Andy Fales leaving WHO's SoundOff, will be part of early newscast

Andy Fales is stepping down as co-host of SoundOff, which airs Sunday nights on WHO-TV Channel 13.

And before you ask: It had nothing to do with the recent feedback from irate North Dakota State football fans.

"This has been in the works for the better part of a year," Fales said. "This is a change that I'm happy to make."

Fales will be one of the anchors for WHO's 4 p.m. newscast, running Monday through Friday.

"This is something that I've wanted to do," Fales said. "So I took this opportunity, and they kind of gave me the best of both worlds."

Fales will still do his weekly "What's Bugging Andy" segment for SoundOff, which will be recorded on Fridays.

If all you-know-what breaks out during the weekend, the schedule may be tweaked.

"It's the best of all situations for me," Fales said, "because I do get to keep 'What's Bugging Andy,' which is my favorite part.

"At the same time, I don't have to stay up until 1 a.m. during football season."

Fales' career shift comes after he caused a furor with his Aug. 24 "Bugging" segment.

He took a few verbal jabs at North Dakota State, while also back-handing our local sports landscape.

The idea was to stir things up in fly-over country, and it worked. Fales' Twitter account was inundated with responses even before the Bison beat the Cyclones 34-14. And the pace picked up Saturday afternoon.

You can go to @AndyFales to see the feedback, but some language is not suitable for young eyes. It appears the subtlety was lost on more than a few North Dakota State followers.

"I think that calmed down, I'm kind of disappointed to say," Fales said. "Now, I sort of keep my fingers crossed that North Dakota State and UNI are both in really good standing when they meet Nov. 8.

"So maybe we can have another round with these guys."

Fales, who left SoundOff to work in Kansas City from April 2007 to January of 2008, will still be co-host of the Murph and Andy radio program on KXNO (1460 AM) with Keith Murphy.

TOP TWEETS

STRONG TAKE

No matter which side you're coming from, Ed O'Bannon looks like a pawn.

O'Bannon, a former UCLA basketball star, was the face of a landmark lawsuit that will lead to college athletes having greater control when it comes to their image and likeness.When a U.S. district judge determined last month the NCAA was violating antitrust laws, the ruling was a victory for football and basketball players at schools such as Iowa and Iowa State.

But… According to Jon Solomon of CBS Sports, the law firm representing O'Bannon, Hausfeld LLP, is seeking $52.4 million in fees and costs from the NCAA with hourly rates ranging from $985 to $250.

The judge's ruling enables schools to create a trust fund for players and allows universities to cap the amount as long as it's not lower than $5,000 per year.

In other words, the only folks making big bucks are wearing suits, not sneakers.

SAY WHAT?

A movie about Kurt Warner's life is in the early stages, but TMZ reports the former Northern Iowa quarterback is sharing the wealth with his children. TMZ obtained contracts for five of Warner's kids, which showed they will get 25 percent of the earnings. As the report concludes: "Kurt deserves way more than golf balls or a tie next Father's Day."

STAY TUNED

Steve Deace and Jon Miller are producing podcasts for college football fans three times a week, available only on HawkeyeNation.com. Miller and Deace once worked together on KXNO, before delving into other interests. Deace is better known as a national political pundit and syndicated radio host. Miller is the publisher and founder of Hawkeye Nation. To find the podcast, fans can subscribe through the Stitcher app or by downloading the iTunes app with the keyword "Hawkeye Nation."