Happy Hour with John Gaskins

John revels in another thrilling finish and big-name winner at the Sioux Falls PGA Tour Champions stop. Then, something you should know about the Canaries' other king who may have played the last game of his pro career. Mike Hart delivered clutch moments in all three playoff games against Kansas City to (potentially) go out with a bang... just like "Home Run King" Jabari Henry the week before.

So far, so good for South Dakota's two Division I college football teams in 2026.   The Jackrabbits (2-1) and Coyotes both look like FCS national title contenders again, given how they bludgeoned their unranked FCS opponents.    SDSU's average score in beating Stetson and New Haven is 64-10. USD has controlled its three games against Central Connecticut State by an average tally of 47-22.   Things...

So far, so good for South Dakota's two Division I college football teams in 2026.   The Jackrabbits (2-1) and Coyotes both look like FCS national title contenders again, given how they bludgeoned their unranked FCS opponents.    SDSU's average score in beating Stetson and New Haven is 64-10. USD has controlled its three games against Central Connecticut State by an average tally of 47-22.   Things...

It was another air show in a  43-21 takedown of Eastern Washington  for freshman quarterback Austin Modrzewski. There's a lot to like, but what aspects does Vitzthum think the kid needs to work on to be ready for a Boise State defense that will be by far the fastest and most challenging the Coyotes will face all season?   Charles Pierre, Jr. rushed for more yards in Saturday's third game (139)  th...

While the Jacks exploded for 33 second quarter points in a  57-14 romp over New Haven,  they struggled somewhat to break through in the run game on their first couple drives before airing it out and bombarding the Chargers with deep passes.   It seems potentially absurd to ask Jackson how concerned he is about an offense that ran for 256 yards and is averaging over six yards per carry so far, but...

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...

Every Friday, "South Dakota Sports Lounge" displays some of the most captivating and entertaining conversations from daily sports talk shows in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Fargo. Plus, Midwest Sports+ reporter Zach Borg provides a compelling feature story to send Dakotas sports fans into the weekend with a smile.   Here are this week's segments: Happy Hour with John Gaskins : It's early, but Chas...

While SDSU is a respectable 1-1 after last week's loss at Northwestern and USD is a solid 2-0 after a road win at Northern Colorado, how are the other FCS national title contenders faring after a couple contests?   The Montanas are both 2-0, but do they look like contenders once again?   Time to hike over to Big Sky country to hear what former Montana receiver and FCS podcaster Samuel Akem thinks....

The Happy Hour host joins Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer at the Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls for a Thirsty Thursday Football Forecast.    They give their own "things to watch" and predictions for EWU-USD and SDSU's home game against New Haven. What should Jacks fans be watching carefully out of their beloved 45.5-point favorites?   And how about former SDSU coach Jimmy Rogers' fir...

  While SDSU is a respectable 1-1 after last week's loss at Northwestern and USD is a solid 2-0 after a road win at Northern Colorado, how are the other FCS national title contenders faring after a couple contests?   The Montanas are both 2-0, but do they look like contenders once again?   Time to hike over to Big Sky country to hear what former Montana receiver and FCS podcaster Samuel Akem think...

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.   Those are the words of the Socrates of Gen X, Ferris Bueller.   They take on extra meaning when a Gen X'er like Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer visits Chicago, where Ferris Bueller had his day off.   With his own Sloan Peterson by his side, Zim and wife Jenn walked around the Windy City's ico...

Perhaps you were enjoying a pontoon ride on Lake Madison instead of watching South Dakota State play on Lake Michigan. Perhaps you were doing death-defying flips on your jetski instead of watching Austin Modzewski (pronounced muh-jet-ski).    Maybe you were carving waves on your boat tube instead of watching new Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell carve up East Carolina's defense for South Dakota n...

Happy Hour kicks off with a baseball monologue from the Happy Hour host, who was at The Birdcage last week watching what might be the final heroics and a heartbreaking injury of the Sioux Falls Canaries' most decorated and beloved player, Jabari Henry, the "Home Run King" of both the club and the American Association of Professional Baseball.   The Birds will be without their veteran slugger for t...

 Happy Hour's local football analyst Kurtiss Riggs was in Alabama to visit University of Sioux Falls 1996 national championship teammate Kalen DeBoer, who led the Crimson Tide to a 48-10 pillaging of the Pirates. While it was a dominating win, what bemused some Bama fans, and what did Riggs—DeBoer's quarterback in '96 and a quarterbacks coach by trade—see from new Tide QB Keelon Russell?   The 11-...

Perhaps you were enjoying a pontoon ride on Lake Madison instead of watching South Dakota State play on Lake Michigan. Perhaps you were doing death-defying flips on your jetski instead of watching Austin Modzewski (pronounced muh-jet-ski).    Maybe you were carving waves on your boat tube instead of watching new Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell carve up East Carolina's defense for South Dakota n...

Dan Jackson dissects Northwestern loss with plenty of detail 

Every Friday, "South Dakota Sports Lounge" displays some of the most captivating and entertaining conversations from daily sports talk shows in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Fargo. Plus, Midwest Sports+ reporter Zach Borg provides a compelling feature story to send Dakotas sports fans into the weekend with a smile.   Here are this week's segments: Happy Hour with John Gaskins : South Dakota Sports...

Not all FCS vs. Big Ten games are created equal.   South Dakota State at Northwestern is not exactly Stetson at Ohio State.   But you knew that and so does Vegas.   Oddsmakers tab FCS No. 3 SDSU a 13.5- point underdog against the Wildcats, who are picked to finish 14th out of 18 teams in their league.   So, Saturday should be competitive, but what advantages do the Cats own?   Happy Hour calls on...

Not all FCS vs. Big Ten games are created equal.   South Dakota State at Northwestern is not exactly Stetson at Ohio State.   But you knew that and so does Vegas.   Oddsmakers tab FCS No. 3 SDSU a 13.5- point underdog against the Wildcats, who are picked to finish 14th out of 18 teams in their league.   So, Saturday should be competitive, but what advantages do the Cats own?   Happy Hour calls on...

Brandon Valley football coach Matt Christensen describing his squad's trip to the Omaha area to beat Bellevue West in the first of five showdowns between metro area teams from Omaha and Sioux Falls this season.   Christensen also previews his top-rated Lynx battle with No.2 O'Gorman in the Pigskin Classic on Saturday night, a game you can watch live at 6 p.m. and (later) on demand with the Midwest...

The host and Sioux Falls sportswriter Trent Singer tap into the Jacks-Northwestern, USD-Northern Colorado, and O' Gorman-Brandon Valley matchups during the Thirsty Thursday Football Forecast from Orion Pub.   Also covered over a couple pints: Dolly Parton, Banana Ball's invasion of The Birdcage, the Canaries' wild walk-off win and final homestand, and the unforgettable Nebraska-SDSU volleyball mat...

NLA: Zim on Jacks & Yotes dominance, Pioneer League absurdity, Northwestern, Augie/USF, plus the Twins are... fun?!

Back in April, when South Dakota appeared to have a red-hot three-horse starting quarterback race, the Happy Hour host asked new head coach Matt Vitzthum how to pronounce the consonant-heavy last name of the redshirt freshman who was duking it out with a pair of seniors—both of whom had previously been worthy of a roster spot at FBS Northern Illinois.   "You're going to want to remember this name,...

Would USD be ready both on the field and at the bank if the FBS came calling today? The answer to the former seems obvious. The answer to the latter is not so clear.   And what about SDSU?   Instead of wondering, you'll hear what recent plugged-in Happy Hour guests have said to clue the public in on if both South Dakota schools would be ready and able to afford the FBS life that North Dakota State...

The host calls on USD TV analyst and former Coyote cornerback Andre Fields for his own assessment of USD's 59-20 throttling of Central Connecticut Sate, plus some rather deep and illuminating thoughts on the size of USD's home crowds and what can be done to make them grow.   Back in April, when South Dakota appeared to have a red-hot three-horse starting quarterback race, the Happy Hour host asked...