Wolves: ANT unhappy? Randle traded. Did they get better? Now what? Chris Johnson joins

FULL SHOW: NCAA 5-for-5 & what it means for Jacks & Yotes, Chris Johnson on Wolves trading Randle, and Patrick Lalley on the big mayoral tie

The eligibility of athletes competing in the NCAA will likely never be the same. The Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to cut off their nose to save their face. One of the most incredible outcomes of an election in a city the size of Sioux Falls means it will be at least another couple of weeks before we know who the next mayor will be. Those are three whopping developments over the last three days. Three topics ripe for insight and lively conversation on Happy Hour. The host broke down the unanimously-passed "5-for-5" rule that could mean seismic shifts in how college athletes' careers are spent. What is the rule? How are prominent Div. I athletes in South Dakota impacted? The host used the examples of six of the most high-profile and accomplished recent athletes in the Dakotas to explain how the new rule will or would have applied to them and their chances of getting an extra year to compete: Chase Mason, Aidan Bouman, Brooklyn Meyer, Angelina Robles, Avery Koenen, Bergen Reilly. Of course, like most NCAA rules passed lately, it might get overturned in court. But it might not. Timberwolves tides turn on Randle. Now what? First Karl-Anthony Towns two years ago. Now, Julius Randle. Anthony Edwards again loses his No. 2, or Robin to his Batman, in a trade the Minnesota Timberwolves clearly deemed necessary to strengthen their chances of an NBA title. Or at least reaching the NBA FInals. Randle's undeniably lousy NBA Playoffs performance, made worse by reports of his moodiness that did not go over well with coaches and teammates, led general manager Tim Connely to deal the 31-year-old three-time All-Star power forward — the main piece of the trade two years ago that sent KAT to the Knicks — to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade with the Chicago Bulls on Monday. If you believe some NBA circles, ANT is not happy in Minnesota because of these moves. Should we believe that ANT may be itching to leave Minneapolis? As importantly, did the Wolves get better by discarding Randle, which opened room in the bank to sign guard Ayo Dosumnu to a five-year deal worth $122 million, or $22.5M per year? This all happened before the NBA Draft, which started on Tuesday. The Wolves gave up their first round pick (No. 28) as part of the deal. Ahead of Wednesday's second round, in which Minnesota will select the No. 33 pick, Happy Hour sat down with resident Timberwolves analyst and pulls-no-punches die-hard fan Chris Johnson, the University of Sioux Falls men's basketball coach and Twin Cities native. The moves, ANT's happiness, the decision to let Nickeil Alexander-Walker walk last summer, the team's depth, the lack of a true point guard (at the moment)... all factor into the Timberwolves' chances of emerging again as a Western Conference and NBA Finals contender. So... are they? Johnson digs in. Mayor's Race still up in the air You think two points is a narrow margin of victory and defeat in a football or basketball game? Well, 40-38 or 116-114 has nothing on 18,279 to 18,277. That's the vote tally in favor of Christine Erickson from Tuesday's mayoral runoff election in Sioux Falls. By percentages, it was a 49.91 to 49.91 percent tie. There will be a recount. We won't know who will be the city's next mayor for at least a couple of weeks. Sioux Falls Live editor Patrick Lalley has covered political races and elections in Sioux Falls and South Dakota for over 30 years and has tirelessly covered this particular campaign. Lalley sat down with the host at Orion Pub to make sense of the results, including how Smith narrowed the gap between him and Erickson by 9 percent from the initial election three weeks ago. In general, these "postgame" conversations all ask and answer the question, "What does this all mean?" Stocking stuffer: What Lalley makes of the three city council seats won on Tuesday?

Two votes! Patrick Lalley on the Sioux Falls mayoral race to go to recount after dead heat

You think two points is a narrow margin of victory and defeat in a football or basketball game? Well, 40-38 or 116-114 has nothing on 18,279 to 18,277. That's the vote tally in favor of Christine Erickson from Tuesday's mayoral runoff election in Sioux Falls. By percentages, it was a 49.91 to 49.91 percent tie. There will be a recount. We won't know who will be the city's next mayor for at least a couple of weeks. Sioux Falls Live editor Patrick Lalley has covered political races and elections in Sioux Falls and South Dakota for over 30 years and has tirelessly covered this particular campaign. Lalley sat down with the host at Orion Pub to make sense of the results, including how Smith narrowed the gap between him and Erickson by 9 percent from the initial election three weeks ago. In general, these "postgame" conversations all ask and answer the question, "What does this all mean?" Stocking stuffer: What Lalley makes of the three city council seats won on Tuesday?

Wolves: ANT unhappy? Randle traded. Did they get better? Now what? Chris Johnson joins

First Karl-Anthony Towns two years ago. Now, Julius Randle. Anthony Edwards again loses his No. 2, or Robin to his Batman, in a trade the Minnesota Timberwolves clearly deemed necessary to strengthen their chances of an NBA title. Or at least reaching the NBA FInals. Randle's undeniably lousy NBA Playoffs performance, made worse by reports of his moodiness that did not go over well with coaches and teammates, led general manager Tim Connely to deal the 31-year-old three-time All-Star power forward — the main piece of the trade two years ago that sent KAT to the Knicks — to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade with the Chicago Bulls on Monday. If you believe some NBA circles, ANT is not happy in Minnesota because of these moves. Should we believe that ANT may be itching to leave Minneapolis? As importantly, did the Wolves get better by discarding Randle, which opened room in the bank to sign guard Ayo Dosumnu to a five-year deal worth $122 million, or $22.5M per year? This all happened before the NBA Draft, which started on Tuesday. The Wolves gave up their first round pick (No. 28) as part of the deal. Ahead of Wednesday's second round, in which Minnesota will select the No. 33 pick, Happy Hour sat down with resident Timberwolves analyst and pulls-no-punches die-hard fan Chris Johnson, the University of Sioux Falls men's basketball coach and Twin Cities native. The moves, ANT's happiness, the decision to let Nickeil Alexander-Walker walk last summer, the team's depth, the lack of a true point guard (at the moment)... all factor into the Timberwolves' chances of emerging again as a Western Conference and NBA Finals contender. So... are they? Johnson digs in.

NCAA 5-for-5 eligibility rule passes. Chase Mason survives it. Which prominent Jacks & Yotes don't?

NCAA 5-for-5 eligibility rule passes. Chase Mason survives it. Which prominent Jacks & Yotes don't?

NLA: Zim on "coaches portal always open" (Dusty May), Summit hoops TV-streaming deal, Jacks new 3-star CB commit, CWS & college baseball, Twins vs Ohtani, Wolves trading Randle, Linda Cohn, "Cheers" creator dying

Don't come driving down the lane on Matt Zimmer with your "coaches portal is always open" snark, Jay Bilas. The Sioux Falls Live sports editor will be ready to stuff, dead in its tracks, the notion (and Bilas' Monday tweet [https://x.com/JayBilas/status/2069108563130167803]) that Dusty May leaving national champion Michigan after just two years for the NBA symbolizes the hypocrisy of college basketball purists who oppose players transferring whenever they want. That's just one of many topics—several involving the modern college sports conversation around eligibility, scholarships, NIL, and transferring—covered in this week's "Nobody's Listening Anyway" podcast with Zim and the Happy Hour host at Gateway Lounge in Sioux Falls. On the other side of the precarious nature of coaching college hoops is USD's Eric Peterson, who is entering the final year of a contract his athletic director Jon Schemmel was unwilling to extend. With his job conceivably on the line and with almost every player who contributed last season having transferred, Peterson rebuilt his roster, [https://www.siouxfallslive.com/sports/college/usd-basketball-a-closer-look-at-eric-petersons-rebuilt-coyote-roster] and Zim explains why he is impressed by the project. Then, there's the changing landscape of college baseball, which just exited its largest stage at the College World Series last night in Omaha. What about that sport has improved dramatically, and why will it likely never become a "summer sport" that ends in August instead of June? Also on the table this week: * Why Zimmer was captivated by his friend and former boss Stu Whitney's recently-released book "The Great Burns" about legendary local football coach Bob Burns * Shohei Ohtani showed out in his first at-bat against the Twins at Target Field, which leads to another Zim rant about the buffoonery of the Twins' ownership and front office management * The Timberwolves traded Julius Randle in what is widely considered a salary dump, which cleared room to sign guard Ayo Dosunmu to a five-year, $112 million deal. Good moves? What's next, or what should be? * What should we make of the Jackrabbits landing a rare 3-star football commit— Larenzz Pratt? * 34-year ESPN Sportscenter Linda Cohn is retiring after hosting the most episodes (5,500+) in the history of the iconic show * The return of the "Dead Guy of the Week"