Telich Talks

This episode deals with my interview with Jim McCarthy, writer and producer for the documentary called Mr. Football. It centers around the 2004 year at Benedictine high school in Cleveland Ohio. One promising athlete on the reigning State Champion team is shot dead and two of his teammates, including Mr. Football in the state of Ohio, Ray Williams, are charged with murder and aggravated robbery. How did the football community react? The film, coming out Aug 26th explores the brotherhood on the team and what became of Ray Williams

Adam Popp is a retired Air Force veteran who, in 2007 while serving as an EOD technician in Afghanistan ,lost his right leg when an ordnance went off. It wasn’t until roughly 10 years ago when Popp was fitted for his first running blade. Since then ,the results have been extra extraordinary. He became the first above the knee amputee to finish a 100 mile ultra marathon. ( he has five finishes) Just months ago, was the first above the knee amputee to start the Western States 100 mile ultra marathon trail race. He has also finished a full Ironman triathlon.

Tonia Kwiatkowski competed in 3 world figure skating championships for the United States. She was a member of the United States National and International teams for 13 straight years. A United States Olympic alternate in 1998. The Cleveland area native won the World University games figure skating title twice and was a six time United States national figure skating medalist. Kwiatkowski was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Now, Tonia is a figure skating coach, based out of Winterhurst Ice Rink in Lakewood, Ohio, where she trained as an elite skater.

Lance Reisland is a former high school football coach who breaks down Cleveland Browns practices and games for cleveland.com. In this episode we talk about a young receiver Luke Floriea, who Reisland has stated reminds him of Julian Edelman. Also in the episode we hear from Tim Robertson who trained both Edelman and Floriea. Not to be out done because it’s the Cleveland Browns, we talk about the quarterback situation, the defensive line, and why is it there have been so many talents from Kent State University, who have not been drafted, but who went on to have excellent NFL careers. This week the Pro Football Hall of Fame inducts Kent States Antonio Gates, who was never drafted.

Greg Heister has broadcast, produced and hosted coverage of the famous Iditarod Trail dog sled race for more than 30 years and has numerous Emmy Awards to show for it ( he won’t say..we estimate upper teens). He has hosted a television show, Seasons on the Fly on the Discovery Channel for more than 20 years and he has been the play-by-play voice of Gonzaga basketball for numerous seasons. We talk about the extreme conditions of the Iditarod and what miraculous and incredible athletes both the dogs and the mushers are. We also talk Zaga hoops, and how he made a name along his career path. Greg, like yours truly, is an Ashland College graduate. He is a native of Portville, New York, near St. Bonaventure University .

Rickey Jackson is a Cleveland Ohio man who spent 39 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Set free in 2014 Jackson, along with filmmaker Matt Waldeck combined their talents to create a film called “Lovely Jackson” that recalled everything that led up to the crime, his long incarceration, his release, and new life. Waldeck, is a St. Ignatius graduate and a creative force behind Zodiac features. The film is on Amazon Prime

Jessica Eye is a retired UFC fighter, now dipping her talents into the world of bareknuckle fighting. This episode comes from the Telich Talks vault of December 2023. She recounts the traumatic upbringing she had, which helped pave the way towards her career as one of the early / dominant female competitors in MMA.

Carl Monday has been an investigative Journalist on Cleveland TV since 1979, having won an incredible 50 Emmy Awards. Born, Carl Stylinski, he changed his name to Carl Monday in college and made the switch legal in 1972. He remains active in the business, presenting 3 investigations yearly for WJW Fox 8. He and his wife Sandy celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2024.

Dean Paglio is a Northeast Ohio businessman and former high school and college football player (West Virginia University). Paglio and his son Jackson, ran with the Bulls in Pamplona Spain in 2023 to celebrate his 50th birthday. We unpacked that unforgettable day and also talk a bit about the Ernest Hemingway inspiration that has helped make The Running with the Bulls into something of a worldwide phenomenon.

Tracy McCool is a veteran news anchor for Fox 8 television in Cleveland Ohio. The Copley, Ohio native and her husband John Cook, learned seven years ago that he had stage four cancer, and was given less than two years to live. John inspired thousands and lived five years before passing away. Tracy talked about the entire ordeal, and how John fought his way through the incredible situation. She also talked about her TV career, and how if it was not going to be a career in television, law-enforcement may have proven to be the real career.