Mark Dowdle is an ultra runner , and first person to complete the Calendar Club Challenge for a full year. He’s won a “ Last man standing race” and is the man behind the “ Run n’ Plunge” club in the Twin Cities. He was an all state athlete in two sports, football and lacrosse, growing up in Illinois. He is out to change people’s attitudes about running and to foster a sense of community within the sport. And, yes, he looks like Kirk Cousins.

Part two of the best of 2024 includes an Olympic gold & silver medalist, a former NFL football player who found out family and friends were more interested in money than a relationship, we hear from a state championship basketball coach who had a front row seat to the rise of the greatness of LeBron James. We talked to a man who abandoned his track and field sport in college only to return to it 30 years later and now be among the best in the world. And we hear from Chuck Galeti, pronounced legally dead twice.. a sportscaster who battled addiction. Say hi to Katie Moon, Donte Whitner , Cam Joyce, Michael Cavotta & Galeti .

This is part one of the best of Telich Talks 2024. Four individuals who pushed the outer limits of their endurance and determination in order to be the best that they can be. One, a Pro Football player, Steeler Ryan Shazier. Another a former high school football player, Scott Fedor. Both men suffering spinal cord injuries. How they chose to respond showed their faith and fortitude. Katie Spotz, world adventure seeker and clean water advocate who in her early 20s accomplished something that set the bar very high for adventurers the world over. And Irelands John Burke who just didn’t want to settle for a life of going through the motions. He set his sights high. More than 29,000 feet high.

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