Why Kevin O'Connell likes Sam Darnold so much + Film review, poetry and a Timberwolves exhale

Introduction: Vikings fans haven't had to take solace in the misfortune of others this year because the purple are a surprising 7-2. But if they did have to dip into that space, they would find fertile territory between the Bears, Cowboys and Aaron Rodgers, host Michael Rand notes. 7:00: Andrew Krammer joins Rand for a film review and three hot takeaways, including this from Rand: Would the Vikings be pivoting right now to J.J. McCarthy if the rookie QB was healthy? It's a fascinating question in the wake of two consecutive three-turnover games for Sam Darnold. 24:00: More award-winning Vikings poetry. 35:00: Two key departures from the Lynx.

Star Tribune writers Marcus Fuller and Cassidy Hettesheimer join host Michael Rand to break down 10 of the best senior athletes in Minnesota head of signing day this week.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, which included the local teams playing down to the competition. The Vikings squeezed out a win over the woeful Jaguars despite three Sam Darnold interceptions. The Gophers football team had its four-game winning streak halted at Rutgers. The Wolves continued to look sluggish in a last-second loss to the Heat. And the Wild lost in overtime to Chicago.

Host Michael Rand breaks down the twists and turns from a win over Jacksonville that shouldn't have been so close.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves, who keep overcoming slow starts (and overreactions to those slow starts from fans) to win games. A big reason is the sudden three-point prowess of Anthony Edwards, which was on display again in a comeback win over the Bulls on Thursday. 8:00: Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling joins Rand for a midyear look ahead to 2025. If you thought this year would be future-focused, a 6-2 start has changed that notion. But there are still a lot of big questions facing this franchise in the future. The Vikings are probably going to need to rely on more free agent success next season. 30:00: The Wild keep rolling.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand looks at the 11 kickers the Vikings have used since Gary Anderson was last their primary kicker in 2002 and ranks them all from worst to best. The impetus, of course, is that the Vikings will use a 12th kicker, John Parker Romo, with rookie sensation Will Reichard injured. 11:00: Star Tribune columnist La Velle E. Neal III joins Rand for their Daily Delivery debate segment. On the docket: Pressure on Ben Johnson and the Gophers men's basketball team; whether the Timberwolves will soon need to bench one of their starters; and the Vikings kicking concern. 29:00: A good start for the Gophers and some interesting comments about the Twins from Scott Boras.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the juxtaposition of his social media timeline on Tuesday, which was a lot of election coverage interspersed with the NFL trade deadline in the afternoon and the Wild game at night. The Vikings didn't make any more deals, but they added a kicker and long snapper because of injuries. The Wild, meanwhile, continued to struggle on the power play and lost 5-1 to the Kings. 8:00: Star Tribune Gophers football writer Randy Johnson joins Rand for a breakdown of the red-hot Gophers. They've won four straight, three of them with fourth quarter rallies. Max Brosmer is giving them the best QB play in five years. Will they seek a similar veteran solution in 2025? 21:00: Star Tribune columnist Chip Scoggins on the early risers at Macalester. 28:00: Baseball revenue and a beginning for Gophers men's basketball.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with the Timberwolves, who delivered three quarters of basketball that had to make everyone happy on Monday night. They cruised to a win over Charlotte, their best players were in control and they even got to play their extra-deep bench. 6:00: Rand has some hot takes for Andrew Krammer before their film review, the first of which caught Krammer by surprise. Plus a look at how the offensive line fared vs. the Colts and how the Vikings made Jordan Addison more of a featured player in their offense. 30:00: Vikings poetry and a simmering feud.

Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse joins host Michael Rand for a look back at the weekend in sports, starting of course with the Vikings' comeback win over the Colts. It wasn't as dramatic as reversing a 33-0 deficit as they did two years ago, but the Vikings again outplayed Indianapolis after the break in taking an important 21-13 victory. The defense was dominant. Sam Darnold was feast or famine. Plus they get into the Gophers football team's fourth straight victory, a surprisingly dominant Wild team, a Loons playoff victory and a middling start for the Timberwolves.

Introduction: Host Michael Rand starts with a letter from a fan who has lost interest in baseball and college sports because of the economics of both. Rand gets into franchise valuations across all leagues and where things are heading. 7:00: Star Tribune Timberwolves writer Chris Hine joins Rand for a look at the Wolves' 2-2 start. They are about where they should be, but familiar problems like rebounding and transition defense need to be corrected. Also, what do we make of Mike Conley Jr.'s slow start? 22:00: Star Tribune Wild writer Sarah McLellan joins Rand to talk about one of the hottest teams in Minnesota sports. After a 6-1-2 start that was mostly on the road, the Wild and star Kirill Kaprizov return home for a big game Friday against Tampa Bay. 36:00: Don't count out Aaron Rodgers.