June 11, 2025

FULL WEDNESDAY SHOW: Andre Fields / Latest on if Dakotas schools will "opt in" to revenue share / USF coach Chris Johnson on Sittig, NBA, new replay rules

1 hour 20 minutes

One of the all-time legends of the all-time most successful minor league sports franchise in South Dakota history is walking away from that operation.

After 22 years with the Sioux Falls Storm — the last one as head coach — Andre Fields resigned on Tuesday. A day later, he joined Happy Hour host John Gaskins to explain why.

The Storm are dormant in 2025. Does Fields know what the prospects are for the team to come back in 2026? How much did this have to do with his decision?

The University of South Dakota alumnus was a defensive back on the Storm's first four (consecutive) indoor professional league championship teams from 2005-08, then part of five more titles as an assistant coach between 2010-23.

Fields explains what he'll miss most about part of such a decorated organization, why the Storm regressed from 11-time league champion (in 16 years) to a less competitive outfit the last several years, his experiences of his first and only season as a head coach (3-13 record), and if he plans to ever coach at any level of football again.

Before that, John offers the latest developments on how our local Div. I schools may be considering their reaction to the monumental NCAA-House Settlement that would allow schools to pay athletes directly via "revenue sharing."

We thought none of them were going to opt in.

Now, one of them — UND — has its athletic director on the record saying the school is probably going to do opt in after all.

Two of them — NDSU and USD — are on the record saying they are still considering opting in.

One of them — SDSU — is leaning toward still not doing it, when John last received a stance from athletic director Justin Sell on Sunday.

Why have things changed so much? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of "opting in," and what would be the risk of not opting in if peer institutions decided to opt in?

Finally, Happy Hour's unofficial go-to basketball analyst Chris Johnson — the University of Sioux Falls men's basketball coach — weighs in on a variety of topics.

So many people are not watching the Pacers battle the Thunder in NBA Finals, according to ratings... but should we?

Yes, says the Midwestern Div. II head coach and die-hard Minnesota Timberwolves fan. Why does he think the "watchability" factor is high, and what should be the first couple roster moves the Wolves should make to increase their chances of reaching the Finals next year?

Johnson also gives us his perspective on Jake Sittig, the former West Central boys basketball coach who was fired after a historic 21-4 season and exhaustive hearing process with the district's school board. Sittig played for Johnson at USF.

Finally, two lightning rod topics — the new college basketball replay/challenge rule and how a few parents always seem to ruin the experience of youth sports for their kids.

...more

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By John Gaskins

66 ratings