StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: Host Michael Rand goes hockey-heavy in the opening segment. The Wild's 6-1 loss at Nashville, which dropped Minnesota eight points behind both the Predators and Kings in the chase for the two Wild Card spots, was very damaging. With just a week until the trade deadline, the Wild's playoff odds are not promising. Plus a college hockey snub and a huge high school hockey upset. 9:00: St...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends the opening part of the show on the Caitlin Clark phenomenon. The Iowa star had 33 points against Gophers at Williams Arena on Wednesday, breaking the Division I women's basketball scoring record. It was a remarkable performance that underscored Clark's brilliance but also the downward spiral of the Gophers, who lost the game 108-60. Plus thoughts on the men'...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand retraces the last couple years of Kirk Cousins with the Vikings, all the way to comments from head coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at Tuesday's NFL Scouting Combine. The Vikings are saying they want Cousins back, which probably means a multi-year deal with guaranteed money. But if that was true, they also could have signed him a year ago. What change...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at Monday's Twins trade from three perspectives. They targeted a player they wanted, Manual Margot, and got him; they got insurance against a Byron Buxton setback right as he is ready to play center field again; and they depleted their 2021 draft class. Plus a quick thought on Minnesota United. 8:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins Rand on a number...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports. Reusse is down in Florida for Twins spring training and remains concerned about the team's pitching staff. He and Rand went deep on Joe Pohlad's comments last week about payroll and wondered whether Louie Varland will make the Opening Day roster. The Gophers men's basketball team had been hot fr...

Jeff Day of the Star Tribune joins host Michael Rand to discuss his story on Max Exsted, a 16-year-old from Savage who is one of the best junior tennis players in the world. What does it take to be one of the best junior tennis players in the world? Exsted, a teenager from Savage, is traveling the world to find out. You'll learn all about him and his journey on this special weekend episode.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand breaks down the latest Gophers men's basketball win, a big one Thursday against Ohio State. Ben Johnson is in the conversation for conference coach of the year, and he is preaching process over results. Enough good results, though, could get Minnesota into the NCAA tournament. 8:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins Rand to talk about Minnesota'...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand took note of Twins executive Joe Pohlad giving an honest interview on WCCO radio earlier this week, when he said the Twins are not in the market for any of the remaining big-ticket MLB free agents. Rand appreciates the candor but doesn't like the message. This team has a lot of momentum from last year. Why close off opportunities to get better? Plus Rand weighs in o...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at the approved 12-team College Football Playoff format and comes to the conclusion that the landscape of the sport going forward will both help and hurt the Gophers. They will have a harder time competing for a Big Ten title in a loaded conference, but during their truly special seasons they should be able to compete for a playoff spot. 8:00: Star Tribune col...

Introduction: On a jam-packed episode of the podcast, host Michael Rand starts out with the Wild's 10-goal outburst against Vancouver -- the best team in the NHL -- on Monday, which included six goals over a six-minute span from late in the second period to the early part of the third. Minnesota set all sorts of records in the victory, which helped the Wild creep closer to a playoff spot. 6:00: Mi...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand on Monday's show, which features Reusse remembering some of the best moments -- and biggest changes -- from the first Twins spring training he covered in 1974 until now. The characters make the game, and Reusse has seen a lot of them in the last half-century down in Florida. 26:00: Speeding back to the present, Reusse and Rand get into...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes a look at over-under totals set for Big Ten football teams in 2024 and can't help but be alarmed by where the Gophers are. Long story short: Odds suggest they have the best chance to be the worst team in the league. The Gophers basketball team, meanwhile, missed a chance at an upset in Purdue. 10:00: Star Tribune writer Rachel Blount joins the show for a look...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand sees the Wild's four-game post-break winning streak and wonders if they can get this sort of goaltending on a more consistent basis. Their goalie play has been a weak link so far this season, but if it's better down the stretch the playoffs could be in sight. Plus a look at a big day coming for the Wolves on ESPN next week. 9:00: Rand welcomes Star Tribune columnist...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand has details on the latest Timberwolves victory, which included a three-point barrage from Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the fourth quarter to put away the Blazers. Minnesota is surging into the All-Star break and looks to have the depth of a true contender. 9:00: Star Tribune Gophers football and men's hockey beat writer Randy Johnson joins Rand for a breakdown of his...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand opens with two impressive Minnesota road victories from Monday night. The Wolves dominated the third quarter in winning their Western Conference showdown with the Clippers. The game was also a seamless transition to adding Monte Morris into the rotation, and he helped keep several other players fresh. The Wild, meanwhile, earned a strong win at Vegas. Whether it's t...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, leading of course with Sunday's Super Bowl. Kansas City won 25-22 in overtime over San Francisco, showing again why having the best QB on the planet matters in crucial moments. What did the game tell us about both teams -- and perhaps what did it tell us about the Vikings and Kirk Cousins now th...

Introduction: Heading into Super Bowl weekend, host Michael Rand looks at two NFL stories with Minnesota ties. First, former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is back in the league after a two-year absence. Zimmer reportedly will be the new defensive coordinator in Dallas and will work for former rival head coach Mike McCarthy. Ex-Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, meanwhile, will need to wait at lea...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand noticed Wild fans were annoyed even in a victory on Wednesday night, Minnesota's first game back after a long All-Star break. The effort was underwhelming in a 2-1 win over the bottom-dwelling Blackhawks, and the fan sentiment seems to be an understanding that this team is going nowhere. 6:00: Rand has thoughts on the Wolves' trade for Monte Morris. He likes the dea...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand spends the opening part of the show on two big basketball games from Tuesday. The Gophers men's basketball team scored a big win over Michigan State, improving to 6-5 in the conference and giving legitimacy to the idea that they could make the NCAA tournament thi season. The Wolves, meanwhile, blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead in a defeat for the fourth time i...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand thinks we need to refocus if we're thinking about the Vikings taking a quarterback in the draft. Move your eyes away from the first round and toward their No. 42 overall pick in the second round. That's where the value -- and their future QB -- might be. 7:00: Star Tribune Twins writer Phil Miller joins Rand to talk about a number of subjects, including: the signing...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, starting with basketball. The Wolves are 35-15 after 50 games, and head coach Chris Finch will be the coach for the Western Conference in the All-Star game. That's quite an accomplishment for all involved. 15:00: The Twins are staying on Bally Sports North for the 2024 season. What does that mea...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand gives a long head nod to Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves big man was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career on Thursday, an honor that perhaps means more this time after all he has been through in the last 18 months. Given that Rand was convinced KAT needed to be traded before the start of the season, an acknowledgment of Towns' terrific season is...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand tries to compare Wednesday's record high temperatures to that night's blowout Wolves win over a shorthanded Mavericks team. He also takes a look at the chances of three Wolves to be named all-stars tonight, plus two big Lynx moves and another tough loss for the Gophers women's basketball team. 11:00: Star Tribune Twins beat writer Bobby Nightengale joins Rand for a...

Host Michael Rand gets swept up by NFL quarterback talk in late January, showing again the power of the league. He tries to get a baseline for the free agent market on Kirk Cousins, who figures to be the most coveted QB potentially available via that route. Which teams could afford him? How many teams flat-out need quarterbacks? How does the draft order affect the Vikings and everyone else? 10:00:...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand gets to the two big stories from Monday night right away. The Wolves (and their fans) were teetering before a big win over Oklahoma City restored order and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They won 107-101 despite what Anthony Edwards considered poor officiating. 6:00: The Twins, meanwhile, made their first big move of the offseason by trading longtime infi...