JBK On Air

Sydney Blackburn, Laurie Cutsinger, & Shelly Walters describe being members of the first cheerleading squad for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. They recall the excitement of an NFL team arriving to town, when the Colts relocated from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. They reconnect to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their legacy together, setting a standard of excellence for cheerleading teams in the future. Each of them emphasize the discipline it takes to be an NFL cheerleader, including the rigorous tryout process. Finally, Jimmy reveals four people who served as President of the United States have had experience as a cheerleader, can you name them? Tune in to find out who they are! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Professional basketball player Joey Brunk joins his cousin Jimmy from the Czech Republic after spending his first season in Poland last year. Joey & Jimmy document some of their favorite memories growing up together including a recent trip to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. They also recall going to South Bend to see Notre Dame play Michigan with Manti Te’o as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Finally, Joey reflects on his proudest moments as a basketball player and the relationships he has been able to build through traveling. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Milt Thompson is an attorney & community leader based out of Indianapolis, IN. He is the president and CEO of MOT Strategies, formerly known as Grand Slam – a sports, entertainment, and recreation management consulting firm. He is the co-founder of Indiana RBI, the MLB program to revive inner cities and provide opportunities for at risk youth with baseball. He is also a former certified Contract Advisor with the NFL and NBA Players Association, and a Board Member of the Indianapolis Indians Baseball Club. He hosted the weekly radio show "Playing for Keeps" on ESPN950 & continues the program today on Channel 40 WHMB TV. Well-known for his work in community development, sports and recreation-planning, and in building community collaborations through effective partnerships, Milt served as President and Interim Director of Big Brothers while merging with Big Sisters to create Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Indiana. In addition, he was the former General Counsel to the Pan American Games and held the position of Vice President of Indiana Sports Corporation. In 2020, he received the Charles L. Whistler Award which recognizes community leaders who have brought together the Indianapolis public and private sectors for civic improvement. He talks with Jimmy about his career as a sports/entertainment attorney & what athletes should consider when thinking about signing with representation. He also recalls negotiating with world leaders like Fidel Castro & meeting sports icon Muhammad Ali. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Madarrell Murphy is a singer/songwriter based out of Indianapolis, IN. He joins Jimmy to describe his experience as a student athlete at the University of Indianapolis, playing along the offensive & defensive line. He also recalls his time working on staff for WICR-FM alongside Jimmy. Finally, Murf promotes his newest single "F.L.Y. (First Love Yourself)" & his process for creating new music. Follow Murf @murfym56 on Instagram for more information! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Stephanie Hirsch is a tennis & fitness coach based out of Austria. The former professional tennis player joins Jimmy to talk about her career & their shared experience as students at the University of Indianapolis. Stephanie was dominant from her first season at UIndy, being named the GLVC Player of the Year for 2014-2015. For her career, she retired with the best winning percentage of any Greyhound women's tennis individual with at least 50 singles victories (.853) over the last decade. (58-10 overall singles record at UIndy) She describes what her educational experience was like in Austria before coming to the United States for college. Stephanie talks about her work with the Austrian Tennis Federation, advocating for the empowerment of more women to become players and coaches. Finally, Stephanie reflects on some of the life lessons she has learned through being an athlete. Follow Stephanie @coach_hirsch_ on Instagram for more! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Chad Eppley is a teacher & Head Football Coach at Northridge High School in Middlebury, Indiana. He describes his experience playing college football at the University of Indianapolis, playing along the offensive line. He recalls being hired to his position at 26 years old and the challenges of being a young coach. He describes what it’s like to coach a game at Lucas Oil Stadium after leading Northridge to the Class 4A State Championship Game in 2021. He accomplished this playoff surge after a 5-4 regular season. Chad also describes the process of being hired as a teacher, teaching geometry and algebra to his students. For more information about Chad, follow him @eppley62 on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Wendy Reed is a singer & musician based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. She rejoices with Jimmy about getting the chance to work with Jimmy's dad Chooch, as part of Chooch & The Enchanters. She recalls meeting Tony Bennett in New York and getting to work with stars like Eddie Money as part of a Live Day experience with the Bob & Tom Show. Wendy also shares her experience working at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, helping people gain & keep employment in spite of their adversity. For more information about Wendy including her upcoming gigs and rates to hire, visit her page Wendy Reed Vocalist on Facebook. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Tayler Persons is a professional basketball player with experience playing in The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Hungary, & France. Tayler played college basketball initially at Northern Kentucky. He was named Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds & 3.7 assists per game. After transferring to Ball State, Tayler became the first player in program history with over 1,500 points and more than 400 assists. For his full collegiate career, Tayler compiled 1,950 points and 559 assists. He joins Jimmy to describe his international experiences, the process for getting noticed by scouts, and ultimately being signed by a team. Tayler reflects on spending part of last season in Poland, getting to be teammates with Jimmy's cousin, Joey Brunk. Tayler also suggests ways a team can build camaraderie, maintain morale, & make the best of a season in spite of adversity. The reality of having a coach fired in-season is discussed along with the challenges of raising a family when playing professional sports overseas. Reach out & follow Tayler @taylerpersons on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Joe Lawson is a professional basketball player with experience playing in Germany, Finland, Mexico, Romania & most recently in New Zealand. He joins Jimmy from New Zealand to describe his recruiting process from IU Southeast and the work it took to earn a scholarship at the University of Indianapolis. Joe would lead UIndy in rebounding and blocked shots as a senior in 2013-2014, averaging 17.3 points & 6.9 rebounds per game over two seasons. After his playing career, Joe has ambitions of working in sports as part of the public relations field. For more information about Joe, follow him @lawsonxiii on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Martha Burse is a professional basketball player with experience playing in Portugal and Luxembourg. She played college basketball at the Division I level for IUPUI before transferring crosstown to Division II University of Indianapolis. As a Greyhound, she scored over 1,000 points & broke the school record for scoring with 22.3 points per game in 2017-2018 as a senior. She recalls players like Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, & Carmelo Anthony being major influences on her skillset. Finally, she shares some superstitions she has before playing a game. For more information about Martha, follow her @baby_burse6 on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Adriane Young is Indy's Relational Realtor emphasizing quality service to her clients in need of residential real estate help. She joins Jimmy to talk about her career after being colleagues at Entercom Communications in Indianapolis. Learn about the process of buying a home & how to get started with your own career in real estate. Adriane also talks about her apparel company Pretty Being and the many forms prettiness can take, with the mission of making all women feel more empowered. For Adriane's help with real estate questions, call/text 317-500-7994. For more information about Adriane & her work with Pretty Being visit https://prettybeing.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Katie Clements is a thru hiker based out of Denver, Colorado. She majored in graphic design with a minor in marketing at the University of Indianapolis. Katie also participated as a college athlete with UIndy Women's Swimming & Diving for two years. She joins Jimmy to describe her experience hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019, the amount of preparation that goes into that kind of trip, and the challenges she encountered along the way. Both Jimmy & Katie talk about the importance of appreciating nature and the ways it can help with healing after trauma. For more information about Katie, follow her @katladykatie & @katiewithkeys on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Riley Pelton is an attorney based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. He focuses his practice on criminal defense, personal injury cases, driving issues, as well as business formation and management. He joins Jimmy to reflect on their shared experience at Carmel High School, both gaining television production experience while on on staff at CHTV. Riley played soccer for 4 years as a student athlete at Carmel, leading the Greyhounds to the top ranking in the state his senior year. He would go on to play 4 years of soccer at Wabash College, while preparing for law school. Riley gives a realistic idea of the work it takes to become an attorney, including the challenge of passing the LSAT and his experience at Indiana University's McKinney School of Law. Since starting his career, he has opened Pelton & Scott alongside Senior Attorney Vincent L. Scott. Riley and Vincent are featured on the documentary series "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" available now on Discovery+ and Max. Riley describes working on a case with major publicity and his responsibilities in a trial setting. For more information about Riley and his work as an attorney, visit Pelton & Scott's website https://drivingsuspended.com/ or call 317-571-0810 in Indianapolis. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Ty Dixson is a stand-up comedian based out of Atlanta, Georgia. He joins his former student Jimmy to discuss their shared experience at Carmel High School where Ty served as an assistant football coach. They narrow down their favorite professional wrestlers and recall childhood dreams of being a WWE superstar! Coach Dixson also emphasizes avoiding the fear of failure, especially when trying a skill like stand-up comedy. For more information about Ty, reach out to @tydixson317 on Instagram & visit https://lyricsandlaughsmedia.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Mark Grainda is Director of Content Communications for the United Soccer League's Indy Eleven. He also spent 3 years as Media Relations Director for the Indy Fuel, a professional hockey team based in Indianapolis, IN. Mark describes his daily responsibilities working for a professional sports franchise and the impact it can have on work/life balance. Mark reflects on his shared high school experience with Jimmy as classmates in American Sign Language. They both appreciate the opportunity to gain better perspective on life because of their ASL teacher Joseph Wheeler. Finally, Mark recalls his athletic career as a hockey player at Carmel High School & how being a student athlete helped him get to where his is today! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Ray Steele is the local host for NPR's Morning Edition on WFYI 90.1 FM in Indianapolis. He joins Jimmy to talk about his responsibilities as a broadcaster to promote positive content around Indianapolis and help underserved communities with his platform. Ray provides expert analysis on professional wrestling and explains the peace it brings him when needing to disconnect from the stress of work. Finally, both recall their experience being involved with Timmy Takedown, a charity pro wrestling event organized & performed by people with disabilities. For more about Timmy Takedown & how to donate to Timmy Global Health, visit https://www.timmyglobalhealth.org/timmytakedown For more with Ray, tune in weekdays 5-9 AM ET on WFYI 90.1 FM in Indianapolis, stream online, & follow him @RaySteeleWFYI on Twitter! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Harold "H.B." Bell is the President/CEO of RadioNext.tv based in Indianapolis. He utilizes his multi-faceted marketing and promotion skills to generate resources and visibility for non-profit organizations, small businesses, and faith-based groups. Mr. Bell produces, engineers, and creates topic specific programs on www.radio-next.tv., and for the last 11 years has hosted a live talk/jazz internet broadcast, The Jumbo Love Show. He is active and serves on several boards, facilitates community programming initiatives, and initiates numerous sustained awareness and messaging campaigns. H.B. joins Jimmy to advocate for underserved communities around Indianapolis, supplying information for resources like mental health services, youth programs, and career development. He also emphasizes the work that goes into helping senior citizens as 2022's CICOA Aging and In Home Solutions Collaborator of the Year Award winner. Finally, Jumbo Love reacts to the greatness of LeBron James in year 20 with the Lakers & previews his 12th anniversary celebration for RadioNext.TV on May 27th. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Brenda Williams is a singer and actress based in Indianapolis, IN. She joins Jimmy to talk about her career in entertainment, recalling the joy she felt performing with Jimmy's dad, Chooch as part of The Jackson Street Orchestra. Brenda shares her experience competing in the Mrs. America beauty competition as Mrs. Montana, finishing 2nd runner up for the title. She also shares her earliest music influences & how singing in church with the encouragement of her father inspired her to become a singer. She has been the opening act for headliners such as Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Lee Greenwood, Chuck Mangione, and Meryl Streep. She reflects on a stellar career that has spanned over four decades and still continues today. Ms. Williams has established a large following of fans in Central Indiana over the years, through her ability to perform a wide variety of settings in her own defining style. For more information about Brenda, follow her page BRENDA WILLIAMS ENTERTAINMENT on Facebook! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Marquone Edmonds is a fitness specialist and coach based out of Lake Bluff, Illinois. He is a former wide receiver at the University of Indianapolis playing from 2009-2012. He is the all-time leader for UIndy Football in career receptions (256), receiving yards (3,254) & touchdown catches (41). He talks about his experience playing multiple sports in high school, the hours that go into developing timing with a quarterback, and what it is like to physically recover following a football game. Marquone reflects on having the opportunity to play professional football in Germany and getting to experience a different culture. Finally, Marquone reveals his favorite professional wrestler & go-to football movie! For more information about Marquone including his services as a fitness specialist/coach follow @quone86 on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support

Eric Davidson is a former college basketball player at the University of Indianapolis. He reacts to John Rahm winning the 2023 Masters, the satisfaction of seeing LIV Tour players lose, and if Tiger Woods will ever win again on the PGA Tour. He first recalls his high school basketball experience at Hamilton Southeastern, playing alongside two Indiana Mr. Basketball award recipients, Gary Harris and Zak Irvin. Before enrolling at UIndy, Eric won the 2014 American Family Insurance High School Three-Point Shooting Championship in Dallas, establishing himself as one of the best shooters in the country. He emphasizes the need for confidence and repetition as keys to becoming a prolific shooter. Eric is also UIndy's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage, converting on better than 93% of his attempts. Much like his favorite NBA player, Steph Curry, ED points to his steady free throw line routine as a major reason for the consistent success. Finally, he reflects on the best life lessons basketball has taught him and the joy he feels seeing his younger brother Jack play professionally overseas! For more information about Eric, follow him @ericdavidson5 on Instagram! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jbkonair/support