HI, GRANDMA, AUNT IF I PHILLIPS, UNCLE HAROLD.

>> ERIC: ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT >> ERIC: ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT ^ TARGET FIELD THE MINNESOTA TWINS FINALLY WON A PLAYOFF GAME, ENDING A POST-SEASON LOSING STREAK OF 6,938 DAYS THAT DATED BACK TO 2004.

TWINS ACE PABLO LOPEZ AND ROOKIE SENSATION ROYCE LEWIS LED THE TEAM TO A 3-1 WIN OVER THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS.

THE TWINS WON AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY AND OPEN THE DIVISION SERIES ON THE ROAD AGAINST THE HOUSTON ASTROS.

VETERAN SPORTS REPORTER LARRY FITZGERALD IS BACK.

YOU CAN HEAR HIS WORK LOCALLY ON THE NATIONAL PROGRAMMING NETWORK.

ARE THE TWINS A TRENDY PICK TO MAKE A BIG RUN?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO WIN AT THIS TIME OF THE SEASON, WHICH IS STRONG UP THE MIDDLE, CATCHER, PITCHER, SHORTSTOP, SECOND, CENTERFIELD.

AND THEY'RE HOT.

I MEAN, THEY REALLY ARE KIND OF A POWER TEAM IN TERMS OF THE WAY THEY'RE BUILT.

THEY HAD 11 PLAYERS THAT HIT TEN OR MORE HOME UNS THIS YEAR.

AND THAT TIES A RECORD.

SO, THEY'VE GOT A GOOD CHANCE.

THE PROBLEM IS, WELL, THE REASON I THINK THEY HAVE A CHANCE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING HOUSTON, THE DEFENDING WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS, IN HOUSTON, WHERE HOUSTON IS THE FIRST TEAM TO WIN A DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP AND HAVE A LOSING RECORD AT HOME.

>> Cathy: OH.

>> 39-42 DURING THE REGULAR YEAR, THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

BUT HOUSTON MIGHT GET EXCITED ABOUT THE TWINS COMING IN, HAVING KNOCKED OUT TORONTO.

AND SEE WHO CAN GET GAME ONE.

>> Cathy: SO THE TWINS CAN WIN.

WE NOW KNOW WITHOUT BYRON BUXTON.

WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM, WHAT'S HIS FUTURE?

>> WELL, TOMORROW HE COULD BE ON THAT TEAM.

THEY MAKE A DECISION FOR EACH ROUND.

AND, SO, THEY'LL MAKE A DECISION, I GUESS, IF THEY'RE GOING TO ADD HIM TO THE TEAM, TO THE PLAYOFF DIVISIONAL ROUND.

AND WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.

BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING.

THE WAY THEY'RE GOING RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE NOT SCORING A LOT OF RUNS, BUT IF THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SHUT THEIR OPPONENTS DOWN AND HOLD THEM TO ONE OR NO RUNS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE.

>> Eric: THE VIKINGS, TAYLOR SWIFT, THE CHIEFS, COME TO U.S. BANK STADIUM ON SUNDAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

HAVE THE WORLD CHAMPS COMING TO TOWN AFTER A FLAWED GAME ON SUNDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE NEW YORK JETS.

THEY WERE UP 17-0, NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TIED.

AND THEY WON IT ON A LITTLE CONTROVERSY, MISSED PLAY HERE, THAT TYPE OF THING.

BUT PATRICK MA HOMES, HE WAS BORN IN MINNESOTA, HIS DAD DID USED TO PLAY FOR THE WINS.

SO HE'S GOING TO HAVE HIS OWN MOTIVATION TO KIND OF PLAY AT THE STANDARD THAT HE'S ESTABLISHED.

HE'S THE FIRST QUARTERBACK IN NFL HISTORY TO GET TO 25,000 YARDS PASSING AND HE DID IT IN 83 GAMES.

AND HE'S THROWING FOR 200 TOUCHDOWNS IN 84 GAMES.

SO, HE'S IN RAREFIED AIR.

HE TAKES TOM BRADY, WHO'S GOT FIVE ORE SUPERBOWLS THAN HE DOES.

>> Eric: TRAP GAME FOR THE CHIEFS?

>> WELL, YOU COULD SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK THEY TURN AROUND AND PLAY ON THURSDAY THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

BUT NOW THE VIKINGS GOT TO GO TO CHICAGO AND PLAY THAT MIGHTY BEARS TEAM THAT WON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 14 WEEKS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE GREAT DICK BUCKUS DIED, I GREW UP IN CHICAGO, IDOLIZING PLAYING LIKE HIM.

WHAT A GREAT MAN HE WAS FOR THE CHICAGO BEARS.

AND DON'T FORGET THE GOPHERS NOW.

THEY'RE PLAYING MICHIGAN.

>> Cathy: THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND MICHIGAN'S NUMBER TWO IN THE COUNTRY, UNDEFEATED.

I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN EVER REMEMBER A WEEK WHERE ALL THREE TEAMS ARE PLAYING EITHER WORLD CHAMPION-CALIBER TEAMS AND IT'S A WINNER TAKE ALL.

>> Cathy: I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE GOPHERS, THOUGH.

I GUESS MICHIGAN.

I GUESS WE SHOULD BE SHOULDN'T WE?

>> WE SHOULD BE.

THAT'S A TALENTED FOOTBALL TEAM.

JIM IS COMING IN HERE.

REMEMBER, THE VIKINGS DENIED HIM.

HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE VIKINGS JOB BUT HE WANTED TO BRING HIS FAMILY ALONG, AND THEY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY OF THAT BECAUSE WE JUST WENT THROUGH THAT WITH MIKE ZIMMER.

AND, SO, HE'S GOING TO SHOW MINNEAPOLIS THAT HE AN STILL COACH.

I SUSPECT.

THE GAME'S IN PRIME TIME.

ON NBC.

AND OF COURSE, THE VIKINGS, THEY'RE ON PRIME TIME, 3:25, SO THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON MINNESOTA SPORTS LIKE IT'S NEVER BEEN BEFORE.

>> Eric: I SAW ON CHANNEL 11 LAST NIGHT PROMOTING TACKLE FOOTBALL FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

>> WELL, THE PARK BOARD IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE CITY, THEY MADE A DECISION, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO TO CUT THAT OUT.

THEY DIDN'T -- IT'S NOT AN OPTION.

FOR A KID BETWEEN 8 AND 12 TO BE ABLE TO GO AND PLAY AND LEARN FOOTBALL.

AND I KNOW WHEN MY WIFE, CAROL, WAS HERE, WE DISAGREED ON WHEN THEY SHOULD PLAY.

BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THE CHICAGO SYSTEM.

AND WHEN I WAS READY TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS READY TO PLAY.

I DIDN'T PLAY ANY PEEWEE.

BUT HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS, IT'S THERE FOR THEM AND THE KIDS HAVE HAD A LOT OF FUN DOING IT.

AND LOOK AT THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE IF YOU DON'T GET A CHANCE TO PLAY FOOTBALL.

THE GANGS ARE THERE.

OKAY.

THEY'RE FORCING BASICALLY ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO PLAY BETWEEN 8 AND 12 TACKLE FOOTBALL, YOU GOT TO GO OVER TO THE NORTH SIDE, AND PLAY BASICALLY AT FARWELL, AND I THINK THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET OVER THERE?

A LOT OF THE KIDS, SOME HAVE ONE PARENT, SOME HAVE NO PARENTS.

AND IT'S A REAL STICKY SITUATION, I THINK, TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY, FREEDOM AWAY FROM THESE YOUNG KIDS WHO REALLY HAVE THE DESIRE TO GO AND PLAY AND YOU CAN'T FIND OUT IF THEY CAN PLAY UNTIL YOU SEE THEM PLAY.

>> Cathy: REALLY QUICK HERE, MINNESOTA WILD.

>> WELL, I WAS AT THE TASTE OF THE WILD THE OTHER DAY.

>> Cathy: YES.

>> AND THE ARENA LOOKS GREAT.

AND THEY'RE A PLAYOFF TEAM FROM A YEAR AGO.

THEY SHOULD BE BETTER THIS YEAR.

THEY SHOULD BE STRONGER UP THE MIDDLE.

I THINK.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF THEY CAN NOT ONLY SURVIVE THE REGULAR SEASON BUT DO SOMETHING ONCE THEY GET INTO THE POST-SEASON, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T DONE.

>> Eric: THE ORIGINAL LARRY