Telich Talks

Its been more than a country minute since my last pod episode. How are you all doing?    We are settling into the Stay at Home life. This episode I talk about the challenges in the business and how athletes are stepping up during the pandemic. Its a late night ramble from my new makeshift studio in the great room of my house that I share with my Bride and our 4 legged daughter Scarlet.  How competing in endurance sports, and running 100 mile ultra marathons has helped me deal with this.    Stay safe everyone and as aways please rate this and share. Thank You very much

John is a  Cleveland St. Ignatius graduate who went to Seton Hall University because he knew the Big Apple was the place to be for becoming a successful sportscaster.  His career brought him to Madison Square Garden on Thursday  March 12th when the Big East Tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus , midway through a game between St. Johns and Creighton.  It was a bizarre and unsettling situation and John takes us through the event. But mostly, we talked about how a young college kid hustles to get job opportunities and how John got to the point where he was rubbing shoulders with  greats like Bill Raftery, and Gus Johnson.  Aspiring broadcasters and media students need to listen to how John got his breaks.  I will give you a clue. He made them.  You ALWAYS say YES.   

Hayden is a sports journalist with Cleveland.com . Grove is also an accomplished singer and entertainer who was classically trained and now, can belt out Michael Buble' , Harry Connick Jr, and others tunes.  Much of our conversation however, dealt with his mental health issues. He suffered from depression, from anxiety, and panic attacks. His body image was such that, he starved himself, eating very little and exercising like a fiend, getting under 160 pounds on a 6'3" frame.  Grove talked about coming to grips with those issues and about those who helped him along the way.  The important message here as well is for someone dealing with depression or such issues, its not a case of "snap out of it" or "buckle up buttercup" and grind your way to great health.  It takes professional help and it takes compassion from others.  Grove thanked Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers for his courageous public stance in telling his own story and inspiring others to get the help they need.  And, at the end of the interview Hayden belts out a short version of a Buble' song. You'll hear how good his voice is.  I can't thank Hayden enough for speaking publicly about such an important topic. I urge anyone listening who is suffering from depression or anxiety to get professional help.  It is near and dear to yours truly. I spent several years leading support groups for families whose loved ones suffered from mental health issues. A great organization. National Alliance on Mental Illness can help.  www.nami.org

Todd abused drugs and alcohol for years. He was sent down the road due to a traumatic experience. The suicide of his mom.  After abusing drugs and alcohol, he found salvation  by training for  and competing in triathlons.  Now, more than 80 races later, he saves lives through his organization. Racing For Recovery  www.racingforrecovery.org .  Please visit his website and his You Tube channel

Baskin has done many years of televison sports and now co hosts a daily sports talk  radio show in sports crazy Cleveland Ohio.  He is also a huge advocate for those suffering from Cystic Fibrosis and pushes for organ donation.    He talked about structuring a sports talk show, and went back into his past, discussing learning the business, way out in Missoula, Montana.   On a personal note, Andy was an intern at my tv station back in the late 1980's Fans of WEWS Cleveland, and WBNS Columbus will remember Andys work.

Mike is the head coach of the St. Ignatius Wildcats soccer program in Cleveland , Ohio. His teams have won 9 state titles, and 5 national titles.  He has numerous Coach of the year honors, both on the state and national level.  Simply stated, this guy knows how to win.  He was for many years, the chair of the Theology department at the high school and is the Sophmore Services Director.  Mike spoke about how his upbringing and his faith has played a big part in how he teaches and coaches. How he focused in on life after going on a 30 day silent retreat to find out if being a priest would be part of his life.       As always, thanks for listening and if you enjoy, please rate us 5 stars on Apple podcasts and please pass this link along. I would appreciate it very much. 

WJW Fox 8 sportscaster PJ Ziegler was reporting daily for our Nexstar tv chain of 200 stations during Super Bowl preparation week in Miami. It was a marathon and he handled it greatly.  He did 300 live reports. How did he keep straight all the different markets he dealt with?  How were the logistics for such a big undertaking.?  Also, we chat about the state of the Browns and how the rest of the nation thinks of the Browns operation.

Tim Alcorn has been a fixture calling high school sports in Northeast Ohio. More than 30 years and many awards.  But due to the tragic passing of longtime Cavs tv play by play guy Fred McLeod, the Cavs restructured their broadcast lineup, and hired Alcorn to handle radio play by play.  He is now doing what his idol, and mentor Joe Tait did.  And the biggest irony is that as a kid in New England he used to listen late at night to Tait call Cavs games on 1100 Radio, which boomed into his New Hampshire home radio.     I hope you enjoy the listen.  As I post this, Tim is starting his play by play call of the Cavs and the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

The morning after the legend, his daughter Gianna, and 7 others passed away, I recorded my thoughts on Kobe. His Greatness and how we should just appreciate what we have, when we have it.   Rest In Peace Mamba

The Browns changed coaches again. Their star receiver got in hot water for giving money to LSU players and also had an arrest warrant out for smacking the behind of a security guard. Ohh and did I mention that the Browns reclusive Chief Strategy Officer spoke to the media??  Lets not for get the cheating in baseball story that had more twists and developments.  Yes, just a typical week covering sports in Cleveland as I have been at WJW TV for 40 years now.  Never a dull moment. This is a slight departure from my usual  podcast interviews. I invite you to check the archives.  We'll be back with some of those next week.  Ohh, yes, and right after I recorded this, the star receiver, Odell Beckham got some good news, The security guard will not be pressing charges. 

Sonny is a former Mr. Basketball award winner in the state of Ohio. He starred at Garfield Heights, then at Cleveland State and also at Ohio University.  He has been the boys hoops coach at his alma mater for about 15 years, and is involved in trying to showcase youth hoops players to get them in the pipeline to one day, possibly gain a scholarship. He talked about handling his own kids in sports and about the connection he has with LeBron James, among others. 

Matt, longtime Cleveland media reporter was diagnosed with stage 4 Lymphoma and has waged a public war on the disease, using social media to chronicle the struggle.  We discussed his battle and how faith has played a part.    He has run his own sports website in Cleveland. NEO Sports Insiders and is now  also affiliated with @Sinow Cleveland Baseball Insiders. Through the podcast we chat about the Cleveland Indians roster moves and also talked about the never ending changes the Cleveland Browns seem to make.

One of the more talented young broadcasters around. Ken hosts the morning show , along with Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. He also hosts sports talk shows on CBS Sports on a national level. ON Friday nights in the fall, he is one of the hosts on our TV show at Fox 8 in Cleveland, Friday Night Touchdown.    He is from Stark country. Perry High and the University of Akron.   This is a great episode for young people looking to get into the business of broadcasting and Sports communication.  How does Kenny prepare for a show? How does he handle criticizing players while being with an station that does business with the team?   Who helped him as he broke into the business?     I hope you enjoy the episode and as usual, please rate and subscribe. Thank you.

Ricky Smith is a comedian, a Cleveland sports fan, an entrepenuer, and most of all, a guy who motivates others to do good.  He uses social media to a great advantage in coming up with projects that help people all over the country.  He is creative, and he speaks his mind.  And....he is a podcaster.  His podcast with Angel Gray, Random Acts of Podcasting is a fun listen on the Blue Wire podcast network.  Happy Holidays . Please share, rate and subscribe.   Thanks much!

Scott Panchik is one of the top Crossfit athletes in the world. He has consistently been a top finisher at the Games, having  finished 4th, three separate times.  He is a former Mount Union University football player who actually began doing versions of Crossfit workouts while in college before diving head first  into the competition and training for the sport. He is the owner of CrossFit Mentality in Mentor, Ohio, and in 2019 he made news by joining multiple Crossfit Games champ Rich Froning and his CrossFit Mayhem team.  We talked about his philosophy in training and competing, about how his parents set an amazing example of support and collaboration.   I hope you enjoy

Danny Coughlin has been a longtime sportswriter-author-Emmy winning sportscaster and well known Cleveland Sports Media Legend. He has written 4 books, filled with stories about an assortment of characters, and sports figures from Cleveland and elsewhere.  Simply stated, Danny Coughlin can spin a story. He is the father of 4, and is Grandpa to many. (The count changes just about every week !).  He wrote for the Cleveland Plain Dealer for several decades, and along the way was involved in many sports promotions the paper put on to win the circulation wars with the  Cleveland Press.  He was lured to the Press in 1982, only to see it fold a few months later. That opened the door for him to become a tv story teller, and the rest, they say is history . (WJW TV, we have been colleagues since 1982) Part of our chat was about journalism, and there is advice for young people thinking of getting into the business. He says you can find great stories in a bar or at a funeral.  We met in 1980 at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid at the media bar in the press center (Theory proven) and we covered a funeral (Cleveland Browns leaving in 1995)  I hope you enjoy our chat.

I thought it would be appropriate to look back during Thanksgiving week, and pay homage to a few folks who influenced me along the way. From Iowa legend Ron Gonder, to  Fred McLeod, Gib Shanley, Nev Chandler, Casey Coleman and more. Fred, Gib, Nev and Casey are no longer with us, but I think of them alot.  To those who mentored me as I began in TV 44 years ago.  And I thank others who I have been blessed to work with. And as always, lift someone up.  Happy Thanksgiving

Tiger LaVerde is the highly successful football coach at Kirtland High in suburban Cleveland.  He has taken his Hornets to 7 title games in 14 years at the school, winning an astounding 171 games against just 17 losses. The titles are numerous, but LaVerde acknowledged to me how unique Kirtland is. How unselfish the kids are and how they really do play for each other.   I spoke with him about his career change; from actuary to teacher (AP Calculus) and coach.  And in light of the Browns Myles Garrett melt down against the Steelers in the last few seconds, how that is a big teachable moment for his team. We also talked about facing a legend in Akron Manchester coach JIm France in the State Regional Finals. I  hope you enjoy it.

Rafa came to the United States at age 16, escapeing war torn El Salvador. He has had many careers, and shows a great talent in re inventing himself. He was a national distributor, promoter for Coors. Hosted talks shows and car advice shows on radio and tv (Univision) He has done a lot of work in the boxing game. His first time ever doing college basketball play by play, Rafa did it at Madison Square Garden.  He knows only one speed. Full speed ahead.  This is a re release from June 2019

Steve Trivisonno is the highly successful coach at Mentor High School and Mac Stephens just guided his Cleveland Heights Tigers to a 9-1 regular season record.  Their two teams meet in week one of the Playoffs.  I did a deep dive with both gentlemen before the season in seperate episodes.  Coach Triv is in his final season and has the top ranked team in the state.  Coach Mac, a former NFL player has done a tremendous job with the Heights Tigers.  This is a re-release.

Jason is the editor in chief of The Athletic Cleveland and has had a long career of covering NBA basketball, specifically the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Not bad for a guy who did not even think he was going to college. We talked about the relationship he has had with LeBron James and what it is like covering the best player on the planet, and all the baggage that goes with it. We also talked about The Athletic. Its business model and what its goals are and how it can fit in with "print" journalism.

Chet Mason is the boys hoops coach at Brush High School in suburban, Cleveland Ohio. He was named Mr. Basketball in 2000, (along with Medina's Tony Stockman)  when a freshman from Akron St. Vincent St. Mary named LeBron James finished back in the voting.  (James would win the next 3 years) Mason played college ball at Miami of Ohio and is in their Hall of Fame.   He played 11 years as a professional, most of it overseas in places like Turkey, and Bosnia and elsewhere. His first game overseas fans threw M-1,000's on the court...THAT WENT OFF!!   How does he lead young athletes? What is important?? How does social media impact the job?    I hope you enjoy the interview. Thanks for swinging by.

Zac Jackson has written a fun and enjoyable book about the Cleveland Browns . It covers many of the characters and favorite players of the new expansion era team.  Jackson had an unique view of the team as he began his sports writing career writing for ClevelandBrowns.com . After a long stint in Berea, he joined other organizations such as Fox Sports Ohio, and The Athletic, where he currently writes about the Browns and other topics.  The book is available at many outlets such as Barnes and Noble

Mike Schaffer has run in 13 , 100 mile trail ultra marathons, finishing 10 of them in the past 7 years.  He just completed the Grindstone 100 in Virginia, which featured 21,000 feet of elevation gain. He will be running another 100 miler, just 6 days later, the Oil Creek 100 in Western Pennsylvania.       His story is one of overcoming substance abuse issues, and abuse of alcohol and how running has been a huge part of his recovery and his mission in life.  The mission is to make others lives better, by inspiring them to be active with the thought that more movement and fitness can be so much better for ones mental health and outlook on life.  He is  now taking classes, and is studying to become a nurse at age 58. On a personal note, I have run with him many times, and he has even paced me in one of my 100 mile ultra marathon quests.

I hope Julie doesn't mind that I call her a legend. Julie has had 4 finishes of 5th or better in the Crossfit Games, including a 2nd and a 3rd. Julie retired from competition but still is very active in the sport, with teaching seminars, and serving as an inspiration to so many  Crossfit athletes.  Julie is doing her residency and will one day have a practice with her husband. I love her attitude in using Crossfit, and healthy principals to be the bedrock of a medical practice.  Its attacking health on the proactive basis, instead of just treating symptoms.   I hope you enjoy the chat we had.  I wish her all the success in the world. She spoke of Greg Glassman, the sports founder and his principles and also of Northeast Ohios own Scott Panchik, who continues to be one of the best on the planet in Crossfit.    Any images we use are courtesy of Crossfit Inc.

The Browns dropped their season opener to Tennessee in horrific fashion.  43-13. The much hyped Browns played very poorly and suffered one of the most embarrassing losses to open a season in many years.  I covered the game and talked to the players.  Fox 8 sports anchor and colleague PJ Ziegler covered the game and post game press conferences with Kitchens and Mayfield.  Some analysis and some word on how the players responded.  Thanks for listening.

Tony Madalone started his sports tee shirt company, Fresh Brewed Tees,  in 2009 out of his dorm room at Ashland University. He became successful quickly because he mastered the idea of riding, or even creating a viral moment on line and capitalizing on it.  He worked with Josh Cribbs, initially, creating a tee shirt that asked the Cleveland Browns to just pay Josh, who was vastly underpaid because he was an undrafted free agent who became a special teams star.  among the others he has worked with....Joe Haden, Carlos Carrasco, Corey Kluber, and more recently Yasiel Puig, and even the sensation from this summers Browns camp, The Scottish Hammer, Jamie Gillan. He is now the manager for UFC fighter, Jessica Eye, and on the podcast he talked of his bid to become the mayor of Cleveland a couple of years ago.   Madalone is constantly on the go, looking for the next big thing. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

My guest is Rob Steger, an ultra marathoner from Denver, Colorado, who just a few short years ago, could not even run one mile. period.   He tried day after day and got a bad case of shin splints and also was about 50-60 pounds overweight.  He kept at it and now is doing amazing things. Rob has since discovered ultra marathons, and is accomplishing feats few people  can even dream of.   He is in the midst of taking on the Triple Crown of 200's..a series of three, 200 mile races,  in the span of 60 days.  He had already finished the BigFoot 200, and two more are on the docket.   The final race is the Moab 240. Rob will run the Moab 240 but will call the race the 401K.   He lengthens the race to 401 kilometers(250 miles) and will raise money for pediatric cancer research. The cause is personal to Rob , as the daughter of a colleague, suffers from the disease.    His social media on Twitter and Instagram is TrainingforUltra.  He will have links for the fund raiser there and so will I, on my social media.  I did this episode differently in that I sent Rob, 5 pertinent questions, and he answered each one, on his own, and he sent me the file and I put it together.   His message for running is simple.  Get out of your comfort zone.  You are capable of so much more than you can imagine.   Since I have done Ironman triathlons, and have run 100 mile and 50 mile races, I have an idea of what it may be like to try a huge undertaking like a 200 miler, but I will admit, that challenge seems so far out there.... but...you...never....know....... hahah Enjoy.   

How do you mold two quarterbacks who win the prestigious Mr. Football Award in Ohio?  Steve gives his insights, especially about Mitchell Trubisky, qb Of the Chicago Bears.  Coach Triv is stepping down and we chatted about his career that has seen Mentor High become one of the top programs in the football crazy state of Ohio. . He talked about who had an influence on how he fashioned the teams up tempo offensive style, and about playing a freshman this year, which is a new twist. Hope you enjoy the episode

Desiree Cowie is a multiple Ironman finisher and has completed multiple 100 mile ultra marathons on some of the toughest courses in the sport.  Try the Wasatch 100 on for size.  She also competes in 6-7 day stage races in places around the globe that might entail 250 kilometers running, while carrying all your own essentials.  The races usually involve tough climbs or extreme temperatures.   But Des's story resonates even more as there was a time she could barely swim one lap in the pool, yet had the confidence and sense of adventure to even attempt an Ironman race.  Simply stated, she is a woman who seeks out challenges others would shy away from.   In so many words, Des Cowie is a Bad Ass.

Pierre Woods came from the streets of Cleveland Ohio to play in the NFL 5 seasons.  He overcame personal struggles, such as dealing with crime around him, and fathering a child as a sophomore in high school. He took full responsibility for the child, often working long hours at a Walmart while going to school.

Jake Burns is a former college qb and coach, and he has become more and more popular with his methods of covering the Browns. He is an X's and O's guy. He breaks down the plays and explains what works and why and examines the concepts of coaching as well.  I like to say its the How to Make a Sausage brand of reporting as more and more people want to know How or Why things work and that's the kind of stuff Jake does on Cleveland.com and The OBR and more.   As the Browns season moves along I hope to bring Jake back occasionally to explain why he believes the Browns might be attacking opponents in certain ways.  If you like interviews like this, kindly subscribe and rate us and pass the word.   Thanks much.

The Cleveland Browns held their first summer workout on Thursday, July 25th. Christmas in July for Browns fans. I chatted with long time Browns beat writer Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. We looked at various aspects of the team as it embarks on one of the most anticipated seasons in team history.  As usual, please subscribe, rate and review/ Thanks

Vince Cellini has been a network television sports host/anchor/broadcaster for 30 years. The Cleveland native got his start at Channel 8 (My station) as intern in 1981/82. (Yours truly tried to show him the ropes) He immediately vaulted from intern status to on air sports anchor/reporter.  It was a very rare move, to go from intern at a top 10 market, to on the air but Vince had the talent, the drive and the personality to do it.    But Cellini got frustrated on not having a more prominent role in 1989, and he gambled on himself and landed at CNN Sports in Atlanta.  From there he crafted a career of hosting various shows, reporting on all the big stories and events.  He left CNN to become the lead talent on air for The Golf Channel and after many years there, went to work with Turner Sports, NBA TV and much more.   The Collinwood native chatted with yours truly this week.  We talked of reporting philosophies, those people who influenced us and more.  I hope you enjoy it.

Fee is an up and coming star in the sport of Crossfit. This year, the twenty something woman from suburban Cleveland, Ohio has qualified for the Crossfit Games in Madison , Wisconsin. She was a volleyball and track athlete in high school, and has just earned a Masters in Business from John Carroll University. She talked about getting the mindset that she could stand out in the sport, after, as she said, there was a time she just went to a regular gym and aimlessly went through a non descriptive workout. Only when she discovered a crossfit gym, did she get the focus to become, potentially something great.   Included in the interview is her praise for Crossfit Games veteran Scott Panchik, who owns Crossfit Mentality in Mentor, Ohio and has been a great advisor, and advocate for Fee.

Cleveland just hosted the MLB All Star Weekend and hit a Grand Slam. The weekend was a huge success. In this episode, I got comments from All Star, Frankie Lindor and from longtime pitcher C.C. Sabathia about how the game is ready to move forward with the crop of young stars. We also hear from writer Terry Pluto on his suggestions to make baseball more appealing. A few fans weigh in; one who likely had a little too much to drink. 

Chuck Kyle has guided St. Ignatius high school in Cleveland to a record 11 football titles in the state of Ohio.  He is a multitalented leader of men.  He has taught English at Ignatius for years, and is very well versed in teaching the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, and of course William Shakespeare. How does the act of teaching English translate to the field?  What does Chuck say about the safety of the gamer? He has been involved with USA football for years, and helps design ways to play the game in a more safe way for kids. He  has thoughts on where the game is going.  Kyle might be the only football coach to have led a young man to become a star actor on Broadway, through the teachings during his English classes. That would be Tony nominated actor Rory O'Malley.   Also, Kyle spoke highly of his involvement with the Cleveland Browns , who he believes are ahead of the curve in working to make football safer for youths. 

Andre Knott is the dugout reporter and a key contributor on all Indians broadcasts on SportsTime Ohio. A former star athlete at Akron St. Vincent St. Mary high school, Dre has seized the opportunity at each junction of his career to get into a new and unique position.  He was a sideline reporter on the Cleveland Browns broadcasts.   He co hosts the popular A to Z podcast with Zac Jackson, the Athletic's Cleveland Browns reporter.  For Knott, its about much more than getting dunked in Gatorade after a dramatic win. Knott talked about how he got his breaks in his career and how he has to report about players while respecting their privacy and relationships. Young broadcasters will get some hints on how to be ready for any career good fortune that will come your way.

Michael Reghi has done play by play for 21 total seasons between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Baltimore Orioles during  his  4 decades in the business.  He started his Cleveland tv career at WEWS TV as the weekend sports guy in the early 80's but made a difficult choice to leave tv news to seek his fortune doing play by play.   The gamble paid off.    He was the television play by play voice of the Cavs when LeBron James entered the league in 2003, and for a period of 8 seasons,  juggled the duties between the Cavs and the Baltimore Orioles, so each season he would do a total of almost 250 games of NBA and MLB games.    He has also done sports talk radio in various capacities over the years, and in recent seasons has broadcast countless MAC sporting events.  I had the good fortune to be the pre game and post game co host those years when Reghi was starting out as the teams tv play by play guy.  I have known him for over 3 decades. I hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe and rate.

Cecil Shorts did what very few are able to accomplish. He came from the Senate League in Cleveland (Collinwood High) to Division 3 in college, Mount Union, to the pros.  He played several seasons for a few teams, most notably the Jacksonville Jaguars, but a devastating knee injury ended his career, which , just opened up the opportunity to make it as a media guy.  He is getting his media game on in Houston.  The father of 7 (triplets age 9 months will up the family total at bit) is doing his part to give back. For a few years now, he has held free camps in Cleveland, Alliance and in Houston , Texas. In our conversation, the influence of a great like Larry Fitzgerald and how Cecil, himself never forgot the free camp he was able to be a part of, courtesy of former Bedford, Ohio and NFL star Chris Chambers.  If you like, please subscribe and rate and share.  Thanks 

Rafael Hernandez Brito is the Spanish voice for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns.   Affectionately known as The Mayor "El Alcalde", Rafa came to the US at age 16 having dealt with the war in El Salvador.  He joined one of his aunts in New York, and eventually studied mechanical engineering at Boston University and got his degree, but he never used that degree to do any engineering.  He was a highly successful beverage salesman and manager, and had some sports related accounts, such as Yankee Stadium , but as fate would have it, an iconic radio call by legendary announcer Jack Buck (Dodger Kirk Gibsons 1988 World Series homer) steered him in the direction of broadcasting a few years later, and Rafa, the master of timing soon started an incredible run of working for Univision, doing all sports such as boxing, MMA, NFL football, basketball and more. He even hosted the Spanish version of a show, similar to NPR's Car Talk.  I could list more jobs, but you will learn that Rafa always was ready for a new challenge and I don't imagine that will ever change.  I hope you like the interview. Please subscribe and rate.  Thank you.

Mac Stephens played a few seasons in the NFL. His son, Linden is in the league with Denver. Mac is head football coach at Cleveland Heights High and trains young athletes at the Euclid Sports Plant. As an NFL player, his workout partner in Minnesota was the legend, Herschel Walker.  Stephens spoke of how his Akron and pro football  background prepared him to coach high school football, and how he guided his son through the ranks. He spoke of what its like having elite talents  like Tyreke Smith, and Jaylen Harris at the high school level and the process of guiding them to college. Stephens also trained Kareem Hunt when he was just beginning to work out as a young teen and how Hunts suspension from the NFL will affect him going forward.  Hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks for listening.

Pam Rickard is an accomplished marathoner and ultra marathoner.  And...a recovering alcoholic. 13 years ago, after 3 DUI's in 18 months and jail, she was at rock bottom.  Now she is a running ambassador and lifts up others who are trying to straighten out their lives.  Pam came from not wanting to live to being so full of life, its amazing.    Jim Mackert is 82 and on Sunday May 19, he completed his 42nd Cleveland marathon. The only one ever to run in and complete all 42..  I spoke with both Saturday at the running expo.  Pam ran the 10K with her hubby Tom and her  80 year old father Bob Virant, while spreading the gospel of the Herren Project.  Sadly, a 22 year old young lady, Taylor Ceepo collapsed and died very close to the marathon finish. She was a Walsh University soccer player who had just graduated.  At the end of the podcast, I talk about this sad piece of news and honor her. Please check out the Herren Project and please remember Taylors family in your prayers

The Premier league is the most watched football (soccer) league in the world. Actually, the most watched sports league. Period. That includes here in the states, and specifically here in Cleveland. One of the hot spots to watch games is the Old Angle, on W. 25th in Ohio City. Saturday mornings and you can often find the place filled with fans watching matches from England. Whats the hold? Why? WE chatted with fans from a few teams about the phenomenen. If you want to know more about the Premier league, know that Manchester City won the Championship over Liverpool 98 points to 97. It came down to the last day, the last seconds. 

Joey Davis , current Bellator unbeaten MMA fighter is one of a handful in all of collegiate history to go unbeaten his entire career and win 4 NCAA wrestling titles. Joey was 133-0 and won 4 Division 2  National titles for Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio but his story of surviving the tough streets of Compton, California, and making his way to Cleveland, Ohio is compelling. How Snoop Dogg influenced him as a youth football player. How the great Jim Brown was someone helping him on his journey.  Davis, with Edward Gallo has written an inspirational book, From Compton to Cleveland, which is out now.     Davis returned to Notre Dame College to graduate and walk across that stage on May 4th.  I sat down with him after I shot an interview for a piece I am doing on him for Fox 8 in Cleveland.  (airs Monday May 6th)  He always brings up the mantra "Strive for Greatness" and he lives it. I hope you enjoy the podcast

Yes, we are combining the Browns Draft analysis with grading some of the characters on the Game of Thrones. So...Spoiler Alert, if you have not seen Episode 3, the Battle of Winterfell. The Browns had 7 picks, and I focused also on the story of Greedy Williams, the tough background he'd emerged from in Shreveport, La. and more.  Shout outs to Andrew Hawkins, Josh Cribbs, James Harrison, Kurt Warner in my undrafted comments. Shout out to Parris Campbell, Dremont Jones, Andy Isabella and more on the local guys.

Ted Ginn Sr. is one of the more celebrated high school coaches in Ohio, much less in the country.  His Glenville high program has sent dozens of players to the NFL, from Pierre Woods, to Cardale Jones.  ( "without this system, Cardale would have been lost. There are lots of kids like that") Theres Heisman winner Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Sr, his son...Marshon Lattimore, Frank Clark. The list goes on and on. But what Ginn does that helps him stand out is how he takes at risk kids, and helps them realize their purpose in life.   Its no small feat. Ginn went from being a machinist, to a volunteer coach, to a school security guard, to the man who led Glenvilles football and track fortunes.  But his biggest accomplishment. His legacy is the Ginn Academy, a school for at risk youth.  Ginn says mentoring is an every day thing.  You can't helicopter  in once a week and make an impact. Its an every day thing. No shortcuts.  Take that dynamic and multiply it by the hundreds, and thats what Ginn does. Every day. It has not been easy, and he has battled the deadly disease, of pancreatic cancer, which he says in the interview , is a "blessing".  But Ginn is undaunted. He won't step away.  Full disclosure, I was one of a handful of people who spoke at his 60th birthday celebration in 2015. I have known him a long time. Have covered his teams.  We kind of connect on a spiritual front. I hope you enjoy the interview and check out the other episodes of this podcast I have done.  Thank you!!

Mark Godale and his brother Steve are running in their 26th straight Boston Marathon.  (Today, April 15th is raceday) But that feat is just a small part of what Mark has been able to accomplish in marathons and beyond.  His Ultra marathon resume is extensive. He held the USA record for distance covered in 24 hours for a long time...162.4 miles. He was 3rd in the world. He has raced all over the states and beyond, including the famed Spartathlon in Greece. He clearly was a trailblazer in the NEOhio scene and although he has a knee injury to deal with, still get his miles in. We talked about the ultra scene in the early years vs todays more crowded scene with lotteries, etc. His fuel for distances and more.  I hope you share this with others in the running community and beyond. If you like , please subscribe, rate. We are on all podcast platforms..ITunes, Sportify, etc

Trevor Bauer flirted with a no hitter on the first week of the season, yet a no hitter, though a great achievement, is not a rare accomplishment. Cool, yes. Tough to do..yes, but there are other marks that are generational..   like what happened on this date (April 8) 1993 at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Two homers from one player (Carlos Baerga) in one inning, from EACH side the plate.  We discuss that with Nick Kovach, WJW Sports Producer, who was there . Plus,our Mr. Baseball, Chris Hyser looks at quirky records and unreachable achievements.

The internet has made all of us , in many ways, news aggregators. From Athletes, to fans, to of course the media. This episode cites examples of athletes making news, and reacting to it as well.  From LeBron James to Odell Beckham , to Andrew Hawkins, to Tyreke Smith. How to use the platforms that the internet has spawned is one of the big issues of today in sports. Thanks to Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan, and Lou Maglio of Fox 8 News.

Athletic achievements are most chronicled in the conventional sports. I look at two distinct boundary breaking performances, one from a Hall of Fame basketball player, and the other, remarkably from a renowned rock climber, and Academy award winner. You know Wilt Chamberlain, but have you heard of Alex Honnold? And thank you to Turner/CNN sportscaster Vince Cellini and Ray Justavick for their contributions.

Exploring some conventional sports records and the odds some of them might ever be broken. But, I want to challenge peoples perceptions of records and give props to those who break somewhat unconventional records.      Such as, Colin O'Brady   who, among his many accomplishments became the first man to traverse across Antarctica, unaided, unsupported, dealing with bitter cold, and the ever present danger of not making his goal and suffering ill effects in the process. Also thanks to Fox 8 meteorologist Scott Sabol for his expertise.

Babe Kwasniak is the boys basketball coach at one of the most successful programs in the state of Ohio, Villa Angela St. Joes in Cleveland..  He won titles as a player and has won 3 as the head coach.   During his coaching  career he has been involved in summer basketball  camps with Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry and gives keynote talks around the country on leadership. He went to West Point, played there and states his miltary background, and the things he learned from his coaching legend, father, Tedd have aided him in becoming the leader he is today.   I hope you enjoy our chat

Former Indians great Kenny Lofton lashed out at baseballs PED users who he believes are costing him consideration for Baseballs Hall of Fame. Lofton was dropped from the ballot after his vote total failed to meet the minimum requirement. I got reaction from Indians great Sandy Alomar and chatted with Fox 8 Cleveland colleague P.J. Ziegler on the subject. As may be the case in some podcasts, I will close with a commentary.

Tim Robertson is the owner of Speed Strength Systems in Chesterland , Ohio.  He  has trained dozens and dozens of NFL, NBA and college stars. Julian Edelman, the Super Bowl MVP is one prized athlete.  Add to Julian, Ben Simmons, Ted Ginn, Donte Whitner, Heisman winner Troy Smith and many more have been under his tutelage. He is also strength coach at John Carroll University. He also trained yours truly for a mountain 100 mile ultra marathon.

I am a long time sportscaster in Cleveland Ohio. My podcast will examine all facets of sports and also recreations as I am an avid endurance athlete. There will be interviews and commentary. I hope you enjoy.