1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Hey, Vikings fans, Ben Lever here, I'm so excited to 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: be a new Lifetime member, and so are my kids. 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: They love the tennis, the pickaball, the basketball, and of 4 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: course the yummy cafe. Check them out at Lifetime dot 5 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: life to find a club nearest you. 6 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: Welcome to Schools Stories presented by three M, the official 7 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 2: science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. Tonight we're catching up 8 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 2: with Vikings legend doctor Leo Lewis their. 9 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 3: Welcome back to Schools Stories presented by three M along 10 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 3: with Mark Rosen, I'm Pete Bursich, and tonight we're catching 11 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 3: up with a legendary wide receiver whose impact has still 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 3: felt both on and off the field. Please enjoy tonight's 13 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 3: conversation with Vikings legend doctor Leo Lewis. 14 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: Leo Lewis, thanks so much for joining the show. I 15 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: know you're a busy man. I see you at different 16 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 2: events around town, especially with the legends, the Viking Legends. 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: So let's tell the folks what you're up to these 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: days and what's keeping you pretty busy. 19 00:00:57,320 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 4: Well, I tell you what. Right now, I'm teaching at 20 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 4: the Universe Minnesota. I've talked there for a while I 21 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 4: teach a sport management course there and we delve into 22 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 4: the underlining issues of sport, including current issues and historic 23 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 4: aspect of sports. So I'm really happy about that and 24 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 4: just have a passion for teaching, and it's good to 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 4: be able to do that at the university every year. 26 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 4: And then, you know, I'm continuing to do some research 27 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 4: on NFL athletes as well, something that I've been doing 28 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 4: for over thirty years now. 29 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 5: And lastly, I'm writing a book about my dad, who 30 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 5: was a guy who was at one time Bud Grant's 31 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 5: teammate up in Winnipeg and who was a three time 32 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 5: All American in college and had a great career, even 33 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 5: better than mine. 34 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 3: So, Professor Lewis, let's let's dig into this a little bit. 35 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: And the game, the NFL, it's never been bigger, blah 36 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 3: blah blah, and the game's changed quite a bit. I know, 37 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 3: we as players kind of are jealous, not only of 38 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 3: the salaries but also of course the you know, the 39 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 3: receiver you don't hit anybody and you can't, you know, 40 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: and all the protection. What's the biggest change to this 41 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 3: game that you've seen, you know, over the last I 42 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 3: don't know, ten years, twenty years, thirty years, and what 43 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 3: do you see this thing going in the future. 44 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, football football, You still got to tackle, pass, hitch, 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 4: you know, defend. But you're right. I think the sensationalism 46 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 4: of it, which in some respects is a good, is 47 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 4: good because I think it's the ultimate team game. But 48 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 4: you know, social media has affected every part of our 49 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 4: lives as well, So I just think that the salaries 50 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 4: like you mentioned have really, you know, maybe distorted the 51 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 4: meaning of team play and the sacrifices that you have 52 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 4: as an athlete to be able to be good and 53 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 4: to be committed. But I think the game ultimately is 54 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 4: about the ingredients tackling, pass, rush, passing the ball, catching 55 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 4: for touchdowns. And I would say the thing that will 56 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 4: change it forever is the risk that individuals have to 57 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 4: endure while they play this great game. 58 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 3: And Leo, and I don't mean you're the professor. I 59 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 3: don't mean to tell you to do your job. But 60 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 3: my thing, what I've always wanted to do, is a 61 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 3: study per se about technology and football. Because I've been 62 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 3: to as many professional sporting events from NASCAR to Premier 63 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: League soccer. Everything I try to you know, NBA. Obviously 64 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 3: NHL football is the only sport that is almost as good, 65 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 3: if not better, at home than it is at the stadium. 66 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: And it's been HDTV, and then you have the Internet 67 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 3: with just the growth of technology overlaid between the growth 68 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 3: and revenue from the NFL, and I just think technology 69 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 3: has such a big, big, is a huge, huge part 70 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 3: of why this game is what it is today. 71 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, But I bet you would say, though that being there, 72 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 4: being in that stadium is something that you just cannot describe. 73 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 4: And one of the things about sport is really how 74 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 4: it makes people feel. And certainly, you know, you can 75 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 4: feel committed on your couch to a team and have 76 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 4: loyalty to a team. But man, you don't know how 77 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 4: many people would love to come and see the Vikings 78 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 4: play in their stadium because that experience you just can't 79 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 4: get anywhere else, you know, and to be able to 80 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 4: have a captivated audience inside the stadium is something that 81 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 4: would be talked about forever. Everyone could be on their 82 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 4: couch and watch a game, but not everyone could be 83 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 4: in that stadium. 84 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,559 Speaker 3: Say they were there, right. I prefer being a couch 85 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 3: athlete these days, but it's not at least. 86 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 4: That's okay, at least you know what I think. Yeah, 87 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 4: all those sports are built on spectator involvement, and if 88 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 4: you can get them in the couch without getting them 89 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 4: at all, that at least a win win. 90 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,119 Speaker 2: Again, we're talking with Leo Lewis, and you talk about 91 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: the synergy and the connection with your dad and Bud 92 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: Grant and what you did after your four years in 93 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: Missouri coming to the Vikings in nineteen eighty one receiver 94 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 2: return specialists. How amazing was it if I've used that 95 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 2: word to who joined Bud Grant's locker room and understanding 96 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 2: the historical significance of that with your family, Oh. 97 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 4: No doubt. And you know it goes back when when 98 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 4: I was a kid, because Bud had the family in 99 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 4: his office up there in Winnipeg when my dad decided 100 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 4: to retire. I will never forget that being in Bud's 101 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 4: office when my father decided to retire in nineteen sixty six. 102 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 4: And believe it or not, when Bud cut me the 103 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 4: first time in his office in nineteen eighty one, that 104 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 4: flashback was amazing. It was amazing. How I'm in Bud's 105 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 4: office too, and possibly at a time in nineteen eighty 106 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 4: one when my career would have been over. Fortunately, Bud 107 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 4: brought me back later in the season, and you know, 108 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 4: I stayed on the team ever since. But to have 109 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 4: that family connection with Bud, and Bud talked about it. 110 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 4: He talked about it a lot because he thought my 111 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 4: dad was one of the greatest players that he coached, 112 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 4: and you know, Dad didn't upset him. You know, they 113 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 4: went to six Great Cups and eight years and won 114 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,119 Speaker 4: four of them. So I think one of the things 115 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 4: that has been very motivating for me is to write 116 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 4: those stories that my dad gave to me and that 117 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 4: have been written in Winnipeg and around the country about 118 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 4: how the Winnipeg Brew Bombers, but more importantly, how Dad 119 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 4: and Bud became household names up there. 120 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 5: So I think one of the things that I. 121 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 4: Carried with me is the fact that Bud brought me 122 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 4: back like he said he would, and the fact that 123 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 4: he and Jerry Burns felt so compelled to give me 124 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,119 Speaker 4: a chance and to have me come back in eighty 125 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,359 Speaker 4: one and stay with the team and certainly have that 126 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 4: opportunity to go overseas. A couple of times. You know, 127 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 4: we're going to talk about the London game. But remember 128 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 4: in eighty eight we went to Sweden as well to play, 129 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 4: and certainly being able to know Frank Gilliam and Jerry 130 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 4: Reich out after my career ended in ninety one, they 131 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 4: brought me in in the scouting department for a few 132 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 4: years and that allowed me to go with the team Dennis, 133 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 4: one of Denny's first teams to Japan as well. So 134 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 4: it's been great. I had a twenty four year career 135 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 4: with the Minnesota Vikings as a player and you know, 136 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 4: front office person, and I'll never forget it. 137 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 3: Let's and Rosie kind of talked to me, or at 138 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 3: least brought it up earlier. So I'm dying to hear 139 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 3: you know the story about when you guys, you were 140 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 3: part of the first team to go right to London 141 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 3: and play a game in London. Yeah, a little bit 142 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 3: different than what we're about to experience when we head 143 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 3: out there. And we've been out there three times already, 144 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 3: this will be the fourth time. Tell us about tell 145 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 3: us about that trip. And because I was on the 146 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 3: trip with you at ninety four in Tokyo and they 147 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,239 Speaker 3: were still working out the kinks back at that time, 148 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 3: I can't imagine what it was like a decade earlier. 149 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 4: Well, you know, I don't think the NFL had an 150 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 4: idea about making a commitment to showcase the NFL outside 151 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 4: our borders. It just was a novel idea. I would 152 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 4: say Mike Glenn had a lot to do with At 153 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 4: that time, it was the general manager. I had a 154 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 4: lot to do with being that initiative and thought about 155 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 4: what it would be like for those outside of the 156 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 4: United States to know what NFL football was about. So 157 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 4: I think if you can recall, you know, we went 158 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 4: over there during training camp, which was not the best 159 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 4: idea to do because our trip literally took three days 160 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 4: and that included flying over there. Wow. So we traveled 161 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 4: in a commercial confines. I mean, you know, everybody had 162 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 4: their seat, and you know sometimes the guys had seats 163 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 4: in between them. It wasn't like to say, Lost Cardinals, 164 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 4: whom I heard I had a person in every seat 165 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 4: on their plane. And you know, once we got there, 166 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 4: we went to practice. We landed, got dressed and went 167 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 4: to practice after the long flight, and you know, I 168 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 4: mean we just didn't think anything bad about that. Yeah, 169 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 4: we would have loved to be able to see London 170 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 4: and have more days to go and see London. But 171 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 4: it was training camp and getting paid five hundred dollars 172 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 4: a week was good, but to go over to London 173 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 4: to have to get paid that way was not good. 174 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 2: Two anecdotal memories from that trip. I remember getting their 175 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 2: ahead of the Vikings and Bud Grant wearing his hush 176 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 2: puppies getting off the team bus, kind of looking around 177 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 2: in a typical Bud fashion, just kind of equipped. Whose 178 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 2: idea was this anyway? Number one? And then and then 179 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 2: number two the language barrier. Someone brought it up to 180 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 2: the authorities there at at old Wembley Stadium that we 181 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 2: got to get our coaches up in the press box 182 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: and how do we how do we get bad an 183 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: get up there? Because it was it was not an 184 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,439 Speaker 2: easy place to get around, and of course in London, 185 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 2: coaches mean buses. They went, well, we probably have to 186 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 2: get a crane. We have to figure this out. You 187 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 2: remember that quite well, I'm sure. 188 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, for sure. And you know, I think it was 189 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,319 Speaker 4: simple because we weren't there that long. And for us 190 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 4: as players, you know, it's just a matter of getting 191 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 4: getting our uniforms on for practice, taking them off, resting, 192 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 4: you know, trying to eat. Another thing was that they 193 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 4: couldn't believe how much food we ate either. I mean, 194 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 4: you know, they had they had you know, it was 195 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 4: such a custom that you would have tea at lunch, 196 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 4: you know, but we needed a full meal after practice 197 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 4: for lunch. You know. But I think that was a 198 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 4: Those are the two things that I thought were, you know, 199 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 4: practices that are certainly long gone by, and that the 200 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 4: players just did not have any rights or privileges over 201 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 4: and beyond the fact that they we were in trainee 202 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 4: camp and that's all we were there for. Even in London. 203 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,079 Speaker 3: Yeah, we had we kind of experienced the same thing 204 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 3: in Tokyo. And you said, you mentioned. 205 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 2: You were out there. 206 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 3: Do you remember when they they brought the sumo wrestlers 207 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: to practice. Yeah, so this is this is a great 208 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 3: story because they they you know, were out, we're done 209 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 3: with practice and they bring out a couple of sumo 210 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 3: wrestlers and Denny looks at him, and Denny's like, oh, 211 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 3: that that's nice. Dave Dixon come here. And then Dave 212 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 3: got up and walked over. And Dave's from New Zealand 213 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: and he's biggest human being, I mean six five three 214 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 3: fifty you die Coke from four hundred and just dwarfed 215 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 3: the sumo wrestlers. And then he's just was sitting there 216 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 3: with his arms crossed, just laughing, going, yeah, I just 217 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 3: went up. You got, I just went up. 218 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 4: Oh, of course, And you know, certainly in Japan, certainly 219 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 4: in Japan, you know the size matters, you know, obviously. Yeah, 220 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 4: but and and again Pete, remember it was like one 221 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 4: hundred degrees all the entire time. 222 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 3: It was the hottest, hottest week ever. 223 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 4: Outrageous. 224 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:32,959 Speaker 3: And we thought Money, we thought we lost money Kiffin, 225 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 3: because Money would like to put this rubber suit on 226 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 3: and go run for a jog. And then he got 227 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 3: he's in toky. He gets lost, and we all thought 228 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 3: he died. We thought he was dead. We thought he 229 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 3: was gone. We thought we we you know, we're going 230 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 3: to go back with one less person than we showed 231 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: up with. 232 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: Stick around for more from Leo Lewis right here on 233 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: school Stories presented by three M from the field to 234 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 2: the roof and everywhere in between. Three AM, the official 235 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 2: science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, is here. Visit Vikings 236 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 2: dot com slash school Science to learn more. We'll be 237 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 2: right back after the break, but first Unreal is back 238 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 2: with their limited edition Vikings Drop. Head over to nurl 239 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 2: dot com for more details. 240 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 3: Ready to have your spirits lifted, then laugh out loud 241 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: comedy Ghosts is for you. The new season premiere is Thursday, 242 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 3: October seventeenth on CBS. Welcome back to tonight's edition of 243 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 3: Skull Stories, presented by three M, the official science partner 244 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 3: in the Minnesota Vikings. Let's get back into our conversation 245 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: with Vikings legend Leo Lewis. 246 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 2: You perfected you were, whether you're choice or not. I started 247 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 2: in Missouri as as a putt returner, kick returner, whatever 248 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: it was, and continued on in the NFL. When did 249 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 2: you realize that was the skill set you needed to 250 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 2: kind of have for your longevity in the league. And 251 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 2: that's kind of a fearless position when you got those 252 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 2: crazy kamikaze guys coming running at you, trying to take 253 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 2: your head off, and your fielding of punt. 254 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 4: Well, I do believe not just anybody could do that, 255 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 4: But you know, I started in high school. You know, 256 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 4: I'd been doing it since high school and that was 257 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 4: my niche. But I you know, I don't know if 258 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 4: you remember Rosie. I never returned the punt until you know, 259 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 4: my fourth or fifth year. I was always a wide 260 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 4: receiver buying a mode and Sammy and you know, you 261 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 4: had Rufus best returning punt, you had Eddie Payton returning Vikings. 262 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 4: I was kind of like the third choice until you know, 263 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 4: I was able to do well as a as a receiver, 264 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 4: and then once you know, once we had Anthony Carter 265 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,839 Speaker 4: come and Hassan Jones, I was really kind of thought 266 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 4: of having more talent. Although Ac could return punts too, 267 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 4: they wanted to save him. They didn't want him to 268 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 4: get hurt. So I came to guy at the time 269 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 4: and did the best I could at that position. 270 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 3: Leil talk about from my end of it, we saw 271 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 3: in the Green Bay game how important it is to 272 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 3: have a punt returner, and it's one of those it's 273 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: one of it's like a long snapper's one of those 274 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 3: things where you just everything goes fine, don't even notices 275 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 3: the other, but when something goes wrong, they realize it. 276 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 3: My opinion is based completely on what Denny would say, 277 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 3: and that's when the whistle blows after a punp we 278 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 3: just want to make sure it's our ball. It doesn't 279 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 3: matter where, just we get possession of it. But the 280 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 3: importance of a decision maker you have to be you 281 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 3: have to be trustworthy and an unbelievably good decision maker 282 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 3: because it's face that you're out there in the conditions, 283 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 3: in the wind, whatever, whatever, leo, and you've got to 284 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 3: make a decision on a punt in a fraction of 285 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 3: a second. I mean, what is it about you that 286 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 3: made you able to do that? And what else goes 287 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 3: into it that I might be missing? 288 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, I was very fortunate, you know, Jerry Burns 289 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 4: really believed that, you know, I had good hands and 290 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 4: could be trusted. I mean there's a lot of times 291 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 4: that I wanted to make some decisions, but he said, 292 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 4: just fare catch the ball, you know. Yeah, so then 293 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 4: you can ask for this. And also you didn't like 294 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 4: the ball to drop. I can't believe some of these 295 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 4: returners at the college elite college level and even pro 296 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 4: level allow the ball to drop because more than likely 297 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 4: it's going to continue to go forward from the punter's direction. 298 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 4: You know, obviously the team was going to lose field 299 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 4: position that way. So Burnsy didn't want that ball dropped 300 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 4: At all, he always wanted someone to catch the ball. 301 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 4: But I agree, you know, it takes some preparation. I 302 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 4: wrote an article in sports magazine about preparing for the 303 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 4: punt return, and it's a ritual. I mean, when third 304 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 4: down comes, you're preparing yourself mentally. You're trying to figure 305 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 4: out how far from the line of scrimmage is someone 306 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 4: going to be able to punt in case our defense holds, 307 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 4: and you have to prepare yourself. I normally went down 308 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 4: to that part of the field to be able to 309 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 4: kind of gauze where the sun was going to shine 310 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 4: and where I possibly could catch the ball and return it. 311 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 4: But I call it the punt return ritual, you know, 312 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 4: and that you have to really figure out what the 313 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 4: play id as well in case the defense did indeed hold, 314 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 4: because there could be a play that we have the 315 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 4: punt return team could possibly put on a block, so 316 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 4: you have to be ready just in case they missed 317 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 4: the punt, because you know you're not going to have 318 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 4: much blocking for you. So it is it is a ritual. 319 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 4: But then also, yes, being able to catch that ball 320 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:25,119 Speaker 4: is the ultimate ass from a punt returner's perspective. 321 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 2: We're talking with Leo Lewis, and you played on some 322 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 2: holatious football teams, as you mentioned, in particular the late eighties. 323 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 2: I want to get your perspective on this year's Vikings team. 324 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 2: And you know, to a man, the players, everyone says 325 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: things like, well, there's a different feel to this team 326 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 2: right now. I think we could we're picking up kind 327 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 2: of the vibe. I want to get your thoughts about 328 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: it from the kind of the outside looking in on 329 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 2: this fourig and old Minnesota Vikings team right now. What 330 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 2: impresses you? 331 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 4: Well, you know what I think. From the very start, 332 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 4: you know, after they settled the Kirk Cousins issue, there 333 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 4: was a lot of curiosity as to what they would do. 334 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 4: And I think the first thing that I believe help 335 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 4: this team was to get defensive help, and not just 336 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 4: rookie defensive help, but veteran veteran players. I really believe 337 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 4: the linebacker group needed to be short up, and certainly 338 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 4: you had to find someone to replace Hunter. I thought, 339 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 4: you know, the Neil Hunter was out of place in 340 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 4: his forte as a pass rusher. I don't think they 341 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 4: utilized him well. I thought he was best as a 342 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 4: three point down rusher, but that's my thought, and then 343 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 4: I think I think we were okay offensively. We just 344 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 4: had to find that that quarterback that they feel was 345 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 4: going to be trustworthy. We talked about trust, but then 346 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 4: also have the qualities that they really want. And it 347 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 4: doesn't have to mean that we need to have the 348 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 4: best athletic quarterback in the league. That person's in Baltimore, 349 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,399 Speaker 4: you know, but we certainly had to have someone who 350 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 4: knew what they were doing, and I think Donald presents 351 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,479 Speaker 4: that role. But we also have to trust our coaches 352 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 4: and our general manager to be able to get the 353 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 4: right people in place, and it seems like they've done. 354 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 4: I think you have the best combination of players working 355 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 4: together and playing together, and it seemed like it's working 356 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 4: out well. 357 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 3: Leo, I want to get your opinions on two players 358 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 3: justin Jefferson number one, I know, but number two's is 359 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 3: a guy that I think you know might have been 360 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 3: He's kind of a modern day Leo Lewis. And that's 361 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 3: Jordan Addison. I mean, he's just an unbelievable lotrunner. What 362 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 3: are your thoughts on those two? 363 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 4: Well, I think both of them remind me of me 364 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 4: and ac Anthny Carter. You know, we weren't the biggest, 365 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 4: certainly weren't the we didn't. I know, I think Adison 366 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 4: has blazing speed, but I think he uses it craftedly well. 367 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 4: But they just get open, period, you know. And I 368 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 4: think that was our four k. I think Ac and 369 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 4: I just got open, and uh, it didn't matter how 370 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 4: big we were. Tommy and Wade, you know, knew that 371 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 4: and had a lot of confidence in getting the ball 372 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 4: to us. So but I do believe that they have 373 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 4: a great combination of receivers and when we get Ockison 374 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 4: back and or even be better because we can go 375 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 4: deep and have some sharp passing game as well. 376 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 2: If you want to know, Holland Green, Leo Lewis has 377 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 2: been in this Twin Cities community for many years. All 378 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 2: I can tell you is that I have I can 379 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 2: close my eyes and envision you was King Borius back 380 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty three of the Saint Paul Winner Carnival, 381 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 2: and you had I don't know how many stops you made, 382 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 2: how many parades, how many ribbon cutting events you went to, Leo, 383 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 2: But what proof did you to get involved with that? 384 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 2: What was that process like? And looking back on it now. 385 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 4: Well, you know one of the people on my board. 386 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 4: By foundation board liked me because he had been a 387 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 4: past boreous and I think the whole idea behind my 388 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 4: motivation was, and I've told this many people, it was 389 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 4: three points. One was that my family's legacy is in 390 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 4: Saint Paul. My dad grew up in Saint Paul, went 391 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 4: to Old Marshall High School off of Holly and Saint 392 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 4: Alwans actually is now at Obama School, and he had 393 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,439 Speaker 4: such a rich history. And not only that, my parents 394 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,479 Speaker 4: were really they did a lot in the community. So 395 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 4: secondly it was what I do. I mean, I give, 396 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 4: I do a lot of public speaking. I'm in the 397 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 4: community quite a bit, and I use my foundation to 398 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 4: have a great attachment to youth. And so that was 399 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 4: another reason this was going to enable me. The Saint 400 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 4: Paul Winter Carnival enabled me to get into other communities 401 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 4: and spread the word about leadership, citizenship, perseverance and hard work. 402 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 4: And then lastly that's who I am professionally. I think 403 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 4: one of the things that I have in my Bailey 404 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 4: Wick is that I like to motivate young people and 405 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 4: I felt that the Winter Carnival was a good way 406 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 4: to showcase my foundation who I am and what I do. 407 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 4: So it was very easy. Now, I didn't anticipate I 408 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 4: didn't forty five parades and the three hundred appearances throughout 409 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 4: the year, the fact that we went across the country 410 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 4: to Winnipeg, to make in Georgia, to Florida, San Antonio. 411 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 4: But the most important thing that we did was that 412 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 4: we were ambassadors for the city of Saint Paul and 413 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 4: that we conveyed that Minnesota is a good place even 414 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 4: in the winter. So consequently, that's why I've called keeen 415 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 4: winter borious Rex the eighty six. 416 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 2: So did you have to relinquish the crown in the 417 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 2: road when you were done with you with your time? 418 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 4: You know what? Thank goodness, it was over. Yes, thank goodness, 419 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 4: it was over. But every year there's a new one 420 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 4: and you'll be interested to know next year's Borias is 421 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,880 Speaker 4: someone that you've heard of that but I can't relinquish. 422 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 3: That, Okay, stay tuned. 423 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, Leo, we really appreciate your time, your credit 424 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 2: to this community in so many ways, and your influence 425 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 2: on the youth of today is does not go unnoticed. 426 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 2: So we appreciate your time here on school stories tonight. 427 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 4: Well, thank Pete and Rosie. You guys are good. You know, 428 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 4: I know you. I've known you for a while and 429 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 4: it's no better to people who can really give us 430 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 4: the essence of sport in our culture, particularly in the 431 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 4: Twin Cities. So you got to keep doing what you 432 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 4: do best, and that is to convey your knowledge and 433 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 4: can certainly your wisdom to our listeners. 434 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 2: Thanks again to Leo Lewis for joining the show. It 435 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 2: was great to be able to reconnect with number eighty seven. 436 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 2: All right, Pete, I know it was your favorite week 437 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: of the year the Vikings. Anytime they win at Lambeau 438 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 2: is a great day. Thirty one to twenty nine. They 439 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 2: led twenty eight to nothing to keep their perfect season intact. 440 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 2: Started out, as I mentioned, red hot in the first half, 441 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 2: got a little close for comfort in the fourth quarter, 442 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 2: but that's how good teams are tested. Aaron Jones return 443 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 2: did his thing, Jordan Addison got scored a couple of touchdowns. 444 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 2: What were your overall thoughts about the game against the 445 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 2: Packers and we can move ahead because they're going to 446 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 2: face it their old quarterback Aaron Rodgers in London on Sunday, Yeah, 447 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 2: how about it? 448 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 3: If it was the scriptwriters for the NFL. Got this right. 449 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 3: You take care of the Packers and then you got 450 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 3: to go face the old Packers in London. I think 451 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 3: what impressed me the most was just the first half, 452 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 3: the first let's say, twenty eight minutes of that game. 453 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 3: It was brilliantly executed. I don't know if I had 454 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 3: seen a team or remember a time, because the Packers 455 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 3: are a good football team, right, The Texans are a 456 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,479 Speaker 3: good football team. The forty nine ers are a good 457 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,479 Speaker 3: I mean, but the Packers are right up there with him. 458 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 3: We saw that at the end of last year. To 459 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 3: come out and just go up twenty eight to zero 460 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 3: was absolutely brilliant. Offensively, the impact of having Jordan Addison 461 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 3: back and just he just makes a play here and 462 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 3: makes a play there, and you don't have to be 463 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 3: all fancy. It's a little double move here, you hand 464 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 3: them hand the ball off on a jet sweep, a 465 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 3: play that is a defensive coordinator, you're like, it's drawn up. 466 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 3: We had guys there to make the play, but a 467 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 3: good block by Jefferson and a good move by Addison 468 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 3: and next thing you know, it's a touchdown. I mean, 469 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 3: how do you know, what do you do it's very frustrating, 470 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 3: but defensively absolute thing of beauty with how they pressured 471 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 3: and the guys that were in coverage knew exactly where 472 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 3: Jordan Love wanted to go, whereas outlets were, and just 473 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 3: the way you know, it's it's just I guess, the 474 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 3: whole thing that goes into it, with the game planning, 475 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 3: drawing all that up, installing it and installing it to 476 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 3: a point where the players can go out and execute it. 477 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 3: That's a ton of work. And it was just like 478 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 3: I said, just I was so just taken back really 479 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 3: by how well this team played for twenty eight minutes. 480 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,880 Speaker 3: And then things started happening right and we talked, we're 481 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 3: going to talk to Leo Lewis, the punt returner, right, Well, 482 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 3: that's where things started to fall. The wheel started to 483 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 3: fall off a little bit with a with a botch 484 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 3: punt return, and then you know that that allows a 485 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 3: good team like Green Bay to get back into it. 486 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 3: You make a couple of mistakes and they make you 487 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 3: pay for it, and the next thing you know, we 488 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 3: got ourselves a football game. But the resilience that you 489 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 3: get to get it done when we needed it, we 490 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 3: moved the chains h burned some time off the clock, 491 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 3: got a field goal late, and so wow, I mean 492 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 3: the team was It's hard I think when you play 493 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 3: that well for a half and then you switch into 494 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 3: a different mode, especially offensively, to hit the gas pedal 495 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 3: again right at the end of the game, right, because 496 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:16,959 Speaker 3: sometimes you go in that conservative just run the ball, 497 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 3: run the ball, run the ball. It's tough to do, 498 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 3: and we did it. We stuck to our guns. We're 499 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,439 Speaker 3: an aggressive team. We throw the ball. That's what we 500 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 3: do and that's what they stayed with. 501 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 2: As a former player and assistant coach with this Vikings team, 502 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 2: what are you sensing about them not getting caught up 503 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 2: in this kind of lofty area they're in unexpected four 504 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 2: and oh start, and how the coaching staff is handling them, 505 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 2: because we keep hearing there's something different about this team, 506 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 2: there's a different field to it. Are you sensing that? 507 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 3: Yeah? I think so. It's the teams I don't think 508 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 3: are because everything's bigger. The locker room's bigger, the rosters 509 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 3: are bigger. I don't know if it's as tight as 510 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 3: it used to be back in the day, but the 511 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 3: group of guys that they have from a character standpoint, 512 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 3: are are are pretty impressive? 513 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 4: Right? 514 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 3: And and Aaron Jones is kind of the personification and 515 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 3: his words after the game where he's like, we really 516 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,159 Speaker 3: haven't you know, we haven't done anything yet, right, so 517 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 3: don't just your four and oh congratulations, but it doesn't 518 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:18,199 Speaker 3: mean anything yet yet is the key word. But just 519 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 3: that humbleness that you have to go about. And I 520 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 3: remember I remember getting here as a rookie, and and 521 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 3: and talking to Warren Moon. And Warren Moon didn't obviously 522 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 3: talk to rookies much, but I remember him telling me 523 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 3: one day, He's like, here's the key to this whole thing. 524 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 3: He don't get too high, don't get too low. Just 525 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,119 Speaker 3: stay right here, stay in the middle, right, just just 526 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 3: And that's what Aaron, It's what Aaron Jones was saying, Hey, 527 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 3: great job, enjoy it for twenty four hours. But guys, 528 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 3: this is where we really haven't done anything yet. So 529 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 3: if you have that's your mindset when you walk into 530 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 3: this building. So far, so good, but we really haven't 531 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,679 Speaker 3: accomplished anything yet. That sets the tone for how you 532 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 3: how you are in meetings, how you are in the 533 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 3: practice field, how you rehab, I mean, all all the 534 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 3: other things that go into it, and I think that 535 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 3: part of it is the character of these guys I 536 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 3: think is what's different. 537 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 2: Well, as you mentioned, quite a stage will be set 538 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 2: in London on Sunday morning here in the Twin Cities time, 539 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 2: facing their old buddy Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, 540 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: which will present a different challenge because they just lost 541 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 2: to Denver. 542 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, they just lost to Denver. I think Denver did 543 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 3: did a wonderful job of pressuring Rogers and making making 544 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 3: him have to be mobile, and I don't know if 545 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 3: he responded. I know the weather wasn't wasn't the best. 546 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 3: It was raining and everything else. So but yeah, you 547 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 3: sit there and go, Okay, well you got a team 548 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,159 Speaker 3: that blitz their way to a victory against the Jets. 549 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 3: Well here we go game and something that is something 550 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 3: that obviously we can do well. So I'm really I'm 551 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,880 Speaker 3: really looking forward to it. I you know, is Rogers 552 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 3: what he used to be I think pre snap? Yes, 553 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 3: he's every bit of what he used to be post snap. 554 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 3: I don't, but he's still a formidable opponent. It's a 555 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 3: good football team, a lot of young talent. We have 556 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 3: to you know, check the injury wires and see who's 557 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 3: up and who's down and everything else. But it's a 558 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 3: different it's a it's a unique situation anytime you go 559 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 3: over to London to play a football game. We've had success. 560 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 3: We did it just two seasons ago, so a lot 561 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 3: of guys have been through this on this roster. I 562 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 3: don't know how many of the guys on the Jets 563 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 3: have been to London and played a game there, so 564 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 3: it might be a little bit of an advantage for 565 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 3: us that way, but we'll. 566 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,400 Speaker 2: See, yeah, exactly, and this is officially a home game 567 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 2: for the Vikings on like a couple of years ago 568 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 2: when they beat the Saints in London. The Vikings, yes, 569 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 2: are heading over to the Pond to take on an 570 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 2: old familiar face once again on Sunday. Kickoff as an 571 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 2: early one, be a lot of fun. Get up and 572 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 2: have your breakfast. NFL network an eight thirty am local 573 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 2: time in the Twin Cities. Be sure to check your 574 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 2: local listings for details. You can also of course catch 575 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 2: Paul Allen, Ben Leeber and yes, Pete Burst. It's right 576 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: here all across the Vikings Radio network. The Vikings Football 577 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 2: Sunday pregame show starts at six. Yeah, I'm a KFA 578 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 2: and so be sure to tune in with host Mike 579 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 2: Mussman and the rest of the crew leading up to kickoff. Peter, 580 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 2: of course, always a pleasure. Thanks again to Leo Lewis 581 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 2: for joining the show, and thank you fans for tuning 582 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 2: into another edition of Skull Stories presented by three M, 583 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 2: the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. We'll see 584 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 2: you all again next week.