The NARN Closer's playlist - 12/22/2024

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Make the yuletide gay......

It's my last broadcast before Christmas! And since the Vikings don't start until 3:05 PM, I hope you can tune in live today's edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour I'll discuss some Minnesota news, specifically Gov. Tim Walz and Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan apparently being on the outs. Also, a Friday legal ruling may give Republicans a temporary majority in the Minnesota House. 

Then in the second hour I will talk about (what else?) Christmas!

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Lordy, Lordy, look who's (not in) 40 (B)!

Minnesota House District 40B is comprised of northern Roseville and eastern Shoreview. Given those are first ring suburban areas, they trend solidly blue every election cycle (or least they have in the Donald J. Trump era of the Republican party). And sure enough in the 2024 election cycle, DFLer Curtis Johnson easily defeated his GOP opponent (and two-time NARN guest) Paul Wikstrom by 30+ points. 

But with a few weeks remaining in the 2024 campaign, Wikstrom came out with a hard-hitting ad which alleged Johnson didn't even live in the district which he was vying to represent in the MN House. 

After Johnson's election in 40B, a lawsuit was filed accusing him of not residing in the district. In what was the ultimate Friday afternoon news dump, the ruling was announced. 

Minnesota House Republicans may have a temporary majority when the Legislature convenes this January after a judge ruled Friday that a Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate did not live in the district he was elected to represent.

Curtis Johnson, a DFLer who defeated his Republican opponent in House District 40B by 30 points in the November election, did not establish residence at his 450-foot Roseville studio apartment, making him ineligible to take office in January, Ramsey County District Judge Leonardo Castro ruled.

Rumors that Johnson continued to live at his house outside the district in Little Canada swirled in political circles months before the election, but it was an investigation and post-election lawsuit filed by Republican candidate Paul Wikstom that resulted in Johnson’s disqualification. Wikstrom, of Shoreview, sought to nullify the results of the Nov. 5 election before the start of the 2025 legislative session and asked for a special election.

Minnesota’s state Constitution requires legislative candidates to live in their district for six months before an election.

“Obtaining a lease and changing your voter registration does not satisfy this requirement; meaningful physical presence is required to show genuine intent to reside in the district,” Castro wrote in his ruling. “The people of 40B deserve no less.”

So now what? Well according to Minnesota law "the governor shall issue 22 days after the first day of the legislative session a writ calling for a special election." Since the MN Legislature convenes on January 14, that would put a special election date in early February. So a GOP majority would last all of about a month since it's likely a new DFL candidate prevails in what is a solid blue district. 

Instead of acknowledging the merits of the case, Dem leaders engaged in their go-to retort of "REPUBLICANS POUNCE!" Since DFLers didn't want alleged burglar Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) gone until after the conclusion of the 2024 session (they needed her vote in the razor thin 34-33 Dem majority), they once again show they don't much care about legalese when a legislative majority is at stake. 

In a statement responding to the decision, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said she believed the court made a mistake in not dismissing the case and echoed Johnson’s attorneys claims that a residency issue must be resolved before an election.

“We will appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court, and expect the Supreme Court will dismiss the case,” she said. “The Republicans are seeking to do in court what they were unable to do at the ballot box. Curtis Johnson won District 40B by 7,503 votes, and no court should lightly overturn the will of the voters.”

Just classic prog logic. It's not the undeniable bad (or flat out illegal) behavior of their members that's the problem as much as it is Republicans' reaction to it. I guess they'll just have to cope and seethe with this one. 

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Trouble in paradise

When people are having tremendous success in any vocation, it's easy to get along and be unified. But the true character of those same individuals is typically revealed when adversity hits. 

Along those lines, reports of a rift between Minnesota's top figures in the state's Executive Branch shouldn't be all that surprising. 

Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan haven’t been seen together publicly in seven weeks and the two aren’t communicating or meeting privately, a rift that coincided with his return from the national campaign, according to multiple sources close to the governor’s office.

The first public indication that something was amiss came just three days after the election. That afternoon, Walz gave his homecoming speech to staff, commissioners and invited DFL guests at Eagan High School. Flanagan wasn’t there and sources with knowledge of the situation said she wasn’t invited.

Instead, First Lady Gwen Walz introduced the governor with a short speech, a task that routinely fell to Flanagan for official government events. Then in his remarks, Walz thanked his wife, family and staff. He did not mention Flanagan by name or title, even though she had spent weeks enthusiastically campaigning for the national ticket led by Vice President Kamala Harris and helped run the state while he was gone.

I kinda had a feeling something like this was gonna happen. Well, nothing on the Walz-Flanagan relationship per se, but rather how the thin-skinned Walz can get rather snippy if things don't go his way. The fact he and his party no longer have cart blanche to do whatever they desire in Minnesota means the fawning and adulation from national progs goes away. Add to that the fact that over the final weeks of the presidential campaign that many Dems started to question Harris's pick of Walz as her running mate, he suddenly has gone from the dorky guy at the cool kids' table to just a regular ol' weirdo. 

In the end, Walz not going to D.C. as the new Vice President likely upset the applecart of a lot of far left Minnesota progs. Specifically, they were psyched to run a victory lap over prevailing in an area they cherish: Intersectionality. 

To some in DFL circles, the bonus of a Harris-Walz victory would have been the ascension of Flanagan as Minnesota’s first female governor joined by Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, as the first Black lieutenant governor. Flanagan also would have been the nation’s first female Native American governor.

At this point, can we even rule out the possibility of Flanagan challenging Walz in a DFL primary should he decide to seek a third term? As a radio talk show host, I say inject this storyline directly into my veins. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCLXI

 - Hey, did ya hear? Donald Trump was elected President Tuesday! No, I'm talking about November 5. I'm referring to today when each state's electors cast their votes. 

all of the electors are officially counted. final tally is 312-226, no faithless electors this year! pic.twitter.com/EjCu2sGR8e

— Central Valley Politics (@CV__Politics) December 18, 2024

Maybe I'm in a bubble, but doesn't it feel as though progs became so demoralized after 11/5 that they're barely putting up a mild squawk over Trump returning to the White House? I mean, I was half expecting a collection of smug, vapid celebs re-upping their 2016 plea for GOP electors to not vote for Trump. 

 

While the various talking heads at MSNBC and CNN clutched their collective pearls during Trump's first term, they certainly didn't object to the ratings boon that came with frothing leftists tuning in to have their Trump Derangement Syndrome justified. However, those networks are in for a rude awakening this time around given that their viewers realize they were being given a false sense of security ahead of this past election. Progs are most definitely going to take their seething elsewhere. 

- A mea culpa nearly 20 years in the making.

If you really wanna be enraged, watch the ESPN 30 for 30 special Fantastic Lies. Sure, Ms. Mangum deserves the scorn heaped upon her for her false accusations, but corrupt D.A. Mike Nifong is the epitome of one of my favorite lawyer jokes. What's the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? One's a bottom-feeding scum sucker and the other's a fish. 

Anyhow, Ms. Mangum's apology comes on the heels of her converting to Christianity while in jail for second degree murder. As such, I genuinely hope she finds the peace she obviously didn't possess on the outside. 

- This news is both unsurprising as well as somewhat jarring. 

🚨 🚨 🚨

The #Falcons are making a major change, as Michael Penix Jr is expected to take over at QB, with Kirk Cousins going the bench.

Atlanta is still in the thick of the playoff hunt, and Cousins has struggled mightily. Now, Penix takes over. pic.twitter.com/xTPLBovmOd

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 18, 2024

The move is unsurprising in that Cousins has been struggling mightily, having thrown only 1 touchdown and 9 interceptions in his past five starts (the Falcons have gone 1-4 in that time frame). But it's jarring in the sense that Atlanta signed Cousins to a 4-year, $180 million dollar contract (with $100 million guaranteed). But not even a year into that deal, the Falcons are seemingly ready to bail on Cousins and the huge financial commitment they made this past spring (I said at the time that given the enormous price tag that I was glad my Vikings were willing to let him walk). 

In the end, it's hard to feel too bad for Cousins. He earned about $185 million in his six seasons in Minnesota and will rake in $100 million, minimum, from Atlanta even if he never plays another down in the NFL. While he has no chance of ever being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he's a first ballot HOF'er if there's ever such an honor for most successful contract negotiator. 

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I'm out, but the NARN rolls on

I'm once again traveling for my day job, so I'll be away from my Sunday broadcast today. My pal Andrew Richter of Community Solutions-MN will be filling in for me in the usual 1-3 PM Central Time slot. 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Sack exchange

When NFL fans think of Brett Favre serving up a "self-sack," they might think of alleged racy text messages he sent while a member of the New York Jets in 2008.

But for football purists, a Favre "self-sack" conjures up memories of the 2001 regular season finale when Favre's Green Bay Packers took on the New York Giants. In that contest, Giants' defender Michael Strahan needed only one quarterback sack to get to 22.5 on the season, eclipsing the nearly two-decade old single season record of 22 set by the New York Jets' Mark Gastineau in 1984.

Strahan did indeed usurp Gastineau on this play with just under three minutes remaining in the game:

In the aftermath of that game, many (including Gastineau, who was present at Giants Stadium that day) ascertained that Favre did indeed give himself up in order for Strahan to get the record. While Gastineau graciously congratulated Strahan afterward, he later revealed that he's never stopped believing that Strahan's record is forever tainted. 

In 2023, Gastineau had an opportunity to confront Favre to let him know he's *still* not over it. 

Given that Gastineau-Favre exchange was first seen by the general public just this week, there's been a lot of reaction to that uncomfortable encounter. As such, Favre himself chose to address the matter. 

I want to clear the air on the footage released showing a small dustup between myself and Mark Gastineau, the former New York Jet.

Back in 2002, when Michael Strahan sacked me at the end of a game that we had wrapped up, I was in no way trying to hurt Mark Gastineau.

I was trying to close out a game and squeeze the last bit of fun out of a hard-fought game.

I booted out of a run thinking it would be wide open, saw Strahan standing there and ducked down.

The game was over.

There was no need for me to do anything spectacular.

It probably wasn’t Michael’s best sack or tackle for loss.

In a different game or situation, I would have made a bigger effort to avoid the sack or TFL.

But at no point was I thinking about hurting Gastineau. Maybe it crossed my mind to help Strahan. I didn’t think it through. That wasn’t my forte at the time.

I just wanted to have fun and compete. In retrospect, I understand how Gastineau feels. We played a brutal game. Gastineau played during an era where guys didn’t make generational wealth.

I see now how being the Sack King would elevate his value at card shows, strengthen his case for the Hall of Fame, increase his demand as a public speaker.

I had no way of knowing that then. I realize now the potential financial implications because football is far more business-oriented than when me or Mark played.

There was no malice on my part.

Mark was a great player.

My understanding is he’s a great guy and a fun teammate, a guy who played with the kind of joy and passion I tried to mimic. I understand his frustration, but I’m not his enemy.

A while back, he saw me at a card show and got his frustration off his chest.

It’s not the kind of moment that should be filmed and released. It was a private moment of frustration between two old football warriors.

I have a great deal of respect for Mark.

I hope one day he joins me in the Hall of Fame.

He earned it. Look at his numbers.

He eclipsed 20 sacks twice and had 19 in another year!

Mark definitely left an indelible mark on the game.

I hope this controversy brings attention to just how great Mark Gastineau was.

He belongs in Canton.

I remember watching that Packers-Giants tilt given the magnitude of the record at stake. Favre and Strahan were the ultimate competitors, so I figured Strahan was going to have to work doubly hard to get just one sack that day. And sure enough, Favre successfully dodged Strahan's many attempts to get a sack, including getting hit many times just as he released the ball. So I was quite taken aback when it appeared Favre "took a dive" late in the game. Also, the play call made no sense since the Packers were up two scores (34-25) with under three minutes remaining and the Giants having all three timeouts plus the two-minute warning. Why would Favre risk throwing an incompletion to stop the clock and spare the opponent from burning their timeouts? Quite simply, he appeared to have other motives. 

With the ESPN 30 for 30 special New York Sack Exchange debuting this Friday, it explores the 1980s era of Jets football and how prolific they were in getting to the quarterback. Of the clips I've seen thus far, Gastineau seems to believe that he'd be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame were he still in possession of that single season record. That seems to be a bit of a stretch since there a many HOF eligible defensive players who have more (unofficial) career sacks than Gastineau but have yet to receive their calls.

From a human standpoint, I'm hoping Gastineau can find some peace, especially since he himself is dealing with some obvious physical maladies due to his decade long NFL career. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 12/8/2024

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