00:00:02
Speaker 1: This is your, is this the week we say you are? What your record is? Leader Fan, Fan Radio Network, and KFAN.com. Two minutes and one second past the hour, 3 o'clock Central Daylight Time. We welcome you back to a Monday edition of the Friday Football Beast on another beautiful weekday afternoon here in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
00:00:35
Speaker 2: Gardzi produces the program.
00:00:36
Speaker 3: My name's Dan Barrera for Ringstein Ratch, newspaper of the Twin Cities.
00:00:41
Speaker 2: And we will be.
00:00:41
Speaker 3: With you for the next, is it three and a half hours tonight? Or are we out a little early?
00:00:45
Speaker 2: Too early to tell? No, and I knew this. We are out at 610. 610 tonight, you say? Interesting. I just had to double-check to make sure I didn't give you bad information. Fascinating.
00:00:55
Speaker 1: Okay, that's good enough for me. A lot of football today. Won't be real surprised there. Vikings talking points are in.
00:01:03
Speaker 3: In addition, we expect the new Monday regulars, Blake Cashman, bottom of the hour, and Nacho Ben Lieber, his usual time, probably about 447, 448, 449.
00:01:17
Speaker 2: Somewhere in there.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to the broadcast today in part because I'm going to start the show with a bit of a confession about what I missed this weekend.
00:01:31
Speaker 2: I did not. I was in a place.
00:01:33
Speaker 3: Well, actually, Champaign, Illinois, to be precise, where I had access.
00:01:40
Speaker 2: I had two things going for me.
00:01:43
Speaker 3: Irish dance competition lasts 24.
00:01:46
Speaker 2: Hours, basically, each day. That's what I've heard.
00:01:49
Speaker 1: So the beauty of it is once you get the lay of the land of it, as I have, because we've been doing this for, you know, like 15 years or close to it, it feels like, you realize you don't have to be there for every minute and every dance.
00:02:00
Speaker 2: I mean, they're all wonderful. Yeah, you love all the kids. You do, but you don't have to be there for every dance. They're great workers.
00:02:05
Speaker 3: And then when your kid gets older, she becomes more savvy also about, Dad, just get back at such and such.
00:02:11
Speaker 2: A time or whatever the case may be.
00:02:14
Speaker 3: So that meant I had time to watch from the hotel TV, which is another story for later, a lot of pro football. Unfortunately, I was at the mercy of what was made available. Champagne, it's obviously going to be Bears-Packers. I think there was an AFC game on the CBS affiliate. So I did the best I could do, and I don't love confessing this, during some of the Irish dance competition, I was listening to PA and Bursich and Lieber via Sirius XM because they give you every hometown feed that you want. So I did hear a decent amount of the second half of the Vikings' victory over the New Orleans Saints.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: But I didn't see it. Now, I've seen highlights.
00:03:03
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:03:04
Speaker 2: It's not the same as seeing it start to finish. That's true. So I'm going to need help.
00:03:07
Speaker 3: I'm going to need help from you, the producer of the program. And I'm going to assume you're probably going to prefer looking back on that more than you prefer looking back on Gophers Purdue.
00:03:16
Speaker 2: I mean, we could look back on it. That all 22.
00:03:20
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:03:20
Speaker 1: But I also need help from the audience as well. Although the problem is I left my iPad at home, so I can't even log in. Oh, no.
00:03:28
Speaker 3: So it's probably going to be a day you're better off tweeting at me because I do want to know how it felt in real time watching start to finish.
00:03:36
Speaker 2: 23-13, was that the final?
00:03:37
Speaker 5: Yes.
00:03:39
Speaker 1: A fairly comfortable victory. Utter dominance of the defense again. That much even I could figure out. That'll be at least one of the talking points today. And clearly, a bit of a throwback version of Kyler Murray. The guy who was running to run a little bit. With a great deal of success. We've been waiting for it.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: So, we're now five games in, right? Our record is 5-0.
00:04:09
Speaker 3: The famous Bill Parcells line from years ago, you are what your record is. People repeat that cliche.
00:04:16
Speaker 1: They rarely believe it. Now, I think... Here's the way it works with that cliche. If you think the team is legit or underrated, despite the fact other people think it's kind of a flimsy 5-0.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Then you go, I'm not sure I buy the record.
00:04:34
Speaker 5: If you....
00:04:38
Speaker 1: Think the team that's 5-0 gets.
00:04:39
Speaker 2: Too much grief.
00:04:40
Speaker 3: You go, look at the record.
00:04:43
Speaker 2: How do you argue with it? So that's my opening question. Is this the week?
00:04:47
Speaker 1: Did enough happen in New Orleans for people to say, or a greater number of people to say, you are what your record is. I'm trusting this. Or do we have a built-in distrust because of the number of times we've started really strong And it hasn't necessarily, it's not like we've faded into oblivion in the regular season, but it has not paid off in terms of a significant playoff run. So that's what I need help for because I can't speak to that given I just saw highlights, I heard a little of PA, I heard a little of Bursich, etc.
00:05:26
Speaker 2: So we need participatory radio to that extent today.
00:05:29
Speaker 1: First thing I'll help you with is in the future, You don't even have to rely on SiriusXM. Just go to the iHeartRadio app and listen and make KFA in a preset. Well, let me further confess. The advantage there was I could flip between several games.
00:05:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got you. But that's all.
00:05:44
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I'm glad you got that in. Because you can make KFA in a preset, and then it's like you're listening to the radio.
00:05:48
Speaker 2: That's true.
00:05:49
Speaker 1: It's the easiest thing ever to do. Hopefully that gets me through another week. And perhaps another bonus of some sort.
00:05:53
Speaker 2: That would be great. Yeah, you wouldn't mind that. Download it now. Hit the preset. Yes. We'd love talkbacks. It would all be good. I think more people.
00:06:00
Speaker 1: are open to the possibility that the Vikings might possibly have something because the quarterback finally played like we thought he might play. Not that we thought, as they hoped he might play. And honestly, if you don't have the Aaron Jones fumble and you don't have the other fumble for a scoop and score, you're probably talking about a slaughter, a much more comfortable victory. Slaughter probably is the right term for it because they're controlling everything. Aaron Jones fumbles when you're at least going to get a field goal and maybe even a touchdown because that would have been a first and goal. So I think the way the quarterback played, the way the offense worked, the way they ran the ball, I think the way all of that contributed to the victory as opposed to just took advantage of the defense and the special teams, I think more people are open to the possibility that maybe they have something here.
00:06:48
Speaker 3: Well, the other thing worth discussing, and we can spend not just today.
00:06:53
Speaker 2: But parts of the entire week doing it, is a belief that.
00:06:58
Speaker 3: And I'm one of them who agrees with this, that the schedule is about to get, like, two or three degrees of intensity tougher.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: A little bit, yeah.
00:07:09
Speaker 3: And now, that doesn't mean any of those games are unwinnable, but there's a stretch. We'll go over it a little bit later, and we have, I think, already, actually, last week, where you're saying, ooh, there could be a losing streak in there. Well, what do you do to try to circumvent that, or to perhaps... Blunt that. You win as many games as you're supposed to win. And we get the bye this week, and then don't we get the Colts?
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Yes, at home.
00:07:37
Speaker 1: So you got an excellent chance to be 6-0 before, I would say, the meatier part of the schedule comes in. And then it's just, if you win a fair share, if you play 500 ball with the meatier part of the schedule, you're still in very good position. So you never have to apologize for... What year was it? It was a couple years ago. That's what we said. You have to win your first couple games. Which game did we lose?
00:08:05
Speaker 2: Was it to Atlanta?
00:08:06
Speaker 3: We lost at home to somebody we weren't supposed to lose to.
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Tampa once. Maybe it was Tampa. Yeah, with Kirk.
00:08:11
Speaker 3: But whoever it was, we said, well, now you're behind the eight ball because you didn't give yourself a little bit of that equity. We know the schedule is going to get tougher. They're taking full advantage of If it is a soft schedule, they're taking full advantage of it. I think the disadvantage the Vikings have right now, nationally, if it matters to people, is to get the national attention, you either need a signature, dramatic, come-from-behind victory last second, or you need to utterly and completely humiliate a couple of teams. Which, now, our point differential is actually one of the better ones in the NFC.
00:08:51
Speaker 2: Which is hilarious. Which is hilarious. Because we don't score points.
00:08:54
Speaker 1: That's exactly it. But, well, that's a compliment to the defense, because you can still have a good point differential, because the defense ain't giving up anything.
00:08:59
Speaker 6: Right.
00:08:59
Speaker 2: Just absolutely nothing at this point. In fact, why don't we, why don't we, this is the perfect time to... to try another Flonami talking point.
00:09:07
Speaker 6: Pressure, throws left, incomplete.
00:09:10
Speaker 4: It's three and out for the New Orleans Saints, and quite honestly, Pete, just after three plays, it feels like they have minimal chance to move the ball.
00:09:18
Speaker 6: Well, Chuck's not comfortable, and that's the most important thing.
00:09:20
Speaker 4: I mean.
00:09:21
Speaker 6: You mentioned his seven years in college. Paul, it took a lot of us seven years to get through college. But like the first play of the game, you're looking at Dallas Turner versus the Sim Richards. You're thinking, all right, this is where it's going to be. Well, Dallas Turner drops out in coverage, and you send Cashman unblocked up the middle, and then you have Van Ginkle on him. I mean, we're throwing stuff at them that they're just not ready to see.
00:09:42
Speaker 4: Back to pass, blustered, looped one up left side, incomplete. He now has thrown two balls that have been quite interceptable. Vele was the intended receiver there. And despite being two for two on fourth down, Kellen Moore, coach of the New Orleans Saints, will opt to punt. back to pass to lose the pressure he's yet to be sacked runs out to the right another flag comes in and somehow the ball came out from shuck and the vikings have recovered it at about the 40 yard line he threw it right to byron murphy he did he just rolled out and threw it right to byron murphy it's exactly what you've been talking about all day paul with shuck he's gonna throw us an interception and he did he just rolled out what i mean this is the easiest interception that byron murphy has ever had.
00:10:32
Speaker 2: On fourth and seven, Metellus shows blitz, and here he comes.
00:10:35
Speaker 4: Shuck.
00:10:36
Speaker 2: Metellus got through.
00:10:37
Speaker 1: Shuck throws to the right.
00:10:38
Speaker 4: Jawan Johnson caught at the 40, and the lanky tight end died through the first down.
00:10:43
Speaker 2: I think he missed it.
00:10:44
Speaker 1: He did.
00:10:45
Speaker 4: The Vikings have turned over the.
00:10:48
Speaker 2: New Orleans Saints on downs.
00:10:53
Speaker 1: I believe, I mean, that's a pretty good cross-section, a Flonami cross-section for this week. The stat that caught my eye is that outside of the one touchdown drive by the offense for New Orleans, 28 plays, 76 yards allowed.
00:11:08
Speaker 2: That's crazy.
00:11:09
Speaker 1: Those are absurd numbers. I don't care how inept. In fact, Salisbury told us he didn't think the Saints offense was inept. Now, I haven't seen a lot of this QB. It didn't look like he was doing much yesterday, although, again, I'm just listing more than watching.
00:11:24
Speaker 2: It doesn't matter.
00:11:24
Speaker 3: 28 plays, 76 yards is absolutely absurd. So, again, even if you don't quite buy everything about the offense yet, this defense is... I'm going to ask Blake Cashman this question. I doubt he'll answer it directly. But I'm going to ask him nevertheless. I mean, we're now five games in. He's playing some good defenses here. Is this the best defense that Flo has had to this point, B-Flo? I think there's every reason to believe it might be. Now, again, the proof will be when we start playing some teams that are a little bit more explosive. But even then, I don't think anybody– you don't have to shut them out.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: It's just whether you can be effective.
00:12:09
Speaker 3: Yeah, keep us in the game. And keep in the game. That's exactly correct. So you are what your record– is I think at some point, if you just keep winning, the other side gets worn down.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: Maybe I still have some questions here, but.
00:12:30
Speaker 3: How many games in a row do they have to win before you say, well, they look interesting, they look promising, and we're back to the obvious. If you can garner something consistently, if you can have a couple explosive offensive games, however you're doing it, running, passing, Kyler scrambling, then I think you'll have, there'll be nothing stopping us now.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: Meantime.
00:12:52
Speaker 1: Fan and two men in the truck want to give you a shot to win bonus bucks with our national cash contest. The first keyword of the week is credit. Go to KFAN.com and enter the keyword credit.
00:13:01
Speaker 2: Bumper to bumper with Dan Barrero. On the fan. From the 1-800-ASK-GARY Traffic Center. This report is sponsored by Luther Brookdale Mazda.
00:13:10
Speaker 7: Crosstown eastbound is looking crowded as you approach Highway 100, and there's some heavy traffic between Lindale and Portland as well. Starting to see slowdowns. South 169 from 494 down to about Pioneer Trail. South 35W just after 106 to Cliff Road.
00:13:39
Speaker 1: We are streaming live every hour today from the Power Trip. Paul Allen, The Common Man, and Dan Barrero. Find them all live on our YouTube channel. Watch it all at kfan.com slash watch.
00:13:48
Speaker 2: Powered by Quantum Fiber from AT & T.
00:13:54
Speaker 4: Where is the.
00:13:55
Speaker 3: I just asked Common during the break here. He was coming in to give me a couple of pithy observations. Where is the Super Bowl this year? I honestly don't know.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: The Super Bowl... I mean, it's so foreign to us. Yeah, it's not San Francisco because it was just there.
00:14:12
Speaker 1: I honestly can tell you, and I know this is... It's supposed to be embarrassing. You're on a major metropolitan all-sports talk station. Oh, I did know this.
00:14:20
Speaker 2: I did know this. Where's the Super Bowl? You don't know where the Super Bowl is? We never go unless it's here.
00:14:24
Speaker 4: No!
00:14:25
Speaker 2: So it is back in L.A., back at SoFi. Ah, okay.
00:14:30
Speaker 1: Which is probably where it's going to be every four years. Well, that wouldn't be a bad trip for us. Great.
00:14:35
Speaker 2: We'd be out there all week, or it would just be the power trip.
00:14:38
Speaker 1: Will the Power Trip be there for both weeks in between the title game and the Super Bowl?
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Have they done... What's the name of that.
00:14:46
Speaker 1: Indoor building that everybody has, like, interns in? Not internships, but like... They do, like the Eagles are there for like seven straight days.
00:14:56
Speaker 2: What's the name of that?
00:14:56
Speaker 6: The Sphere?
00:14:57
Speaker 4: The Sphere!
00:14:57
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah.
00:14:58
Speaker 1: Has Power Trip done any shows from the Sphere yet?
00:15:00
Speaker 2: No, but they've all been to a show at the Sphere.
00:15:02
Speaker 5: Well, that's not surprising.
00:15:03
Speaker 1: Because they go to Vegas so often, they just take turns.
00:15:06
Speaker 2: Beautiful thing.
00:15:07
Speaker 5: They should.
00:15:07
Speaker 2: I mean, maybe for their 50th anniversary. That would be it. The Sphere. Do the Sphere. Series of shows from the Sphere.
00:15:12
Speaker 1: Yeah. Wouldn't be a bad thing. I would take Los Angeles for sure. If they said, we need you guys to go, I would be fine with that. Are you interested in the Chargers QB? Because he's going to be available. Do we think he is? Do we think they're going to move him?
00:15:28
Speaker 2: Well, they got to. They're doomed.
00:15:29
Speaker 1: Just fire the coach and get a new coach. You can't fire Harbaugh, can you? Harbaugh, he's never been fired, has he?
00:15:37
Speaker 5: No.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: I don't think he's ever.
00:15:38
Speaker 1: This would be the first time he's been fired, wouldn't it?
00:15:40
Speaker 2: Am I wrong? Well, I'm just trying to think. I mean, in college, he wasn't fired. In college, he wasn't.
00:15:44
Speaker 1: San Fran, he was not, was he?
00:15:46
Speaker 2: No, he left. But they weren't in love with him at the end in San Fran.
00:15:50
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:15:51
Speaker 2: And he went back to Michigan. I don't even know if I want him. That's the thing. You wonder. The QB is... They're winless, right? The team. Yeah. Even though I think in this game they were up 21-14 going into the fourth.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: Against my Broncos, right? Has the tide already turned that much on Kyler? We like him.
00:16:11
Speaker 2: It's growing. He's figuring the thing out.
00:16:14
Speaker 1: My biggest issue with Kyler, based on the comments after the game, was... Don't tell me that, well, this is kind of a throwback to an old time, almost like it's a novelty.
00:16:26
Speaker 2: Don't expect it much.
00:16:27
Speaker 1: It should be required as part of Kyler Murray every week. Now, again, not recklessly, within reason, but I honestly believe your best chance to be successful with a guy who wasn't all that crazy about acquiring is... He continues to include that in his repertoire.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: I think that's massive. Has to.
00:16:50
Speaker 1: Yes. And it wasn't just, I know we've got the talking point for it. We probably don't have time for it now. It wasn't just the scrambles for first. No, it was the scramble to find JJ, for example, even the past. And I should have included it, but it wasn't really a scramble where. He didn't really scramble. He just kind of navigated the pocket and found your guy Jones for like 30 yards down the left sideline.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: That was big time.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: And that was using his gifts, not necessarily to scramble, but just to buy a little time, navigate the pocket, and deliver an absolute dagger.
00:17:23
Speaker 2: He played great yesterday.
00:17:24
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:17:24
Speaker 2: There's not much... A lot of the.
00:17:28
Speaker 2: Early tweets are very positive on Kyler.
00:17:30
Speaker 3: I guess you're back to the old fatalistic issue about, well, you know, I believe it when I actually see it in the postseason.
00:17:38
Speaker 6: Of course.
00:17:38
Speaker 2: And I understand that.
00:17:40
Speaker 4: I do.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: I think, you know, at some.
00:17:43
Speaker 3: Point, though, we may be seeing, like I said, this defense might be, I'm not going to go historic yet.
00:17:49
Speaker 2: I'm really not.
00:17:50
Speaker 3: But it might be one of the better Vikings defenses in the last 25 years. I think, I think there is reason to believe it has that the third down statistics, the third time, the third down, what's the word I'm looking for? Conversion percentage for opposing for offenses.
00:18:10
Speaker 2: It's, It's unbelievably in the Vikings' favor.
00:18:13
Speaker 3: The third down seems to be the place where, and Gannon, last time we had him on, that's what he talked about. The third down blitzes fascinate him more than pretty much anything else. Maybe we'll get into that subject with our 3.30 guest, Blake Cashman, our weekly guest now joining us in just a few minutes.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: Don't forget, Ben Lieber will be with us.
00:18:30
Speaker 3: In the 4 o'clock hour and many more Vikings talking points when we return.
00:18:34
Speaker 2: You're listening to Barrero on The Fan. The Fan. Every weekday. I need a grind, give me a grind. The Fan, along with.
00:18:47
Speaker 3: Ben Lieber will join about an hour and 20 minutes from now. More Vikings talking points before we wrap things up. And a little early today, 610 or 615, heading into Minnesota Wild Hockey.
00:19:00
Speaker 2: Blake Cashman, kind enough.
00:19:01
Speaker 3: To join us now via the Connecticut Water Systems hotline. Congratulations, sir, on another very, I would call it workmanlike event. Victory, how would you describe victory number five?
00:19:20
Speaker 5: Just another great win. Going 1-0, man. Taking care of business.
00:19:27
Speaker 2: Sound like P.J. Fleck there.
00:19:29
Speaker 3: I have you, the defense, giving up.
00:19:33
Speaker 2: Let me see if I have the number here right.
00:19:34
Speaker 3: I think it's 64 points so far this season.
00:19:39
Speaker 2: So let me do the math on that. Five games, right?
00:19:42
Speaker 3: That's 12 and change a game.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: That's very good. Now, again, you guys I know are searching for it.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: Perfection but um i assume that's a number that you as a as a man with high defensive standards can live with 64 points for the entire season is all you guys have yielded and that by the way includes the fumble return which obviously your defense had nothing to do with against new orleans.
00:20:10
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:20:10
Speaker 5: I think, uh, overall with how we've played defensively, uh, we're happy with where we're at and what we've accomplished so far, but by no means are we, are we satisfied? Uh, I think I've said it before, you know, there's still meat on the bone out there and, uh, we want to continue to be very critical on ourselves, be our biggest critic and, uh, continue to find ways to get better each week.
00:20:42
Speaker 3: You know, this is going to sound like an odd question, but it won't be the, it's not the first, it probably won't be the last. When around the country people are evaluating your defense in the start this year, there's some people via the analytics emphasize your third down efficiency defensively.
00:20:58
Speaker 2: Other people say, no, no, no.
00:21:00
Speaker 3: It's really actually about what this defense does on first and second down.
00:21:05
Speaker 2: Can you give us any.
00:21:06
Speaker 1: Obviously, you need it all pretty much to be a really great defense, but... From your perspective, do you think you set the tone early?
00:21:13
Speaker 2: Or do you think it really is.
00:21:16
Speaker 3: We had Rich Gannon on a couple weeks ago, former big-time quarterback, MVP. And he said, from a quarterback standpoint, he thought it was the third down stuff. He said the stuff they do, that you guys do on third down, is getting harder and harder for quarterbacks to figure out how to read, what to do with it, etc.
00:21:36
Speaker 2: Do you think... Third down's most important, or do you think you set the tone early?
00:21:43
Speaker 5: Well, those situational downs, third down, are always heavy downs in a football game, and they're critical. They're very important. I would say that no matter the type of defense, the scheme you run.
00:22:03
Speaker 5: If you want to be a good defense, you have to be good on early down and you have to earn the right to rush the quarterback blitz because if teams are, are moving the ball on early down and they're in manageable situations, um, you can't really maybe get into those packages to try to tee off on, on opponents. Um, But this year so far, you know, we've been pretty good on early down, and that's allowed us to get into those second and long third down situations where, you know, teams have to absorb a little bit more risk and drop back and pass the football. And I think Flo's defense really comes alive in those moments.
00:23:02
Speaker 3: Blake Cashman, kind enough to join us via the Connecticut Water Systems hotline. Kevin Seifert, who's been covering, who's covered this team for many, many years, joins us weekly, had written, I think going into the game, a piece that I thought was interesting because what it laid out defensively was a belief, these are quotes from many of you on the defense, saying that one of the advantages this year is that the BFLOW approach was.
00:23:31
Speaker 2: we don't have to.
00:23:32
Speaker 3: Start from scratch anymore in the offseason stuff in terms of what we're putting in. That we can almost start at, you know, the fourth level, senior level, so to speak, because we've got many of the same people who kind of understand what this whole thing is about. And to a certain extent, it has allowed you guys to add even more intricacies and wrinkles to what you do.
00:23:55
Speaker 2: Do you agree with that?
00:23:58
Speaker 5: I absolutely agree with that. When you have guys that have played in the system, understand it conceptually and as a whole, you're able to keep taking it to the next level. And as we all know, Flo's a very innovative coach. And he always is critiquing his scheme and does a good job doing that because it keeps... opponent offenses on their toes. And, you know, that's kind of where we picked up even this offseason and going into training camp.
00:24:41
Speaker 3: How much fire and brimstone does B-Flow have? Leaving aside for the moment the wrinkles and the X's and O's part of it, the chess match that he seems to enjoy. In terms of when I say fire and brimstone, obviously I mean, you know, in terms of his approach, I don't want to say necessarily yelling is important, but a guy who's very emotional when he's talking to his unit, like you and other members of the team.
00:25:09
Speaker 2: How would you describe that side of B-Flow?
00:25:15
Speaker 5: Like during the week? Or are you talking about on game day?
00:25:18
Speaker 2: Actually, both.
00:25:19
Speaker 1: I like answers.
00:25:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's okay. Both would be good.
00:25:24
Speaker 5: I mean, I think during the week.
00:25:28
Speaker 5: Flo is pretty calm and steady. The same guy, very intentional and clear with what the plan is going to be and communicating that to other coaches on the staff and us players. On game day, that's when I feel like a lot of excitement and enthusiasm that fans see come to life. Who doesn't love to play for a coach that, you know, when the defense makes a big third down stop, he's right there, you know, fist bumping with the guys, jumping up and down, hand guys on the back of the helmet, celebrating with them. That's the kind of, you know, energy that, you know, this defense, the players play with, and Flo brings that as well.
00:26:21
Speaker 2: What makes him mad?
00:26:24
Speaker 5: What makes him mad? Mm-hmm. Well, guys not doing their jobs. Really, I would say even when there are mistakes, Flo is pretty calm about that on game day. I think that would surprise people. I mean, you'll know he's upset, but his approach to communicate the correction, you know, I think is special because I've seen at times where maybe coaches let another coach or another player hear too much and they kind of mentally fall into a slump in the game. But I think Flo does a great job at pointing out the mistakes. This is what we need to do with the correction. Move on. Keep flying around. You guys are playing great. I would say he's very... encouraging and positive on game day.
00:27:26
Speaker 3: That's an interesting nuance to that, right? Because I would assume for any coach, especially now, because what I hear more and more about young players is you can't pound on them the way that maybe older players grew up that way, and so they don't take offense. The younger players, at least in some cases, are more likely to take offense, and therefore the best coaching is kind of threading that needle between making the point, you know, holding people accountable, but not perhaps losing their minds the way they might have with older players because they know older players kind of grew up with that sort of coaching mentality.
00:28:09
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think Flo does a good job, though, at, and I think this is an attribute that great coaches have, is not every player is coached or treated the same way. Similar to, like, a teacher in a classroom where you can't necessarily teach each student the same way because everybody has different learning habits. So like he understands how he can, you know, how he needs to talk to certain guys and, you know, get his message across. And, you know, there's always a time and place. Football is a, is a game that, you know, there's a lot of, A lot of emotions, especially on game day. There's so much time and work that's put into Sundays that those emotions and feelings come to light sometimes. So there's times and moments where we all get into it a little bit. But I think Flo, just the way he holds his composure, he does a wonderful job.
00:29:15
Speaker 1: Will you be shocked? If you guys continue to play defensively close to the level you started the season at, will you be shocked if, if he does not get another chance to be a head coach pretty soon?
00:29:32
Speaker 5: I think I would be shocked. I think he's very well deserving of, uh, head coaching opportunity. And I think he's demonstrated that, um, multiple times. Um, and you know, we, as players, we, we want to see him get that opportunity. And, um, the, you know, we talk about our, our defensive unit all the time is, We always want to see people find success, and I think there's an opportunity out there for flow.
00:30:13
Speaker 2: Makes some sense.
00:30:15
Speaker 3: You'd think it would be inevitable at some point that somebody will take the plunge. Unfortunately, it might be at your expense defensively, and that's a prospect you want to look forward to, even though I know you're rooting for him as well. One last question on the game itself, the Saints game. Again, going into what you knew about their offense, what were some of the key precepts? I mean, what was the objective to try to keep this particular offense under control?
00:30:49
Speaker 5: Well, like I was talking about earlier, we wanted to earn the right to, you know, attack the pocket on passing down. So, uh, you know, we knew we had to stop the run and tackle well. And, uh, you know, when we got into then the second long third down situation, um, it really just became about, uh, quarterback disruption and that game of cat and mouse on, you know, can, can the offense, uh, you know, find, you know, the, the, the, the open spots on the field before pressure gets home. And I thought defensively, you know, flow called a great game guys executed. Sure. There's, you know, plays here and there that we can be better on want back, but, uh, To be on the road in a tough environment, to be playing a football team that's far better than their record shows, that was a great team win going into the bye.
00:32:01
Speaker 3: That was where I was going next. It's obviously bye week now. How does that work? Do you have enough time that you can literally get away if you want to? Is that something that you would want to do? How does bye week work these days for the Vikings?
00:32:17
Speaker 5: Yeah, some guys, you know, if their permanent residence isn't here in Minnesota, you know, many of them take off their family and go back home. Good amounts stay around here in the Twin Cities area. Just get off their feet and relax. But, you know, bi-week is about getting your rest, and your recovery, uh, you know, allowing your mind to get away.
00:32:48
Speaker 1: From football for a little bit.
00:32:50
Speaker 5: Uh, but you also, you know, the message is always the same. You got to understand, you know, where we're at in the season, what, what opportunities are ahead of us. And, um, you gotta be, be ready to come back to work, uh, and prepare for the, the Indianapolis Colts.
00:33:08
Speaker 1: Does that mean this by week and weekend, uh, Blake Cashman is less likely to watch other pro teams play football.
00:33:20
Speaker 5: That is correct. You know, I'll probably watch a little bit of, you know, probably two games, maybe three, but yeah, at this point in the year for me with the, working, doing football every day, watching even film on your own at home when you're away from the building. When you get an opportunity to get away from it and just completely take your mind off it, it's a very nice time to have.
00:33:57
Speaker 3: So when you clear your mind, you could obviously still be staying here. It sounds like you might. How do you do that then? Do you just literally do other tasks? Do you just take three naps a day, recreate? How do you go about trying to free your mind?
00:34:16
Speaker 5: Well, I get to spend some extra time with my four-and-a-half-month-old son and fiance. I'll likely be running a lot of Aaron's just adulting, trying to catch up on things that I haven't gotten to over the last month or so. But other than that, just looking forward to getting off my feet and taking my mind off work because I feel like in a football season, it's go, go, go. There's a certain level of focus and intensity that you just always have you're, you're always on no matter what. So to, um, to be able to turn that off for a little bit is, is awesome.
00:35:04
Speaker 3: I know you're not complaining, but it is a, it's a meat grinder, isn't it? I mean, it's, it, it, it would be the, to me, the definition of meat grinder.
00:35:12
Speaker 5: This season it is. And, but it's crazy. Cause you know, it's, it's that times feels long and, you know, the weeks are billion to on top of each other, but, Once you're in December, it's always like, wow, this flew by. But with football, you just have so much structure and routine. You're doing the same thing each day, just different week. But it's a long season, and that's why... You've got to do everything you can to keep a fine balance so your body is feeling good and you're also mind sharp.
00:35:59
Speaker 3: Excellent work on the field and excellent work with us. Again, sir, we appreciate the time. Enjoy your time off.
00:36:07
Speaker 5: Thank you. I appreciate it.
00:36:08
Speaker 2: Appreciate it.
00:36:08
Speaker 3: That is Blake Cashman, a member of the Rather Staunch. minnesota vikings defense especially so far this season don't forget more vikings talking points will be coming up we also have uh you can hit the the uh the x machine too because as i said i i'm i'm kind of at odds with hip cricket today so i'm not even sure if i'm going to get on the bradshaw and brian kfm text line which is rare for.
00:36:32
Speaker 2: Us yeah maybe it's healthier Well, there's no doubt it's healthier. Yeah, I guess that part's automatic. No question it's healthier. No question, Dan. Dan, you're exactly right. Exactly right.
00:36:41
Speaker 5: That's it.
00:36:42
Speaker 2: That's the great Les Frazier. By the way, we've got a few.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: Extra minutes here, and we'll get to more Vikings talking points for sure. Lieber in the 4 o'clock hour of the broadcast.
00:36:55
Speaker 2: I did.
00:36:57
Speaker 3: Have a little bit of FOMO Friday because the sad news broke on Iron Mike Ditka. And we did not have a chance to ode him. It was, again, you make everything personal sometimes. And as it turns out, we're flying into Chicago to catch another plane to Champaign, Illinois for this dance event. And you say, well, where else should I be flying in today?
00:37:24
Speaker 2: Chicago, Illinois. I thought about that, too.
00:37:26
Speaker 3: Now, the Bears obviously didn't do much to help the Duke cause on Sunday. The Packers just lit them up. That game was not even as close as the final score indicated, because I did see a decent amount of that. I think the final was 31-7. Could have been a lot worse. I didn't see any of the game. I just saw Brett Blakemore's tweets.
00:37:45
Speaker 2: Was he hotty? Oh, they're pretty hot. Doesn't take much. He was waiting for that.
00:37:50
Speaker 3: The part about Ditka, I mean, again, legend on every level. I'm not going to be breaking any new ground there. But from a fan perspective and from a media perspective, The thing that has always struck me about Ditka is probably given the visibility of this sport and the all-consuming nature of the coverage of it, can you say anything more complimentary about an individual than he always made it interesting?
00:38:31
Speaker 2: And that doesn't mean, by the way, he always did the right thing.
00:38:34
Speaker 3: That doesn't mean he couldn't be boorish sometimes with firing back a little bit too hard. But in every way, he always made the whole bit interesting. I think because he got the theater of it, which is ironic given he's a hardcore, blue-collar, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania guy.
00:39:01
Speaker 2: So you don't think of him being a guy who would.
00:39:03
Speaker 1: Be that quick necessarily on his feet from a media standpoint, or even care to be that quick. But he became that, even as a player to a certain degree, one of the most famous quotes ever.
00:39:15
Speaker 2: Uttered by a player.
00:39:18
Speaker 3: He's in a salary dispute with the late, great George Hallis, the founder of the Bears. And the quote that people remember to this day is, was that hallis throws.
00:39:35
Speaker 1: What's the quote nickels like their manhole covers oh that's right yep as in i mean is there is there a more effective way to call somebody cheap it gets traded and As a result, goes to the Eagles, then ends up, when I'm in Dallas, briefly, he's in Dallas, still as an assistant coach, and then he gets the call to take over the Bears, and the rest is pretty much history on that. The other thing to remember for the old-timer, the youngsters, is he's a hell of a tight end.
00:40:01
Speaker 2: That's what I said. He changed the position to a large extent.
00:40:04
Speaker 3: He made it more of a receiver position than it had ever been before. He and John Mackey did that from back in the day. And that part should not be forgotten anymore. On Ditka We had him on a few times over the years Not a lot lately But he's another one of those guys where You have his phone number And you very It's sort of a little like Parcells Where you don't want to abuse it much But every once in a while you take a shot And Every time We took a shot with Parcells He either did it or He was not Unhappy about In fact one time I think I called him And he's so intimidating, you feel like you've got to apologize.
00:40:49
Speaker 4: Yes.
00:40:50
Speaker 3: Because, well, he's not really talking. I don't remember what the issue was. And the first thing Parcells said to me was, don't apologize.
00:40:55
Speaker 2: You're doing your job.
00:40:56
Speaker 1: Which was kind of mature, you know, for a guy, the old school guy, I think.
00:41:00
Speaker 2: And Ditko was the same way.
00:41:01
Speaker 1: He was.
00:41:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, if he could find time, he would. And, you know, it's not like we texted a lot.
00:41:10
Speaker 5: But.
00:41:11
Speaker 3: You know, one of the last texts I sent Iron Mike was, I think it was on his birthday, one of his birthdays.
00:41:17
Speaker 2: And I just said, name from the past, interviewed you.
00:41:20
Speaker 3: A bunch of times, your 85 season, because that's all I covered that year, because they were the story nationally, and I was covering the NFL. And then obviously some of the time here and some on the radio. But, you know, emotionally... had such a big impact on my father because your 85 years, I've said before, I said this to Les Frazier, was the year my mother finally lost her battle with cancer. And so you're looking for just little distractions. And so I sort of reemphasized that with Ditka and thanked him. It couldn't have been nicer what he sent back. It was a wonderful note. So just, again, very many guys like that. And I think that's why... even though he's from a rival team, that shouldn't matter at a time like that. He becomes bigger than that. He was bigger than any of that. And, of course, he was an agitator. The famous, you know, roller dome video, when in the late 80s, and I think I was already here by that point, he named the Metrodome the roller dome, just to get Vikings and fans going. And then there was the famous video of he's... basically moving from one office to another at the, at the bears offices on roller skates, just, just to be, you know, difficult, right.
00:42:40
Speaker 1: Just to get people going. But he had a sense of humor about pretty much all of that stuff. Who told the story to, he had, um, He basically, when he was in New York.
00:42:51
Speaker 2: Jim Nance.
00:42:51
Speaker 3: ESPN, the Nance story. I've heard it from a couple different people, the old $ 100 bill deal.
00:42:55
Speaker 2: Keep the change.
00:42:57
Speaker 3: That's all he carried was $ 100. So you get a beer, keep the change on $ 100. And basically, he said.
00:43:05
Speaker 3: Every year for the NFL season, he basically added up. I think he said he spent $ 100, 000. He budgeted $ 100, 000.
00:43:11
Speaker 5: $ 100, 000.
00:43:11
Speaker 2: $ 5, 000 a week, 20 weeks going to New York to be on the CBS. It's absolutely remarkable.
00:43:16
Speaker 3: I'm not even sure I'd heard that story before, but it was very well done. So I'm hoping he got owed it properly. That's my attempt to do a little bit of that, too, because it's still worth it. There's no question. Who else is there that.
00:43:33
Speaker 1: You know, decades later, you've got people in the crowd, you know, trying to look like Ditka.
00:43:39
Speaker 2: Correct. It's just unprecedented, is it not?
00:43:41
Speaker 1: That's the news broke in time where Pierre Nuzium and I could talk about it on enough.
00:43:45
Speaker 4: Excellent.
00:43:46
Speaker 2: That's great. And that's exactly what I said.
00:43:48
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:43:48
Speaker 1: I go 30 years plus removed and another job.
00:43:52
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:43:52
Speaker 1: He went to the New Orleans Saints, which wasn't as prolific as his run. He made his own version of the Herschel Walker trade.
00:43:58
Speaker 2: He did for Ricky Williams.
00:43:59
Speaker 3: Ricky Williams, that did not work out very well either.
00:44:01
Speaker 1: You've still got adults that dress like their coach from the 80s and early 90s. That doesn't happen. And how many guys, how many people have three distinct acts? Because you mentioned, like, we've talked about this with John Madden a little bit too, right? People forget he's a Super Bowl winning coach.
00:44:18
Speaker 6: Why?
00:44:18
Speaker 1: Because he went on to be the face of the NFL in the broadcast booth and the face of a video game.
00:44:25
Speaker 2: Like Ditka, same thing.
00:44:27
Speaker 1: I didn't know he was an unbelievable tight end until probably many years after I watched him as coach of the Bears and obviously as an analyst after that. So he goes from unbelievable player to Super Bowl winning coach to one of the preeminent analysts and really a guy who cut through everything. I mean, he's in commercials. He's in movies. He did pretty much everything. There's not many people that can pull all of that off. Player, coach, analyst, and be elite at all three of them.
00:44:55
Speaker 3: The stat I'm looking for that I can't find, his rookie year, he had 58 receptions, but what I recall is he averaged like 20 yards a catch as a rookie tight end.
00:45:07
Speaker 2: Tight ends went for like six yards back in those days.
00:45:09
Speaker 1: He completely, completely redid the position.
00:45:14
Speaker 3: So it wasn't just the catches. In fact, it was 12 touchdowns that year. We'll find it here eventually. It was his yards per catch average. by tight end standards were absolutely amazing. We've got a lot more Vikings stuff to get to, Vikings talking points. I think the prevalence on Sunday of the doofus factor, in the case of the Vikings, it didn't come back to haunt them, but there were a couple other games where the doofus factor was a killer.
00:45:44
Speaker 2: There's no question.
00:45:44
Speaker 3: So we'll broaden it out, but I got more Vikings stuff to get to. And if you want to reach us, X might be the better place to go. Ben Lieber is scheduled to join us probably about 4.50 or so.
00:45:55
Speaker 2: Don't go away. Bumper to bumper with Dan Barrero. On the fan. From the 1-800-ASK-GARY Traffic Center. This report is sponsored by Newgate School. Changes lives for over 45 years.
00:46:07
Speaker 7: Crash in Brooklyn Park, North 169, around 85th left lane, with some heavy traffic back towards 94. Crosstown slowing eastbound right now from Gleason to about France. West 94 between Riverside and about 35W. You're on the brakes a bit.
Speaker 1: This is your, is this the week we say you are? What your record is? Leader Fan, Fan Radio Network, and KFAN.com. Two minutes and one second past the hour, 3 o'clock Central Daylight Time. We welcome you back to a Monday edition of the Friday Football Beast on another beautiful weekday afternoon here in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
00:00:35
Speaker 2: Gardzi produces the program.
00:00:36
Speaker 3: My name's Dan Barrera for Ringstein Ratch, newspaper of the Twin Cities.
00:00:41
Speaker 2: And we will be.
00:00:41
Speaker 3: With you for the next, is it three and a half hours tonight? Or are we out a little early?
00:00:45
Speaker 2: Too early to tell? No, and I knew this. We are out at 610. 610 tonight, you say? Interesting. I just had to double-check to make sure I didn't give you bad information. Fascinating.
00:00:55
Speaker 1: Okay, that's good enough for me. A lot of football today. Won't be real surprised there. Vikings talking points are in.
00:01:03
Speaker 3: In addition, we expect the new Monday regulars, Blake Cashman, bottom of the hour, and Nacho Ben Lieber, his usual time, probably about 447, 448, 449.
00:01:17
Speaker 2: Somewhere in there.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to the broadcast today in part because I'm going to start the show with a bit of a confession about what I missed this weekend.
00:01:31
Speaker 2: I did not. I was in a place.
00:01:33
Speaker 3: Well, actually, Champaign, Illinois, to be precise, where I had access.
00:01:40
Speaker 2: I had two things going for me.
00:01:43
Speaker 3: Irish dance competition lasts 24.
00:01:46
Speaker 2: Hours, basically, each day. That's what I've heard.
00:01:49
Speaker 1: So the beauty of it is once you get the lay of the land of it, as I have, because we've been doing this for, you know, like 15 years or close to it, it feels like, you realize you don't have to be there for every minute and every dance.
00:02:00
Speaker 2: I mean, they're all wonderful. Yeah, you love all the kids. You do, but you don't have to be there for every dance. They're great workers.
00:02:05
Speaker 3: And then when your kid gets older, she becomes more savvy also about, Dad, just get back at such and such.
00:02:11
Speaker 2: A time or whatever the case may be.
00:02:14
Speaker 3: So that meant I had time to watch from the hotel TV, which is another story for later, a lot of pro football. Unfortunately, I was at the mercy of what was made available. Champagne, it's obviously going to be Bears-Packers. I think there was an AFC game on the CBS affiliate. So I did the best I could do, and I don't love confessing this, during some of the Irish dance competition, I was listening to PA and Bursich and Lieber via Sirius XM because they give you every hometown feed that you want. So I did hear a decent amount of the second half of the Vikings' victory over the New Orleans Saints.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: But I didn't see it. Now, I've seen highlights.
00:03:03
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:03:04
Speaker 2: It's not the same as seeing it start to finish. That's true. So I'm going to need help.
00:03:07
Speaker 3: I'm going to need help from you, the producer of the program. And I'm going to assume you're probably going to prefer looking back on that more than you prefer looking back on Gophers Purdue.
00:03:16
Speaker 2: I mean, we could look back on it. That all 22.
00:03:20
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:03:20
Speaker 1: But I also need help from the audience as well. Although the problem is I left my iPad at home, so I can't even log in. Oh, no.
00:03:28
Speaker 3: So it's probably going to be a day you're better off tweeting at me because I do want to know how it felt in real time watching start to finish.
00:03:36
Speaker 2: 23-13, was that the final?
00:03:37
Speaker 5: Yes.
00:03:39
Speaker 1: A fairly comfortable victory. Utter dominance of the defense again. That much even I could figure out. That'll be at least one of the talking points today. And clearly, a bit of a throwback version of Kyler Murray. The guy who was running to run a little bit. With a great deal of success. We've been waiting for it.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: So, we're now five games in, right? Our record is 5-0.
00:04:09
Speaker 3: The famous Bill Parcells line from years ago, you are what your record is. People repeat that cliche.
00:04:16
Speaker 1: They rarely believe it. Now, I think... Here's the way it works with that cliche. If you think the team is legit or underrated, despite the fact other people think it's kind of a flimsy 5-0.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Then you go, I'm not sure I buy the record.
00:04:34
Speaker 5: If you....
00:04:38
Speaker 1: Think the team that's 5-0 gets.
00:04:39
Speaker 2: Too much grief.
00:04:40
Speaker 3: You go, look at the record.
00:04:43
Speaker 2: How do you argue with it? So that's my opening question. Is this the week?
00:04:47
Speaker 1: Did enough happen in New Orleans for people to say, or a greater number of people to say, you are what your record is. I'm trusting this. Or do we have a built-in distrust because of the number of times we've started really strong And it hasn't necessarily, it's not like we've faded into oblivion in the regular season, but it has not paid off in terms of a significant playoff run. So that's what I need help for because I can't speak to that given I just saw highlights, I heard a little of PA, I heard a little of Bursich, etc.
00:05:26
Speaker 2: So we need participatory radio to that extent today.
00:05:29
Speaker 1: First thing I'll help you with is in the future, You don't even have to rely on SiriusXM. Just go to the iHeartRadio app and listen and make KFA in a preset. Well, let me further confess. The advantage there was I could flip between several games.
00:05:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got you. But that's all.
00:05:44
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I'm glad you got that in. Because you can make KFA in a preset, and then it's like you're listening to the radio.
00:05:48
Speaker 2: That's true.
00:05:49
Speaker 1: It's the easiest thing ever to do. Hopefully that gets me through another week. And perhaps another bonus of some sort.
00:05:53
Speaker 2: That would be great. Yeah, you wouldn't mind that. Download it now. Hit the preset. Yes. We'd love talkbacks. It would all be good. I think more people.
00:06:00
Speaker 1: are open to the possibility that the Vikings might possibly have something because the quarterback finally played like we thought he might play. Not that we thought, as they hoped he might play. And honestly, if you don't have the Aaron Jones fumble and you don't have the other fumble for a scoop and score, you're probably talking about a slaughter, a much more comfortable victory. Slaughter probably is the right term for it because they're controlling everything. Aaron Jones fumbles when you're at least going to get a field goal and maybe even a touchdown because that would have been a first and goal. So I think the way the quarterback played, the way the offense worked, the way they ran the ball, I think the way all of that contributed to the victory as opposed to just took advantage of the defense and the special teams, I think more people are open to the possibility that maybe they have something here.
00:06:48
Speaker 3: Well, the other thing worth discussing, and we can spend not just today.
00:06:53
Speaker 2: But parts of the entire week doing it, is a belief that.
00:06:58
Speaker 3: And I'm one of them who agrees with this, that the schedule is about to get, like, two or three degrees of intensity tougher.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: A little bit, yeah.
00:07:09
Speaker 3: And now, that doesn't mean any of those games are unwinnable, but there's a stretch. We'll go over it a little bit later, and we have, I think, already, actually, last week, where you're saying, ooh, there could be a losing streak in there. Well, what do you do to try to circumvent that, or to perhaps... Blunt that. You win as many games as you're supposed to win. And we get the bye this week, and then don't we get the Colts?
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Yes, at home.
00:07:37
Speaker 1: So you got an excellent chance to be 6-0 before, I would say, the meatier part of the schedule comes in. And then it's just, if you win a fair share, if you play 500 ball with the meatier part of the schedule, you're still in very good position. So you never have to apologize for... What year was it? It was a couple years ago. That's what we said. You have to win your first couple games. Which game did we lose?
00:08:05
Speaker 2: Was it to Atlanta?
00:08:06
Speaker 3: We lost at home to somebody we weren't supposed to lose to.
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Tampa once. Maybe it was Tampa. Yeah, with Kirk.
00:08:11
Speaker 3: But whoever it was, we said, well, now you're behind the eight ball because you didn't give yourself a little bit of that equity. We know the schedule is going to get tougher. They're taking full advantage of If it is a soft schedule, they're taking full advantage of it. I think the disadvantage the Vikings have right now, nationally, if it matters to people, is to get the national attention, you either need a signature, dramatic, come-from-behind victory last second, or you need to utterly and completely humiliate a couple of teams. Which, now, our point differential is actually one of the better ones in the NFC.
00:08:51
Speaker 2: Which is hilarious. Which is hilarious. Because we don't score points.
00:08:54
Speaker 1: That's exactly it. But, well, that's a compliment to the defense, because you can still have a good point differential, because the defense ain't giving up anything.
00:08:59
Speaker 6: Right.
00:08:59
Speaker 2: Just absolutely nothing at this point. In fact, why don't we, why don't we, this is the perfect time to... to try another Flonami talking point.
00:09:07
Speaker 6: Pressure, throws left, incomplete.
00:09:10
Speaker 4: It's three and out for the New Orleans Saints, and quite honestly, Pete, just after three plays, it feels like they have minimal chance to move the ball.
00:09:18
Speaker 6: Well, Chuck's not comfortable, and that's the most important thing.
00:09:20
Speaker 4: I mean.
00:09:21
Speaker 6: You mentioned his seven years in college. Paul, it took a lot of us seven years to get through college. But like the first play of the game, you're looking at Dallas Turner versus the Sim Richards. You're thinking, all right, this is where it's going to be. Well, Dallas Turner drops out in coverage, and you send Cashman unblocked up the middle, and then you have Van Ginkle on him. I mean, we're throwing stuff at them that they're just not ready to see.
00:09:42
Speaker 4: Back to pass, blustered, looped one up left side, incomplete. He now has thrown two balls that have been quite interceptable. Vele was the intended receiver there. And despite being two for two on fourth down, Kellen Moore, coach of the New Orleans Saints, will opt to punt. back to pass to lose the pressure he's yet to be sacked runs out to the right another flag comes in and somehow the ball came out from shuck and the vikings have recovered it at about the 40 yard line he threw it right to byron murphy he did he just rolled out and threw it right to byron murphy it's exactly what you've been talking about all day paul with shuck he's gonna throw us an interception and he did he just rolled out what i mean this is the easiest interception that byron murphy has ever had.
00:10:32
Speaker 2: On fourth and seven, Metellus shows blitz, and here he comes.
00:10:35
Speaker 4: Shuck.
00:10:36
Speaker 2: Metellus got through.
00:10:37
Speaker 1: Shuck throws to the right.
00:10:38
Speaker 4: Jawan Johnson caught at the 40, and the lanky tight end died through the first down.
00:10:43
Speaker 2: I think he missed it.
00:10:44
Speaker 1: He did.
00:10:45
Speaker 4: The Vikings have turned over the.
00:10:48
Speaker 2: New Orleans Saints on downs.
00:10:53
Speaker 1: I believe, I mean, that's a pretty good cross-section, a Flonami cross-section for this week. The stat that caught my eye is that outside of the one touchdown drive by the offense for New Orleans, 28 plays, 76 yards allowed.
00:11:08
Speaker 2: That's crazy.
00:11:09
Speaker 1: Those are absurd numbers. I don't care how inept. In fact, Salisbury told us he didn't think the Saints offense was inept. Now, I haven't seen a lot of this QB. It didn't look like he was doing much yesterday, although, again, I'm just listing more than watching.
00:11:24
Speaker 2: It doesn't matter.
00:11:24
Speaker 3: 28 plays, 76 yards is absolutely absurd. So, again, even if you don't quite buy everything about the offense yet, this defense is... I'm going to ask Blake Cashman this question. I doubt he'll answer it directly. But I'm going to ask him nevertheless. I mean, we're now five games in. He's playing some good defenses here. Is this the best defense that Flo has had to this point, B-Flo? I think there's every reason to believe it might be. Now, again, the proof will be when we start playing some teams that are a little bit more explosive. But even then, I don't think anybody– you don't have to shut them out.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: It's just whether you can be effective.
00:12:09
Speaker 3: Yeah, keep us in the game. And keep in the game. That's exactly correct. So you are what your record– is I think at some point, if you just keep winning, the other side gets worn down.
00:12:27
Speaker 2: Maybe I still have some questions here, but.
00:12:30
Speaker 3: How many games in a row do they have to win before you say, well, they look interesting, they look promising, and we're back to the obvious. If you can garner something consistently, if you can have a couple explosive offensive games, however you're doing it, running, passing, Kyler scrambling, then I think you'll have, there'll be nothing stopping us now.
00:12:51
Speaker 2: Meantime.
00:12:52
Speaker 1: Fan and two men in the truck want to give you a shot to win bonus bucks with our national cash contest. The first keyword of the week is credit. Go to KFAN.com and enter the keyword credit.
00:13:01
Speaker 2: Bumper to bumper with Dan Barrero. On the fan. From the 1-800-ASK-GARY Traffic Center. This report is sponsored by Luther Brookdale Mazda.
00:13:10
Speaker 7: Crosstown eastbound is looking crowded as you approach Highway 100, and there's some heavy traffic between Lindale and Portland as well. Starting to see slowdowns. South 169 from 494 down to about Pioneer Trail. South 35W just after 106 to Cliff Road.
00:13:39
Speaker 1: We are streaming live every hour today from the Power Trip. Paul Allen, The Common Man, and Dan Barrero. Find them all live on our YouTube channel. Watch it all at kfan.com slash watch.
00:13:48
Speaker 2: Powered by Quantum Fiber from AT & T.
00:13:54
Speaker 4: Where is the.
00:13:55
Speaker 3: I just asked Common during the break here. He was coming in to give me a couple of pithy observations. Where is the Super Bowl this year? I honestly don't know.
00:14:06
Speaker 2: The Super Bowl... I mean, it's so foreign to us. Yeah, it's not San Francisco because it was just there.
00:14:12
Speaker 1: I honestly can tell you, and I know this is... It's supposed to be embarrassing. You're on a major metropolitan all-sports talk station. Oh, I did know this.
00:14:20
Speaker 2: I did know this. Where's the Super Bowl? You don't know where the Super Bowl is? We never go unless it's here.
00:14:24
Speaker 4: No!
00:14:25
Speaker 2: So it is back in L.A., back at SoFi. Ah, okay.
00:14:30
Speaker 1: Which is probably where it's going to be every four years. Well, that wouldn't be a bad trip for us. Great.
00:14:35
Speaker 2: We'd be out there all week, or it would just be the power trip.
00:14:38
Speaker 1: Will the Power Trip be there for both weeks in between the title game and the Super Bowl?
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Have they done... What's the name of that.
00:14:46
Speaker 1: Indoor building that everybody has, like, interns in? Not internships, but like... They do, like the Eagles are there for like seven straight days.
00:14:56
Speaker 2: What's the name of that?
00:14:56
Speaker 6: The Sphere?
00:14:57
Speaker 4: The Sphere!
00:14:57
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah.
00:14:58
Speaker 1: Has Power Trip done any shows from the Sphere yet?
00:15:00
Speaker 2: No, but they've all been to a show at the Sphere.
00:15:02
Speaker 5: Well, that's not surprising.
00:15:03
Speaker 1: Because they go to Vegas so often, they just take turns.
00:15:06
Speaker 2: Beautiful thing.
00:15:07
Speaker 5: They should.
00:15:07
Speaker 2: I mean, maybe for their 50th anniversary. That would be it. The Sphere. Do the Sphere. Series of shows from the Sphere.
00:15:12
Speaker 1: Yeah. Wouldn't be a bad thing. I would take Los Angeles for sure. If they said, we need you guys to go, I would be fine with that. Are you interested in the Chargers QB? Because he's going to be available. Do we think he is? Do we think they're going to move him?
00:15:28
Speaker 2: Well, they got to. They're doomed.
00:15:29
Speaker 1: Just fire the coach and get a new coach. You can't fire Harbaugh, can you? Harbaugh, he's never been fired, has he?
00:15:37
Speaker 5: No.
00:15:37
Speaker 2: I don't think he's ever.
00:15:38
Speaker 1: This would be the first time he's been fired, wouldn't it?
00:15:40
Speaker 2: Am I wrong? Well, I'm just trying to think. I mean, in college, he wasn't fired. In college, he wasn't.
00:15:44
Speaker 1: San Fran, he was not, was he?
00:15:46
Speaker 2: No, he left. But they weren't in love with him at the end in San Fran.
00:15:50
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:15:51
Speaker 2: And he went back to Michigan. I don't even know if I want him. That's the thing. You wonder. The QB is... They're winless, right? The team. Yeah. Even though I think in this game they were up 21-14 going into the fourth.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: Against my Broncos, right? Has the tide already turned that much on Kyler? We like him.
00:16:11
Speaker 2: It's growing. He's figuring the thing out.
00:16:14
Speaker 1: My biggest issue with Kyler, based on the comments after the game, was... Don't tell me that, well, this is kind of a throwback to an old time, almost like it's a novelty.
00:16:26
Speaker 2: Don't expect it much.
00:16:27
Speaker 1: It should be required as part of Kyler Murray every week. Now, again, not recklessly, within reason, but I honestly believe your best chance to be successful with a guy who wasn't all that crazy about acquiring is... He continues to include that in his repertoire.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: I think that's massive. Has to.
00:16:50
Speaker 1: Yes. And it wasn't just, I know we've got the talking point for it. We probably don't have time for it now. It wasn't just the scrambles for first. No, it was the scramble to find JJ, for example, even the past. And I should have included it, but it wasn't really a scramble where. He didn't really scramble. He just kind of navigated the pocket and found your guy Jones for like 30 yards down the left sideline.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: That was big time.
00:17:12
Speaker 1: And that was using his gifts, not necessarily to scramble, but just to buy a little time, navigate the pocket, and deliver an absolute dagger.
00:17:23
Speaker 2: He played great yesterday.
00:17:24
Speaker 6: Yeah.
00:17:24
Speaker 2: There's not much... A lot of the.
00:17:28
Speaker 2: Early tweets are very positive on Kyler.
00:17:30
Speaker 3: I guess you're back to the old fatalistic issue about, well, you know, I believe it when I actually see it in the postseason.
00:17:38
Speaker 6: Of course.
00:17:38
Speaker 2: And I understand that.
00:17:40
Speaker 4: I do.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: I think, you know, at some.
00:17:43
Speaker 3: Point, though, we may be seeing, like I said, this defense might be, I'm not going to go historic yet.
00:17:49
Speaker 2: I'm really not.
00:17:50
Speaker 3: But it might be one of the better Vikings defenses in the last 25 years. I think, I think there is reason to believe it has that the third down statistics, the third time, the third down, what's the word I'm looking for? Conversion percentage for opposing for offenses.
00:18:10
Speaker 2: It's, It's unbelievably in the Vikings' favor.
00:18:13
Speaker 3: The third down seems to be the place where, and Gannon, last time we had him on, that's what he talked about. The third down blitzes fascinate him more than pretty much anything else. Maybe we'll get into that subject with our 3.30 guest, Blake Cashman, our weekly guest now joining us in just a few minutes.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: Don't forget, Ben Lieber will be with us.
00:18:30
Speaker 3: In the 4 o'clock hour and many more Vikings talking points when we return.
00:18:34
Speaker 2: You're listening to Barrero on The Fan. The Fan. Every weekday. I need a grind, give me a grind. The Fan, along with.
00:18:47
Speaker 3: Ben Lieber will join about an hour and 20 minutes from now. More Vikings talking points before we wrap things up. And a little early today, 610 or 615, heading into Minnesota Wild Hockey.
00:19:00
Speaker 2: Blake Cashman, kind enough.
00:19:01
Speaker 3: To join us now via the Connecticut Water Systems hotline. Congratulations, sir, on another very, I would call it workmanlike event. Victory, how would you describe victory number five?
00:19:20
Speaker 5: Just another great win. Going 1-0, man. Taking care of business.
00:19:27
Speaker 2: Sound like P.J. Fleck there.
00:19:29
Speaker 3: I have you, the defense, giving up.
00:19:33
Speaker 2: Let me see if I have the number here right.
00:19:34
Speaker 3: I think it's 64 points so far this season.
00:19:39
Speaker 2: So let me do the math on that. Five games, right?
00:19:42
Speaker 3: That's 12 and change a game.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: That's very good. Now, again, you guys I know are searching for it.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: Perfection but um i assume that's a number that you as a as a man with high defensive standards can live with 64 points for the entire season is all you guys have yielded and that by the way includes the fumble return which obviously your defense had nothing to do with against new orleans.
00:20:10
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:20:10
Speaker 5: I think, uh, overall with how we've played defensively, uh, we're happy with where we're at and what we've accomplished so far, but by no means are we, are we satisfied? Uh, I think I've said it before, you know, there's still meat on the bone out there and, uh, we want to continue to be very critical on ourselves, be our biggest critic and, uh, continue to find ways to get better each week.
00:20:42
Speaker 3: You know, this is going to sound like an odd question, but it won't be the, it's not the first, it probably won't be the last. When around the country people are evaluating your defense in the start this year, there's some people via the analytics emphasize your third down efficiency defensively.
00:20:58
Speaker 2: Other people say, no, no, no.
00:21:00
Speaker 3: It's really actually about what this defense does on first and second down.
00:21:05
Speaker 2: Can you give us any.
00:21:06
Speaker 1: Obviously, you need it all pretty much to be a really great defense, but... From your perspective, do you think you set the tone early?
00:21:13
Speaker 2: Or do you think it really is.
00:21:16
Speaker 3: We had Rich Gannon on a couple weeks ago, former big-time quarterback, MVP. And he said, from a quarterback standpoint, he thought it was the third down stuff. He said the stuff they do, that you guys do on third down, is getting harder and harder for quarterbacks to figure out how to read, what to do with it, etc.
00:21:36
Speaker 2: Do you think... Third down's most important, or do you think you set the tone early?
00:21:43
Speaker 5: Well, those situational downs, third down, are always heavy downs in a football game, and they're critical. They're very important. I would say that no matter the type of defense, the scheme you run.
00:22:03
Speaker 5: If you want to be a good defense, you have to be good on early down and you have to earn the right to rush the quarterback blitz because if teams are, are moving the ball on early down and they're in manageable situations, um, you can't really maybe get into those packages to try to tee off on, on opponents. Um, But this year so far, you know, we've been pretty good on early down, and that's allowed us to get into those second and long third down situations where, you know, teams have to absorb a little bit more risk and drop back and pass the football. And I think Flo's defense really comes alive in those moments.
00:23:02
Speaker 3: Blake Cashman, kind enough to join us via the Connecticut Water Systems hotline. Kevin Seifert, who's been covering, who's covered this team for many, many years, joins us weekly, had written, I think going into the game, a piece that I thought was interesting because what it laid out defensively was a belief, these are quotes from many of you on the defense, saying that one of the advantages this year is that the BFLOW approach was.
00:23:31
Speaker 2: we don't have to.
00:23:32
Speaker 3: Start from scratch anymore in the offseason stuff in terms of what we're putting in. That we can almost start at, you know, the fourth level, senior level, so to speak, because we've got many of the same people who kind of understand what this whole thing is about. And to a certain extent, it has allowed you guys to add even more intricacies and wrinkles to what you do.
00:23:55
Speaker 2: Do you agree with that?
00:23:58
Speaker 5: I absolutely agree with that. When you have guys that have played in the system, understand it conceptually and as a whole, you're able to keep taking it to the next level. And as we all know, Flo's a very innovative coach. And he always is critiquing his scheme and does a good job doing that because it keeps... opponent offenses on their toes. And, you know, that's kind of where we picked up even this offseason and going into training camp.
00:24:41
Speaker 3: How much fire and brimstone does B-Flow have? Leaving aside for the moment the wrinkles and the X's and O's part of it, the chess match that he seems to enjoy. In terms of when I say fire and brimstone, obviously I mean, you know, in terms of his approach, I don't want to say necessarily yelling is important, but a guy who's very emotional when he's talking to his unit, like you and other members of the team.
00:25:09
Speaker 2: How would you describe that side of B-Flow?
00:25:15
Speaker 5: Like during the week? Or are you talking about on game day?
00:25:18
Speaker 2: Actually, both.
00:25:19
Speaker 1: I like answers.
00:25:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's okay. Both would be good.
00:25:24
Speaker 5: I mean, I think during the week.
00:25:28
Speaker 5: Flo is pretty calm and steady. The same guy, very intentional and clear with what the plan is going to be and communicating that to other coaches on the staff and us players. On game day, that's when I feel like a lot of excitement and enthusiasm that fans see come to life. Who doesn't love to play for a coach that, you know, when the defense makes a big third down stop, he's right there, you know, fist bumping with the guys, jumping up and down, hand guys on the back of the helmet, celebrating with them. That's the kind of, you know, energy that, you know, this defense, the players play with, and Flo brings that as well.
00:26:21
Speaker 2: What makes him mad?
00:26:24
Speaker 5: What makes him mad? Mm-hmm. Well, guys not doing their jobs. Really, I would say even when there are mistakes, Flo is pretty calm about that on game day. I think that would surprise people. I mean, you'll know he's upset, but his approach to communicate the correction, you know, I think is special because I've seen at times where maybe coaches let another coach or another player hear too much and they kind of mentally fall into a slump in the game. But I think Flo does a great job at pointing out the mistakes. This is what we need to do with the correction. Move on. Keep flying around. You guys are playing great. I would say he's very... encouraging and positive on game day.
00:27:26
Speaker 3: That's an interesting nuance to that, right? Because I would assume for any coach, especially now, because what I hear more and more about young players is you can't pound on them the way that maybe older players grew up that way, and so they don't take offense. The younger players, at least in some cases, are more likely to take offense, and therefore the best coaching is kind of threading that needle between making the point, you know, holding people accountable, but not perhaps losing their minds the way they might have with older players because they know older players kind of grew up with that sort of coaching mentality.
00:28:09
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think Flo does a good job, though, at, and I think this is an attribute that great coaches have, is not every player is coached or treated the same way. Similar to, like, a teacher in a classroom where you can't necessarily teach each student the same way because everybody has different learning habits. So like he understands how he can, you know, how he needs to talk to certain guys and, you know, get his message across. And, you know, there's always a time and place. Football is a, is a game that, you know, there's a lot of, A lot of emotions, especially on game day. There's so much time and work that's put into Sundays that those emotions and feelings come to light sometimes. So there's times and moments where we all get into it a little bit. But I think Flo, just the way he holds his composure, he does a wonderful job.
00:29:15
Speaker 1: Will you be shocked? If you guys continue to play defensively close to the level you started the season at, will you be shocked if, if he does not get another chance to be a head coach pretty soon?
00:29:32
Speaker 5: I think I would be shocked. I think he's very well deserving of, uh, head coaching opportunity. And I think he's demonstrated that, um, multiple times. Um, and you know, we, as players, we, we want to see him get that opportunity. And, um, the, you know, we talk about our, our defensive unit all the time is, We always want to see people find success, and I think there's an opportunity out there for flow.
00:30:13
Speaker 2: Makes some sense.
00:30:15
Speaker 3: You'd think it would be inevitable at some point that somebody will take the plunge. Unfortunately, it might be at your expense defensively, and that's a prospect you want to look forward to, even though I know you're rooting for him as well. One last question on the game itself, the Saints game. Again, going into what you knew about their offense, what were some of the key precepts? I mean, what was the objective to try to keep this particular offense under control?
00:30:49
Speaker 5: Well, like I was talking about earlier, we wanted to earn the right to, you know, attack the pocket on passing down. So, uh, you know, we knew we had to stop the run and tackle well. And, uh, you know, when we got into then the second long third down situation, um, it really just became about, uh, quarterback disruption and that game of cat and mouse on, you know, can, can the offense, uh, you know, find, you know, the, the, the, the open spots on the field before pressure gets home. And I thought defensively, you know, flow called a great game guys executed. Sure. There's, you know, plays here and there that we can be better on want back, but, uh, To be on the road in a tough environment, to be playing a football team that's far better than their record shows, that was a great team win going into the bye.
00:32:01
Speaker 3: That was where I was going next. It's obviously bye week now. How does that work? Do you have enough time that you can literally get away if you want to? Is that something that you would want to do? How does bye week work these days for the Vikings?
00:32:17
Speaker 5: Yeah, some guys, you know, if their permanent residence isn't here in Minnesota, you know, many of them take off their family and go back home. Good amounts stay around here in the Twin Cities area. Just get off their feet and relax. But, you know, bi-week is about getting your rest, and your recovery, uh, you know, allowing your mind to get away.
00:32:48
Speaker 1: From football for a little bit.
00:32:50
Speaker 5: Uh, but you also, you know, the message is always the same. You got to understand, you know, where we're at in the season, what, what opportunities are ahead of us. And, um, you gotta be, be ready to come back to work, uh, and prepare for the, the Indianapolis Colts.
00:33:08
Speaker 1: Does that mean this by week and weekend, uh, Blake Cashman is less likely to watch other pro teams play football.
00:33:20
Speaker 5: That is correct. You know, I'll probably watch a little bit of, you know, probably two games, maybe three, but yeah, at this point in the year for me with the, working, doing football every day, watching even film on your own at home when you're away from the building. When you get an opportunity to get away from it and just completely take your mind off it, it's a very nice time to have.
00:33:57
Speaker 3: So when you clear your mind, you could obviously still be staying here. It sounds like you might. How do you do that then? Do you just literally do other tasks? Do you just take three naps a day, recreate? How do you go about trying to free your mind?
00:34:16
Speaker 5: Well, I get to spend some extra time with my four-and-a-half-month-old son and fiance. I'll likely be running a lot of Aaron's just adulting, trying to catch up on things that I haven't gotten to over the last month or so. But other than that, just looking forward to getting off my feet and taking my mind off work because I feel like in a football season, it's go, go, go. There's a certain level of focus and intensity that you just always have you're, you're always on no matter what. So to, um, to be able to turn that off for a little bit is, is awesome.
00:35:04
Speaker 3: I know you're not complaining, but it is a, it's a meat grinder, isn't it? I mean, it's, it, it, it would be the, to me, the definition of meat grinder.
00:35:12
Speaker 5: This season it is. And, but it's crazy. Cause you know, it's, it's that times feels long and, you know, the weeks are billion to on top of each other, but, Once you're in December, it's always like, wow, this flew by. But with football, you just have so much structure and routine. You're doing the same thing each day, just different week. But it's a long season, and that's why... You've got to do everything you can to keep a fine balance so your body is feeling good and you're also mind sharp.
00:35:59
Speaker 3: Excellent work on the field and excellent work with us. Again, sir, we appreciate the time. Enjoy your time off.
00:36:07
Speaker 5: Thank you. I appreciate it.
00:36:08
Speaker 2: Appreciate it.
00:36:08
Speaker 3: That is Blake Cashman, a member of the Rather Staunch. minnesota vikings defense especially so far this season don't forget more vikings talking points will be coming up we also have uh you can hit the the uh the x machine too because as i said i i'm i'm kind of at odds with hip cricket today so i'm not even sure if i'm going to get on the bradshaw and brian kfm text line which is rare for.
00:36:32
Speaker 2: Us yeah maybe it's healthier Well, there's no doubt it's healthier. Yeah, I guess that part's automatic. No question it's healthier. No question, Dan. Dan, you're exactly right. Exactly right.
00:36:41
Speaker 5: That's it.
00:36:42
Speaker 2: That's the great Les Frazier. By the way, we've got a few.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: Extra minutes here, and we'll get to more Vikings talking points for sure. Lieber in the 4 o'clock hour of the broadcast.
00:36:55
Speaker 2: I did.
00:36:57
Speaker 3: Have a little bit of FOMO Friday because the sad news broke on Iron Mike Ditka. And we did not have a chance to ode him. It was, again, you make everything personal sometimes. And as it turns out, we're flying into Chicago to catch another plane to Champaign, Illinois for this dance event. And you say, well, where else should I be flying in today?
00:37:24
Speaker 2: Chicago, Illinois. I thought about that, too.
00:37:26
Speaker 3: Now, the Bears obviously didn't do much to help the Duke cause on Sunday. The Packers just lit them up. That game was not even as close as the final score indicated, because I did see a decent amount of that. I think the final was 31-7. Could have been a lot worse. I didn't see any of the game. I just saw Brett Blakemore's tweets.
00:37:45
Speaker 2: Was he hotty? Oh, they're pretty hot. Doesn't take much. He was waiting for that.
00:37:50
Speaker 3: The part about Ditka, I mean, again, legend on every level. I'm not going to be breaking any new ground there. But from a fan perspective and from a media perspective, The thing that has always struck me about Ditka is probably given the visibility of this sport and the all-consuming nature of the coverage of it, can you say anything more complimentary about an individual than he always made it interesting?
00:38:31
Speaker 2: And that doesn't mean, by the way, he always did the right thing.
00:38:34
Speaker 3: That doesn't mean he couldn't be boorish sometimes with firing back a little bit too hard. But in every way, he always made the whole bit interesting. I think because he got the theater of it, which is ironic given he's a hardcore, blue-collar, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania guy.
00:39:01
Speaker 2: So you don't think of him being a guy who would.
00:39:03
Speaker 1: Be that quick necessarily on his feet from a media standpoint, or even care to be that quick. But he became that, even as a player to a certain degree, one of the most famous quotes ever.
00:39:15
Speaker 2: Uttered by a player.
00:39:18
Speaker 3: He's in a salary dispute with the late, great George Hallis, the founder of the Bears. And the quote that people remember to this day is, was that hallis throws.
00:39:35
Speaker 1: What's the quote nickels like their manhole covers oh that's right yep as in i mean is there is there a more effective way to call somebody cheap it gets traded and As a result, goes to the Eagles, then ends up, when I'm in Dallas, briefly, he's in Dallas, still as an assistant coach, and then he gets the call to take over the Bears, and the rest is pretty much history on that. The other thing to remember for the old-timer, the youngsters, is he's a hell of a tight end.
00:40:01
Speaker 2: That's what I said. He changed the position to a large extent.
00:40:04
Speaker 3: He made it more of a receiver position than it had ever been before. He and John Mackey did that from back in the day. And that part should not be forgotten anymore. On Ditka We had him on a few times over the years Not a lot lately But he's another one of those guys where You have his phone number And you very It's sort of a little like Parcells Where you don't want to abuse it much But every once in a while you take a shot And Every time We took a shot with Parcells He either did it or He was not Unhappy about In fact one time I think I called him And he's so intimidating, you feel like you've got to apologize.
00:40:49
Speaker 4: Yes.
00:40:50
Speaker 3: Because, well, he's not really talking. I don't remember what the issue was. And the first thing Parcells said to me was, don't apologize.
00:40:55
Speaker 2: You're doing your job.
00:40:56
Speaker 1: Which was kind of mature, you know, for a guy, the old school guy, I think.
00:41:00
Speaker 2: And Ditko was the same way.
00:41:01
Speaker 1: He was.
00:41:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, if he could find time, he would. And, you know, it's not like we texted a lot.
00:41:10
Speaker 5: But.
00:41:11
Speaker 3: You know, one of the last texts I sent Iron Mike was, I think it was on his birthday, one of his birthdays.
00:41:17
Speaker 2: And I just said, name from the past, interviewed you.
00:41:20
Speaker 3: A bunch of times, your 85 season, because that's all I covered that year, because they were the story nationally, and I was covering the NFL. And then obviously some of the time here and some on the radio. But, you know, emotionally... had such a big impact on my father because your 85 years, I've said before, I said this to Les Frazier, was the year my mother finally lost her battle with cancer. And so you're looking for just little distractions. And so I sort of reemphasized that with Ditka and thanked him. It couldn't have been nicer what he sent back. It was a wonderful note. So just, again, very many guys like that. And I think that's why... even though he's from a rival team, that shouldn't matter at a time like that. He becomes bigger than that. He was bigger than any of that. And, of course, he was an agitator. The famous, you know, roller dome video, when in the late 80s, and I think I was already here by that point, he named the Metrodome the roller dome, just to get Vikings and fans going. And then there was the famous video of he's... basically moving from one office to another at the, at the bears offices on roller skates, just, just to be, you know, difficult, right.
00:42:40
Speaker 1: Just to get people going. But he had a sense of humor about pretty much all of that stuff. Who told the story to, he had, um, He basically, when he was in New York.
00:42:51
Speaker 2: Jim Nance.
00:42:51
Speaker 3: ESPN, the Nance story. I've heard it from a couple different people, the old $ 100 bill deal.
00:42:55
Speaker 2: Keep the change.
00:42:57
Speaker 3: That's all he carried was $ 100. So you get a beer, keep the change on $ 100. And basically, he said.
00:43:05
Speaker 3: Every year for the NFL season, he basically added up. I think he said he spent $ 100, 000. He budgeted $ 100, 000.
00:43:11
Speaker 5: $ 100, 000.
00:43:11
Speaker 2: $ 5, 000 a week, 20 weeks going to New York to be on the CBS. It's absolutely remarkable.
00:43:16
Speaker 3: I'm not even sure I'd heard that story before, but it was very well done. So I'm hoping he got owed it properly. That's my attempt to do a little bit of that, too, because it's still worth it. There's no question. Who else is there that.
00:43:33
Speaker 1: You know, decades later, you've got people in the crowd, you know, trying to look like Ditka.
00:43:39
Speaker 2: Correct. It's just unprecedented, is it not?
00:43:41
Speaker 1: That's the news broke in time where Pierre Nuzium and I could talk about it on enough.
00:43:45
Speaker 4: Excellent.
00:43:46
Speaker 2: That's great. And that's exactly what I said.
00:43:48
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:43:48
Speaker 1: I go 30 years plus removed and another job.
00:43:52
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:43:52
Speaker 1: He went to the New Orleans Saints, which wasn't as prolific as his run. He made his own version of the Herschel Walker trade.
00:43:58
Speaker 2: He did for Ricky Williams.
00:43:59
Speaker 3: Ricky Williams, that did not work out very well either.
00:44:01
Speaker 1: You've still got adults that dress like their coach from the 80s and early 90s. That doesn't happen. And how many guys, how many people have three distinct acts? Because you mentioned, like, we've talked about this with John Madden a little bit too, right? People forget he's a Super Bowl winning coach.
00:44:18
Speaker 6: Why?
00:44:18
Speaker 1: Because he went on to be the face of the NFL in the broadcast booth and the face of a video game.
00:44:25
Speaker 2: Like Ditka, same thing.
00:44:27
Speaker 1: I didn't know he was an unbelievable tight end until probably many years after I watched him as coach of the Bears and obviously as an analyst after that. So he goes from unbelievable player to Super Bowl winning coach to one of the preeminent analysts and really a guy who cut through everything. I mean, he's in commercials. He's in movies. He did pretty much everything. There's not many people that can pull all of that off. Player, coach, analyst, and be elite at all three of them.
00:44:55
Speaker 3: The stat I'm looking for that I can't find, his rookie year, he had 58 receptions, but what I recall is he averaged like 20 yards a catch as a rookie tight end.
00:45:07
Speaker 2: Tight ends went for like six yards back in those days.
00:45:09
Speaker 1: He completely, completely redid the position.
00:45:14
Speaker 3: So it wasn't just the catches. In fact, it was 12 touchdowns that year. We'll find it here eventually. It was his yards per catch average. by tight end standards were absolutely amazing. We've got a lot more Vikings stuff to get to, Vikings talking points. I think the prevalence on Sunday of the doofus factor, in the case of the Vikings, it didn't come back to haunt them, but there were a couple other games where the doofus factor was a killer.
00:45:44
Speaker 2: There's no question.
00:45:44
Speaker 3: So we'll broaden it out, but I got more Vikings stuff to get to. And if you want to reach us, X might be the better place to go. Ben Lieber is scheduled to join us probably about 4.50 or so.
00:45:55
Speaker 2: Don't go away. Bumper to bumper with Dan Barrero. On the fan. From the 1-800-ASK-GARY Traffic Center. This report is sponsored by Newgate School. Changes lives for over 45 years.
00:46:07
Speaker 7: Crash in Brooklyn Park, North 169, around 85th left lane, with some heavy traffic back towards 94. Crosstown slowing eastbound right now from Gleason to about France. West 94 between Riverside and about 35W. You're on the brakes a bit.
