ARE IN FIRST PLACE DESPITE AN OFFENSE THAT IS HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE SCORING RUNS.

THE LYNX ARE IN LAST PLACE AND HAD A GAME POSTPONED THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK BECAUSE OF BAD AIR.

MEANWHILE, THE MINNESOTA AURORA WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM IS DOMINATING THEIR LEAGUE.

LARRY FITZGERALD, SR., JOINS US NOW TO HELP MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL.

THANK GOODNESS FOR THE CENTRAL DIVISION.

WE'RE IN FIRST PLACE!

>> ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

NOT A TEAM IN THE DIVISION OVER .500.

AND WE'RE IN JUNE.

I GUESS THE, YOU KNOW, SPEEDING UP THE GAMES HAS BEEN AN ASSET TO, YOU KNOW, PLAYING GAMES IN TWO AND A HALF HOURS, BUT THE TWINS ARE AVERAGING ABOUT 10 O 12 STRIKEOUTS A GAME.

>> Eric: WOW.

>> IN THE LAST SIX GAMES, THEY'RE AVERAGING LESS THAN TWO RUNS A GAME.

AND, YOU KNOW, PAUL MOLITER IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE WCCO BROADCASTS THIS WEEK.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ROCCO WOULD FEEL ABOUT THAT WITH A FIVE-GAME LOSING STREAK AND THIS TEAM NOT EVEN CLOSE TO ITS POTENTIAL FROM A HITTING STANDPOINT.

ALL THE INJURIES.

PALENKO, BUXTON, CORREA, HE HAD A COUPLE HITS THE OTHER NIGHT, HOMERUN, SEVENTH OF THE SEASON.

BUT OTHER THAN HAT, THEY HAVE JUST BEEN DEVASTATED BY A TON OF INJURIES.

AND THE PITCHING'S BEEN GOOD.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> THE STARTING PITCHING'S BEEN VERY GOOD.

>> Cathy: BY THE WAY, THE BYRON BUXTON SITUATION, HE SEEMS SO FRAGILE, DOESN'T HE?

HIS CAREER HAS BEEN DERAILED ON AND OFF THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BY INJURY.

>> IT JUST CONCERNS ME, I MEAN, A GREAT PLAYER LIKE THAT, HERE WE ARE, THEY'VE GOT ABOUT 99 GAMES LEFT, AND HE HASN'T PLAYED IN A REGULATION GAME THIS YEAR IN THE FIELD.

HE'S BEEN A DESIGNATED HITTER.

ONLY.

AND IT'S A BIG DEAL BEING AN EVERYDAY PLAYER AND BECOMING A DESIGNATED HITTER.

AND HE'S TRYING TO ADJUST TO IT.

HE'S GOT ABOUT 10 HOME RUNS.

20 PLUS RBIs.

BUT HE'S ONLY HITTING ABOUT 220.

SO, HIS INJURY TO HIS RIB CAGE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO EEP HIM OUT OF THE LINEUP A WHILE.

>> Eric: VIKINGS, LOOKS TO ME LIKE, IT'S NOW FULL REBUILD, HUNTER, COOK GONE, PROBABLY.

THEY'RE NOT RELOADING.

THEY'RE REBUILDING, AREN'T THEY?

>> WELL, FIVE GUYS ON DEFENSE, THE DEFENSE WASN'T VERY GOOD LAST YEAR, BUT THEY DID WIN, RUMOR HAS IT, A LOT OF GAMES ON THE LAST POSSESSION, YOU KNOW, IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

BUT THEY WERE THE THIRD PASSING TEAM IN THE NFL.

>> Eric: OH.

>> SO THEY GOT UP AND DOWN THE FIELD.

BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT?

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BEAT CHICAGO, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BEAT GREEN BAY, YOU GOT TO RUN THE BALL.

AND THEY'RE GIVING UP A GREAT PLAYER IN ALVIN COOK, THIS GUY, OVER 8,000 YARDS, 52 TOUCHDOWNS, AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO, HE HAD 16 TOUCHDOWNS AND HE'S HAD, WHAT, FOUR STRAIGHT 1,000-YARD SEASONS.

SO, YOU JUST CAN'T GIVE UP ON THE RUNNING GAME.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO THAT.

BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT LIKE WE GOT TO SQUEEZE THIS TEAM DOWN, BLEED THE ROSTER, BECAUSE WE WANT TO CREATE CAP SPACE BECAUSE APPARENTLY WHEN THEY TALKED THEIR WAY, KWESI ADOLF OMEN SAW AND O'CONNELL, WHEN THEY CAME IN, THEY TOLD THE OWNERS THAT WE CAN BUILD A CHAMPIONSHIP 'TEAM IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.

WELL, WHEN YOU START OUT WITH 13 WINS, OW -- WOW, WE'RE EXCITED.

BUT YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PLAYOFFS, THE GIANTS WENT RIGHT THROUGH HEM AND THEY'RE A THIRD-PLACE TEAM.

SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU LOSING TALENTED PLAYERS, YOU'RE LOSING EXPERIENCE AND YOU'RE LOSING LEADERSHIP.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO REPLACE THAT WHEN LAST YEAR'S DRAFT, ALL THE GUYS THAT THEY DRAFTED, NOT ONE OF THEM PLAYED.

AND, SO, THIS SEASON, YOU'RE EXPECTING THOSE GUYS TO STEP OUT THERE AND PLAY LIKE THEY'RE SECOND AND THIRD-YEAR PLAYERS, AND THAT DOESN'T USUALLY HAPPEN.

>> Cathy: SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LYNX?

1-6 ON THE SEASON.

>> IT'S BEEN A TRANSITION.

BUT LET'S CELEBRATE.

IT'S A GREAT WEEKEND, 25th ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEKEND.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> Cathy: IS IT?

>> SEIMONE AUGUSTUS IS HERE.

YOU KNOW, SO ARE ALL THE OTHER GREAT PLAYERS THAT WON THOSE FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS, LINDSAY WHELAN.

AND MAYA MOORE.

AND, SO, THEY'RE HAVING A BIG RAFFLE OF AND A BIDDING WAR, STARTED AT 9:00 TODAY, AND IT GOES UNTIL SUNDAY.

WHEN THE SPARKS ARE HERE.

AND, SO, THEY'RE TRYING TO CELEBRATE WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED.

BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A REBUILD FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY JUST HAVEN'T KICKED INTO THE SEASON AND THEY'RE PLAYING AN INDIANA TEAM TONIGHT AND THEN SUNDAY THEY PLAY THE -- YOU KNOW, HE SPARKS.

AND, SO, THEY GOT A CHANCE, PLAYING AT HOME TO GET AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MORE WINS, HOPEFULLY.

>> Eric: ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE SAUDIS OWNING THE PGA TOUR?

>> I'VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM.

I SAW THOSE TOWERS GO DOWN.

AND I READ WHAT MOST OF US READ THAT THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

AND, SO, I JUST GOT A BIG PROBLEM WITH IT.

I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT LIV.

>> Eric: THIS IS THE SAUDI-BACKED ALTERNATIVE TOUR.

>> EXACTLY.

FOR THE COMMISSIONER, THE WAY HE STOOD UP FOR THOSE FAMILIES AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TO BASICALLY, THEY GAVE HIM A POOL OF HIS OWN OF MONEY AND THEN THE REST OF IT GOES TO THE PLAYERS STARTING IN 2024, I JUST DON'T LIKE IT.

YOU KNOW?

BUT IF OU LOOK AT THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING, THE SAUDIS ARE BRINGING THEIR MONEY, NOT ONLY IN TO GOLF, THEY CALL IT, WHAT, MONEY WASHING OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, BUT THE REALITY IS, THEY'RE DOING IT IN SOCCER ALSO.

>> Eric: YEAH.

>> BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LINO MESS SEE PLAYING IN THE NLS, HOPEFULLY HE'LL COME TO ONE OF THE GAMES AT ALLIANZ.

>> Cathy: HEY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.

>> IT IS.

THAT IS CORRECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT MEANS A LOT.

IT REALLY DOES.

>> Eric: WELL, MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

>> THANK YOU.