Staff
Sam Ekstrom
Sam Ekstrom is an executive producer and host at Locked On Sports Minnesota. He's previously covered the Vikings for 105 The Ticket, Zone Coverage, Purple Insider, and the Associated Press. He grew up in Vermillion, S.D. rooting for the USD Coyotes (not SDSU) and graduated from Dordt (not "dork") University in Sioux Center, Iowa.
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Vikings
Free Agency Preview: Could the Minnesota Vikings Splash For an Offensive Lineman?
By Sam Ekstrom - Mar 5, 2019
Leading up to free agency in mid-March, we will examine a multitude of angles pertaining to the Minnesota Vikings’ free agency approach. PREVIOUS STORIES Should the Vikings […]
Gophers Searching For a Late-Season Upset to Stamp Tourney Ticket
By Sam Ekstrom - Mar 4, 2019
The NCAA’s new evaluation tool has not been kind to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Bracketology experts, however, seem to be looking past their low metrics, and are […]
Vikings
Do Minnesota Vikings Free Agents Typically Improve in Year Two?
By Sam Ekstrom - Mar 1, 2019
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer made a radio appearance at the NFL Combine on Thursday and went to bat for his quarterback. After a poor finish […]
Vikings
FOOTBALL MACHINE: Hour 2 – Draft Strategies, O-Line and the Future of the Vikings Roster
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 27, 2019
We answer Twitter questions and take some calls, as we dive into O-line depth, the draft, and which current NFL player would make the best president. Thoughts […]
Vikings
Free Agency Preview: Adding Wide Receiver Depth Should Be a Priority
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 25, 2019
Leading up to free agency in mid-March, we will examine a multitude of angles pertaining to the Minnesota Vikings’ free agency approach. PREVIOUS STORIES Should the Vikings […]
Road Reaction: Gophers Fall at Rutgers, Putting Tourney Hopes on the Brink
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 24, 2019
Let’s be clear, this was not an upset. But the nature of Minnesota’s 68-64 loss to Rutgers Sunday will frustrate fans as the Gophers’ NCAA Tournament hopes […]
Vikings
New Vikings Coaching Staff Built on Loyalty, Respect
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 22, 2019
Year 1 of the Kirk Cousins Era was thought to be the start of continuity, a prosperous time where the Minnesota Vikings assailable offense could develop cohesion […]
Offensive Blackout Again Leads to Defensive Letdown in Gophers Loss
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 21, 2019
The narrative is getting redundant for Gophers fans who’ve clung to the hope that this 2018-19 team would come out of its offensive hibernation. There was optimism […]
Vikings
FOOTBALL MACHINE: Hour 2 – Jerry Kill, Hottest Free Agency Predictions, Twitter Questions
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 20, 2019
Former Gopher Football Head Coach Jerry Kill joins the show! We discuss Kirk Cousins’ shaving techniques, our hottest free agency predictions, In This Episode: Jerry Kill joins […]
Vikings
FOOTBALL MACHINE: Hour 1 – Antonio Brown, Kareem Hunt, NFL Combine
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 20, 2019
Hour 1 of the Zone Coverage Football Machine: We talk Antonio Brown trade scenarios, Kareem Hunt’s fit in Cleveland, Anthony Barr’s tag eligibility, and 2019 NFL Draft […]
With Every Game, Jordan Murphy Further Solidifies Gophers Legacy
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 17, 2019
On an afternoon when the Golden Gophers basketball team turned heads with an uncharacteristically marvelous performance from beyond the arc, Jordan Murphy kept pounding away down low, […]
Gophers Hope to Rediscover 2016-17 Magic to Break Out of Slump
By Sam Ekstrom - Feb 15, 2019
After suffering their fourth straight loss in devastating fashion at Nebraska, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are running out of time to correct course. With six games left […]