The Moonlight Graham Show

Matt Wagner pitched for the Seattle Mariners on Lou Piniella's team in 1996. He was drafted by the Mariners in the 3rd round of the 1994 amateur draft after playing college ball at Arkansas and Iowa State. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

Nate Loenser was born without his left hand. However, that never slowed him down, let alone stopped him, from pursuing his dreams on the field. Loenser was a multisport varsity athlete, and an all-state baseball player, for NU High in Cedar Falls. After committing to serve as a basketball manager for Tim Floyd at Iowa State, Nate ended up walking on to the Iowa State baseball team. Loenser was cut from the team after the first time he tried out but was asked to come back to the team as a senior after getting noticed in a wood bat league game. In true Moonlight Graham fashion, Loenser had one at-bat (a walk) and a run scored. The Cyclone baseball program was cut later that same season. After college, Loenner took a job coaching as a grad-assistant for Larry Eustachy at Southern Miss. Loenser credits Eustachy with teaching him a lot about coaching and working with high-level athletes. Following a stint as a high school basketball coach, Loesner went back to Ames to serve as a grad assistant under Fred Hoiberg on some of those great recent Cyclone teams. Loesner followed Hoiberg to Chicago and has worked his way up from video coordinator and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Bulls.

Baseballism was founded by four former baseball players who started a youth camp to grow interest in their community. The friends had to go their separate ways after two years of hosting their camp. A few years later, they revived their brand to try to sell a few shirts. The success of that t shirt turned into a company that was rooted in their love of the game and a commitment to supporting youth baseball. Since raising $13,000 on their Kickstarter, Jonathan Jwayad and his team have built a company founded on their principles. Their products and ideas come from their love of the game and their commitment to being a family baseball brand. Baseballism brings out references of the game that combine graphic designs with dugout calls, such as "three up, three down" and "frozen rope". Baseballism appeals to fans from the perspective of coaches and players. Check out baseballism's website before father's day arrives. You will find that the movie references with graphics are on point, the clothing is great quality, and all of it authentic. You can support the Moonlight Graham Show by purchasing something from our store. Click here to purchase the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters Leather Strap Cap: https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag

Matt Thomas grew up in Onalaska, Wisconsin where he made a name for himself as one of the best shooters in his recruiting class. Thomas had several Division I offers but had a connection to Cyclone basketball. His ability to shoot matched perfectly with Fred Hoiberg's system at Iowa State University. As a Cyclone, Matt Thomas was part of four straight Cyclone teams that won more than 20 games and ranked in the top 10 multiple times. Thomas played with some of the best Cyclones in recent history, including Monte Morris and Georges Niang. Thomas's time in Ames also included the head coach transition from Fred Hoiberg to Steve Prohm. During the 2015-2016 season, Prohm's first season at the helm, Thomas and the Cyclones had a tremendous season that ended with the heartbreaking Sweet Sixteen loss to Virginia in the United Center. Matt Thomas went undrafted after the 2016-2017 season and though he burned up the nets for the Lakers NBA summer league team, he started his professional career in Spain. Thomas continued his hot shooting for two different Spanish clubs. In fact, Thomas earned the nickname Mr. 99% for his deadly catch-and-shoot accuracy. Playing professionally helped him develop his all-around game at the highest level of basketball in Europe. Thomas spent two years in Spain proving his ability all over the court and earned the call from the Toronto Raptors to start the current NBA season. Thomas made his debut for the Raptors on the same court where he and the Cyclones lost to the Virginia Cavaliers in March 2016. After recovering from a broken finger, Thomas was starting to find his stride for the Raptors before the pandemic put the NBA season on hold and is poised to make a fast start when the NBA returns. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

To continue UNI week, a current Panther football player steps into the studio. This Moonlighter has found an interesting role for Coach Mark Farley and the Panthers. The defensive back has found his way onto the field as a punter. Zac Kibby grew up as a multisport athlete and has used that athleticism to help the Panthers by averaging almost 40 yards per punt. In fact, Kibby's 39.3 yard average was good enough for 61st in FCS but he is the ONLY player in the top 100 whose position is listed as DB. As a redshirt sophomore, Kibby was looking to make the travel squad and overheard Coach Farley say they needed an emergency punter. After practice one day, he bombed a few, and next thing you know, he was the backup punter. Kibby made his debut as a college punter against the Iowa Hawkeyes a few weeks later. Since then, Kibby has played a split role as a DB and as the punter. After a great redshirt-junior season, Kibby hopes for a teammate to emerge as the punter so he can fully embrace his role on defense. As Zac Kibby enters his senior campaign, his first priority is helping the team, but he is optimistic about an incoming freshman punter taking the reins and what the defensive coaches might need from him. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

This week's Moonlighter is one of the best Panthers to ever lace 'em up for UNI. Seth Tuttle was a multi-sport star for West Fork High School who went on to be a 4 year starter for the Panthers. Tuttle was a fan favorite for the purple and gold during his career and finished in the top 10 in several statistical categories. Now, Tuttle is back in Cedar Falls as a coach for the men's basketball team and his fire for the game continues to burn. Tuttle grew up as a multi-sport athlete and found his first love on the diamond. Once he hit high school he hung up his bat and glove to focus on track, football, and basketball. Football Friday nights are some of his favorite memories where he starred as the quarterback for the 1A West Fork Warhawks, leading them to the playoffs his senior year. Though there aren't too many 6'6 quarterbacks in small town high school football, the basketball court was where Tuttle really stood out. Tuttle's high school career included just about every accolade and was capped off with an undefeated state title his senior year. Tuttle found his college home at UNI and built relationships that have lasted almost a decade now. Walking onto campus as a small school standout, Tuttle had to find his confidence as a freshman. UNI coaches helped to bring him along a little bit as he adjusted to the college game, but Tuttle went on to start every game in his career in Cedar Falls. By the time he finished at UNI, Tuttle was one of the all time leaders in scoring, blocked shots, shooting percentage, and free throws made. Tuttle's senior year included national attention and being listed on the Naismith watch list at midseason, being named 2nd team All American, and the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year. The 2014-2015 Panther season ended in the round of 32 with the loss to Louisville, but Tuttle took his talents to Europe to play professionally. After 3 years in Europe, an opportunity to join the UNI coaching staff as a graduate manager brought Tuttle back to the states. He has just finished his second year with the staff and loves his role working with young stars like AJ Green. After a 25-6 record and regular season MVC championship, the Panthers are primed to continue to improve next season led by their young talent and top-tier coaching staff. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Sports are the best. And sports are the worst. There are so many things about sports that bring us together and give us something to celebrate and create communities. However, certain things just grind on you. The announcer that makes you put the game on mute, TV timeouts before and after kickoffs, and so much more. This week, Moonlight Graham takes hot takes to a new level as we take it to the sauna to really sweat it out and get everything off of our chests. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/podcast/everythingwehate

Danan Hughes chose Iowa and coach Hayden Fry because of the promise to let him play both baseball and football, including a deal that he didn't have to participate in football workouts if he was playing for the baseball team. Hughes only played spring football for one season in college, but even doubling up sports didn't slow him down. After 4 catches for over 100 yards in the Hawkeye spring game, Hughes rushed over to the baseball field to play in the second game of a double-header against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Hughes and the Hawkeyes went to the 1991 Rose Bowl and were Big Ten co-champions. Hughes is one of the all-time Hawkeye leaders for touchdown receptions (tied for 2nd), receptions (3rd), and receiving yards for a freshman (2nd). After a stellar career on the diamond for the Hawkeyes, Hughes was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1992 amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Hughes played 2 seasons for the Helena Brewers in the Pioneer League. Hughes was then drafted in the 7th round 1993 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and fully committed himself to football. Hughes was part of the mid-1990s Chiefs that featured some incredible talents, including Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Will Shields, and Derrick Thomas. The Chiefs went to the AFC Championship game during his rookie season and made the playoffs in nearly every season in Kansas City. Hughes retired after 6 years in the NFL with over 400 yards receiving, almost 800 return yards, and a perfect 100% completion percentage going 2-2 as a passer. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

If you are looking for a guy that knows baseball, then look no further than this retired Marine with and a degree in Econ. Seriously. Ryan Spaeder has a little bit of an unusual resume, but he was born for modern baseball. He has a passion for statistics and baseball nuggets that has led to his book Incredible Baseball Stats, two podcasts, The Best Baseball Podcast and The Walkoff and his website, theaceofspaeder.com. Spaeder has over 50,000 followers on Twitter and is a one stop spot for every baseball nut. Spaeder's passion for baseball started as a young boy going to games Veteran's Memorial Stadium to see the Phillies. From there, Spaeder's love for the game continued to grow. However, his book and podcasts were not his first or even second career. After serving his country as a U.S. Marine, Spaeder earned a degree in Economics from Penn State University focusing on statistics and advanced econometrics (whatever econometrics is). Spaeder's next life was as a hedge fund manager before retiring and taking a job with the Department of Defense. Spaeder's newest life includes podcasting, writing, and a prominent social media presence that has drawn the attention of the baseball world, including NBC Sports and The Sporting News. Tim and Ryan Spaeder dive into everything Twins, Joe Mauer, and even some MJ baseball stories. This episode will help scratch the itch of anyone missing baseball so much they are ordering a new KBO jersey.

There are three kinds of guys hooping at old man pick-up games over a lunch hour. First, you have the young bucks who still have gas in the tank from their high school and college days. The other obvious group are the old dogs. The ones with the knee braces, ankle braces, maybe even a back brace here and there. Throw in a pair of rec specs and you've got a guy who is deadly from within ten feet but isn't interested in running the court. Then you have the guys that are tough to figure out. They may look a little older but they still move pretty well. They know how to stay one step ahead without being quicker and seem to be in the right place at the right time. They've got a smooth shot and dish a few well timed passes. An hour later and they have guys 15-20 years younger totally frustrated. Tim ran into one of these guys a few years ago and came to find out that he was a former Cyclone who was now an NBA scout. It wasn't just some insurance salesman, but a guy who had been around the game, and some of the best in the world, his whole life; Mike Born. Mike Born grew up in West Des Moines before accepting a scholarship to play for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Born spent two years in Omaha before deciding to transfer as a walk-on to play for Johnny Orr and the Cyclones. After sitting out his transfer year, Born and the Cyclones went to two straight NCAA tournaments. Born spent one year playing professionally in Paris before coming back home. Born's playing days weren't totally over as he played for Marathon Oil and then helped start the Pella Windows amatuer team. He served as the GM, coach, driver, laundry man and whatever else it took to keep playing ball. They would play 15 exhibition games against colleges across the midwest each November and even went on to win 2 AAU national titles. Even when his competitive playing days were done, Born stayed on the court as a coach and worked the sidelines with future NBA champion Nick Nurse. Coaching in the amatuer/AAU, college and NBA D-League ranks was only his second act for Born. After spending so much of his life as a player and coach, Born had made connections around the basketball world. One high point of his career was working at Michael Jordan's camp, which included playing on Jordan's team in camp pickup games. Born experienced MJ's competitive fire first hand and has some awesome stories about the greatest of all time. Born's third act is perhaps his most prominent basketball role; now serving as an NBA scout. Over the last 15 years, Born has taken everything he has learned about the game as a player and coach into his position as a scout for the Portland Trailblazers, Charlotte Hornets, and now the Indiana Pacers. His current work has him travelling and evaluating talent at the highest levels. All of those experiences are also coming together in his most important role, dad. Mike Born's oldest son is the current Iowa Mr. Basketball, Bowen. Bowen Born is a UNI recruit who just completed a stellar senior season at Norwalk High School. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Justin Brayton was born to ride. He was riding a two-wheel bike at 2 years old and got his first dirt bike at 3. He was making his own jumps and showing no fear as part of the motocross culture in and around Fort Dodge. In middle school, his stepdad and mom were driving Justin around the country to find the best competition. His parents would take a motorhome to Texas, or wherever the top race was, leaving Fort Dodge Friday after work and returning Monday morning just in time to head back to school and work. By the time he was in high school, Justin was one of the top amateurs in the country and took 4th at the Loretta Lynn's in 2002. From there, he turned professional and has been at the top of his sport - the 450 class Supercross (450SX), since 2010. Justin Brayton's career has had its ups and downs, but Justin has made a name for himself as one of the top riders in the world and is on the best team in supercross. Justin's first main event win came just one week before his 34th birthday, making him the oldest rider to win a supercross race at the 2018 Daytona Supercross. Justin still wakes up every day with a passion for racing and has no intention of slowing down now. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

For a podcast that tries to shine a light on the underdog, this week has us over the moon. Our guest has perhaps the most iconic underdog story in NFL history and one of the best athletes in Iowa history. Of course, we are talking about one of the best passers in NFL history, Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. All sports fans know the story of Warner going from stocking shelves at Hy Vee to quarterbacking his team to 3 Super Bowls but there is so much more. Warner seemingly came out of nowhere, including a Sports Illustrated cover asking "Who is this guy?" Kurt Warner grew up in eastern Iowa and was an all-state basketball player at Regis High School in Cedar Rapids. After a lot of success as a high school football and basketball player, Warner went on to UNI to play quarterback for the Panthers. However, he spent what he calls his four toughest years as a football player as the back up to Jay Johnson. Warner tore up the Gateway conference on his way to being the conference offensive player of the year in 1993 when he was given the reins in his red-shirt senior year. The Green Bay Packers took a chance on Warner as an undrafted free agent in 1994 where he was in the quarterback room with Brett Favre, Mark Brunnell, and Ty Detmer. After not making the team, Warner made his way back to Iowa and a job at Hy Vee while waiting for his shot. He had always ambitions for football beyond college and the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena League gave him that shot. While many people look at the Kurt Warner story and look at the times he didn't play, Warner was always focused on how he took advantage of the chances he got. As an Iowa Barnstormer, Warner took the team to 2 league title games in his 3 years. His success in the fast-paced, quick-hitting arena game opened a door to the NFL-Europe. Warner lit up NFL Europe for the Amsterdam Admirals, leading the league in both touchdowns and passing yards. Warner returned to the Rams and was on the roster as the 3rd string QB for the 1998 season. Once 1999 rolled around, well, Warner started on his path to Canton. From 1999-2003 Warner quarterbacked the Greatest Show on Turf to two Super Bowls and won a ring and MVP. After two years with the New York Giants, Warner was signed by the Arizona Cardinals. Warner led the Cardinals to their first postseason win in over 50 years on their way to the Super Bowl in 2008 before retiring in 2010. Literally, Kurt Warner's story is the stuff of movies. His tale includes both the experiences of the journeyman and the obstacles of the underdog. Warner has seen it all, from sitting on the bench in college, tearing up two professional leagues on his way to sitting on the bench in the NFL before setting the world on fire with Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Mike Martz. Now, as he works as a broadcaster, high school coach, and #1 fan for his sons, the Kurt Warner story is being made into a movie titled "American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story which is set to be released in December. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Paul Emerick grew up in Pella and was a talented football player and wrestler. After a first-team All-State senior campaign, he took his talents across town to play for the Central College Dutch. As a freshman, college football was more about meetings and workouts than time on the field, and so Emerick decided to transfer to the University of Northern Iowa for his sophomore year. An invite to check out the Panther Rugby Club opened his eyes to a new opportunity. I thought he might have been talking about the band The Eagles Paul Emerick established himself as a standout player for UNI and then learned about the US Eagles. By playing for the Iowa team and then the Midwest team, Emerick was selected for the national team; earning his first cap in 2003. Emerick's professional career lasted from 2004-2013 and took him to Italy, Wales, and Northern Ireland before ending his career in London. Emerick finished his career with 3 World Cups 54 caps, and 14 tries for the US Eagles; good for second on the all-time list. Now, Emerick serves as the skills coach for the Houston SabreCats, a member of Major League Rugby. Rugby is among the fastest-growing sports in America and that is a key mission of MLR. The Iowa Youth Rugby Association has been growing rapidly over the last few years with many high school teams establishing clubs and the Des Moines Rugby Club hosting the state tournament at their facility in West Des Moines. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Lights, camera, action! This week, Tim sits down with an up and coming lead on the screen and stage from Fort Dodge, IA. Ben Ahlers is a star of a new Quibi show When the Streetlights Go On. At 23 years old, Ahlers has already played many different roles including on the NBC series The Villiage and some upcoming shows that will be released. Tim and Ben talk about how preparing for roles is like competing on the field and how Ben's background as an athlete has impacted his career as an actor. Ben Ahlers grew up in Fort Dodge playing about every sport he could get involved with. Playing baseball, football, swimming, basketball, tennis, and track helped shape him as a competitor and person. After high school, Ahlers went to the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, and Dance which is one of the most prestigious programs in the country. He shares that his experiences were very different than many of his peers at Michigan who had always focused on acting or dance. After a few years in the program, Ahlers got an opportunity to go out to New York and start his career. His athletic background has contributed to his career already as he plays basketball on screen in the recently released When the Streetlights Go On and as a baseball player in the to-be-released Walkoff. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Social media is filling up with harrowing tales of working from home with children, homeschooling kids who were not taught to 'carry the one', and only being able to eat at your favorite restaurants by (gasp) carrying out! There are many real challenges to our current social-distancing lifestyles, but this week's Moonlighter maintained social distance from everyone except for wild animals for days at a time on the reality show Alone. Lucas Miller spent 7-8 days at a time totally alone in the woods of Pacific Northwest trying to figure out what he would eat, staying safe, and how to stay warm and dry. Lucas Miller was contacted by the casting company putting together a reality show in which survivalists would be dropped in the woods and be left to film themselves and their experiences. Participants were given a list of 40 items and were allowed to choose 10. From there, they were dropped into remote areas and had to find a way to survive. He was given a camera and a GPS tracker to allow the crew to be able to get to him in the case of an emergency. After being dropped by the crew, it was just Miller and the wild. Besides a pretty awful story about eating a bad mussel, Miller thrived. Over time, he established a yurt, canoe, steady supply of clams, and even an instrument and it seemed like Miller could continue to live in the wild for months.

With the Coronavirus changing the world of sports, we have had to look in new directions to get our fix. We need the unpredictable nature of sports. We need teams and names to cheer for. We need something to gamble on. And with over 50 million views and 750,000 subscribers, we have a winner. Jelle's Marble Runs on YouTube give you everything you want from sports: underdogs, fan favorites, and unpredictable twists and turns. What really makes this must stream action though is the production of it all. You have to check out the courses, the graphics, and the absolute professional quality of the turn by turn announcing. This week's Moonlighter is the man behind the mic for all of Marble Run racing, Greg Woods. Woods sits down with Tim to explain how a guy living in Fort Dodge has become the voice of the fastest marbles in the world. Greg Woods grew up in Newton, IA and was a fan of Formula 1 racing after being introduced to the sport by his dad. That interest turned into some jobs over the years during college and medical school writing about racing for different publications. His foray into race announcing came by chance though, as he made his own video calling a marble race. Once Jelle and Dion Bakker, two Dutch brothers who run the races, saw the video with Woods on the call, they reached out to have him do all of their races. That started Woods down a course in 2016 that has been picking up a lot of speed. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Every sports fan knows the pinstripes. The New York Yankees is among the most historic franchise in professional sports. Names like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle built the legacy that modern stars like Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge have built upon. This week's Moonlighter got to play a part in the saga of Yankees during the 2000 season when they went on to win their 26th World Series. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Lucas O'Rear grew up in a baseball family and had to make a choice after high school. Should he play baseball, following in his dad, brother, and mom's footsteps or does he play basketball? The deciding factor ended up being the opportunity to get a full-ride to play basketball and being given the chance to also play baseball for UNI. However, UNI dropped the baseball program after the 2009 season. Instead of transferring, O'Rear focused on basketball and made the most out of his opportunities, winning 6th Man of the Year in both 2009 and 2010. The most memorable part of that run was the win against Kansas and Ali's shot. O'Rear had 3 points, 5 rebounds, and one air-balled free throw in 17 minutes. As a two-sport college athlete, O'Rear had to make some major adjustments. Between college courses, D-I basketball, and committing to playing for Rick Heller, there were some major changes from high school in Nashville, IL. O'Rear had to find ways to throw a few times a week during basketball season and then use the first part of the season to get into baseball shape. In his one season of baseball at UNI, O'Rear was one of the standout players on the baseball team. When the Panther program was cut, transferring to Kansas and focusing just on baseball was an option. After sitting down with Coach Jacobson and his dad, O'Rear decided to stick to his commitment and play basketball at UNI. O'Rear knew his future in sports was more likely on the diamond than the hardwood, and after his junior basketball season, he was asked to work out for scouts… with an 8th grade as his catcher. That led to opportunities to play with Perfect Game and other opportunities to be scouted. This led to a 13th round draft pick by the Reds and signing to play Rookie League before his senior basketball season. After graduating from UNI, O'Rear went on to play Rookie and A ball from 2010-2012.

Matt Macri was a standout football and baseball player at Dowling Catholic. On the gridiron, Macri led the Maroons to a state championship and was being recruited by Big 10 and Big 12 schools to play quarterback, but baseball was his first love. And after a stellar high school career as a shortstop and pitcher, Macri was first drafted out of high school by the Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 2001 draft, the same year they drafted Joe Mauer. But after a recruiting visit to Notre Dame, Macri knew he wanted to play for the Irish. Macri was part of a great recruiting class and arrived at Notre Dame during a high point in the baseball program. After an injury and Tommy-John surgery during his freshman year, Macri lived up to the hype and was an all-conference and All American player and was drafted in the 5th round by the Colorado Rockies in 2004. Part of signing with the Rockies was a plan for Matt to finish his degree. Matt Macri started his pro career in low A, short-season ball and worked his way up through the Rockies system and fighting through wrist injuries before being traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2007. Macri was called up by the Twins in 2008 and went 2-3 in his debut and .324 with 1 home run as pro. His last major league hit came off of Randy Johnson. In his career, Macri played over 700 games and had 81 home runs. After 7 years in professional baseball, Matt Macri retired and went back to Notre Dame to finish his degree and start his next career. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

"Who was banging on the trash can?!" With everything going on in Major League Baseball right now, the Moonlight Graham Show had to dig out the mics in-between seasons to put together an emergency podcast. And who better to be our Moonlighter than Des Moines Register's baseball insider, Tommy Birch. This week, Tim and Tommy ignore the snowfall and focus on a heated issue; the Houston Astros cheating their way to the top of the MLB in 2017 and 2018. Tommy Birch covers the Iowa Cubs and Major League Baseball for the Des Moines Register and brings his knowledge of the game and perspective into the studio to talk about the biggest baseball scandal in years. If you haven't been following the news, we have all of the details. The Houston Astros were using a live in-game feed to communicate what pitch was coming to hitters. Big names like Jose Altuve, Carlos Beltran, AJ Hinch, and Alex Cora at the center of the story as well as unnamed sources and players receiving immunity to tell their story. The story has been coming out in pieces but this story really hit the national radar in November and the baseball commissioner's report released on January 13th. It is hard to know how many players and teams could potentially be involved and where the story is going next. "Baseball just has to embrace what it is, who it is, and how it is played" As this scandal continues to unfold, Tim and Tommy look back on sports history and try to put this scandal in perspective. From the Black Sox to Lance Armstrong, the guys weigh in on where the Astros ranks all time. Baseball is no stranger to piquing the national interest (or ire) with scandal. The black eyes from Pete Rose betting on baseball and, later, the strike in '94 were overshadowed by the steroid era. The use of technology presents a unique challenge to modern sports because of the unknown potential of what might happen next. The bright side of the scandal is all of the attention being brought to baseball. As the baseball junkies, Tim and Tommy weigh in on a host of challenges facing the MLB today and what baseball has to do to recapture the attention of the casual fan. Enjoy this week's emergency interview with our newest Moonlighter, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register.

With the recent release of the documentary "Killer Inside| The Mind of Aaron Hernandez" we thought it was worthwhile to run back this old favorite with Aaron's brother, Jonathan Hernandez. Originally released 11/27/18

Season 7 wraps up with the Moonlight Graham Show getting back to what it is all about - flat out great stories. This week, Tim takes a recorder into the Ducktail Lounge to bring together Moonlighters of all stripes to share stories. If you've never been, the Ducktail Lounge is the perfect spot for the Moonlight Happy Hour. With cheap, cold beers and a style that is best defined as the opposite of flash, the scene was set to celebrate the underdog. This episode includes 13 short interviews with former guests, including Paul Schulte and Adam Viet alongside a few interviews with some diehard fans of the podcast. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

Tim and Dan Jennings first crossed in 2007 in the Northwoods League when they both played for the Waterloo Bucks. Jennings came to the Bucks from the University of Nebraska where he walked on to the program. In spite of being on two state title teams at Valley High School, Jennings didn't get a lot of exposure and wasn't really recruited. With some help from his dad and a few VHS tapes, Nebraska wanted him to walk on. Jennings goal was to improve his game each year to keep up with the competition. Originally, Dan was being recruited by Central College, but once he committed to Nebraska, he knew he was taking a big step up by joining a national championship-caliber program. His time at Nebraska wasn't specifically about getting drafted but it was about being the best that he could be. That approach has severed him well at each step of his career. Once he was drafted by the Marlins in 2009, Jennings has remained focused on taking advantage of each opportunity. After making his debut in the majors in 2012, Jennings spent 2 more years with the Marlins before spending 3 quality seasons with the White Sox. Jennings has pitched almost 350 innings and has 17 wins on his record in stints with Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay, and starting the 2019 season with the Washington Nationals. Dan Jennings is currently preparing for his next big-league opportunity since being released by the Yankees in August. And based on his track record, we know this Moonlighter will make the most out of that shot when it comes.

Fr. John Riccardo is a nationally recognized speaker and radio host. He joins the podcast this week to discuss his family owning the Detroit Lions, Jim Harbaugh and the role of sports in our society.

The Moonlight Graham Show has always had an affinity for the ultimate underdog sports scene; junior college. This week takes us to the Iowa Central Community College baseball alumni golf outing. The Moonlight Graham Show sponsored the 9th hole for the alumni outing and placed a recording device with a sign that said: "Tell your best story". And these former Tritons delivered. Playing a sport at the junior college level is one of the truest forms of playing for your team and for the love of the game - because there isn't much else to play for. Long bus trips, small team budgets, and a lack of recognition make JUCO sports a fertile ground for building life-long relationships with teammates. This week, Tim hands the microphone over to Triton alums to tell their best story while on the golf course. These Tritons share everything from 28-hour bus trips to pushing a coach's van around campus after getting caught with some adult beverages.

Episode 128 brings a little class and sophistication to the podcast. On the heels of our discussion about one of the greatest video games we played as kids...and adults, this week brings a discussion of art and American culture. Vincent van Gogh even gets his first (and likely only) Moonlight Graham shout out. Andy Brown is a Brit who has spent the last several years painting baseball parks in South Korea, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. His attraction to the game of baseball may have started across the ocean, but his dream was to visit and paint every major league ballpark took him across the US. Visiting every major league stadium is an item on many people's bucket lists. Andy Brown not only visited every MLB stadium during the 2019 season; he painted every stadium as well. In addition to the US, he has also painted every stadium in Korea and Japan and is currently working in Mexico. Tim and Andy talk discuss baseball as much more than just a game. They both see it as a part of American culture. As a Brit, Andy provides a unique perspective seeing the diverse cross-sections of America and compares the division in the media vs. the unity of the ballpark. Andy saw America up close as he road-tripped across the country and shares his impressions and insights, including reviewing American fast food. As a part of his journey across America, Andy Brown knew he needed to make a stop in Dyersville, Iowa to see the Field of Dreams. He shares about the magic of being at the Field of Dreams and how it has changed the way he views the movie. Without realizing it, Andy's visit to the Field of Dreams happened to be on the weekend of the last ghost player game of the year. Andy was able to paint the field and players and capture an amazing atmosphere from his first visit to Field of Dreams. Andy Brown's paintings have been displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame Cooperstown and on ESPN, BBC, Fox Sports, and many other media outlets.

The Moonlight Graham Show is all about fun and games but this week's episode takes that to an all-new level. For episode 127, Tim joined Iowa Tecmo for a tournament at The Keg Stand to put his Tecmo skills to the test. After some confidence-building warmup games, Tim found out just what he had gotten himself into. With 1993 Buffalo Bills highlights playing on TV, the scene was set for a day spent in a timewarp back to a friend's basement in the early 90s. The format of the tournament started with pool play that then set the seeding for the 20 man bracket, including the national #1 ranked Tecmo player, Joey Gats. This week Tim sits down with a host of Tecmo veterans from around the midwest, including Duck Hunt world record holder Kyle Nelson. Enjoy a few interviews with some of the best Tecmo players in the United States. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

We've had some incredible wrestlers on the podcast. The Moonlight wrestling crew includes high school, college, World, and Olympic champions. However, it was a small-time tv news reporter that has one of the wildest wrestling stories of them all. Ben Hildebrandt was on an assignment to catch a glimpse of a real-life giant when the lines of fake wrestling and real assault were blurred. Ben Hildebrandt was working a big event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in August of 1989. The World Wrestling Federation was coming to town and one of the biggest stars in the 'sport', not to mention the largest athlete in the world, was coming to town. Ben was supposed to get a story about how professional wrestling was fake but things turned ugly when Andre the Giant thought Ben was filming his match. Needless to say, 5'9" 160-pound Ben Hildebrandt was no match for the 7'5" 540-pound giant. After a smashing the camera and throwing Hildebrandt around like a ragdoll, the 'match' was over in about 15 seconds. From there, a whole new match started in the courts. When the dust settled, Hildebrandt probably came out on top because he didn't have to pay for the $15,000 camera that was broken. www.moonlightgrahamshow.com

A six-foot-tall wide receiver is essentially an underdog by definition. But this week's Moonlighter made his name by being willing to do whatever it took to get his on the field. Catching passes, running reverses, special teams, even throwing the ball, Josh Lenz was willing to do it all. Lenz was a Dubuque Hempstead standout who was a fan favorite for the Iowa State Cyclones and ended his pro career one play away from playing on Sundays. Lenz was a three-sport standout for the Mustangs. In addition to being a star running back and safety, Lenz burned it up on the track and the hardwood. In spite of growing up a Hawkeye fan, Gene Chizik and the Cyclones were his only D-I football option. Paul Rhoads took over the program before Lenz set foot on campus. In his 4 years, Lenz did his part to convert some Eastern Iowans to Cyclone fans. Though Lenz ended his career as a Cyclone at 24-27, his 4-year run included some of the biggest wins in Cyclone history. The first of which was a 9-6 win over Nebraska in Lincoln in 2009. That 2009 season was capped with a win in the Insight Bowl over Minnesota. 2010 had the road win over #22 Texas Longhorns and 2011 had the road win over #19 Texas Tech. The biggest win in Lenz's career, and perhaps Cyclone football history, was the November 2011 overtime victory in Ames over #2 Oklahoma State. Lenz was a critical part of the highs of the Rhoads years in Ames and gave Cyclones a lot of great memories. After a successful college career, including a perfect passer rating (going 2-2 with 2 touchdowns) Lenz put his name on some NFL boards with his performance at the ISU pro-day. After going undrafted in the 2012 draft, Lenz was picked up by the Chicago Bears. His pro career included stops with the Seahawks, Browns, Colts, and Texans. His time as Colt included being put on the active roster for the 2014 playoff game against the New England Patriots. His opportunities in the NFL were limited by injuries and AC joint problems ended his career when he was with the Houston Texans.

Episode 124 brings together some of our favorite things in the sports world: obscure sports facts, bragging rights, and an underdog athlete. Reed McManigal, the pride of Mason City, sits down in a multipart interview with Tim to break down Reed's pursuit of a Guinness World Record for the fastest 1-mile run while dribbling a basketball. Breaking a Guinness World Record is more than just doing something amazing. After deciding that he wanted to set a record, he had to find something he thought he could handle. Searching the Guinness site and focusing on basketball drew his attention to the record held by Colin Shaver who ran a mile while dribbling a basketball in 6 minutes and 58 seconds. Reed started this process in March and had to go through many steps including securing two timers, witnesses, a basketball official, and a track official. Reed is an Iowa product, recently named one of the Des Moines Register's 40 under 40 in Des Moines, and so naturally his attempt had to take place on the Drake Blue Oval. Moonlight Graham has had Olympic champions and athletes who have competed at the highest levels, however part 2 of this interview is the first time Tim has been able to sit down with a Guinness world record holder. Reed takes Tim through his preparation for the run which mostly focused following the Guinness rules leading up to the big day. Reed and his crew took over Drake Stadium on a cold October Sunday morning for his attempt. Tim served as the official videographer to document the attempt. After starting hot in lap one and then trying to find his pace in lap two, Reed was able to shatter Colin Shaver's record by almost 20 seconds.

Most Moonlighters have chased their dream on the field or court. This week, our Moonlighter chased his dream into the woodshop. Jeremy Mitchell loves baseball and art but it wasn't until a project with a skateboard company that he realized his future. The Mitchell Bat Company was born out of creativity, hard work, and hardwood. This week Tim connects with Jeremy Mitchell of Nashville, TN to talk about their shared passion for baseball. These two baseball nuts cover everything from collecting cards to their visits to Fenway. Now Mitchell has built a baseball bat company that has helped him connect with some of his childhood dreams, including seeing giant posters of Mookie Betts and other Red Sox players holding his bats. Mitchell has grown his company rapidly since its launch in 2013 and now Mitchell Bat Company has been featured in the flagship Ralph Lauren store in Manhattan and each of Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewert's magazines.

If wrestling had a hometown, Osage, Iowa would be in contention for that honor. The town of about 3500 has produced two Olympic wrestlers and perhaps the first-family of Iowa wrestling. With 6 state titles, 3 Big Ten Championships, 6 All Americans, a national championship, international success, and an Olympian, it is safe a safe bet that the mantle on the Schwab family fireplace has had to be reinforced a few times. Episode 122 brings the youngest Schwab brother, UNI Panther head coach Doug Schwab, to the podcast to tell his stories from on the mat. Mike and Mark Schwab were two very successful wrestlers. Mike was a state champion and Mark was a 4-time state champ, only losing 1 match in high school. Both Mike and Mark were All Americans at UNI. Little brother Doug followed in their footsteps and added one more state title to the family trophy case before going on to wrestle at the University of Iowa. Doug's career as a Hawkeye included 130 wins, 3 Big Ten titles, a national title and 3 time All American honors. Doug continued his career earning a Pan American Games gold, US National Championship, and a trip to the 2008 Bejing Olympics. Schwab's career is now in its second phase as he is the head wrestling coach for the UNI Panthers. After serving as an assistant at Virginia Tech and the University of Iowa under Tom Brands, Schwab took the reins in Cedar Falls in 2010. Since that time, he has helped rebuild the Panther program, with the help of brother Mark, and restore it to one of the top 15 programs in the country. Schwab and his UNI Panthers are now in the Big 12 Conference and UNI had its first national champion, Drew Foster, since 2000.

Imagine being so good at your sport that you had to go shop around to find some competition. After 3 stellar years playing local competition, Brad Nelson had become such a threat that many opponents wouldn't even pitch to him. After a phenomenal sophomore campaign, Nelson was arguably the best baseball player in Iowa and was treated that way as a junior. It was clear that his baseball career was going to be taking him places. This week, Tim sits down with Garrigan Golden Bear and former Milwaukee Brewer, Brad Nelson. Baseball was Nelson's true love but he stood out just as much on the basketball court as he did in the batter's box. In four years on the hardwood, he averaged over 21 points and set all kinds of records for the Golden Bears. Both his successes on the diamond and his jump shot made him a terror in the North Central Conference. As a senior, Nelson made the difficult decision to forego his senior baseball season to play on a traveling AAU team and to compete in showcases to test the waters for his future. After a successful amateur career, Nelson was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. His success continued as he progressed through the Brewer's system over the next seven years. Nelson's minor league career included being a two-time all-star, two homerun derby titles, the 2002 Brewer's Minor League Player of the Year and the 2005 Pacific Coast League championship with the Nashville Sounds. Nelson got his shot at the majors at the end of 2008 as the Brewers were making a push for the post-season. His first hit in the majors came was a 2 out double in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Mets. After a strong 2009 spring training, Nelson made the Brewers 25-man opening day roster. However, some early struggles at the plate turned out to be the end of his time with the Brewers. After spending a few years with the Mariners, Cubs, Rangers, and two winters in Central American winter leagues, Nelson retired in 2014.

In this impromptu bonus episode, Tim Flattery interviews the Minnesota Twins' Visiting team Clubhouse manager, Marcus McKenzie.

Iowa track fans know Shelby's name from her days of burning up the Drake blue oval and high school cross country courses. She was both the Gatorade cross country and track and field athlete of the year in Iowa during her senior year at Sioux City East. After a stellar high school running career, Shelby was heading for warmer weather in Tempe and joining the Sun Devils of Arizona State. After adjusting to the level of competition during her freshman and sophomore years, Shelby claimed the 2014 outdoor 1500 meter national championship along with being a 12 time All American. Since turning pro in 2015, Shelby has stayed on the rise. She finished 11th in the 2016 5000 meters. Shelby shares the ins-and-outs of living as a professional runner. She is passionate about competing and makes it clear that Tim can keep the beer and ice cream cheat days. With the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo only 10 months away, Shelby Houlihan appears primed to be in the medal hunt. So far in 2019, Shelby has taken home 4 US championships in distances ranging from the 1500 to 10k, including two this past July in Des Moines. Next up are the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Enjoy episode 119 with Iowan, Drake Champion, NCAA Champion, US Champion, Olympian and now Moonlighter, Shelby Houlihan.

Sports were like a playground where Mike could spend his days shooting hoops, running, lifting weights, or whatever else he could get his hands into. Mike grew up running around Fort Dodge, IA playing every sport or spending countless hours at the YMCA. He got an interest in weightlifting in middle school and with an added spark from movies like Rocky IV or Bloodsport, it became a passion. Mike's drive to train and improve was coupled with a curiosity that drove him to read training books and try to improve himself through any opportunity that was presented. The drive to compete didn't diminish when Mike graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High and went to UNI. The path to walking on to the basketball team included serving as a manager. And though he didn't end on the team, serving as a manager for the UNI basketball team opened doors for him as a coach and working with athletes. After living and working in Cedar Falls, Mike got an opportunity working with the Oakland Raiders. That experience was followed by a move to Washington, D.C. and joining the two-person strength and conditioning department at Georgetown. Mike Hill has been with Georgetown University since 2004. Tim, Tom, and Mike go in-depth into his approach to coaching and constantly learning. As a strength coach, Mike takes advantage of every minute he has with his athletes. He shares how he has developed an approach that starts with how the athletes walk through the door. Coach Hill talks about the motivation and mental part of the way he trains top-tier Division I athletes. In addition to his own physical training, Mike is a voracious reader and you can check out his reading list with #HillsBookClub and following him on Instagram (@license_2_hill).

ESPN College GameDay is coming to Ames and that is just throwing gasoline on the fire. There are only about 130 miles between the two campuses and both fanbases have proud tailgating cultures. Students, alums, and fans of all stripes will be rolling into Ames bright and early on Saturday morning. With as much as our state is known for wrestling or the success our college basketball teams may have, nothing compares to the CyHawk football game. However, it isn't all fun and games… there is always a little tension with CyHawk Week. The trash talk and the tailgating can add up faster than the gambling debts sometimes. With so much energy going into the week, there can be some burnout. Partying all day on Saturday does not come with an extra day off. That means that you will have to power through your hangover and show up to work on Monday to face the trash talk - which can be merciless if your team loses. This week will definitely be full of highs and lows for Hawks and Clones alike. Enjoy the hype this week and make sure that when kickoff rolls around you haven't talked too much trash (or gotten too trashed) to enjoy this week's CyHawk game.

Growing up in Dubuque County, baseball was more than just a game. Tim and Colin talk about the baseball tradition in Cascade and the ballplayers Rea and his friends looked up to. After a successful high school career, Rea took his only D-I offer and made the trip to the University of Northern Iowa. The fellow UNI Panthers reminisce about their time in the final years of the program and the now laughable conditions they practiced and played in. Unexpectedly, the UNI program shut down during Rea's freshman season. The sudden ending to his time as a Panther set the stage for a career that had a few sudden moves. The end of the program in Cedar Falls opened a new opportunity for Rea and some of his teammates at St. Petersburg College in Florida which was an eye-opening experience. After his sophomore year playing against really talented Florida JUCO players, Rea transferred to Indiana State to reunite with former UNI Coach (and Moonlighter) Rick Heller. From the moment he became a Sycamore, he was named the Friday night starter and never looked back. A solid junior year garnered Rea enough attention and respect that he was taken in the 12th round of the 2011 draft by the San Diego Padres. After establishing himself at each level in the Padre system, Rea was called up in August of 2015. A little reminiscent of his college career, Colin Rea spent one year with the Padres before being traded to Miami. However, this trip to Florida was shorter than his time with St. Petersburg. Rea's career as a Marlin lasted just 4 and ⅓ innings before he was sent back to San Diego due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. After missing the entire 2017 season, it took all of 2018 and into 2019 before Rea started to feel like he was 100% again. And now, Colin Rea is the 2019 Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year and has a very good chance of getting back into the big leagues as the Cubs make their post-season run. Returning to the big leagues would be the perfect ending to this Moonlighter's story.

Jason Knutzon spent part of his youth playing golf in Eagle Grove, IA before qualifying for four NCAA Regionals and being named All-Big 12 for Iowa State. After a successful college golf career, Jason worked to earn a PGA tour card by battling on the Web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) and competing in Q School. After fighting to keep his pro card on the Nationwide Tour, Knutzon got his break on the international stage where he successfully qualified to earn his pro card and make over $2 million on the links. Playing on the Asian and European tours allowed him to travel the world, including places he had never heard of (be honest, do you know where Mauritius is?). Knutzon has competed professionally in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States since turning pro in 1999. Highlights of Knutzon's career include two wins on the Asian Tour and played in both the US Open and the Open Championship, in addition to holding the Fort Dodge Amateur tournament record at 14-under par. With almost two decades of professional golf under his belt, Jason Knutzon has just about seen it all and even has a few tips to help out Tim's golf swing.

This week takes every Moonlight fan inside the ropes for a big-time amateur golf tournament with Moonlighter, and former Hawkeye, Sam Meuret. Sam took Tim under his wing and made him his caddy for a day this summer. Tim and Sam talk strategy, tips, and caddy etiquette as the drove from West Des Moines to the US Amateur qualifier at Shadow Ridge Country Club in Omaha. After four years of playing for the Hawkeyes, Sam is now an insurance professional and a ringer for corporate outings. However, winning a US Amateur qualifier would gain Sam entry into the US Amateur Championships. He had to call in a wannabe professional caddy to give him the edge on the hot July day. Sam describes himself as a "poor man's Dustin Johnson" and Tim considers himself the true amateur of the Amateur qualifier. 30,000 steps and roughly 16 miles later, Sam and Tim drove home with a 5th place finish. Not the day Sam wanted but much more than Tim had hoped for: pulling pins, raking bunkers, and generally soaking in the experience (and the sunburn) of the caddy life. Enjoy the beginning of golf week here on the Moonlight Graham Show as Tim and Sam Meuret give you the pre-round and post-round analysis of his attempt to qualify for the US Amateur Championships.

Episode 113 brings one of the great Hawkeye guards into the studio, Jeff Horner. Tim and Moonlighter Jack Brownlee sit down with the Mason City product to talk about his time as a Mohawk, Hawkeye, as a pro in Europe, and now walking the sideline as a coach. Jeff has seen a lot on the hardwood and has some great stories to tell. Horner committed to Steve Alford and the Iowa Hawkeyes as a ninth-grader. That commitment may have changed Mohawk sports history because he was a multisport athlete. Horner was a varsity football and baseball player as a freshman but had to shift his focus to prepare for life in Iowa City. In fact, Horner thinks that had he been able to play his senior baseball season, he might have had some options on the diamond. Once in Iowa City, Horner took a leadership role for the Hawks for the next four seasons, starting nearly every game in his career. Horner talks about the expectations of being an Iowa kid in the Black and Gold and the pressure he felt. Jack Brownlee and Jeff give an inside look at practice and the competitive culture during the Alford era. Horner was one of the great all-around basketball players in Hawkeye history and finished his career with 1,502 points, 563 rebounds, and 612 assists. After a few years in professional basketball in Europe, Horner came back to America and was signed by Nick Nurse and became the first ever player for the Iowa Energy. With his playing days behind him, Horner has found a new role on the court as a coach. Horner has gone from a high school assistant coach to D-2 head coach at Truman State University. Jeff shares what he has taken from some of the great coaching minds he played for and against over his career.

How many home runs does it take before a guy knows when he can "pimp a home run" and when you need to try to leg out a double? Apparently, the answer is more than 200 because this week's Moonlighter had to second guess himself even in the last plate appearance of his career. Cody Decker was drafted in the 22nd round in 2009 by the San Diego Padres and played across the US and for Team Israel. His professional baseball career of over 1000 games included almost 900 hits and 645 RBIs until his retirement on July 7, 2019. Decker had a tremendous career on the diamond and has also made a name for himself on social media and Periscope with hilarious ballpark stories.

In this "emergency" podcast, Tim Flattery, Sean Murphy, and Big Ben Meyer offer their analysis on next year's Yankees vs. White Sox game at the Field of Dreams.

Episode 110 takes Moonlight Graham into the workshop of Jimmy Lonetti and D&J Glove Repair in Minneapolis. Jimmy and his son Dom started their business as a sort of hobby when they saw the need for repairs in little league. That hobby has turned into a business that brings baseball mitts of all conditions back to life. Tim bought a 1930s glove that looked like it belonged in the trash heap and after a few weeks in the D&J workshop, the mitt was literally game ready. Like every Moonlighter, Jimmy's story starts with his family. Jimmy's grandpa was a shoemaker and Jimmy remembers the smell of leather and glue and even working on his own gloves (before he even knew how!). Many of the gloves D&J repairs have their own father and son story. Many sons send him gloves their dads grew up playing that they want to recondition as a gift or reviving a glove that was a gift from their father. Every glove has a story and Jimmy and Dom use their skills to bring those stories to life.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Episode 109 will have you feeling like a spring chicken as Tim sits down with the ultimate under(and older)dog, Jim Morris. Baseball fans will recognize the name right away and so will movie buffs. The 2002 movie The Rookie is based on Morris's return to baseball after a "career-ending" injury and a career change to become a teacher and coach. Dennis Quaid played the role of a smalltown high school coach who made a deal with his underdog team; win the district and he would try out for the big leagues. Jim Morris isn't your typical underdog story. He didn't just overcome a difficult childhood and abuse to become successful. That would make for a good story. He didn't just make a comeback and get a second chance at a career, which would have made for a great story. He didn't merely bounce back from what was supposed to be a career-ending surgery, which would have made for an awesome story. This unbelievable underdog story includes all of those curveballs and Morris did it in his mid-30s. Jim Morris made more than 20 appearances in the majors before injuries ended his career. Morris and Tim discuss the Disney film The Rookie starring Dennis Quaid and how closely it lined up with real life. Much of the movie accurately portrays Morris's life as a coach and player but some of the personal struggles with his father and spouse are glossed over to highlight the second chance story. This week's interview goes beyond the movie to talk about some of the depths of Jim's personal life, his first shot at professional baseball and a missed NFL draft phone call.

Season 6 breaks the tape just in time for the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Iowa's own track Mecca; Drake Stadium. Mike Mahon sits down with Tim to talk about his career as media coordinator for the Drake Relays and press officer for the Olympic teams in 1992, 1996, and 2004. Mahon shares stories about some of the biggest names in USA track history as well as insights into this week's competitors. Drake Stadium will host over 100 Olympic caliber athletes and could see numerous US track records fall as America's fastest men and women come to town. Mike Mahon's career at Drake goes back to the 1970s, so he has just about seen it all in Des Moines. Mahon and Tim break down the big names that will be running this week including household names like Shelby Houlihan and Jenny Simpson and breakout stars, such as Indian Hills Community College's Kenny Bednarek. Bednarek burns up the track with a Moonlighter story of his own. The Wisconsin product found his way to Ottumwa, IA and emerged as one of the fastest men on Earth in both the 200 and 400.

Tim sits down with his loyal cohost, Tom Griffin, and Big Ben Meyer to answer all of your mailbag questions. Things get a little loose in the studio this week so buckle up!

Not all Moonlighters start out as underdogs. We have had a lot of athletes on the podcast who have stories about overcoming long odds or being part of a special team. This week's guest was a star in high school and college and then had to find his way into a Major League lineup. Once Casey Blake took a hold of the hot corner in Cleveland, he was an everyday guy in the Majors for the next 9 seasons. Blake sits down with Tim this week to talk about his journey from being a 4-sport standout in Indianola to a successful college career before reaching his dream of becoming a big leaguer. Casey Blake is known for baseball but he did it all in high school. As a couple of former 800 runners, Tim and Blake talk about the guts it takes to be successful in the 800. Really, what made helped him be successful on the track was the same thing that helped him find his stride when he got to Wichita State. Blake and the Shockers went all the way to the final game in Omaha in his first season. Even though he had been drafted out of high school, Blake attributes competing for playing time at the start of his freshman season to his improvement as a ball-player. That freshman season set him on a trajectory to become a 3-time All American and included two trips to the College World Series. When Blake made it to professional baseball he had to grind his way through the minors with stops everywhere from Florida to Edmonton while playing for the Blue Jays, Twins, and Orioles organizations before getting his break for a consistent spot in the line up with the Indians. When Blake was given the shot to be the everyday third baseman in 2003, he didn't give it up. He led the team in games played with 152 and often hit 2nd in the order. After a little over 5 quality years with the Tribe, Blake had to leave the midwest for LA. Blake had a few really good seasons with the Dodgers before retiring in 2012, ending his 13-year pro career. Casey Blake came in at number 25 in the Moonlight Graham Top 100 athletes and this interview is a great reminder why. Blake takes Tim all the way through his resume and shares some really great stories about competing at all levels.

What can you do in 4 minutes? Maybe fire up your Keurig and get your coffee ready before leaving for work or chow down your lunch before heading into the next meeting? Well, this week's Moonlighter is one of only four Iowans who could burn up a track for 1600m in under 4-minutes. Blake Boldon was a successful high school runner from Clarke Community in Osceola who went worked hard every day to really become the best he could be at Southwest Missouri State University and beyond. Blake is now the director of the Drake Relays and shares his passion for track and field in the studio with Tim. A true underdog story, Blake Boldon walked on to Southwest Missouri State and made a plan with his coach to train and strategically use his redshirt (as well as the fine print of NCAA eligibility rules) to stick around for five years. Over that time, he focused on his training and growth to make sure his 5th year was his best year and he absolutely nailed it. In his final semester, he won 5 conference championships. Blake's senior year successes led him to try running for one more year after college to see what happened. Success at the Sea Ray Relays at the University of Tennessee, the Kansas Relays, and the Drake Relays showed Boldon that he had what it took to really pursue a career as a runner and a coach. The 4-minute mile race came in Ames when Boldon was coaching at Iowa State. His coach and members of the team had established a plan to pace the mile, push the tempo, and help some of the team members aim for low 4-minute times and for Boldon to go sub-4. The race didn't start out well as Boldon's nerves had the best of him. Once he made it to the line, things didn't really improve. He remembers a fellow coach calling out the pace at the 800m mark, he was at 2:03+ and started to realize he wasn't even helping the younger guys. He made a move to try to help push the tempo, and save face a little as a coach, and ended up finding his groove and then blew the pack away. Boldon crossed the tape in 3:59.18, becoming just the 4th Iowan to do so. Blake's coaching career took him from Ames to Birmingham, and to the Penn Relays as the head cross country coach and distance coach at UPenn. After a final stop in Indianapolis, Boldon wanted to come back to Iowa near his family. Blake is the 12th Director of the Drake Relays and the first Iowan to hold the position.

You can always tell when a guy is the best athlete at a small Iowa high school on a football Friday night by looking at the program. The key is to start by looking for the QB. A standout athlete will also have a defensive position. But two other letters, K and P, really show a guy that does it all on the field. When you see something like QB-DB-K-P, you can assume the coach is leaning on his stud. This week's Moonlighter takes it to a new level as a 5 sport varsity letterman at Maquoketa High School: football, basketball, tennis, track, and baseball. Sage Rosenfels's athleticism took him from smalltown Iowa to an 11 year NFL career. After a successful career in just about every sport Maquoketa offers, Sage took the only major football scholarship offer he received, even though he had never been on the Iowa State campus. Sage took over the starting QB role in his junior year with the Cyclones after only tallying 4 wins in his first two years in Ames. With Sage under center, Iowa State had 4 wins in the 1999 season. Sage reached legend status by leading the Clones to their first-ever bowl win in the Insight.com Bowl to cap a 9-3 season. Sage was drafted in the 4th round by the Washington Redskins in the 2001 draft. Coming off of two successful seasons as the starter for the Cyclones, Sage was brought in to be a back up for Jeff George. Sage had a very successful career as a back up in the NFL playing for Washington, Miami, Houston, Minnesota, and the New York Giants. He played behind some absolute greats, including Brett Favre, but Sage was a really effective QB when he had his shots. In 43 career games (12 starts), Sage threw for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. Sage is a great storyteller and takes Tim into the quarterback rooms and onto sidelines with incredible details from his playing days. Football took Sage from Maquoketa to Ames and across the NFL. In that time he played with and for countless household names and has stories to share about Dan McCarney, Jeff George, Marty Schottenheimer, Nick Saban, Jason Garrett, and many more. Whether you are a Cyclone fan or just a football junkie, Sage will have you drawn in with the incredible details he shares.