70Won Sportscast

We're mildly obsessed with the NFL Draft, so we spent a lot of minutes on that topic - including some time on the two NDSU players selected this year. We also reminisce a bit (yeah, that's what we do) about past drafts. In the NFL portion we also update fans on North Dakotans playing in the NFL, two of whom are coming off injuries. There's a few minutes on UND Hockey, a few more on Our Olympian Britta Curl and her Minnesota Frost PWHL team, then we head down memory lane before our final question.The final question has us texting each other back and forth and hopefully draws in some listener emails - [email protected] for listening!

The Bismarck Bobcats won the NAHL league title last year under head coach Garrett Roth, and with only two returning players from that team, the 'Cats are ready to challenge again. As playoffs approach we thought it would be a good time to catch up with Roth on the team, his lengthy relationship with the Bobcats and Bismarck, and playoff hockey.We hope you find Roth's energy, enthusiasm, and stories to be as fun and interesting as we did. We're more fired up that ever about hockey -- oy, oy, oy!Remember to email [email protected] with your stories, questions, comments, or just to say hello.

UND's off to the Frozen Four with a loaded line-up and lots of momentum. In our first regular episode in a long while, we talk about the energy around the team and new coach Dane Jackson. Then we dive into some college hoops, relive some NFL Draft memories, and as always, drop a nugget or two about things we just can't stop thinking about. 

March Madness is here! And have we got a podcast for you. Bismarck High and NDSU basketball star (he was actually good at a lot of sports) Dexter Werner had one of the most celebrated and talked about games in NCAA Tournament history when at 6'6", he dropped 22 points on a highly touted Gonzaga team that featured a front court with a pair of 7-footers. He tells us that he kind of blacked out during the game and shots just started falling! Other stories from Dexter include a stint with pro ball in Europe, his brushes with some NBA greats, and he even dipped his toes in a tryout for the NFL.

Blair Backes, creator of North Dakota Blast to the Past on Facebook and Twitter (X), started posting some old school stats, stories, and photos of high school basketball players when COVID hit. A little over five years later he has more than 20,000 followers! Recently he posted all-time great lists for boys and girls in ND hoops history. And it caught Tom's eye. So, we all decide to grill him for about an hour. You'll agree with some, disagree with others, and recall some things you forgot. And that's the whole point!If you haven't seen his Facebook page, here it is. You'll be hooked. https://www.facebook.com/blasttothepastnd

This is our post-Olympics and post-Super Bowl episode. But we also landed a special guest! Coach Rick Neumann, University of Mary Women's Basketball Coach, joined us for those conversations. Then, he let us grill him about his team, and the North Dakota stars on it, the upcoming conference tournament, and he shares some hilarious stories about players forgetting things for games (news broke this week about a North Dakota athlete who ran during a game to fetch his inhaler!) and his overpriced, but effective, good luck charm.Thanks for listening! And remember to follow us on Facebook and X, that is, when your not email us at [email protected].

Carrington native, Bridger Anderson is fresh off a 9th place finish in Steer Wrestling (Bulldogging in the biz) at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. What a cool guy, with a hell of a story. If you don't know much about rodeo, this interview will also be a bit of a lesson - it sure was for us. But we can all say this, we're a heck of a lot more interested now than ever. You'll find Bridger to be entertaining, sincere, and humble. Very North Dakotan!!Enjoy.

We've noticed that when we interview people, they respond with really good games/events! We might brag about this a bit in this episode.We, of course, lead with more on Britta Curl-Salemme and her Olympic debut. Here's the schedule for the US Women's Hockey team so you can catch #17 in action:Feb. 5 at 9:30 a.m. is game 1 - and of course against Czech Republic. Game 2 is Feb. 7 at 9:30 a.m. against Finland.Game 3 is Feb. 9 at 1:40 p.m. against SwitzerlandGame 4 is Feb. 10 at 1:10 p.m. against Canada. All games will be on USA Network. If they make it to the Gold Medal game, that will be on Feb. 19.We also talk Super Bowl and our growing fascination with Grey Zabel, Football Mt. Rushmore's, some college hoops (Treysen Eaglestaff got hot), and we had a fan tell us about a young ND man who chased his UNC hoops dream. We reference a great story in the Bismarck High student newspaper you can read here: https://bhsnews.org/3069/sports/pivoting-persistency/

Recently named to the US Women's National Olympic Hockey Team, Bismarck native Britta Curl-Salemme joins us for a conversation about her journey to making the team, her hot start to the professional season, and all the championship rings she now owns.Plus, we reminisce about the capital city and her time growing up in North Dakota - from backyard ice rinks to "kicking the box" - she shared some great memories. And that is what this sportscast is all about!The many NBC channels will broadcast her games on the Olympic ice. But she also informed us we can watch her Minnesota Frost games free on YouTube! Just regular old YouTube. Here's a link to the team channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PWHL_Minnesota

We seem to start with NFL most of the time. In this episode the Vikings fans ruminate on their season and who might QB the squad next year. Then we pivot to the North Dakota scene with conversations about who made Olympic rosters - including Bismarck native Britta Curl-Salamme on the Olympic Women's Hockey Team, who Tom thinks might be the first Olympian from the capital city.A couple of former UND guys made the men's roster.We touch on some college hoops, both men's and women's, then we spend a few minutes on North Dakota's all-time leading scorer in high school basketball. It's a cool story that stemmed from a listener email. This type of stuff is really what we're trying to create - memories for people who love North Dakota and love sports. Super fun segment.

It's a new year, so yeah, there are resolutions, but also a conversation about some First experiences we remember vividly.For real content, as always, there's football. But hang around for hockey and college hoops updates. Then, Tom reminded us of a North Dakota athlete that was such a big deal for a time that she had a stint on Saturday Night Live! Scott gets embarrassed that he didn't bring her up sooner. And Carrington native Bridger Anderson had a heck of a run at the National Finals Rodeo. We celebrate the heck out of that! For video of his steer wrestling runs check out his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bridgerandersonprofessionalsteerwrestler

We award Christmas gifts to our Mt. Rushmore members (all time and active), plus a North Dakotan who just deserves a present to make their impact that much greater.Lots of other stuff comes up, of course, including Bison/Fighting Hawks bowing out of the playoffs early, some college football coaching shake-ups (all ND related!), and college hoops again.One of Mike's gifts goes to PGA golfer Tom Hoge. Here's a YouTube video of him calling his shots with some guys from the No Laying Up podcast (which is slightly bigger than ours at this point). It's a fun watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_tp59Dy2LQ

Emails drove a good chunk of the conversation, and we're honestly embarrassed about a couple of the North Dakotans repping the 70Won that we hadn't discussed yet! The emails were spurred by our ongoing discussion about who would fill out an Active Mt. Rushmore. We talk Bison. Because it's football season. We talk Fighting Hawks, Marauders, Dakota Wizards, and some BIG DUDES.And rodeo keeps popping up. One North Dakotan made the National Finals Rodeo that runs two weeks starting early December! Here are some YouTube Videos we refer to during the conversation:Bridger Anderson: Cowboy Cribs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2QyMFPsuWYDLeague Championship Clipshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1v_RuyYnicEmail us at [email protected]

The Mt. Rushmore conversation is fun - we expand on it in Episode 9, limiting it to North Dakotans who are still playing or coaching. Tom has some off-the-radar additions that deserve lots more coverage. We also add some chatter about the Bison v Fighting Hawks rivalry, another coach or two we need to be following, and, of course, there are more North Dakotans doing remarkable things on the fields and ice!Email questions or comments to [email protected]

We start with a few minutes on that Mr. Rushmore list we bantered about last episode. We might have come to some consensus. Tell us where we're wrong at [email protected]! We know we've missed some honorable mentions at least.A little Bison/FightingHawks football follows (are the Bison too good?), then we get to some phenomenal stuff happening in the NHL with former UND players right up there among the league leaders in scoring and goals.We wrap with a question about NFL bye weeks (we have a better way).If you've listened a couple of times and think it's okay - give us a like and a follow!!

We start with UND/NDSU football, merge into a discussion we should all be having about the greatest ND athletes, yap a little about Carson Wentz and his role with the Vikings, and round out the show with some cool UND Hockey nuggets.We also introduce a newbie (yet, a ND sportscasting veteran) to the show who immediately drew a flag for misinformation!! He made a nice recovery, so we'll keep him.As always, email us at [email protected].

You've seen her on Fox Sports North and heard her regularly on KFAN radio - now, hear from North Dakota's own Marney Gellner as she chats with the guys about her journey from small town weekend sports anchor to the spotlight of the Twin Cities. There, she's shined as a host, play-by-play announcer, sideline reporter, and analyst for the Twins, Timberwolves, Lynx, and many other Minnesota sports teams. Last year, Marney became the first woman to ever announce play-by-play for a Twins series. Remember to send us emails about your North Dakota sports connections and memories! [email protected]

Carson Wentz a starter again?!! It's likely to happen. Mike and Scott lead Episode 5 with a conversation about Carson's potential impact on the Vikings and wrap it up with their favorite memories of the Bismarck native.We also chat about a local legend who will be inducted to the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, and one of the bulls who helped get him there.(we talk about this awesome video in the sportscast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJlPkjcwNhg)As always, please send us your memories and ideas of people we should be talking with or about. Our email is [email protected] 

The stories in this episode are epic! From being picked last in a grade school football game (and the dummy who didn't pick him got called out!) to the play that could have led to making an NFL roster, you'll hear some fascinating and fun stories from Canadian Football Hall of Famer and Bismarck native Weston Dressler. He joins Mike and Scott for their first interview episode.Join us for 50 minutes of fun!(and we cannot overstate how impressive it is to make any hall of fame)Also - we'd love to hear about your stories/memories of Weston or any other fun sports connections to North Dakota. Email us a [email protected]. 

Inspired by our first listener email, we dive into the prominent football coaches who got their start in North Dakota. Most of them emerging from The Program, NDSU. But all took different and impressive paths to the pros. Some names you'll recognize, and some names might just give you some more teams to pay attention to this season.We also mention a campaign in Bismarck to erect a statue at the municipal baseball field honoring the great Satchel Paige, who pitched for the local team in the 1930s. It was his first experience playing with an integrated team in the United States.https://www.bisparks.org/brc/satchel-paige-statue-campaign/ Send your stories, connections, and any info you have about North Dakota athletes and coaches doing outstanding things to [email protected]. 

Two players from NDSU were drafted into the NFL this April. They continue to build a legitimate pipeline of talent to the pros that got more and more surprising as we dug into it. More than we thought grew up in our state! Plus, a bit more hockey talk as a Bismarck native got drafted to an NHL team.