STAGE.

[Applause] [Laughter] >> BRIAN: THE MINNESOTA TWINS ARE IN A TIGHT DIVISION RACE, TIED FOR SECOND IN THE A.L.

CENTRAL, JUST 2 GAMES BEHIND CLEVELAND.

THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS FINISH UP THEIR PRESEASON SCHEDULE ON SATURDAY.

THE MINNESOTA LYNX ARE HOLDING DOWN THE TOP SPOT IN THE WEST.

NO BETTER TEAM THAN TO TALK WITH OUR FRIEND, LARRY FITZGERALD, A LONGTIME "ALMANAC" SPORT EXEMPT TAKE ITER AND YOU CAN HEAR HIM ON THE NATIONAL PROGRAMMING NETWORK.

FITZY, WELCOME.

HOW YOU BEEN?

>> GOOD.

>> LET'S START WITH THE LYNX.

BIG WEEKEND AT THE TARGET CENTER, MAYA MOORE'S JERSEY GOING UP, THE STORM COMING, CAITLIN CLARK -- TALK ABOUT THAT TEAM.

>> TONIGHT, OBVIOUSLY THE TWINS START A 9-GAME HOME STAND WITH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE'S CARDINALS IN TOWN, AND THE WNBA, HEY, THE LYNX ARE SMOKING, MAN, SINCE THE OLYMPIC BREAK.

THEY WENT OUT TO VEGAS AND BEAT THE WORLD CHAMPS, AND NOW THE CHAMPS ARE IN TOWN TONIGHT AND THEY'LL TIP IT AT 8:30, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PARK BUT THAT PLACE IS GOING TO BE JAMMED TONIGHT.

>> AND THEY'VE GOT AN MVP CONTENDER ON THE LYNX, DON'T THEY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

NAPHEESA COLLIER HAS BEEN SENSATIONAL SINCE COMING BACK FROM THE INJURY AND SHE'S DOING WHAT SHERYL REEVE EXPECTS HER TO DO AND THAT IS TO LEAD THE BASKETBALL TEAM BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF YOUTH ON IT BUT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD.

>> Cathy: BEING A TYPICAL MINNESOTA SPORTS FAN, I SEE THE TWINS ARE DOING WELL.

I WORRY, I WORRY THAT THE WHEELS COULD COME OFF THE BUS.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THE PLAYOFFS?

>> WELL, THE THING ABOUT THIS TEAM FOR ME IS THEY'RE RESILIENT.

I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A STRANGE SCHEDULE THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE PLAYING A LOT OF NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS AND THEY HAVEN'T FAIRED VERY WELL AGAINST THE BEST TEAMS IN BASEBALL BUT THEY'RE BEATING THE TEAMS YOU GOT TO BEAT.

I MEAN, TO BE ON AUGUST 23rd AND TWO GAMES BACK WITH A 9-GAME HOME STAND AGAINST THE CARDINALS AND BRAVES, AND TORONTO COMING UP, I THINK THIS TEAM COULD SURPRISE YOU.

THEY'VE GOT A TERRIFIC MANAGER WHO HAS REALLY INSTILLED SOME THINGS IN THIS TEAM, AND I TELL YOU, IF THEY CAN JUST STAY HEALTHY AND DON'T LOSE ANYBODY ELSE, I THINK THEY GOT A SHOT.

>> BRIAN: PABLO LOPEZ VERSUS SONNY GRAY THIS WEEKEND, KIND OF TWO WELL-KNOWN PITCHERS.

THIS TEAM, THOUGH, IS IN A TOUGHER DIVISION THAN IT WAS A YEAR AGO.

THEY'VE GOT A BETTER RECORD BUT STILL A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEHIND.

>> SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR THAT RARELY HAPPENS IN BASEBALL AND THERE WON'T BE ANY 100-WIN TEAMS SO THAT TELLS YOU HOW STRONG, FROM A COLLECTIVE STANDPOINT, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS BECOME AND THE TWINS ARE ONE OF THOSE TEAMS.

THEY'RE BUILT STRONG FROM WITHIN, THEY HAVE A PHILOSOPHY AND A WAY OF GOING OUT DOING THINGS, AND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE BYRON BUXTON, YOU DON'T HAVE CARLOS CORREA AND JOE RYAN AND YOU'RE STILL KNOCKING AT THE DOOR, I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>> WHAT ABOUT YOUR EXCITEMENT LEVEL AROUND THE VIKINGS?

A LITTLE BIT BUMPY PRE-SEASON HERE.

>> I WAS OUT THERE YESTERDAY AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING THEM COME ALONG VERY CAREFULLY, AND KEVIN O'CONNELL HAS REALLY TRIED TO PUT SOMETHING INTO THIS TEAM WITH CERTAIN DRILLS WHERE -- I MEAN, THEY LED THE LEAGUE IN TURNOVERS LAST YEAR AND ALMOST IN INJURIES.

THEY LOST SOME TOP PLAYERS BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE SEASON AND WE SAW HOW IT SORT OF FELL OFF THE TABLE AT THE END BUT THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE PHYSICAL.

I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE RESOLVE, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY PICKED UP THAT CORNERBACK WHO'S WON A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND HE'S GOING TO TRY TO GET IT DONE FOR THE VIKINGS ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE SO THEY GOT A CHANCE TO WIN NINE GAMES.

>> Cathy: I'M A TYPICAL RAIN CLOUDS, AGAIN.

I WORRY ABOUT THIS QUARTERBACK THING.

[ Laughter ] >> YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S LEGIT.

SAM DARNOLD, HE WAS AN OVERALL NUMBER ONE PICK FOR A REASON AND IT'S BASED ON POTENTIAL.

BUT HE'S HAD PROBLEM TURNING THE FOOTBALL OVER.

IF HE CAN JUST HAVE ONE SEASON, THAT BEING THIS YEAR, WHERE HE DOESN'T TURN THE BALL OVER, HE'S GOING TO GET THE VIKINGS A CHANCE BECAUSE HE'S NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF TALENT AT THE WIDE RECEIVER POSITION.

>> BRIAN: IF J.J. CAN STAY HEALTHY.

>> IF J.J. CAN STAY HEALTHY AND WE CAN KEEP JORDAN ADDISON OFF THE ROADWAYS.

>> Cathy: THERE IS THAT.

>> BUT THE LIONS ARE THE DARLING OF A LOT OF FOLKS, MAYBE TO WIN IT ALL, YOU HAVE THE PACKERS -- >> Cathy: ARE YOU A PACKERS' FAN?

>> ARE THE VIKINGS LOOKING AT FOURTH PLACE HERE?

>> THE BEARS ARE ON HARD KNOCKS, THEY FINISHED 4-0 IN THE PRESEASON AND THEY HAVE A QUARTERBACK WHO'S WON THE HEISMAN TROPHY.

I WAS IN CHICAGO LAST WEEK, THEY ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE BEARS.

THE PACKERS ARE VERY GOOD, WE KNOW THAT.

THEY'VE GOT THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE AT JORDAN LOVE, AND THE LIONS, HEY, IF THEY DON'T GO FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE SUPER BOWL LAST YEAR, SO THE VIKINGS CANNOT BLINK.

THIS HAS TO BE A BATTLE FROM THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING TO BE ABLE TO SAY STAY IN THIS RACE.

>> THA