Holmberg’s Morning Sickness (98 KUPD) – Arizona

Episode: 11-20-25 – Thursdays w/ Former Dallas Cowboy OLineman Dale Hellestrae
Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features the recurring “Thursdays with Dale,” with former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Dale Hellestrae joining John Holmberg and the usual crew (Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo). The show brings its trademark banter and sports talk, focusing on Dale’s experiences driving in Buffalo weather as a rookie, football team dynamics during losing seasons, on-field confrontations (notably players spitting), the Arizona Cardinals’ prospects, and NFL Week 12 picks. There’s also a riff on the new women’s pro baseball league and banter about the local Phoenix Suns’ newfound competitiveness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Buffalo Weather & Rookie Stories

Timestamps: 04:25 – 09:00

• Dale’s “Snow Squall” Rookie Experience:
  Dale recalls being a rookie from Arizona/Texas, unprepared for Buffalo’s winter. He humorously describes whiteout driving conditions during his first October in Buffalo, learning what a "snow squall" was only after surviving one.

  “I’m driving, I can’t see past the end of my car... They’re talking about be wary of snow squalls. I don’t know what a snow squall is. I don’t know what snow is.” – Dale Hellestrae (05:05)

• Buffalo Living Commentary:
  The crew pokes fun at Buffalo’s climate and what keeps people living there, joking that the food (“wings”) or relationships are the only reasons to stay.

  “No, it's usually a woman. And it’s for dick. That’s the only reason that happens.” – John Holmberg (07:45)

• "Tan Fat Looks Better Than White Fat":
  Dale’s oft-repeated maxim about Buffalo girls tanning in cold weather resurfaces, to much laughter.

  “Here comes tan fat. Looks better than white fat, Brady. Make sure you get a tan.” – Dale Hellestrae (08:24)

2. Football Team Mentality & Cardinals Outlook

Timestamps: 12:35 – 16:12

• Coach Tenure & The “40 Burger” Problem:
  The hosts discuss NFL head coaches and job security, focusing on how back-to-back blowouts (“40 burgers”) create a “perception issue” that’s hard to sell to fans or ownership. They agree the Cardinals are in disarray.

  “You can’t sell back-to-back 40 burgers. No.” – Dale Hellestrae (13:23)

• Impact of Losing Seasons:
  Dale shares from personal experience about team apathy as losses mount, retelling a story from Buffalo’s 2-14 season, where players would park with U-Hauls ready to bail after the last game.

  “There are probably 10 cars with U-hauls... They literally were gonna get looked at by the doctor after the game and head home.” – Dale Hellestrae (15:50)

3. On-Field Fights and Player Respect

Timestamps: 16:18 – 21:10

• Spitting Incidents – The Ultimate Line:
  The crew discusses a recent NFL spitting incident (Jamar Chase vs. Jalen Ramsey, inspired by Mike Tomlin’s reaction), and Dale emphatically states spitting is the top disrespect in football.

  “There is nothing... more degrading than a grown man spitting on another dude.” – Dale Hellestrae (17:40)

  “You spit on me and now I go into another stratosphere.” – Dale Hellestrae (17:52)
  He reveals he never saw it in 17 years in the league, placing it well above even fighting.

• Teammate Management—“Don’t Poke the Bear”:
  Dale and John riff on how teammates manage emotions, sharing a story about Michael Irvin nearly antagonizing Reggie White on a bad day, only to be physically pulled away by Eric Williams.

  “Eric Williams, who's standing next to me, grabs Michael Irvin's face mask and yanks him into the huddle and says, ‘Shut up. He ain't got it today. Shut the hell up. Unless you want to block him.’” – Dale Hellestrae (19:44)

4. Light Banter & Local Color

Timestamps: 21:13 – 24:51

• Listener Demographics:
  Dale jokes about the show’s listener base being unexpectedly “normal,” referencing professionals who sheepishly out themselves as fans.

  "When they admit it to me, it's almost sheepishly... ‘I really like to listen to you’ ... they whisper it." – Dale Hellestrae (24:15)

• Firefighter Tribute:
  The crew pays respects to Tempe Firefighter John Garza after his passing, encouraging listeners to buy firefighters lunch that day (23:30 – 23:53).

5. Women’s Professional Baseball League Riff

Timestamps: 24:51 – 27:04

• Cynical yet Playful Criticism:
  The team critiques the launch of a women’s pro baseball league, noting no high school/college pipeline exists and joking that even they could get drafted.

  “Anybody with their hand up is in the draft, right?” – John Holmberg (25:09)
  “We should start to identify as women and play some pro ball.” – Dale Hellestrae (25:17)

  They recall the “Coors Silver Bullets” experiment, where retired men’s players easily beat women’s teams and mock the forced comparisons with softball.

6. Phoenix Suns: Low Bar, But Fun Again

Timestamps: 27:04 – 29:35

• Suns’ Current State:
  Dale and John agree the Suns, though not championship-caliber, are more competitive and entertaining than in past years.

  “We’re just happy they don’t suck. And that’s a really low bar we’ve set for the Suns team and they’re living up to it.” – John Holmberg (28:09)

• Player Effort Over Ego:
  They praise the team's effort—players hustling, appearing to enjoy basketball, which is “refreshing” after past disjointed seasons.

  “I will buy into a team that is battling their tail off... looks like they enjoy playing with each other.” – Dale Hellestrae (28:41)

7. Week 12 NFL Picks & Analysis

Timestamps: 29:35 – 31:54

• Picks Overview:
  The hosts and Dale banter through picks for the week:
  • Patriots over Bengals (Brady’s pick, played for laughs).
  • Cowboys vs. Eagles: Dale cautiously takes Dallas +3.5, citing the Eagles’ recent struggles and new Dallas defensive acquisition.
  • Steelers vs. Bears: Noted that the Steelers are 1-12 lifetime in Chicago—“a terrible record”—but John expects tight defense and perhaps a touchdown from Darnell Washington. Picks are made with friendly trash talk; the group also notes the shifting fortunes of teams like the Lions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Surviving Buffalo:

  “I don’t know what a snow squall is. I don’t know what snow is.” – Dale Hellestrae (05:05)

• On Tan Fat vs. White Fat:

  “Tan fat looks better than white fat.” – Dale Hellestrae (08:24)

• On Spitting as an Ultimate Insult:

  “There is nothing more degrading than a grown man spitting on another dude.” – Dale Hellestrae (17:40)

• On Managing Football Legends:

  “Eric Williams...grabs Michael Irvin’s face mask and yanks him into the huddle and says, ‘Shut up. He ain’t got it today...Unless you want to block him.’” – Dale Hellestrae (19:44)

• On the Suns:

  “We’re just happy they don’t suck...that’s a really low bar we’ve set for the Suns team and they’re living up to it.” – John Holmberg (28:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Content Summary | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:25 | Dale’s Buffalo snow stories | | 08:24 | “Tan fat looks better than white fat” aphorism | | 12:35 | Cardinals, NFL coaches & “40 burgers” discussion | | 15:50 | U-Haul story: how losing NFL teams mentally check out | | 16:18 | On-field spitting & player suspensions | | 19:44 | Michael Irvin almost wakes up Reggie White – teammate intervention | | 23:30 | Tribute to Tempe Firefighter John Garza | | 25:09 | Women’s pro baseball league banter | | 28:09 | Phoenix Suns low-bar/fun debate | | 29:35 | NFL Week 12 picks |

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode maintains the show's classic, irreverent, and playful tone, mixing genuine sports insight with exaggerated jokes and local flavor. Dale’s presence adds a seasoned, ex-player perspective, with Holmberg stirring the pot through jokes, side stories, and regional digs.

N.B.:

• Commercials/ad reads were not summarized.
• Segment times are approximate, based on transcript cues.
• All quotes attributed to speaker by context.
• Summary skips promotional details for sponsors/charity except firefighter mention, which was content-related.