decision on whether to keep Sam Darnold far more difficult than it might have a generation or two ago. Plus an opportunity tonight for the Wild and Wolves, and why they can't afford a letdown. 9:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a further exploration of Scoggins' recent project on the changing landscape of high school sports. Demographic shifts have altered the landscape, particularly in hockey. 24:00: Star Tribune high school sports reporter David La Vaque checks in with thoughts on the upcoming boys' hockey state tournament. 29:00: A big week for Gophers basketball.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included a much-needed victory for the Timberwolves on Sunday night in Phoenix. Reusse compares Anthony Edwards to Randy Moss, but not necessarily in a good way. From there, they get into a pair of 1-0 victories for the Wild and Loons, with Reusse decrying the lack of attacking spirit from Minnesota United. Bill Guerin is cranky about being asked all the time about injured stars Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek. Plus thoughts on Gophers basketball, the Twins and Sam Darnold.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves' loss to the Lakers on Thursday, which had a number of subplots. A report suggested that Dallas reached out to the Wolves about a Luka Doncic for Anthony Edwards trade before they dealt Doncic to the Lakers. Rand wonders if he would make that trade. Plus Ant picked up his 16th technical foul Thursday, earning an ejection and likely suspension for Friday's game. 10:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling has all sorts of updates from the scouting combine in Indianapolis. We know how long Kevin O'Connell's contract is, and Goessling also learned things about other contract negotiations. Plus an update on Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins. 27:00: The Wild's slide.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Gophers women's basketball team's loss to Washington on Wednesday, a blow to their NCAA tourney hopes. Minnesota lacks impressive victories this season and fell to 8-9 in conference play with the home loss. Plus Rand notes that Detroit has won eight straight games, meaning the Pistons are very likely to give up their first-round pick to the Timberwolves in the 2025 draft. 10:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand on three subjects for their weekly debate segment: the impact of Justin Ishbia leaving the Twins ownership picture; whether the Gophers men's basketball team will even reach the Big Ten tournament; and whether the Vikings will use the franchise tag on Sam Darnold. 28:00: Players love the Vikings.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with comments from Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at the scouting combine Tuesday. Both are correct in asserting the Vikings still have options at quarterback, but the time is coming soon to make a decision. You'll hear their comments and have a chance to read between the lines. 11:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a look at where Minnesota stands after a thrilling comeback win over Oklahoma City. The Wolves should be getting healthy right when their schedule softens. Can they take advantage of the position they are in? 25:00: Disappointing losses for the Wild and Gophers men's basketball.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves' stunning comeback victory over West-leading Oklahoma City on Monday. Down 106-82 early in the fourth quarter, Minnesota stormed back to force overtime and eventually won 131-128. Jaden McDaniels continues to be a story for the Wolves, who according to Rand shouldn't fear anyone in the West. The Wild, on the flip side, got some concerning news about Kirill Kaprizov. 10:00: Star Tribune high school writer Cassidy Hettesheimer joins Rand on several subjects. They got into her project on the best rivalries in Minnesota high school sports, the recent girls' hockey state tournament and the season-to-date for the PWHL's Minnesota Frost. 30:00: What is the best-case scenario for the Twins and Chris Paddack?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which unfortunately for Minnesota teams did not include a lot of successful basketball. The Gophers took a bad loss to Penn State, while the Wolves lost twice coming out of the break. Where does each team stand after those results? We also learned that Justin Ishbia is no longer in the running to buy the Twins, having instead increased his investment in the White Sox. Reusse wants everyone to calm down and notes that while Ishbia was the only known suitor there is still interest in buying the team from others. Plus a little hockey and soccer talk at the end.

Introduction: On a wide-ranging edition of the podcast, host Michael Rand starts with Canada's 3-2 overtime victory over Team USA in the Four Nations championship game. Plus a look at the Timberwolves' relatively soft schedule in March and the breakup between MLB and ESPN. 10:00: Jon Marthaler joins Rand to preview the Minnesota United season, which begins Saturday at LAFC. Is this the year the Loons become legitimate contenders? 25:00: A listener has a perspective on Ben Johnson.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with an important win for the Gophers women's basketball team, which knocked off Purdue 74-61 on Wednesday to solidify its NCAA tournament status. Plus a look at the confidence of Anthony Edwards and the shakiness of Luka's Lakers. 9:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their weekly debate segment. In focus: The Gophers have changed the narrative of their men's basketball season. What does that mean for coach Ben Johnson? Which team do you trust more in the playoffs -- the Wild or the Wolves? And what do we make of Total Golf Live? 28:00: Sam Darnold could be the next Baker Mayfield or Geno Smith. Is that what the Vikings really want?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Gophers men's basketball team's stunning comeback in at UCLA late Tuesday. The Bruins missed their free throws and Minnesota capitalized, getting a huge performance from Dawson Garcia and three tremendous plays from Lu'Cye Patterson down the stretch. And UCLA coach Mick Cronin, denied his 500th career win, blamed ... the fans? 8:00: Kent Youngblood joins the show to talk about the Gophers women's basketball team, which desperately needs a win over Purdue to bolster its NCAA tournament case. Plus they look at the offseason work done by the Lynx and wonder who the five best players are in franchise history. 29:00: Why don't the Twins steal bases?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the beginning of the period during which NFL teams can place the franchise tag on players. Much of the intrigue centers on quarterback Sam Darnold, but Rand thinks we should be paying attention to Byron Murphy Jr. 7:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to discuss his recent column on what athletes want from team owners. The subject takes them on a journey that examines the current (and soon-to-be) owners in the Twin Cities market. 31:00: St. Thomas men's basketball plus Gophers basketball.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. The live viewing options were sparse because of the worst scheduling coordination in pro sports history. Unless you wanted to watch the NBA All-Star Game (nope) or the Four Nations Tournament (maybe later), you were stuck between seasons. But they found plenty to talk about, still: The Twins begin their spring schedule on Saturday and still have a lot of questions to answer. The Gophers men's basketball team won at USC and revived a question about whether Ben Johnson has earned another year as their coach.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wolves' bounceback win over Oklahoma City, which gave them some good vibes going into the break. Young players have been stepping up lately. That bodes well for the future and also the present. Plus a near-comeback by the Gophers women's basketball team and a virtuoso performance by JuJu Watkins. 8:00: Star Tribune Twins writer Phil Miller joins Rand from Florida on a number of subjects. How do the recent free agent signings fit in with the club? What is the impact of the switch to MLB producing Twins games on TV in 2025, both for fans and finances? And what timeline should we expect for a new owner to be in place? 36:00: Two readers/listeners weigh in on Aaron Rodgers.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves' 103-101 loss to a Bucks team that was missing its two best players. Sure, Minnesota is also shorthanded. But this was a loss they couldn't afford, and it came on a night where Anthony Edwards shot a dreadful 10 for 33. 9:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their weekly debate segment. Their topics: The impact of the Wolves ownership decision; a move they want the Twins to make before spring training is over; and whether we owe Ed Donatell an apology. 26:00: Listeners weigh in on Donatell and the Twins, plus a note about Vikings free agency.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with a listener question about Gophers men's basketball coach Ben Johnson and the challenges he has faced. Rand also notes a tough ending for the Frost and another signing for the Twins. 12:00: Poetry is back! Rand and Keith Richotte Jr. revive their NFL poetry for the Super Bowl. 27:00: A dramatic reading of a long-lost letter and what remains unresolved for the Timberwolves.

Jeff Day and Michael Rand discuss and analyze Monday's news

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. They started with a Super Bowl blowout of epic proportions. The Eagles harassed Patrick Mahomes without ever blitzing him and scored at will on offense, piling up a 34-0 lead before Kansas City even crossed midfield. What did the game tell us about the Vikings? From there, they took a tour of the downtrodden Gophers men's basketball program, talked through a good win for the Gophers women's basketball team and set up a big day where the Timberwolves ownership dispute should be resolved.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wild game he attended with friends on Thursday. Some of them were Carolina Hurricanes fans, and Rand explains why attending games with fans of the opposing team has its benefits and drawbacks. The Wild earned a 2-1 win while the Wolves came back to defeat the Rockets, important home victories for both teams. 11:00: Jon Marthaler joins Rand to break down the imminent start of the MLS season. Where does Minnesota United fit in? And what does it all have to do with the band Van Halen? 28:00: Kevin O'Connell is the NFL's Coach of the Year, Jared Allen is a Hall of Famer and the Gophers women's basketball team is in need of a victory.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the NBA, which continues to offer intrigue leading up to the trade deadline. The Timberwolves got a much-needed win Wednesday over the Bulls, but bigger things swirl around them. The Lakers, Warriors and Spurs all made blockbuster trades that could impact this year's playoff race. And the arbitration to determine the Wolves' ownership will be decided by Monday. 12:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand on three topics: Does Kansas City get more calls from NFL refs? Was the Mavericks/Lakers trade as lopsided as it seemed? And what is the percent chance Sam Darnold is the Vikings' Week 1 QB in 2025? 29:00: The Vikings lost a valuable offensive coach and the Twins signed another free agent.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Twin signing relief pitcher Danny Coulombe to a modest one-year, $3 million deal. Normally that wouldn't be big offseason news, but it was the first free agent the Twins have signed. It's a low-risk deal, but how concerned should we be about Coulombe's elbow problems last year? Plus the Gophers men's basketball team picked up a road win. 6:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins the show to break down all the big story lines. The Wolves had a nice five-game winning streak, but now they have lost two in a row at home. Julius Randle is hurt. And they don't figure to do much (if anything) before Thursday's trade deadline. 30:00: Kevin Durant on the move? + The Wild can't score.

Host Michael Rand starts with a disappointing Wolves loss to Sacramento, which had just traded away point guard De'Aaron Fox. Instead of getting back on track against a weakened opponent, the Wolves dropped their second straight home game. Do they miss Julius Randle that much? Did Sacramento just play a really good game? A little of both is the answer. 9:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a look at the three biggest offseason questions facing the Vikings: What will they do at quarterback? When (and with what terms) is GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah going to sign a contract extension? And what do the Vikings think they can be in 2025? 40:00: Ryan Hartman leaving the Wild short-handed.

On a jam-packed and sometimes meandering edition of the Daily Delivery podcast, Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse and host Michael Rand started with the bonkers NBA trade over the weekend that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to Dallas. Almost everyone thinks Dallas was crazy to make the deal, including Reusse and Rand. The Wolves took a very bad loss to Washington, even accounting for the fact that Minnesota was missing Anthony Edwards. The Gophers lost to a much different Washington, but that loss was almost as bad. St. Thomas men's basketball, meanwhile, keeps on rolling. And an early look at the Super Bowl mixed in with an old Reusse story.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with two big back-to-back wins for the Wild and Wolves. Marc-Andre Fleury got a tremendous sendoff in Montreal and posted a 19-save shutout in the Wild's 4-0 victory. The Wolves clobbered Utah thanks to their bench. Both teams won both games of road back-to-backs, which is no easy feat. 13:00: Randy Johnson joins Rand to talk college hockey. The Gophers men are in good position in the rankings and PairWise but need to sort out some issues. Plus they look at the bigger picture of men's college hockey and major offseason news for Gophers football. 28:00: The Gophers women's hockey and basketball teams are playing the best of the best teams. And the Vikings need to get younger.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Wolves' 121-113 victory over Phoenix late Wednesday, which included the first career ejection for head coach Chris Finch. He has been cranky the last few days, but his message seems to have hit the intended target as the Wolves have won four in a row and are five games above .500. 9:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their debate segment. In focus this week: Can the Wild survive without Kirill Kaprizov (they did a good job Wednesday), will Brian Flores ever get another shot as a head coach and are the Twins right to be optimistic about their pitching? 31:00: Vikings free agents in focus, St. Thomas men's basketball stays hot at home.

Host Michael Rand gives you the bad news first: The Gophers men's basketball team, which had stunned many of us with three good wins in a row, was humbled in a blowout loss at Michigan State on Tuesday. And Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has been shut down again, this time for at least a month, as he undergoes surgery. But the Minnesota Frost won and are rolling again in the PWHL. 9:00: Star Tribune Twins writer Bobby Nightengale Jr. joins the show for an update on what has been a very quiet offseason. What moves might the Twins make between now and the start of the season? What is the timeline for a sale of the team? And what are realistic expectations for 2025? 31:00: Perspective from a Vikings fan.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand was going to tease Wolves fans again for turning their noses up at victory, but then it turned out that head coach Chris Finch felt the same way about Minnesota's 100-92 victory over a short-handed Atlanta squad. How will the Wolves respond to his criticism? And this much is certain: They should be glad Jimmy Butler isn't part of their mess. 10:00: Star Tribune Gophers men's basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins Rand to break down the stunning three-game winning streak for Minnesota. Is it sustainable heading into a tough game at Michigan State? And will the Gophers ever schedule St. Thomas? 31:00: Some attention for Gophers women's basketball heading into two daunting road games.

Introduction: Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. They started with the AFC and NFC title games, focusing mostly on Kansas City's 32-29 win over the Bills. Reusse says Buffalo got everything it deserved in the loss because of a stubborn insistence on running the "tush push" in short-yardage situations. And now we're stuck with Chiefs vs. Eagles again. 16:00: The Gophers men's basketball team has now won three games in a row after starting Big Ten play 0-6. Neither Reusse nor Rand can figure out what exactly is going on here. 25:00: Reusse has perspective from the Wolves' big win over the Nuggets on Saturday, plus thoughts on the Twins and their search for a new owner.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with a 4-0 loss for the Wild to Utah. After finally getting two key players back (Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon), the Wild fell flat on home ice Thursday. That tends to happen, so it's best not to overreact. Plus Rand gets to a listener question about what the Vikings might do at running back in 2025. 9:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand for a further exploration of the Vikings' offseason, questions about the cold stove Twins and musings about the Timberwolves. 34:00: Are we being too hard on Jaden McDaniels?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand isn't interested in style points. Did the Wolves win against a depleted Dallas squad? Yes. That's all you need to know, even if it did take uncharacteristically huge games from Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels. All wins are good wins. 8:00: Daily Delivery debate with La Velle E. Neal III on the Vikings, Gophers hoops and Twins. 25:00: Explaining Sam Darnold and the franchise tag option.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with a second consecutive impressive victory for the Gophers men's basketball team, who won in Iowa for the first time in a decade. Is this a positive blip during a disappointing season, or is Ben Johnson's team starting to build something? 6:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand to break down Kevin O'Connell's contract extension. With a new multi-year deal in hand, how does O'Connell go about setting the Vikings up for success? And what comes next for Minnesota in what figures to be a busy offseason? 20:00: Star Tribune Wolves writer Chris Hine joins to talk about the 22-21 squad, which needs to put together a run soon to move up in the standings. 38:00: Baseball on the brain.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included another close but ultimately unsatisfying Timberwolves loss to Memphis. More questions about late-game personnel and offense turned a five-point lead into a two-point defeat. Will Minnesota even make the play-in? Reusse isn't convinced they will. 16:00: The Wild earned a tough win at Colorado on Monday, continuing a yearlong trend of playing their best hockey on the road. Still without several key players, including Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild are staying competitive. 27:00: Washington thrashed the favored Lions, putting up 45 points to eliminate Detroit in the NFL playoffs. Should we be even more concerned now about how the Vikings ended their season? And what else did we learn from the division round?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Gophers women's basketball team's seven-point loss at Maryland on Tuesday and sets up big home games for the Wild (against Edmonton) and the Wolves (against Golden State) on Wednesday. 7:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Andrew Krammer joins the show for a final film review after a disappointing 27-9 playoff loss to the Rams. How do we explain Sam Darnold getting sacked nine times? Plus a look ahead to what figures to be a very disruptive offseason. With tons of free agents as well as possible coaching departures, the Vikings figure to look a lot different when they reconvene in 2025. 30:00: A season-ending version of Vikings poetry. 44:00: How will we remember this Vikings season?

Host Michael Rand starts with the other games Monday, including a more competitive Gophers men's basketball loss and a good enough Timberwolves win. 7:00: Rand quickly gets to the Vikings, of course, and the ugly end to a great season. After losing 27-9 to the Rams on Monday, a season with great potential and accomplishment is suddenly over. It disappeared in a flurry of sacks, poor offensive line play and indecision from Sam Darnold. Where do the Vikings go from here? Rand will answer that and tons of listener questions. 37:00: Even more to come.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse and host Michael Rand take a look back at the weekend in sports and a look ahead to Monday's huge playoff game between the Vikings and Rams. The NFL playoffs so far have been a dud, with either lopsided results, mediocre action or both. The Vikings know going into Monday that they would face the Eagles if they advance to the next round thanks to Philadelphia's win over the Packers and Washington's upset of Tampa Bay. The biggest question, of course: Which version of Sam Darnold is going to show up? Plus thoughts on the Wolves and Gophers men's basketball.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the implications of the Vikings vs. Rams game being moved to Arizona because of the fires in Los Angeles. Plus thoughts on the Timberwolves winning three games in a row and the injuries that caught up to the Wild in a blowout loss Thursday to Colorado. 10:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins to talk about where Sam Darnold stands going into his first career playoff start. Can he rebound from one of the worst games of his career last week? Plus a look at whether Brian Flores will be a head coach somewhere else next season as well as Kevin O'Connell's contract status. 32:00: Getting into the College Football Playoff.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand start with three teams that won Wednesday but don't often get headlines on the podcast. The Gophers women's basketball team is now 16-1 after a 26-point win over Rutgers. The St. Thomas men's basketball team is 3-0 in conference play after a nice win over South Dakota State. And the Frost won in overtime on a Taylor Heise goal, part of their strong start to this season. 9:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show for the weekly Daily Delivery Debate segment. In focus: The mindset of the Vikings and their fans going into the playoffs; whether the Wolves have figured things out; and the most impressive Wild player since Kirill Kaprizov's injury. 27:00: Will the Vikings be playing in Arizona?

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with another gritty Wild victory, during which they overcame an injury to Brock Faber, a two-goal deficit and a grueling end-of-game shift. They've won six of their last seven and seem to have put their swoon behind them. Plus the Wolves won for the second straight game after their lineup change. 9:00: Star Tribune Gophers men's basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins Rand to talk about the struggling squad. Minnesota fell to 0-4 in the Big Ten with a double overtime loss to Ohio State this week, and it's hard to find positives about the team right now. 28:00: Gophers women's basketball optimism and the possibility of Brian Flores leaving the Vikings.

Introduction: On a jam-packed edition of the podcast, host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves. They won 108-106 on Monday after making a change to their starting lineup. Donte DiVincenzo replaced Mike Conley Jr., a move that seemed to help both players. Did Chris Finch simply listen to all of us? Plus the Gophers men's basketball team made a slew of errors down late in the game in an 89-88 double overtime loss to Ohio State. 11:00: Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a review of the 31-9 Vikings loss to the Lions. It was a bad performance from QB Sam Darnold in a critical moment. It also raised questions about the Vikings' ability to handle blitzes heading into the playoffs Monday against the Rams. 32:00: More award-winning Vikings poetry, plus comments from Kevin O'Connell on his job status.

Host Michael Rand was joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at the weekend in Minnesota sports, which of course started with the Vikings' disappointing 31-9 loss in Detroit. With home field advantage and the No. 1 seed on the line, the Vikings couldn't cash in red zone chances on offense. Now they have to go on the road and face a Rams team that already beat them once this year. 22:00: The news isn't much better with the Timberwolves. 34:00: The Wild, on the other hand, could be in the midst of a special season. And the mayo was flowing freely on P.J. Fleck's head.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the NBA's biggest problem. Ratings are down for a number of reasons, but here is a big one: As teams like the Celtics have won with ruthless efficiency, as they did Thursday against the Wolves, the game has become less interesting to watch. Rand also touches on the uninspiring Twins offseason plus a win for the Wild and a loss for Gophers men's basketball. 11:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show for a weekly debate segment on the Timberwolves, Gophers football and this question: Which championship other than a Super Bowl for the Vikings would mean the most to Minnesota fans? 31:00: A telling quote from Anthony Edwards and an encouraging mindset from the Gophers.