I got a 6 minutes past 11 programming a Minnesota Public Radio is supported by Dayton's oriental rug departments in downtown Minneapolis, Saint Paul and if the Southdale Brookdale and Rosedale home stores And good morning and welcome to midday on Minnesota Public Radio on Gary. I can glad you could join us, but I was saying out there. That says a lot of things and that's saying is don't squat with your Spurs on it. Although it carries a lot of connotations what it really says is don't screw up that is red McCombs who live all goes as expected will be the new owner of the Minnesota Vikings football team last week Mr. Mccollum's was the winning bidder for the team buying it for an estimated 240 million dollars. Now since Red McCombs is from San Antonio, Texas and some San Antonio wants a National Football League team. Lots of people have been assuming that he will buy the Vikings and then move the Vikings to San Antonio and McCombs said this week that the Vikings do need to rework their lease at the Metrodome to remain competitive. But he also has said repeatedly since he won the bidding war that he has no plans to move the Vikings to Texas or anywhere else. One thing does seem pretty clear Red McCombs will be one of the most colorful Pro Sports owners in Minnesota History and he has joined us this morning from San Antonio to talk about his plans for the team in Pro Sports in general and we invite you to join our conversation. If you got a question or comment for Red McCombs, give us a call or Twin City area number is 227-6002. 276 Thousand Oaks add the Twin Cities 1-800 242-282-8227 6000 or 1 802-422-8281 from columns for the envious because of waiting for you to come into your program. I was listening to the weather person say that it's 78° in the Twin Cities. We just hit a hundred here so up. I'm already in bed. I'm glad to join you. Well, we have we have extremes on both ends. So we had a hundred once in awhile. It's been pretty mild this year. But usually we hit a hundred at least once during the summer and of course well below zero with winter any doubt in your mind sir that the NFL owners will approve the sale. Well, I don't doubt as such but on the other hand that's certainly their prerogative and I've been through that approval process up several times with the NBA in and even with the NFL because I was originally young the expansion team. Shaker in San Antonio and you had to have NFL approval just just to get the application up to the point where they would look at it. So there shouldn't be any problem with it. But again, it's like everything else in life today is not done till it's done but I assume 100% it gets done your right hand man. Gary Woods was quoted as saying that he would really like to see a new lease worked out at the Metrodome by this time next year how critical is a new lease to the success of the Vikings in your mind on a scale of 10. It's a 10 and we are. Well aware that everybody in Minnesota understands that situation and that's really not a decision for us. That's a decision for the commissioning and the people in Minnesota and hopefully that will be worked out. We're certainly not coming in there and spending a close to 250 million bucks with any threats or ultimatums are such cuz it's not our style of doing business. We're going to do the best we can with what we've got. But in the real world of NFL everybody in Minnesota has been made aware by you and other members of the media that that lease is not competitive or even close it it it's either the worst or the next to the worst, please in the NFL so That's a decision that the people in Minnesota have to make. I have nothing to do with that decision. If the powers-that-be tell you to take a flying leap and say this is the least live with it. What is that? What happens then what that means gay is it then we will have to seek revenue from other sources that that now or not or are not available such as increased us sponsorships up groups participation Etc. It's not that it couldn't be done. But you have to you have to replace that Revenue somewhere. Are you go over on the other side? And you cut your expenditures. So instead of having a spending 52 million dollars a year old player salaries you could spend 30. You'd have a hell of a time winning the Superbowl doing that but you could do that. So it's got to come one place or the other we're going in believing that the people of Minnesota want the Vikings and all of this conversation about will read move the Vikings. This is not my move. The people of Minnesota will decide where the Vikings stay or go. If we can fill the Dome people are we can develop a product of people excited about we can increase our sponsorships we might can overcome that negative over on the least side that's got to come from somewhere. What do you see as Your role as an owner of a while. Are you in this to make money are you going to do as a hobby to have some fun? But you can run it as a business. How do you how do you approach ownership of of everything and that's also why I try to be a charitable and and caring and concerned about others who are less fortunate, but I don't I don't have any this is not a toy to me. You're my toys are in the $25 range. 250 million. I don't think anyone could take a look and say that this is not a serious investment and I certainly intend to get a return off the investment. Are you thinking that you may be willing to spend some more money even this year on bringing in some more talent to the Vikings according to many of the experts are probably two players away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Gary up that is always an ongoing issue in the professional sports business. Those are judgment calls and you have to look to see if if you have an opportunity of value there could be that there would be more money spent it could be that there's not I really have not gotten that much involved with Jeff diamond out there is to the cap and such he is recognized around the league is being one of the experts on cap. So I really don't know what all that they even have the opportunity to do it my understand. That the free agents that they have signed. Really were the nucleus of what they needed every team. Even the world champions are always one player away some themes or two three four and five players away. But even the world champions will tell you that they're still one player away. I've been in that one player away many many years used to play football yourself. You ready to suit up if necessary take one lick. I do have to ask you one more question before we get to some callers. We got a lot of people with questions for you, but you are 70 years old and you you've made plenty of money in your life out. Why in the world subject yourself to all the hassle that's involved in running a an NFL football team. Vincent barela of old Notre Dame and New York Notre Dame basketball fame and New York Knicks and then the known as a ear and my Denver team Denver Nuggets for me. I forced him out of his comfortable retirement back in the early 80s to run the Nuggets news hit the wire. He called me from Denver and he vants is a very very outspoken humerus four letter word user to the nth degree and he let off a whole bottle of of language which essentially said and laughing while he was. I am so glad that you got off of your fat butt and now you're going to suffer some misery you have been too comfortable the last four years. I am so glad that you Like dealing with those crazy and you got a deal with the crazy players the crazy agents and all those crazy City officials the control of as soon as he was laughing. He said I am so glad that you got some misery back in your life because you've been to Steffi the last four years having said that this I'm in good health. I feel good. I work 70 or 80 hours a week. I enjoy the things I do as long as God blesses me with with good health age is not an issue to me. What is an issue to me? Is that why would you take on a challenge like this? I can't answer that almost all my business deals in the ass again have come from the very serious challenge side I end up with deals at nobody else wants I never have had the top of the cream deal. I always end up over trying to fix something that other shy away from and I guess that would say something about my mentality which wouldn't be too good. But any rate that's kind of seemed like what I've done all my life and my first My first interest in the Vikings came from the fact that we were blacking out home games on channel 29 there in Minneapolis in which you on what's the public company that I founded the the public company owns at station and I'm looking saying they got a very competitive team. Yo, why are we blacking out games in the hottest product in America? Traffic again to look and see, you know something wrong here. So that was kind of what triggered my interest in the first place. And then of course when the owners decided that they were going to sell up we got in to the hunt as it were but that's a long answer to your question about why I chose to pay a lot of money to take on some misery. I don't know. I guess it's part of my makeup, but but to me, it's an opportunity. I've really see in my mind. I see standing room only at the Metrodome there. I see kids lined up at every school in Minnesota want to get players autographs. I see people saying when these players go out in the community and work with people that are less fortunate. I see cheers. Livewire Rose Colored Glasses is life is really not the way. I see it. Maybe it isn't but that's when I see the Vikings. This is what I see what reality is, you know, maybe I'll get kicked in. The face red McCombs running is from San Antonio talking about his plans for the Minnesota Vikings. And if you'd like to join our conversation, you've got a question or comment give us a call 227-6002 to 76 thousand in the Twin Cities outside the Twin City area one. 802-422-8284 Scholars from Osseo Kelly. Go ahead Place. Hey, good morning to both side Gary and to you read thank you. I really enjoy your like your vision for you know, finally putting some fans in the seats and selling out on people getting excited once again for the Vikings to questions for you. Mr. McCombs one you stated on interview while when you came to Winter Park last week that Now you don't really have any plans to live here in the Twin Cities. Do you plan on hiring a general manager to run? The day-to-day operations of the Vikings the football aspect of that or are you going to handle that yourself? And then to do plan to buy anymore on media Outlets either television radio even print me Outlets here in the Twin Cities are elsewhere in Minnesota. Will they answer? The number one is that I will effectively and I have a lot of the rules of the GM General in our Sports operations. We select the top people to kind of break into two areas one is what I called the non-football which includes a lot of things marketing a lot of things and then the other is the football and that would be the players in the coaches in the scouts and and such as this The Vikings are a going business will first look and get a good feel for exactly how they have been doing what they're doing. We always learn something from any business and we don't know know it all but we have our own ideas as to how we want this thing off me to come out. So on that first question of weird would just be working along with that. We have to be very sensitive at the moment because we are not allowed to officially do anything until this is all approved which hopefully will be July 28th, but the Viking owners have been very generous to us and inviting us to come in and meet all the staff visit in Minnesota. But but officially we can't make any decisions at all. Let's do that first part in that second part in a raise your media profile. The other be Clear Channel Communications is a public company to present time. We will know the Affiliates that have all of the outdoor billboard you see in the end all in that area not just in the in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul but Chicago, but we have a big presence all the Billboards that care the name Allure or kid a name universal wheel required both of those companies and we have a very big presence throughout the Midwest our strategy in that company since we have just the one broadcast out let their Fox 29, our strategy is trying to increase our presence in a market that we are already in so we will be trying to Increase our presence in both television and radio in Minnesota are many others trying to sow weather will be successful than that. We don't know what they're used to Iona Ford dealership in the Twin Cities. Is that correct? This the details of that but we were doing quite well, it was a it was a new what we call him the business add point. We built a new facility and the business was doing well and Ford asked me to sell that to a minority and we did and I don't really know what ultimately is is come of that because that was at least 25 years ago and well later. John your question for Red McCombs Buys have a couple of comments to make first of all, I hope that you won't pressure or ask the people Minnesota to subsidize a sports Stadium because it's pretty much proven. We don't want to end of the second comment that I've made that I'd like to make I heard you mention before you had such a terrible lease and I'm just wondering why on Earth you'd invest 250 million dollars when you've got such a horrid leaves. I'll hang up and listen. Thank you. Well, thank you. I appreciate your comments. I have to believe that. That there are going to be some some changes in that lays if I'm wrong will then I made a poor bet but I believe that there will be I think the people of their will see the reason for doing that and I think the Star Tribune editorial. Of this day before yesterday that was right on on that subject. But again, those are issues that people in every Community have to face and people like you will be making those determinations and that's not for me to determine at all. When you see as the role of public financing in professional sports has been as you well know. I'm sure I really contentious debate here over over. Yes public financing for professional sports in the last couple of years. Mostly having to do with the twins some degree with the Vikings is it is it is contentious Carey and every community in America and now I don't have the flag. So to speak to carry it to speak to that issue the way that I have the past 4 years when I've been out of sports, but let me just say that if I had not bought the Vikings you hear the same speech people all over the country and heard the same page from me. Fervently believe that it is a proper function of government. to participate in sports facility ownerships For their mortgage, I think it is important. Cities do this that they understand this because I think it's important to the psyche of the community. Now I say I speak from a conflict of interest because I'm in there in Minnesota as an owner, but I said the same things for the past four years when I was a night and I realize that their people to take the other side of the argument in virtually every community in America. It's split when we built our need Alamodome facility here in San Antonio. When we started that program about 9 years ago, the survey showed that and we had the people of San Antonio vote on it the surveys Gary showed that 75% were opposed to it 20% were for than only five undecided. With a lot of hard work and speaking to every group in town. We passed it 53% the 47 certainly not a landslide. Now, we've added even though we don't have a football team. It's been profitable for the citizens of San Antonio. It's allowed us to do things that we could never even have an opportunity to do before examples are we just finished the NCAA Final Four in basketball in March here overwhelming economic success for this community. We had the NBA All-Star Game here, which we could never have had a without it. We are a finalist along with Minneapolis for the year 2000 Republican National Convention without this facility. We couldn't even have been in the hunt. So I say that the 53% of the citizens who voted for this That they're both male has been stamped with approval because it's been a great economic success for the people San Antonio. There are still people here though, that would say otherwise and the other people in every community that feel like that that is not a proper function of government. So they are we just have to debate the issue and let the majority rule. Should Pro Sports be treated differently than other businesses. That's an argument. You hear a lot while you're not going to be giving subsidies to to the local tool and die maker. Why should you give subsidies to a near billionaire this McCombs fellow? Well, there's only one reason why and that's because that is what the competitive nature of that industry requires. And that's the only reason I'm 15 other businesses in San Antonio. No, we don't get any tax abatements or subsidy or any other kind of thing, but that's fine because everybody else is on the same Level Playing Field. I am sports franchises are dear to their communities in my opinion. They have great value to the community the community that don't think they have that you very properly should send them on their way. The people in Houston not very long ago decided that they would not participate in a new facility for the Oilers. So they all have left almost overnight. The people in Houston now decided that they will spend up to five hundred million dollars. Or before if the owner should stay there only being asked to spend a hundred million. So who made the right decision there? I think the right decision would have been to have supported the facility for the Oilers and kept the orders. But these are things that every Community has to decide it will be a divisive issue. There will be people who believe otherwise so why would you do this for me and are players millionaire owners only only one reason that's where the market is at. The market is not there for that will then they will go to where the market is. You think of pro sports in general the financing of professional sports in general is so screwed up at this point that it's a bad investment for for the public to to make I don't think so. I don't think so. I say this. Cities have many responsibilities that world aware of and you take the the ones that would ruin all the types of headlight Public Safety the welfare the public libraries all of these things are important functions of government in a city. The psyche and they're all absolutely essential is important. But the psyche of a city is Tide so much to it sports teams in America. Now, is that the way it should be. Maybe not that's the way it is. I think it is important to the city and the cities that have taken the other side and I've seen their sports teams go away without exception have almost overnight gone back to work and say well we made a mistake. We're going to get somebody back we'll get another one and now we're going to pay for it and so much for it. So hey, that's not for me to decide the people in Minnesota will decide that I'm going to put the best product on the field and I possibly can we're going to play with With the pills that they gave us and we're going to do the very best we can. Red McCombs is our guest this are joining us from San Antonio, Texas talking about his plans for the Minnesota Vikings. If you'd like to join our conversation, give us a call Twin City area number is 227-6002. 276 Thousand Oaks. I'd the Twin Cities 1 800 to +422-828-227-6004 1 800-242-2828 and we'll continue in just a moment coming up this week on sound money answers to all your personal finance and investment questions from Chris Farrell and Erica with linear both have earned a reputation for solid sensible understandable advice and they'll be ready for whatever comes their way and all this is Bob Potter invited you to join us for Sean body Saturday morning at 10 again Sunday afternoon at 5 on Minnesota Public Radio k n o w FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities. Today's programming is made possible in part by The Advocates of Minnesota Public Radio contributors include General Mills foundation and the Dayton Hudson foundation on behalf of Dayton's Mervyn's and Target stores for all Arts and Cultural programming spring. I stay around the state of Minnesota partly cloudy skies for the most part may be a thunderstorm in the southwest, but generally partly cloudy with highs upper 70s to the upper 80s Twin Cities partly cloudy this afternoon with a high mid-to-upper 80s right now. We have a sunny sky and 80° Red McCombs the new owner of the Minnesota Vikings or again. If you have a question, give us a call to 276 Thousand Oaks on the Twin Cities one 800-242-2828 and Wade your next good place. Yeah, it's just respond to a comment or question my comment regarding your last answer to the question their Miss Macomb about the public subsidies. And then you personally think you felt this before as you do now that it is the right thing for a community do to do to invest in professional sports facility. However, they are on the answer you directly said do you know the market Sports markets? If you don't get your going to have a professional sports team O logo leave. So basically you're indirectly saying that if Minneapolis doesn't give you the public dollars to build a new stadium Bentley down the line that well heck you can pack your bags and take the bike somewhere else. They will know maybe you didn't hear the first part of the program what happens if if that is not forthcoming and what happens is that you tried to offset that revenue from other sources, so we will be working diligently to Offset the negatives of that lease we can't assume that anything will be changed and we don't assume that anything will be changed. We will be working very diligently in trying to give people in Minnesota a reason why they would want to be at the Vikings games reasons why they would want to buy Vikings shirts in the reason that they don't want to participate in purple pride and all because we can't assume that anything is going to change. We don't know and maybe nothing will change. So that was earlier part that maybe you didn't hear. Back to the phones. Carl has a question. I wanted to take one more crack at the public subsidy issue. I'm it is very true. Of course the such subsidies have become very common in recent years all over the country main reason for that. I would say is that the economics of professional sports in general has become totally skewed by a number of reasons, but probably the number one factor is inflated player salaries and all of those checks are being written by people like mr. McCallum. So I wonder why is it that that you and your colleagues cannot exercise a little discipline instead of asking for public subsidies? Well, the other thing is we don't we don't look at public subsidies will look at public investment. So you could use a play on words and and choose whatever you want to I know of no owners in professional sports that wakes up each morning and says, I really want to go ride a bigger check. There were bigger checks are written 100% because of the very competitive nature of a very free enterprise system. So if all the owners would get together and agree that they would never pay the players any more than $100 a game and with all hold hands and and get tattooed. Let the blood flow. Then first thing we get to do is visit the jail for price fixing in the next thing would get to do is they wouldn't be very many players have been arrested doing that. I realize it that is a crazy analogy, but there is nobody in sports that is just eager to jump up and throw money away sports in many ways is like other businesses. You have to meet competition. That's the nature of the game and that will be the nature of the gate. You see any change forthcoming in the in the most free agency Arena that you talk to a fair amount about Vikings tradition and so on and I think it would be difficult. Even for hardcore Vikings fans to name more than a handful of Vikings players because they come and go so often, you know, you have your big stars, of course, but they the run-of-the-mill players as opposed to free free agency when many of the players even though the the substitutes were well known in the community and to this day are still kind of hero Heroes. There's that loyalty issue any change is likely well, hopefully so, you know, this is a this is always a this is always an issue between management and the players union I just think the one of the worst things in sports is what you want to touch don't get it because in sports. Well, no wins cure everything. So that's a given once you get past wins people relate to individual players and many times. It's not the star of the team. It's amazing how many players who really don't even see much action still have such a strong fan base of support for one reason or another now. I think that all professional sports is really undermining itself and and threatening their own existence by the movement of these players from one team to another I couldn't agree with you more. And I don't know whether to be a change in that or not because the players unions are adamant. That in those contracts that they make from time to time that these players have access to movement. I think they're shooting themselves in the foot. But then that is an ongoing argument between the players union and management. Troy your question place by Gary and I hello. Mr. McCombs pleasure to talk to both of you today. I got a question in relation to what steps do McCombs you might take in relation to generating public support for possibly funding a stadium here in Minnesota and a follow-up question actually unrelated, but in relation to the Minnesota Vikings mix as far as Revenue. You had mentioned cycle previously previously on the news that you had mentioned you want to fill the stadium. Obviously all of us would like to see the stadium filled. However, do you think that is necessarily a critical issue when you back the Vikings do make a majority or not? I should say majority but a lot of their revenues from the products that they sell Viking logo products and I'll hang up that that listen to appreciate. Those are all very good question. I will not be making any moves whatsoever. So far as facilities in new facilities for the people in Minnesota to build support. Otherwise, that's up to the people of Minnesota. They're intelligent. They know what they've got and they know what the market is out there. Insofar as the other part of the question about the profit potential off of products as well as a game. It is a very big thing but all of this starts with the seats having somebody's rear end in them. There is nothing there is nothing that is that significant. To the team itself the players on the field the ownership and indeed the balance sheet as filled facilities. So everything's starts with that because unless you can get the fan in there to the game. You're less likely to sell a cap or a hot dog raising else. So really everything plays off of attendance and sold out games and making the ticket of valuable ticket. One of the interesting thing is I think last year when the fact there were a number of games that weren't sold out as a consequence. There were TV blackouts around here as you well know was that once the blackout was announced are the games did sell out but the crowd was quite different than what you normally find it if I can use gaming instead of a lot of older folks dressed up and quietly sitting on their hands. You had a bunch of generally speaking of a lot younger crowd yelling and screaming do you think that the professional football in general is become to corporate? And is there a way to get that younger more energetic fan involved in football? Well, it it might have become a little too corporate and I'll say this if you can't create the interest in that youngerfan and build on that younger fanbase you got problems because of that really is where the growth and where the energy is. And another thing that's happened what the Vikings they have seen their season ticket vase go down. Well in the sports business is not unlike the car business of the restaurant business with whatever it is much more difficult to get a customer bag that you once had but has left you for whatever reasons of not being pleased with your product for your service. It is more difficult to get that customer back that it is really to create a new customer. So one of the things that will be doing will be working diligently to see that we don't lose any of the customers that we have. Then we'll have a program go back in and and really began concentrating on getting the customer bag that we've lost. And then the Third Leg of that stool is Will begin to generate programs for new customers and most all of those programs will be directed at a very young crowd Mark your question for Red McCombs. Place folks who've after the same kind of thing with escalating salaries and things out of control and expecting the public to invest in this kind of a situation where you're dealing with ownership. He goes in the lake and expecting the public to invest Hard-earned tax dollars into building these for stadiums and then maybe a couple years later to mismanagement or whatever. You'll have a situation like even in Baltimore and Jacobs Field with the Cleveland Indians, you hear reports that they are doing well financially they're having a problem making it and they have the newest state-of-the-art stadium and who's to give us any guarantee that we won't have a situation here in Minnesota. Like they haven't in Florida with Wayne huizenga dismantling a team because he can't afford to pay those anymore. So we build a stadium invest our money and we have we have no guarantees that they're going to stay or it might be not run properly. Well, I think all those are very good questions and I think that all of us everyday make decisions are based on whatever confidence level we have been in any number of things. I'm not make A blanket statement that the people of Minnesota should do anything. The first thing I want to do is see that that we can we can put enough energy behind up the product that that you want to participate and if you want to be involved if you don't know there's not any other way is it that we can't put a week ago and wrote people and then drag them in. So the first thing we'll be trying to do is to we will be trying to fill up the Metrodome on August 15th. When the Kansas City comes in which should be a huge game but they're about 20,000 tickets not sold yet. So the first thing we'll be doing is that you will not see us working on programs to encourage the people in Minnesota to go build a new facility or anyting else. This is It comes up because it's a very real issue. That's for the people Minnesota to decide right now. I want them to decide that they really want to be in that Metrodome on August 15th, and it's worth their 25 bucks or 40 bucks to be a part of that. That is a bonus. That's what I'm trying to do today on the show. Although I'm happy to respond to whatever requests or questions you have. We don't have a lot of time left, but let's get at least one more. Call her on here, Joanna. Hello, Macomb. Welcome to Minnesota. I have a comment in a question about feeling the stands at the grandparents. I would be more prone to talking with my grandchildren about a football and players with good morals. It seems to me that you know, when we pick up our papers and the scars are being picked up for drunk and driving or I'm having guns that is not something at all that I do, you know invite my grandchildren to be part of. You probably have no say about it. But I would like your thought on the morals and values of professional football players. Thank you very much for listening you for the opportunity. I think the professional athletes and people who work with professional Athletics have to set a higher standard with very proud of all of our Athletes Way, of course, everyone has someone that stumbles every now and then but for everyone and stumbles, they're 25 guys that are doing the right things. So what are the United Way or teaching a Sunday school class or what? We want family valued oriented kind of people in our organization. Whether it be on the field or off the field. That is a goal. All of our people will understand that I think you're fortunate because I've looked at the rosters and looked at the programs are in in the in the Vikings background and I think it we've got some great people there. I think we got some people that your grandchildren will look up to and that you would be proud for your grandchildren to look up to you. I asked you a couple of quick questions before we wrap up here. Can you can you call exist with the twins at the Metrodome even if they if they do work out a much better lease for you is a long-term possible to share that Stadium will you know hockey teams this this coexisting with a with a baseball team is something totally new arrival really going to have to gain experience from others who have been there might what I've been told a my understanding is that That it is a much easier arrangement for the Vikings than it is for the twins that you I don't know. I've never seen a game of the twins in there. So I don't know so I would just say that the school is still out on that cuz I I just honestly don't know you think Minnesota is big enough to support for professional sports franchises, Greg Busse. The interesting thing Sports has an entertainment venue and what I have noticed in in my many years is that if people are really that Enthused about the entertainment venue regardless what it is they seem to find a way. Participate and supported if they're not really turned on by it will then it doesn't matter what the price is as if they want to do it. So I think I think the the the challenge two sports teams is is is your product the kind of an entertaining product that people will spend their hard-earned dollars for and that's just the key to the whole thing. Is it true that you have a number of exotic wild animals rhinos and giraffes in that kind of thing. It is totally true. That is not a Texas. Tell us we have I have a 5000 acre redshift about an hour North of San Antonio 870 Acres of it to really really kind of a wildlife. home and we have about the 50 different species living in that 870 Acres including giraffe Rhino see bro. Buffalo and many different varieties of antelope and deer and it is quite a sight. I've never been to Africa but people who have been tell me many times when we tore that area that that is is is really a lot like Africa anyway to suit up one of those rhinos. I'll tell you I'll give it a try know lots of lots of room one other question. Is this a Texas Tall Tale we heard that you were the youngest Edsel car dealer in America back when the Edsel came out and I may also that I was the richest Edsel car dealer in America because I only stayed in at 5 months. Did you have any edsel's left? No, I don't. I'm not a car collector and I do not I wish I had one but I was very young and I had to have a lot of help from a lot of fellows dealers much older than me to get Ford to give me that franchise, but I recognized as soon as we started showing at the public was just really responding. Well a lot of attention and traffic to it, but nobody wanted to buy that car and Ford really got upset with me when I got out as quickly as I did but I sold him to all my friends agere, but after about five months, I don't have any friends left today, really appreciate it. I'll enjoy it a lot of enjoy the questions. I think that they're all very real and I'm excited about doing what I can to two. Say that the people in Minnesota are very very proud of the Vikings. That's my role. Thanks a lot. Thank you Red McCombs. The new owner of the Minnesota Vikings joining us today from San Antonio. Midday will continue in just a moment. I'm Ray Suarez the cabinets dissolved and there's been rioting is Nigerians taking the news of the sudden death of opposition leader and political prisoner Mushu. Viola many believe I'll be over won the 1993 presidential election, but the boat was annulled in a year later. He was put in prison will look at all the oldest role in Nigeria's political life and what his death means for the future of democracy on the next Talk of the Nation from NPR news. That would be at 1 this afternoon Jane Fonda at the national Press Club. That's our new now our feature time now for The Writer's Almanac.