Minnesota Foul Play-by-play

We recap the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view, discuss the Timberwolves’ extending Naz Reid, and explain how the Wolves managed to ace the draft despite holding only the 53rd overall pick. Also, NBA Draft and offseason winners and losers. Who Won AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door? * We all won as a result of the best AEW wrestling pay-per-view of the year, especially the almost 15,000 fantastic fans...

Anthony’s favorite cousin and NBA2K expert, Joel Varriano, joins the show to tell us what he’d do in the 2023 NBA Draft if he were in charge of the Timberwolves, who they could get if they actually use the 53rd pick, and what we can expect Western Conference teams to do. What Joel Would Do if He Ran the Wolves * Trade Karl-Anthony Towns to Houston and select Amen Thompson. * Trade Rudy Gobert to S...

We recap two AEW Dynamite shows and a Game Changer Wrestling show featuring Maki Itoh that reinvigorated Anthony's love of pro wrestling, talk about daily fantasy baseball, why softball is the next big women's pro sport, and why the Twins can't solve their strikeout problem. AEW Dynamite Teases Forbidden Door * AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, the best opening act in wrestling, defends h...

The WNBA enters its 27th season on the heels of its biggest game and its first punishment of a team for foul play. We also talk Lynx roster cuts and Phil Cuzzi costing the Twins, again. The State of the WNBA: The Good, Bad, and Ugly The Good * Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky sellout preseason game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto * Sold all 19,800 seats in 18 minutes * Sold almost all merchandise ava...

We recap another dynamite AEW Dynamite, talk about the Twins’ inability to hit, give you the Minnesota Amateur Sports Stars of the Week and our Foul Players and Play-by-players of the Week, and discuss the Vikings’ UDFA steals. AEW Dynamite Sets Up “All In” at Wembley Stadium—SPOILER ALERT * If anyone forgot how great Rey Fenix is, they got a helluva reminder tonight * Hurricanrana off the barrica...

We recap SHIDA returning to AEW, how SHIDA the Vikings’ drafted, and SHIDA the Twins trade Max Kepler to the Yankees, and SHIDA Eriksson Ek played for the Wild with a broken leg? AEW Dynamite Sets the Stage for Double or Nothing * Holy Shida! What a show! * Tres de Mayo Trios Battle Royale * Anthony Bowens scissors Penta! * The Butcher and the Blade scissor! * Scissor me Daddy A$$! The Acclaimed v...

AEW Dynamite Recap! As It Should Be! * Orange Cassidy defends the AEW International Championship against Bandido * His 20 title defenses most by a man in AEW * Only Jade has more; speaking of Jade * She actually looked good…cuz Taya Valkyrie made her look good * Jade did do a superplex, though; first time I’ve seen her climb to the top rope * How about Taya almost taking Aubrey Edwards down the Ro...

Wild Get Biggest, Grittiest Win in Franchise History * Minnesota defeated the Dallas Stars in double-overtime * Game-winning goal scored by a hobbled Ryan Hartman after a Dallas giveaway * Stars flinched, Wild never did * Wild won hardly any statistical category except…blocked shots, 30-23 * Lost 56.5 percent of faceoffs, had five fewer shots, had two more giveaways, and hardly possessed the puck...

The Twins Whoop the Yankees? In New York?! Twice?!?! * Twins beat Yankees 11-2?!  * Back-to-back-to-back dingers in the first inning by Michael A. Taylor (Tony’s guy), rookie Edouard Julien (in his second ever MLB plate appearance), and Carlos Correa (first day back from back spasms) * The nine runs Minnesota scored in the first inning is the most against the Yankees in franchise history, per Do-H...

We discuss how the Minnesota Lynx aced the 2023 WNBA Draft, the Timberwolves' wild end to the regular season, and why the Gopher men's hockey team needs to change its approach. Lynx Ace the 2023 WNBA Draft * Round 1, Pick 2: Diamond Miller, Maryland * Potential to play point guard in the WNBA, especially with Cheryl Reeve as her coach * Reeve made me look a fool when she turned Moriah Jefferson in...

We discuss whether the new MLB rules are working and how MLB is squandering an opportunity by not ending blackout restrictions and preview the Minnesota Wild's and Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff draws.  New MLB Rules Working? * The Twins and Marlins played a 1-0 game in less than two hours * Games are running a full 30 minutes shorter than last year * Two hours into an MLB game, 90 percent of fan...

We discuss Shohei Ohtani and Samurai Japan beating Mike Trout and Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, the Minnesota Whitecaps shocking the women’s hockey world, and the whether the Timberwolves are better served by Karl-Anthony Towns coming off the bench. The Most-Watched Baseball Game Ever Played * According to Elite Dingers on Instagram, 97.4% of all households in Japan tuned in to see Shohe...

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to All Our Irish Fans * 13 percent of our listeners reside in Ireland, and this show’s for them * Crush car bombs and Guinness * What are your St. Patrick’s Day plans? * Anthony: Hope to get out for a pub crawl despite the snowstorm * Mike: Get hammered and listen to the Pogues * Anthony will also listen to the Pogues and fall asleep to Boondock Saints The Vikings Got a Cor...

We discuss the Minnesota Vikings’ money moves and Bud Grant moving on, Kirill Kaprizov’s injury impact on the Wild, Anthony’s curse of the Whitecaps, and how Twins’ Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic is going. Vikings Release Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, Lose Bud Grant, Might Lose Za’Darius Smith Per Tyler Forness on Twitter , “The Minnesota Vikings front office is making a clear s...

We explain why Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin is a genius, unwrap the good, bad, and ugly Spring Twinkies, and discuss how the World Baseball Classic injects MLB Spring Training with steroids. Wild Went Good Bill Hunting at the NHL Trade Deadline * Biggest move was undoubtedly trading Jordan Greenway to Buffalo for a very valuable draft pick * Wild received a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 fifth...

We preview the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Minnesota Lynx WNBA Draft, and discuss the comedy stylings of Cheryl Reeve, the Premier Hockey Federation playoffs, and news of the PWHPA forming a union.  Mujeres’ March Madness is About to Begin! * NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship Game to air on network television with its own pregame show for the first time * Watch on ABC * A...

We discuss how Frederick Gaudreau is leading the Wild's shootout winning ways, how the Twins’ injury-proofness is already being tested, and the hard decisions the Vikings need to make before March 15. The Wild are Shootout Gods! * The Wild got another shootout win over the Islanders, Tuesday * Frederick Gaudreau plays shootout god, again! * Six shootout goals in 10 attempts * Filip Gustavsson's .9...

We discuss another Twins acquisition, Kirk Cousins becoming a star, the Wolves' wicked bad history keeping leads, how the Wild are staying alive, and why you should watch the Whitecaps. Twins Get Even Deeper * Twins sign veteran infielder Donovan Solano, 35, to a one-year, MLB contract   * The guy flat out hits  * .289/.342/.397 against righties over the past four seasons but has crushed lefties t...

On the Feb. 19, 2023 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play , we talk about Minnesota Twins baseball, babies! Who will make the rooster? Who could provide a midseason boost to the club, and why Mikey has a baseball boner for Brooks Lee. We Got a Baseball Boner, Baby! * Tyler Mahle ’s shoulder is apparently back to normal, and he has a new-look slider * Six-man rotation could help avoid the fatigue...

On the Feb. 14, 2023 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play , NBA2K expert Joel Varriano joins the show to discuss the Timberwolves' trade deadline as well as his NBA Trade Deadline winners and losers. Anthony shares his Lady Golden Gopher/Wisconsin Badger hockey experience and previews AEW Dynamite. Reviewing the Timberwolves’ Trade Deadline Deals * Mike Conley already paying off * But why are we...

On the Feb. 8, 2023 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play, NBA2K expert Joel Varriano speculates wildly about the Timberwolves' Trade Deadline and offseason, we welcome Brian Flores to Minnesota, and talk AEW Dynamite. Oh, and D’Angelo Russell was traded to the Lakers immediately after we wrapped, but there are plenty more moves Joel would like to see made. What Will Wolves Do at the Deadline? *...

On the Feb. 5 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play, we discuss whether the Minnesota Lynx are tanking for Paige Bueckers, give you an opportunity to join and win our fantasy baseball league, fixing the NFL Pro Bowl, and Tom Brady trivia. Find the full outline at FoulPlaybyplay.com . Get full access to Anthony Varriano’s Substack at gogonzojournal.substack.com/subscribe

On the Jan. 29, 2023 edition of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play, we discuss the Wild’s winning ways on Hockey Day Minnesota, Anthony’s first Twinsfest, and walkup music with Tyler Culver, formerly of The Lone Boners and still with The Callers . His new project is called Nova. The Wild Always Win on Hockey Day Minnesota * 13-0 on Hockey Day Minnesota, per Anthony LaPanta * Won last three in OT/shootout...

On the Jan. 24, 2023 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play, we discuss the Minnesota Twins' trade for Gold Glove center fielder Michael A. Taylor, the joke that is the MLB Hall of "Fame," the Vikings' search for a new defensive coordinator, the upcoming AEW Dynamite show, and Brad provides some more Twins trivia. See the full show outline at FoulPlaybyplay.com . Get full access to Anthony Varrian...

On the Jan. 20, 2023 episode of Minnesota Foul Play-by-play, we bid adieu to the reigning and defending batting champion of the world, Luis Arraez, and Ed Donatell. Twins Trade Reigning Batting Champion Luis Arraez to Miami for Pablo Lopez and Two Prospects * The Marlins wanted more than Arraez for Lopez and gave up more to get only him * The Falvine regime does it again, surprising us all with th...