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Mark Johnson grew up in Sutton, Massachusetts which was rural at the time and his family can trace their roots back to the folks that landed at Plymouth Rock. Mark and his family have been in Virginia for over 15 years and told Paul they had to make some changes when it came to the difference in pace between New England and the South. They talked about Mark's brushes with the music industry. He made it clear to Paul that it was not due to musical talent, but to the work he did and a house that he owned in Worcester. Mark went to school, got in the optical field and told Paul about his career and they discussed the difference a good leader can make in both your work and personal life. Mark described a tragedy that happened to their family when his young son Alec died. This led the family to the decision to get an emotional support animal. Due to his wife's allergies, they couldn't get a dog, but instead got a Kunekune pig and they named him Tucker. Mark talked about Tucker and all the good he did not only for Mark and his family, but the local community as well.

Christian Ray Flores has led a very unique life. Christian was born in Moscow, Russia and by the time he was nine, he had lived in four countries and spoke four languages. When he was fourteen, he was back in Russia and in 1991, he received his master's degree in Economics. Then in 1993, he entered the music entertainment industry as a singer and became an immediate success. One of his songs became an anthem for the political campaign of Boris Yeltsin. Christian met his wife Deb while at an event in Los Angeles and he told Paul that he pursued her. She moved to Russia a few months later and they were married about nine months after they met. Christian and Deb were ready for a change and moved to United States in 2004. Paul and Christian talked about all the many things they have done over the years, what he is doing now and how they have made their home in Austin, Texas.

Bryan Kirk is a very good friend of Brett McCreight (Episode 323) and he joins Paul on the podcast. Bryan and Paul first talked about his wife Kristin, their three kids and about being a grandfather. He told Paul he grew up outside of Charlotte and that his parents had two sets of twins. They all attended a small Christian school which was a part of their church and he and his twin sister made up half of their graduating class of four! He then attended Campbell University which is where he met Brett. Bryan commissioned at Campbell and spent over twenty-seven years of active duty in the United States Army. They discussed his U.S. Army career including going through Ranger school, becoming a Green Beret and retiring at the rank of Colonel. Bryan had several different assignments throughout his career including multiple tours overseas. They also discussed his current position at the University of North Georgia as the Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Cadet Leadership Academy at UNG.

Barry Todd grew up in a military family and he spoke about his mom's military service, her time working for the FBI and the fact that she spoke five languages. Barry grew up in many different places and enlisted in the United States Army in 1980. They discussed how he was very blessed during his twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, attending Ranger school and he told Paul about a very important lesson he learned about from his Ranger brothers. Barry and Paul then spoke about an experience he had that changed his life and one that has led to him writing a book. In 2014, Barry was arrested after an incident that took place where he was defending himself. His book is about the legal battle that he faced as well as some of the flaws and inner workings of the United States Justice System. He told Paul that the book's purpose is to bring this subject matter into the light and help everyday Americans understand a little more about the U.S. Justice system through his experience. All proceeds will be going to a foundation he helped establish that will assist people that have been wrongly accused. They finished by talking about his wife, Cisi, their three kids and four grandkids. Barry's book is called Stand Your Ground: One Man's Self Defense Nightmare and it can be found where you purchase books or at standyourgroundbook.com

Amber Lancaster comes to the podcast through recent guest Brett McCreight. Amber grew up in an idyllic setting in Ohio and she and Paul had a quick chat about parenting and some of the differences between GenX and GenZ and how they raise their kids. Amber had a life changing experience when she went with her parents to visit some friends in Europe and she told Paul that she caught the travel bug. She followed up on that goal when she went to the University of Delaware and studied abroad all four years. After college, she became a U.S. Government contractor for two agencies - one allowed her to travel around the U.S.A. and the other to different parts of the world. She moved to Virginia and met her husband through an unexpected source and they started a family. In 2021, Amber founded Start1Spark, a non-profit that brings communities together through helping disadvantaged youth. They provide athletic equipment, musical instruments, etc. that give young people the resources they need to participate in extra curricular activities. You can find their website at Start1Spark.org - please consider volunteering for or donating to this great organization!

John Streitmatter and Paul worked together a while back and they have reconnected to have a chat. They first discussed leadership, the journey of making changes to improve the workplace and the relationships between management and their employees. They discussed John growing up in Illinois, playing sports and becoming an Eagle Scout. John attended Indiana University, played a lot of pick up basketball and they talked about the culture of basketball in Indiana and what it means to the state and the people that live there. John had an incredible mentor after college and he told Paul how the man literally changed the course of his life. John talked about some of his professional experiences and how he got his Masters Degree (MBA) from Harvard. They discussed John finding what he was meant to do and some of the advice that he gives to his clients and folks he meets through his profession. They finished by John telling Paul about his wife, Michelle, and their three sons.

It's couples week on Stories as Kerri Cobb Harrison joins the podcast. Her husband Tommy Harrison just talked to Paul the other day and Paul started by commenting that he has not met a couple so compatible as Kerri and Tommy. Kerri grew up in New Kent, Virginia and told Paul that she had a great childhood playing sports and spending time on the James River with her grandparents. Kerri was a two sport athlete in college where she played basketball and softball at Lynchburg University and Christopher Newport University. Kerri had been teaching softball since her senior year in high school, but after graduating from CNU, she turned it into a real business. She has been teaching and/or coaching softball for 34 years and 2025 will mark the 24th year of her All American Fastpitch Softball camp. They discussed Kerri's teaching philosophy and how she teaches life lessons along with softball fundamentals. Kerri is also a competitive body builder and they had a great discussion about what they entails on a daily basis and overall. They finished by talking about her family including her parents who have had a huge influence on Kerri.  Info on the 2025 All American Fastpitch Camp can be found at https://www.allamericanfastpitch.org/camp-landing-page

In this episode, Paul talks to Tommy Harrison who is from Ohio and had a ten year career in professional baseball. The first thing they discussed is how Tommy is an Ohio State fan and how he lives in a “house divided” because he married a fan of their rival school. They talked about growing up in an area that Tommy described as the country, but they still lived in a neighborhood. It was a whole lot of sports for Tommy growing up as he played football and wrestled, but it was baseball that became his favorite. Tommy became a pitcher and they discussed the mental and mechanical parts of baseball especially for the position of pitcher. Tommy told Paul of the places he got to play, the players he played with and the people that he got to meet during his baseball journey and he said he would not change a thing. He then told Paul about his career as a teacher, coach and mentor to countless kids. They finished by talking about his golf game (he's really good) and his favorite baseball team being the Cincinnati Reds (even though he played for the Braves).

Gary Marx joins Paul through a connection with recent guest and friend Bret McCreight. Even though he has family ties to Germany from the 1800s, he told Paul he was no relation to Karl! Gary grew up in a military family and married his wife whom he met while they were in high school in Germany. After high school, his family moved back to the states and Gary went to James Madison and majored in Political Science. His work is in Public Policy/Public Affairs and he told Paul how he has worked on six presidential campaigns and has been to several conventions. They had a lengthy conversation about the Ukraine-Russia war and touched on Israel, NATO and current politics.  Gary has his own podcast which we encourage you to check out … Peace and Power Ukraine.

Brett McCreight and Paul know each other from their time in the Virginia Army National Guard. Brett's Dad was in the military as well and Brett told Paul he has lived in eighteen different houses throughout his life. They talked about his time on active duty and in the national guard. They discussed his many experiences throughout and they discussed the differences between the two as well as some of his fondest memories in each. They discussed many bases they know and talked about the best and their least favorite. Brett was stationed in Korea when 9/11 happened and he and Paul talked about how he found out and what happened thereafter. They finished talking about his wife Amy who is from Richmond and how they have moved ten times together. They have two sons, one (Douglas) who works for the state of Virginia and one who is in college (Alex) at Charleston Southern where Brett and Amy love to go visit. Lastly, Brett mentioned a couple of non-profits that he works with and how they benefit many different people.

Gray Lane (Episode 41) returns to Stories and to say he has had some dramatic changes in his life since the last time he and Paul spoke is an understatement. Gray discussed with Paul his beginnings with consuming alcohol. He soon recognized that he was different from most in that he drank more and longer than most of his friends. He told Paul how his drinking continued at VMI and how it surprisingly fostered his habits. He discussed moving on to narcotics and that started with prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin. Gray always knew there would be a breaking point and after developing a cocaine addiction, his wife of sixteen years left him. He found a recovery program and he immediately questioned how he would live without drugs or alcohol. Less than two weeks in the program, Gray's life turned around when God spoke to him and he now lives his life through his spirituality and his relationships with God and Jesus. They finished by talking about his progression through the 12 step program, a typical day in his life, where he is now and where he is headed.

Tom Saunders and Paul used to work together at the “Bakery.” Tom was already there when Paul arrived and Paul recalled getting two pieces of sage advice from Tom about working in “Corporate America.” They reminisced and talked a lot about the people they worked with and how some were real characters! Tom has great memories of growing up in South Hill, Virginia where his dad was a doctor and he told Paul how he used to go on house calls with him. His dad had gone to the University of Richmond and Tom followed in his footsteps where he majored in political science. Paul and Tom talked about his love for sports, being a big Yankees fan and an equally as big fan of UofR Football. They discussed Tom's passion for cycling, how he has biked over 100,000 miles and he then also told him about two major cycling accidents he has had. They finished by Tom telling Paul about his wife (they're celebrating their 50 year anniversary this year), two kids and three grandkids.

Matt Stemmler and Paul served briefly together in the Virginia Army National Guard and know a lot of the same people. Matt was a military kid as his Dad was career United States Coast Guard. He told Paul they moved all over. His first two years of high school were in Connecticut and his last two were in Virginia. He made a lot of new friends through sports and in high school, his sport was wrestling. They talked about the benefits of wrestling and some of the life lessons that Matt learned and that it teaches. He had already thought about it, but when 9/11 happened at the beginning of his senior year, the military became the path that Matt chose. They talked about his four (4) tours of duty, the various units he served in and duties that he performed. They also discussed him going to college in between tours and having an internship with the Washington Redskins. They finished by talking about his wife and their three kids.

John Morgan is a teacher, writer and musician and comes to the podcast via a couple of mutual friends of his and Paul's. John grew up in a small house where his Dad worked for the local utility company and his mom was a teacher. His dad went to St. Christopher's and John's parents decided to send him there as well. John and Paul talked about his experiences at St. Christopher's and John told Paul a powerful story about his best friend in middle school. As a result, music became very important and a big part of John's life. He spoke about why he loves music and the influence it has had on his life. After St. Christopher's, John went to VMI where he didn't have the best “rat” year, but found his groove his last three years playing music and discovering a passion for writing. After graduating from and through a program at VMI, John taught English overseas and then came home where he worked for a creative agency. After about three years, he started his teaching career in Richmond, then in San Francisco and then back in Richmond at St. Catherine's where he has been for sixteen years. They finished by talking about his wife Dawn, their two sons and his awesome in-laws.

Dave Lohr comes to the podcast via a round about connection to Bobby Malone (Episode 150). Dave is a VaTech graduate and his major and career was in Chemical Engineering. Paul first thanked Dave for talking to his son Zach who is also a Chemical Engineering major and a soon to be VT Alum! They then talked about The Indianapolis 500 which Dave will attend for the twenty-eighth straight time in May of 2025. This started Paul and Dave on the main theme of the podcast which was talking about sports and the many amazing sporting events that Dave has attended with family and friends. They did talk about him growing up in western Maryland, going to parochial school, playing baseball and basketball and having a great group of friends. His love of sports almost started him down a different career path, but after attending VaTech, he worked at DuPont where he would meet his wife Diane. Dave finished by talking about his family including he and Diane's two kids, their spouses and their three grandsons. Paul finished by saying that he thinks Dave is the biggest sports fan he has ever talked to!

Jim's next gig is Saturday, March 22 at the Eastwood Farm & Winery at 2531 Scottsville Rd, Charlottesville from 12:30 to 3:30pm. After a twenty-eight year career, Jim O'Farrell retired from the Army about sixteen years ago. Jim has been playing a guitar since childhood and now between being in a band and singing solo, a lot of his retirement is filled with writing and playing music. He told Paul what types of venues he plays, the type of music he plays solo as well as with the band and his method for writing songs. They then had a discussion about the history of the Blues, his musical influences and who some of his favorite artists are, both past and present. They talked about Jim being a Vegan along with the way he has changed his gym time mentality and how that has changed his life for the better. They also spoke about how Jim was affected by his interaction with the USO when he was a young soldier. For about the last eight years, Jim has been a volunteer for the USO at the Richmond International Airport and he told Paul about the mission of the USO and why Richmond is a unique USO Center. They discussed him growing up in northern Virginia and his interests which were motorcycles, playing the guitar and martial arts. Jim told Paul he knew he was going into the military at an early age, but he was the first in his family to make it a career. They discussed his military career including his hardest training and his deployments and then they finished by talking about his three sons

Dumi Mabhena had lived in four countries by the time he was 22 years old. The four countries were Zimbabwe where he was born, then Canada for a couple of years, South Africa for boarding school and Scotland for college. Dumi talked to Paul about what is was like growing up in Zimbabwe and why he, his mom and his sister moved to Canada for a period of time. He talked about the pros and cons of going to boarding school and how he went to college in Scotland to study one thing and switched to another. Dumi told the story of how a prayer by his father changed the trajectory of his work life. Paul and Dumi discussed the many different cultures he has experienced and he told the story of how he met his wife Anita who has also lived in various places around the globe as well. They finished by talking about his family, Anita's family, what he thought of the USA before and after he moved here and he how used to watched a lot of MTV!

Colonel Winton ‘Dip' Spiller comes to the podcast via a connection with Paul's dad Larry (Episode 9). Colonel Winton Spiller was born in Hanover, Virginia and grew up in the Richmond area, mostly on a farm in Henrico County. They talked about how he got his nickname Dip, what his schedule was like growing up on a farm and him remembering when they first got a television. Dip graduated high school and went to Virginia Tech and was in the Corps of Cadets. They discussed his likes and dislikes about being in the Corps at VaTech and how he became active duty United States Army after he graduated in 1960. Dip and Paul spoke about his thirty year career in the U.S. Army which included two tours of duty in Vietnam during the war. They discussed his progression through the ranks, his times in Vietnam as well as some of his state side assignments. They finished by talking about his four sons and his grandchildren.

Chuck Casey returns to Stories from the Center of the Universe from when he was on with John Hollis and Jeremy Bowling in Episode #309. Paul and Chuck touched on their organization, The Longest Climb Foundation and Paul reiterated his commitment to help the organization. They then started to talk about Chuck and his military background. Chuck accurately labeled his career as a Unicorn. Chuck's path is unique and varied as he touched three of the branches of the military during his education and career. After graduating high school, Chuck went into the U.S. Air Force and after about two years, he entered the U.S. Air Force Academy. During that time, he participated in an exchange program and spent a semester at the U.S. Naval Academy. It was there that he met and observed some U.S. Marines and that influenced him to switch from the USAF to the United States Marine Corps after graduating from the USAF Academy. They discussed his career over his nineteen years as a USMC Officer which was also varied and unique. They also talked about Chuck growing up in Massachusetts doing anything and everything on a board and being a drummer. They finished by talking about his wife Annie and how they have four kids.

Pai Charasika returns to the podcast to chat with Paul about a few different things. Pai first told Paul about his first hand experience dealing with Hurricane Helene. Pai is a high school football coach in Asheville, NC., an area that was hit very hard by the hurricane in late September 2024. Pai talked about the team having to miss games, but how the boys used that time to help the community which ended up winning them an award from the Army National Guard. It was life lesson they will never forget and when they got back to playing football, they came together and made it to the playoffs! Pai discussed being a financial advisor in Episode 301 and he and Paul talked further about finance and some lessons he teaches his clients. They discussed the NIL and getting student athletes excited about finance and they also covered subjects such as diversification, whether to rent or own and investing. They finished up by talking about the upcoming Super Bowl and Pai told Paul he is a Bears fan because of the 1985 Bears. For Super Bowl LIX, Pai said he is pulling for the Eagles and would like to see them win.

Courtney Kimble used to work with Paul and they reconnected after Paul met Courtney's dad Anthony last week. Courtney is from Middlesex County, Virginia and Paul and a couple of friends went to eat lunch at Something Different (https://somediff.com) in Urbanna which Anthony and his wife Sarah own. They talked about where Courtney grew up, what Urbanna and Middlesex County are known for and how her best friend is a cousin of another guest that has been on the podcast. Courtney has been laid off for about the last five months. They discussed some great advice she got from her Dad, the perspective she has gained over these five months and what she has learned from going through a lay off. Courtney told Paul what she has done during this time to increase her skills and what she has accomplished to make herself a better candidate for her next job. Courtney talked about growing up, what sports she played, the different schools she went to and being coached by her Dad for a lot of years. They spoke about her schooling after high school and they finished by talking about her love for true crime, the Philadelphia Eagles and how she is looking forward to March Madness after the Super Bowl.

COL Jeremy Bowling makes a return to the podcast when he was last on Episode 309 with John Hollis and Chuck Casey. They discussed their efforts to honor Sgt. Rodney Davis as well as their overall goal of helping veterans. Jeremy told Paul that their 501(c)(3), The Longest Climb Foundation has become official, is growing and how it will help them meet their goal. Jeremy and Paul first talked about how Jeremy got involved and how the idea of helping Vietnam vets came from being a part of and witnessing the power of a D-Day commemoration. This led to the trip to Vietnam for the U.S. Army veterans that participated in the Battle of Hamburger Hill. Jeremy told Paul about the experience for the participants, their escorts and for him. They then shifted to talk about Jeremy and how he was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he grew up playing football. Playing in a city championship in middle school got him noticed by an elite boarding school in Chattanooga and Jeremy said that led to the most important thing that happened to him as a young person. He was able to attend that boarding school for high school and Jeremy said it opened up many different opportunities which helped shape his life. They briefly discussed his deployments as well as his interesting experience going through U.S. Army Ranger School. They finished by talking about his wife Kerry and their two sons, Ethan and Jack. Jeremy expressed how very proud of and fortunate he is to have his family.

In Episode 181, Paul interviewed his son Zach after he had turned 21 and now it is daughter Lindsay's turn! The whole family was together to talk to Lindsay and Lisa started by telling us about the day that Lindsay was born. It involved a trip to Target, Lisa's Mom telling her  something when she got home and then a decision to go to the hospital. Lindsay being born that day (at 8:47pm) meant she had the same birthday as Lisa's grandmother. Paul and Lisa talked about some early memories of Lindsay and a common theme was her ability to climb at a very young age. Lindsay talked about her earliest memory and Lindsay and Zach both talked about Paul being deployed when they were little. Lindsay talked about some of her early childhood passions which included Dora the Explorer, being a voracious reader, memorizing the presidents and becoming obsessed with the Beatles. Mel spoke about her first memory … it involved painting and how she wanted to be like her big sister. They talked about family and how Lindsay is particularly fascinated with the Sicilian heritage of one of her grandparents. Zach told us about one of his favorite memories and how Lindsay showed off her throwing arm when they were at a friend's house. Lindsay is studying History at Randolph Macon and they discussed what her plans may be after college. We learned what nicknames she has had and still has and when asked for her final thought on turning 21, Lindsay said she is just Happy to be 21 and legal. They all wished her a Happy Birthday and said that they loved her! Happy Birthday Lindsay!!

John Hollis (Episode 277) returns to the podcast, but this time with a couple of friends, Chuck Casey and Jeremy Bowling. The last 2 times John was on, he and Paul talked about the story of Sergeant Rodney Davis (USMC). They delve more into that story by discussing the Davis family trip to Vietnam for the first time and other incredible stories as well as the 501(c)(3) that the three of them are working on together. Paul first learned how they all met each other and how their mutual interest in helping veterans started as a true grass root development. They have been able to help veterans and their families gain closure through trips to Vietnam. Jeremy in particular talked about the emotional impact and the incredible amount of healing that has taken place not only for the American soldiers, but the Vietnamese soldiers and people as well. They finished by talking about the 501(c)(3) which is called The Longest Climb Foundation. They have a lot of support, but the need is always there and they are working hard using a shared passion and their many connections to help our veterans.

Teresa Ofoia comes to the podcast via her Mom and Paul meeting at a networking event. Teresa is a professional dancer and has made that her career for about the last eight years. Teresa was born in Hawaii and raised in Virginia, first moving to northern Virginia and then moving to the Chesterfield/Richmond area. They discussed some of the changes she went through when she moved of which wearing shoes all the time was one of the big ones! Teresa and Paul talked at length about her dancing career including getting her dream job early on as well as other interests such as singing and acting. Teresa told Paul about some of the travel involved and Paul asked her about the favorite places she has been both domestically and internationally. That led to a chat about the differences in food here in the U.S. and other places in the world. Teresa talked about her love of food and how she believes food could very well play a part in her future endeavors. They finished by talking about her time in Los Angeles and how she is welcoming the change of now living in New Jersey/working in New York.

Silent Rob met Robyn D'Onofrio and suggested that she come on the podcast … Paul reached out and here she is! Robyn grew up in rural New Jersey where there were lots of kids around and there was always something to do. She attended high school and told Paul she was an “athletic goof-off” who wasn't concerned with academics that much. That changed in college where she was a captain of the basketball team, worked very hard academically and was the president of the student senate. She continued her schooling and also received her law degree. She and her family moved to Richmond about eleven years ago and Robyn got a chance to coach basketball at the Steward School and then moved to be the coach at St. Gertrude. Paul and Robyn talked about her coaching philosophy, about their program at St. Gertrude and about one player that is a representation of what their program is all about. Robyn also teaches Government at St. Gertrude and they had a great chat about what it's like to teach Government in an election year. They finished by talking about the upcoming basketball season and about her family.

Tom Greco returns to chat about the 2024 Presidential Election. Happy Veterans Day to all who served!

Jamesetta Cleveland comes on the podcast to talk about her company Sports Mom University Consulting. Jamesetta and Paul talked about the company on a high level and how and why she founded it. Jamesetta will be joining Paul and Kevin on the Virginia is for Sports Podcast to talk more about her company and on the subject of NIL in particular. In this episode, Paul talked to Jamesetta about a variety of things. They talked about her growing up as a military brat and where her favorite places were to live and visit. This led to discussions about some differences between Europe and the USA when it came to transportation and fashion. Jamesetta also gave her perspective on the way history is approached and Paul got her opinion on the statues that used to be on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Jamesetta talked about what activities she did growing up, how her parents were away for a good part of her time in high school and about her three kids and her two grandchildren.

Local real estate legend Woody Hogg joins Paul on the podcast. Woody and Paul talked about his many business ventures in banking, insurance, real estate and jobs he had when he was getting started such as being a taxi driver. They talked about the sports he played in high school and also during his time at East Carolina University. Woody told Paul the main three things that effect a house sale and he even added the fourth key ingredient for good measure! He also gave advice to young people that either want to sell real estate, buy real estate or both! They talked about his family and he and Paul found out they love being at the Rivah and that they are both lovers of blue crabs.

In this next installment of the “Look Back” episodes, Paul, Rob and Brent take a look at Episodes 251-300. They each pick their Top 10 and a fun time was had by all!

James Hagler joins Paul and the first subject they covered was to talk about his relationship with his dad, Marvelous Marvin Hagler. They discussed James growing up with his dad, their differences in adulthood and how they reconciled before his dad passed away in 2021. James talked about going to the gym in his youth and the influence his uncle Robbie had on him. James told Paul about his family and they discussed the path that his son James Jr. has taken and while they get along and talk, they don't talk about boxing. Paul asked James about his perspective on several of his dad's most famous fights against boxers like Duran, Hearns and Leonard. Paul told James how much he admired his Dad and they talked about James' boxing promotion company and what he hopes to achieve in the future. James finished by talking about and telling a story or two about George Foreman.

Paidemoyo Charasika joins Paul courtesy of a connection with Chris Gaskell (Episode 262) as they played football together at Wake Forest. Pai was born in Nashville, but grew up in Louisville. Education was very important to Pai's parents … especially his Mom! Pai attended Kentucky Country Day, a prep high school in Louisville and then looked at several really good academic colleges. He fell in love with Wake Forest and went there for the education, but also was a walk on for the football team. Pai is proud of the fact that he lettered three out of four years as a walk on. They then discussed his first job out of college which was in banking and then how he ended up in the financial advisor field. He still works as a financial advisor and this led to Pai and Paul talking a great deal on the subject of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). Paul gave Pai some situations and got his opinion on how he would handle those and then he talked about some real people that he currently advises. They had a great conversation about NIL, the NCAA, the collectives and who he has learned to talk to when he is advising young student athletes.

Brent Scopel joins the podcast and is the guest for Episode 300! Brent has listened to almost every episode and he brought Paul some “brown water” to celebrate this momentous occasion. Brent grew up in Ohio and was adopted by his parents who raised him and his two brothers who were 14 & 16 years older than Brent . Growing up, Brent was drawn to music and started playing the drums when he was about 15 years old. Paul and Brent explored the role that music has played in his life by discussing types of music, his opinion on the best drummers of all time, Brent playing in bands and going to all kinds of different concerts. They talked about his career and how he and his wife have succeeded and now how that success is allowing them to make memories. They discussed how he and his wife Julie are “foodies” and he told Paul about the lengths they used to go to for ice cream and pizza. Brent also told Paul about a 31 year tradition and how on one trip he had a “life flashing before your eyes” type of incident. He finished by talking about his wife Julie (Red), their two daughters Gabrielle and Annika and how being a grandparent is incredible and the reason that he and Julie moved from Ohio to Virginia.

Dwight Vick joined Paul on Episode 122 and is back with Paul and Kevin for a combination episode with the Virginia is for Sports Podcast. Dwight filled in Paul and Kevin on what's been going on with his family and life since they last spoke. He spoke about his company Victory Life and how he relied on a very important person to come up with the company motto, “Leave a Legacy”. Kevin and Paul then discovered what an incredible amount of knowledge Dwight has when it comes to Virginia High School Football. They discussed possible 2024 state champions, the talent of players from Virginia and Dwight spoke about some of the history of the sport in the Old Dominion state. They then turned to a discussion about college football and specifically about Virginia Tech. He spoke about the past prominence of the program, the recent domination over in state rival UVA and Dwight said he believes Coach Pry has the program going in the right direction. They finished by Dwight talking about some of the talent that VT has on the current roster, what they need to do to keep getting better and all three said that they are looking forward to the new college football twelve team playoff.

In a unique episode, Ken Wakefield joins the podcast which is doubling with the Virginia is for Sports Podcast as well. Kevin Flippen joins Paul to talk to Ken about a myriad of subjects. Ken is from Buffalo, NY, has been coaching football since he was nineteen years old and is the current Head Football Coach at Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, VA. They talked about growing up in Buffalo and some of the people that had an influence on him for football and in general.  Kevin had some questions about Ken's coaching philosophy, what he tells parents is most important for a player and how he is always learning and adapting as a football coach. Paul and Kevin learned about his most memorable game as a coach, that he likes an NFL team other than the Bills (and why) and they also discussed the portal and NIL and how NIL can effect a high school player. They finished by talking about his wife and son, the moving around they have had to do because of his career and how grateful he is for their support.

Leah is a realtor, a resident of Richmond, a force of nature and an absolute pleasure.

Eric Ash grew up in Virginia Beach, moved to Mechanicsville when he was 11 and he told Paul it was a change going from city life to a more rural setting. He said he has positive memories of growing up in both places. Eric played baseball and football growing up, but he started training as a boxer when he was 12 and had his first organized fight when he was 15. Little did Eric know, but that was a foreshadowing of his life and career to come. Why boxing? It was first due to watching it with his grandfather and then he met a trainer, Tom Brown, who instilled his passion and love for the sport. Eric went to VMI and the main thing that took him there was that they had a boxing team. He was captain three out of his four years there and after being in the car sales business for years, it was a chance encounter with his college coach that led to him switching careers and being a boxing trainer and promoter. Paul learned what a day in the life of Eric Ash is, they discussed some of the history of boxing and they talked about what it takes to promote a fight. They finished by talking about an upcoming fight night on October 5th in Richmond and about his wife Liz who manages the gym and handles the business side of promoting the fights.

Manny Fernandez grew up in Topping, Virginia in Middlesex County on a thirty acre farm with a nurturing mom and a Dad that he described as tough. He is very thankful for that combination which has helped him to be well mannered, respectful and have gratitude for what has happened in his life. What has happened is that Manny started fighting when he was 18 years old, has fought all over the world and has one world championship under his belt .., so far. Manny started in MMA, has done some Brazilian Jujitsu, but has been fighting Muay Thai since 2020 and that is his sole focus right now. Paul learned about his style, his regimen to get to fighting weight and who he looks up to in the professional ranks of all fighting. Paul also discovered one activity that Manny learned to help his brain adapt so that it would make him a better fighter. They finished by talking about Manny's future and about his girlfriend Jordan who has been a great source of support for Manny.

John Finn joins Paul on the podcast to discuss growing up in Richmond, sports memorabilia and his family lineage to name a few. John grew up in different parts of Richmond and he and Paul discussed going to different schools and his experience with school integration. They talked about  the bad, but mostly good experiences and how his first year was very formative. Paul learned about John's collection of sports memorabilia and some of the incredible athletes that were represented in his collection. John spoke to Paul about his family lineage and the types of businesses his father all the way back to his great great grandfather were in and about his career path and current business. The also talked about his time at VCU and the fraternity that he belonged to which he is still involved with to this day. They finished by talking about his wife Laurie and their two sons.

Joan Dorsey is a managing broker at Long & Foster Real Estate. She is also currently serving as the President of the Richmond Association of Realtors (RAR). Before becoming a managing broker, she founded and led her own real estate business. Check out our second installment with small business folks who have interesting stories to tell about business and life.

We recorded this one during Spring Break 2023. So why are we releasing this now? I wanted this to be a fun set of recorded memories just available for 2 families. The Gilmans and Colemans are on vacation again and the youngest of 5 kids (across both families) asked me for the 5th or 6th time to publish it to the world. So here you have it....two families reminiscing about Spring Break trips taken together over the course of several years (unfortunately we didn't have the 3 oldest kids because they were in college at the time). Yes, this one is random and fun.

Kiara Robinson and Paul met in a unique way and discovered they had both been in the military. Kiara was active duty in the United States Marine Corps for five and a half years and had many different jobs/duties while in the USMC. She is from Long Beach, CA, but went to high school in Phoenix, AZ where she played a lot of sports and ultimately made the decision to enlist. They talked about her experiences in the military and how she had to get used to being a civilian again when she left the military in 2018. Kiara told Paul that she has always enjoyed adventure, new things and exploring. They then talked about what was next for her which sounds like a trip of a lifetime. Kiara is going to drive the Pan American Highway starting in Alaska and ending in Argentina. She and Paul discussed how she will do it, what countries she will visit, the vehicle she will be traveling in and what some of her goals are for the trip. They ended by agreeing to touch base from time to time while Kiara is on her trip to hear about her experiences.

Weldon Bradshaw has been a coach, a teacher and a writer. He is still writing and his knowledge of Richmond, Virginia high school sports is unparalleled. Weldon taught and coached at the The Collegiate School for fifty years and retired two years ago. Before that he was covering sports for the old News Leader newspaper and the Times Dispatch. He is in his 56th year of covering high school basketball, 55th year of high school football and he's covered many other sports along the way. Weldon was quick to point out that he would not have been able to do that without the wonderful support of his wife Emily. Paul and Weldon discussed sports and competition stories, but they also talked about the behind the scenes stories that Weldon would observe and then write about. They also discussed a life changing experience for Weldon when he became the benefactor of an organ donation in 2012. They finished by talking about Emily, their kids and grand kids and how he believes he has led a fulfilling life with all its challenges and joys along the way.

Paul asked Chris Gorres what he says when people ask him what he does for a living. He told Paul he is a Coach. We'll come back to that. Chris moved to the United States from the Philippines when he was four years old. He grew up in Maryland and played all the sports growing up. That's what he wanted to do and his Mom let him do it as long as he got the grades. The hard work on the field and in the classroom paid off when he attended Cornell University and played football for the Big Red. Paul and Chris had a great chat about sports now versus 20-25 years ago. They touched on the state of sports, the NIL, the transfer portal and Chris spoke wisely about striving for excellence and competing. They did talk about his job and Paul learned about some of the people Chris has coached and trained and his approach on how to train each person individually. They finished by talking about Chris' podcast and his family.

Laura Redding joins the podcast as our first guest of an enduring series dedicated to telling the stories of entrepreneurs and their small businesses. Laura is the founder of Perfect Spaces Home Staging & More. In full disclosure, Laura and I are business partners in this company. As you can imagine, Laura and I are excited to share her story and discuss our business in this episode (SB1 = Small Business 1).

Rich Brent is the Executive Director of The Big House Museum in Macon, Georgia. The Big House Museum is dedicated to the lives and memories of the Allman Brothers Band. Stu Brown (Episode 257) connected us to Rich. They grew up together in Hurt, Virginia and are great friends. Paul and Rich talked about growing up in Hurt, playing football and basketball and riding BMX style bikes. Rich talked about his professional life and how he was living in Macon, Ga. where he began volunteering at The Big House which led to him becoming an employee. He told Paul that he has been very fortunate to be a part of The Big House and to meet so many amazing fans. They discussed some of the incredible projects he has worked on and Paul discovered some of Rich's favorite concert venues. They also talked about his wife Megan and her well known catering and restaurant business. They finished by talking about what the future holds for The Big House.

Stewart Verdery joins Paul via a connection with John Hollis (Episodes 277 & 282). His family moved to the Richmond area when he was five and settled in Hanover on a fourteen acre farm that had had a long history. Paul learned of some very unique things that the Verdery family built on the farm in those early years. Stewart went to a couple of schools in the Richmond area before finishing his last three years at Woodberry Forest. He talked about his great experiences while there and his involvement with the school since he graduated to present. For college he went to Williams and then to the University of Virginia for law school. He and Paul talked about his extensive career in and around the U.S. government including being the first Assistant Secretary of Policy for the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. He told Paul about some of the politicians he worked for and how he started his own lobbying and public affairs firm when he left the public sector. They finished by talking about his wife Jenny and their three kids, Izzy, Chase and Jack.

Paul told Ray Hedrick that he completed the trifecta for him. Ray, as the Head Baseball Coach at Randolph Macon College, now joins Pedro Arruza (Episode 99) and Josh Merkel (Episode 154) of being on the podcast and representing the three major sports at RMC. They discussed RMC and the athletic success they have been and are currently enjoying. He told Paul that it is not just three major sports, but he mentioned softball, women's volleyball, and both lacrosse teams amongst others. Paul asked Ray about growing up and discovered that Ray is from northern Virginia and was raised by his grandparents. He talked about playing different sports growing up and he then told Paul why baseball became his sport and why he loves it so much. Ray played at RMC and then held a few different positions in the college baseball world before landing the head coaching job at his alma matter at the young age of 29. Paul learned and was surprised by some of Ray's daily activities as a D3 Baseball Coach. They finished by talking about Ray's coaching philosophy and most importantly about his family … wife Sheree, daughter Maris and son Garner.

Liz Dillon joins Paul for Series 4, Part 2 of the Downtown Ashland Association and we are so happy to have her on the podcast! Liz is a native of Florida and grew up on a farm in a small community so it is no wonder that she told Paul that she loves Ashland. Liz and her husband have settled in Hanover and when doing so, Liz saw an opportunity to live out her dream and follow a true passion that she has had since she was a little girl and that was to have a bakery business. Along with her own hard work and planning, she went through the DAA Entrepreneurial Program and she won the Center Street Pitch Competition sponsored by the DAA. Paul learned the meaning behind the name as well as the type of baking Liz does which is very unique. She told Paul about what she's doing now and they also discussed her future plans for Bravo Bakery. They finished by talking about what Liz likes to do when she's not baking and about her three kids and one very special grand daughter who will be three next month.

Barry Farmer comes to the podcast via a connection with Louise Keeton and the Downtown Ashland Association. Paul learned about what Barry knew about Ashland as a young person growing up in the city. They talked about his upbringing and how he was raised by his grandmother and what she meant to him. He discussed the close relationships he had with his siblings growing up even though they were living in separate houses as children. Barry told Paul about his volunteer work and how it has led to many opportunities including a job. They had a lengthy discussion about Barry's three sons who he adopted and raised as a single father. They talked about Barry's journey of adopting each boy and there was one unique thing about Barry and his sons that was discovered during their conversation. They also talked about Barry's radio show, how it is growing (it's syndicated!) as well as its relationship to Ashland and the DAA.

John Hollis comes back to the podcast for the second time to talk about a book he wrote about SSG Rodney Davis. The Making of a Hero is a book about the actions of one man in one of the bloodiest and deadliest battles in the Vietnam War. John's book focused on SSG Rodney Davis and how his act of heroism saved several lives. John talked about where Rodney came from and why he joined the United States Marine Corps. John told the story about the battle, about Rodney and how his selfless act of sacrifice surprised a lot of people once the details became public. Paul learned about what John had to go through to research his book and the incredible people he knows who helped him. They also discussed an upcoming trip that John will be taking to Vietnam with a group including SSG Davis' daughter Nikki Davis. The story of SSG Davis is incredible and the book has received much acclaim for telling the story of such an amazing man.