Vikings reporters Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune are bringing all you football enthusiasts another way to stay connected to the purple. Consider this podcast to be similar to any Vikings season: full of ups and downs, but never boring.
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What do you wonder about the people, places and culture of Minnesota? Listen to our community-driven reporting project, which invites listeners to ask questions that our newsroom researches and answers.
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Star Tribune prep reporters David La Vaque and James Paulsen are bringing all you Minnesota high school sports enthusiasts another way to stay connected to the action.
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Listening to the "Playing Politics" podcast from the Star Tribune and WCCO Radio is like taking a seat at the Editorial Board table and hearing an informed and opinionated weekly discussion of all things political in Minnesota and the nation. "Playing Politics" features WCCO’s Chad Hartman and the Star Tribune’s John Rash in addition to editorial writer Patricia Lopez and columnists Lori Sturdevant and D.J. Tice – award-winning journalists who bring varied perspectives to the issues of the day.
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Ben Goessling and Chip Scoggins join Andrew Krammer from Nashville, where the Vikings completed their 4-0 sweep of the AFC South with a 23-13 win over the Titans. No, it wasn’t a complete game by the Vikings. But it was a better showing from quarterback Sam Darnold, who navigated a stout Titans defensive front without much of a running game. We als…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about quarterback development, rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner, the interior offensive line, trick plays, and more.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Rest areas are a common site on roadways across Minnesota. While they are easy to overlook, rest areas also serve an important purpose for driver safety. And it turns out that Minnesota has some of the nation's most exceptional rest areas. Reporter Erica Pearson joined host Eric Roper to discuss the history, function and design of these facilities.…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer come to you from TCO Performance Center in Eagan, where rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy needed a surprise second procedure on his right knee this week. What does that entail? And what do they need from their current quarterback, Sam Darnold, this week in Tennessee? They preview Vikings-Titans and discuss the key ma…
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Ben Goessling and Jim Souhan join Andrew Krammer from Jacksonville, where the Vikings escaped with a 12-7 win over the Jaguars on Sunday. How loud do you sound the alarm after quarterback Sam Darnold's continued turnovers? Will Aaron Jones be all right after his injury? The defense again stomps on an inferior opponent, this time with linebacker Bla…
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The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your questions about the change from kicker Will Reichard to newcomer John Parker Romo, their short-yardage woes, hits on quarterback Sam Darnold, Brian Flores vs. young QBs, and more.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game at Jacksonville, where the Vikings (6-2) have a chance to start a new winning streak against the lowly Jaguars (2-7). Who's going to be the kicker? How long will Will Reichard be sidelined? Will linebacker Blake Cashman return? And what are we to make of a streamlined (or simplifi…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer recap the Vikings' 21-13 win over the Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium. What is there to take from a rather ugly game? Vikings defenders probably wouldn't say it was ugly. They're 6-2 and right where they want to be. But there are still plenty of areas to dissect between quarterback Sam Darnold's enigmatic outing, running…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions on the potential changes to the lineup on offense and defense, quarterbacks Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, the NFL trade deadline, a very veteran defense's individual workloads, and more.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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After Gov. Tim Walz joked about the state's low spice tolerance in a campaign video, a reader asked Curious Minnesota about the origins of the idea that Minnesotans don't like spicy food. The cultural stereotype is so pervasive in the state that many restaurants include menu warnings or simply offer versions of dishes with extremely minimal seasoni…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer, and Michael Rand preview Sunday night's game against the plucky Colts (4-4) and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. They discuss a range of topics from the acquisition of new left tackle Cam Robinson after Christian Darrisaw's season-ending knee injury to quarterback Sam Darnold's trust in his targets. Also, will lineback…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan emerge from the visiting locker room at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., where the Vikings lost a second game in five days and possibly left tackle Christian Darrisaw to injury. What happened on defense? What similarities were there to the Lions loss? What was the team's reaction to Darrisaw's injury? …
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Thursday night's game against the Rams in Los Angeles, where the Vikings (5-1) will try to rebound from the first loss of the season. First they discuss an offense that can't get out of its own way. Then they take a stroll down memory lane to discuss Vikings' west coast trips on a short week. A…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer recap the Vikings' 31-29 loss to the Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium, where an early lead wasn't enough to hold off a red-hot Lions offense. What missed chances were there on offense? What did Justin Jefferson have to say afterward? How much did the defense miss Blake Cashman's presence in the middle, where Jared Goff se…
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Star Tribune writers Andrew Krammer and Ben Goessling open the mailbag and answer your questions about the Vikings nearing the NFL trade deadline, a stuffed animal throwback to 2016, the Lions offense, rookie Dallas Turner's role, linebacker Blake Cashman's expected absence, and more.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game between the Vikings (5-0) and Lions (4-1) at U.S. Bank Stadium, where another chapter in Jared Goff vs. Brian Flores will unfold. But first: will either running back Aaron Jones or linebacker Blake Cashman be playing? What do they do if neither can play? And will there be a change…
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The Old Dutch potato chip company is a regional icon in the Midwest, known for its twin pack box. They have been frying potatoes for 90 years. And it all began in a kitchen in St. Paul. Reporter Brooks Johnson joins host Erica Pearson to talk about the company's history and what it was like when he toured their Roseville plant. LINKS: How did Old D…
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Andrew Krammer is joined by Purple Insider's Matthew Coller during the Vikings' bye week to discuss the recent win against the Jets, quarterback Sam Darnold's struggles, running back Aaron Jones' importance, the defense's dominance, and a trip down memory lane to revisit the two most recent 5-0 starts in franchise history.…
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The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling, Chip Scoggins and Michael Rand check in from London, where the Vikings rode an impressive defensive effort to a 23-17 win over Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. At 5-0, the Vikings are off to their best start since 2016. But they also showed some offensive cracks after losing Aaron Jones to a first-half injury. Quarterba…
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Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about Sam Darnold's level of difficulty, muffed punt returns, Ring of Honor candidates, incorrect officiating calls, the Vikings as favorites, and which player will end the year as the team's second leading receiver?…
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Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game in London, where the Vikings (4-0) will face familiar foe Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets (2-2). Just how worried should the Vikings be about a 40-year-old Rodgers? What are some notable numbers that put this 4-0 start into context? How does this compare to other hot starts in franchise hist…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 31-29 win at Lambeau Field, where a 28-0 lead slowly evaporated over the course of the second half. How did Kevin O'Connell's confidence in Sam Darnold help them put this one away? Why did the Packers offense suddenly come to life in the fourth quarter? Just how much did Aaron Jones en…
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Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about the "Darnissance," reasonable expectations for this season, Sam Darnold and the franchise tag, Jordan Addison's impact and receiver depth, and more.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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A surplus of military Quonset huts after World War II provided a unique solution to a housing shortage in Minnesota and across the country. Steph Quinn joins host Eric Roper to discuss these temporary neighborhoods. LINKS: How Quonset huts helped solve the post-WWII housing crisis in the Twin CitiesΑπό τον Star Tribune
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Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game at Lambeau Field, where running back Aaron Jones returns in purple and the undefeated Vikings (3-0) can put an exclamation point on their place atop the NFC North against the Packers (2-1). How does the Packers quarterback situation add a wrinkle to the week's preparation? Who are our favorite e…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan react to what they saw and heard during and after the Vikings' 34-7 win over the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. How did the defense flummox Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud so much? Or how did the offense limit Danielle Hunter as much as they did? And what does the crowd's reaction to Sam Darnold tel…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions ranging from the perceived "soft spot" in the Vikings schedule to whether the NFC North is as good as advertised.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game against the Texans, who come to town with a dynamic young quarterback in C.J. Stroud, one of the best receiver trios in football, and a motivated Danielle Hunter fronting a strong defense. Who's more motivated to get at the Vikings this week: Hunter or Stefon Diggs? What are our p…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 23-17 win over the 49ers from U.S. Bank Stadium, where Sam Darnold had a huge play and a clutch late drive, the defense starred once again, and players walked away feeling like they made a statement about their ability to play bully ball like San Francisco.…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer open the mailbag and answer your Vikings-adjacent questions about Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, speedy Vikings players, and more in this episode.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Sunday's game against the 49ers, a team that the Vikings beat last season. San Francisco also won the NFC last year, too. What are the chances Sam Darnold continues his success against his former team? How will this retooled Vikings defense look against a loaded offense? The leap in opponents d…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Jim Souhan recap the Vikings' 28-6 win at MetLife Stadium, where the defense dominated Giants QB Daniel Jones and the offense was efficient with new QB Sam Darnold. What was the locker room reaction to this defensive effort? What did we learn about each position group? How about running back Aaron Jones bringing th…
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The Star Tribune's Mark Craig joins Andrew Krammer to discuss his wide-ranging interview with former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who is now the Cowboys defensive coordinator. The show starts with Ben Goessling, Krammer, and Michael Rand opening the mailbag to answer some of your questions.Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview the Vikings' season opener on Sunday at the New York Giants, where former New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold will debut in purple. They discuss the vibes around TCO Performance Center regarding Darnold, why things should be different this time against Giants QB Daniel Jones, and what to expe…
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This special episode of Curious Minnesota was recorded at the State Fair on August 28th. Erica Pearson and Eric Roper discussed the origins of the Minnesota Star Tribune, which dates back to Minneapolis' incorporation as a city in 1867. The Strib is a descendant of three very different papers. The conversation also delved into what life was like on…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer react to Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's yearly press conference following roster cuts. Adofo-Mensah was candid about the 2022 draft class, which saw first-round safety Lewis Cine and second-round corner Andrew Booth Jr. get sent away after just two seasons. But what does it say about the direction of this team now?…
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We had a blast chatting with fairgoers on Curious Minnesota Day at the Minnesota Star Tribune's State Fair building. Today's episode is a roundup of the questions we recorded. LINKS: Why Wisconsin claims — incorrectly — to have more lakes than the Land of 10,000 Lakes Why is Minnesota's Democratic Party called the DFL? How Mayo Clinic became one of…
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Andrew Krammer, Ben Goessling and Michael Rand bring you the latest episode from the Minnesota State Fair, where they braved the sweltering Monday heat to mingle with listeners and deliver a live podcast recording. Projections for the 53-man roster were a big topic of discussion, particularly which slow-to-develop members of the 2022 draft class wi…
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Minnesota takes great pride in its lakes. "10,000 Lakes" is even emblazoned on the state's license plates. But at least some people in Wisconsin think their state has more lakes than Minnesota. It's because there's not one standard for what defines a lake. A reader wanted to know more about why the states are measuring their lakes differently. Eric…
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Curious Minnesota will be hosting events at the Minnesota Star Tribune's State Fair building on Saturday, August 24th and Wednesday, August 28th.Από τον Star Tribune
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Andrew Krammer is joined by the Star Tribune's Mark Craig from Cleveland, where the Vikings and Browns held two joint practices this week. Mark discusses the latest on the injury front from J.J. McCarthy to Jordan Addison and observations from practices, including how the offense fared against a tough Browns defensive front and what the Vikings sec…
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Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand discuss rookie QB J.J. McCarthy's torn meniscus that will require surgery on his right knee. How does that impact the team's development plans? How long will he be sidelined? What it doesn't change is QB Sam Darnold's standing as the Week 1 starter. They also discuss the cornerback situation and free a…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer recap the Vikings' 24-23 preseason-opening win over the Raiders on Saturday, when Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy made their debuts in Minnesota. How did they fare? What about the rest of the offense? And how many cornerbacks are they going to need to keep adding?Από τον Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer
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Anyone who has spent time in south Minneapolis over the last 50 years has likely run across the unusual intersection at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue. These are two of the city's most important thoroughfares. But the city decided in the 1970s to close Nicollet at Lake Street so a Kmart store could extend over a portion of two blocks. Adelie Bergs…
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Ben Goessling and Andrew Krammer discuss the Vikings' plans for Saturday's preseason opener, and why quarterback Sam Darnold remains in the starting seat entering the first exhibition. Don't expect that to change anytime soon. What does J.J. McCarthy expect to see in "significant" playing time? What about Brian Flores' evolving defense in Year 2? W…
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Patience with J.J. McCarthy in an impatient world; Just four more cornerbacks; Kickoff rule impact
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On the latest edition of the Access Vikings podcast, Star Tribune beat writer Ben Goessling and regular contributor Michael Rand dug into the quarterback competition in Vikings camp. Rookie J.J. McCarthy has flashed his talent and shown a command of the offense, but fans are going to have to be patient because the Vikings certainly will be. Sam Dar…
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Star Tribune Vikings writer Ben Goessling and regular podcast contributor Michael Rand are back with a new episode featuring a breakdown of all that was said by head coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah at a mostly somber news conference before the start of training camp. The head coach and GM spoke about the tragic offseason death of ro…
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Minnesota is known for its Scandinavian roots, which are apparent in everything from the Vikings football team to the Norwegian bachelor farmers of Lake Wobegon. But more residents report having German ancestry than Scandinavian. So why isn't that German heritage more reflected more in the state's culture? Reporter Greta Kaul joins host Eric Roper …
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We've talked about some old things on the podcast, including the state's oldest building and one of the world's oldest rocks. Today's episode is about a journey to visit another Minnesota artifact: the state's oldest known tree. Star Tribune cartographer Jake Steinberg and photographer Anthony Soufflé join host Eric Roper to discuss their winter tr…
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Like many states, Minnesota shuttered the controversial institutions that once housed mentally ill people. But the plan to replace these facilities with new types of treatment options remains incomplete. Reporter Chris Snowbeck joins host Eric Roper to discuss the important and complex history of mental health care in Minnesota. LINKS: Emptying sta…
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