The Doghouse

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The Doghouse is a community-first sports and storytelling podcast rooted in Sikeston, Missouri. What starts with Bulldogs basketball often turns into something bigger: the people, the programs, and the moments that shape a town. Each episode blends real game breakdowns, behind-the-scenes perspective, and conversations with coaches, athletes, alumni, local leaders, and difference-makers across Southeast Missouri. If you care about Bulldog Nation and the stories that make Sikeston feel like home, you’re in the right place.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep 84 - Take a Second Look | Steve McPheeters on Sikeston's Future

    Send us Fan Mail A pick six on the first play can make you think a game will be easy. Friday night against Dexter proved the opposite and that’s why we love it. We break down a tense Bulldogs win that turns into overtime, talk through the momentum swings, and spotlight the moments that mattered most, from special teams sparks to defensive stands that show real growth. Starting 2-0 for the first time since 2021 feels good, but the bigger point is what it says about culture, composure, and making the winning play at the winning time. Then we sit down with Steve McPheeters, a trusted voice in Sikeston and Southeast Missouri who has spent decades in banking, chamber leadership, and economic development and now shares positive local stories through McPheeters Beat on KYMO. Steve walks us through what has changed in Sikeston, why we have to tell our story better, and why “take a second look” might be the most accurate slogan we could adopt. We dig into the real building blocks of community growth: schools, the YMCA, the hospital’s impact, the higher education center, and the partnerships that help a town move in one direction. We also get practical about what’s holding growth back. Steve makes a clear case that housing is the missing piece, explains why building costs are so high, and why more places to live is tied directly to workforce, business recruitment, and long-term stability. If you care about Sikeston Missouri, small-town community leadership, economic development, and Bulldogs pride, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to The Doghouse, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these Sikeston stories. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  2. Aug 30

    Ep 83.5 - Opening Night Statement | A Strong First Step

    Send us Fan Mail The score says 32-7, but the bigger story is what it took to get there. We’re back with a special audio-only “Episode 83.5” of The Dog House, reacting to Sikeston Bulldogs football opening night against Park Hills and the signs that this team is taking a real step forward under Coach May. We talk through the things that actually win high school football games: a defensive front that owns short yardage, a group that flies to the ball, and an offense that stays calm even when it gets behind the chains. We also give love to the individual moments that swung momentum, from Jace’s steady game management to clutch third-down plays and contested catches from Lane Meyer, plus a late first-half call that gets Christian Gibson wide open. Then we zoom out to the road ahead: the Dexter Bearcats trip, what “success” looks like this season, how district expectations are shaping up, and why the SEMO Conference chase matters when a program is building confidence week by week. Before we sign off, we slow down for something bigger than sports. Our community is hurting, and we share practical, specific ways to support a grieving family, along with reminders that it’s okay to ask for help. Counselors will be available at school, and the 988 crisis line is there 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who could use it. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  3. Aug 29

    Ep 83 - Mike Jensen - former editor and co-owner Standard Democrat newspaper | Headlines, History and a New Calling

    Send us Fan Mail The internet was once easy to dismiss, until it became the force that reshaped local journalism, politics, and everyday life. We sit down with Mike Jensen, a Sikeston native who spent nearly five decades in the newspaper business and helped shape what became the Standard Democrat, to talk about what it means to document a town while you’re living in it. Mike walks us from the era of manual typewriters, paste pots, and early offset printing to the moment newspapers lost the advantage of being “first.” We dig into how “Speak Out” gave residents a public place to vent, argue, and ask questions long before social media took over, and why that kind of local forum can be both valuable and volatile. Along the way, he shares the hard lesson of underestimating the internet and the real impact it had on small-town reporting, advertising, and attention. We also zoom out to what Mike believes Sikeston gets right: generosity and civic buy-in. From the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center and the YMCA to big community decisions that fueled jobs and infrastructure, he argues that the town’s best story is its people. And after leaving the paper, he finds a new purpose leading the Christian Academy, where he’s “paid in hugs” and focused on helping the next generation grow. Subscribe for more Sikeston stories, share this with someone who loves the 573, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  4. Aug 22

    Ep 82 - Defense Travels: The Jimmy Lincoln Story

    Send us Fan Mail A coach with 450 plus wins does not talk about magic plays first. He talks about defense, relationships, and the kind of work that shows up when the legs are tired and the season gets tight. We sit down with Jimmy Lincoln, a Sikeston graduate whose basketball journey runs from small Missouri schools to Division I staffs at Northwestern State and Austin Peay, then back home as head coach and athletic director at Leopold.  We dig into the roots: moving from Dexter to Sikeston, the impact of legendary mentor Buddy Spears, and how old school standards can still work when you pair them with real connection off the court. Jimmy shares what it takes to turn programs around, why “defense travels,” and how he uses load management, film, and analytics to keep teams sharp in February. If you coach or follow high school basketball in Southeast Missouri, you will recognize the gyms, the rivalries, and the details that make this area special.  The Division I stories are eye-opening: scholarship rosters full of scorers, nonstop recruiting, the transfer portal, NIL, and a daily schedule that makes basketball a full-time job. Jimmy also tells what it was like coaching Hansel Emmanuel and managing the attention that follows standout players.  If you care about Missouri basketball, coaching philosophy, player development, and building a sustainable team culture, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share it with a basketball person in your life, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  5. Aug 15

    Ep 81 - The Other Side of the Whistle | Joe Baldwin and Joe Bill Davis

    Send us Fan Mail You’ve watched a close game swing on one call and thought, “How do they miss that?” Now flip the view. We’re joined by two of the most experienced voices on the other side of the whistle: Joe Baldwin and Joe Bill Davis, longtime high school sports officials who’ve spent decades working basketball, baseball, and volleyball across Southeast Missouri. Between them, they’ve logged roughly 40 to 50-plus years per sport, and the stories feel like a full tour of small-town gyms, heated rivalries, and nights where you’re trying to keep order while everything moves at full speed.  We talk about how officials actually get trained, from mechanics meetings and mentoring new refs to studying the rulebook and taking annual tests. They break down what “good officiating” really means: consistency, positioning, communication, and managing the flow of the game, not hunting for perfection. They also explain how the sports have changed, from faster and more physical basketball to modern strategies built around the three-point line, plus what it’s like handling coaches who need to vent and fans who think yelling is part of the ticket price.  Then we get into the debates everyone has opinions on: shot clocks in high school basketball, pitch counts in baseball, the run rule, rally scoring in volleyball, and whether instant replay helps or harms the game. Along the way, you’ll hear unforgettable moments, including a midgame ref substitution that stunned a coach, and a jaw-dropping story about calling Albert Pujols in a high school state tournament before the rest of the world knew his name.  If you care about high school sports, referees, umpires, MSHSAA-style officiating, or the future of games in your community, this one will change how you watch. Subscribe, share it with a coach or sports parent, and leave us a review so more people hear the truth behind the whistle. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  6. Aug 8

    Ep 80 - Spread Hope Now (Mari Ann Moyers and Jill Hopson) | Hope Is a Verb

    Send us Fan Mail Hope is easy to talk about and harder to live, until you meet people who treat it like a verb. We’re joined by Mari Ann Moyers, co-director of Spread Hope Now, and Jill Hopson, director of Hope 180, to share how a local, faith-based nonprofit in Sikeston, Missouri turns everyday generosity into crisis support that actually changes lives. We dig into how Spread Hope Now starts with simple service projects and grows into a network that helps families who are starting over after a fire, a move out of an unsafe home, or a season where money and stability collapse at the same time. You’ll hear how their donation center works, why they verify needs through referrals, and what it looks like to deliver furniture, stock a kitchen-in-a-box, and even pray over a home as a first step toward stability. Then we shift to the ministries under the Spread Hope Now umbrella: Hope 180, an after-school program for junior high and high school students with meals, games, art, and mentoring; the Warming Center that opens during freezing weather to provide hot food, showers, laundry, and connection to resources; and Journey House, a foster care transitional home designed to reduce trauma for children while caseworkers find placement. Along the way, we talk volunteer opportunities, community partnerships, and the small “only God” moments that keep showing up right on time. If you care about Sikeston, Southeast Missouri, or what practical hope looks like in real life, listen through and share it with a friend. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what act of kindness you’re going to do today. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  7. Aug 1

    Ep 79 - Coming Home: Andy McGill's Vision for Sikeston R6

    Send us Fan Mail A superintendent who once sat in the same classrooms he now leads changes the whole feel of a school district. We talk with Andy McGill, the new superintendent of Sikeston R6, about what it means to come home as the first Sikeston High School graduate to hold the top job and to do it while raising his own kids in the district. From the start, Andy makes it clear that leadership is not about ego; it is about serving students, supporting staff, and earning trust through consistent, visible work. We dig into the big moving pieces facing Sikeston R6 right now: the recently passed bond issue, major facility upgrades and added classrooms, and the hard logistics that come with change. Andy also breaks down real public school finance in Missouri, including why districts rely on state funding and property taxes, how budget rules can shift, and why “people over programs” becomes the guiding principle when resources tighten. If you care about school funding, district efficiency, and doing right by taxpayers without losing sight of kids, you will appreciate how direct this conversation gets. Then we zoom out to the heart of public education: opportunity. Andy talks about A+ Scholarship pathways, cadet teaching, and why extracurriculars are an extension of the classroom, whether that is athletics, band, choir, drama, FFA, or esports. His message to students is simple and serious: you matter, you are cared for, and you can be successful regardless of where you start.  Subscribe for more Sikeston stories, share this with a fellow Bulldog, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What do you want from your school district leaders most right now? 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

  8. Jul 25

    Ep 78 - Isaac Quick, John Leible, Jeremiah Quick - What It Takes to Build a World-Class Rodeo

    Send us Fan Mail A rodeo this big does not “just happen” because the calendar flips to August. We sit down with current rodeo chairman Isaac Quick, current co-chair John Leible, and past chairman Jeremiah Quick to unpack how the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo is planned, built, and run by an army of volunteers who treat the grounds like a second home. Two weeks out, they are juggling weather, workdays, fences, new buildings, and the nonstop problem-solving that never makes the highlight reel. We dig into what’s new and what’s next, including the Hay Barn concept built to improve the patron experience with daytime music and a true after party flow once the arena entertainment ends. The guys also explain how entertainment booking really works now, why certain nights hit sellout fast, and why Sikeston is investing in a permanent stage to keep attracting top-tier acts and improve concert production. If you care about event operations, logistics, or how a community scales a tradition without losing its personality, this conversation delivers real details. On the rodeo side, we get into PRCA realities: slack changes meant to draw better contestants, why added money and a $25,000-per-event purse can move the needle for athletes chasing the NFR, and how Cowboy Channel coverage expands the rodeo’s national reach. We also talk about the mission behind the madness: sponsorships, donations back into the community, and the economic impact that stretches far beyond the arena gates. If you love Sikeston, small-town traditions, or the craft behind a world-class rodeo week, hit play, subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who needs a reason to come experience it in person. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and share The Doghouse — your home for Sikeston Bulldogs and everything Sikeston. 🎧 Listen: Apple | Spotify | Amazon Music | Buzzsprout | iHeartRadio 🌐 Visit: thedoghouse.buzzsprout.com 📱 Follow: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube  ✉️ Contact: doghouse.sikeston@gmail.com

About

The Doghouse is a community-first sports and storytelling podcast rooted in Sikeston, Missouri. What starts with Bulldogs basketball often turns into something bigger: the people, the programs, and the moments that shape a town. Each episode blends real game breakdowns, behind-the-scenes perspective, and conversations with coaches, athletes, alumni, local leaders, and difference-makers across Southeast Missouri. If you care about Bulldog Nation and the stories that make Sikeston feel like home, you’re in the right place.