Happy Hour with John Gaskins

The fifth-year coach joined to discuss his top new players, those he lost in the portal, how he finds new players, conversations he has with players who leave USD to "jump in," and his job security after athletic director Jon Schemmel chose to not renew Peterson's contract, which leaves him with just one year on his current deal. Now in the final season of a five-year deal, Peterson's contract was...

The host and Trent Singer break down the second wild Minnesota Timberwolves trade in the last four days. Why is LaMelo Ball a "perfect fit" in the backcourt with Anthony Edwards, and why was the team willing to let Reid, one of the most popular players in team history, walk out the door? The two hosts also discuss Sioux Falls' chances of beating five larger cities for the NCAA men's tourney play-i...

The eligibility of athletes competing in the NCAA will likely never be the same.   The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to cut off their nose to save their face.   One of the most incredible outcomes of an election in a city the size of Sioux Falls means it will be at least another couple of weeks before we know who the next mayor will be.    Those are three whopping developments over the last thre...

You think two points is a narrow margin of victory and defeat in a football or basketball game? Well, 40-38 or 116-114 has nothing on 18,279 to 18,277.  That's the vote tally in favor of Christine Erickson from Tuesday's mayoral runoff election in Sioux Falls. By percentages, it was a 49.91 to 49.91 percent tie. There will be a recount. We won't know who will be the city's next mayor for at least...

First Karl-Anthony Towns two years ago. Now, Julius Randle. Anthony Edwards again loses his No. 2, or Robin to his Batman, in a trade the Minnesota Timberwolves clearly deemed necessary to strengthen their chances of an NBA title. Or at least reaching the NBA FInals. Randle's undeniably lousy NBA Playoffs performance, made worse by reports of his moodiness that did not go over well with coaches an...

NCAA 5-for-5 eligibility rule passes. Chase Mason survives it. Which prominent Jacks & Yotes don't?

  Don't come driving down the lane on Matt Zimmer with your "coaches portal is always open" snark, Jay Bilas.   The Sioux Falls Live sports editor will be ready to stuff, dead in its tracks, the notion (and Bilas' Monday tweet ) that Dusty May leaving national champion Michigan after just two years for the NBA symbolizes the hypocrisy of college basketball purists who oppose players transferring w...

Parachute from an airplane onto the beaches of Normandy and into trenches of World War II, where bullets and grenades are flying and men are dying all around you as you ambush German soliders while trying to figure out both how to surive and help save the world from Nazi persecution.    Enter the ring to exchange haymakers during Golden Gloves state championships and national tournaments.    Witne...

From June 6, 2025: Happy Hour's first interview with veteran sports writer, columnist, and now book author Stu Whitney: Stu Whitney's high school football team celebrated a big win by gleefully ripping to shreds a newspaper column he wrote claiming they weren't worthy of the playoffs. He ended up being right. The head football coach at Michigan State invited Stu into his office to berate him at th...

Down the stretch they come!   J.J. McCarthy vs. Kyler Murray to become Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback.   Christine Erickson vs. Jamie Smith to become the next mayor of Sioux Falls.   Both races have heated up over the last few weeks as the finish line draws closer.   Who will win? What have the combatants done to position themselves for a win?    If only there was a local talk show that co...

Sioux Falls Live's editor and primary political reporter has spent over 30 years covering city and state government and elections in his hometown of Sioux Falls.     He was part of a panel that peppered mayoral runoff candidates Christine Erickson and Jamie Smith in one of the recent head-to-head debates.   What are his observations from those debates? How much more have we learned about them sinc...

The former Minnesota Vikings linebacker (2006-10) and South Dakota Sports Hall of Famer has had almost unparalleled access for over a decade as a sideline analyst and postgame locker room interviewer for the Vikings Audio Network. The Vermillion High School alumnus has seen the performances of Arizona Cardinals import Murray and Vikings top 10 draft pick McCarthy up close at recent Vikings mini-ca...

Ryan McKnight tackles the meatiest issues facing South Dakota State football the same way he blocked tacklers in the old Great West conference: He comes right at you, fearlessly and with abandon.   The former All-American center who was part of the Jackrabbits' first FCS playoff team in 2010 returns to Happy Hour a year after  walking us through his unique football journey  from Sioux Falls Washin...

Sioux Falls Live sports reporter Trent Singer joins the Happy Hour host for their weekly "Thirsty Thursday" podcast from Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls.   This week's episode airs on Wednesday and covers:   * The  Summit League's decision to stick with its streaming and national television package  partners from Midco Sports (streaming) and CBS Sports Network (live games — 7-9 games in regular...

Ryan McKnight tackles the meatiest issues facing South Dakota State football the same way he blocked tacklers in the old Great West conference: He comes right at you, fearlessly and with abandon.   The former All-American center who was part of the Jackrabbits' first FCS playoff team in 2010 returns to Happy Hour a year after  walking us through his unique football journey  from Sioux Falls Washin...

There are weeks when Matt Zimmer and the Happy Hour host are flooded with wild local sports events or crazy controversies to react, with passionate opinions bursting like fireworks for a full hour on the weekly "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcasts.   And then there are weeks like this one in the middle of June.    It's that time of the year when the mellow and dreamy 1967 Dr. Saxlove song "Groovin...

It is difficult to find a more beloved sports figure in South Dakota than Mike Begeman.   But being a gregarious and gracious good guy is not what earned the Parker native an upcoming spot in the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.   Begeman scored 1,477 points, was a three-time All-State shooting guard, and won 70 games (to just 10 losses) in three seasons for legendary coach Gayle Hoover in Parker...

The Parker High School star was part of a 1978 NCC title team with Augustana, then jumped straight into head coaching at the varsity high school level— Colman, West Central, and O'Gorman. Hear about the revival of the Knights program, some epic state championship games, and the emotion of watching son Mitch lead Roosevelt to two state titles.  Why did Mike hang it up before age 50, and why does he...

The former O'Gorman, West Central, and Colman coach who became a Sanford Health executive describes what retirement has been like and takes us back to his formative years on the farm near Parker and playing for prep legend Gayle Hoover.

It's a small basketball world after all. At least in South Dakota. If you were wondering whether there was a local tie to USD and Summit League leading scorer Isaac Bruns' transfer portal landing spot at USC, you were correct. Well, kind of. South Dakotans know the name Eric Musselman well. The third-year Trojan head coach is the son of former Golden Gopher coach and the first-ever Minnesota Timbe...

Does our modern culture frequently and recklessly crown the latest thrilling game or epic game-winning play as  maybe  the best damn greatest of all time?   Guilty.   But how can the Knicks' 29-point, largest comeback in NBA Finals history — capped by an insanely athletic put back off a missed three-pointer with one second left — not barge right into the conversation, recency bias and all?   While...

Does our modern culture frequently and recklessly crown the latest thrilling game or epic game-winning play as  maybe  the best damn greatest of all time?   Guilty.   But how can the Knicks' 29-point, largest comeback in NBA Finals history — capped by an insanely athletic put back off a missed three-pointer with one second left — not barge right into the conversation, recency bias and all?   While...

Coming off Wednesday's insane Knicks comeback win and last-second shot in the NBA Finals, we're going to conjure some of the most thrilling, epic games in Sioux Falls and South Dakota basketball history (preps, college, Skyforce), with submissions from the foremost chroniclers of such events like Stu Whitney, Craig Mattick, Terry Vandrovec, the Happy Hour host, and veteran local sportswriter Trent...

It's party time for both soccer die-hards and those who watch the sport only when Team USA plays in the World Cup.   For the American men, it has been 12 years. Welcome back to the party, indeed, pal.   The first USA game is on Friday night against Paraguay, and Happy Hour provided an entertaining "World Cup 101 for Dummies" cram session for those who want some idea of what to expect on Friday and...

It's party time for both soccer die-hards and those who watch the sport only when Team USA plays in the World Cup.   For the American men, it has been 12 years. Welcome back to the party, indeed, pal.   The first USA game is on Friday night against Paraguay, and Happy Hour provided an entertaining "World Cup 101 for Dummies" cram session for those who want some idea of what to expect on Friday and...