Podcast Summary

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio
Episode: 09-25-25 – Thursdays w/ Former Dallas Cowboy O-Lineman Dale Hellestrae
Aired: September 25, 2025

Overview

This lively episode welcomes former Dallas Cowboys lineman Dale Hellestrae for his regular Thursday segment. The hosts—John Holmberg with co-hosts Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo—wade into Arizona sports misery, the drama around Kyler Murray’s Michael Vick jersey post, and make their NFL Week 4 game picks. The show’s signature blend of sharp banter, honest sports talk, and sarcastic humor is on full display, making for both an entertaining and insightful listen—especially for Arizona sports fans.

1. Arizona Sports "Can’t Have Nice Things" (03:59–20:19)

Main Points

• Diamondbacks' Frustrations:

  • John recounts recent D-backs games featuring missed opportunities in extra innings and a general sense that Arizona teams are cursed when it comes to closing out key wins.
  • “We watched a pitcher’s duel through nine innings...bases loaded...and I turned to my friend and said, we can’t have nice things. Arizona is...” (04:18–04:21)

• Dale’s Iconic Motto:

  • John attributes the "We can’t have nice things" mantra to Dale, and the group riffs on disappointing Arizona sports moments.
  • Dale: “We can’t.” (04:21)

• Critiquing Fans and Atmosphere:

  • Discussion shifts to the often-mocked Arizona sports fanbase—timid, unsure when to cheer, and reliant on arena prompts.
  • John: “Diamondback fans absolutely suck. They don’t know when to cheer. They don’t know how to cheer...they were treated like idiots when this franchise started.” (17:08–17:39)

Notable Quote

• John: “Suns with the Cardinals when the Coyotes were...That was my point.” (18:58–19:02)
• Dale: “There’s no fan of the Diamondbacks right now who actually believes they’re gonna make the playoffs.” (19:15–19:20)

Memorable Moments

• Lamenting Bad Luck: The group bemoans bad managerial decisions, missed opportunities, and how the D-backs still, somehow, linger in the playoff race despite the odds and roster shakeups.
• Calls for Leadership Change: John floats firing skipper Torey Lovullo (“I want Torey Lovullo to get fired and go to Pittsburgh”) to “show everyone” his talent with lesser rosters. (06:10–06:36)
• Fans Out of Touch: The podsters lampoon how Arizona fans depend on jumbotron instructions—“Clockwork Orange” is invoked, and a side dig at Rattlers’ indoor football fans doing the wave at the wrong times. (17:45–18:47)

2. Kyler Murray, Michael Vick, and “Dog Culture” in Sports (11:02–16:03)

Main Points

• Host’s Disgust Over Kyler Murray’s Vick Jersey:

  • John hopes the Cardinals never win again as long as Kyler Murray is quarterback, following Murray’s post wearing a Michael Vick jersey.
  • John: “I hope they lose 45 to nothing. I hope they never win another game so long as Kyler Murray is the quarterback because of that whole dog thing with Michael Vick. That's over for me.” (10:44–11:02)

• Debating Vick’s “Penance” and Animal Abuse:

  • Dale argues Vick “paid his penance,” but John sharply disagrees, pointing to Vick’s jail time for racketeering, not dog abuse.
  • Dale: “He paid his penance.” (11:02)
  • John: “He did not pay his penance for anything. He went to jail for racketeering...Completely lied.” (11:10–11:15)

• Serious Turn – Discussing Dog Abuse vs. Human Violence:

  • Dale muses about his wife’s stronger emotional reaction to a news story about a dog being abused compared to people being shot, launching a conversation about helplessness, empathy, and societal desensitization.
  • Dale: “My dear, sweet wife of 37 years showed more emotion about the dog abuse story...than people getting killed.” (12:20–12:39)
  • John: “Why can’t two things be true at once?” (12:21)

3. Mental Health Institutions & “Where Do the Crazy People Go?” (13:55–15:09)

Key Insights

• Dale brings up the former psychiatric facility at 24th St. & Van Buren in Phoenix, wondering where people who need help now end up.
• A somber discussion about the limits of institutionalization and how mentally ill people are “among us.”
  • Dale: "So, so, so where are they?" (14:11–14:19)
  • John: "Here, they're amongst us... and they're starting to lose it." (14:40–15:09)

4. NFL Coaching Changes & Quarterback Drama (20:19–22:10)

Main Points

• Giants’ Quick Hook on QBs:

  • John wonders about the Giants’ decision to bench a QB after a single bad week, joking about how swiftly the league turns on players.
  • John: “After three weeks...He threw for 500 yards a week ago...has a bad week and they pull the plug.” (20:26–21:04)

• Dale’s Perspective:

  • “It’s cya—Day Ball is trying to keep a job for another year...but I think they’re trying to get maybe four or five games [out of Jones].” (21:04–21:13)

• Light banter about the Cowboys’ “glory days” slipping further into the past and how losing makes old champs more “special.”

5. NFL Week 4 Picks, Side Bets & Friendly Ribbing (22:44–31:49)

Picks & Analysis

• Cowboys vs. Packers: Dale picks against his old team, takes the Packers.
• Bears vs. Raiders: John and Bret talk through the Bears’ chances; Bret sticks with the Bears in a lackluster matchup.
• Broncos: Acknowledgement they’re a hopeless cause for the season, with hosts joking they may not win another game.
• Steelers vs. Vikings in Ireland: John calls on Pittsburgh’s strong Irish connection as a possible X-factor for the game.

Memorable Quotes & Humor

• Friendly arguments about ticket transfers, group outings to football games, the logistics of sharing tickets, and who is (or isn’t) really trying to help a buddy get to a game.
• Dale: “You got fired because you’re an idiot.” (24:00)
• John: “This is why nobody says, ‘my pal Dale.’” (28:13)

Side Bet Standings

• Details of a running $25-per-head pool for picks; ribbing about who’s costing who money and mock-outrage over betting logistics.

6. Running Gags, Show Identity, and "Permanent Guest" Status (09:58–24:13 interspersed)

Highlights

• Ongoing jokes about Dale’s “permanent guest” role on John’s purported sports podcast, with back-and-forths about show titles, logo snubs, and who actually brings in listeners.
• Who’s more valuable: Nash, Dale, or the hosts themselves? This turns into a recurring bit throughout the episode.

Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• On Arizona’s sports futility:
  • John: “We can’t have nice things.” (04:21)
• On Kyler Murray and Vick:
  • John: "I hope they lose 45 to nothing...so long as Kyler Murray is the quarterback because of that whole dog thing with Michael Vick." (10:44–11:02)
• On fan cluelessness:
  • John: “Diamondback fans absolutely suck. They don’t know when to cheer. They don’t know how to cheer.” (17:08–17:39)
• On animal cruelty vs. human violence:
  • Dale: "My wife...showed more emotion about the dog abuse story...than the people getting killed." (12:39)
• On NFL job security:
  • Dale: “It’s cya—[Daboll] is trying to keep a job for another year.” (21:04–21:13)
• Ongoing:
  • Good-natured jabs about ego, guest status, and sports bar outings.

Conclusion

This episode serves up the classic Holmberg’s Morning Sickness cocktail: sharp local sports critique, irreverent humor, and the gripes of out-of-luck fanhood—especially through the lens of Arizona teams. Dale Hellestrae’s chemistry with the crew provides both football insight and plenty of comedic banter, especially on who’s the real star of the podcast(s). Whether panning the D-backs, mocking Kyler Murray’s social choices, or weighing sadness over dog abuse, the show keeps the laughs and insights rolling. The NFL picks cap things off, setting up another week of friendly trash talk and betting drama.

Recommended for: Arizona sports fans, NFL junkies, and anyone who enjoys a mix of football analysis and unscripted, sarcastic radio energy.

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:59 – Arizona teams “can’t have nice things,” D-backs woes
• 11:02 – Kyler Murray/Michael Vick dog debate
• 13:55 – Institutionalization & “Where do the crazy people go?”
• 17:08 – Arizona sports fanbase and game atmosphere
• 20:19 – Giants, coaching hot seats, backup QBs
• 22:44 – NFL Week 4 picks and banter

End of summary.