The Mike McFeely Mess Forum Communications Co.

KFGO and "News and Views" radio network host Joel Heitkamp joins host Mike McFeely to talk about North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum's indefensible defense of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and what spurred Burgum to go from a seemingly independent thinker politically to a MAGA mouthpiece.
Also, Joel handicaps the North Dakota primary races coming up June 11 and explains what he believes were the keys to those expected winners coming out on top.
And Joel and Mike (briefly) discuss tattoos.

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.