The Moonlight Graham Show

Listening to episode 103 is a good call. Don't even try to argue. You are able to review this one with an instant reply though. This week, Tim sits down with Major League Baseball umpire Pat Hoberg to talk about his path from NAIA basketball player to working a wildcard game in Yankee Stadium. Pat Hoberg grew up in Urbandale, IA. As an athlete, he played little league baseball but was a basketball guy, eventually playing at Grand View University in Des Moines. He shares that being a college athlete helped him mature and credits choosing basketball with giving him his start as an ump. Playing basketball gave him time in the offseason for a summer job. He umped as many games as he could and was recognized as having a bright future on the diamond. Hoberg grew up paying attention to the umpires, especially Tim McClelland of West Des Moines when he watched baseball. Pat shares that as a baseball fan, he paid attention to the game, but also watched "the third team on the field." A phone call to Tim McClelland after his sophomore year of college helped get him on the path to becoming a professional ump. McClelland encouraged him to finish college and then go to umpire school in Florida. Umpire school was 72 hours a week with 125 classmates. In any class, maybe 1 or 2 guys will make it to the majors. In spite of the odds, Hoberg committed himself to the process. After umpire school was the evaluation course - about 25 guys from each of the two schools make the cut and are ranked after a rigorous process. Pat was ranked 14th out of 50 and was one of 23 umps who were were given jobs that year. From his start in the Arizona Summer League, Pat progressed through the minors and continued to perform well in his evaluations and earned promotions. Hoberg debuted in the majors on Opening Day 2014. Since then, he has been part of some incredible games is working among the greatest baseball talents in the world.

Tyler Peyton grew up in Grimes playing for his dad, Byron Peyton, who played in the Reds organization. Tyler was a standout football, basketball, and baseball player. Baseball was his passion though and being able to play for his dad gave him some amazing experiences. Peyton had a stellar career for DC-G playing infield, pitching, and at the plate. Peyton's stats read a little like a video game. He was dominant on the mound and hit over .470 and was 10-0 with a 0.50 ERA as a senior. After high school, he took a trip north to play for Moonlighter Rick Pederson at Iowa Central. As a three-sport athlete, he wasn't recruited by D1 programs until his senior year but he stuck with Iowa Central and Tyler has a lot of high praise for Pederson and gives a lot of credit to the Triton staff for helping him develop. Tyler had a lot of success in Fort Dodge pitching, playing first, and hitting over .330 in his one season of JUCO. Moonlighter Rick Heller brought Tyler Peyton to the University of Iowa and he was an integral piece of the rebuild of the Iowa program. In his junior year, the Hawkeyes won 41 games and finished 2nd in the Big Ten. Peyton excelled in Iowa City as a pitcher and first basemen for the Hawks. His resume as a Hawkeye includes accolades as a first baseman, pitcher, and at the plate. Peyton was drafted by the Reds in 2015 in the 33rd Round and then in the 29th Round of 2016 by the Cubs, who he plays for now. Tyler Peyton takes Tim behind the scenes of his professional career so far. Peyton has seen a lot of talent during his time with the Cubs. From big leaguers to top prospects, he continues to learn the game and challenge himself to rise to the occasion. He has transitioned from high school to JUCO, then to DI, and now is finding his role in in the minors. He has played out of the bullpen, closed, started, and whatever has been asked in his pursuit of getting better. Tyler's love for the game will have you ready to dig out your mitt, call up a buddy, and head out to the park.

One Shining Moment has got to be the most famous song that is played once a year. Every year Luther Vandross regales America while some of the greatest highlights of the tournament. This year has already been full up some amazing moments. Zion Williamson and Duke holding off Tacko Fall and UCF's last-second shots, Liberty getting their first tourney win, Fletcher Magee of Wofford breaking the career three-point record, and some incredible comebacks (and almost comebacks, sorry Hawk fans). One of the greatest shining moments in Iowa sports history belongs to one of our favorite Moonlighters. Every March, Ali Farokhmanesh becomes a household name again for his shot against Kansas. With 36 seconds left in the game, the Panthers were up by 1 against #1 Kansas. When UNI broke the press and Farokhmanesh spotted up, wide-open three and the rest is history. Enjoy this week's trip down Moonlight memory lane with episode 15 featuring March Madness legend Ali Farokhmanesh.

"My preparation was all week long, every week." Dan Gable grew up in Waterloo, IA and toughness was just a part of the way he grew up. He grew up as a wrestler and credits the coaches he had in a youth program. Wrestling was the sport where he didn't have to sit still or take breaks. Even in the conversation, Gable's intensity and pace clearly show. Gable was undefeated as a wrestler through high school and into the final match of his college career. Tim asks Gable about that historic match against Larry Owings of Washington. Gable believes that loss to Owings helped drive him into throughout his career after college, including a 7-1 victory in the rematch with Owings in the 1972 Olympic trials. Gable's dominance of Iowa high school wrestling and college wrestling carried into the world stage with gold at the 1971 Pan-American Games, the 1971 Worlds, and the '72 Olympics. Gable famously didn't give up a single point in the '72 games. The one point Owings scored against Gable in the trials was the only point he gave up in that run to gold. Throughout the interview, Gable's respect for his parents and coaches is a common theme. His transition from the center of the mat to the corner was guided by those examples in his own life. As the Hawkeye coach, he looked for the right attitude on top of wrestling success and athletic ability in the wrestlers he recruited. In 21 seasons at the helm of the Iowa program, he won 21 conference titles and 15 national titles. Hawkeye wrestling has taken on Gable's identity for toughness and absolutely grinding on opponents. Tom Brands, a Gable product, has brought that identity back to the #3 Hawkeyes who are looking to knock off Penn State at this week's National Championships.

In the final episode of our series, Tim and Tom count the final 20 greatest athletes in Iowa history.

In part 4 of 5 of our series, Tim and Tom count down 40-21 of the greatest athletes in the history of Iowa.

In part 3 of 5 of our series, Tim and Tom count down 60-41 of the greatest athletes in the history of Iowa.

In part 2 of 5 of our series, Tim and Tom count down 80-61 of the greatest athletes in the history of Iowa.

This week, episode 100 of the Moonlight Graham Show takes us into the fray. Making something like an All-Star or All American team in one sport after a season is tough. Looking at one university or organization and trying to make an all-decade or all-time list is a challenge because you have to compare players across eras. But when you add the word 'athlete' to the all-time great conversation, you have to compare across sports, eras, and gender. We present to you our list of the 100 greatest athletes in Iowa history. This list spans roughly 140 years of Iowa history and includes everything from Olympic gold medalists, world record holders, to halls of fame. Iowa has a rich sports history. Newspapers like The Des Moines Register and organizations like the Iowa Hall of Pride are great resources for many of these tales, but our research took us to sources like the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, player biographies, sports reference sites, and just about every corner of the internet. The first thing our research revealed was that Iowa has a lot to celebrate. There were just too many great stories to fit into one episode so episode 100 will come to you in 5 parts.

Episode 99 burns up the nets just in time for the boys Iowa high school state basketball tourney. Randy Kraayenbrink was a scoring machine in his playing days. After a very successful high school career for the Paulina Panthers, Kraayenbrink went on to become one of the most prolific scorers for the UNI Panthers. Basketball nuts will love how Randy and Tim breakdown how the game changed with the addition of the 3-point shot. In fact, Randy only played one game in his high school or college career with a 3-point line. This week Randy sits down with Tim to talk about playing ball in smalltown and playing in great venues like Vets and the UNI Dome. Tim and Randy go back in time, 37 years this month, to relive Kraayenbrink's dominating performance in the 1982 state basketball tournament. Randy put up 114 points in his senior year tournament, which is still the record. In addition to winning the title in 1982, Kraayenbrink and the Paulina Panthers had 1981 state titles in track, football, and basketball. In fact, Randy was recruited to play football by Iowa State, Iowa, and Nebraska. That 1982 state tournament was what locked up a scholarship offer from UNI. Randy Kraayenbrink is one of the Des Moines Register's 50 greatest high school basketball players. Tim and Randy discuss his transition to high school. After being the big man on campus at Paulina High School and then having to adapt his game and training when he arrived in Cedar Falls. Kraayenbrink went from 1A to Division I and shares that he had to adjust to the athleticism and defensive scheme of the college level. The adjustment didn't take long though as he went on to average 17.9 points a game; a total of 2,004 for his career. Randy did not end his career in Cedar Falls, however. The Moonlight Graham Show has the exclusive story of his brief professional career in Yugoslavia. The opportunity was cut short due to 'political unrest' and only lasted a few weeks. In fact, their jerseys, warm ups, and shoes didn't even show up in Yugoslavia before the trip home.

This episode sponsored by www.danflattery.com Paige Lowary's softball career took an unbelievable turn when Oregon's leadoff hitter lined a pitch off of her left eye. Paige stayed in the game in spite of the injury and even started the next game a few days later unaware of just how bad her injury was. In the interview, Paige shares how that injury started her down a path that led to transferring Oklahoma and several months to fully recover.

Greg Brunner is an "Iowa-born, Iowa-bred" guy who just loves basketball. Greg sits down with Tim in the Moonlight Graham Studio for a basketball talk that spans AAU, the Big Ten, and two continents. Brunner's memory for teammates, opponents, and games is amazing. For every question Tim asks, Greg dives into details that will have all basketball fans pressing pause and doing some research. Greg Brunner grew up playing a lot of basketball in Charles City, Iowa and traveling with the Martin Brothers team. Brunner has stories from his time playing U15-U19 with and against big-name players like Carmello Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. In addition to practicing against a future D1 teammate in Charles City, Brunner discusses how going against top-level talent really drove his own progress as a player and helped get him recruiting exposure. Though he drew attention from Kansas, Iowa State, Wisconsin, and several other programs, playing for the Hawkeyes had always been his dream. Brunner played at Iowa from 2002-2006. While many fans may remember that stretch for how it ended, it was a great time for Hawkeye basketball. Brunner finished his career with over 1,500 points and 990 rebounds. The 2005-06 Hawkeyes were ranked as high as 12th in the country and were a 3 seed in the NCAA tourney before being upset by Northwestern State. Greg and Tim talk about that loss as well as the many successes Greg and the Hawkeyes had in the early 2000s. After working out for NBA teams and being in a fight for an NBA roster spot, Brunner got the opportunity to play in Belgium and took it. After a tough adjustment in the first few weeks, Greg started to find his groove. After Belgium, he made stops around Italy, Israel, and the Swiss national team; a total of almost 20 moves for his family. His career in Europe allowed him to play in really diverse environments and with future NBA talents including Clint Capela, Thabo Sefolosha, Jonas Jerebko, and Timofey Mozgov.

Episode 96 is a double play - Taylor and Samantha Sinclair sit down with Tim just in time for Valentine's Day to share their love story. Taylor and Sam have a true Moonlight love story. Taylor is an Iowa boy who played with Tim at UNI and with the Rockford River Hawks. Sam is a California girl who fell for a ballplayer at her very first baseball game. Mix in a fantasy wedding and you have yourself a flat out great (love) story. The bullpen… which I called the dugout Taylor grew up in Indianola, Iowa. Sam grew up in San Bernadino, California. Taylor was a baseball lifer who was grinding out a career as a starting pitching in the minors for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sam and her friends were heading to the ballpark for dollar beer night. Taylor was trying to make it to the big leagues. Sam didn't know the difference between the major and minor leagues. Taylor's day off was timed just right for a fated meeting with his future wife. I just started rooting for him… he wasn't even playing Taylor's team had about a 5-day stay in the San Bernadino area at the time they met so they were able to follow up their meeting in the bullpen with a few dates to get to know each other. Far from being a 'cleat chaser,' Sam had no idea what she was getting into with an Iowa boy who played on a 'farm league' team. In fact, the life of a minor league kept Taylor and Sam apart for about a year after that San Bernadino trip. It wasn't long though before they knew their love was as rare as a perfect game and wedding bells were ringing.

Even if you don't follow UNI football, Twait is a household name in Iowa football. Cal's dad was the very successful coach at Iowa Central Community College for 22 years and now serves as the Triton AD. Also, Cal's grandpa is Duane Twait. 339 wins, 26 playoff appearances, and 7 state titles have him in the argument for the best football coach in Iowa history. Life in a football family was an important part of Cal's development. He learned the ins and outs of the game by hanging around with his dad's staff, always being on the Iowa Central campus, and talks about o-line footwork with Grandpa Duane. The cream is always going to rise to the top After a solid high school career in Class 1A football, Cal was recruited by several schools and had to narrow his college choices down to North Dakota State, Illinois State, and UNI. In true Moonlighter fashion, the deciding factor in his college decision was staying close to his family and making sure they could watch him play. Cal shares about the transition from small high school football to Division I-AA. You're either getting better or getting worse, you never stay the same Now that his college career has come to an end, Cal has been working to get himself fully healthy as he prepares for the UNI pro-day. As a four year starter, Cal played through some injuries each season. But now, his ankle and labrum issues have been treated, he's rehabbing, and feeling good. Though he can't do the physical elements at the UNI pro day, Cal has been talking with coaches and Panther alums with NFL experience to help prepare for the interviews and understanding professional football. Cal is feeling healthy and looking forward to making the most out of his opportunities. Be sure to check out the video of this interview on our YouTube channel and keep your eye out for Cal Twait's name popping up on an NFL roster this offseason.

Billy Cundiff wasn't always a kicker. As a Harlan Little Cyclone, playing for Coach Curt Bladt, Cundiff was a state title winning quarterback, a successful basketball player, and high jumper. Tim and Cundiff talk about playing for an all-time great football coach and growing up in an elite sports community. As humble as they come, Cundiff credits his older brother, coaches, and teammates for his successes in high school. Kicking is what Cundiff is known for now but growing up he was a multisport athlete and kicking wasn't his priority. Even at Drake University, Cundiff was both on both the basketball and football teams. Luckily for us, his football career had the trajectory of one of his kickoffs. Though he was All-Pioneer League as a freshman (though he was only 8-18 on kicks) he describes himself as raw. As he continued to improve, a few 50 yard kicks, and even a 62-yarder against the University of San Diego, the NFL became a real possibility. I just had to fake it until I made it Cundiff's career started out in Dallas, with Emmitt Smith, Hard Knocks, and a whole new world of pressure. The largest crowd Cundiff played for in college was 13,000 at Southern Illinois. Football fans will really appreciate the inside look at his early successes, his time out of football, getting cut, and finding his new role in the NFL. Billy Cundiff's sports career from small town star to fighting his way back into professional football is a great story and fits everything the Moonlight Graham Show is about. Hard work, perseverance, humility, and taking advantage of every opportunity.

Hans Nielsen shares about a life involved in sports and some of the best stories you have ever heard. This week's Moonlighter has a story for everything from a wrong turn at the state cross country meet, averaging 22 points a game for Garner High School, a marathon 24-inning softball game, and countless hours as a sports fan. In preparation for his 82nd birthday, Hans shares about growing up playing every sport he could get involved with and scanning the radio to listen to Notre Dame football games. His passion for sports didn't end with high school though. Hans played town team softball and shares stories about his time playing for Sandy's Budweiser Distributor, including a 4th of July tournament that started with Hans dropping off his wife at the hospital to have a baby while he joined the team for the games. This week's interview also includes a lesson in trivia as Hans, a veritable sports almanac, tries to trip Tim up a few times. Sports fans of all stripes will appreciate the discussion of several legends of Notre Dame football and the New York Yankees. Enjoy this week as Grandfather and Grandson share their love of sports.

Tanner Purdum and Tim sit down at Stockyard's Brewing Company in Kansas City for a beer and one helluva story. Some of our Moonlighters overcome great adversity or had a magical moment that makes their name stick in a fan's memory. Tanner Purdum's story is a little different. He worked hard, got an opportunity, and took pride in no one knowing his name. Tanner played quarterback and long snapped at Baker University all four years. After graduation, he got a shot with the Kansas City Chiefs for the specialized role. Although it didn't work out on the Chief's practice field, another opportunity came later from some friendly competition in the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot. Former NFL kicker Louie Aguilar got into a kicking contest at a tailgate with Tanner serving as the snapper. Aguilar was so impressed that he offered to start working with Tanner and help him get him another NFL shot. These workouts led to a phone call from the New York Jets. "It's a game. Have fun with it… and if somebody gets on you, have thick skin and get over it." The call came while substitute teaching in Waco, Texas. Next thing he knows, Tanner is off to the Jet's practice facility and calling his wife to tell her he signed an NFL contract. Purdum then went on to play seven seasons with the Jets, none of which included a botched snap or penalty. On March 28, 2018, Purdum announced his retirement from the NFL and headed back to Baker University to coach. On top of dissecting the long snapping position, Tanner and Tim discuss playing for Rex Ryan, All-Pro teammates, and a season on Hard Knocks. Enjoy episode 92 with Tanner Purdum and don't forget to check out the extended video of this week's interview on our YouTube Channel.

Episode 91 will have you dreaming of warmer weather as former ICCC Triton skipper Rick Pederson sits down to talk about the ins and outs of a life in baseball. Tim played for Coach Pederson from 2005-2006 and they explore all aspects of coaching JUCO baseball, changes in the game, and Pederson's newest crop of prospects… middle school softball players. In a show centered around underdogs, Rick Pederson's story fits the mold. He took over a very successful Triton program at age 30 and went on to win 551 games over the next 14 years. Pederson and Tim talk about every aspect of the life of a JUCO coach. They discuss recruiting players who were on varied paths, 5 AM workouts, doing what it takes to be successful, and making sure NIACC stayed in their lane.

Episode 90 was a layup (because there definitely wasn't a lot of dunking going on). Tim sits down with Adam Viet to cover everything in Iowa basketball from AGWSR to UNI. Hoopsters will really appreciate the level of detail the guys get into when talking about Iowa high school basketball, playing at Vets, and Adam's UNI Panthers. "I would say my 'punch-me-in-the-face' moment was my first practice" Adam had a successful high school career at Ackley-Geneva-Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock and knew how to get the ball in the hoop, scoring over 2,100 points in his career. Adam and Tim talk about the transition from 2A hoops to Division I competition. Adam's career at UNI spanned 2003-2008 and the transition from Coach Greg McDermott to Coach Ben Jacobson. Adam gives the behind the scenes look at McDermott's announcement about moving to Iowa State and how the players handled the coaching change. Adam's passion for basketball and the UNI Panthers is evident in this episode as he discusses his playing days (including the upset win over the ranked Hawkeyes in 2005) and the Panthers and Coach Jacobson today. Tim and Adam make podcast history as they start the debate of the all-time 5 greatest Panther basketball players. Also, those looking for insights on Lucas O'Rear's baseball career need not look any further.

Warren Holloway shares how he went from being a lightly recruited receiver to working as a scout teamer and on playing special teams for three years before becoming a legend. Holloway didn't have many opportunities on offense before his senior year and caught his one and only touchdown on the last play of his college career. The Tate-to-Holloway touchdown in the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2005 not only took down Nick Saban in his last game at LSU, but it became one of those unbelievable moments that burned itself into bowl history. Warren Holloway tells Tim that coming out of high school several schools talked to him about playing defense in college. In addition to the impression the coaches and university made, it was the offer to stay at WR that brought Holloway to Iowa City. After contributing on special teams, Holloway was primed to take over the WR position in his junior year when not one, but two hamstring injuries dropped him back down the depth chart. Entering his senior year, Holloway only had 4 career catches and 0 touchdowns as a Hawk. As a senior, Holloway solidified himself as a contributor with 25 catches for just over 200 yards during the season. Playing alongside Ed Hinkel, Clinton Solomon, and Scott Chandler, Holloway was a true role player for the Hawkeye offense. The 2004 season ended with a matchup against Saban's mighty LSU Tiger team that was full of future NFL players including number 1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell, Joseph Addai, Dwayne Bowe, and Marcus Spears. Both programs were 9-2 and ranked in the top 15. The Hawks were co-Big 10 champions and the LSU Tigers were the defending national champions. The Hawkeyes were 7-point underdogs going into the January 1st bowl game. The Capital One Bowl was a back and forth battle that came down to a final drive for the Hawkeyes, trailing 25-24 and the rest is history. Tim and Warren take you into the huddle and onto the field for that 2-minute drill. Holloway takes listeners behind the scenes revealing the preparation for the game, his perspective on the situation, and even his thought process running the seam route that became 'the catch'. Enjoy this week's Tim-to-Holloway connection as the Hawkeyes get ready for another January 1st bowl game vs another SEC opponent; the Outback Bowl vs. Mississippi State.

"So yeah, I was a neckroll guy" Paul Schulte was a 4-year letter winner at Iowa State (1988-1991) in the heyday of the Big 8 Conference, where he played against Colorado and Nebraska when they were powerhouse programs. There can hardly be a more overlooked role than that of the wedge buster. Paul tells of his four years on the kickoff team running straight down the field and taking it to whoever was unlucky enough to get in his way. Among his kickoff team highlights was trying to take down one of the best ball carriers in the history of football, Barry Sanders. After two years just on special teams, Paul became the starting tight end and burned his name into the memory of every Rice Owl football fan. In addition to his tales as a player, Paul shares his perspective on Iowa State football today, the upcoming bowl game, and compares football today to his time in the Big 8. Episode 88 is about a lot more than football, though. Paul is a Baconfest icon and considers himself a pirate. He explains why brown liquor is his drink of choice, why he wants to fight Joe Rogan, Boogie Cousins, and Dwight Howard, and just how important costume choices are at Baconfest. Trust us, there are too many great stories on too many different topics this week. This week breaks the mold of a Moonlight interview. Listen in as Paul Schulte plays the role of wedge buster one more time and, as Pete Taylor would say, absolutely takes over this podcast.

In this interview, Tim and Dwier explore the behind the scenes notes and insights that make Field of Dreams so special. Everything from working with the cast, the cast and crew bowling team, filming in Dyersville, and nearly 30 years of hindsight on one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Perhaps the most revealing moment is when Dwier shares what it was like for the cast to watch the film for the first time and fully realizing how special the film really was. Dwier Brown is also an author. His 2014 book If You Build It… A Book About Fathers, Fate and Field of Dreams tells the story of his relationship with his own father and the stories that Field of Dreams fans have shared with him over the last few decades. The character John Kinsella has taken on a life of its own for Dwier Brown. In addition to being approached by fans in public places, including a hot spring, Dwier's own father passed away just a month before he went to Iowa to play a father coming back from the dead to play catch with his son.

Matt Stutzman tells his incredible story about finding a way to compete in every sport, including dribbling a basketball until his shoulder was bleeding. Competing with his siblings and growing up with parents who allowed him to face life without prosthetics or modifications. He explored his passions from basketball to bull riding, but that whatever it takes attitude has taken him to the top of his sport and an Olympic silver medal. I'm going to figure this out. I'm going to make it happen. Matt didn't actually take up archery until 2009. He was looking for a way to provide for his family and so he went out into the woods with a bow and arrow and brought home dinner. Bow hunting led him to try competitive archery. Just a few years later, Matt was in the London for the 2012 Paralympics. Now, Matt is hoping to compete able-bodied archers in the 2020 Olympics. Enjoy this week's interview with the Armless Archer Matt Stutzman. This episode is a can't miss!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllll! Episode 85 of the podcast takes us onto the soccer pitch for the very first time. Roger Espinoza of Sporting Kansas City sits down to share his version of the American Dream. Originally from Honduras, Espinoza shares a truly amazing story of coming to the United States, playing at the highest levels, and living out his dreams. Tim and Roger talk about how Roger moved to Colorado from Honduras when he was 12 years old. Their conversation takes them through Roger's dad coming to America, waiting over a decade to be able to bring his family along, and how playing soccer and living in America created special opportunities for Roger. "I am not that fast, I am not that skillful… I'm gonna to stick to who I am." Espinoza's career has taken a few of those special, almost unbelievable, Moonlight-esque twists. After moving to Denver and graduating from high school, Espinoza went to Yavapai College in Arizona. After two successful years there, he played one year of semi-pro and then went to Ohio State University. Espinoza set the Big Ten on fire and warned several homies, including being named All Big Ten. He left Ohio State after one year and was drafted by Sporting KC in 2008. Espinoza also played for Wigan Athletics in the English Premier League, which is considered the best soccer league in the world. Among his career highlights, Espinoza shares some of his favorite memories as a member of the Honduras national team in 2010 and 2014. This week's interview walks through Espinoza's life and career in the Big Ten, the Premier League, and the World Cup as well as his views on American football and other sports. Though this is our first soccer interview, Moonlighters will identify with Roger Espinoza's passion for competition and stories from the highest levels of sports.

Everyone knows the headlines. Everyone thinks they know the story. The college national champ becomes a Super Bowl champ. The most dynamic tight end in the NFL playing alongside the most dominant tight end with the greatest QB and coach of all time. What could go wrong? That is where episode 84 pulls back the curtains to reveal a more complete version of the story. Moonlighter Jonathan Hernandez joins the podcast to share about his career and his new book The Truth About Aaron. Timmy and Jonathan explore the ins and outs of growing up with a pretty normal childhood, Aaron's personal struggles and Jonathan's own success as a football player and coach.

Episode 83 brings us the story that no one (I mean everyone) has been waiting for... Tim Flattery! Tori Scarpinato (about to be Mrs. Flattery) takes the mic and puts your usual host in the hot seat. Tori brings Tom Griffin in to co-pilot her first time at the controls of the podcast and really shows who brings the talent to the marriage. Tori basically had to use the jaws of life to pull Tim's glory day stories out with a few highlights from former teammates and coaches. I do say 'folks' a lot, don't I? Tori gets season six rolling as Tim recounts where the podcast came from, including an original name that was scrapped, and his own life-long love affair with sports and competition. Tori was able to call on former teammates to dig up some background stories from all throughout Tim's playing days. Listening in to stories from youth sports to college and his time in the independent league will really help listeners get a fuller picture of the guy who usually gets to play host to your favorite Moonlighter's every week. Enjoy the kickoff to season 6 with a one of a kind interview with the future Mr. and Mrs. Flattery!

He went to a Final Four with the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1980s, won an NBA title with MJ in the 1990s and now Bobby Hansen joins The Moonlight Graham Show for the 5 Big Questions!

The best sportscaster in Iowa comes to the Moonlight Graham Show for the 5 toughest questions of his life.

Reds Outfielder Scott Schebler answers Tim's 5 Big Questions

Running great Lisa Uhl answers Tim's 5 Big Questions

A.J. Pierzynski answers Tim's 5 big questions

Edited from the original interview from 5/1/18 with Tim. "The 5 big questions"

Season 5 comes to a close by opening up the mailbag for the very first time. We know that the Moonlighters and fans are what make the show happen so what could be a better way to wrap a season than to turn an episode over to our supporters? This week, Tim took your ideas, topics, and stories from social media and email and brings them together for episode 82. Our first mailbag covers everything from a high school football player overcoming Cerebral Palsy to the best baseball brawls. Tim even dissects the best underdog sports movie of all time, The Little Giants. Anything to give the fans what they want! Take some time this week to find out predictions for Tiger Woods's future, the best non-sports underdog victories in history, and what American sports can learn from European soccer. Thank you to everyone who sent in a question or topic! Keep listening and keep sharing your ideas and stories!

"When people talk about grinding, I don't think they really don't know what that means" From Korea to Canada, Kansas to Florida, behind the plate to on the mound, Eric Sim has seen it all and loves to tell the story. Eric Sim uses his Twitter and Instagram accounts (@ESim3400) to give his behind the scenes take on life in the minor leagues and just about anything else. And these are some hot, honest, uncensored takes. Eric shares stories about playing baseball when it was fun and didn't pay much and then a few years where he wasn't having fun and still wasn't getting paid much. Tim and Eric cover the culture of baseball at all different levels. After high school in Canada, Eric was lightly recruited and took an offer at a Kansas JUCO. After a really strong sophomore campaign, he was recruited to the University of South Florida and then was drafted by the Giants in the 27th round. Eric had a 6-year minor league career. His playing days are an open book. Eric shares about catching some big league pitchers, struggling at the plate, not cutting it as a pitcher, and then losing his passion for going to the ballpark. What was your worst day? "Everyday" Eric's minor league career bounced around a few years and he had the defensive talent but, in his words, his offense sucked too much to make it. Eric has a really honest perspective on his own play, life in the minors, and indy ball. Tim and Eric dive into his career, his social media presence now, and they are sure to set a new podcast record for using certain words! Enjoy Episode 81… but be sure to listen with headphones on.

Eric Surkamp shares some of the behind the scenes aspects of life in the minors and the big leagues. He played for the majors and minors with the Giants, White Sox, Dodgers, Athletics, Rangers, and finished his career in Korea. His career included minor league titles, call-ups, scraping by on minor league checks, major league paydays and hanging out with Jose Canseco. Baseball fans are going to love this week's insider look at the life of a ballplayer.

We have had 78 episodes of underdogs, role players, and people with great stories from all across the sports spectrum. Episode 79 features what is perhaps the best underdog story of them all. Andy Yohe brings his 3 Olympic medals to the podcast for episode 79. Tim and Andy sit down in Andy's native Bettendorf to bring you this week's interview.

Episode 78 takes us back to the roots of the podcast. A simple game of catch is at the core of both the game of baseball and a symbol of the relationship between Ray Kinsella (Costner) and his dad. Many of us are lucky to have those memories with our own dads and Ethan Bryan is a passionate baseball fan who is celebrating the simplicity of a game of catch by embarking on a quest to play catch for 365 consecutive days. The People's Company Scissors and Scotch Ebbets Flannels - use promo code Moonlight10

In episode 77, Tim sits down with one of the all time great Cyclones, Todd Blythe. Todd and Tim go back in time to trace Todd's path from Indianola High School to Ames, his shot with the New Orleans Saints, the CFL, and back home with the Barnstormers. Cyclones will love the stories about Dan McCarney and many of the stars from the early 2000 Cyclone teams. In addition to sharing about Blythe's experiences as a player and coach, Todd and Tim talk about Allen Lazard's future in the NFL.

Tim and his panel of guest hosts deliver their 2018 Pigskin Preview

Buy Authentic Gypsum Eaters Gear The Moonlight Graham Show started as a discussion between brothers and has reached a high point with the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters coming to life in the form of the Flattery lineup. Ranging in age from 68-19, the Flattery men came together in Dyersville, IA to take on the Kent Buccaneers. Just like in the movie, the game was about far more than baseball.

Keith Rahe is the perhaps the most important name related to the Field of Dreams brand after Kevin Costner and W.P. Kinsella. Keith lived right next to the site where the movie was filmed. And when the actors and crew were gone, Keith Rahe kept the Ghosts alive. In honor of the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters being brought back from the dead by Tim Flattery and the Flattery men taking on the Kent Buccaneers, Tim welcomes Keith Rahe the creator of the Ghost Players team to the podcast. Keith formed a team of Dyersville and Dubuque County guys who took up the Ghost Players banner and spread the name around the country and world.

In episode 73 Tim tells the story of how the Kent Buccaneers, a baseball team made up of Englishmen, Scots, and Irishmen sent out a tweet looking for opponents to play in August in Dyersville, IA. Somehow that tweet comes across Tim's phone in April. And like Ray Kinsella himself, Tim was on a mission to get ready for a baseball game. Listen in as Tim describes the process of building a team to play the Buccaneers. This won't be some ragtag crew that the UK and Irish team will face. This team represents Iowa baseball history, the Moonlight Graham Show, and the core of what the Field of Dreams was all about. The team name and history is a great story itself. Brenden Gargano showed off his creative and researching skills in creating a logo that represents an actual 1904 minor league baseball team, the Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters. Tim showed off his GM skills by bringing together a team of his brothers, Dad, cousins, and uncles. The most amazing part of the story is where the movie, the real Archie Moonlight Graham and the Gypsum Eaters all intersect!

"You learn right away, it's about players." Coach K After 32 years on the court, Coach Adolph Kochendorfer still has a deep passion for basketball and working with kids. Nine trips to the state tournament, 1 title and 4 runner up finishes coupled with 516 wins prove that passion has carried him to success. In Episode 72, St. Edmond's own Coach K and Timmy dig into how coaching has changed over 30 years, some of his favorite games, players, places to play and of course - his favorite role players. "Times have changed but I don't think the kids have changed." Starting at St. Edmond in 1994, Coach K has taken basketball in Ft. Dodge to another level. 20 wins his first year, a state tournament trip two years and a title in 2000 have set an expectation for Coach K and Gael basketball that Timmy and Coach dissect. "If you don't know how to compete [in the real world], hopefully your parents have a lot of money" Listen in this week as Tim and Coach Adolph Kochendorfer go nuts on Iowa High School basketball history and some of the top level talent that Coach has worked with and competed against. Basketball junkies will appreciate the level of detail and analysis of players, fundamentals, and the vivid retelling of key moments from throughout Coach's career. "And I'm Adolph" And at the end of this pod you get to hear the story behind one of the best names in Iowa basketball! Ebbets Vintage - Use the promo code "moonlight10" Scissors & Scotch

In this episode, Neil and David go all the way back to their time together in youth sports and how coaches and hard worked shaped David as an athlete and a man. The guys discuss some of the challenges David faced in making his way to Colorado Mesa and how he took advantage of getting his shot on offense during his last 3 years. David's mental toughness and competitive drive helped him persevere with the changes and challenges he faced as a football player and young man.

The countdown is on as Des Moines's favorite movie critic, Mr. Movie (Mike Woody) sits down with Tim and Tom to discuss sports, movies, and sports movies. Mr. Movie brings his 32 years of expertise into the studio to talk about what makes Field of Dreams great as well sharing his top ten sports movies. Total Field of Dreams nut Tim and movie expert Mr. Movie breakdown the film, soundtrack, acting, and elements of how the baseball, father-son story, and Iowa-ness of the film. Whether you've seen it a thousand times or haven't seen it in years, this discussion will have you driving to Family Video or searching it out online.

Augustana College baseball's Clay Collison and cousin David Flattery visit the studio to talk about the school's first national title. David and Clay are both pitchers that played at Iowa Central together. Prior to ICCC, David was a St Edmond Gael and Clay an Algona Bulldog.

Growing up in Georgia, Kantrail Horton had a very successful high school career and had signed with Larry Eustachy to play at Utah State. That is until one morning morning SportsCenter told him his coach was heading to ISU. A phone call later that settled that Coach Eustachy wanted Horton to come to Ames with him… after a short detour to finish junior college out in California. Kantrail shares how growing up playing at 'The Gate' and his time in California shaped him as a player and man. Those twists and turns prepared Horton to be the player that Cyclones fans know and loved. Once in Ames, Kantrail Horton joined one of the best Cyclone teams in history. This interview goes into great detail about the chemistry of playing with Cyclone greats like Marcus Fizer, Jamaal Tinsley, Stevie Johnson and Moonlighter Paul Shirley. Hortons Cyclone career was during the best stretch in ISU men's basketball history, 1999-2001. Four wins vs. KU, 2 Big XII titles and an Elite 8 finish all standout as highlights, but perhaps most impressive is that Horton never lost a game at Hilton Coliseum. Kantrail Horton is easily a favorite guest of the Moonlight Graham Show and we think you'll see why right away. It is easy to hear his passion for basketball, his teammates and coaches, and his continued career with the game he loves in this week's conversation.

This week brings Jordan Comadena to the podcast, a former DI utility player in the Big Ten and a minor leaguer in the Houston Astros system. Jordan currently serves as the bullpen catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Technically he is a member of the coaching staff but he is just a few minor miracles and a coincidence or two away from getting on the game field. Jordan talks about his job as the ultimate role player. His contributions to the Pirates directly impact every game as he works with the pitchers in the bullpen, participates in meetings and scouting and brings that 'wherever they need me' approach that served him well in his playing days as a utility man at Purdue University. Jordan dishes on the life in the big leagues, travel, catching big leaguers, and life behind the practice dish.

In his second interview, Erik talks about some of the amazing races he has been involved in since the last podcast as well as training and competing as a professional runner. Sowinski shares how he has reached his peak as a 28 year old runner competing with guys young enough to be his younger brother or even a cousin. He shares how he has adjusted his training since finishing college and getting older. A lot of weekend warriors can take solace from his discussion of his professional level training as you listen to this pod training for an upcoming 5k or 10k. However, he does tell a tale of a workout so difficult that he put on sunglasses for the last 400 to hide the pain from any onlookers. Sowinski sets a standard pretty high for any athlete.