The Mike McFeely Mess

Sam Herder, Football Championship Subdivision national analyst for HERO Sports, joins podcast host Mike McFeely for a wide-ranging interview about the state of FCS. What does it mean that four teams are likely to dominate the subdivision for the foreseeable future? Who are the next programs that could rise up? Was Missouri State right to leave FCS for FBS?

And, of course, how does Sam view the aspirations of some at North Dakota State to move up a level if possible, and the apparent comfort South Dakota State feels in FCS.

Also, Mike can't resist a couple of hot takes.

Ben Portnoy, reporter for the Sports Business Journal, joins host Mike McFeely to give a 101 level class on the massive House vs. NCAA lawsuit settlement that will be announced this week. It has the potential to be one of the most ground-shaking outcomes in college sports history.

At issue is a settlement the NCAA and Power Five conferences reached with former college athletes who sought "back pay" for missed opportunities to get paid for their name, image and likeness. Critics say the NCAA and Power Five leagues are looking out for their best interests while dumping on the other Division I conferences and schools.

Portnoy says a counter-proposal by those "lower" leagues is being discussed right now.

Apologies from the start: This podcast recording is rough because Clay Jenkinson was in the woods of Vermont when we reached him and his Internet connection cuts out for long stretches, which means there are long stretches of silence when he is supposed to be talking.

Also, host Mike McFeely recorded it from home and his dogs chose to bark wildly at a couple of different junctures during the discussion with Clay.

So there's that.

Instead of re-recording or heavy editing or deleting the podcast altogether, the McFeely Mess staff (Mike) made the decision to run with it.

Listen at your own risk.

That said, the North Dakota scholar wanted to weigh in on Gov. Doug Burgum kissing up to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

If you can make it through, good stuff.

Forum business reporter and columnist Tammy Swift joins podcast host Mike McFeely to chat about a story Tammy wrote about world-famous Dot's Pretzels leaving little Velva, North Dakota, after the company was purchased by food giant Hershey's Company. The two dozen or so jobs the move eliminated is bad, but the small town near Minot in north central North Dakota also lost a big part of its identity when Hershey's closed the Dot's production plant and moved operations to Pennsylvania. Tammy wrote about it all in a story that appeared on the InForum.com website recently.

Aaron Rupar, publisher of the Public Notice newsletter and longtime political commentator and Trump follower on social media, joins host Mike McFeely to chat about how Aaron can keep his sanity having to watch and dissect so many rallies and press conferences of former president Donald Trump. They talk about this fall's election and its potential consequences.

Trump and President Joe Biden are, of course, the gist of the conversation, but former U.S. congresswoman Michele Bachmann's name makes a cameo, too. And Mike couldn't resist talking a little Minnesota Timberwolves with Aaron, who is a super-fan of the rising NBA team.

Forum columnist Jim Shaw joins host Mike McFeely to break down the debate between North Dakota Republican gubernatorial candidates Kelly Armstrong and Tammy Miller. Spoiler alert: Both Jim and Mike found it to be a snoozer. Jim also gives his thoughts on how Cara Mund will do in the June primary for the state's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

WDAY-TV sports host and North Dakota State play-by-play broadcaster Dom Izzo joins host Mike McFeely of The Forum to talk about the spring football transfer portal opening and the NDSU spring game coming up this weekend (it's actually a "showcase," not a game).

So far — and we emphasize so far — no Bison players have entered the portal in the first couple of days it's been open in the spring window. Other schools have not been so lucky. We'll have to keep watching to see if any NDSU players leave the program, and how important they are to the Bison.

Also, Dom lays out a few positions and players he'll keep an eye on during Saturday's Bison football showcase at the Fargodome. Which young players will pop? Who needs to step up? What position groups have the most questions?

Forum reporter Tasha Carvell joins host Mike McFeely to discuss some of her recent stories, including one that involves a North Dakota judge throwing out a lawsuit a Native American group with tenuous ties to the state filed against the NFL's Washington Commanders. Tasha also gives an update on former North Dakotan Rockne Earles, who had his charges amped up for his role in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. She also touches on the latest news involving the federal search warrant granted in the Ray Holmberg case. It's a very newsy podcast.

Talk-show host Joel Heitkamp of KFGO and the "News and Views" radio network joins host Mike McFeely to talk some politics, specifically Donald Trump and his hawking of Bibles to help pay his bills.

Unsurprisingly, Joel and Mike find hypocrisy and humor in Trump selling the Bible.

They also touch on other political topics like Joe Biden, immigration and the North Dakota Republican gubernatorial primary between Kelly Armstrong and Tammy Miller.

Former editorial page editor of The Forum Jack Zaleski joins host Mike McFeely to talk about North Dakota's Republican primary for governor between U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Tammy Miller. The TV ads are unavoidable and they are getting nastier. Also, how much sway will Gov. Doug Burgum have in the race and the latest on North Dakota's anti-abortion extremists getting even more extreme.