Happy Hour with John Gaskins

By John Gaskins

Join John Gaskins for the hottest sports news from Sioux Falls and beyond.... more

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FAQs about Happy Hour with John Gaskins:

How many episodes does Happy Hour with John Gaskins have?

The podcast currently has 721 episodes available.

Happy Hour with John Gaskins episodes:

April 06, 2026 Austin Sumner: SDSU Years (Part 2, re-release)
Balling with future NFL running back Zach Zenner. Rooming with current South Dakota State tight ends coach Vince Benedetto. Getting chewed out by Brandon Valley coaching legends.

These are stories that can only be told by Austin Sumner, a gun-slinging quarterback who smashed passing records and elevated SDSU from up-and-comers to uppercrusters.

No Mount Rushmore of SDSU quarterbacks is complete without Sumner, the son of two Augustana athletes, whose growth spurt before his freshman year of high school supercharged him into a super talent for nearly a decade.

Dive into the huddle as Sumner screams play calls over the deafening thunder of the Fargodome and Nebraska's Sea of Red.

Sit next to him in the locker room to witness Zenner's unusual if not amazing, pregame ritual. Sit next to him in the car, in the moment he realizes he wanted to be a Jackrabbit.
...more
36min
April 06, 2026 Austin Sumner: The Brandon Valley Years (Part 1, re-release)
The SDSU quarterback legend grew up in Brandon, which would re-emerge as a state football powerhouse during his time with late, great coach Chad Garrow.
...more
52min
April 06, 2026 Austin Sumner FULL CHAT! (Re-Release)
Balling with future NFL running back Zach Zenner. Rooming with current South Dakota State tight ends coach Vince Benedetto. Getting chewed out by Brandon Valley coaching legends.

These are stories that can only be told by Austin Sumner, a gun-slinging quarterback who smashed passing records and elevated football programs at both BVHS and SDSU from up-and-comers to uppercrusters.

No Mount Rushmore of SDSU or BVHS quarterbacks is complete without Sumner, the son of two Augustana athletes, whose growth spurt before his freshman year of high school supercharged him into a super talent for nearly a decade.

Dive into the huddle as Sumner screams play calls over the deafening thunder of the Fargodome and Nebraska's Sea of Red. Walk with him to the sideline for a nose-to-nose tongue lashing from BV football coach Chad Garrow. Walk with him to the locker room for an earful from infuriated BV basketball coach Brent Deckert.

Sit next to him in the locker room to witness Zenner's unusual if not amazing, pregame ritual. Sit next to him in the car, in the moment he realizes he wanted to be a Jackrabbit.

Sumner takes you to all those places in an 85-minute stroll down memory lane with Happy Hour host John Gaskins in the Gateway Lounge. But first, he'll take you to wear he is now, working alongside, of all people, the man who broke his SDSU records — Taryn Christion.
...more
1h 27min
April 02, 2026 FULL SHOW: Thirsty Thursday local sports & food talk + Michael Rand (Star Tribune sports columnist and podcast host)
What a short, strange trip it's been. Also — spirited, successful, and at times sensational. Now, it's over. Now what? Over Miller Lite tallboys at Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Live writer Trent Singer joins the Happy Hour host to look back on a unique season of USD women's basketball, which came to an end with a WNIT "Fab Four" loss on Wednesday. An almost entirely new roster made of mostly transfers. The "core four" senior transfers immediately gelled and swept Coyotes fans, who were hungry for a return to relevance, off their feet by the end of their postseason run. Take a bow, Carrie Eighmey. But don't take a very long breath. It's re-loading season once again. The Coyotes conversation naturally flows into the USD men's issue of roster turnover, which, like many mid-major men's teams, is a byproduct of the transfer portal and irresistible NIL money at higher levels for those who perform well. How much would it help to have more in-state players? Why is Eric Peterson uniquely equipped to handle the turnstile? Next, a high school hoops discussion starts with Sioux Falls Live's Super Six All-Metro team and the recent All-State honors, then dives into the complicated case of the Sioux Falls Lincoln girls, who have won one game in the last two seasons. All roads lead to a grand finale of local food talk. Why is Trent so crazy about Raisin' Canes coming to town and where are the hosts' favorite local places to eat? Michael Rand, Minnesota Star Tribune The veteran columnist recently wrote about the Gopher women's basketball resurgence under former USD coach Dawn Plitzuweit. How did she manage to scrape the program out of the scrap heap of the saturated Twin Cities sports scene, at least for a few days? Rand also wrote about Augustana hockey coach Garrett Raboin reportedly turning down the plum Gopher job. What is it about the seat that Raboin's mentor Bob Motzko gave up that may have kept Raboin in Sioux Falls? How well will the Kyler Murray pickup work with the Minnesota Vikings? What should we anticipate they will do with their first round draft pick? The Timberwolves have been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. How equipped is this year's team to get back there? And then there are the Twins, whose fans have hit a low point, at least in this century. What is there to actually watch and enjoy?
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1h 36min
April 02, 2026 Star Tribune columnist Michael Rand on Gophers (Dawn Plitzuweit, NIL, hockey hire), Vikings (Kyler Murray, draft), Wolves (postseason prediction) & Twins (what's to actually like?)
The veteran columnist recently wrote about the Gopher women's basketball resurgence under former USD coach Dawn Plitzuweit. How did she manage to scrape the program out of the scrap heap of the saturated Twin Cities sports scene, at least for a few days? Rand also wrote about Augustana hockey coach Garrett Raboin reportedly turning down the plum Gopher job. What is it about the seat that Raboin's mentor Bob Motzko gave up that may have kept Raboin in Sioux Falls? How well will the Kyler Murray pickup work with the Minnesota Vikings? What should we anticipate they will do with their first round draft pick? The Timberwolves have been to back-to-back Western Conference Finals. How equipped is this year's team to get back there? And then there are the Twins, whose fans have hit a low point, at least in this century. What is there to actually watch and enjoy?
...more
32min
April 02, 2026 Thirsty Thursday with Trent: Yotes unique season ends, mid-major portal perspectives, prep hoops awards, Yuengling, dingalings, Oppenheimers, Barbies, Raisin' Canes and local food
What a short, strange trip it's been. Also — spirited, successful, and at times sensational. Now, it's over. Now what? Over Miller Lite tallboys at Orion Pub in downtown Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Live writer Trent Singer joins the Happy Hour host to look back on a unique season of USD women's basketball, which came to an end with a WNIT "Fab Four" loss on Wednesday. An almost entirely new roster made of mostly transfers. The "core four" senior transfers immediately gelled and swept Coyotes fans, who were hungry for a return to relevance, off their feet by the end of their postseason run. Take a bow, Carrie Eighmey. But don't take a very long breath. It's re-loading season once again. The Coyotes conversation naturally flows into the USD men's issue of roster turnover, which, like many mid-major men's teams, is a byproduct of the transfer portal and irresistible NIL money at higher levels for those who perform well. How much would it help to have more in-state players? Why is Eric Peterson uniquely equipped to handle the turnstile? Next, a high school hoops discussion starts with Sioux Falls Live's Super Six All-Metro team and the recent All-State honors, then dives into the complicated case of the Sioux Falls Lincoln girls, who have won one game in the last two seasons. All roads lead to a grand finale of local food talk. Why is Trent so crazy about Raisin' Canes coming to town and where are the hosts' favorite local places to eat?
...more
1h 4min
April 02, 2026 FULL SHOW: Mitch Begeman on his basketball life, Brooklyn Meyer's latest honor, and some April Fools Day fun
f only it was an April Fool's trick. Last week, Roosevelt boys basketball coach Mitch Begeman surprised many by stepping down at age 38, after 10 years, two state titles back-to-back (2021 and '22), and a third place state finish this year, finishing at 19-5. It was no April Fool's trick. Begeman joins Happy Hour from the Gateway Lounge to explain how this decision was three years in the making, how he knew all season this would be his last, and how hard it was to deliver the news to his players, principal and athletic director. Long respected as one of the best coaches and humans in the local hoops scene, Begeman held back little in this 70-minute chat that walked through his basketball journey — first as a budding high school star playing for his father Mike at O'Gorman, then at USD during the Coyotes' last D2 days, and into the coaching world after a brief stint as both a personal hoops coach and personal trainer before diving into coaching, first as a Sioux Falls Skyforce assistant, then at Roosevelt. He poured out memories the way he poured his heart and soul into the profession and the lives of his players at a program and school marked by a diverse array of students, including those without father figures. Before that sit-down, the Happy Hour host unfolds some April Fool's Day sports topics. USD tried to pull one on its fans about the Coyote women's WNIT run. A Brandon sportswriter hooked, lined, and sinkered the Happy Hour host into "big breaking news" about that city's high school sports scene. The host and video producer share their favorite teams' and local colleges' "wish it was April Fool's" sports moments — for SDSU, USD, Augustana, USF, the Minnesota Vikings and Nebraska. Additionally, more words are devoted to South Dakota State instant legend Brooklyn Meyer, who learned on Wednesday that she won the Becky Hammon Award as the nation's best mid-major player. It makes the host wonder if Player of the Year or MVP voting (like, the Summit League POY, which Meyer didn't win) should be done differently in all sports at all levels. Also: What do we make of the mass exodus of USD's best men's basketball players?
...more
1h 51min
April 01, 2026 Brookyln Meyer wins Becky Hammon Award (but not Summit POY?!), Yotes play slick April Fool's trick, and sports moments fans wish were April Fool's jokes
The Happy Hour host unfolds some April Fool's Day sports topics. USD tried to pull one on its fans about the Coyote women's WNIT run. A Brandon sportswriter hooked, lined, and sinkered the Happy Hour host into "big breaking news" about that city's high school sports scene. The host and video producer share their favorite teams' and local colleges' "wish it was April Fool's" sports moments — for SDSU, USD, Augustana, USF, the Minnesota Vikings and Nebraska. Additionally, more words are devoted to South Dakota State instant legend Brooklyn Meyer, who learned on Wednesday that she won the Becky Hammon Award as the nation's best mid-major player. It makes the host wonder if Player of the Year or MVP voting (like, the Summit League POY, which Meyer didn't win) should be done differently in all sports at all levels. Also: What do we make of the mass exodus of USD's best men's basketball players?
...more
42min
April 01, 2026 Mitch Begeman on his basketball journey, bond with his father, and why now was the time to quit coaching HS hoops
If only it was an April Fool's trick. Last week, Roosevelt boys basketball coach Mitch Begeman surprised many by stepping down at age 38, after 10 years, two state titles back-to-back (2021 and '22), and a third place state finish this year, finishing at 19-5. It was no April Fool's trick. Begeman joins Happy Hour from the Gateway Lounge to explain how this decision was three years in the making, how he knew all season this would be his last, and how hard it was to deliver the news to his players, principal and athletic director. Long respected as one of the best coaches and humans in the local hoops scene, Begeman held back little in this 70-minute chat that walked through his basketball journey — first as a budding high school star playing for his father Mike at O'Gorman, then at USD during the Coyotes' last D2 days, and into the coaching world after a brief stint as both a personal hoops coach and personal trainer before diving into coaching, first as a Sioux Falls Skyforce assistant, then at Roosevelt. He poured out memories the way he poured his heart and soul into the profession and the lives of his players at a program and school marked by a diverse array of students, including those without father figures.
...more
1h 10min
March 31, 2026 NLA: Zim on Jacks & Yotes NFL pro days, OC chat with Eidsness, USD WNIT run
Get your head out of your ass! It may be one of the most common bellows you hear from frustrated sports fans yelling from either their couch at the TV, or from the stadium stands toward the football field. And it is usually directed toward the offensive coordinator. Over some beers at Gateway Lounge, Sioux Falls Live sports editor Matt Zimmer and the Happy Hour host discuss and share stories about the perils of perceivably the most hated man in football (outside of refs). That part of the latest weekly "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcast revolves around Zim's deep dive with South Dakota State OC Eric Eidsness about "E's" job and life, part of Zim's spring football series "Jacks Chats." Zim also gives his takeaways from both SDSU and USD "pro days," during which recently-departed Jacks and Yotes showed off their skills and athleticism in front of NFL scouts last week. Who stood out? What are some past examples of little-known South Dakota players who raised their NFL stock in their one-and-only live audition in front of people they hoped would employ and pay them to keep playing football? Before all this, the chat starts with a depiction of the South Dakota women's basketball team's WNIT run and a look back at what the 2016 WNIT title meant for that program and fan base. Are Carrie Eighmey, Angelina Robles, Molly Joyce and company becoming the 2.0 version of Amy Williams, Nicole Seekamp, Tia Heimiller, Kelli Stewart, Caitlin Duffy and crew? How palpable is the energy generated from a run (of home games) through a second tier (now third tier) postseason event? What memories are stoked of a DakotaDome filled with 7,415 howling fans for that championship game? Williams, Stewart, Heimiller, and Margaret McCloud joined "The Howling Podcast" 10-year anniversary show for an enjoyable walk down memory lane. Zim and the Happy Host were both there that day and offered their memories. It was memorable. To top of the show, Zim's thoughts on the great (now late) Minnesota Vikings safety Joey Browner and Twins fans' pessimism and disdain toward the Pohlads.
...more
53min

FAQs about Happy Hour with John Gaskins:

How many episodes does Happy Hour with John Gaskins have?

The podcast currently has 721 episodes available.

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