Podcast appearances and mentions of Star Tribune

John Rash and DJ Tice from the Star Tribune joined the show for their weekly conversation on politics. This week: Rep. Omar's criticism of the Strib, more on the Minneapolis election, and speculation about an infrastructure deal in Washington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To QRF or not to QRF? Star Tribune preps reporters David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen tackle the imperfect and sometimes "bloody" process of seeding football teams.

It's a common American story: Immigrants and refugees come to the United States, and within a generation or two, children no longer speak the language of their parents and grandparents.  Evan Frost | MPR News 2018 Star Tribune columnist and former MPR News editor Laura Yuen interviews Yar Kang about the Miss South Sudan USA pageant in 2018. The loss of a language comes with its own kind of grief. Sometimes grandparents are left literally unable to speak to their own grandchildren. MPR News host Angela Davis explored the complex swirl of emotions around language loss, reasons for language attrition and efforts to ensure that more American children keep speaking the language of their elders.  As Star Tribune columnist Laura Yuen wrote in a recent column, the collective heartache over language attrition is felt by children and grandchildren of immigrants everywhere.  Yuen told Davis about being unable to speak the Mandarin or Cantonese of her immigrant parents. “It's this weird sense of shame that follows me even to this day,” Yuen said. “When I walk into a Chinese restaurant, I can exchange pleasantries, but not really much beyond that.” The embarrassment of being unable to fluently speak a parent's language was in display recently after Olympic gold medal gymnast Suni Lee was asked by a reporter to say something in Hmong to her Hmong audience. After stumbling through a phrase, Lee was later criticized on social media by some in the Hmong community. “A lot of folks commented on her inability to speak Hmong, even questioning if she was Hmong,” said psychologist Ia Xiong, who wrote about Lee's experience in a Facebook post that went viral. Xiong, who says she identified with Lee's embarrassment, made the point that loss of language is not an individual's fault. It's the result of social pressure and historical trauma. “What Ia has been able to do is speak directly to this generation and say, ‘the problem is not you,"‘ said Yuen. “We need to encourage our young people to have confidence. … We can't keep shaming them. If the end goal is to farther fluency of our cultural language, then we need to be more positive about how we embrace young people for trying.” Reasons for language loss are complex, said Jenna Cushing-Leubner, an assistant professor of world language education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. “The history of language loss is really the history of the United States,” she said. It's been experienced by Indigenous people, African language communities brought through enslavement and every subsequent wave of immigrants. “That actual physical freezing up when it comes to using your own family or heritage language, that's really the embodied response of trauma experiences.” Cushing-Leubner said acceptance is growing for multilingualism in the United States and more programs are being created to preserve and teach children the language of their elders, from preschool settings to universities. “We also have different ways of doing ESL that are multilingual ways of learning English while also continuing to use and strengthen the home language at the same time,” said Cushing-Leubner. “There are powerful ways this is happening in pockets and it absolutely can be happening more.” One of these programs is a new Somali elementary language program in Minneapolis Public Schools headed up by the district's ESL and Somali heritage language facilitator Deqa Muhidin. Just a few weeks ago, Muhidin watched children learn how to say “Good morning” in Somali. “Giving kids the opportunity to be able to hear speak and learn their heritage language only enhances their ability to succeed academically, and it strengthens their bonds with their families,” Muhidin said. Guests:  Laura Yuen is a columnist for the Star Tribune and former editor and reporter at MPR News. Ia Xiong is a first-generation Hmong American and psychotherapist in private practice in the Twin Cities. Jenna Cushing-Leubner is an assistant professor of world language education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at another memorable weekend in sports -- and one in which Minnesota teams pretty much couldn't lose. The Gophers won. The Vikings won. The Loons won. The Wild won twice. It had Reusse in a ... positive mood? Well, sort of. After the Vikings' 34-28 overtime win over the Panthers, another harder-than-it-needed-to-be affair, Reusse declared the Vikings too talented to miss the playoffs. At 3-3 heading into the bye and with a stiff schedule test coming out of it, we will see if he is right. What's not in doubt: QB Kirk Cousins bailed out a defense that played well again for 55 minutes but couldn't close out another double-digit lead. The Gophers' win over Nebraska was declared a triumph of culture by head coach P.J. Fleck, part of a budding (and lopsided) rivalry with Scott Frost's Huskers. Combined with a stunning Iowa loss, it put Minnesota in control of its own destiny in the Big Ten West. Plus two Wild road wins to start the season are a good sign, while Reusse declared the Wolves to be ready to flirt with .500 and reach the NBA's play-in tournament.

Our season two premiere highlights Kiss the Tiger vocalist Meghan Kreidler. We get a chance to see how much has changed for traveling acts in the year since our last episode, and also get a special guest appearance from Meghan's little stinker. We also discuss the different ways people digest their music, and KTT's favorite places to play. The band released their 3rd LP earlier this year Vicious Kid, which the Star Tribune has named one of Minnesota's best records of the year so far. Website: www.kissthetiger.com Facebook Instagram Keep supporting NIVA and the fight for independent music venues: https://www.nivassoc.org/ 

Henry Lake talks with Digital Sports Senior Writer Michael Rand from the Minneapolis Star Tribune about his go to taco places, the negative metrics around the Vikings, their biggest flaws, why he doesn't believe Kyrie Irving, the Adam Schefter controversy and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie Aafedt, the Edina girls' coach, and Aaron Fenton with the Lakeville South boys' program, talk all things soccer with Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque.

Introduction: Just when you thought the Kyrie Irving story couldn't get more bizarre or ridiculous, we read in The Athletic that the Nets guard -- who isn't vaccinated for COVID-19 and isn't going to be able to play this year as a result -- is taking a stand against mandates and wants to be a "voice for the voiceless." We learned all that, of course, from anonymous sources. The fact that Irving could have gotten the vaccine for several months before mandates were prevalent, and the irony of an anonymous source uttering that quote is almost too much to take. 4:00: La Velle E. Neal III joins host Michael Rand to discuss Neal's column on Jon Gruden and the fallout from the e-mails that led to his resignation. Neal says nothing will change in the NFL until more women and minorities are hired to help change the culture. Rand wonders if Gruden's firing, while completely justified, is just a cover for the NFL to avoid having to dive deeper into the other 650,000 emails that were reviewed as part of the probe into the Washington Football Team. Those in power don't give it up willingly, even when they should. 12:00: Star Tribune college basketball writer Marcus Fuller joins the show to give an update on Gophers men's basketball. The upcoming season could be rough, but it will be the beginning of Ben Johnson's vision. Also, a recruiting update from Fuller as well.

Chad Hartman talks with Sports Reporter Chip Scoggins from the Mpls. Star Tribune about the Vikings' escape over Detroit, Zimmer's offensive philosophy, what changes might have been made, and the Cousins/Zimmer "embrace." Plus a very sad situation surrounding Tre Potts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since he was 5 years old, Scott Hamilton Harris spent his childhood inventing contraptions and experimenting on how to perfect a home. He was consumed with a fascination about the way things work and dreamed of becoming a builder. After following his calling and wining numerous awards for his work, at the age of 15, Scott's teacher's selected him for an experimental curriculum to immerse him in the world of architecture, construction and design.Following his passion at the age of 20, he earned his general contractor's license and launched his business building his client's home by day and designing them by night. Although his services were quickly sought after, he felt that a better understanding of design could elevate the final product. Scott temporarily put his clients on hold after he was hand-selected to study and work with one of the world's most influential designers, Barbara Barry. He focused for over five years learning the best-kept trade secrets of design, harmonies and mathematical proportions. He continued to gain even more valuable experience and further evolve his design insights while working at the prestigious Studio William Hefner.http://www.buildingcgroup.comMartin Keller is a former pop culture journalist, published author and unproduced screenplay writer, whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Leaders, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Final Frontier, Billboard, Utne Reader, Right On! the Star Tribune, the Mpls-St. Paul Business Journal, City Pages and many others, with appearances on “Today,” “48 Hours,” PBS, Public Radio and more. Keller also has written Hijinx & Hearsay: Scenester Stories from Minnesota's Pop Life and contributed to The Minnesota Series. For the past 25 years, he has worked as an award-winning public relations pro, including an adventurous stint for The Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI). The Space Pen Club is based, in part, on that period.https://www.thespacepenclub.comThe Douglas Coleman Show now offers audio and video promotional packages for music artists as well as video promotional packages for authors. Please see our website for complete details. http://douglascolemanshow.comIf you have a comment about this episode or any other, please click the link below.https://ratethispodcast.com/douglascolemanshow

Chris Hewitt from the Star Tribune joins the show to talk al the movies hitting the big screen this weekend. Plus, Leah McLean from Channel 5 eyewitness news joins the program to talk about 'A Toast to Courage' virtual event by the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute

What Minnesota Vikings should expect from Anthony Barr's return; The Vikings run defense is a mess; Will Christian Darrisaw make his first NFL start?; How hot is Mike Zimmer's seat right now?; The staggering lack of rookies playing this season and Week 5 predictions against the Lions with Chip Scoggins from the Star Tribune!

Introduction: Host Michael Rand takes note of Wild owner Craig Leipold's comments Wednesday on Ryan Suter and Zach Parise plus the Kirill Kaprizov signing. On both fronts, it was a good dose of honesty from the Wild owner. Leipold said he would do the Parise and Suter signings again "in an absolute second" and said he was convinced Kaprizov would sign. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins the show to talk about some interesting Twins news about reassigning their hitting coach and his plan to put Jorge Polanco back at shortstop in 2022 (which has Rand's support as well). Plus Neal and Rand revisit the predictions they made about individual performances for Twins players six months ago to see who fared better. Let's just say La Velle did better than Rand -- and the Twins. 21:00: Four things about Phil Miller's season-ending Twins roster breakdown caught Rand's eye. 25:00: Some love for the Wild Card format, something MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred actually got right. And Rand answers a couple of your burning questions about music.

Star Tribune prep sports reporters David La Vaque and Jim Paulsen debate how to best rank a football team. They also give props to a courageous tennis player, and the architect of Eden Prairie's football program.

Introduction: Michael Rand doesn't watch as much baseball as he used to, which at various points in his life has been A LOT of baseball. But Wednesday night's Wild Card game between the Yankees and Red Sox drew him in for a number of reasons and made him realize just how great the game can still be. Plus, the Yankees lost. So all was well with the night. 6:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins the show to talk about his latest Football Across Minnesota column, which leads with him partaking in film review with the Minnesota State (Mankato) football team -- an eye-opening experience that left Scoggins appreciating just how intricate football really is. Scoggins and Rand also tried to get to the heart of the Vikings' offensive line problems, and Scoggins confessed that he has Wolves and Wild fever already in early October. 24:00: Is Kyrie Irving really only going to play road games for the Nets this season? Andrew Wiggins was stubborn, but at least he got the COVID vaccine. Irving seems prepared to hold out. And good news for soccer fans: The MLS All-Star Game is coming to Allianz Field in 2022.

Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins us every Monday. Today he talked about where the Vikings go from 1-3 and the real winner of Sunday Night's Tampa/NE game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do "lump-sum" financial companies prey on folks who aren't capable of defending themselves? Jeff Meitrodt was part of a Star Tribune group who looked into their practices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend. The Vikings continue to insist they are a good team, even after they scored just seven points in a home loss to the stout Browns. But are they really a team that "has a chance to be pretty darn good," as Mike Zimmer said afterward, or are they just trying to talk themselves into that to avoid sinking their confidence levels? An offense that didn't score a single point and had a hard time moving the ball (or protecting Kirk Cousins) after a nice opening drive makes all of that questionable. Reusse also dissected what we know and don't know about the Twins as their season came to a quiet end. While Rand pointed out they were basically a .500 team after a disastrous 42 games and did manage to avoid a 90-loss season, Reusse was not in the mood for sugarcoating. The rotation is in shambles. Middle infield is a big question. And we still don't know which young position players will help them in 2022. All of that sits amid a backdrop of what should be a great postseason -- followed by a tumultuous offseason. The Gophers football team, meanwhile, picked up a much-needed win in the rain at Purdue. Looking ahead at the schedule after next weekend's bye shows a real opportunity for P.J. Fleck's team to get on a roll.

Star Tribune's David LaVaque and Jim Paulsen talk running backs used more in the passing game and the stadiums where the Friday Night Lights shine brightest

Chad Hartman talks with Sports Reporter Chip Scoggins from the Minneapolis Sports Reporter about Karl-Anthony Towns media day comments, can we read into it, embarrassing Gophers loss, Tanner Morgan, a big Vikings win and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look back at another unpredictable and packed weekend of Minnesota sports. We didn't expect to lead the show with Gophers vs. Bowling Green, but when the home team loses 14-10 as a 30.5-point favorite things change. Minnesota was beyond flat on offense, made multiple special teams miscues and drew little inspiration from coach P.J. Fleck -- whose in-game decisions were questionable as well -- in the shocking defeat. On the flip side, the Vikings won their first game of the season in impressive fashion, scoring the final 23 points against Seattle in a 30-17 victory. Good blocking. One of Kirk Cousins' best games. A defense that shut out Seattle after a shaky start. And solid special teams. Those are not things the Vikings have come to count on since the start of last season, but they were in full supply as the Vikings finally defeated Russell Wilson. Plus: The Lynx were knocked out of the playoffs far more quickly than they would have liked, losing 89-76 to Chicago in Sunday's single elimination quarterfinal playoff game. And the Twins managed to help the Yankees in the playoffs, even in this year.

The fault lines in Minnesota politics over the events of Jan. 6 and the legitimacy of President Joe Biden's election are stark, according to a new Minnesota Poll from MPR News, the Star Tribune, KARE 11 and FRONTLINE. This is an MPR News morning update for Thursday, September 23, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand has two main thoughts about Tuesday's big news that the Wild signed Kirill Kaprizov to a new contract. 1) Obviously it's a good thing that they got it done. It took longer than expected, but not quite long enough to be a training camp distraction, and the five-year, $45 million term is right on what Rand projected a month ago. 2) If signing Kaprizov was difficult, now comes the even harder part: navigating future seasons with so much money tied up in Zach Parise and Ryan Suter's buyouts. 6:00: The Star Tribune's Jeff Day joins the show to talk about St. Thomas football and how the transition to Division I has been going so far. The Tommies are 1-1 in football and face Butler on Saturday in their Division I home opener. There are infinite unknowns within the UST athletic department regarding the transition, which is both intimidating and invigorating all at once, Day said. 20:00: Rand runs through a bunch of good listener questions, including one about Ben Simmons and the report Tuesday that Simmons won't report to 76ers camp and won't play for Philadelphia again. What implications does that have on a possible trade to the Wolves? Plus questions about the Vikings, a hot take on Marco Rossi and a Twin Cities Marathon query.

Former Minneapolis City Council Member Paul Ostrow wrote an Op/Ed in the Star Tribune explaining why he thinks it's important to support both of the first two charter amendments. He joined the show to explain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a big road win for the Gophers in Colorado, and a gut-punching loss for the Vikings in Arizona. Chip Scoggins from the Star Tribune joined Chad and Adam to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Too much chalk? Not enough good shows? Neal Justin from the Star Tribune joined Adam to talk about last night's Emmy awards See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a head-shaking look back at Sunday's 34-33 Vikings loss in Arizona. Almost as though he spoke it into existence, Reusse has been chuckling at the idea for weeks of poor Mike Zimmer being saddled with kicking woes for yet another year, and it only took two games for it to materialize. Greg Joseph's missed 37-yard field goal -- and earlier missed extra point -- was the most glaring difference Sunday during a game in which the Vikings played quite well in a lot of facets. Reusse and Rand also marvel at the Gophers' 30-0 win at Colorado, a statement victory that could portend good things for that program going forward. And the Twins finally got pitcher Jose Berrios some run support. All they had to do was trade him to Toronto and try a bullpen game against the hot Blue Jays to do it.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand declares there is a new contender this summer for most disappointing Minnesota team, which is hard to fathom considering how bad the Twins have been. But consider: After a 4-0 drubbing at Sporting KC on Wednesday, Minnesota United's season record stands at 8 wins, 8 losses and 7 draws. It doesn't get much more mediocre than that, and there's one more particularly alarming eight: The Loons, who had championship aspirations at the start of the year, are now in eighth place in the Western Conference -- and only the top seven make the playoffs. 5:00: The Wolves introduced all of their offseason acquisitions to the media on Wednesday, with perhaps the most interesting voice coming from veteran guard Patrick Beverley. He has played in 59 career playoff games and he said accountability is the biggest thing the Wolves will need in order to succeed this season. 8:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joined Rand to talk about a number of subjects, including which NFC North team should be most alarmed about its Week 1 loss. Neal's answer: The Vikings, even though the Packers lost 38-3. Topics also covered: His upcoming weekend in Colorado and Arizona to cover the Gophers and Vikings; Joe Ryan's injury scare; and soccer Twitter. 27:00: Wild prospect Marco Rossi is back on the ice and feeling great after a scary year of COVID complications. That's great news for him -- and the Wild, which will need all the young talent it can get after buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

Intro: When Twins pitcher Joe Ryan was hit in the hand by a batted ball on Tuesday, fans -- and Ryan himself -- immediately feared the worst. But the rookie, who seems to have a flair for drama, sounds like he is actually OK even after he left the field and didn't return to the Twins' 3-1 loss to Cleveland. 5:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joins host Michael Rand for a look at his debut Football Across Minnesota column, a weekly feature highlighting moments from all levels of football in the state this fall. He shares his thoughts on the Vikings' offensive line, the Gophers' defensive line and a story from the northern part of the state that puts it all in perspective. 22:00: Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns tweeted on Tuesday about the silliness of vaccine skeptics, a nice contrast to the spotlight often put on athletes who are against getting the spotlight for their anti-vaccine stances. 25:00: The standings are tightening up for the Lynx and the Loons. Here are some things to watch for in the next week for both Minnesota United and the Lynx.

Is it over for the Purple already? Should Gopher fans feel any better after the team evened their record? Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins joined us for his weekly Monday review. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a scathing dissection of the Vikings' 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals in Sunday's season-opener. If you were worried about the Vikings' offensive line, their vibe, their continuity and their depth coming into the season, none of those fears were alleviated in a game marred by penalties, big plays allowed on defense and a late fumble by Dalvin Cook. About the best thing that happened was some solid work in the kicking game. After a dismal training camp, the Vikings couldn't just flip a switch. And it as Reusse wondering if the Vikings have simply tuned out their head coach -- or of Mike Zimmer's time has merely run its course. 20:00: The Gophers got their first win of the season, but they had to sweat a little in the end. After taking a 21-3 halftime lead against Miami (Ohio), Minnesota hung on for a 31-26 victory. If P.J. Fleck's team is going to compete in the Big Ten West, the defense must show improvement and consistency. 26:00: Reusse temporarily had a case of the Bens, getting Johnson and Simmons confused. But eventually he made his point: He doesn't like Rand's constant stumping for the 76ers' Simmons.

Big news in the tennis world at the U.S. Open! Chris Reimschiender from the Star Tribune joins the show to talk about all the great music shows happening this weekend! Lori has a few big TV shows that are possibly making a comeback!

Mike Zimmer is CONCERNED with Minnesota Vikings depth behind their starters; Will Anthony Barr be ready for Week 1? Vikings-Bengals predictions and more on Purple Access with Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.

Julie Kendrick is a freelance reporter who writes for the likes of Huffington Post, the Star Tribune, Condé Nast Traveler & more, and she joins Steve Bertrand on Chicago’s Afternoon News to discuss her deep dive into the world of bar shampoo and how it can help save the planet. Follow Your Favorite Chicago’s Afternoon […]

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand and immediately gets going on one of his favorite gripes: That the Twins are doing a disservice to their young pitchers, particularly Bailey Ober, by limiting his innings in 2021. His point is a good one: Sometimes you have to look at situations case-by-case, and if Ober seems like he's strong enough to go deeper into games (and the season), let him. How else are you going to find out about what he can do in 2022? Reusse and Rand then dive into the Gophers' 45-31 loss to Ohio State, the impact of the loss of Mohamed Ibrahim and P.J. Fleck's performance. And a check-in on the state town ball tournament, which Reusse reports had its best attendance since 1959.

We asked fairgoers to tell us what they want to know about Minnesota during Curious Minnesota Day at the Star Tribune's State Fair building on August 28. Today's episode features recordings of many of the people who submitted questions. Click the link below to vote for your favorite! Vote for your favorite question here (or by e-mailing Curious@StarTribune.com) See photos and video of the event (Instagram post)

Intro: Host Michael Rand takes note of another good pitching outing by Twins rookie Bailey Ober. If he has a solid September on top of a standout August, you can at least pencil his name into the 2022 rotation (even if the other four spots are TBA). Plus we should get a first look soon at Joe Ryan -- maybe as soon as Wednesday -- and another look at Randy Dobnak during the final month of the season. 3:00: Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve joins the show to talk about the turnaround this season from an 0-4 start to the team's current 15-9 record. Layshia Clarendon has played a big role as has Sylvia Fowles and better continuity after a tough training camp, according to Reeve. She also delves into what she deems an ongoing lack of respect from the league for Fowles' accomplishments and revisits a recent free throw disparity. 21:00: Star Tribune high school sports writer Jim Paulsen comes on to discuss his recent story on the configuration of the largest football teams in the state and what impact that will have on their seasons. Most importantly, after last year's strangeness, we should be able to crown champions in 2021. 29:00: Vikings injury news is a mixed bag, with no timetable for Irv Smith Jr.'s return yet but some Mike Zimmer optimism on Anthony Barr.

On today's show, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune joins the show to discuss his extensive feature story on new Timberwolves owner Marc Lore. Dane and Chris discuss their interactions with Lore in Las Vegas at the NBA Summer League, and Chris gives his take on what Marc Lore might bring to the Timberwolves organization and the Minnesota community. Topics include: Lore's love for magic tricks — and the two acts Lore pulled on Dane and Chris in Vegas The vision of using three core values to change the culture of the Timberwolves organization Chris's read on Lore's personality from his sit down with the new owner Lore's on-the-record commentary about the team staying in Minnesota, and how a new stadium likely factors into that equation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Intro: Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle is a man of few public words, but he recently sat down with several members of the Star Tribune sports staff for a question and answer session. Host Michael Rand found three things about the interview particularly enlightening: Where the department is with Gophers football season ticket sales, its policy on COVID and the final tally on the financial damage from the last year. Rand examines all three and notes that college football, like the NFL, will need to be nimble this fall. 7:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine joins the show to talk about new team owner Marc Lore. Hine spent time with Lore recently in Las Vegas for a long profile story that will be online Friday and in the Sunday Star Tribune. How did Lore make his fortune? What might that tell us about how he will eventually run the Wolves? Plus Hine and Rand discuss the Patrick Beverley trade and ponder any further offseason moves. 27:00: It was an immaculate inning in a far from immaculate Twins season, plus former Vikings great Alan Page sure seems "notable" even if Twitter disagrees.

Matt Belanger Joins the show to talk about everything State Fair! John Bream from the Star Tribune joins the show to talk all the Music at the fair and Charlie Watts!

What can we take away from a Vikings offense that hasn't shown much in training camp or in limited preseason work? What should expectations be for the NFC North? Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer discuss from the Star Tribune booth at the Minnesota State Fair.

Support this podcast at patreon.com/qaf or paypal.me/RissyMcCoolThis week, we talk about an article in Rissy's hometown paper that is... problematic, at best and vicious at worst.Music by The Midnight

The arrival of vaccines earlier this year offered a glimmer of hope that the COVID-19 pandemic was nearing an end. But the emergence of the delta variant has dampened some of that optimism. The Star Tribune solicited reader questions about this new phase of the pandemic. Pulitzer Prize-winning health reporters Glenn Howatt and Jeremy Olson discussed the answers in their third appearance on the podcast.

Dan Barreiro opens the show with a rant about baseball bullpens. Dan and Gaardsy try to decipher exactly what the Big Ten, ACC and Pac 12 are doing. We ode Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts who died today at 80 years old, including help from Jon Bream from the Star Tribune.

Host Michael Rand is joined by Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse for a look at where the Vikings stand with just one preseason game left before a critical 2021 season. The offense hasn't scored a touchdown in eight quarters of preseason football, which included three shaky drives (and five short completions) from starting QB Kirk Cousins in a 12-10 loss Saturday to the Colts. While the preseason doesn't technically matter, it is contributing to an overall negative vibe on the team, Reusse says. And he is of the belief that Cousins is under more pressure now than at any other point in his career. 15:00: A look at Twins prospect Jose Miranda, who has been written about by both Reusse and Rand in the last couple months. Miranda is hitting a combined .342 with 25 home runs between Class AA and Class AAA this season and should warrant a look with the Twins down the stretch. The problem is that he figures to be a third baseman in the majors. The Twins are paying Josh Donaldson a lot of money to play that position and have other options there as well. 28:00: Appreciation for Tigers all-time great Miguel Cabrera, who hit his 500th home run on Sunday -- and a vintage Reusse rant about "groups."

Star Tribune sports columnist Chip Scoggins joins Judd to break down what's been going on at Vikings training camp and discuss areas of strength and weakness. The former Access Vikings team also gets into whether the Vikings should consider playing Kellen Mond this season and what Justin Fields' strong camp in Chicago means for the Vikings.

Matthew Coller and Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune talk about the Vikings bringing in Everson Griffen and what it says about their feelings on Kirk Cousins's future and what he could potentially bring to the Vikings' defense. Plus a game of "is this guy good?" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pulling editorial in today's Star Tribune. We've discovered that blame can be spread across 4 Presidencies for the shambles in Kabul. Johnny Heidt with guitar news.

Michael Rand of the Star Tribune joins Dane on the show for another reaction to the Patrick Beverley trade, plus we dig into the Timberwolves Vegas over/under of 34.5 wins. Rand brings the history of the Timberwolves "over" versus Vegas. (Hint: History does not indicate that the Wolves over has been a good bet) We also dig a little further into Beverley's specific fit within the Wolves rotation, asking whether or not Beverley might be able to be a better option at the position than Rubio was. And, naturally, a little conversation on whether Ben Simmons lurks as a possibility -- and what his price tag might be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Cuomo essentially gave the same speech regarding sexual abuse allegations as Otter gave the dean of Faber College. The Star Tribune ran an editorial from residents hoping to see the ending of policing in Minneapolis.