John-o-logue: C.J. Ham "what if" in transfer portal era, Bama's beatdown, Gronowski's glory, Huskers humiliation

In the midst of Harrison Smith Day at U.S. Bank Stadium, a C.J. Ham Day broke out as well.   At the end of the Minnesota Vikings' meaningless 16-3 season finale win over the Green Bay Packers' JV squad, both Smith and Ham were given (apparently planned) send-off moments, a chance for those still in the Purple Palace to shower the veterans with standing ovations and plenty of tears.   For Smith — a six-time Pro Bowl safety whose career spanned 14 seasons, all in Minnesota — the moment was expected and a big reason some Vikings fans had any reason to attend or watch the game on TV. "Harry the Hit Man" has shown signs of retirement contemplation.   For Ham — an undrafted running back out of Div. II Augustana in Sioux Falls — the ride into the sunset may not have been as anticipated or expected. But the way the Duluth native, teammates, coaches, and fans responded to Ham's moment, it was abundantly clear what he meant to the franchise in his 10-year career, all in purple.   Ham even toted the rock for a touchdown late in the first half.   So, what do we make of C.J. Ham's career — if, indeed, it is over (he didn't say) — and how it went through Sioux Falls? How did this short ball of muscle, who wasn't an All-American at a small college, manage to not just make NFL rosters but play and make a major impact in the locker room for a decade?   That is how the first "Happy Hour with John Gaskins" of 2026 leads off, and one of the several hot football topics tossed around with Kurtiss Riggs — the 11-time championship Sioux Falls Storm head coach, SDSU and high school TV analyst, Sanford Sports Academy football director, record-setting USF quarterback, a best friend and ex-teammate of Kalen DeBoer, and the show's "Monday Afternoon Quarterback."