Telich Talks

This is an encore podcast from January 1, 2024 with longtime Cleveland media figure Andre Knott. Almost 365 days ago we believed the Browns were on the verge of something great. Boy has a lot changed. This was in the middle of Flacco mania. Also on the podcast, Andre and I talked about Ohio State football and the Guardians new direction after Terry Francona. This episode precedes next week’s best of podcast for the year 2024.

Jason Hicks claims he is just a kid from Cleveland. An Amazon professional, Hicks was executive producer for the movie “ Only Child” which was #1 on Starz . Jason is an entrepreneur, and former NAIA All American basketball player at Walsh University. He played high school hoops at Villa Angela High School in Cleveland , Ohio helping the Vikings to 3 straight Regional Finals appearances.

Markus Mollica was a 4 time NCAA all American wrestler at Arizona State University. He won a pair of National titles for the Sun Devils. One of the stalwarts from the highly regarded North Akron Wrestling Club feeder program, Mollica would win 2 state titles under coach Bill Barger at Walsh Jesuit high school and help propel the high school into national prominence, which forged the intense rivalry with St. Edward high school. That became the focus of Ben Hatta’s 4 part docuseries, “Clash of Dynasties. Last week’s Telich Talks episode featured Hatta. Dec 12th, the whole series became available on the www.clashofdynasties.com website

Clash of Dynasties is a four part docu series produced by St Edward wrestling alum Ben Hatta about the incredible rivalry between two of the nations greatest high school wrestling programs. St. Edward high school in suburban Cleveland, Ohio was the dominant team in America , 11 state titles, 8 national titles. Howard Ferguson built the Eagles . Their first title was in 1978. Along came brash Bill Barger and Walsh Jesuit high school near Akron . What followed was an epic rivalry for national dominance in the sport. The entire series debuts on Dec 12. Go to www.clashofdynasties.com This podcast is part 1 of 2 episodes. Ben Hatta talks about how he put this amazing project together. In part 2, we hear from Walsh Jesuit legend Markus Mollica..

Tyler Sarkisian played four years of college baseball at the University of Chicago and was already climbing the corporate ladder in investment banking , working more than 100 hours each week, losing sleep and seeing his body feel the effects. Then, a year ago, he shifted his focus to his passion. Running, fitness, and endurance sports. Next thing you know he’s running marathons, doing Triathlons, and ultras , plus Tyler set up a business where he is helping others achieve their dreams in accomplishing something epic in their lives. You can find him on Instagram. at @tyler.sarkisian

Chuck Galeti is a former television sports anchor at both channels 3 and 19 in Cleveland, Ohio. Galeti, who played football and baseball at Normandy High school was also a radio sportscaster and hosted a post game call in show on cable tv called “ Chuck’s Last Call”. Galeti had several OVI charges as far back as 2003 and as recent as 2016. As a result he has lost everything, has been homeless, but has pulled things together and now hasn’t had a drink in 3 years. He recounts harrowing medical cardiac events and praised the toughness of late Browns announcer Jimmy Donovan who passed away in October.

JR Bremer is the head basketball coach of Cleveland Heights high school. His number 22 jersey was retired by the high school where he starred and helped win a state championship in 1997. Bremer played college basketball at Saint Bonaventure University and played 3 seasons in the NBA including the 2003 -04 season when LeBron James was a rookie. Bremer played 13 seasons overseas in over a half dozen leagues in various countries. He was named the head basketball coach in 2019 at Cleveland Heights high school where he coaches to this day. In the closing segment I refer to his foundation… Everything Leads Back. I hope you check that out !! Lately he has been a competitor in the sport of HYROX. He is the grandson of a Negro league pitcher Eugene Bremer

Kevin Spencer has had a long and illustrious career as an assistant coach in theNational Football League. He was part of the staff that first came to Cleveland with Bill Belichick in 1991. He has won Super Bowls. He has been named the NFL special teams coach of the year. And now, in his early 70s, he continues to stay active in the game having this past season helped out on the staff at Saint Ignatius high school. As you hear in the interview, it really wasn’t the sport of Football that helped hook him up with Bill Belichick. It was lacrosse.

I returned to Ashland University today, which, along with the prodding of former Saint Ignatius football coach. Chuck Kyle, I talk about many of the qualities necessary to be successful in sports and take a peek into the future of sports media by interviewing one of the bright new talents in sports casting, Cade Cracas of Ashland University. In this episode, I mention examples of many great athletes who epitomized some of the shining adjectives that SPORT revolves around. Many former and current colleagues, and sports stars are mentioned.

Michael Cavotta is a photographer who calls himself a Headshot Whisperer. He is the owner of Michael Cavotta Studios in Mentor, Ohio. Three decades after leaving the sport of track and field Cavotta picked up the shot put and discus and is now one of the top 3 in the world in shotput :M50 , and top ten in the discus. He describes himself as “a man being built on the bones of his lesser self”. 15 years ago he had all the toys money could buy being a successful entrepreneur. A story teller for startups as he called it. Cavotta stepped away from all the financial trappings when he picked up that camera lens. Now, back in track and field,he is flourishing as a masters athlete, all the while dealing with prostate cancer. We talk about his natural approach to fighting the cancer and about what it was like being the son of a successful track and field athlete.