That's So Cincinnati

Joe Deters returns to "That's So Cincinnati" podcast -- and the Hamilton County prosecutor doesn't mince words.

Cincinnati Parks Foundation Director Jennifer Hafner Spieser​​​​​​​ spends a lot of time in Cincinnati Parks.

It is her job after all. 

The foundation she runs is basically the unsung hero of the city park system, ranked the 8th-best urban park system in the country by the Trust for Public Land.

Spieser talked to The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast this week to detail the foundation's newest projects, a new litter clean-up program and she urged people to go to Ault Park and Mount Echo Park to see the cherry blossom trees, which are blooming now for seven weeks. Ault Park alone has 1,000 cherry blossom trees.

Statue of Ezzard Charles

Set to be unveiled this fall in the West End's Laurel Park, the bronze statue and plaza will commemorate the life and legacy of Cincinnati’s World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Ezzard Charles.

It's meant to celebrate not just Charles' boxing legacy, but also how he was an ambassador for the community, Spieser said.

"He was bilingual. He was a veteran jazz musician, and would take an ice cream cart around the neighborhood on hot summer days," Spieser said. "So for us at the Foundation, we recognized immediately that it was definitely more than a piece of public art, although we're quite proud of that. It incorporated revitalization of the park."

The project also has running routes that mimic some of the running routes Charles' used to when he was training to fight Rocky Marciano.

"Rocky was running in Central Park, and so as Ezzard Charles took to the Cincinnati Hills and was running throughout Cincinnati," Spieser said.

How did Michele Hobbs go from selling dog food to launching a distillery?

The Prospect Hill entrepreneur talks about her 26-year journey of investing in Over-the-Rhine businesses on The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast. 

After years of running Pet Wants at Findlay Market, Hobbs opened Knox Joseph Distillery at OTR StillHouse (2017 Branch Street) in December. 

She wanted to focus on building a distillery as a way to complement rather than compete with the many breweries, bars and restaurants that have opened amid OTR's 21st century renaissance. Knox Joseph, named after one of Hobbs' children, features a large indoor/outdoor space for drinking, dining and concerts. 

Former St. Xavier High School basketball star Jordan Cornette has worked his way up at ESPN by being a versatile television and radio host.

He's hosted shows talking about college football and basketball, and been an in-game TV analyst on college basketball broadcasts. In October, Cornette was promoted to co-host a weekday highlight and talk show on ESPN+ called SportsNation. It was a unique appointment because Cornette's co-host is his wife, Shae Peppler Cornette. They also host a weekly Sunday show on ESPN Radio. 

Jordan Cornette, 38, a former Notre Dame basketball player, joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to discuss his rise in broadcasting; the Cincinnati sportscaster who influenced him; and what it's like to work alongside his wife.

Cincinnati FM radio legend Dennis “Wildman” Walker joins “That’s So Cincinnati.” 

Cincinnati's interim City Manager John Curp joins the podcast this week.

Ickey Woods gained nationwide fame doing his "Ickey Shuffle" touchdown dance during the Bengals' run to the Super Bowl in 1988 season. 

He loves seeing the city come alive again amid the Bengals' run to Sunday's AFC Championship game in Kansas City.

"It’s been a long way for us – and it’s about time," Woods told The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast. "These guys are doing a great job. The kid, Joe Burrow, is a very unbelievable guy. He just has that 'it' factor. He’s just unbelievable."

Woods, 55, has remained connected to the Bengals since his playing career ended in 1991. He runs a concession stand at every Bengals home game at Paul Brown Stadium. The proceeds from concession sales help support the Jovante Woods Foundation, which raises money and awareness for Asthma research in honor of Ickey Woods' late son.

The legend of the "Ickey Shuffle" has lived on. In 2014, Woods was featured doing the dance in a Geico commercial. (Find out on "That's So Cincinnati" which two versions of the commercial ended up on the cutting-room floor.)

Bengals fans got treated with the "Ickey Shuffle" in the home playoff against Las Vegas on Jan. 15. Tight end C.J. Uzomah did the shuffle after scoring a first quarter touchdown. Woods was at Paull Brown Stadium to see it. 

"He was doing a good job of it, too," Woods said. 

Don't get Tim McGee wrong. He cherishes the memories of being part of the great Bengals teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And the former wide receiver loves talking about playing on a Super Bowl team.

But McGee is happy the Bengals are giving fans a reason to stop talking about the glory days of three decades ago. He joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast to offer perspective on the Bengals' first playoff win in 30 years on Jan. 15.

"Trust me, I wish we could stop talking about the 1989 Super Bowl and the 1981 Super Bowl," McGee said. "We need to be erased, deleted. We need to be talking about what happened this year (2021 season) and 2022 and 2023. That's when I really get excited. I want to be part of the used-to-be as opposed to the current."

McGee, 57, played nearly a decade in the NFL after the Bengals selected him in the first round of the 1986 draft. He is in his fifth year co-hosting the Bengals' post-game talk show on 700 WLW. The Cleveland native has thrived in the role partly because he offers listeners candid analysis.

"One of the reasons why WLW and WLWT and some of the other outlets have me on is because I have a reputation of calling things like they are," McGee said. "I'm just the truth-driven person, and I'm willing to suffer consequences and/or the accolades that comes with that."

McGee, who lives in Mason, has spent most of his post-playing career living in Greater Cincinnati. For years, the Bengals have gotten a bad reputation for not celebrating their history enough and honoring past players.

What does McGee think about this?

Find out by listening to "That's So Cincinnati" for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Media and other podcast platforms.