Are the Gophers hockey jobs as good as we think? + Surging Gophers women's hoops

Standout senior Dothan Ijadimbola and head coach Nick Carroll from Totino-Grace boys basketball join Michael Rand on this special edition ahead of Wednesday's Class 3A boys basketball tournament.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Gophers hockey vacancies. The women's job has been filled by in-house candidate Greg May. Candidates for the men's job might not have the same profile that fans would want. What does that mean about the searches and the jobs themselves? 12:00: Chip Scoggins joins Rand to talk mainly about the Sweet 16-bound Gophers women's basketball team. Plus some Wolves thoughts as well. 35:00: Can there be joy watching the Twins this year?

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joined host Michael Rand started Monday's show on a very somber note. Local NHL writer and podcaster Jessi Pierce died in a house fire along with her three children over the weekend. Her personality and love of hockey will long be remembered, and the grief in the hockey community is palpable. The action on the court and ice was a secondary thought all weekend, but it was a good one for Minnesota teams. The Gophers women's basketball team reached the Sweet 16 with a dramatic win over Ole Miss. The Wolves won a gritty game at Boston. And the Wild beat the Stars.

Introduction: Michael Rand starts with another uh-oh game for the Wild. This time it was a rare loss to Chicago, and it came with star Kirill Kaprizov sidelined by an injury. 9:00: Randy Johnson joins the show to talk about the upheaval in the Gophers men's and women's hockey programs. 30:00: St. Thomas has an opportunity.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the news that Bob Motzko is out as Gophers men's hockey coach. Is there a trend in how AD Mark Coyle makes high-profile coaching decisions? Plus another Wolves win without Ant. 11:00: Susan Sheridan Tucker from the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling joins the show to explore prediction markets. Why are they allowed to operate what essentially feel like sports betting sites even in states (like Minnesota) that don't have legalized sports betting? 33:00: Carson Wentz is back with the Vikings.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the WNBA's new labor agreement and what it means in the next several weeks for the Lynx. Plus a coaching shakeup with the Gophers and some Vikings free agency news. 11:00: Strib Varsity's Alicia Tipcke joins the show to go inside her season-long video feature on Providence Academy star Maddyn Greenway. 29:00: The Wolves and Wild picked up much-needed wins while Venezuela conquered the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic.

Host Michael Rand starts with a gloomy time in Minnesota sports. He ranks his top five concerns among the Twins, Loons, Gophers, Wild and Wolves. 8:00: Chris Hine joins Rand for a long examination of the Timberwolves. 34:00: Is it finally time for the Wolves to join the Eastern Conference?

Star Tribune columnist joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included more struggles for the Wild and Timberwolves. Both teams have visions of a playoff run. Both are playing so poorly right now that such a thing seems far-fetched. Plus the Gophers women's basketball team is hosting in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 21 years and Reusse weighs in on Kyler Murray.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with Kyler Murray signing with the Vikings for $1.3 million. It's one of the biggest steals in NFL free agency history, and Murray is already "one of us." 12:00: Chip Scoggins joins the show to talk about the U of M declining to disclose how it is paying athletes, the rough stretch for the Wolves and Murray's fit in Minnesota. 34:00: The Wolves need to turn things around.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with Kyler Murray, who is meeting with Vikings on Thursday. Will they get a deal done as expected, or is this process going to drag out? The QB and team do seem like an ideal match for each other. Plus are the Wolves in trouble? 12:00: Bobby Nightengale Jr. joins Rand from Ft. Myers where the Twins are just two weeks away from Opening Day. There might not be a lot of competition for starting spots, but that doesn't mean the roster is settled. 33:00: The Gophers men's hockey season is over, and the Gophers men's basketball team might be done.