Happy Hour with John Gaskins

Fans want to be entertained, and losing doesn't entertain them.
 
It is a simple but true statement, especially if your squad draws the biggest crowds in its league.
 
That's why Long Island native Ryan Cruthers has taken on a bullish approach to restore the order for the Sioux Falls Stampede — regularly the USHL's attendance leader but a non-playoff outfit in the three years before he arrived in South Dakota last season.
 
To him, that is an unacceptable way to play in front of an ever-dedicated fan base.
 
After leading the Herd to the second round of the playoffs in his first season behind the bench, Cruthers has the Stampede rumbling to at a 31-14-1-0 record and the second-highest points total in the league, keeping them on pace for a first round bye.
 
On Thursday's "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" from the Orion Pub, Cruthers details the types of players he prefers — his "PHD's" — that has fueled the team to this point. The launching pad of this rise was Cruthers' hellbent urge to make the Stampede deliver a product that honors the Stampede's proud winning tradition.
 
This has included efforts well beyond the ice to connect his teenagers from all over North America to the Sioux Falls community. 
 
And, if you didn't think last Saturday's Weiner Dog Races Night — which drew a state record crowd for an indoor sporting event with 11,167 attendees — wasn't a bigger game than most because they all count the same, you'll want to hear what Cruthers said.
 
Speaking of packing them in, South Dakota State's men's basketball team played Summit League leader North Dakota State in front of 3,619 fans at FB&T Arena on Wednesday. The underdog Jackrabbits leaped to an early lead before a late first half run sprung the Bison on their way to a 74-66 win.
 
SDSU has lost six of its last eight games, with three of those losses coming in a building that had been one of the 10 toughest in the nation to play over the last decade-plus. 

On a Thirsty Thursday local sports session over beers, the Happy Hour host opines with Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer on why the Jacks' haven't lit a late-season spark yet. They also dig in to the weekend ahead for the Summit League, including a golden opportunity for the USD women at home on Saturday against conference leader North Dakota State, who is 12-0 in league play.
 
The two also preview Round 2 of Augustana vs USF hoops, which will be waged in Augie's Elmen Center on Saturday and where things sit heading into next week's Northern Sun conference tournament. 
 
Heading into the backyard battle, the Cougars will be coming off one of the best individual performances in school history — true freshman Brogan Madson's 45-point barrage in a thrilling Thursday overtime home win over Wayne State to take the Coo step closer to hosting a first round game on Wednesday. 
 
The USF women also beat the Wildcats to keep their hopes alive for a postseason game in the Stewart Center on Wednesday. 
 
Everything has been hard-earned for Travis Traphagen's injury-riddled Cougars, who were picked to finish second in the NSIC but lost potential All-American center Kami Wadsworth — first team All-NSIC last year — to a torn knee ligament in their exhibition game at Utah in November.
 
At 12-15 (9-12 NSIC), it hasn't been the most dazzling of seasons, but there have been bright spots and a progression that makes Traphagen optimistic they could pop for a big late-season run. One freshman's recent surge wets the appetite for a monster season when she teams up with Wadsworth in the post next year.
 
Traphagen, now in his 18th year, describes the bumps, bruises, breakthroughs, and some big wins over some of his league's best teams that have come along the way. 
 
"Trap" also regales of stories of Augie-USF past, when he went toe-to-toe with former Vikings coach Dave Krauth, who mentored Traghapen for five years before the latter took the head job three blocks up the street.

Fans want to be entertained, and losing doesn't entertain them.
 
It is a simple but true statement, especially if your squad draws the biggest crowds in its league.
 
That's why Long Island native Ryan Cruthers has taken on a bullish approach to restore the order for the Sioux Falls Stampede — regularly the USHL's attendance leader but a non-playoff outfit in the three years before he arrived in South Dakota last season.
 
To him, that is an unacceptable way to play in front of an ever-dedicated fan base.
 
After leading the Herd to the second round of the playoffs in his first season behind the bench, Cruthers has the Stampede rumbling to at a 31-14-1-0 record and the second-highest points total in the league, keeping them on pace for a first round bye.
 
On Thursday's "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" from the Orion Pub, Cruthers details the types of players he prefers — his "PHD's" — that has fueled the team to this point. The launching pad of this rise was Cruthers' hellbent urge to make the Stampede deliver a product that honors the Stampede's proud winning tradition.
 
This has included efforts well beyond the ice to connect his teenagers from all over North America to the Sioux Falls community. 
 
And, if you didn't think last Saturday's Weiner Dog Races Night — which drew a state record crowd for an indoor sporting event with 11,167 attendees — wasn't a bigger game than most because they all count the same, you'll want to hear what Cruthers said.

,South Dakota State's men's basketball team played Summit League leader North Dakota State in front of 3,619 fans at FB&T Arena on Wednesday. The underdog Jackrabbits leaped to an early lead before a late first half run sprung the Bison on their way to a 74-66 win.
 
SDSU has lost six of its last eight games, with three of those losses coming in a building that had been one of the 10 toughest in the nation to play over the last decade-plus. 

On a Thirsty Thursday local sports session over beers, the Happy Hour host opines with Sioux Falls Live sportswriter Trent Singer on why the Jacks' haven't lit a late-season spark yet. They also dig in to the weekend ahead for the Summit League, including a golden opportunity for the USD women at home on Saturday against conference leader North Dakota State, who is 12-0 in league play.
 
The two also preview Round 2 of Augustana vs USF hoops, which will be waged in Augie's Elmen Center on Saturday and where things sit heading into next week's Northern Sun conference tournament. 
 
Heading into the backyard battle, the Cougars will be coming off one of the best individual performances in school history — true freshman Brogan Madson's 45-point barrage in a thrilling Thursday overtime home win over Wayne State to take the Coo step closer to hosting a first round game on Wednesday.

Round 2 of of this season's Augustana vs USF hoops will be waged in Augie's Elmen Center on Saturday, and both the men's and women's games will have an impact on where things sit for all four teams heading into next week's Northern Sun conference tournament. 
 
The Cougar men will be coming off one of the best individual performances in school history — true freshman Brogan Madson's 45-point barrage in a thrilling Thursday overtime home win over Wayne State to take the Coo step closer to hosting a first round game on Wednesday. 
 
The USF women also beat the Wildcats to keep their hopes alive for a postseason game in the Stewart Center on Wednesday. 
 
Everything has been hard-earned for Travis Traphagen's injury-riddled Cougars, who were picked to finish second in the NSIC but lost potential All-American center Kami Wadsworth — first team All-NSIC last year — to a torn knee ligament in their exhibition game at Utah in November.
 
At 12-15 (9-12 NSIC), it hasn't been the most dazzling of seasons, but there have been bright spots and a progression that makes Traphagen optimistic they could pop for a big late-season run. One freshman's recent surge wets the appetite for a monster season when she teams up with Wadsworth in the post next year.
 
Traphagen, now in his 18th year, describes the bumps, bruises, breakthroughs, and some big wins over some of his league's best teams that have come along the way. 
 
"Trap" also regales of stories of Augie-USF past, when he went toe-to-toe with former Vikings coach Dave Krauth, who mentored Traghapen for five years before the latter took the head job three blocks up the street.

For a decade, North Dakota State officials, (some) Bison fans, and prominent Fargo media dreamed of the Bison graduating from the dominance of the FCS to a new life in higher stakes FBS.
 
Now, it is a reality, with the "pinch me" moment coming on Tuesday, when Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez and other league officials toured Fargo and the NDSU campus on Tuesday and, predictably, had glowing things to say.
 
In just over six months, the Bison will be mixing it up with teams like UNLV, New Mexico Air Force, Hawaii, San Jose State, Wyoming, UTEP, and Northern Illinois. In some cases, they'll be going to those places.
 
And some of those games will be on national TV regularly. The Bison are expected to "win, baby, win" right away. Should they win big, they might be playing in primetime on FOX for the league title and maybe even a G6-saved spot in the College Football Playoff.
 
Should this make South Dakota State and USD envious? Should it make their school leaders hellbent on putting the resources in place to attract FBS leagues in the coming years?
 
Which league would be most attractive — Mountain West, American, or the newly Sac'd-Up MAC? 
 
Or with only two combined national titles — both at SDSU — should the Jackrabbits and Coyotes put their time and energy into only competing for easier-to-attain Missouri Valley Football Conference and national titles forever and ever and ever?
 
Should they win at least one national title before feeling like it is time to take the plunge?
 
That's the focus of Wednesday's "John-o-logue" on "Happy Hour with John Gaskins." The host gives his opinions and delivers some feedback from the fans of both teams.
 
Then, a conversation with Nate Kaeding, Midwest Sports Plus Prep Hoops Analyst.
 
The former Div. I assistant coach and USF associate head coach — now the Sanford Sports Academy basketball coordinator in Sioux Falls — has been on the call for dozens of local games this season, including Tuesday's showdown between the top two teams in boys Class AA, No. 1 Lincoln and No. 2 Roosevelt.
 
The Patriots controlled most of the game and won 59-47, making them still the undisputed top team in the state and championship favorite. But did Tuesday prove they are a slam dunk to hoist the hardware in Rapid City? 
 
What other Class AA boys teams can make things interesting in March? Is Class AA girls an absolute two-horse between No. 1 Brandon Valley and No. 2 O'Gorman? Same question for Boys Class A, with No. 1 West Central and No. 2 Sioux Falls Christian appearing to be on a state final collision course?
 
By the way, Midwest Sports Plus will carry the Lincoln boys game at Jefferson on Friday, along with the Spearfish-Brandon Valley doubleheader, plus Saturday's Spearfish-Harrisburg doubleheader.
 
Next week, all doubleheaders: Brandon Valley at Mitchell (Tuesday), Mitchell at O'Gorman (Thursday), and Huron at Brandon Valley (Friday). The Happy Hour host will be on the call for the latter two twin bills.
 
It's not too late to jump in on the prep hoops fun and get all the games with the Midwest Sports Plus app. Find out how at midwestsportsplus.com.