StribSports Daily Delivery

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes stock of the massive Tuesday in the NFL that saw the Packers retain Aaron Rodgers (at least for 2022 if not longer) while Russell Wilson was traded from Seattle to Denver. Both of those events taken in tandem should make the Vikings' offseason priority clear: Trade Kirk Cousins. The Packers will be prohibitive favorites to win the NFC North again in 2022, and...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand connects the dots on two of the biggest stories of the day -- one national and one local. First, Minnesota is getting closer to legalizing sports betting after new legislation was announced Monday that has the backing of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association. It's part of a proliferation of sports wagering that has permeated the modern sports fan, perhaps influenc...

Host Michael Rand and Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse take a look at the Wolves and Wild, two winter sports ships passing each other in the night. While the Wolves are surging and piling up wins, the Wild is getting booed off its home ice as losses pile up. Is this a trend that is likely to continue? Plus Reusse gets fired up (again) about MLB's myriad problems, including its labor woes, and...

Introduction: The Wild needed a late rally to defeat a bad team on Thursday, but after coming in having lost six of its past seven games style points were not of the greatest importance. Head coach Dean Evason will take the grinding effort that produced a 5-4 win at Philadelphia and hope that the mistakes that made the game too-close-for-comfort will be erased in the future. 6:00: St. Paul Saints...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of the Minneapolis boys' hockey team, a cooperative of all seven public high schools in the city, reaching the state tournament after a 3-1 section final victory over Delano. It's the first time any Minneapolis School has been in the boys' hockey state tournament since 1994. They will play Wednesday in the Class 1A state quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Cente...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand lays out his case for why Rob Manfred is the worst commissioner of any sport during his lifetime. It's not just this year's labor dispute -- which has resulted in the first two series of the regular season being canceled -- but rather the cumulative effect of Manfred's seven years. 7:00: Star Tribune writer Randy Johnson joins the show to discuss three hot topics: T...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand notes that by virtue of a dramatic 127-122 win over Cleveland on Monday -- keyed by a Karl-Anthony Towns three-pointer in the final minute -- the Wolves have already passed their four-game post-All Star Break schedule test with one game to go. At 2-1 and set to face Golden State in a back-to-back on Tuesday, the Wolves now have a chance to be taken even more serious...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a run through the weekend in sports, including: *The Gophers men's hockey team shut out Wisconsin twice and claimed the Big Ten title. The Gophers have been on a huge and somewhat unlikely run lately, fueled by goalie Justen Close. *MLB is headed for missed games if it can't resolve its labor situation today. Will there be any progr...

Introduction: Whether it was the recognition of the post-break stretch run, the opponent or some combination of both, Thursday's Wolves game against Memphis had a playoff-like feel to it. The intensity was excellent, the game was entertaining and the result for the Wolves was earned in a 119-114 victory. Getting the No. 6 seed in the West will still be a long climb, but Thursday was an encouraging...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand liked a lot of what he saw in Wednesday's men's basketball game between the Gophers and rival Badgers, even if Minnesota came up just short in a 68-67 loss. Moral victories aren't a thing in the standings, but you can see the foundation being put in place by head coach Ben Johnson. Plus Rand takes a second-day look at the Wild's budding goalie dilemma, fresh with re...

Introduction: A third poor start in a row for Wild goalie Cam Talbot has host Michael Rand wondering about the team's short-term and long-term plans at the position. Kaapo Kahkonen has better numbers in fewer opportunities this season and could soon supplant Talbot as the Wild's go-to netminder. But are either of them of a caliber that could win a playoff series for the Wild? That's a question the...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand reads aloud from Aaron Rodgers' latest search for attention, a lengthy Instagram post in which he expresses gratitude and thanks several people -- including teammates -- for the past year. Is it an indication that he's happy where he is? Is it a farewell? Only Rodgers knows, and hopefully we will know soon what he is actually going to do in the future. Rand also tak...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a spin through some of the biggest stories in sports. They start with the brawl between the Michigan and Wisconsin men's basketball teams on Sunday, which started with a confrontation between head coaches Juwan Howard and Greg Gard. Reusse's takeaway: Do away with handshakes. Plus Reusse walks us through is ranking of the nine previ...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand listened (and listened again) to new Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell's introductory news conference and picked out what he deems the five most important things from what was said. You'll hear audio clips from those five moments -- including O'Connell's thoughts on Kirk Cousins, his defensive philosophy and that ever-important "collaboration" -- along with why Ran...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts the show with a pair of disappointing Wednesday hockey results, with the U.S. women falling 3-2 to Canada in the gold medal game and the Wild losing for the second time in a week to a mediocre Winnipeg team. Wild coach Dean Evason didn't mince words after the game, and you'll hear from him. 6:00: Timberwolves writer and podcaster Dane Moore joins the show for...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand gives baseball-starved fans a little treat with a "season preview" of the 1987 Twins. He analyzes the roster, looks at Bert Blyleven's bold prediction of World Series contention from the at the end of a 91-loss season in 1986 and concludes that such talk is wishful thinking. There's just not enough pitching and too much of a gap to overcome. 6:00: The 1987 Twins, of...

Introduction: Host Michael Rand sings the praises of Wild rookie Matt Boldy, who has given the team another dimension since his arrival. Minnesota is 11-1-1 when Boldy has played, and he has given Kevin Fiala new energy. Boldy's hat trick in Monday's 7-4 win was just part of the story, as head coach Dean Evason said after the game. 6:00: Star Tribune Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling joins the sho...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at the Super Bowl, which was close but sometimes forgettable. Rand raves about the halftime show, while Reusse complains about how long it was. Plus a look at the resurgence of Anthony Edwards on the Wolves' win over the Pacers, a radical solution to fix college hockey (from Reusse) and talk of what the Vikings will do now th...

Introduction: After months of speculation, the 76ers traded Ben Simmons on Thursday right before the NBA's deadline. But it was not, of course, to the Wolves. Minnesota stood still at the deadline while Simmons went to the Nets in a blockbuster for James Harden. In the end, the Wolves and 76ers had the correct outcome through patience. The Wolves have improved internally this year without a trade,...

Introduction: With the NBA trade deadline approaching Thursday, the Wolves saw their five-game win streak end with a 132-119 loss to the Kings. It was more defensive slippage for the Wolves, whose offense has been clicking. One game shouldn't determine what happens at the trade deadline, but someone like Marcus Smart could be a big pickup. Plus the Gophers lost in both men's and women's basketball...

Introduction: The Timberwolves won again Tuesday, taking care of a depleted Sacramento team as the trade deadline approaches. Minnesota is 29-25 and has a roster that might make it less tempting to make a trade than it appeared a month ago. But the Wolves also need Anthony Edwards to get going down the stretch. You'll hear from head coach Chris Finch on that subject and Jordan McLaughlin on the st...

Introduction: Afton's Jessie Diggins made history again early Tuesday, taking home the bronze medal in the women's individual freestyle sprint at the Beijing Games -- the first U.S. woman to win a medal in an individual cross-country skiing event. 5:00: Jim Souhan joins host Michael Rand as they discuss a variety of subjects, including: The Gophers women's basketball team is struggling this year i...

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look at some of the biggest stories in sports. A week ago, Reusse declared he would be shocked if Jim Harbaugh got the job as Vikings head coach. On this week's show, Reusse says he was right ... but for all the wrong reasons. He noted that Harbaugh really wanted the job, but that for whatever reason it didn't work out. And now we...

Introduction: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal checks in from Beijing where he is in semi-quarantine after being a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID. How is he adapting and what has he been able to cover so far? 7:00: Star Tribune Wild beat writer Sarah McLellan joins host Michael Rand for a midseason report. The Wild was red-hot going into the break thanks to a lot of...

Introduction: The Vikings are set to hire Kevin O'Connell, the Rams offensive coordinator, as their next head coach -- ending a whirlwind process that included the emergence and disappearance of Jim Harbaugh as a presumed frontrunner. O'Connell is the type of coach the Vikings figured to hire when the process began -- young, and on the offensive side of the ball -- but the decision feels somewhat...