1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: Hey, Vikings fans, been over here. I'm so excited to 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: be a new Lifetime member, and so are my kids. 3 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: They love the tennis, the pickaball, the basketball, and of 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: course the yummy cafe. Check them out at Lifetime dot 5 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: life to find a club nearest you. 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 2: Welcome to school Stories presented by three M, the official 7 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 2: science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. Tonight, we're joined by 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 2: former Viking Tim Baylor. 9 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 3: Thanks again for tuning into another episode of Schools Stories. 10 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 3: Tonight's guests played for the Baltimore Colts in your Minnesota Vikings, 11 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 3: but what he's done off the field has been even 12 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 3: more impressive. As a prominent business owner and leader, his 13 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 3: impact on the Twin Cities area is still growing every day. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 3: Please enjoy tonight's conversation with former Viking and prominent CEO 15 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 3: Tim Baylor. 16 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: Well, Tim, it's a pleasure having you on our show 17 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: school Stories. You have had, as they say in the business, 18 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 2: two kind of full lifetimes in your professional life on 19 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: the football field and the other course the professional world, 20 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: especially here in the Twin Cities. Give the fans a 21 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: little backup story and where you're from and how you 22 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 2: grew up, and then how this all occurred in this 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 2: wonderful life of yours. 24 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 4: Well, thank you, Mark and Pete. I really appreciate the 25 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 4: time to chat with you and share a bit of 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 4: my story, which is not fantastic in my mind, but 27 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 4: it's just what we do when you know we're committed 28 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 4: and we find the right path. But growing up in Washington, 29 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 4: d C. I played football and basketball in high school, 30 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 4: went to Morgan State University, played football, graduated with a 31 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 4: Bachelor of Science degree, and I was fortunate enough to 32 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 4: get drafted by the Baltimore Cults in nineteen seventy six. 33 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 4: I stayed in Baltimore. Stayed in Baltimore for three years 34 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 4: before I got traded to the Minnesota Viking in seventy eight, 35 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 4: a late seventy eighth. In seventy nine, I actually played 36 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 4: with the Bike. In nineteen eighty, I got injured, but 37 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 4: I was still on the team and doing some statistical 38 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 4: work with the defensive coordinator at the time. And after 39 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 4: that year, I ended up going to Winnipeg and playing 40 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 4: with the winnippeg Blue Bombers for a year before I 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 4: decided to retire and my wife and I decided that 42 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 4: Minneapolis was a good place to settle down and raise 43 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 4: our family, and here we are. 44 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 3: So I just figured you were here in Minneapolis and 45 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 3: decided you said you were going to leave once the 46 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 3: weather got better. 47 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 4: But interesting, I was certainly shocked when I got here 48 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 4: when it was so cold and snowy, and I wondered 49 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 4: how people survived here. And you know, as we became 50 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 4: more acclimated to the weather, into the friends that we 51 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 4: made and the family atmosphere with the Vikings, we decided 52 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 4: that this was a place to plant out flag in 53 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 4: our roots. And at the time we had a young 54 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 4: daughter and a young son on the way, and to 55 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 4: perceived wholesomeness of the Twin Cities, you know, led us 56 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 4: to stay here. And from a business standpoint, the business 57 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 4: climate with the industry that year, the diverse industry that 58 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 4: year in terms of the agricultural industry, the technology industry, 59 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 4: and the work effort of the people that live here 60 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 4: work here, you know, the decision became easy. 61 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 3: What do you remember from your seventy nine season here 62 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: with the Minnesota Vikings, What games stand out, the teammates, 63 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 3: things that happened that year that you go back to, Well, you. 64 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 4: Know, we have I wasn't a starter, let me just 65 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 4: say that. But we took allowed pride in our special 66 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 4: teams and I did that year in seventy nine. We 67 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 4: set our records were block kicks that year. We were 68 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 4: certainly proud of that. We were through the playoffs that 69 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 4: year as well, and Bud Grant wants to coach, and 70 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 4: that was the time that near the end of some 71 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 4: of the legend's careers. I think that was Jim Marshall's 72 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 4: last year. Of course, uh, Page and Ella are not 73 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 4: in town. I think Pages in Chicago with the Bears, 74 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 4: and Ello was in Seattle with them h if imccar correctly. 75 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: But still some of the guys that there, Bobby Bobby 76 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 4: was there. 77 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: And one of the defensive back Bobby Bryant. 78 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 4: Bobby Bryant, Matt Blair, Fred McNeill. So some of those 79 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 4: guys were still around and we had a good time. 80 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 4: Chuck Former was certainly there. Mt. Tinglehoff wasn't there, but 81 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 4: I think Ron, yeah, he was there, and it was 82 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 4: it was a great collective group and we had a 83 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 4: good time, and that's what I remember most. 84 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: I know you were a starter, but you did play 85 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: some defensive back and you're six ft six uh, how 86 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 2: did that happen? 87 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 4: But I in college. I was the defensive back in 88 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 4: high school as well, and in college I played some 89 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 4: defensive safety as well as corner, and I actually made 90 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 4: I made two all of my other teams. When I 91 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 4: was in college and I came to the pros, I 92 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 4: was what was described at the time as the free safety. 93 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 4: But I also played some nickelback, and you know, the 94 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 4: nickel because the fifth defensive back when those passing situations 95 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 4: come up. And so yeah, I did end up playing 96 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 4: nickel and sometimes slipped out on the corner to play 97 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 4: some corner positions. But yeah, it was fun and I 98 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 4: was a lot skinnier than and a lot faster than 99 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 4: we all were. 100 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 3: So Tim, I think the most interesting thing I read 101 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 3: with your background and everything was after you were done 102 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 3: with the Vikings and the Winnipeg Blue Brohmers, you decided 103 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 3: to make a transition to. 104 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 4: The real world. 105 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 3: At the time, you were in real estate. Not a 106 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 3: great time to be in real estate. You know, sixteen 107 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 3: percent interest rates, that whole thing. What is it that 108 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 3: got you and your wife through that time? That's That's 109 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 3: what I'm most interested in, you know, former players making 110 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: a transition of the real real world. It's it's it's different, uh, 111 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 3: But everyone faces that moment in their life where they 112 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 3: have to there's a fork in the road. What got 113 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 3: you through that and what motivated you to me obviously 114 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 3: to an unbelievable career in business. 115 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 4: In retrospect, I think that everybody has somebody that mentored 116 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 4: them along the way, and somebody that maybe said something 117 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 4: or spoke to them about something that actually stuck. And 118 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 4: I would call when I made the Baltimore coach football 119 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 4: team at the tenth round draft shore, I started Morgan 120 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 4: State University and they gave me my five hundred dollars 121 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 4: signing bonus signing bonus. My mentor said, don't spend it 122 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 4: all in one place, and he led me to buy 123 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 4: a triplex in the city of Baltimore, and that worked 124 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 4: out pretty well. I was, I made a few dollars, 125 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 4: I was living Red Tree, and then I got the 126 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 4: bug and I started to take real estate courses even 127 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 4: in my rookie year in the city of Baltimore, and 128 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 4: as you know, you know, the workday is over at 129 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 4: four or five o'clock during the season, and I would 130 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 4: go there directly to school to study real estate, and 131 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 4: that's what got me started. And by the time I 132 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 4: left Baltimore, I was a licensed real estate brooker and 133 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 4: I was doing some transactions with some of the prayers 134 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 4: there came here and more of the same. So when 135 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 4: my career ended, that's a skill set that I had, 136 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 4: and you're right, it was a tough time. There weren't 137 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 4: a lot of sales happening. I pivoted and started to 138 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 4: do some real estate appraisals and I started with FHA 139 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 4: and VA appraiser rolls and continued to do coursework in 140 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 4: the real estate field and in the appraisal field, and 141 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 4: eventually started building commercial appraisals and then some consulting. And 142 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 4: during that time, when the interest rates so high, I 143 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 4: was focusing more on the appraising and I had to 144 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 4: work some side jobs. And it was at a point 145 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 4: where I could continue to bounce around and play football 146 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 4: or settle down and make sure that my daughter and 147 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 4: my wife had a stable home environment. And that's what 148 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 4: that's what caused me to pivot and to focusing more 149 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 4: on real estate and doing the doing that and this 150 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 4: inside jobs along the way to make ends meet. But 151 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 4: pretty soon things started to ease up. And I've recalled 152 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 4: when the interest rates fell into single digits. Interest rates 153 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 4: fell to nine percent, and we were all rejoicing about that. 154 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 4: The industry as back. We can now make some money, 155 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 4: We could do some deals. But I think about that 156 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 4: now and interest rates get to be six or seven percent, 157 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 4: and we think the sky is falling. And so it's 158 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 4: all relative, and there's always a way to make a deal, 159 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 4: and it depends on the circumstances and the environment, but 160 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 4: there's always a deal to be made, and there's always 161 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 4: a need for real estate services, and that's what got 162 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 4: me started. After some time, I was introduced to the 163 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 4: McDonald's Corporation to work in their real estate department as 164 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 4: a real estate representative, and I was fortunate in that 165 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 4: I was able to secure that and that helped me 166 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 4: to expand my knowledge by representing the world's largest Hamburger 167 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 4: corporation world and represent their real estate interest, which learning 168 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 4: the corporate side of the real estate industry was also 169 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 4: very helpful for me at the time. 170 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 2: Again, we're talking with Tim Baylor, former Viking and Twin 171 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 2: City long time Twin City's businessman, sharing his stories. You 172 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 2: recalled fondly getting at five hundred dollars check for your bonus. 173 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 2: Did was it commonplace among your teammates and the discussion saying, 174 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 2: look at we're not going to make a living. You know, 175 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: we're not going to retire on our football salary compared 176 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: to what you know, obviously the guys are making today. 177 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:33,959 Speaker 3: So it did it? 178 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 2: It forced her hand, did not? I mean, along with 179 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 2: a lot of your other contemporaries, to make sure that 180 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 2: you know, we found work, real work outside of this 181 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: short football career. 182 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 4: I think at the time, you know, you're twenty two 183 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 4: years old, right, you're twenty two to twenty three years old. 184 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 4: You follow them and vigor. You think the indestructible, nothing's 185 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 4: going to happen to you. You don't think you're going 186 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 4: to get injured, think you're going to play. And you know, frankly, 187 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 4: we didn't talk about investments or life after football. It 188 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 4: was about having fun playing football and the social aspect 189 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 4: of that and maybe getting to know and be a 190 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,079 Speaker 4: part of the Viking family. And so a lot of 191 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 4: the post career discussions didn't happen at least in my circles. 192 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 4: Of course, after the after you retired, of course, then 193 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,719 Speaker 4: you start to look up say Okay, what am I 194 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 4: going to do now? And fortunately I had something to 195 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: focus on because of my real estate experience. But I 196 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,319 Speaker 4: think it's it's for young men who have spent most 197 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 4: of their life being the center of attention, because when 198 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 4: you get to that level, you've been good at football 199 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 4: for a long long time, and you've been a celebrity 200 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 4: of sorts, and you you haven't had to think about 201 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 4: those things that happened in the real world. But fortunately 202 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 4: I was able to pivot into something that I liked, 203 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 4: which was real estate, and that's been my past since then. 204 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 3: I guess my next question is this is you listen. 205 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,599 Speaker 3: Are you meet with the leadership and business world and 206 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,719 Speaker 3: they like to borrow a lot of things from the 207 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 3: sporting world. You actually doing it and being in sports 208 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 3: and then transitioning into business. Uh, what what did the 209 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 3: game of football teach you that you're able to impart 210 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 3: on the youth? I mean, you're you're part of a 211 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 3: you're on the board of directors for a number of companies, 212 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 3: and that's that's a leadership position. So what what did 213 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 3: you learn in athletics that's carried over into this into 214 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 3: this life. 215 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 4: Well, I think that athletics, not just professional athletics, but 216 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 4: in sports, and athletics are important in all fasces of development. 217 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 4: And you know, we all played little league baseball and basketball. 218 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 4: And even then, you learn the concept of team, You 219 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 4: learn about taking instruction, You learn about being disciplined to 220 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 4: get your skill sets to a level where you can 221 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 4: help the team and maybe get some personal variety as well. 222 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 4: And as you as you developed, you think, well what 223 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 4: can this do for me? And so you get into 224 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 4: high school and I happen to be the first child 225 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 4: in my family, immediate family to go to college, and 226 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 4: my folks did not have the money the vicinity to college. 227 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 4: So the motivation was I need to be good so 228 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 4: that I can get to college COLEGHI. And so those 229 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:24,199 Speaker 4: types of things become like branches on that tree of development. 230 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 4: And you know that in order for that tree to grow, 231 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 4: you got to have you gotta have roots, you got 232 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 4: to have nourishment, you got to have motivation to continue 233 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 4: to grow and development. I think that as you get 234 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 4: into you know, at every level high school you're good. 235 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 4: Then you go to college and you got to start 236 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 4: over because there are other good guys. And then you 237 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 4: go from college to the pros. Yeah, you want all 238 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 4: America in college, but to get into the pros and 239 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 4: everybody's good. You know, there's one of the things that 240 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 4: I tell lay people who are not in the sports world. 241 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 4: We talked about teams with a poor record, like the 242 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 4: Chicago Bears, or we're going to kill those guys. They're 243 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 4: not good players. And I have to remind them those 244 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 4: guys the professionals, okay, and they all won championships in 245 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 4: high school, they all went championships in college. You can't 246 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 4: get your butt cake if you go out there with 247 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 4: the wrong mindset. And if you go out there and 248 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 4: you don't study, if you don't do your work, you 249 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,079 Speaker 4: don't train, you're going to get beat. And I use 250 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,599 Speaker 4: when I'm talking to groups, I use those analogies a 251 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 4: lot about dedication, sports, teamwork, having the vision and having 252 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 4: the determination and discipline to do those things. And it's 253 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,719 Speaker 4: not different you get into the business world. Whatever you 254 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 4: choose to do, you got to have the same mentality, 255 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 4: you know, and you can't you can't say you want 256 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 4: to do some things, but then you don't study what 257 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 4: it takes to make that come to fruition or even worse, 258 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 4: you say you want to do something, you know what 259 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 4: it takes to get to the next level, and you 260 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 4: don't exhibit that same determination that you did a training 261 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 4: camp to get to that point. And I think that's 262 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 4: a part of finding the right flot and then working 263 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 4: that flot once you find it is I think to 264 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 4: not this business, but to like your family relationship, the 265 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 4: spiritual relationship, you need to find that plot and work 266 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,439 Speaker 4: on it and study that. They are allowed to go 267 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,319 Speaker 4: doctor debt what it is, or study that business discipline 268 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 4: if that's what you concerns are. If you want to coach, 269 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 4: you have to learn to give back and learn to 270 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 4: a coach because, as you know, because you were a 271 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 4: good player didn't mean you're going to be a good coach. 272 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 4: So there are nuances to whatever you want to do. 273 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 4: And I think the key is to be able to 274 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 4: humble yourself and to realize that just like when you 275 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 4: were from high school to college, you got to start over. 276 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 4: And that's what I think I've been able to be 277 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 4: a relatively. 278 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 2: Successfully Stick around for more from Tim Baylor right here 279 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 2: on School Stories presented by three M From the field 280 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 2: to the roof and everywhere in between. Three M. The 281 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 2: official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings is here. Visit 282 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 2: Vikings dot com slash school Science to learn more. 283 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 3: Unreal is back with their limited edition Vikings Drop at 284 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 3: do U n r L dot com for more details. 285 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 3: Welcome back to tonight's edition of Skull Stories, presented by 286 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 3: three M. Let's get back into our conversation with Vikings 287 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 3: legend Tim Baylor. 288 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: Tom. I know you're keeping a watchful eye on this 289 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 2: year's Vikings team, which is, of course, you know, on 290 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: a great role right now, but beyond their one loss record, 291 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 2: I want to get your observations just from an organizational standpoint, 292 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 2: and maybe there's a lot of a lot of comparisons 293 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 2: with business, but I mean what the Vikings are doing 294 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 2: right now and recognizing players kind of under the radar 295 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: a little bit that that the general manager Quasia Dopa 296 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: Mensa and others are are seeing and and you know, 297 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: the the Tim Baylors of the world. Uh, you know, 298 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 2: I mean that that seemed to be meshing pretty well. 299 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 2: I want to get your thoughts on this team in general, 300 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 2: but also just do organizations win championships. 301 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 4: As a business owner and as a leader. Let me 302 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 4: let me just say that we have. We operate two businesses. 303 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 4: We operate, as you know, Mark restaurants. We have eleven 304 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 4: eleven McDonald's restaurants. We have almost six hundred employees under 305 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 4: the McDonald's umbrella. And I do know that they look 306 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 4: to me and being their leader. They have a challenge 307 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 4: and a task to not only do their job, but 308 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 4: to do it well. And they know that I expect 309 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 4: them to do it well. But I think that they 310 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 4: my wife, daughters, and I am Justin, and my son 311 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 4: who actually runs the day to day of the McDonald's operation. 312 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 4: They it's important for us that they value who we 313 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 4: are as owners and business family. And what I've learned 314 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 4: is that it's not so much about the salary that 315 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 4: they make or the holiti ways that they make. It's 316 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 4: about how they're treated. It's about how they're felt. It's 317 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 4: about them knowing that if they need something, they can 318 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 4: come to us and we can earnestly look at it 319 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 4: and help them. We have two or three generations of 320 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 4: families working in our organization now. It's because of that 321 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 4: and that makes a difference. You know. We we have 322 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 4: one of them within the McDonald's family. We have won 323 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 4: awards for our speed of service, our quality of the food, 324 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 4: and involvement in the community, and all of that happens 325 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 4: because of the commitment that we have to make sure 326 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 4: that they're comfortable, make sure that they're incentivized, and make 327 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 4: sure that they like what they do. And I think 328 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 4: that's the same for any organization like a football team. 329 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 4: Their will family has come in and they have let 330 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 4: the Twin Cities and they have let the NFL know 331 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 4: that they mean business, and they went out and they 332 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 4: hired what I think is a superlative team with Kasi 333 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 4: and coach O'Connell. I mean, I've talked to them on 334 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 4: a couple of occasions, and not only are they good people, 335 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 4: but they're smart. They're very smart and very savvy about 336 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 4: what they do, and they get along. And I think 337 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 4: that that commitment and that cohesiveness cascades down through the organization. 338 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 4: And so when you're a player, and you when you're 339 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 4: player at that level, like I mentioned earlier, all these 340 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 4: guys are professionals, and oftentimes the edge is given to 341 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 4: the guy that wanted more, or that's committed more, or 342 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 4: that once to satisfy that coach and that his teammates 343 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 4: more and I think that's what we have seen in 344 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 4: the last two or three years. We've seen guys that 345 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 4: want to be here. We've seen guys that want to 346 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 4: make sure that the organization is proud of him and 347 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 4: that they do all that they can do. And while 348 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 4: these guys compete at the National role Football League level, 349 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 4: they all are very power of what they do and 350 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 4: they're confident and they can win, and they do it. 351 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 4: They win. Sometimes that's pretty Sometimes you know it's a squeaker, 352 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 4: but they win. And that's the bottom line. How many 353 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 4: ws can you put away and how many naysayers can 354 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 4: you just engage? And I'm looking forward to the disengagement 355 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 4: of those they sayers as we've finished off the season, 356 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 4: as you go through the playoffs, and I am I 357 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 4: tell people that you know, if you think the Vikings 358 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 4: have been stumbling along all year, you know you haven't 359 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 4: seen anything impressive. Oh oh yeah, those other Bikings. But 360 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 4: they know they aren't one of the top teams in 361 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 4: the league. But they keep winning. And I look forward 362 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 4: to the cohesiveness as we moved through December and January. 363 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 4: And it took the playoffs when they all put it together, 364 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 4: when they put the I haven't seen them put the 365 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 4: total game together yet. They beat the Bears last say, 366 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 4: but they you know, the offense was a little rough 367 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 4: around the edges. When they put that all together, I 368 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 4: think that the league is going to take notice, and 369 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 4: well we'll on maybe buying tickets to New Orleans in Sebruary. 370 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 4: There you go. 371 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 3: And you know, it's there's a difference as a player 372 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 3: between having a great career and leaving a legacy. And 373 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 3: I you know, personally, I hope that these guys understand, Uh, 374 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: seasons like this don't come by very often. The opportunity 375 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 3: to go into the go deep into the season, postseason, 376 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 3: perhaps the super Bowl. I mean, you won a Super 377 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 3: Bowl here, You're going to be remembered forever. That's a legacy. 378 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 3: And then every guy, every guy on the team, regardless 379 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 3: of your role, is going to be remembered for that. 380 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 3: Now you, personally, what do you want your legacy to be? 381 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 3: Talk about the people that work, you know at the 382 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 3: restaurants and that family and and what the reciprocity that's 383 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 3: there between the you know, ownership and management and the employees. 384 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 3: That's a that's an amazing thing. And for you is 385 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 3: that the legacy that you want to lead that leadership 386 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 3: style or just yeah, just let us know what you 387 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 3: want that to be. 388 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 4: What do you want to be remembered as am I 389 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 4: writing my appiitet now. 390 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 3: It's good practice, it's good practice. 391 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,680 Speaker 4: But I think that for me, I want to be 392 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 4: an access to the community that I live in. And 393 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 4: over the years i've been I've tried to do that 394 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 4: and at the level that I think can create the 395 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 4: most impact. As an example, would I run the city council? No, 396 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 4: because I think I have more impact than that, right, 397 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 4: you know. I was back in two thousand and six, 398 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 4: I don't know if you know this, and that I 399 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 4: was asked by city council members in Minneapolis to run 400 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 4: for lieutenant governor and I did that back in two 401 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 4: thousand and six with Becky Lory because I thought that 402 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 4: I could impact change or impact a voice of reason 403 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 4: at the state level. And so since that time, I've 404 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 4: been recently, I was a commissioner at the airport at 405 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 4: the Saint Paul Airport. In the past, I was on 406 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 4: the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission. As the Dome was ending 407 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 4: its useful life, I did that and I've been on 408 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 4: several boards around town to be able to create that impact. 409 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 4: And whether it's my family, whether it's a community, or 410 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 4: whether it's for employees. I want to be regarded as 411 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 4: a solid guy, savvy business owned that gave back to 412 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 4: the community and owners that cared about his customers, internal 413 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 4: customers and external customers. Because I viewed my employees as 414 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 4: customers to do what I'm trying to sell them. And 415 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 4: that's what you know. Am I the nicer guy in 416 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 4: the world. No, sometimes I may have to kick you butt. 417 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 4: Am I the fairs guy in the world. I try 418 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 4: to be fair, but I don't like for anybody to 419 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 4: bs me. And sometimes I think, like a defensive back. 420 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 4: You know, you catch that ball in front of me 421 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 4: and you're not supposed to catch it, I'm going to 422 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 4: hit you as hard as I can. And so I 423 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 4: talk about those athletic analogies all the time, about being prepared, 424 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 4: standing the ground, working as a team, and giving it 425 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 4: all you've got. And that's how I'd like to be remembered. 426 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 2: Well, that's a great philosophy. And Tim Baylor, we really 427 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 2: appreciate your time today sharing your skull stories and your 428 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 2: success both in the NFL, but more import as a 429 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 2: businessman who does give back a lot and your family 430 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 2: does to the Twin Cities and continued success and good health. 431 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 4: Thank you, Mark, Thank you Pete, and thank you to 432 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 4: the listening audience for listening to me and putting up 433 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 4: with my banter. I hope to see you guys around 434 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 4: sometimes and maybe we'll see each other at Super Bowl. 435 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 4: How about that. 436 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 2: I think that sounds like a great way to end 437 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 2: this segment. It's perfect. Thanks to him. 438 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 4: Thank you guys. 439 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 2: All right, Pete versa till the Vikings ten and again 440 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 2: eighth straight win the most difficult of environments you could 441 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 2: possibly have on the road, playing in Seattle with the 442 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 2: so called twelfth Man twenty seven to twenty four in 443 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 2: the rain. I just want to start the discussion with 444 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 2: Sam Darnold running out of superlatives to describe the kind 445 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 2: of season he's having, how he plays under pressure, and 446 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 2: that last throw that to Justin Jefferson for the game 447 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 2: winning touchdown pass was a great example of how Sam 448 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,159 Speaker 2: has been able to read defense, to step up in 449 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 2: the pocket, shake off link, bring injuries perhaps in the environment. 450 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 2: What can what can you say about this man? At 451 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 2: this point? 452 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 3: It's it's kind of amazing because we've seen a career's 453 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 3: worth of progress in one season. Right, because he obviously 454 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 3: this isn't his first season as a quarterback, but up 455 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 3: until this point, yeah, I'm sure he would even agree, 456 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 3: it's just been disappointing. We have to assume that this 457 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 3: has a lot to do with environment, and it helps 458 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 3: to have a former quarterback as a head coach in 459 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 3: the system that he's in. And then justin Jefferson and 460 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 3: Jalen Naylor and Jordan Addison and TJ. Hockinson and the 461 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 3: offensive line, he's it's it's amazing how he's gone from 462 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 3: being good to just now be Now he's good, but 463 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 3: he's clutch as well. And I think the big thing 464 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 3: is just protecting the football. Yeah, the interceptions, you remember 465 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 3: Jacksonville games like that, but also one under pressure, protecting 466 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 3: the football not giving it away. And and that's you know, 467 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 3: that's you play a team like Seattle, who had scored 468 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 3: I believe thirty six points in the previous three weeks 469 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 3: off of turnovers. Right, they beat Arizona because Arizona turned 470 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 3: the ball over twice early, they scored two touchdowns. You 471 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 3: couldn't you just didn't want to do that. And it's 472 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 3: a physical team, very good team, and we just didn't. 473 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 3: So that's something that this team is taking care of. 474 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 3: They've taken care of the football over the last couple 475 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 3: of weeks and it's made a big difference because it 476 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 3: keeps you no matter what happens, it keeps you in 477 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 3: the game. And yeah, that the throws, the two touchdown 478 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 3: throws of Jefferson, they were both absolute things of beauty 479 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 3: at the exact times when you needed them. So not 480 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 3: only is he good, he's also clutch now apparently, and 481 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 3: you need that to the playoffs because if you want 482 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 3: to make a run at this thing, the legend is 483 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 3: going to get is going to grow even more. 484 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 2: You study this Vikings defense extensively, and obviously they had 485 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 2: some great individual performances Andrew Van King Dallas turn against 486 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 2: his first interception, but it did appear to Layman that 487 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 2: they got a little gassed at the end there that 488 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 2: you know, Seattle was able to do a lot of 489 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:10,199 Speaker 2: good things and they got to They have a very 490 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 2: good offensive team. Geno Smith is talk about resurrecting your career, 491 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 2: he's done that with Seattle as well. So how how 492 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 2: did what was your interpretation about how the defense I. 493 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 3: Think Gino Smith is exactly. He kind of lived up 494 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 3: to what we what you thought he was going in 495 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 3: and just that if you're going to pressure him, you 496 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 3: want to pressure him up the middle, and that's where 497 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 3: he made his mistakes, right. He had two interceptions, should 498 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 3: have thrown maybe four. He had two that were We 499 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 3: had two that were dropped, you know, So getting pressure 500 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,159 Speaker 3: on him is key, especially even at last play jehad 501 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 3: Ward a three man rush, spind move on the center 502 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 3: gets pressure, Boom, we get the interception. At the end 503 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 3: of the game a. 504 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 4: Lot, you know. 505 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 3: I like the way our defensive backs competed. You see, 506 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 3: you saw more fire out of Stefan gilmore than we've 507 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 3: seen in a long time Byronn Murphy. And we made 508 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 3: some mistakes. Two of the touchdowns, the Jackson Smith and 509 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 3: jig A touchdown early was just man to man coverage here. 510 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 3: And so that takes me back to like the Detroit game, 511 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 3: and it's like, guys, you know, you have to know 512 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 3: your adjustments and we can't. We can't do those. You're 513 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 3: making it easy for the offense. And then there was 514 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 3: another air I think Shack Griffin kind of on the 515 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 3: tight end. That just the touchdown the tight end score. 516 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 3: So if you could just eliminate, you know, those couple 517 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 3: of mistakes. You know, who knows how good this group 518 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 3: can be. But they're they're they're flying around, they're having fun. 519 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 3: They need to tackle a little better. That was something 520 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,120 Speaker 3: that kind of showed up a little bit in this game. 521 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 3: But they made the plays they needed to win when 522 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 3: the time called for. 523 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 2: And let's keep in mind that both veteran Harrison Smith 524 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 2: and I've and Pace are due back against the Packers 525 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 2: on Sunday. The Vikings have been getting off to some 526 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:57,400 Speaker 2: great starts. I mean they've been starting fast. An emphasis 527 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 2: that koc has been putting on this team and what 528 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 2: what do you look for and what will be arguably 529 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 2: one of the greatest atmospheres league any of us have 530 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 2: seen at us Peak Stadium. Yeah, with the Packers coming 531 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 2: to town, knowing what's at stake, in particular for the Vikings, 532 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 2: you win two, uh, you get home field and a 533 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 2: first round by. 534 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 3: Right, and that's I think that's the thing is that 535 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 3: if if you went out, you deserve to have a 536 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 3: first round by because you're gonna be you're gonna be 537 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 3: Green Bay, one of the better teams in the entire NFL, 538 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 3: and then you're playing Detroit, which since the beginning of 539 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 3: the season has been raised. Unfortunately they're both in our division. 540 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 3: It's awesome too as a player to have that in 541 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 3: front of you. Still, right, two games left to the season, 542 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 3: you have the opportunity to have, you know, to get 543 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 3: the first first round by home field advantage, just an 544 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 3: opportunity at that despite all the work that you've already done, right, 545 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 3: you can't you can't rest on that. You still have 546 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 3: to continue to fight and battle. And if you can 547 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 3: get these next two games, if this team wins these 548 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 3: next two games you're talking about, you talk about the 549 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 3: moment mentum taking you into the playoffs, it's pretty incredible. 550 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 2: I know we'll have plenty of time to kind of 551 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 2: really take a step back and analyze this entire season. 552 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 2: But as I'm sitting here with you today, I think 553 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 2: back to, you know, going to OTAs or training camp. 554 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 2: You just shake your head and you've been around this 555 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 2: game a long time, right, thirteen and two is what 556 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 2: the record is? 557 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 4: Right now? 558 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 2: Am I missing something? 559 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 3: Nobody does this happen nobody? But PA would have taken 560 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 3: that back. 561 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 2: Nobody, not even I don't think even PA would have 562 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 2: taken that. 563 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,239 Speaker 3: And we've talked about before. It's a matter of all 564 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:36,959 Speaker 3: the free agents. The most important spot in the entire NFL, 565 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 3: or in all sports. The quarterback position was a huge 566 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 3: question mark. Everybody just assumed that Donald would play maybe better, 567 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 3: but similar to how he has played his entire career. 568 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 3: This is a quantum leap from what everything that he's 569 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 3: done in San Francisco or with the Jets. Nobody projected 570 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 3: him to be this good, right And I mean the 571 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 3: coaches might have seen it. That's their job, and they 572 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 3: I've brought it out of him. But the quarterback plays 573 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 3: has far exceeded anything. And then all the free agents 574 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 3: we brought in, I think Blake Brandella has played better 575 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 3: at guard than anybody knew or expected him to play. 576 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 3: So with all these question marks that you had going 577 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 3: into the season, every single one of them. Jerry Tillery, 578 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 3: I mean Jerry Tillery bounced around the league for a 579 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 3: long time. I mean it's like Cashman, who would have 580 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 3: thought that he would know he's undefeated now as a starter. 581 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 3: He was out for two weeks right or at least 582 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 3: a week injured himself, and I believe in London is 583 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 3: where he messed up his foot. But you know, with 584 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 3: him on the field, we haven't lost the game. It's like, 585 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 3: who would have thought, right, So just enjoy it and 586 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 3: ride with it. I still think that's a big reason 587 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 3: why nationally no one's jumping on the bandwagon right because 588 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 3: it's still yeah, it's still East Coast dominated, right with 589 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 3: the media and everything else. But at the same time, 590 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 3: people are just waiting for for Donald to kind of 591 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 3: he's not who he was, right, and that again, that's that. 592 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 3: It's like, it's how you predict every season. Detroit's gonna 593 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:11,040 Speaker 3: be number one, Green Bay man a running playoffs, They're 594 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 3: gonna be number two, they'll fight it out for the division. 595 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 3: The Bears are gonna get better because of the draft. 596 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 3: And then oh yeah, there's the vikings with this with 597 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 3: Donald at quarterback, they're going to be fourth in the division. 598 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 3: Well that's that, and so just remember this going forward 599 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 3: when you start talking about season predictions. 600 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 2: It might be the last thing on Sam Donald's mind 601 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 2: right now as we wrap things up here, but he's 602 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 2: certainly making it difficult for the guys upstairs. To say, 603 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 2: I want to let this guy ever get out of 604 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 2: our building. 605 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 3: Because see, good problems to have. That's a nice problem 606 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 3: to have, good problems to have. And what's in his 607 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 3: best interest is to play and win as many games 608 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:44,959 Speaker 3: as he possibly can. 609 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 2: All right, well, Pete, there's not much more that needs 610 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 2: to be said than the Vikings and the Packers Sunday 611 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,240 Speaker 2: at US Bank Stadium. Keep in mind now it's a 612 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 2: three twenty five pm kickoff over on Fox here the 613 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 2: Twin Cities no longer noon three twenty five, so be 614 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 2: sure to check your local listings for details. You can 615 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 2: also catch, of course, Paul Allen ben Lee Brand the 616 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 2: one and only Pete Ursus with the call right here 617 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 2: all across the Vikings radio network. The Vikings Football Sunday 618 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 2: pregame show starts at one pm on Kfan, so be 619 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 2: sure to tune in with host Mike Musbin and the 620 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 2: rest of the crew leading up to kickoff. Thanks again 621 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 2: to Tim Baylor for joining the show, and thank you 622 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: fans for tuning into another edition of Skulls Stories presented 623 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 2: by three M the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, 624 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 2: and we will see you all again next week.