Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Episode Summary

Episode: 10-16-25 – Entertainment Drill – THU – w/Dale Hellestrae – HMS Picks for Week 7 NFL Games – Dodger Players Won't Stay At Haunted Hotel In Milwaukee
Date: October 16, 2025
Host & Guests: John Holmberg (Host), Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo, Dale Hellestrae (NFL guest analyst)

Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness blends the show’s trademark irreverence with sharp sports analysis and entertainment news. With former NFL player Dale Hellestrae joining as a “temporary permanent” guest, the crew dives into Week 7 NFL picks, discusses the emotional detachment in pro sports, and shares light-hearted banter about haunted hotels, celebrity gossip, and an immersive Golden Girls pop-up. The episode is packed with witty exchanges, behind-the-scenes football insights, and classic “morning drive” humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL “Emotionless” Coaching & Locker Room Dynamics

• Topic: Handling emotions as a coach and the impact on the team when key players get in trouble.
• Highlight: Discussion of Jonathan Gannon referencing his experience when Michael Vick was incarcerated as the moment he learned to detach emotionally in coaching (03:53).
  • Quote:
    Holmberg (on Gannon’s comment): “When our quarterback got arrested and he just, like, dropped the mic and left...This is proof I'm not emotional. These are moving chess pieces to me.” [04:07]
• Dale Hellestrae’s perspective:
  • Pro football is the most cutthroat business; emotional detachment is required.
  • Early “players only” meetings are a bad sign— “I've never, ever, ever...had a team players-only meeting in the first week ever. Something’s wrong.” [05:08]
• Team leadership: Captains are expected to address problems head-on inside the locker room.

2. Week 7 NFL Picks & Betting Banter

• Structure: Roundtable-style selections for key NFL matchups, including playful trash talk and stake setting.

• Games Tackled:

  • Steelers at Bengals:
    • Brady: Picks Bengals +5.5; predicts Darnell Washington as anytime TD scorer.
    • John: Notes Steelers’ 2-9 record as a Thursday road team over 14 years. [07:10]
    • Quote:
      Holmberg: “Steelers do not have good short weeks. They just don’t.” [07:15]
    • Dale: “Who’s Darnell Washington? …a giant.” [08:00]
  • Saints at Bears:
    • Brady: Considers Bears potentially winning four straight.
      Holmberg: Skeptical: “You’re really going four in a row against the Saints, Chicago?” [09:09]
  • Cowboys vs. Commanders:
    • Dale: Not impressed with Dallas’ defense, picks the Commanders.
    • Quote:
      Dale: “Dallas can’t stop COVID for Friday, and that’s nothing. …I am gonna go with the Commanders because I just don't think Dallas could stop them.” [10:28]

• Betting Stakes:

  • Playful “penalty payments” between hosts depending on whose pick fails.
  • Running tally of who has cost whom money over the past weeks.
    Holmberg: “If my bet hits and his loses and he's the only loser, then he pays all of us.” [08:15]

3. Entertainment Drill—News and Oddities

• Al Pacino & Robert De Niro:

  • Celebrate 50-year friendship in Moncler ad campaign.
  • Group lampoons their age and relationship with playful voices.
    Holmberg (as Pacino): “Nice being friends with you for a long time…Wanna go homosexual? I don’t know. I’ve heard things.” [14:00]

• Dodgers Players Won’t Stay at Haunted Hotel:

  • Teosco Hernandez and Mookie Betts refuse to stay at Milwaukee’s haunted Pfister Hotel.
  • Mookie: “I didn’t sleep the whole time. I just kept hearing noises.” [14:49]
  • Holmberg speculates: “Mookie Betts is afraid of ghosts…All of the Dominican Republican people are afraid of ghosts.” [14:57]
  • Teosco’s reason: Brought wife along, but she won’t stay there.

• Travis Kelce’s stats improve post Taylor Swift song release about him (“Wood”):

  • “Giant Redwood. Pee Pee.” [15:38]
  • Banter about women writing songs about the hosts’ anatomy, referencing Taylor Swift and various playful (fictional) song names (“Long Sack,” “Deep,” etc.) [18:00]

• Pope Leo gets flipped off by Cubs fans:

  • Funny anecdote about Pope Mobile incident and Cubs fans’ frustrations post-playoff loss.
    Holmberg: "Crowd gave him the finger. The holy finger. Nice." [16:19]

• Golden Girls Christmas Pop-Up:

  • Details on the immersive experience: cheesecake flights, St. Olaf cookies, etc.
  • Group jokes about the “experience” and the fact the cast has all passed away.
    Holmberg: “They’re not there. Obviously. They’re dead. Are we going to dig them up?” [17:27] Dale: “That is ridiculous.” [17:56]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dale Hellestrae:
  “I played 17 years in the NFL. …Never had a team players-only meeting in the first week ever. Something’s wrong.” [05:08]
• Holmberg on NFL picks:
  “Steelers do not have good short weeks. They just don’t.” [07:15]
• Brady (on the Bears):
  “You’re really going four in a row against the Saints, Chicago?” [09:09]
• Dale (on Dallas):
  “Dallas can’t stop COVID for Friday, and that’s nothing… I am gonna go with the Commanders because I just don't think Dallas could stop them.” [10:28]
• Holmberg (about haunted hotel):
  “Mookie Betts is afraid of ghosts…All of the Dominican Republican people are afraid of ghosts.” [14:57]
• Dale (on Golden Girls pop-up):
  “That is ridiculous.” [17:56]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:53 – Discussion of Gannon’s “emotionless” coaching, Michael Vick anecdote
• 05:08 – Dale on early “players-only” meetings: “Something’s wrong.”
• 07:10–08:10 – Steelers/Bengals game pick and betting stats
• 09:09–09:27 – Bears/Saints and Cowboys/Commanders picks with banter
• 13:32 – Brady launches the entertainment drill: Pacino/De Niro ad, haunted hotel stories
• 14:49 – Dodgers’ players haunted hotel segment
• 15:38 – Taylor Swift’s “Wood” and Kelce’s improved stats
• 16:19 – Pope Leo gets flipped off by Cubs fans
• 17:27 – Golden Girls Christmas Pop-Up segment
• 17:56 – Dale shuts down Golden Girls hype: “That is ridiculous.”

Tone & Flow

The episode is fast-paced, irreverent, and loaded with inside jokes and off-the-cuff humor characteristic of morning radio. John Holmberg drives the conversation with snark and sharp wit, while Dale provides authenticity and story-rich NFL commentary. The group alternates between sincere sports analysis and comedic tangents, creating an engaging mix that keeps both hardcore sports fans and pop-culture enthusiasts entertained.

For New Listeners

If you missed this episode, expect:

• An unfiltered look at the pressures and oddities of NFL locker rooms, straight from an insider.
• Honest, sometimes brutal, and always hilarious football predictions and betting talk.
• Quirky entertainment news and uniquely Arizona-flavored radio comedy.
• Relatable stories about haunted hotels, sports superstitions, and childhood TV nostalgia—served with relentless sarcasm and the occasional fake Taylor Swift song.

Listen for: NFL locker room honesty, banter about haunted hotels, Golden Girls cheesecake pop-ups, and why having your name on a song (allegedly) is the ultimate achievement.