MNST: Joe has already decided that JJ McCarthy is NOT the guy

Summary

Garage Logic: MNST – Joe has already decided that JJ McCarthy is NOT the guy
Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Gamut Podcast Network
Main Personalities: Joe Soucheray (“The Mayor”), Pat, Chris, Reivers

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Episode Overview

This episode of Garage Logic dives into the current Minnesota sports landscape with a heavy dose of characteristic irreverence, skepticism, and humor. Key topics are the future of Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the agonies and hopes of local pro teams, thoughts on college sports (especially football’s NIL era), and random but entertaining digressions into everything from celebrity sightings to European geography. The central discussion stirs around quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with Joe and company expressing doubts about his long-term potential—“he’s not the guy.” The crew balances sports analysis with stories, playful jabs, and pointed commentary about the state of leagues and teams.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pat’s Health Update & Leonardo DiCaprio Anecdote (00:09–02:00)

• Pat shares rehab progress after knee surgery—optimistic, not “out of the woods” for the left knee.
• Entertaining banter about Leonardo DiCaprio, celebrity sightings, and Pat’s recurring restroom story.

2. Vikings Quarterback Situation: J.J. McCarthy Debate (03:05–04:00; recurring)

• Joe: “I’ve seen enough. I don’t think it’s there. I just don’t think it’s there.” (03:30)
• The crew debates if McCarthy is even close to the answer at QB, comparing him to middling pros and noting immaturity (taunting penalty called “crazy”).
• Pat: “He might be adequate… might be Bobby Lee or somebody like that, I don’t know.” (03:19)
• Emphasis that the team enters next season with uncertainty: “They go in next season not knowing what the hell…” (03:05)
• Frustration over a Vikings' lackluster win against a depleted opponent (“Only 16 points… against the Triple A team…”).

3. End-of-Season NFL “Resting Starters” and Fan Impact (04:11–06:00)

• Lament about NFL teams benching starters late in the season, leaving ticket holders frustrated.
• Discussion of massive inactive lists (“40 guys on the inactive sheet”—05:00).
• Secondary ticket market collapse—prices so low you’d be paid to go to the Vikings game (05:38).

4. Would Vikings Have Been Contenders With Better QB? Defense & Season Analysis (05:50–07:22)

• Team defense improved late; special praise for Dallas Turner’s emergence (“He ended up being a beast at the end.”)
• Questioning if a competent QB would have made them Super Bowl contenders—Joe thinks so, Pat less convinced due to earlier poor run defense.

5. The Joe Burrow Rumors (07:22–08:54; 25:10–27:40)

• Joe and Pat discuss the plausibility and cost of a Vikings trade for Bengals star Joe Burrow.
• Pat: “If they get him… who cares about number ones if you’ve got Joe Burrow?”
• Notable skepticism about Bengals ownership’s frugality possibly spurring a Burrow departure.
• Recognizes that huge compensation would be required (“your next five number ones or some damn thing”).
• Joe: “He’s not Deshaun Watson.” (26:19)
• Cautions about Burrow’s own injury history.

6. College Football: Transfer Portal, NIL, and Changing Dynamics (14:25–18:40)

• Rant against coaches leaving before bowl games; the transfer portal window opening too soon.
• Critique of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money war: “Nil money has just made it even harder to be a coach.” (15:41)
• Minnesota’s struggles to attract Fortune 400-level NIL donors—“What are you doing?” (16:30)
• “You’ve got to get the guy who went to school at your place that’s independently wealthy.”

7. Small College Highlight: UW–River Falls National Title (08:54–11:36)

• Shout-out to River Falls football’s historic run, breaking Joe Burrow’s college yardage record.
• Discussion of Minnesota/Wisconsin recruiting—67 Minnesotans on River Falls’ roster.

8. Pro and College Basketball (23:07–24:46)

• Sparse Gopher basketball team (only a seven-man rotation), yet impressive recent performance.
• Joke about Tom Thibodeau’s ideal rotation (“Tibbs would love that.”)

9. The Minnesota Wild and Optimism (21:17–22:22)

• The “Hughes” trade has energized the hockey team.
• “This is a really good team, Joe. There’s no excuse not to have a run this time.” (22:01)
• Running gag on not saying the “C word”—the “Cup”—for superstition.

10. National/League-wide Sports Talk (27:36–33:56)

• Aaron Rodgers and QB tantrums; delight in Ravens win over Packers.
• Playoff previews: high number of road favorites, Eagles’ QB woes.
• Brief commentary on expanding NFL season—sarcasm about potential for 18 or even “25 games” (31:45).

11. Quick Hits and Offbeat Topics

• Standings of the Washington Wizards (nutritionist anecdote), Ovechkin at the Capitals, and random NHL talk.
• European geography and sports—confusion and jokes about “Czechia,” “Slovakia,” and Slovenia (with a side dig on Melania Trump’s origin).
• Some print newspaper logistics banter and complaints about deadlines.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On McCarthy’s Future:
  • Joe: “I’ve seen enough. I don’t think it’s there. I just don’t think it’s there.” (03:30)
  • Pat: “My theory is he’s never going to be great. He might be adequate…” (03:19)
• On Taunting Penalty:
  • Chris: “That taunting penalty was just in… if that was a game against anybody other than a practice squad… they wouldn’t have won.” (03:50)
• On NFL Resting Players:
  • Joe: “It’s a little tough on the ticket holder, isn’t it?” (05:06)
  • Chris: “They might have paid you to take the ticket off their hand.” (05:38)
• On Joe Burrow Rumors:
  • Pat: “Who cares about number ones if you got Joe Burrow playing quarterback?” (08:30)
  • Chris: “He gets hurt just about as often as J.J. McCarthy does.” (25:45)
• On NIL and Donor Culture:
  • Pat: “You got to get the guy who went to school at your place that’s independently wealthy.” (16:30)
• On The Wild:
  • Pat: “This is a really good team, Joe. There’s no excuse not to have a run this time.” (22:01)
• On NFL Expansion:
  • Joe: “Well, then why not 25 games? Now you’ve already identified who you are. We’re just haggling over the price, right?” (31:49)
• On College Football Playoffs:
  • Chris: “Of the six games this weekend, four of the road teams are the favorites.” (29:18)
• On Geography:
  • Pat: “I liked Yugoslavia. Good basketball, six different team. Now they got six different countries, that’s all. They made geography much tougher over there.” (38:10)

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Important Timestamps

• Vikings/McCarthy discussion: 03:05–04:00, 05:50–06:16
• Joe Burrow rumors: 07:22–08:54, 25:10–27:40
• NIL/Transfer portal/Coaching carousel: 14:25–18:40
• UW–River Falls football story: 08:54–11:36
• Minnesota Wild optimism: 21:17–22:22
• NFL Playoffs/National sports talk: 27:36–33:56

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Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is conversational, irreverent, whipsmart, and gleefully cynical about the sports world and its excesses. The hosts move fluidly between serious analysis and outright satire, maintaining a dry but affectionate sense of humor about Minnesota’s teams and “Garage Logic” sensibilities.

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For Listeners New and Old

Whether you’re a die-hard Minnesota sports fan or just enjoy clever banter, this episode captures the blend of skepticism, tradition, and oddball enthusiasm that defines Garage Logic. If you want insight into why Joe and company are out on J.J. McCarthy—and how they see the sports landscape—this one’s for you.

Transcript

[A]

Here, roll it here and.

[B]

Hey, Pat.

[A]

Yes, Joseph.

[B]

How are you doing?

[A]

I had a little knee bender today. I came out of it better than I did my last time that I had rehab. And I'm driving. Started driving yesterday. So that's good. Next week I will be in attendance.

[B]

Wow. It's coming along.

[A]

Yeah, it is. They. I am now. I, I was 110 at the knee bending degrees and you got to get the 120 be happy. So.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That is. But it's, it's doing or. Although it's very unpredictable, some days you think you're feeling good and the next day it hurts light also. Yeah, it's. But I'm, I, I'm finally opt about it. Not that the left knee is ever going to have the same experience. I know. Guarantee. No, no, that's, that's on its own. That's, that's, it's got its own problems.

[B]

Hey, Pat.

[A]

Hey. I gotta ask you a question. Yeah, yeah. Were you some place where you saw my friend Leonardo? No, no, DiCaprio.

[B]

He was over at St. Bart's oh, okay. I've never been in that part of the world.

[A]

Okay. And he had, he had his, he had his new girlfriend.

[B]

He had a gal with him. Pat.

[A]

Yeah, because you know, Leonardo and I are pretty much buddies because we relieved ourselves next to each other at the Staples center and as I, we sat there, I stood there, I looked over at him and said. I've repeated this story many times. Times. I said. And he said good. And I said that's when I expected you.

[C]

I'm not surprised.

[A]

Yeah, right. He was accompanied at that Lakers Timberwolves. Rather attractive young lady too. So anyway, so my theory on. You want that he's a theory on what?

[B]

Why are you, why is he breaking up?

[C]

I don't, I don't know.

[A]

On walls. On walls. My theory on walls.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

He's afraid of Mr. Pillow. It wasn't fraud. He was afraid of Mr. Pillow.

[B]

Pat, are you ready? Well, walls was told not to run as my theory somebody by everybody.

[A]

Yeah, everybody. Yes. Yeah, it was, it was. It was reluctant, but back. That'll, that'll, that'll be an upgrade, that's for sure. So anyway, I, I, I agree.

[B]

Pat, are you ready like I am to make your decision about McCarthy?

[A]

My decision is that they go in the next season not knowing what the hell was fact that they don't. They didn't see enough of this guy to know if he's got a chance or not. I don't think. But my My theory is he's never going to be great. He might be adequate, you know, he might be Bobby Lee or somebody like that. I don't know.

[B]

My. Well, you're. You're more charitable than me. I've seen enough. I don't. I don't think it's there. I just don't think it's there.

[A]

I think is. I know he's. He's 22 and all that BS, but he's, you know, he played for Michigan and everything. Why is he so immat crazy? So why is he getting a taunting.

[C]

That taunting penalty was just in. And if that was a game against anybody other than a practice squad yesterday. Yeah, they wouldn't have won that game.

[A]

Well, it is amazing that they're out there playing against, you know, the. Whatever the Triple A team is, and they only got 16 points.

[C]

You guys there. Did you guys see the inactive sheet for yesterday? I only looked it up out of curiosity. There were 40 guys on the inactive sheet yesterday.

[B]

Well, they didn't even play their second quarterback, somebody named Toon Clayton. Toon.

[A]

Clayton Toonies, who, by the way, is not like some promising youngster. He's 28, you know, so he's been kicked around someplace. But here's my prediction. The NFL, which gets extremely upset any. Any week that doesn't have the. The gigantic ratings that they want. Yeah. You know, they're gonna. They're gonna try to implement something for the final week of the season next year to prevent teams from doing this. Maybe even announce that you can't. You can't do it or something.

[B]

It's a little tough on the ticket holder, isn't it?

[A]

I'll say yes. Yes, it is. If, you know, if the. Those Green Bay fans who made their annual deal with Viking fans in August to buy the tickets must have felt kind of stupid coming over here to, you know, to watch a game or if they. If they came over to watch it all. But, you know, a lot of. A lot of Viking fans get a lot of their ticket money back by selling the tickets to the. I have always optimistic Packer fans.

[C]

I happen to be a guy that monitors the secondary market. Joe, let's just put it this way. Yesterday, if, if you wanted to go to that game, they might have paid you to take the ticket off their hand. And that's never happened with a Viking Packer.

[B]

Well, Pat, two things. Do you subscribe to the theory that with a competent quarterback, this team would not only be in the playoffs? It might have been a good year for them to Try to win a Super Bowl. They had the best defense in the league. They got best receivers in the league. They've got more than adequate running backs. Would this have been a year they might have done?

[A]

I'm not sure. Because for some reason, Joe, in the middle of the season, they were. Their past. Their past. Their. Their rushing defense was awful. Every team came in and ran against them. Teams ran for over 200 yards against them for what, Chris? About four or five weeks.

[C]

Yeah. Case, the. The biggest one was when they went to Seattle and got their asses kicked. Saddle just ran the ball the whole game. They barely threw the ball against them.

[A]

Yeah. But then the last four or five weeks, when they got a little healthier and they got a little smarter, they were really good defensively. The big turnaround for this team was that Dallas Turner, who a year ago didn't know if he was running forwards or backwards and then started off this year and not. He wasn't even starting all the time. Right. And now he ended up being a beast at the end. So that was, you know, he's the guy they traded up to. To draft 15th two years ago that looked like that might be a, you know, a waste, too. And then he. Now he's. Now he's a player, so.

[B]

All right. Second thing. Are the Joe Burrow whisperings for real?

[A]

I don't know how we decided that we're the team to get him. I don't really.

[B]

What's his contract situation?

[A]

Oh, he's making a lot of money. He's making a huge amount of money and. But he might be upset with, you know, Cincinnati's got the worst ownership in. In the NFL. Mike Brown, you know, Paul Brown's son is in his 80s, is still running it, and, you know, he doesn't want to spend a nickel that he doesn't have to spend. And they have terrible facilities and, you know, they run. They run everything cheaper than hell. And he might just. I'm out of there. I don't. I don't know if he wants out of there. This is just.

[B]

That would reunite him with Jefferson.

[C]

It's true. That's a good point.

[B]

Oh, God, you'll be hoisting the Vince Lombardi.

[A]

The problem you're facing, if they get him, they, you know, first of all, you get rid of McCarthy then. Because Cincinnati have to take him, right?

[C]

Probably. Yeah.

[A]

As a possibility. And, you know, you trade what, your next five number ones or some damn thing, and then you trade. Who cares about number ones if you got Joe Burrow playing quarterback you're going to win a lot of games and you won't be drafting his trouble. He's been hurt a little.

[C]

That's what I was going to bring up. Yeah, that's his only problem is he's good.

[A]

By the way, did you. The. The River Falls team that won the national title last night? Yes, last night. A very good, good game. The Caleb Blaha, their quarterback, that friendly guy. Did you see the record he broke? He broke the total yardage running and passing record for all of college football held by Joe Burrow.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Holy cow.

[A]

Yeah. So over 6,000 yards.

[B]

Okay, will somebody look at him, or is that just not in the cards?

[A]

I. He's more of an athlete. He's an. I think he'll get invited to camp. Yeah, he'll. He'll. I mean, a Max bro can get invited to camp, he can get invited to a camp, but if I was him, I'd pack it up and go to Canada and I think he could. They like the mobile running around quarterbacks a little more. And I, you know, I didn't go up there and get a job. He's. He's an interesting kid. You know, the old scribe here.

[B]

Yeah. You know all about this, all these.

[A]

River Falls front runners. I did three columns in December on River Falls starting December 2nd. I'm a River Falls expert.

[B]

What have you. Did you determine that the kid wants to try to continue to play?

[A]

I would guess so. Although he almost wasn't going to come back because he wanted to get out in the workforce. But then all his teammates said, come on, Come on back. We can win it all. And they did. But this. The most amazing thing is this guy, the coach, I think their first ever. The first eight years you were there, they were. They were losing. They had a losing record. I mean, they lost every year. The first three years, they only won two games or something. But they. They kept him because they're so cheap back then they had terrible facilities. But then they built a new athletic center and it opened in 2017. And then they gave a little money to hire assistants and. And then they, you know, they started being competitive, but it was still the first time they'd been in the playoffs since 95 or 96. This team, they beat North Central 129 in a row.

[C]

Holy cow.

[A]

Yeah, so it was. It was a fun game.

[C]

I found out, Pat, yesterday, I can't remember if I told you this on the phone. There's two Faribault kids that are on that River Falls team that I.

[A]

That I've oh, yeah, I saw that. I was looking through the roster. 67 Minnesotans on the roster over there, 30, 36 or 7 Wisconsin kids and 67 Minnesotans because they're, you know, they're, they're next to our population base.

[D]

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[E]

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[A]

There's a lot of teams between them and the, the Wisconsin population base on the other side of this. On the other side of the state. So now I got a little, I got a little scoop for you. Yeah. Which I didn't want to bring up during the whole two week run up to the Stag Bowl. But St. Paul, Concordia, St. Paul fired their coach on Nov. 17 and they were trying to hire the guy from River Falls and you know, they're D2 and he's D3 and they, I think they were waiting because they thought they had him and now they don't. So they're hiring somebody else. So. But he was, there was a rumor out a couple weeks ago that he was going to go to the St. Paul Concordia. Concordia in St. Paul.

[C]

Was it the same nil style deal that Kiffin got from LSU or a.

[A]

Little bit different, A little bit less by the way. Did you see the picture of Kiffin? Different, walking with Kim Mulkey, holding hands on the sideline.

[B]

I don't know who Kim Mulkey is.

[A]

She is the insane women's basketball coach at lsu. The one that's out there dressed up like a clown and. Oh, yeah, yeah, I said. I said it's not often when you can see Lane Kiffin in a two person photo and he's not the craziest one.

[B]

Hey, man, speaking of that, why doesn't the NCAA make a rule that the coaches can't leave prior to a bowl game?

[C]

Wait, wait. I got you, Pat. I got you, Pat. Good one, Joe. What do you. How much money is involved with that? There's no way the coaches association is going to go for that.

[B]

No, they can still. You can still take the job. You just got to. Wait. You don't tell anybody till after the bowl game.

[A]

Yeah, what am I missing here? But here's what the idiots are doing, Joe. The transfer portal, you know, which is now basically the lifeblood of the great programs, starts January 2nd.

[B]

Well, stop that. Make it February.

[C]

I agree with that completely.

[B]

Yeah, February 2nd it is.

[A]

I think they want, though, that then they can get these dummies for spring semester, you know, is why they do it. I don't know. It's. It's unbelievable. But if you're looking, you know, Indiana has got the quarterback, you know, that they got out of the one, the Heisman Trophy, the guy from Cal. Well, they've already signed their quarterback from next year from some damn place, Old Dominion or something like that. There it is, the goofiest thing of all.

[B]

I think Nil money is just made it even harder to be a coach.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, God, yes. Oh, God, yes. I mean, you know, it's. You know what I do get a kick out of is all these Gopher fans. Why don't some of our Fortune 400 companies here give money? The Gophers, they got a board of directors, you idiots. There's 15 people on it, and 12 of them did graduate from the University of Minnesota. What the hell are you doing? What? What did. The people are the guy. The big donators to Nil is. Mark Cuban's giving the money to Indiana because that's where he went to school, right? You got to get the guy who went to school at your place that's independently wealthy.

[B]

If only. Would he use the fraud money for nil?

[C]

There you go.

[A]

Oh, that's right. If we could have. We just went around in the daycare. We'd be fine.

[B]

Yeah. That's only. That's a go for daycare. Go for daycare.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

They have an autism wing and.

[C]

But you know, Pat, you mentioned that because Cuban, I believe, gave. It was around a bill in totality over whatever the years are that. That's how much money.

[A]

Not all the sports, though.

[D]

No.

[C]

Right. But I'm just saying that whatever the check was. And you thought when. What world do we live in where Indiana absolutely kicks the hell out of Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

[A]

Oh, God. I was watching, but, you know, somebody. Somebody else brought this up, which is great. This the other day, I don't know where I read it, but, you know, Clemson was like this powerhouse, right?

[C]

Yep.

[A]

And now all of a sudden Clemson is mediocre and people are beaten it up trying to figure out what's going on here because they were rated high. Well, Clemson. There were always rumors that Clemson had nil before it was fashionable, you know. You know, Clemson.

[B]

Haven't they all?

[C]

Yeah, pretty much.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Clemson was very good at, you know, at feathering the nest and. But now you can go anywhere and get your. You know, Corey Perry doesn't have to go to Clemson to get his money. Go anywhere that he doesn't have to go to hillbilly section of South Carolina to get his money now. So it is the damnedest change in sports, though, of my lifetime.

[C]

Where is he going to end up going? Do you have any steam on where Coy Parich is going to end up at?

[A]

No, I. No idea.

[C]

Whoever's got the biggest checkbook.

[B]

Well, that's what it comes down to.

[A]

Yeah. And it's. But I mean, Reavers. You're right. I'm watching Indiana just handed to him.

[B]

Oh, my God. It was a trouncing.

[A]

Yeah, it was terrible. And that coach from. I'm. I'm shocked they let that coach get off the airplane when he got back to Alabama. That calendar bore. You know, they were trying to. He lost a couple early and they wanted to run him out. And then they made the playoffs, but they still don't like him, you know, at Alabama. And now they just get it handed to him by. But I was the happiest I was was seeing that jackass from Georgia get beat.

[B]

Will somebody try to lure Signetti away from Indiana?

[C]

He just signed a huge deal.

[A]

No, he's got a huge deal. He's 63, four years old. He likes. You think that whole stick on the sidelines of him looking out the side of his eyes and, you know, you don't think he know they're taking photos of him.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

He'S a great. You know, he's the guy that when he first got hired he got there, the Indiana press conference and he says, he says how do you. How do you think you're going to win here? And he says, he says I went everywhere. Google me.

[B]

Yeah, check my record.

[A]

Google me. Google me. He's not shorting in conference, but it is the damnedest thing.

[B]

I'm rooting for him now. I think it's fun.

[A]

Yes, I do too. I think it's.

[B]

When are those games? This weekend?

[C]

Thursday. Friday.

[B]

Thursday, Friday.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

Thursday, Friday.

[C]

I forget which one is which but.

[A]

The other this week I really. You know, I'm not the college football fan that I used to be. Not even close. But I thought the quarterfinals were fantastic. I thought that, you know all the good. All the right teams won. Yes, it was and it was. They were. They were both. They were either ass kicking or fun games. The, you know that Miami team was. They. They should have been in because the ACC needed a team in. Notre Dame should have been in instead of Alabama. I said that all along. But at Miami is. They look like old time Miami, man. They got some athletes and you know.

[C]

Who else is impressive is that quarterback for Ole Miss. That kid's an athlete, man. Some of those plays he made against.

[A]

Georgia where he's from. No, he played Ferris state.

[C]

Really?

[A]

Yeah. One one, two straight D2 championships and then the. That's. That's the things like the, the FCS and D2 and even they're having. They're having their best players stolen from them and moved up. You know it's. It's. It's just unbelievable what's going on.

[B]

The best hope for local success is your wild.

[A]

Oh my God. This Hughes. What I was talking today earlier.

[C]

What.

[A]

When's the last time a trade of this impact has been made for one of our local teams? We thought Carlos Correa might be doing it. That was free agency but we were wrong about that. But this guy is just great and everybody else plays better when he's around and you know they got. Here's the other deal. They got four great players. You count favor and the guy scored all the goals and boldy and. But then they got act and they got Brody and they got. This is a really good team, Joe. There's no excuse not to. Not to have a run this time.

[B]

Big time run coming. We can't say the C word.

[C]

No, you can't. He'll kill both of you. If you do that.

[B]

Don't do that. Say the C word.

[A]

You can't say the cup.

[B]

Oh, you just did.

[A]

Hey, we, you know, we were, you know, our Timberwolves, so they were trying to win the cup too, but they got beat. You know the thing, the, the America's cup or the Emma Emeritus cup, the Arab oil cup.

[B]

That's the one where they had the bad colored floor.

[C]

Yeah, that's that one.

[B]

Oh, yeah, like that.

[A]

Yeah. No, you can't. How do you like to be rocke refereeing that and say, what am I looking at?

[B]

Well, you'd get a headache.

[A]

This, these blotches of color would be fantastic.

[B]

So what else is new in the world of sports?

[A]

Let's see, what else is new. Lot lots new in the world of sports. The Gopher basketball team, which is a little thin. They had three guys play all 40 minutes. Oh, my God. They had six guys play 196 of the 200 minutes, and yet they held out and beat Northwestern. And it's, they got, you know, they just have. They've had two guys hurt and then two guys who never, never really got unhurt. So they're, they're only seven deep and. But they, they, this guy can coach. I mean, they play a great zone defense and they also, they move the ball around. It says that they're a little short of ammunition. They got Iowa here on Tuesday, though, and I saw some of the Gopher fans saying, let's fill up the barn. I could just settle for filling up downstairs. Well, you're the way things are now, Pat.

[C]

You know who would love a. You know who would love that seven man rotation is Tibbs. He'd love that.

[A]

We don't need any more than this. What the hell? That's right. Tim, have you seen Tibbs lately? He's like an Adonis. He's. He's still got, let's face it, he's very hair challenged. You know, that's true. There's not much you can do with that thing he's got on his head. But Tibbs is skinny. I think he's, I think he's looking for a comeback.

[C]

Who hired him? Where did you see him?

[A]

Oh, he's been, you know, he goes and visits his basketball buddies and he said, and like somebody had him in for two or three days.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

I'm not sure what. Which place it was, but he's in for two, three days and consulting and.

[C]

Gotcha.

[A]

You know, he got. When he got fired. I think they owed him 26 million. So I think he's in good shape.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Let's go back to Joe Burrow.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

The Wolf's. The Wolves will spend money.

[A]

Well, yeah, why not? You know, you're. You're making more than you know what to do. You're. You're cut. Your cut on a lot of national revenues over this year was over 400 million. That's before you sold any tickets or your home games and anything else. So, you know, your average NFL team's probably bringing in 750, 800 million a year, so you might as well spend some money.

[C]

So I guess here's the thing you got to look at though. Joe, number one. As Pat mentioned, he gets hurt just about as often as J.J. mcCarthy does. The other, the other problem is the Cleveland Browns acquired starting quarterback desean Watson a few years ago. They gave up three first round picks and a boatload of money. And that was one of the worst trades in NFL history. But my point is they're going to have to overpay even more than that.

[A]

I don't think Joe Burrow. Good, good. Straight arrow guy. Has a massage parlor problem.

[B]

Like, I don't think so either. He's already demonstrated he's not Deshaun Watson.

[A]

I don't think he goes to the massage parlor and says, can you go a little lower there?

[C]

No. I guess my point was the compensation that would be involved to acquire a guy like Joe.

[A]

How much did they end up? Did they get out of the desean deal?

[C]

No, he's still under contract. In fact, Pat, when Will and I went to Cleveland a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to one of the Browns fans. He said one more year of this bleeping contract for Deshaun Watson.

[A]

But what, what? I mean it. But they just. He doesn't show up. That they don't make him show up anymore. He doesn't even have to. He doesn't even have to practice.

[C]

Nope.

[B]

Why don't the Vikings take a chance on him?

[C]

Good one.

[B]

Huh huh. And something's got to happen because this ain't the kid.

[A]

And you know, maybe you can get a, get a somewhere compliant massages and then things will be fine.

[B]

He went out yesterday because his hand hurt again.

[A]

Yeah, he's. He's got, he's got the problem. He's not number nine. Is not an iron man.

[B]

He might not be a warrior.

[C]

Boy.

[A]

There's.

[B]

How about old Aaron last night he was a warrior. Throw a tantrum when he couldn't hear through his microphones in his helmet.

[A]

He does act like a child, doesn't he, when things aren't going right. But that was a great Baltimore team. At Baltimore teams got this quarterback was fantastic and they've been screwed up from the first game of the year when they blew it to Buffalo. They look great for three quarters. They gave that game away. And what did you. Were you watching that game, Joe?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

When that chubby guy came out to kick, I was saying, he's going to miss it.

[B]

He not only missed it, Pat, it was never on track. It was wide right the whole way. Shanked it.

[A]

Yes, yes. Unlike Blair Walsh, who kicked. Misses the other way. But this is. I'm saying all. You know, we're conceding the victory. I. I think they screwed up. Why didn't they keep trying to get closer? They had like two more plays.

[B]

No, there was only 12 seconds left.

[A]

No, no, but they got. But they let it get down to 12. Yeah, yeah. They hadn't gained. They could have. You know, he looked. I. I would like. I looked like somebody. I wanted to get into extra point territory, you know, so.

[B]

Yeah, well, the happiest guy in the building had to be the Steelers kicker. Yeah.

[A]

Yes. Yes, that's right. Who missed one of the great kickers ever. And he missed an extra point.

[B]

He missed his to the right too.

[C]

I don't think he would have made her to the parking lot if Baltimore.

[B]

That Baltimore guy. I wouldn't even go home.

[C]

No.

[A]

Pittsburgh stakes, though. They're not very good. No, they're.

[C]

In fact, I was reading this morning, of the six games this weekend, four of the road teams are the favorites in the games because the Rams are like a 10 point favorite at Carolina and I think Buffalo is a one point favorite in Jacksonville. But four of the six are favorites this weekend.

[A]

You know, not going to go very far. The Eagles, that quarterback sucks.

[C]

Really.

[A]

They did. They got the great defense, but they can figure out a way to make all games close. I don't think they're gonna.

[B]

Who gets the buy? Just the best team in each division. Two teams get a buy.

[A]

Yep. You're down to one.

[B]

So who's got a Seattle and Denver. And Denver.

[C]

Yep.

[A]

You know what's amazing about the college football playoffs for the last two years, Joe? The teams that get the buy are one and seven in the quarterfinals. The only team to win is Indiana. Indiana. Yes, that's true. They were 0 and 4 last year and they're 1 and 3. They were 1 and 3 this year. I don't know. Playing football, I'd always like to have the buy.

[C]

I think I mentioned those playoff games. You do recall that this will be a repeat of when you assigned me to chronicle the first time the Bills went to Jacksonville for that playoff thriller back in 2017.

[A]

Nine. Nine to three.

[C]

He goes on the ear and says way, spare no expense. We're sending our guy to Jacksonville to watch the worst playoff game in NFL history.

[A]

Yeah, well, with the way Trevor Lawrence is playing, that little battle, that's going to be a shootout.

[C]

That's going to be a really good game.

[B]

You know how bad that Vikings game was yesterday? It was over in considerably under 3.

[A]

Hours, 2 hours and 45 minutes. I was looking to see how much time was left that it was over because I was doing other things.

[B]

So Green Bay didn't want any part of that?

[C]

Oh my God. No.

[A]

Being the busy man that I am, I don't know what the hell else I was doing.

[B]

I agree with you. The league will do something about this.

[A]

Oh yeah, they're not going to put up with it there. They just, you know, they're wait, wait. Yeah. And wait until they go to 18 games. Then we can have games where you won't have to just give them the day off because every team is going to have 25 players hurt by the.

[B]

Time they can't go to 18 games.

[C]

It's coming.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Well then why not 25 games?

[A]

Why not?

[B]

I mean now you're just, you've already identified who you are. We're just haggling over the price, Right?

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

That's ridiculous.

[A]

I'm a little worried about my. The nutrition of my Washington wizard zone. Anybody? Anybody pause to watch any of that Timberwolves game yesterday? I didn't talk about a no show team. Rudy Gobert's got the ball. He can't dribble at the top of the post and they just let him dribble right by him and go into the light. Rudy, first time he's ever handled the ball in life.

[C]

So there's nothing more comical than an NBA team that's completely checked out.

[B]

Checked out already?

[C]

Oh yeah. They're awful.

[A]

Course, of course my nieces husband, that's right, is the nutritionist for the Wizard. So I always worry whether that rotten that they're going to blame their diet on it. There's something. So he's the cook. He's the chef for the Wizard.

[B]

So is he also the chef for the Capitals?

[A]

No, no, they, they do not know. He does all the basketball teams but not, not the Capitals. The only team in Washington that doesn't stink, by the way.

[D]

No.

[C]

In fact, I think isn't the Washington capital chef the Italian restaurant that OVI goes to.

[B]

Rest of the team has to have regular food.

[A]

Was scoring like crazy early. Is he still going or did he pull him off?

[B]

No, he's old.

[C]

Is he. Is this his last year?

[B]

I don't know. He seems to enjoy it.

[A]

I just hope Caprizov, when they're not at the Olympics doesn't decide to go down and spend the three weeks in Florida with Obi. I think Obi could drink him under the table, don't you?

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Hell yes.

[A]

I've said this before, but I think Don having not having Caprice off have to play for three weeks is the greatest thing ever. He'll be. All these other guys that were at the Olympics will be struggling around.

[B]

He going to play for the commies.

[A]

They're not. They're not allowed.

[B]

Oh, the commies aren't allowed.

[A]

Ioc, they. I mean some of their individual athletes do, but we don't. We don't. International hockey. They're a band from international hockey.

[B]

I can think of a worse place to stay though than be in Milan for a couple weeks. Oh, yeah, that'd be pretty cool.

[A]

And go up, watch a little curling.

[C]

And Cortina speaking that you mentioned this earlier. Are you going to the championship game today? The. The juniors over at the. Or the grand.

[B]

Whatever. Who made the title game.

[A]

Game stack. Yeah. And who.

[B]

No, neither paper had one word about this title game tonight.

[A]

Joe, here's the problem. Your St. Paul is also being printed in Des Moines. So I don't know what your deadline is, but they start tribunes is 4:45pm.

[B]

Well, it'll be the same. Has to be if they're going to be put on the truck.

[A]

Yeah, I think St. Paul might get a few more minutes because they. It's the. I don't know what time we put them on the truck, but I understand.

[B]

They didn't get here Monday.

[A]

No. The first day. The first day was. Yeah, we got snowed out. It was. I. In fact, I was having a little fun. I sent out some sled dog photos and said star tribute. Carrie, Star Tribune now in position to deliver the paper.

[B]

What did these idiots expect?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

You might get 10 more blizzards between now and April.

[A]

But I tell you one thing. What. What is being printed looks good because they got color inside now, you know, you used to have.

[B]

You got color comics?

[A]

Yeah, we got colored comics. You got color everything. You got color inside. I don't know what I think St. Paul was like us, the old you could only have it on the front and the back. It's just that it looks good, it just doesn't include last night's score. So, you know, they've also, they've also said that on days where you're not covering something, the column was supposed to be at 11 in the morning. That doesn't really work too good for me. I got to, I gotta, I gotta get moving around and get my idea formed and start researching it. I'm more at 3 o' clock in the afternoon guy. So it's now, are you up and.

[B]

Around the house more than you were a week ago?

[A]

Oh, yeah, okay. No, I might, maybe the house is. Okay. I'm, I'm going up and down the steps a little more rapidly than I was a week ago. It was, it was a week ago I went in for a therapy session and the guy damn near killed me and I didn't know if I was going to live or not. And now today that I had the same thing and felt a lot better. So.

[C]

So anyway, you were asking about the matchups at the 3:30. You've got Canada versus Finland and then after that Sweden versus the Czechs.

[A]

So, hey, do you approve of the Czech. Now we have the Czech Republic and then we had Slovakia. Now all of a sudden it's Czechia.

[B]

I don't do that.

[A]

And you know, I said I don't do checking.

[B]

Where's Melania from? Where's Trump's wife from? Is she Slovakian?

[C]

I'll look that up right now.

[B]

I wonder who's working on her.

[A]

God, she hates him. I think that Slovenia.

[B]

Oh, she's from Slovenia. We have a team here from Slovenia.

[A]

I don't think they made that. I don't think they made the tournament.

[C]

Wait, Pat, are you saying you're being critical of the church Czech, Them joining much like you're always offended that Trinidad and Tobago get to form together.

[A]

Well, no, no, Czechia is the, you know, you know, Czech Republic. And then, you know, we, first of all was Czechoslovakia. That was what it was a good country. And then they.

[B]

Dan Makita.

[A]

Yeah, then they split for some damn reason. And then, you know, now, now all of a sudden we're all, we're all printing Czechia because that's I, I guess the new term for the old Czech Republic, which is, I don't know, I liked it better before this, the war over there when I liked Yugoslavia, that good basketball, six different team. Now they got Six different countries that sell. They made geography much tougher over there.

[B]

Well, Pat, I think that wraps it up.

[A]

I think it does, too.

[C]

I do need you to sell us a car, sir, for 2026.

[A]

Do. That I'd love to do. Hey, now that I'm Dr. And I was out in the wife's SUV today and it was fantastic. We didn't get the lousy roads we were supposed to get, but there'll be plenty of that this winter as we go ahead because it looks like we're having a real winter. So here's what you do. You head out to Jim Paul and Brett Paul's Valley group of GM dealers. They got SUVs all over the lot. They can order you any SUV you want. Low interest rate. Buick has three different kinds of SUVs. They got GMC SUV'. Also, Jim Paul and Brett Paul's Valley group of GM dealers. Straight out Cedar Avenue, 147, take a right. Low interest rates, high factory rebates. And I can guarantee you they got the financial people there that will make it happen for you because they've made it happen for me for about the last 15 years when I bought new vehicles. So Jim Paul and Brett Paul, Valley group of GM dealers, check them out.