WIN PASSES TO THE CARMIKE CINEMAS! TOO TALL TOM SZYMANSKI WILL HAVE YOUR FORECAST. PLUS, YOUR NUGGETS O' NEWS AT 6:15!

WIN A SPOT ON THE CARMIKE MOVIE REVIEW PANEL SO YOU AND A GUEST CAN SEE GONE ON MONDAY NIGHT!  BE LISTENING AT 8:50 WEEKDAY MORNINGS FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH A BIRTHDAY COMING UP, SIGN 'EM UP TO WIN A FROZEN YOGURT CAKE OR PIE FROM T.C.B.Y, AND SOME GOOD STUFF FROM HARDEE'S!  SEND THEIR NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, AND ADDRESS TO:  philparker@clearchannel.com

LIZ PARRISH CELEBRATED HER 50TH BIRTHDAY BY RACING IN THE IDITAROD!

FOR SOME TASTY IDEAS FOR DINNER, WE TALKED TO BUCK PETERSON, WHO WROTE: QUICK FIX COOKING WITH ROADKILL

WALTER URBAN RECENTLY SET A GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR POWER LIFTING AT THE AGE OF 53!

AUTHOR MATTHEW ROTHCHILD TOLD US ABOUT HIS NEW NOVEL SET IN NORTH DAKOTA CALLED I-29.

RON FROM LIZARD LICK TALKED ABOUT HOW LITTLE BRUCIE RECENTLY CUT OFF A COUPLE OF FINGERS, AND ABOUT THE NEW SEASON OF LIZARD LICK TOWING ON TRU TV!  YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.

BILL OWEN GREW UP IN NORTH DAKOTA, WORKED AT KFYR, AND WOUND UP WITH A GREAT CAREER WITH ABC.  HE HAS A NEW BOOK CALLED RUNNERS-UP, BRIDESMAIDS, AND SECOND BANANAS.  IF YOU 'D LIKE TO PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY, YOU MAY CALL 201-387-1529.  TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW, YOU CAN HEAR IT AT AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.

WE TALKED TO "THE PREZ" ON HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY. YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.

VOICE OF THE TWINS JOHN GORDON HAD SOME BLUNT THOUGHTS ON WHITE SOX MANAGER OZZIE GUILLEN, PLUS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JOHN GORDON BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND A DAN GLADDEN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. YOU CAN HEAR IT AT THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION. 

DEL WILBER IS THE AUTHOR OF RAWHIDE DOWN, THE BEST SELLER THAT RECOUNTS THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF RONALD REAGAN.  TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW, GO TO THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.  

BISMARCK AUTHOR M.E. ERICKSON HAS A NEW BOOK CALLED "DEATH FROM UNDER THE CITY:  THE PROPHET".  COST IS $16.00 PLU TAX, AND YOU CAN CONTACT HIM FOR A COPY AT micheal.e.erickson@hotmail.com
HE'LL ALSO CONDUCT A SIGNING ON SATURDAY, MAY 7TH AT EDGWOOD VILLAGE AND VISTA.

CHECK OUT ALEX HALSTED'S BOOK 100 THINGS TWINS FANS SHOULD KNOW AND DO BEFORE THEY DIE.

JOE MAUER TRADED TO THE YANKEES?  VOICE OF THE TWINS JOHN GORDON HAD A LITTLE APRIL FOOL'S FUN WITH THE PH PHACTOR.  TO HEAR IT, GO TO THE
AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.

WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM NORTH CAROLINA FROM RON FROM LIZARD LICK.  GO TO THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION TO HEAR IT.

AUTHOR SHARON RASMUSSEN DISCUSSED THE BOOKSHE CO-AUTHORED WITH GEORGE GILLAND CALLED ALONG THE TRAIL TO THUNDER HAWK.

"THE PREZ" CHECKED IN AND TALKED ABOUT EGYPT AND OTHER THINGS.  YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT IN THE AUDIO HIGHLIGHTS SECTION.

BOB KATZ JOINED US TALK ABOUT HIS BOOK 3RD AND LONG:  A NOVEL FOR HARD TIMES.

The last time my team appeared in a Super Bowl was the last time the game was played during daylight hours.  It was an era when quarterbacks weren't treated like the Spotted Owl, players salaries were less than the President of the United States, and participants didn't feel the need to stage a Broadway production every time they did their job on the field.   The halftime entertainment was a tribute to Disney's "It's a Small World", and the wardrobes functioned perfectly.  Unfortunately, my team didn't. 

The Minnesota Vikings took the field on January 9th, 1977,  in their fourth try for the Lombardi Trophy.  They would face the Oakland Raiders, led by John Madden;  a man who would become famous for his generous use of the word "boom" and eventually retire off the proceeds from a video game bearing his name.  The Viking ship was steered by Bud Grant, who would spend his post-football years putting a dent in the fish and duck population of North America.

My hopes were raised early, as Fred McNeill blocked a Ray Guy punt in the first quarter, giving the Vikings the ball on the Raider three-yard line.  "This is it!", I thought.  My Purple People Eaters would take their first Super Bowl lead and finally remove that monkey from their back.   But as only the Vikings can do, Brent McClanahan would fumble the ball, the Raiders would recover, and the rest of the day was a depressing parade of Viking bloopers and blunders.  Oh, and the Raiders played a pretty good game.  Until then, we'd cry "wait til next year", but the Purple People Eaters were becoming the Purple and Gray People Eaters, and they would never return.

There have been close calls since, with multiple visits the NFC Championship game.  1987 saw Darrin Nelson drop a pass in the final seconds that would have sent the game against the Redskins into overtime.   1998, when...let's just say "wide to the left".  2000:  41-donut to the Giants.  The Brett Favre Revival Tour of 2009, which ended in  New Orleans.  Despite dominating the game statistically, the Purple fumbled and bumbled at crucial times and watched the Saints go on to grab the trophy.

So, I'll watch two teams of which I have no emotional attachment battle it out again this Sunday.  I love football, so I'll watch, and root for whoever is losing at any given time.  I'll eat too much, complain about officiating, and marvel at the never ending string of talking animal commercials.

When the game is over and Roger Goodell hands the winning team that shiny trophy, I'll dream of the day that my Vikings are the ones receiving the Lombardi.  And say a prayer that I'm still alive to see it.

LISTEN WEDNESDAY MORNINGS FOR "KIDS SPEAK"!  PHIL VISITS A DIFFERENT BISMARCK OR MANDAN SCHOOL AND GET THE STUDENTS THOUGHTS ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.  HERE'S A SCHEDULE FOR 2011-2012:

AUGUST                                          AIR DATE

NOVEMBER

CATHEDRAL SCHOOL BISMARCK                        11/2

MANDAN ROOSEVELT EL.                                      11/9

BISMARCK HIGHLAND ACRES EL.                      11/16

MANDAN MIDDLE SCHOOL                                   11/23

BISMARCK MILLER EL.                                          11/30

DECEMBER

MANDAN CUSTER EL.                                              12/7

BISMARCK SIMLE MIDDLE SCH.                          12/14

BISMARCK PIONEER EL.                                         12/21

JANUARY

BISMARCK SHILOH CHRISTIAN                           1/4                                            

BISMARCK SUNRISE EL.                                          1/11

BISMARCK MYHRE EL.                                            1/18

BISMARCK SOUTH CENTRAL                                1/25

FEBRUARY

MANDAN LEWIS & CLARK EL.                              2/1

BISMARCK SOLHEILM EL.                                     2/8

CHRIST THE KING MANDAN                                 2/15

ZEELAND ELEMENTARY                                         2/22 

BISMARCK RIVERSIDE EL.                                     2/29

MARCH

BISMARCK ROOSEVELT EL.                                    3/7                               

MARTIN LUTHER BISMARCK                                 3/14

BISMARCK DOROTHY MOSES                                3/21

BISMARCK HORIZON MIDDLE                               3/28

APRIL

BISMARCK SAXVIK EL.                                             4/4

BISMARCK RITA MURPHY                                       4/18

BISMARCK CENTENNIAL EL                                   4/25

MAY

BISMARCK PRAIRIE ROSE EL.                                5/2

MANDAN HIGH SCHOOL                                           5/9

BISMARCK HIGH SCHOOL                                       5/16

BISMARCK CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL                  5/23