Transcripts

SPEAKER 1: The dog was heard the night that paycheck was killed or assassinated. He was heard, and the dog had a sudden drawl. So unless he was visiting friends up here, we figured that there was a connection.

SPEAKER 2: When did when did the accident occur, or the assassination as you--

SPEAKER 1: It's been about three weeks now. And there's an ongoing investigation right now. But we're not getting very good results out of it. We've started a commission here in town with some local businessmen, all of them by the first name of Warren, so we could have our own Warren Commission.

SPEAKER 2: I would think that kind of strapped you, folks. Did it not? I mean, paycheck was your Bird, and now you're bringing in a rookie at the last minute?

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. He's a direct offspring of paycheck. It's a paycheck junior, of course. And we had time trials. And we've been working them out every morning and evening. And in fact, that's-- I haven't had any sleep in the last two weeks. The team is very tired. The Bird may make it to the finish line long before the team gets there because we've worked so hard at it.

SPEAKER 2: You think the Bird is going to come through for you, though, even though--

SPEAKER 1: We hope so. It's like using rookies, and they make mistakes. And we're just hoping he doesn't make a mistake and run off into the crowd, or fly up onto a building.

SPEAKER 2: Any backstop? I mean is there like a paycheck three in case something dastardly would happen to paycheck two.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. Well, we've taken some security measures. And for those that come down and see Turkey Day, this is going to be an altogether different race than it's been in the past. We've taken on some high-security measures. And we are going to disguise our Bird right up until race time. So they can't do anything to it now. Should something happen to it, yes, we do have a backup Bird, which is a daughter of paycheck. We don't want to use her because she's extremely fast, and we feel we won't even catch her to use her down the race down in Texas.

SPEAKER 2: I have to ask you, sir. How did you end up as a Turkey coach? It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that a person would necessarily grow up aspiring to.

SPEAKER 1: No, no, I did. I've aspired it my whole life. I'm a Worthington native, and I worked through college. I'm a certified athletic trainer as well and got into the coaching field to coach. Wanted to coach basketball. It was one of my dreams. And then I made a turn and went down and spent seven years in Texas with the Houston Oilers football team as an athletic trainer, and then came back. And that was a goal that I looked forward to as being a coach.

And I got on the Turkey Day board. I've been on it for-- this will be my seventh year. And I was president last year. And that's through osmosis. You become the coach. But I've had a lot of experience by watching these races. So I hope we can bring this Bird all the way in and win the heat up here so we can put a little pressure on the Texas group down there.

SPEAKER 2: Sounds like really your whole life has been pointing toward this one event, really?

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. It'll be a highlight of my life. I've been in the AFC Championship game twice against Pittsburgh with the Oilers, and that was probably one of my highlights of my life. But this, of course, will be much, much greater.

SPEAKER 2: Well, good luck to you. Pregame jitters, I'm sure, but good luck.

SPEAKER 1: Well, we're nervous, but we're confident. And we hope to bring back a victory back to Minnesota.