Ben Leber, Former Minnesota Vikings Linebacker

Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm interested in making money.

I'm not interested in hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia. Available now on the Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Football season is here. The new Odyssey app lets you stay connected to your NFL team, your station, your shows. Follow your favorite stations and come back again and again. Get real-time updates on everything you care about.

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Download the Odyssey app today. They're like, hey man, we have no words. We have no words to describe what just happened.

And that's kind of the truth. I mean, it's, you know, was it an awesome game? Yes. Was it wild? Yes. Was it straight bananas?

Yes. Like every emphatic word you can come up with, it's like, it almost hits it, but not quite. This is not a word that I think is strong enough to describe the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows, you know. That one point in time, you know, when we didn't score right at basically the six-inch line, it was defeat. You know, you were defeated. You were like, okay, well, let's start thinking about what this almost win kind of means for this team. And then all of a sudden, next series of events is just bananas and we win the game, you know. Yeah, when Jefferson makes that catch, I'm like, okay, they're going to go then get down the field and get a touchdown. Then you're at the one-yard line, even after Dalvin Cook drops the ball, I go, oh, yeah, they'll go get that play.

And once they don't get them, I'm like, oh, yeah, the game's over. And then when the fumble occurred, I go, oh, maybe it's a safety, who knows? And then when it was a touchdown, I mean, that was the craziest part of that game. There were so many moments, the Jefferson catch, I thought it was picked at first. The fumble, I thought maybe it was a safety, then it's a touchdown. It's like you weren't even able to see any of these crazy plays actually happen.

I know. Well, the funny thing is that Justin Jefferson's fourth and was an 18 catch, I was kind of right there, maybe 10 yards away from him. And I knew it was a great catch. I was kind of in that moment just celebrating the fact that he caught it. And then it wasn't until after the game that I saw the replay. I didn't realize, even in real time, because it happened so fast, that the defender had 10 fingers on the ball at one point in time. Like he, he, he had it, the ball secured.

Um, and I don't know how he came down with that. So I was, I was more in awe after the fact, um, because you know, everything just kind of happened so accelerated. It was the catch and then it was like, you know, the often thrown up to the line of scrimmage and then it was like, Holy cow, I can't believe we just caught that.

And where we moved the chains, like all of that was just happening so fast. I didn't get a full appreciation until after the game of just how incredible that catch was. Ben Lieber here with us. This is a really likable team. Um, and I'm saying that from afar, you're tapped in, but just from afar, having no dog in the fight, this is an easy team to root for this year in Minnesota.

Yeah. You know, that's, that's not the first time I've ever heard anybody really say that about a team. So I do appreciate that.

I do think that that's, I feel the same way. There's, there's a lot of likable characters and players on the team, you know, starting with the GM and the head coach. Um, they are really genuine, nice guys, you know, and they kind of built a staff that reflects all of that. You know, the staff is really easy to work with, or they're just a bunch of normal guys that obviously are football guys, but they're not, you know, they don't have this air of.

You know, ego and, um, you know, this bravado that, you know, I think some old school coaches kind of walk around with, so they're all very approachable. Um, the players, the same thing, you know, starting with Zadarius, you know, adding him in the off season, he's been nothing but just a ball of sunshine. Like every time he's around, he's around the media, he's just big smiles and he's gregarious and he and the Neil are pounding around trying to create this dynamic duo and it's, it's kind of working out right now. So, uh, Kirk, obviously with Kirk, oh, um, you know, it's kind of taken the whole NFL by storm.

I mean, they're, they're just having a lot of fun and I, I do think that they are just a likable team and easy team to root for. Are you going to start dressing up like how Kirk Cousins dresses up after a game? Um, no, the funny thing is, come on, Ben, I saw you tick talking when the pandemic started. I think you could dress, you know, put the chains on and start taking your shirt off and dancing like Kirk Cousins. Zach, I gotta, I gotta admit, man, I didn't realize that he had that good of a body. You know, I've been out in the league for over 10 years now.

Like, I don't have a body like that. So, Kirk can pull it off way better than I can right now. And it seems like in that locker room, people know what the narrative is about Kirk Cousins. And I've said it before, I think he's a good quarterback, a very good quarterback.

And postseason time we'll see in put up or shut up moments if he's going to be consistently able to deliver. This team's really rallied around the way that their quarterback is talked about, though. Yeah, they really have. Um, I think, you know, internally I've heard for a number of years that they, they know that, you know, Kirk is not exactly the persona that everybody thinks that he is.

You know, this guy that, you know, basically drives a van at times and, and it's kind of leans into this, this dorky dad character. Um, you know, he, he does have some of that to him, but, you know, they've seen a different, a different side of him in the locker room. And I think this year now that he has full ownership of the team and, um, they're not walking on eggshells. You know, they're, they're just letting Kirk just, you know, let it fly and they've embraced it. They obviously encourage it, which is a lot of fun.

Um, but they also know that he's just, he's just a genuine guy that is, you know, has his silly moments, um, can be a dorky dad at times too. And they're cool with that. Is it just as simple as a new coach comes in and you made it clear on this show a few months ago that Ben, uh, Ben Lieber with us, that Kirk Cousins and Mike Zimmer didn't get along and Mike Zimmer didn't like Kirk Cousins. It's just as simple as a new coaching staff gives this team a new sense of belief and that's why they're eight and one. Yeah, I don't think it's that simple, but it's certainly, it certainly helps, you know, um, I think, you know, every, every new coaching change has an opportunity with a clean slate and to create a new culture. And every, every coach talks about that. And, you know, it's just, it's just been fortunate that this is a culture that the guys have bought into.

And I don't think there's really one, you know, one exact ingredient that went in that's like all of a sudden poof and it's completely different. You know, I think from the very start, um, you know, KOC had a plan, he was very confident in his plan and in his approach, um, the players bought into it, you know, pretty quickly. And obviously when you start railing off some wins and you start proving that you are resilient team, that's just going to build confidence. And then the buy into what the methodology is, is it's going to go deeper and deeper.

So yeah, I know, I know how winds can kind of do that. Sometimes they can make you sweep some things under the rug, but I think in this situation, it's, it's full on buy into the, to their process and to their culture. When it comes to Jim Harbaugh, we know that they were clearly talking what they had that eight, nine hour interview process that never ended in that one day. Were they ever close to hiring him?

I don't think so. You know, I think that there were some people, um, there were some people that I think really enjoyed his interview and they liked his personality and they liked the style. Um, and then I heard there's equal parts that are like, no, you know, we, that's not really the direction we want to go.

Nothing against him. It's just, you know, we want to go a little bit younger, um, a different sort of energy and a different vibe. So I don't think it was as close as maybe we thought at the time. Um, but you know, it was worth kicking the tires on and, uh, and just see if he, you know, blew everybody out of the water. I mean, it was worth a try.

Hey, eight and one is eight and one. Uh, you know, that Minnesota fan base though has been tortured throughout the years. Where's the confidence of the fan base right now? You know, I, I think, you know, until honestly Zach, until they actually hoist the Lombardi, I don't, I don't think that there's going to be a scenario where the fan base isn't just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I mean, I hate to say it like that.

I just think that, you know, they've been tortured for so many years. They've had some teams that have just been, um, absolutely electric and you feel like, you know, they are the team to beat and, and they get let down. So I, I understand it.

I get it. I think the difference though is this year is the fan base really is taking it like the team is like sort of game by game. They're just like, Hey, this is, this is great. Let's just enjoy every single win and not look too far out. You know, I haven't heard anybody that's realistic about like, Oh man, I'm, I'm buying my, my playoff tickets now, or I'm going to get my plane ticket to Arizona.

Like none of that stuff is happening. They're just, um, I think they're very honest about where the team is. Um, they understand that even this weekend, they're like, Hey, we're, we're underdogs at home against Dallas. Like we still have things to prove.

Um, so I kind of liked the mentality where the fan base is now. Where's your confidence level at though, that this could be a Superbowl team, because for me, before this year started, I thought Ben Lieber, Minnesota was going to be a wildcard team. I didn't think they'd win the division. Now they're clearly going to win the division, but with how open the NFL is this year, I kind of say, why not? Like, why can't they get to a Superbowl?

Yeah. I mean, that's, that's obviously at the beginning of the year, we didn't know what the rest of the league was going to look like, but now that we've seen it and we've seen the, basically the best that the AFC has to offer. Um, and we've played the other top contender in week two in Philadelphia. Uh, we're right there. Like, there's no reason to say that, you know, those, those teams are so much better than us, or we don't deserve to be there.

Like, absolutely. We have proven that this is a talented football team. We knew that going into the season, they had a lot of talent on the roster. They just had to find that, that leaf and, um, and that consistency. And I got to be honest with you, we really haven't found that consistency. Like we're, we're winning all these close games because they're making the plays when they need to make them.

And that there, there is something to that. Like you've got to do that as a championship team, but we haven't played consistent football. We haven't always stopped the run when we needed to. We haven't always picked up first downs when we need to, um, you know, the running game seems to be there sometimes and then we go away from it.

So I don't think that we've seen our best ball yet. And I think, uh, there's a lot of hope in that as well. I will say though, I think this week is a tricky spot for you guys coming off that big win, Dallas then coming off that game that they blew in the fourth quarter.

Uh, what do you think decides that this weekend Vikings are hosting the Cowboys? You know, I definitely think that the emotional part of it is going to play into it. Although, you know, we, we've just seen how this team can bounce back and they really, they really trust in sort of the recovery process.

You know, we saw that when they came back from London, you know, the very next game, they had every right to kind of feel like a little bit of a low and they went out there and played really well and played with a lot of energy. So I think that they're going to come back and, you know, put this game to bed and get ready for Dallas. Um, you know, I obviously think that, you know, establishing Dalvin cook more and more is going to be a key part of this. And, um, you know, you, you've got to slow down that pass rush from Dallas and that's, that's number one. You know, we, we could be without Christian Darasau and, you know, they start putting Micah Parsons and other rushers, you know, premier rushers on that, on that left side of the offense. Then, uh, that could be, you know, that could be the recipe for them for success. So, um, we got to slow them down, um, keep them on their heels and, uh, let's see if we can find some offensive balance this game. Through what you've seen through the first 10 weeks of the season, who's the team Ben Lieber that you trust the most in the NFL this year?

That I trust the most? Um, I don't know, man. I, I, the team that we just played, I think is, is still, I still think that, you know, even though they've had some hiccups, I think Buffalo is the most well-rounded team. Um, you know, Philadelphia to me feels like when we play them in week two, that's, that's about as good as they're going to get.

I think that that's just kind of who they are. There's, they're, they kind of already peaked, I feel like to me, um, and we got their best shot. I think Buffalo, when you look at it, you're always going to have this X factor.

This is the, that is Josh Allen. Um, you know, really good receivers and that defense, you know, it's, it's hard to find a team in this league that is so explosive offensively, but then their defense, when they get healthy and they get pull your back, you know, that's going to be, you know, they're going to stay right up there in the top five and basically every category. So that to me is still the, probably the most balanced team right now. I would say, yeah, they're still the most balanced team, but the team I trust the most is Kansas City. Just because in a year that's so open and how many young coaches you have read and then having the best player in my homes, that that's why I started to lean Kansas City, but Kansas City did lose to Buffalo this year.

Yeah. Again, I don't trust Kansas City to defense, you know, as that one part of there, I think they can make some plays. They have some pass rushers. I get all that stuff, but I think consistently to stop the run and, um, and really be the aggressors on defense.

I think they're opportunistic. Um, I just don't, I just don't really trust their defense as much as any Buffalo's by the way, the Vikings defense. Uh, we talked about that heading into the seasons, the Darius Smith, this off season, people knew that was a good off season move, but no one knew it was going to be one of the better off season moves of this past year.

Where's your confidence level with this Vikings defense or what you've seen to the first 10? Well, I know that those guys can go out and make plays in critical moments. That's, that's the big thing.

Yeah. Um, especially Patrick Peterson, that dude's not old, especially Patrick Peterson. Uh, he's, he's been unreal these last, you know, three or four games, but, um, my confidence is growing and growing. You know, at the start of the season, I was a little, little leery just because we weren't getting after the quarterback. Um, we, we were sticking to this idea that we were going to be a drop seven team and not have to blitz and pressure with, uh, five and six guys. And that was a little concerning because I'm like, well, look, it's great if you can drop seven, but if your front four is not getting the job done, then we're going to have some issues.

And that's gotten a lot better. And, and that's where I think my confidence is growing is they've stuck to the game plan from the very start of the season. Uh, they love that they can mix and match with, uh, with some past rushes up front. DJ Wanam's, you know, been a nice, you know, he's, he's ascending in the right direction, training in the right direction with Patrick Jones, another young guy that's a, it's a good rusher that can spell Dalvin, Thomas. And when he is healthy, he is a monster on the inside.

I can't believe a guy that big can be that quick and get that vertical. Uh, and then even Harrison Phillips and his kind of a red revenge game against Buffalo, I think had eight or nine pressures himself. So, um, our big guys who we rely on just to stop the run can stay in there on third down and give us some pressure. So this front four is getting a lot better. And so for that, um, I got a big growing confidence in this defense. I'm also still surprised you guys were able to get Hawkinson. I know, I know you gave up, uh, you know, a nice price for it in draft compensation, but I was surprised that Detroit traded him in division to you guys.

I was too, man. He's, he's already, I mean, already an absolute stud, especially in that offense with how many weapons you have. He's like a fourth option.

I know that's the thing. Like he's, he's always going to see single coverage. I mean, I, I can't imagine there'll be a lot of times where they're going to double cover him and then leave, you know, feeling and JJ and KJ Osborne, you know, one-on-one on the outside or, you know, and then, you know, we do go five wide. So then you get Dalvin cook split out as well.

What are you going to do? Um, and we've already, we speculated with that, you know, the whole week when we picked him up, like how this offense is going to look. And then at his very first game, I think he had what nine catches on nine targets.

It was, it was unreal. And like three or four, um, chain moving plays. So, uh, he's an immediate impact player. He fits into this offense perfectly.

And, um, you know, kudos to him for picking up the offense so quickly. Before we let you run Ben Lieber one college football question at the end of the year, who's the four teams in the college football playoff, in your opinion. Oh, um, let's see, Georgia.

Um, that's not going to be my case. State Wildcats, because you know, TCU, I, I wasn't a believer at first, but, um, you know, the way they went down to Texas and handled them, I think they can actually do it. So let's go those two teams. Uh, you go Ohio state or Michigan. Oh yeah. Ohio.

Yeah. Ohio state. Um, now would they put Michigan into, I don't know, like probably Tennessee, Alabama. You know, it's, it's not going to be, I don't think they're going to get two sec teams in this year. Well, here would be the big debate. This Tennessee get in one loss, no sec champion. Or if let's just say PAC 12 champ is USC, would they get in even though USC doesn't have these real dominant victories this year? Well, you know, you know how this all works.

Tennessee. Yeah. Well, actually, I mean, he's a major brand. I was going to go the other way though. I was going to say like, look, I think that people want to see Lincoln Riley, you know, I think they want to see this, this, you know, dynamic offense. I can, you know, stretch the field and throw the ball down the field. So I don't know, man.

I, I think if it came down to those two, I think they, they take USC. Ben Lieber always appreciate the time. Thanks so much. You're the best. All right.

Thanks Zach. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app, your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience.

Follow topics you care about like leagues and teams pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app, your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about like leagues and teams pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today.