Hearing the roar of the crowd in Minnesota

No one can get you ready for a Minnesota Vikings game better than the longtime voice of Skol and the people in the Twin Cities. One-time Maryland resident and bon vivant Paul Allen (aka P.A. On The Mic) tells Nestor why Andrew Van Ginkel might be the most important player in Sunday’s match-up with the Baltimore Ravens and how the crowd will factor into Lamar Jackson’s day in Minneapolis.

Nestor Aparicio and Paul Allen discussed the upcoming Minnesota Vikings vs. Baltimore Ravens game. Allen highlighted the Vikings’ recent improvements, particularly with the return of key players like Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill, and Andrew Van Ginkel. He noted the Vikings’ defensive strength against the run and the importance of Van Ginkel. Aparicio criticized the Ravens’ offensive and defensive lines, citing their struggles in pass rush and run blocking. Both agreed on the significance of home field advantage, with Allen emphasizing the loud and passionate atmosphere at US Bank Stadium. They also touched on personal anecdotes and music preferences.

Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens Preview

• Nestor Aparicio introduces the show, mentioning various local sponsors and personal updates, including a colonoscopy appointment.
• Nestor discusses the upcoming Maryland crab cake tour and other local events, including a visit to Pizza John’s.
• Nestor introduces Paul Allen, the longtime voice of the Minnesota Vikings, and shares his admiration for Paul’s work in various sports broadcasting.
• Paul Allen joins the conversation, sharing his experience moving to Minnesota in 1998 and his history with colonoscopies.

Paul Allen’s Background and Personal Stories

• Paul Allen shares his background, including his time in various locations due to his mother’s multiple divorces and his career in horse racing.
• Paul discusses his early days in radio and his journey to becoming the voice of the Minnesota Vikings.
• Nestor and Paul reminisce about their shared love for sports, including their experiences with the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Orioles.
• Paul shares personal anecdotes about his time in different cities and his deep roots in Washington, DC, and Baltimore.

Minnesota Vikings’ Recent Performance and Injuries

• Nestor and Paul discuss the Minnesota Vikings’ recent performance, including their win over Detroit and the return of key players like JJ McCarthy and Andrew Van Ginkel.
• Paul expresses surprise at the Ravens being favored by four points against the Vikings, given the Vikings’ recent success and the Ravens’ struggles.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the Ravens’ offensive and defensive line issues, including the lack of a consistent pass rush and the impact of injuries on the team.
• Paul highlights the importance of Andrew Van Ginkel to the Vikings’ defense and the team’s success when he plays.

Ravens’ Offensive and Defensive Line Issues

• Nestor and Paul continue to discuss the Ravens’ offensive and defensive line issues, including the performance of Ronnie Stanley and the impact of injuries on the team.
• Paul shares his observations on the Vikings’ defense, noting their success against top running backs and the importance of their defensive line.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the Ravens’ struggles with the run game and the need for better protection for Lamar Jackson.
• Paul emphasizes the importance of the Vikings’ defensive line and their ability to stop the run, which could be a key factor in the upcoming game.

Paul Allen’s Insights on the Vikings and Ravens

• Paul shares his insights on the Vikings’ offense and defense, including the impact of their skill players and the importance of their jumbo packages.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the Ravens’ potential strategies for the game, including the need for a better pass rush and the importance of protecting Lamar Jackson.
• Paul highlights the importance of the Vikings’ home field advantage and the challenges of playing on the road in Minnesota.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the impact of the Ravens’ recent road wins and the importance of maintaining momentum on the road.

Paul Allen’s Experience with the Vikings and Ravens

• Paul shares his experience with the Vikings and Ravens, including his time calling games and his observations on both teams.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the importance of coaching and the impact of Kevin O’Connell on the Vikings’ success.
• Paul highlights the importance of player development and the role of coaches in galvanizing their teams.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the potential for the Vikings to make a playoff run and the importance of their upcoming game against the Ravens.

Nestor Aparicio’s Personal Stories and Music Preferences

• Nestor shares personal stories about his recent concerts, including seeing Paul McCartney and other artists like the Who and the Eagles.
• Nestor discusses his love for live music and his experiences attending various concerts and events.
• Paul and Nestor discuss their favorite music artists and the impact of live music on their lives.
• Nestor shares his appreciation for different music genres and his experiences with various concerts and events.

Final Thoughts and Predictions for the Game

• Nestor and Paul discuss their final thoughts and predictions for the upcoming game between the Vikings and Ravens.
• Paul emphasizes the importance of the Vikings’ defense and the challenges of playing on the road in Minnesota.
• Nestor and Paul discuss the potential impact of the Ravens’ recent road wins and the importance of maintaining momentum.
• Nestor thanks Paul for his insights and looks forward to their upcoming show together in Minnesota.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Paul Allen, Kevin O’Connell, JJ McCarthy, Sam Darnold, offensive line, defensive line, home field advantage, US Bank Stadium, colonoscopy, Maryland crab cake tour, live music, Paul McCartney, sports broadcasting.

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SPEAKERS

Nestor Aparicio, Paul Allen

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W, N, S T. Am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive, positively, getting through this big Minnesota week. And we got two, two crab cake tours here, and no walleye on Wednesday, we’re Coco’s pub, having the coconut shrimp. It’s all brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. I’ll have Raven scratch offs to give away. Also our away, also our friends at GBMC who are slapping on the rubber gloves for me for the the big appointment later on in the month. Yes, I’m on a colonoscopy. Got the little milk shake out. I got all that, and I’ve been getting chastised by everybody for not having it. I’m 57 years old, so there is your public service announcement to get your PSA number, do all that check, and I’ll have mine for you by Thanksgiving Day. Also on Friday, we’re going to be at Pizza John’s. I get to eat anything I want between now, like the 21st of the month. So I’m going to be having some french fries, proper crinkle cut gravy, double provolone cheese steak, and probably a pizza to go. We’ll see you on Friday at Pizza John’s. It is the Maryland crab cake tour. This guy, I’ve already given him a kick low true north, and I’ve already gone walleye on him. You know, I love the people of Minnesota. I’ve never met anybody from Minnesota who wasn’t nice, or at least Minnesota Nice. But this guy is actually a Marylander. He’s kind of sort of one of us, except that he rooted for the burgundy and gold team. He has been the longtime voice of the Minnesota Vikings, as well as he’s done hockey. And really his mojo was at the Canterbury track calling something that I am completely incapable of doing, which is calling horse races. Paul Allen is a legend in the Twin Cities. How many years you’ve been there now? Paul is 30 something, so how many?

Paul Allen  01:44

Nestor, what’s up? Bud, good to see you again. I moved here full time in 1998 so and, and I’m 59 years of age. Man, I’ve had four colonoscopies. Okay, so I’m going to be the next one to do that to you and metaphorically slap your hand,

Nestor Aparicio  01:59

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making me itch right now. Yeah, yeah, the and, you know what, ma’am,

Paul Allen  02:03

and I’m sure people have told you this the day before, and the 24 hours and everything with what you have to do to clean things out for that garage, cleaning it, that ain’t great, but, but it tell me your colonoscopy appointment is early in the morning.

Nestor Aparicio  02:19

7:20am baby. 720 I put it off an extra three weeks when she offered me like a 10am and we could do well, we could do lunchtime. No, no, no, no, I Come on, man. I’ve Googled this. I know better. You know what I mean. So I appreciate you, on behalf of my GBMC partners for like, talking me through this. Because a lot of folks are are trying to talk me through this.

Paul Allen  02:38

Well, another sneaky pro tip here is the day before. So the day you wake up for the for the cleansing day, the day before the colonoscopy, get up at 233 330 in the morning, all right, to make sure the night before the colonoscopy, you’re super, super tired, because it ain’t easy to go to sleep on on an empty stomach. So just keep that in mind that’s helped me over the years. And God bless you, man.

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Nestor Aparicio  03:10

I’ve written off the whole weekend, and you know, my wife has promised to make Thanksgiving dinner early for me, so I’m appreciative of that. Um, Minnesota Vikings, I like I’ve watched your team play the last couple of weeks, I’ve seen him play with Carson Wentz, and I thought, hmm, they’re on the schedule. We need some wins. We’re one and five. And then I see JJ McCarthy come back. You go to Detroit and win a game that you’ve been doing this a long time. It’s a really big franchise win in Detroit this week, like the ravens are coming maybe at the wrong time at this point, because it certainly feels like put the band back together last weekend pretty well in Detroit.

Paul Allen  03:43

Yeah, that that’s key, the way you put that, ma’am. And I don’t think you know, with the Ravens as of this recording, with the with the Ravens favored by four at US Bank Stadium this weekend, that that number, that number surprises me and and I’m not home or announcer guy with that. It’s if the ravens are favored against a four and four Vikings team. Okay, I’m not offended by that. But when you’re getting up around three and a half or four, I mean, we’re starting to talk about a road team being up by like 910, or 11 late to avoid as the colonoscopy would go the backdoor cover. So I’m still trying to figure that thing out. But Jay, when you say put the band back together, the Vikings got healthy at at Detroit with tackles, Christian darasau, a Maryland native, and Brian O’Neill, the tackles got healthy. Linebacker Andrew Van ginkell is one of the most important people on the team. It’s not even close. He had missed five games. He came back, and McCarthy came back, and it looked, it was apparent, things had slowed down for him compared to the first two games. So I just don’t get to, I just don’t get this point spread, man. I mean, you go into Ford Field and you beat that team that was undefeated at home, winning each game by 15 points or more they had. Beaten us five consecutive times. I respect the heck out of Lamar, you know, and I recognize the Ravens defense has improved since, since some injuries and some legitimate problems early in the season, but a full strength Minnesota Vikings team is a pretty good Minnesota Vikings team, so we’ll see.

Nestor Aparicio  05:18

Well, bet the Vikings, you get four points, I certainly would think there’s value on that. And you know, I never talked about betting here 35 years. I’m not a better at any but it is interesting to see what public perception is of the ravens, right? And public perception of the Ravens is they’re going to be a playoff team. I saw coward digging the snow out the other day on the pregame show, and I’ve been of the mindset even at one and five, that if they got Lamar back, they could be better. But let me tell you, offensive line stinks. Defensive line stinks. Pass rush doesn’t even stink. Pass rush doesn’t exist here, and we’re halfway through the season, so the Ravens have gotten healthier as well. Whether it was Pat Ricard, whether it’s Marlon, Humphrey, roquan Smith, being back, they were a better team last week against Miami Paul. I haven’t seen him look good yet. I haven’t seen the team that people think is a playoff team yet out on the field. And part of that is the O and D line that they they lose most battles on most plays. They’re losing battles so and they haven’t been able to get the, you know, get get the card out of the garage with with Derek Henry, because the offensive line has been not good. Make the case for Minnesota, for McCarthy and for watching Sam darnold do what he’s doing. And also, you know, I love your coach, Kevin O’Connell. I’ve had a couple breakfasts with him over the course of time when he first got hired, and I really liked him, and I have almost like a coach crush on him. I watched him from afar thinking kind of like when I identified REM as being a band that might be big one day, I looked at him and thought they hired the right guy in Minnesota. I felt that way from the minute I met that guy. So there’s a little piece of me not just wanting you to get a ring, and finally, you know Hagan and all of you to have a parade out there and have a good time. But I do feel like you have the right guy. And if he’s made this decision on the quarterback and went in that direction with his career on the line, because you’re you’re tied to your quarterback, it says to me how much belief O’Connell has in McCarthy, and therefore I should believe in it too.

Paul Allen  07:17

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I love how you laid that out, because it, I mean, think about it. O’Connell starts in 2022 Kirk Cousins is the quarterback. Cousins goes lights out in 2022 he’s even better in 23 then he pops his Achilles at Lambeau Field, and we start wheeling through Josh jobs, Nick Mullins and Jaren Hall, all right, so that’s the seven win year. Sam darnold comes here last year and into the 2024, season. You know, I just heard a lot of things about darnold, you know, when he was with the jets and can’t Carolina and stuff. And I’m like, I mean, with all due respect, if you think this is Matt rule holding up one of those big cards with Ronald McDonald here, Adrian barbo Here, Nestor Aparicio here and Chesapeake Bay C food house down here on the sideline that this ain’t that coach, and Sam’s not going to be throwing to Robby Anderson and tight end Ian Thomas. I mean, our skill, our skill guys here are pretty good and and that went to bearing its fruit, so much so Sam got a $100 million deal with Seattle. All right, well, we had Daniel Jones on the practice squad late last season. I think the plan was for JJ to start this year and Jones to back him up. Well, Jones and his representation caught wind in Indianapolis. You know, the Florida kid can’t stay healthy, and he might not even be that good in the first place. So why don’t you come on over here? So Jones leaves. Darnold leaves. Now it’s McCarthy and Sam. How well, for whatever the reason they traded Sam how they didn’t like what they saw. In comes Carson Wentz through all of that, the head coach has remained calm. He found a way to get two victories out of Carson Wentz despite a tremendously injured shoulder while he was playing, and McCarthy is better in start three than he was in starts one or two. That there’s a reason O’Connell is the reigning Coach of the Year, not not because he’s an elite football mind and a really innovative offensive mind. It’s because he galvanizes man, and he works really well with this generation of player.

Nestor Aparicio  09:22

Paul Allen is PA on the mic. You can find him out on social media. He is in Minnesota, in the Twin Cities. Give a little background on your DMV background, because you’re an old school caps fan. You’re an old school horse racing guy and triple crown and all that we have. Breeders Cup last week packed my place at Costas over here at the Timonium OTB, as I was out over the weekend, yeah, but they’re still racing in Timonium sometimes. Hey, we race in September, around October, August, September, absolutely, yeah. But your background, you’re a Marylander, right? Yeah.

Paul Allen  09:56

I’m, I’m, well, I’m, I lived in Oxon Hill. I lived. In Forestville. I lived in Anacostia, where where RFK used to be. So due to multiple divorces, my mom, you know, had us moving all over the world. I’ve lived in the Philippines. I lived in Hawaii for six months. Went to high school and junior college in Los Angeles, started my racetrack announcing career in San Francisco, worked there for five years, and did the Gypsy trail around the country, from San Francisco to Grand Island Nebraska to fill in for a guy for five weeks, then up to Shakopee, Minnesota, and they’re racing in the Baltimore positive classic. So that so that’s the racetrack part of it that got me to Minnesota, and just through the grace of God, he put me here at FM, 100.3k F, A, N, first radio job, still doing it nine to noon here in 2025 and I also auditioned to become the Vikings play by play guy I initially lost, and then I did fan line, but they liked something they heard from My tapes, and then they gave me the job in 2002 I’ve held it since then. But I mean, my I’m so deeply rooted with with Washington and and Baltimore sports that, I mean, I was at a World Series game between the Orioles and the We Are Family pirates, with Tim Stoddard trying to close out a game for the Orioles, my man, Eddie Murray, at first base, with his hair coming out of his hat. We got Dennis Martinez starting. Tippie Martinez coming in for him and and then, growing up a Redskins fan, you know, I was there with Jack Pardee and George Allen, and when my mom would take me to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for Redskins training camp. I mean, that was like the highlight of the summer, getting autographs from Billy Kilmer and John Riggins and Darren Talbert and Ron McDowell and Ken Houston and all those Charlie Brown names. Yeah, right, and, and, and, you know, I’m also a bat. I played basketball through junior college, so I’ve always loved the NBA. So that takes me back to Kevin greeby, Bob Dandridge, Elvin Hayes, Wes son, Dick Mata and the bullets, right? Dick Mata, I think they, I think they were playing the Sixers or the spurs in the playoffs when they were down three one. And Dick Mata said, the operating over till the fat lady sings. So here we are in 2025 the cancel culture world in which we live. And I’m thinking to myself, What if Dick Mata now said the opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings? What? What’s going to happen with that, like around the Twitter sphere and things like that? So I’ve been all over the place, man, but Baltimore, Washington, DC, Oxon Hill, Prince George’s County, deeply rooted in my heart.

Nestor Aparicio  12:39

What do you make of the Ravens from afar? I mean, you’re studying them a little bit this week, and get ready for the game. Yeah. You know the potential here, and the one in five and the injured quarterback, one

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Paul Allen  12:53

and five, well, not anymore, but they were, well, that, well, that’s a Yeah, but we’re not three and four anymore either. I mean, it’s, it was interesting to me, Nestor, when you were talking about the defensive and offensive lines, all right? So they trade with Tennessee for Draymond Jones that, you know, that’s, that’s kind of an indicator that Coach Harbaugh, you know, whom, whom I respect the bleep out of is like, you know, we need more pass rush, and we need it right now. Okay, so I’ve heard that and seen that all year. You know, when it comes to Ronnie Stanley, at this stage of his career, file, lay the right guard, played at the University of Minnesota and the rest of those big guys on the offensive line that surprised me when you said that the offensive line isn’t performing admirably. What? What’s the read on that? Like, like, why would you say that

Nestor Aparicio  13:40

guards haven’t been good. Finally, hasn’t been good. The guard plays been underwhelming. That’s affected linderbaum in the center position, right tackles taking a step back this year, year two, second round pick out of Washington. And the Ronnie Stanley thing is, look, it was a miracle that he made it back on the field. Performed at the level he did the last two seasons. And then when it came time to say, are we going to go in a different direction? Are we going to let him go take 20 million take 20 million somewhere else a year? They gave him the money, brought him back and and he was good enough the last couple of years, for sure, not where he was elite lottery pick out of Notre Dame a decade ago. And you know, none of us are what we used to be 10 years ago, but in the case of their offense, and what they’ve tried to do in running the ball and then protecting Lamar as a pocket passer and wanting him to not run. Lamar hasn’t wanted to run. They don’t run the RPO the way that I thought would be most effective, in the way that you have safeties and linebackers hips freezing, whether Lamar is taking it right, or Derek Henry’s taking it left, or whether Lamar is going to eat and throw it over your head to say flowers. Or Rashad Bateman, another one of your Minnesota guys. So we have not seen this be effective this year. First half of Buffalo, I’ll give you that. Yeah, they came out against Miami after halftime on Thursday night and put two drives together. But this is not looking. Like the machine that it has looked like at various points that have won Lamar two MVPs and got him cheated out of another one last

Paul Allen  15:07

year. Well, Nestor, I’m gonna tell you this right now. I mean, the the Vikings held Jameer Gibbs and David Montgomery and maybe the best offensive line in the NFL with the lions. I mean, they had 25 rushing yards at halftime, and running back Aaron Jones played half the game. He left with a shoulder and a toe, and he outran Gibbs and Montgomery by himself in just a half. Okay, so now that’s really, really good, right? That was only the second time this year the Vikings had Andrew Van ginkell Here, Jonathan grenard Here, Blake Cashman in the middle, because of that big time or identified as big time free agent, Jay von Hargrave in the defensive tackle. He was unbelievable, because the tension was going to other players that’s at the lions last game. All right now, saquon in Philadelphia came to US Bank Stadium a few weeks ago, Nestor and the Vikings defense, without van Ginkel, did an awesome job against a Quan they put him on a nondescript game. Jalen Hurts went for a perfect passer rating, only the second perfect passer rating against the Vikings in the history of the team. So really good against the run. Next game they go to play the LA chargers on Thursday night. Well, Kamani Vidal. Kamani Vidal and that rushing attack went for 200 and change. Now the you know, I understand what you’re saying about the offensive line, and it’s a massive offensive line, but with those tight ends in the way they use them, and then that 532 pounds of beef with Ricard and Henry coming at you. That has been the number one problem point for the Minnesota Vikings defense all season, jumbo packages just mowing them over. But that was without van Ginkel. So you know, I’m making Andrew Van ginkell Here sound like a cross between Ray Lewis and Lawrence Taylor. I’m just telling you right now that he is one of the most important players on the team. He’s only played two games and eight snaps, but they won both the road games where he played basically the whole game. Well, they’ve won every game van ginkels played. They’re three and Oh, with van Ginkel against Cincinnati, man, he played eight snaps and had two sacks, and then he had a neck injury, and then he came back. Last game played 39 changed the whole thing. So I think they’re more squared away with the Henry Ricard jumbo package Lamar thing than they were when Justin Herbert was just running all over the field for a bunch of yards. So I think the Vikings have a great chance to win this weekend.

Nestor Aparicio  17:40

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Man. It is really amazing how last week is so different than this week in this league. Paul Allen is here. He is the voice of the Minnesota Vikings. He’ll be calling the game out in Twin Cities as the Ravens get on the plane three in a row on the road. This is number two for the Ravens as they go out, speaking of the road and how tough it is the one on the road. And look, for 26 years, I went everywhere every game. I’ve been in every stadium, full, empty, good times, bad times, all of that. I put your stadium on a football, and I’ve only been in it three times in three games at your place. One of them was a Super Bowl game, but the noise and the home field advantage, and I think Baltimore had that during the Ray Lewis era, you probably came into a Spurgeon win. And you know, during that era, whatever,

Paul Allen  18:23

no Baltimore had it in 2021 when we went there, and I had forgotten, because we don’t get it. I love MT Bank Stadium. I just love the broadcasting booth location. The fans are super loud at that stadium. For an outdoor stadium, I don’t think it gets as much credit as it should, for how loud it is, because everybody’s on the jock of the twelves at Seattle and Soldier Field and stuff like that. I’ve been to them all, man, I’m telling you right now that Baltimore Raven spot that’s as loud an outdoor Stadium as I’ve ever heard in my life.

Nestor Aparicio  18:55

Well, be a homer now in Minnesota and talk about your own building. Because the skull thing, the noise thing, the third and long where you don’t pass block, well, to begin with, you can’t hear things. Lamar’s pension to get very frustrated when things go wrong. I think this is, I think it’s a cat house you got out there. And I think it’s very, very difficult to operate on the road. And anybody this looks and says, Well, we’ve steamrolled these NFC teams. We steamrolled them. I don’t feel like the mystique of this particular ravens group is that group from 235, years ago where Marshall yonder was, you know, pancaking, everybody and like all of that, I would say this the home field advantage part also shocks me on the four points on the line to say, Yeah, this not only a tough game, not only a tough opponent on the road and all that, but to me, of all the places, and I think it, Denver is being kind of like a place you don’t want to go when they’re good and they’re good. Now, obviously Peyton’s got that thing going on. I wouldn’t want to go there and play with incomplete and the air and all that goes in in Denver. But I put Minnesota number two, and like I said. Been to Seattle a bunch, and it’s loud, fine, but it’s not, it’s not dome loud Minnesota loud like it will be in the fourth quarter on Sunday if the Vikings have a four point lead, Lamar has the ball

Paul Allen  20:09

well, in Colorado, they have dispensaries. So it it’s just not as loud.

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Nestor Aparicio  20:17

It’s gotten mellow. It’s gotten little mellow. Indico will do that, and

Paul Allen  20:22

I think it’s because of those dispensaries. But nevertheless, our building is super loud. You got this cold chant. It’s beautifully lit. The the pivoting doors that are massive on the west side of the building facing downtown. They’ll open those depending on the weather. That’s a beautiful situation. But the but, yeah, the crowd is incredibly loud. It’s a difficult place to win. And, you know, people don’t have to take, you know, the the announcers word as creed with that, it’s, it’s like Aman Ross st brown last week. You know, he does a podcast. And you know, he’s talking even though the game was at Ford Field, and Ford fields really loud, too, by the way, he was talking about stadiums around the league, and he kind of said the same thing that you said Jay von Hargrave when we signed him. He’s like, you know, the skull chant and the audible levels at US Bank Stadium are things that he’ll never forget. And now he plays for us, so it definitely is a home field advantage. But so far this year, man, we we lost on Sunday night football to Atlanta. We crushed Cincinnati, and we lost at home to Philadelphia in kind of a tight game, so one and two at home. But the you know what’s interesting now, Nestor, and you know, this may seem trite to some people, because they’re like, all right, you guys fly on charters. You stay at nice hotels with your 150 to 200 person traveling party. We have chartered busses that take us to and from stadiums with police escorts on the beltway or on freeways or on roads. Yeah, all of that is fantastic, no doubt, however, you still got to do the job at an incredibly high level, and the first game on the road was Monday Night Football. Next week, Sunday night football. Then you play Cincy at a normal time, noon, Central, one Nestor time. After that, you’re in Dublin, then you’re in London, then you come back, you get a bye, you play Philly, and then you got a Thursday night game at Justin Herbert and the chargers, we finally have settled in to a a the cadence of Sunday, Sunday noon, Sunday noon, Sunday noon, Sunday noon. That’s so important for creatures of habit like me and like players and coaches. So I think that’s going to help the Vikings the rest of the way. Yeah, the

Nestor Aparicio  22:41

Thursday night games are so disjoint. I mean, the Ravens have that going on again two weeks from now, where they play on Thursday and then come on Sunday and play Thanksgiving night against the Bengals. So PA, I love you, man. I’m sorry I’m not coming out to eat some walleye, hang out and go to Paisley Park with you and, you know, like, do that thing, but I’m going to come out. My wife’s never been to target field because my baseball tour, when I did that in 15 she wasn’t on that part of the trip. And so I still, I have a summer trip coming to Minnesota after doing 10 days here at Super Bowl when it was 20 below. I owe myself a nice June or July weekend in Minneapolis, don’t I?

Paul Allen  23:19

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Before we leave, I didn’t I You’re an elite music mind, specifically live music. I didn’t see McCartney when he played at US Bank Stadium. That was about three weeks to a month ago. Have you seen him on this live

Nestor Aparicio  23:35

tour? I saw him right before minister. I saw him in Albuquerque a month ago. I saw him at a tiny, little shed, a little Merryweather, a little, tiny outdoor shed on the top of that Isleta amphitheater. Paid 70 bucks out on the roof. Hey, Jew domain, we went to for the first well, see Chad steel. Thought he was crushing my career by throwing me out of the media. But that’s not true. What it’s done is it’s allowed me to do things I’ve never really wanted, that I’ve wanted to do, that I’ve never been able to do. So the Albuquerque Fiesta, Balloon Fiesta. You’re aware of what it is, right? You know about it? Yeah, Legend of it. It happens during my birthday week every year, and it happens like Columbus Day, second week, October. I’ve never been able to go. And I’ve always, like hope for a Phoenix game, or a Dallas game or something that would get me that part of the country where I could do it. So this year, you know, I went out to Albuquerque and McCartney was playing on Tuesday nights. I did Albuquerque McCartney, and then we did, we did the balloons, and then we went to Phoenix to see a meatloaf tribute act. So it was a long story, but, but it’s been a really good concert year. I saw the who at the Hollywood Bowl with Joe Perry Project and Steven Tyler. You know, I’ve seen the Eagles at the sphere recently I saw, I saw the cult at Warner theater. So, yeah, the best thing I’ve done in recent times was seeing Cameron Crowe and Sheryl Crow do a symposium about Cameron. Crows life is a music critic and his new book. So there’s my pop culture for you, PA, he’s look

Paul Allen  25:06

at you brother, yeah. Well, with Paul McCartney, maybe I’m amazed. That’s one of my all time favorite songs. He played that song in Albuquerque. Yeah? This, this doesn’t, this doesn’t necessarily go over that well with old school music snobs. So let’s, let’s not take things personally. Okay. I mean, you know, I grew up in Washington, DC, listening to Sly and the Family Stone Tower of Power, brothers Johnson, deep Commodores, cuts, we can get to Bootsie Collins, I’d rather be with you. Who, yeah, bass player for parliament, Funkadelic. I didn’t grow up liking the Beatles. Okay, I’m not a big Beatles guy. Now I’m going to recognize, you know, come together and, hey, there are a bunch of songs The Beatles have that I love, but I’m not like a huge Beatles guy. So I like McCartney and Wings more than I like the Beatles well, he played, you know, some people, they’re like, silly love songs and silly Paul Allen, and just want to slap me in my face.

Nestor Aparicio  26:03

Love Me too. Please. Please me. You know. Go back to revolver, you know. Get how he opened with help, you know, so. And now I go back and listen to the tapes, and his voice is a little thin, I mean, and my wife pointed that out, and I told my wife, I’m like, and I’ll tell you this Paul Allen, like, we don’t pick on Paul McCartney here. Okay, we don’t, you know what I’m saying. We just, it’s Paul McCartney. He can do whatever he wants.

8

Paul Allen  26:28

I understand, but that, that voice part that you just said, Nestor, man, that that’s I got to work through

Nestor Aparicio  26:35

this. Don’t see Brian Adams and Pat Benatar when they come

Paul Allen  26:37

in, eliminating live music for me, which is my number one hobby, like, I won’t go see Michael McDonald because he can’t hit the high notes.

Nestor Aparicio  26:46

8

Go see Brian Adams. Go see Pat Benatar. They’re coming to my all time favorite Darryl

Paul Allen  26:49

Hall, when he played at xL energy center. And for some of my favorite Darryl Hall and John Oates songs, he brought out the lead singer of train, who was the opening act. What’s that guy’s name? Patrick Monahan or something. Monahan, yeah, yeah. And so he came out and did the high notes on like, Sarah smile and songs like that. And I’m like, I’ve seen Darryl and John 30 some odd times, greatest duo in the history of music for blacks, whites and all when you live in what, when you grow up in the Washington, DC area, and Daryl Hall is like Lucius Tisdale, miles, spires, Eric Wainwright, Danny Norton, Billy Camille, my best friends back then, well, their families are loving this tall, white guy with the blonde hair. I’m loving him too, because it’s like a fit in factor. And, man, he was just hitting those high notes. So good, but he can’t hit him anymore. He’d bring out a train guy to do the high notes. And I’m like, That’s it. Can’t do it anymore.

Nestor Aparicio  27:43

Blue Eyed Soul, you look a little like Michael McDonald, he’s the period of time here. But hey, man, I appreciate you. Always good to see you. Call it straight on Sunday. I’m looking forward to coming on your show out in the Twin Cities this week too. Paul Allen, he is PA on the mic. He’s the long time I appreciate all thing. We’re going to do a show together. I I’m coming out to Minnesota because I don’t come for sports anymore. I’m coming for music. That’s it. I’m Nestor. We are W, N, S T am 15 70,000 Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore positive.