The Draft Begins with Mike Clemens and Kevin O’Connor (Hour 1)

Live from the Civic Media World Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, it's the Todd Alba show.

And now, pursuing truth wherever it may lead, here's your host, Todd Alba.

Across Wisconsin on the Civic Media radio network.

and streaming worldwide on the Civic Media app.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Todd Albault, along with our outstanding producer, Mr. Aaron Zommers, on the board.

It is six past the hour of two o'clock on this Thursday, April 24th, 2025.

It is a great day to be a Wisconsinite.

It is NFL Draft Day in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Something that a lot of folks

particularly those listening on WGBW our great station in Green Bay have been looking forward to for man over a couple of years now after this was announced it is draft day we are going to celebrate appropriately enough in hour number two our friend and colleague host of nightlight

right here on Civic Media every evening, six until eight normally from GBW in Green Bay.

Pete Schwabba is actually in Madison.

He's going to be here joining us in person, talking a little bit about the Packers, the draft Green Bay, but also some entertainment things as well.

Also at what's worse, a food edition in hour two.

Onions are no onions.

We'll discuss that our old friend Kevin O'Connor is gonna be here at the bottom of the hour my old broadcast partner talking about Green Bay Packard Draft booms and busts of the past and also Anybody remember the old NFL cheese league?

Here in Wisconsin, we'll discuss that with Kev at the bottom of the hour, but now somebody who I know remembers the old NFL Wisconsin Cheese League.

He is there joining us live from Lambeau Field via telephone.

Civic Media's great sports reporter.

Nobody's better than our own Mike Clemens.

Mike, thanks for taking the time on a busy, busy day.

Yeah, you know, I think there is kind of a cell signal problem here because maybe the volume of people because I've kind of had trouble getting things uploaded or whatever even though I got to two or three bars, but how are you Todd?

I'm doing well as interesting you bring that up because we actually kind of toyed around with doing the show up there either today or tomorrow and because of what you just said and in fact I got some information that went through some of the people I have to register what it's just it's crazy what people have to do all these natural

people come in plus people visiting and I think it's really gonna wreak havoc with some of these signals so that's part of the reason we're not up there alive but you're always there on site bringing us the best from the Packers, the Brewers, the Bucks, the Badgers.

Have you ever been to a drafted person like this before?

Obviously first time in Wisconsin but have you been to these before?

No and that's because people say

Oh, so you're going to a radio music city hall in New York, right?

Or you're going to go to Nashville, you know, since Roger Goodell got the idea, say, how can we make more money on this?

How can we turn this into an even better TV show?

And the year that they did it in Nashville was really terrific pictures.

And it

was a great party atmosphere too.

And then that's just when it really took off.

Kansas City seemed to be a pretty good place.

We're going to be interested to see if, in fact, Green Bay has as big a draw as they had in Detroit last year and some of the previous markets, only because, you know, I think there's an awful lot of people that are wondering if the weather is going to be iffy, that

the

fact that Green Bay, as opposed to those larger markets, has got fewer places to stay in.

And some of the prices, you know, motels that usually go for 90 bucks a night, 100 bucks, they're charging $600 a night.

Parking right now, if you get on a busy street like Oneida that goes right by the stadium, as far as eight blocks away, there's a church that's charging $100 for parking.

And it's that way all the way in.

Everybody thinks that this is going to be their big payday.

I don't know if they're going to see the volume that maybe they thought they would.

Interesting.

Interesting.

You're going to be there all all week covering this for us.

What is people are going to watch this tonight on ESPN, of course, but I mean, there's a lot of different places you can watch or or listen to it.

Just being there on the ground, what's the they're called the auditorium?

But yeah, there's a big, from what I see in the pictures, you're there, describe this to us.

It looks like a great big oversized outdoor tent, but this is technically outside, right?

What we're gonna see tonight on television.

Oh yeah, you know, so you take Lambeau Field and then you take the parking lot around the stadium and over by the pro shop, which is on the north side, and they've built a giant stage like they have with these other outdoor

NFL drafts, you know, NFL cities around the country for the past decade or so.

And the director, you know, let us know on a conference call like six months ago, because everybody's like, where are they going to put this?

They're going to put it by the Hudson Center across the street, or are they going to do it here?

They could do it.

Maybe they do it inside the bowl.

And at the end of the day, they said, you know what, we're going to do it in the parking lot, but you take the stage so it faces, so when you take that picture of Goodell hugging the player and giving him a jersey,

the behind the camera shot has Lambeau Field as the backdrop.

So that's the way that's all situated.

I mean, it's a TV show at the end of the day, right?

With about 80 to 100,000 extras, that being the fans from all over the country, you know, as part of the extras in this production.

So that's what you'll see tonight.

They are going to utilize Lambeau Field as part of their quote, red carpet.

So to add to the pageantry, just like they did with the honors

show that started out on Saturdays, now they've moved it to prime times on bigger networks.

They're going to have those 16 prospects that decided to commit and come to Green Bay to pick up their jersey in the first round if in fact they get taken.

That little quote, red carpet is going to be along the visitor's sideline inside Lambo, then a tunnel and then out to the big stage.

And so, you know, some of the people have to anchor this like, okay, that's going to take about a minute, two minutes to walk.

So that's how much time we've got to talk about this guy, why they go through the tunnels.

But, and for me, our, the way I cover this every year, Todd, is, is I don't go to the draft.

That's not where the action is.

I cover the packers.

And so we sit in our usual media auditorium where you see a little floor or love after a game or Aaron Rodgers all those years.

We sit in that auditorium and when the packers are on the clock, they make their pick.

Then the TV screens go up.

The scout that found him comes down and talked to us from the office.

We get the player on the phone on the speakerphone.

We interview that kid that just became a packer.

And then at the end of the night, Goodikins comes down and tells us why the team selected him.

So that's where we're here.

We're here to gather the probably eight to 10, 15 players that they draft, interview them and get to know them.

And we put that in our reports over the next couple of days.

And it's great that you've been to these before.

You know the rhythm.

I think there's been a lot of speculation from the fandom.

I'll put myself in there.

Oh, you know, are they going to go wide receiver?

What are they?

Is Goody going to trade up for something dramatic because it's there?

I mean, in your experience, it seems like from what I'm hearing from you and others that the Packers are like, no, this is just going to be business as usual.

Is that your take?

Yeah, while they always want to take the best player available, I also think as a part of their template in the draft is

it's harder to find the bigger guys, the defensive linemen, the defensive ends, you know, linebackers like a Kway Walker, et cetera, versus we can get all kinds of good wide receivers in the second and third and even later rounds.

Hell, you know, Donald Driver was a seventh round pick.

So every year though, it's like, because they haven't taken one since Javon Walker.

And I think that was a Mike Sherman call.

And every year people say, if this year they take a wide receiver and I say,

Yeah and are you like Linus in the Great Pumpkin where this is the year and instead the Packers are like Lucy with a football and they pull it away from you at the last second.

You know don't don't don't bite on it.

It's possible it's possible but I you know I think that they're probably going to sit there at 23.

They'll start out tonight.

Goodkins will have about seven or eight players that he thinks are worth a first round pick.

He's picking 23.

By

the time they get to him at 23, then he'll decide.

These two or three guys still left on the board, are they worth it?

Does the numbers match?

It's all about value.

And then at that point, he'll pull the trigger and take that best player available, those two left.

Or if there are anybody left above the line, then he'll get on the phone and trade down and get out of

there.

Mike Clemens of Minute Left here will let you go, but what should our listeners, our viewers know from you being there on the ground locally in Green Bay that they might not hear any place else?

Whether it's just the flavor of the place or anything else, people might be familiar with Green Bay for having gone to the game.

What should people know?

Well quickly for our listeners or maybe headed up to Green Bay My recommendation is take one of those park and ride things and and get off there and take a shuttle into the area and then come and party I'll ask of course you've already figured out how to stay here, you know Then you know you get into ground zero on the other hand.

This is a great day to celebrate.

There's a lot of kids.

There's this Matthew Golden from Texas, you know

10 years ago, he and his mom were homeless outside of Walmart.

And tonight he's got a chance to be a first round pick.

He visited with the Packers, by the way, two weeks ago, a wide receiver.

And that's what the best part about this is that instantly these kids become NFL players and a chance to change their family's lives.

Wow, incredible.

Mike Clemens, we appreciate you taking time.

So very much.

We'll look forward to all your reports over the next two or three days here.

Be safe up there.

Have a great time.

We'll talk to you soon, Mike.

Thank you.

Thank you,

Todd.

Love

the show, man.

I appreciate you.

Thank you so very much.

Mike Clemens, everybody, our sports reporter on the ground there at Lambeau Field.

How about that, Summers?

I mean, you got somebody that is right there in the room going to be talking to Goody, going to be talking to whoever they draft tonight.

Keep it locked here on civic media because Mike is going to have these reports.

You're not going to hear some of this stuff anyplace else but from our own Mike Clemens.

And I love that.

Love his description of oh, I'm not there in the draft.

I'm there talking to the Packers after you know that stuff you don't hear from other people and

To me, the behind-the-scenes stuff in media is the absolute coolest.

So that was very

interesting.

No, Mike always gets it done, always has a great job there.

17, 18, 19, we've got time to do, this is a little report here, not a little, it's an awesome report, putting perspective on the day.

This is a great entry here from our colleague Terry Barr, giving us a slice of the Green Bay Packers and the draft.

There's no denying the history of the Green Bay Packers, the only non-profit community-owned team, third oldest, most wins in the NFL, and the same home field since 1957.

Here's Packers Public Affairs Director Aaron Popkey.

I think just what Lambeau Field means to football fans, it's often spoken of as a mecca, it's on a bucket list, those types of things.

Now history comes to life along the Packers Heritage Trail when actors play the parts of Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombard,

and many others.

And all along the downtown city walk, you could hear these packer stories of the past.

We're laying into the history, the tradition.

We often hear if we're not someone's favorite team, we're their second favorite

team.

Learn to pass throughout the day on Thursday, April 24th, before it's about the future when the draft officially kicks off that night.

With your daily NFL draft coverage, I'm Terri Barr.

Find more anytime at wgbw.fm and wiss.fm.

There you are, Terry Barr, a great Terry Barr realize, appreciate, appreciate her slice of Wisconsin.

Give us a little taste of history there on draft day from Green Bay.

Thank you, Terry.

We appreciate you so very much.

When we come back, I want to, uh, was listening a couple of days ago here to, uh, Matt Rothschild was filling in on the four to six slot here before the new times got, uh, put into place and one of our longtime callers, Joe.

in Madison.

And Joe, if you happen to be listening, Joe, if you're listening, give us a call because you can say it in your own words because I'm not going to say it as well as you.

But she brought up something that I think is so important on this draft day when a lot of cameras and microphones are going to be pointed in the direction of Green Bay and Lambeau Field.

It is a rich history of the Packers, of Vince Lombardi and what this really means, the history of this team.

And it was Vince Lombardi who

really set the tone in this state that the way he did it is An example for all of us and it cut across party lines

And I think it's part of what makes Wisconsin great.

It's part of why people love the Green Bay Packers, whether we always take time to remember it or to acknowledge it out loud or not.

But we're going to do that, so come on back.

We'll talk about that.

And coming up at the bottom of the hour, Kevin O'Connor, Packers, Booms, and Bus and the old NFL Cheese League.

Stay tuned.

It's draft day right here at the Todd Allball Show.

You're listening across the state of Wisconsin on the Civic Medium.

you

Welcome back to

the Tahleball show on the Civic Media Ready Network.

Twenty two now past the hour on NFL Draft Day.

Summer's on the board dialing up some Packers green and gold music.

Glad to have you along.

Again, many thanks to Mike Clemens, the great Mike.

Clemens, our sports reporter here at Civic Media, on the ground at Lambeau Field will be tracking all of the Packers' picks during this draft, having the interviews from Gudekunsten, the players, and everyone else.

So keep it locked here.

We will have those updates from Mike Clemens.

Coming up to the bottom of the hour, our friend, Kevin O'Connor.

is in my old broadcast partner from my Plaffville days, is gonna be joining us for a little commentary.

We'll take an analysis on Packers, drafts, booms and busts, and also the old cheese league as well.

You're much too young to remember, Zomers, but we'll fill you in.

I sure am.

It was from the 90s, yes.

But we'll, the interesting take on that, and Kevin, of course, I shouldn't say, of course,

Most people don't know I grew up in.

Chicago land.

So yes, he's a Bears fan.

Don't hold it against him.

So he'll have a couple of takes for our Bears fans out there as well.

Bears booms and busts in the draft as well.

And yeah, really, when it comes to Bears fans, they have it hard enough as it is.

You don't need to hold it against them.

Exactly.

That's that's a good take.

I want to bring this up before we wait further.

because it's really important.

And one of the many reasons I love doing this show is because the people out there listening and the people that participate in our show.

And one of our long time listeners and callers, Joe in Madison, she called in Matt Ross child was filling in in the four to six slot couple of three nights ago, Zomers on Tuesday.

Thank you.

Zomers is on the board.

He should know.

And Joe called in to remind us as the draft approached here, that one of the things we should pause and reflect upon was the late great Vince Lombardi.

And not just because of his record as the head coach of the Packers, not just because he won Super Bowl one and two or his teams did with him as coach, not just because of his great ability to inspire people and to make us better.

But because of his views and his leadership at a time in this country when it was difficult to do so And Joe was talking about Lombardi explaining and this is I'm not gonna explain this as well as she did I'm going to attempt to Lombardi once told a reporter that he viewed his players as quote neither black nor white But as Packer Green on quote

Amongst professional football head coaches in the midst of the civil rights movement, Lombardi's anti-discrimination views were, to say the least, unusual.

Joe also reminded us that Lombardi had a brother who happened to be gay, who he loved very much.

And I think this is such a great example, and I've talked about it in different ways on this show before.

Sometimes, and there's nothing wrong with national movements, don't get me wrong, but sometimes the greatest effect we can have is on the world is by making a difference right where we're at.

And Lombardi didn't necessarily set out to completely change or take on the entire civil rights movement, but he controlled what he could control, which was his locker room and his organization.

And he made it very clear that he would not tolerate racial or sexual discrimination of any kind.

That if he heard racial slurs or gay slurs, people were gone, done, zero tolerance.

And he stuck to it.

And so people in that locker room just knew that that wasn't gonna happen.

No more so than you could go out and

and play half-assed on the field, you also were not going to be tolerated as a racist or a homophobe in the locker room or any part of the organization.

It wasn't even just in the organization either.

It was also restaurants.

If they had restaurants that wanted to seat black players elsewhere like, nope, we're not going here.

Everybody leave.

And they did.

Thank you for bringing that up.

That's what Joe was talking about as well.

Thank you for bringing that up.

That the party made it clear around town.

that he wasn't going to stand for.

But a reason something here, this is from a cheeseheadTV.com, cheeseheadTV.com says, since there's already a lot of rich, uh, contest that exists on the subject, content, pardon me, says I want to shine a spotlight on these existing pieces and compile some snippets along with player quotes here, says his greatest packer team is dependent upon full integration.

The parties.

When he came to Green Bay as an assistant coach from the New York Giants, the Packers had only one black player, Nate Borden.

Lombardi understood that he could not construct a championship team by ignoring black athletes.

As a head coach and general manager, people forget that he wasn't just the head coach, he was the GM as well, Lombardi.

He drafted and recruited some of the greatest black players in the league in 1967.

The Packers fielded a squad with 13 Black athletes, including all pros Willie Davis, Willie Wood, Dave Robinson, Herb Adderley, and Bob Jeter.

But Lombardi did not simply play Black athletes, he treated them the same as his white players, even when disciplining them.

Quote, it never entered my mind that I've been chewed out because

This is a direct quote from David Robinson.

It says, I never, it never enters my mind that I'm being chewed out because I'm a Negro.

He said, the important thing is everybody gets equal treatment on quote that from Dave Robinson.

Traditionally had coaches assigned to hotel rooms based on race.

Lombardi, however, made sure that room assignments were not made on the basis of skin color.

In 1967, Harry Edwards reported, the Packers were the only NFL team.

with such a policy.

Important to remember that you could be proud to be a Packer not just because of our championships, not just because of Lombardi, but what Lombardi stood for off the field as well.

Come on back, Kevin O'Connor is next.

Farm news, update, weather and sports.

Back after this, the all ball show of the Civic Media, ready to work.

of this Tuesday, April 24th NFL Draft Day in Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

That's from half your happier times in the 80s down in Chicagoland.

A little Super Bowl shuffle for you.

Thank you, Zombers.

I asked if he could pull that up.

He wasn't even a glimmer in his mom's eye in 1985.

But well done.

Well done.

Uh, that's the intro music for our next guest.

Uh, he was my broadcast partner, the better half of the broadcast team, by the way, back in the 90s at UW-Platteville.

He is now the marketing director at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

He was on the show a couple of weeks ago when we were down there.

I'm going to call him the sports authority.

Kevin O'Connor.

Kev, how are

you?

I'm doing good.

I appreciate that musical interlude.

I have a VHS tape in my basement.

of the making of the Super Bowl shuffle.

If I could get that converted to digital, maybe we could share.

I know every word to that song, and we got the day off of school the

next

day.

The Bears won the Super Bowl.

We did indeed.

William, the refrigerator, Perry, Mike, Dicka.

It was a thing.

It hasn't been a thing since

that song.

It hasn't been a thing since.

Well, as we were talking before we came on, you guys are on a one game winning streak.

unbeaten against the Packers in twenty twenty five the old Chicago Bears what can you say you tried asking me what they're going to be like this year like I mean I don't I know we're talking draft like obviously they used a draft pick very very very recently on yet another quarterback you review the list of others that they've drafted over the years in that position well I'd be a to be determined

It's what I would

say.

We're going to get into the booms and busts here of the Packers and a little bit of the Bears in a second.

But people who are frequent listeners of this show have heard me use the Kevin O'Connor line on several occasions.

It is no more appropriate than it is today because I had a great thing lined up.

I thought, well, this will be fun and slightly funny that I thought, well, we'll grill.

We'll grill here in the studio.

And so I thought, well, I'll go get like a.

a George Foreman grill.

And so here I have lined up behind me.

We've got our Clemens Beef Franks.

I went to the store and got those.

Some generic buns.

We got ketchup, mustard.

I thought even I've got tongs.

We got tongs.

I thought this will be great.

We'll grill.

I couldn't find a damn George Foreman grill to save my life.

So, Kevin, what is it?

Ideas like this, Kevin would look at me and say

great potential.

Oh, great potential, a great potential for disaster.

Yes, exactly.

Absolutely.

Today,

it

was potential for disaster.

I was more thinking, you know, you were always an ideas person, the execution sometimes.

Perhaps a little lacking.

That's a great

way to put

it.

Who is the coach?

I feel like there's that fucking ears coach.

So how do you feel about the execution of your team?

I'd be in favor of that.

You're like, that might

be it.

Yeah, no, that sounds...

That sounds

all

right.

Well, I haven't forgotten about that.

I've tried to stay away from the great potential for disaster.

I use it all the time on this show for politics and otherwise.

Well, you know, find a microwave.

You can warm up

those clemency franks and you can have a little snack after the

show.

Exactly.

It's not a

grill out, but it'll

do.

Remember this?

One time, Kevin and I were doing a Pioneer softball game, and I actually grilled during the broadcast.

That's

also what I was thinking about.

I feel like this is an idea that was put into action prior to the invention of said George Foreman.

We

were grilling before George Foreman had five sons named

George.

Inevitably breaking a number of state rules regarding food safety and approved catering all at the same time as well.

Nobody died.

Nobody

died.

Well, Arif gets to the matter at hand, Kev.

The Packers...

Have a pic later and was it 23 and then Clement Mike Clemens said picking 23 today So I mean it's not gonna be well.

I mean they should get a decent picker thing Well, I thought it'd be fun to review some of the best and worst picks and Packers franchise history these now according to all this is from the ISN channel 12 in Milwaukee, but there are other places in FL their places that have it as well.

I Think this is true worst draft pick and Packers history

from Michigan State in 1989 to the first round, the second pick overall, Tony Mandrage.

I mean, I feel like that is a broad consensus, right?

If you say worst draft pick, who's the one that I feel like most Packers fans are gonna think of?

I would like to think back as to I mean don't get me wrong obviously part of why people think that because he turned out to be a very good football player.

But like you do you I feel like sometimes too you need to pause and think well like was it hated from the start?

Did the person ever really have a chance?

Was it already doomed for failure?

Was it great potential for disaster from the beginning?

But I do feel like not only for Packers, but for a number of years, teams drafting offensive linemen, I feel like that became the reference of, well, is this just going to be another Tony vantage?

But it was not the way you want to see

your

name.

No,

but it was big.

I mean, it was it was it was going to be the second coming to the Packers.

I mean, it was such a big deal and a complete bust.

Here's a name I completely forgot about in 1981.

First round number six pick overall from California.

That her Rogers, a rich Campbell, rich Campbell.

I mean, those were some dark

years.

There's a reason why those were some dark years.

People thought he was going to be the heir apparent to Lynn Dickey.

Younger Packer fans may find it hard to believe, but there were some dark times for the organization between Bart Starr and Brett Favre.

Really, they say.

There

were.

That there were.

That was

again, that was the one brief moment where the bears could claim some superiority.

No,

absolutely.

Divisions, but the Packers assisted in that cause Yeah, otherwise

slightly more recent according to the ISN in Milwaukee defensive tackle from Tennessee in the 2007 NFL draft in the first round 16th pick overall Justin Harrell no idea Yeah, it just didn't go anywhere.

So a couple of the bus.

How about how about for Bears any any big bus and Bears history down there?

You know, I try, it brings back a lot of bad memories when you start to kind of go back to look.

It reminded me, but really what it amounts to is every quarterback they've tried to play for the last 25 years.

Because the list, as I was, I'm like, oh, so who were?

Because, you know, generally, right, so part of it is when the bearers have been so bad for so long, there's lots of bad draft picks, right?

Otherwise, they wouldn't be so bad.

So it really is, it's the Cade McNown, Mitch Trebisky.

like take your pick of your favorite quarterbacks.

When you figure the best quarterback they've likely had in this long but recent period is Jay Cutler, who they obviously got from another team and otherwise have attempted and failed to use the draft on multiple occasions.

Curtis Enus or running back is another one that I think a lot of Bears fans would probably lean on.

I think really now the bigger question for them is will last year's traffic in Caleb Williams become another one of those on the scrap heap?

You know it's funny because they don't necessarily automatically even go to Justin Fields who would be the most recent to the most recent quarterback.

I guess feeling like maybe that wasn't a complete bust but the organization has now just become such a bust on all levels that you can't land it back on the quarterback and that actually more than anything when I think about the draft and

you mentioned, you know, thinking through some of these old picks, it is a good and fair reminder to some of these players, how many other factors are involved and

whether

or not these draft picks turn out well or not, and that maybe they aren't as good as where they get picked.

But boy, not having a lot around them, having bad coaching, bad organization, bad sports medicine staff and everyone's hurt like take your pick can send some of these players that maybe would have been okay down a much worth.

worst path they never

recover.

That's such a great point, Kevin.

And we're talking to Kevin O'Connor.

Is he your title marketing director at UW Milwaukee?

I'm actually the director of trademark licensing.

But I'm

here.

I'm at the Panther Arena.

I'm in our beautiful arena team store.

Look at that.

Nice Panther hoodie over my shoulder.

I can throw in a plug for that.

There's draft programming.

Jordy Nelson's doing a show down here at the Panther Arena.

What are my favorite all-time partners?

Something like a concert or something.

He's doing a draft show, I believe.

I'm not involved.

I don't know.

But

that's great because Jordy Nelson honestly got one of my favorite Packers of all time.

I mean, there's a guy just went to work every day and just got it done.

I feel like that he would rank right as an outsider amongst Packer fans.

I have to feel like he would qualify on many people's lists as that.

And obviously someone who because he was so beloved has been able to keep sort of that media and otherwise profile and sort of stay in the game, which is something.

We see from a lot of former players these days as well that there is that second career waiting.

Because as we know, all football players are perhaps more well paid than you are, Todd.

Most

football players

are not getting lifetime rich without being a quarterback or maybe a receiver on that second or third contract because the lifespan of an NFL player in the game winds up being so short and they many times do many other things to remain a presence.

And in the case of Green Bay, sometimes it's that market, sometimes down here in Milwaukee, sometimes both.

You brought that point earlier that sometime you know for guys getting drafted tonight and tomorrow some of these fans make oh my gosh We got the person the guy who's gonna turn this around, but you look at a guy like Joe Thomas

One of the best Badger players in history goes to spends his whole career in Cleveland gets into the Hall of Fame here what you're two ago Just one of the best players in my opinion in NFL history Never won a Super Bowl because they never really had the parts around him to really make it deep into the playoffs But there's a Hall of Fame guy that you know

if he would have had three or four more Joe Thomas's, they probably would have won two or three Super Bowls.

Well, and what I mean, what a great sort of counter example to like, oh, maybe some of these busts turned out to be busts because they didn't have great people around them, right?

Then you take someone like Joe Thomas who didn't always have great people around him and was generally in an organization that I'll just say from the outside doesn't always seem that highly thought of

by

NFL observers.

And yet still.

was able to have that kind of on the field command that l off the field to also get s like the Hall of Fame, um, in m speaks to take nothing away who win multiple super obviously deserve great credit I think it's a great po also speaks to, um, using as an example, right, of and coaching and structure

football career or your entire sports career, what a difference that can make that by the time maybe he got to a situation in the NFL that maybe wasn't great.

He'd been coached up so much by so many great people prior to that.

He wasn't going to let that atmosphere or maybe some of those questions derail him and he gets so much credit for that.

But I think I would have to imagine someone like him would fairly say like, yeah, some of those other folks that, you know, maybe coach me in college or even were around me in high school really set me on the path where I wouldn't let those other

things.

And now he's doing stuff with Hall of Fame beef.

He's making great beef and has a farm and I mean, he's one of those guys is always successful.

I want to get to the cheese league, Kevin.

But, uh, according to the Milwaukee Journal, Sentinel, their number one packer draft class was 1958.

Jim Taylor, Jerry Kramer.

and Ray Nitschke.

Not bad.

No, that's not a bad draft class at all.

You'd really, I'd love to know so exactly how much scouting went into that draft class, right?

Like,

how much visibility, how much did they know the way that class was

going to be?

All right, one minute, Kev.

I know we got to let you go.

I appreciate your time.

Cheese League, tell people in one minute what this was.

This was fantastic.

Yeah, I mean, for folks that don't know, right, NFL teams used to use Wisconsin as their home base in the preseason.

It was up to five or six

at

one point.

Six?

In 1995, yeah.

there you go.

The bears is truly we joke about it, but of Platteville for the firs going to school there, but I know folks that are st in La Crosse.

And I mean, t is changed.

So I understand anymore, but it was def like Arizona spring train for the NFL.

And it w across Wisconsin and I j as we circle back to the

has always played a role in the entire state of Wisconsin.

Yeah, absolutely.

The Bears, the Packers, the Jaguars, the Chiefs, and the Saints all in Minnesota across the river in Mankato one time.

So that's the old cheese league.

Kevin O'Connor, we thank you my friend at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Stopping their great Panther gift store when you're down there.

The tunnel will show on the civic media ready to work eight for the hour of two o'clock.

No, three o'clock.

Still getting used to the new time, the new time thing, the schedule being doing me both being it two to four instead of noon to two.

But here we are at eight minutes before the hour of three o'clock at the top of the hour.

ABC CBS news for you, depending upon which of our great stations you're listening to.

Check of sports with our great sports reporter, Mike Clemens at Lambeau Field in Green Bay here on this draft day.

Check of weather as well.

Weather, I don't think the weather is going to be as bad as first maybe thought.

Looks like most of the rain coming in in Green Bay later tonight overnight into tomorrow morning.

So then it.

Basically what it boils down to is during the draft proper starts at seven o'clock tonight and then picks up tomorrow.

I think it's six o'clock that During the draft proper it should be dry So it just might be those times coming and going up there But you know all these people all the events and everything and I hope they have good weather up there and in Green Bay at the same time You know if it's a little rainy that's not gonna stop anybody.

No, no people are gonna be people are gonna be lit

to put it to put it mildly.

If you're looking for the Brewers, by the way, they're playing well and getting ready to get underway.

The pregame show started about a little over a half an hour ago on our stations over the air over the airwaves on terrestrial radio in Richland Center, Oshkosh, Racine Kenosha Park Falls and Hayward Brewers taking on San Francisco, the Giants.

Let one slip away last night, the Brewers lost by a score of four to two.

They glad again, getting underway right now on the stations that I mentioned.

And then Friday, they go down to St.

Louis for a three game stand against the Cardinals, the dreaded, the evil St.

Louis Cardinals, the Brewers, Friday, Saturday and Sunday there.

Again, many thanks to Kevin O'Connor, always great to have Kevin on the show.

Just I mean when you think about the impact of something every way people get ginned up for the draft and we're making such a big deal about it this year because it happens to be in Wisconsin in Green Bay first time ever probably Only gonna happen once at least in my lifetime.

We'll see always a chance I guess So I mean it's exciting a lot of slots of people the Fox Valley the Green Bay area big economic boom for them

Mike Clemens said earlier, maybe because of weather and other things, maybe not quite as big as some people had hoped, but still an economic boom and all of the, uh, the, the press, national press coming in here doing podcasts, television shows, radio shows from Green Bay.

It, it does nothing but up the ante in terms of our, our appearance.

I thought this would be fun.

I'm a fan of Dan Patrick, the Dan Patrick show.

They're doing their show in Green Bay.

the radio show and they're also streaming, I think, on YouTube.

And this is so quintessential Wisconsin.

This has been a while back for years ago.

They had a guy, I think, call in or whatever.

And he posted this thing online and to the song of Valerie and he sings something else.

And so they found the guy in Green Bay.

I'm going to play you a little bit of this.

We'll see how long we'll let it run.

But here's the Dan Patrick Show, National Dan Patrick Show in Green Bay yesterday.

Now, we came in this morning.

There were people who were lined up from 3.30 in the morning.

And Seton goes, I just ran into a guy who I think is the guy who gave us one of the great sound bites in show history.

And I go, all right, I'm curious about this.

And it's Tom in Wisconsin.

So if we can play the

Salary song that would be great

This guy posted

this

online

So Satan runs into Tom and Wisconsin waiting in line and we didn't know if that's really the same guy, so let's bring up Tom and So Tom that's a bad idea can you

So

this is a guy that they find, who posted this thing, and they brought it on Patrick's show, and the guy's like, it's a bad idea.

And Patrick says, so were you a little lit up?

And he goes, yeah, on a few Miller lights.

And they get him to kind of recreate the song on the show.

But it's just a great example of whether you're a draft person, or a football fan, or not a football fan.

They have these national shows come in.

I don't care where's Dan Patrick's show or are you all the ESPN crew?

You've got other national NFL network is in town as well

And the amount of, you know, politics, we call it earned media, quote unquote, where, where you're getting attention, you're getting media that you're not paying for.

And so when you have all these different national media places talking about the Green Bay Packers, talking about Green Bay, talking to, you know, uh, there were posts of, of, uh, uh, Booger McFarland, I think from ESPN was, was having breakfast with a couple of other guys.

And, and they're, they're talking about these, these places in Green Bay.

It does nothing but help.

the state of Wisconsin and the Green Bay economy.

And so I get it.

Not everybody is a sports minded person.

Not everybody gets the point of why we're making such a big deal out of this day.

But that's that's part of it.

It's what makes Wisconsin great.

And as we said earlier in the show, it's not just about sports.

It's about the fact that we are proud to have a former coach, a Super Bowl winning coach like Vince Lombardi, who said, I don't look at my players as black or white.

I look at them as Packer Green.

And to me, that's one of the coolest things about this day is to celebrate the legacy, not just the sports part, but the civil rights part of the change that Lombardi and the Packers made in the NFL that still exists to this day in many ways.

And hey, the more publicity we can get for that story.

and for the Packers themselves.

I'm all for it.

Come on back a little.

What's worse for you in hour two, a food addition, and then our own Pete Schwabba, host of Nightlight.

Coming up live here in the studio is the title of all show for an NFL Draft Thursday on the Civic Media radio network.

Live from the Civic Media World Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, it's the Todd Alba Show.

And now, pursuing truth wherever it may lead, here's your host, Todd Alba.

Across Wisconsin on the Civic Media Radio Network.

and streaming worldwide on the Civic Media app.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Todd Albault, along with our outstanding producer, Mr. Aaron Zommers, on the board.

It is six past the hour of three o'clock.

Welcome in to hour number two of the big program on Thursday, April 24th, 2025.

It is a great day to be Wisconsinite.

Partly sunny skies, I would call it here in downtown Madison, the Civic Media World headquarters.

Zommers, great hour number one.

Many thanks to Mike Clemens for being here.

Kevital Connor.

Great first hour on this NFL Draft Thursday.

Big day for our listeners at WGBW, our great station up there in Green Bay, Wisconsin, WISS, and Oshkosh, the valley, as they say, because people from all over that part of the state, as Mike Clemens reported, hotels, Airbnbs, restaurants, Uber, Lyft people, I mean, all these places are going to see an increase in income.

Yeah, definitely and also thank you to Joe and Madison for calling in the other day with the

story

about Vince Lombardi to remind us all about that important part of his legacy

Yeah, absolutely really really appreciate that coming up a little bit later this hour at the bottom of the hour Peach Waba host of nightlight every evening from six until eight right here in the civic media radio network He's in town apparently Conrad his producer is Is the one of the big VIP?

host up there during the draft.

Yeah, actually, he's the majority owner of the Packers.

That is

not

true.

No, but so Schwab is down here doing a show.

This is great.

He's going to be here.

Talk a little bit about his fine program every evening from six until eight.

And one of the hot new movies.

I know he's talked about this before, but Conclave this in this year's cinema was Conclave all about picking a new pope.

And that has become.

Relevance again reality with a poet passing of a Pope Francis a lot of people I've Schwab I could probably tell us but I think it was like the number one or two stream movie this week Concrete was already doing well.

Yeah, so I've not seen any of you not yet, but I plan to all right We'll ask Pete Schwab a a little bit about that and also play what's worse here in a minute But wanted to bring you this some good news here good news, but important news from a very old Lisa Hale

at the Civic Media News Department, avoiding scams during the NFL Draft in Green Bay.

The Wisconsin Department of Trade, Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, better known as DATCAP, says any travel, but especially travel to popular locations and events, can increase the risks of identity theft.

Consumers should be aware of how identity theft occurs and how to reduce the risks.

The DAC cap says surveys, prize, giveaways, and online quizzes not affiliated with official NFL draft events can be tempting.

However, if they require participants to provide private data, even as simple as name, birthday, contact information that consumers should be aware and remember that they have no control over what happens to that data after it's submitted.

Many of these innocent, seeming collection methods are actually run by individuals and groups for the sole purpose of selling that personal information.

So just be aware of that when traveling to and from NFL Draft and Green Bay, Dak Cap recommends that consumers make purchases with credit cards because they offer built-in protections against fraud.

allow the user to dispute fraudulent charges and can be quickly canceled if lost or compromised.

So good news there or some good information there.

I think a lot of the places, by the way, as I read at the draft, not even accepting cash, it's cashless.

But as Lisa Hale at Civic Media reminds us, better to use a credit card if you have one than a debit card.

Yes, it is a lot easier to get your money back if there's fraud.

Yeah, absolutely.

So have fun up there.

Have a great time if you're going to the draft.

Allow extra time for parking.

Might need cash for parking.

I don't know.

Might need

a lot of cash

for parking.

Yeah.

I mean, Clem is just saying some of those places, some of those spots, you know, a hundred bucks a pop a day.

That sounds about right from what you were hearing too.

Yeah.

Because we kind of looked around and figure out logistically it just wasn't going to work.

But yeah, one of the places we were looking at was a bar.

Within like walking distance to the thing.

It was a hundred bucks a day So bring cash for that but use a credit card if you're going up to the draft 11 minutes now past the hour three o'clock time once again for what's worse.

Let's go

Time once again for what's worse, no prize, money involved, nothing to give away, just your chance to have your voice heard.

Across all 11 news talk sports stations in the Civic Media radio network, well that's not quite true.

But it's close.

Because we have brewers right now playing on some of them.

It's true most days.

True most days.

But right now the brewers are taking on the Giants in Richland Center, Oshkosh, Racine Kenosha Park Falls and Hayward.

No better, no better place by the way.

to have your product, your voice heard, then on the Civic Media Network, go to civicmedia.us to find out how you can be an advertiser.

All right, timely, timely indeed, as Mike Lucas is fond of saying, because a lot of people, I think, whether you're going to the draft, whether you're watching the draft tonight, probably, first of all, you'll be smarter than me because you'll have a way to grill your brats.

For those that were not with us in the first hour, I brought in all of the accoutrements here to the studio behind.

If you're watching on the stream, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, you can see we got, uh, Clements, beef, Franks, not hot dogs, but beef Franks.

We

got dogs.

Oh, we got buns, ketchup, mustard, brought some spotted cow.

And, you know,

I thought this

would be fun, fun and funny to grill, bring it to George form and grill and grill during the show because we got Schwabba here.

We make him a hot dog.

But no, I.

I looked for an hour in Madison and I could not find a George Foreman grill

Todd set up everything to tailgate in the studio except the grill

This way it goes But anyway, a lot of people are gonna be using onions onions on your said brought hot dog burger, whatever so today's category and what's worse onions or no onions simple onions or no

Onions 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 Again, I know I say this a lot during this segment It depends it really does it depends for me.

What's worse onions or no onions?

855-752-4842, 855-752-4842.

You can also text us at the Civic Media app.

If you don't have it, download it today on your Apple or Android device.

Simply go to your search engine at your app store.

Type it into your search bar, I guess I should say.

Type in Civic, C-I-V-I-C.

media, it'll pop up a cute little CM logo.

Click on that.

Takes less than a minute to download.

It is free.

It's what CPS's Gale King calls a deal.

The Civic Media app.

And the cool thing is, not only do you participate during our little bit here, you can also listen to all of our stations, news, sports, weather and music, anywhere you go, anytime for free.

And I here tell, there's another.

big summertime text to win contest in the pipeline.

Oh, you know it.

There's always one of those in the pipeline.

Right.

And and so get a head start because you could win fabulous prizes, but you have to have the civic media app to do it.

So

Todd may not have been able to find a grill for the hot dogs today, but civic media always has a text to win contest on the back burner.

That is that is my that is that's the prize I want for our summertime text to win the George Forman grill.

George Forman grill.

That's exactly what I want, because apparently they're difficult to find these days.

I still want the blender.

All right, what's worse, onions or no onions, 855-752-4842-855-752-4842.

Brian in Madison, listening on WMDX says onions, always.

I think that means that no onions

is worse.

He always wants onions.

He always wants onions.

All right.

I live listening in Sockville on WAUK says, no onions is definitely the worst.

I pile them on.

All right.

Very good.

Kurt in Madison listening on WMDX.

I live for when the dahlia onions come out.

How can anyone not like a Vidalia onion?

They are good.

Wasn't that a song at one time by Billy Ray Cyrus?

Vidalia.

My heart's on fire.

Maybe not exactly, but Vidalia was something else.

Well, Kurt, obviously a big onion lover.

What's worse, onions or no onions?

8-5-5-7-5-2-4-8-4-2.

8-5-5-7-5-2-4-8-4-2.

You can text us on the Civic Media app, Zombers.

Oh, here, one more.

Kurt says, you're not from, you're not a Wisconsinite if you don't like onions.

I mean, kind of sort of fair.

Personally, I find them delicious.

But it is weird how common they are for being so polarizing.

And even then, people who like onions, do you want them grilled or raw, you know, or what kind of onion?

But for me, please don't crucify me.

I'm going to say onions are worse.

Onions are worse.

Not for any taste reasons.

I would love to have onions on everything.

My digestive system does not appreciate when I have onions on everything.

I have been

informed

by my doctor to cut back on them.

Really?

He is totally to cut back on onions.

All right.

Well, I did not bring onions for the hot dogs today.

Sorry.

Matt Middleton listening on WMDX says onions.

are worse or onions is worse as whatever I order stuff with them when they're overcooked and heaped on if they aren't because I could always use some hot sauce.

So he's kind of divided it sounds like.

And I'm a little bit with Kurt because.

Or but they're Matt in in Middleton on like like a salsa.

Well, of course, I like raw onions and my salsa things, especially a homemade sauce salsa like that.

But like, I'm not like a big raw onion guy on a hot dog or a raw onion guy on a brat.

I would like grilled onions for that.

Because you would still rather have onions than not.

I'm kind of, when I was a kid, I didn't like onions at all.

I think, I think just because of the strong taste.

It is a strong taste.

When they're raw, I'm not a big, unless it's like an assault, I'm not big on raw onions.

But like a grilled onion or a sauteed onion that complements whatever else it's worth or with.

Sure.

Yeah, absolutely.

Oh, when I was younger, my sisters and I would just like caramelize a bunch of onions and mushrooms to go along with whatever else we were eating.

But we'd always make extra, because it's like this is this is what we're really here for.

Right.

Also, I learned that learned this years ago, like you take a clove of garlic and then slice it in half.

A whole like a whole head, I'm sorry.

slice an apple, a little olive oil on the top of it, and slow cook it in the oven, like a roasted garlic like that.

And then it becomes so mild and creamy, you can almost eat it right out of the skin.

It's a much milder taste.

So I think, what are onions, legumes, is that it?

I don't

think so.

Look it up.

But but they're they're always more mild after you after you cook them.

What's worse, onions or no onions, eight by five, seven, five, two, four, eight, four, two, eight, five, five, seven, five, two, four, eight, four, two.

Tyler in Wisconsin Rapids listening on WVH.

She's.

WFHR.

Thank you.

Too many callers in my head.

Thank you.

Great station.

FHR up there.

Wisconsin Rapids.

Tyler says, you got to have onions.

The trick to keep them under control is to hollow out the bun a bit.

Onions and nothing else now.

I've people like there are people out there that will eat an onion like an apple That's too much for me.

I've never done that and yeah, I'm okay with that.

That's that's that's too much for me

eight five five seven five two four eight four two onions or no onions give us a call we'll put you on the line that's our what's worse for today eight five five seven five two four eight four two eight five five seven five two four eight four two come back take a look at

The drive-time traffic around the state of Wisconsin and get ready for our friend Pete Schwabba, host of Nightlight here at the bottom of the hour.

It's a draft edition NFL style and Green Bay of the Tottenham Bowl show right here across Wisconsin on the Civic Media Radio Network.

and having fun doing it.

Welcome back to the title ball show in the eCinic media running up.

Working is draft day.

NFL draft at the Green Bay Packers home at Lambeau Field.

Gets underway later on tonight.

I think the first pick just after seven o'clock.

Looking forward to nervous anticipation to that.

Our very own sports reporter Mike Clemens there at Lambeau Field will bring you the Packers pick a little bit later tonight.

Pick 23rd in the first round.

So it will take a while.

But Clemens will have all the updates for you from Goodacoons from whoever the Packers picked tonight Looking forward to that.

We thank my Clemens for all of his work up there at Green Bay over this draft 23 now past the hour take a quick check of roads across the state of Wisconsin According to 511wi.gov if I take a peek in according to The state website DOT

No major delays right now around Green Bay, so things are going smoothly.

I mean, maybe some normal traffic, a Lombardy or whatever, but in terms of major roadways around the Green Bay area, nothing major to report right now.

Move down to southeast Wisconsin, closer to our W. A. U. K. Listener ship in the walkie shop Milwaukee area on the on the western side.

I 41 just south of the nominee falls down through Butler, a southbound expect delays there.

Also northbound from I 41 up to I 90.

175 or 191 75 rather expect northbound traffic on 41 a little backed up there a couple of shoulder inner roads Try that again time cars off of the shoulder of the road and also a closer to Milwaukee proper from the intersection or from that Exchange way there of I 41 up to

190 on 43 North.

So I 43 North slow going there.

The normal daytime commute there as always.

So pack your patients as they say and allow a lot of extra time.

Otherwise no major road incidents around the state of Wisconsin at this hour.

We're in the middle of what's worse right now.

The category for today.

What's worse onions or no onions.

eight, five, five, seven, five, two, four, eight, four, two, eight, five, five, seven, five, two, four, eight, four, two.

Tyler in Wisconsin Rapids saying, you got to have the onions.

The trick to keep them under control.

I guess we read that one as to how well about in the bun a bit.

I've never done that.

Never done that.

I've done that

not for onions, unlike a burger, but I've definitely done it on subs and some restaurants will do that.

Sub places, sub shops, they'll, you know.

They'll scrape out a little bit.

They call it the guts of the bun although sloppy joes I always do that because if you don't they just go everywhere They really are sloppy up, but I like push in the top of the hamburger bun before putting the meat in there So that I can actually get a reasonable amount in it and not have it explode as soon as I pick it up

Food tips from Aaron Zombers.

I love it.

Uh, I guess I don't know this is hard for me because

Too like too many like on a pizza, for instance, there's a there's a balance there a real balance So pysons pizza in Madison for years and years They had exactly the right balance of of onions versus no onions And so it had just enough flavor, but not like we're just gross And again, I'm not a big raw onion guy.

I like him cooked So I guess if I had to choose I would say too many onions are worse

Versus not at all fair enough.

I mean me too.

Yeah I Will we'll play another round tomorrow back more into a little bit more of the normal talk as far as Peter Rapider old friend Peter Rapides gonna be here with a week in review

the wacky and wild human behavior tomorrow at 3.30 in our new time slot.

So Peter's kind enough to adjust with this into the new time, time slot.

So 3.30.

Yeah, me too.

And also we'll get back more, a little bit more into the political side of things tomorrow, but I thought it was appropriate.

We take a day here and talk more about the draft going on in Green Bay, again, a big economic boom for the Fox Valley, the Green Bay area.

And kind of cool, I think, to have Wisconsin, all these national news, talk, sports programs, radio, television, streaming.

It does nothing but up the ante in terms of our earned media for the state of Wisconsin.

So I hope the Packers do well tonight.

855-752-4842.

855-752-4842.

If you want to call in and talk a little bit draft or what's worse, I guess.

We didn't really, Kevin and I got talking about, about draft picks of the past and only give slight mention to the cheese league.

And this was really cool.

If you grew up in the late eighties and nineties and something that quite frankly was really pushed for by former governor Tommy Thompson was called the cheese league.

And at its, at its peak in 1995 had six NFL teams and they were drawn by the milder summers.

and escaped from distractions at home, great facilities, and they came to college towns in Wisconsin to prepare to prepare for the NFL season.

The league had its strongest participation throughout the 1990s with five teams peaking in 1995 with six.

Thanks to the participation of the Jacksonville Jaguars for a single year.

The proximity allowed teams to practice with and scrimmage against one another, allowing for a nice change of pace and more realistic preparation for the regular season, which that was really the, from an NFL organization standpoint, because you hear about this all the time, right?

Mike Clemens will tell us about, you know, so-and-so the Packers got injured during the scrimmage in training.

Well, here you got to actually beat up on another team.

So,

You know, you might have the Packers at St.

Norbert and DePierre, and they would go down to Plattville and play the Chicago Bears.

The Jaguars for a season were at UW-Stevens Point, and they might go across the state and play the Kansas City Chiefs at River Falls.

I imagine that also gives you a little bit more information going into the season.

Well, a little bit.

I think it was just a better way to assess the people that you had on your team against true competition.

And again, they weren't necessarily always going full strength, but it's kind of like, hey, how does this guy size up?

How quick is this guy against real competition on the other side?

And then the Vikings were in Mankato and the New Orleans Saints were at UW La Crosse, the old cheese league of the 90s.

Until they said, yeah, we should probably go back to our home state.

We'll come back and talk one of our hometown guys, Pete Schlaba on the other side.

Don't go anywhere.

It's the title ball show on the civic media.

Sometimes I want to be a picture director.

I'm trying to make the world understand.

I'm making movie movies.

I'm making movie

movies.

Welcome back to Powerball Show on the Civic Video, ready to work.

35 minutes now, past the hour of 3 o'clock.

We're going to talk movies here in a minute with our colleague and friend, Pete Schwabba.

First of all, a quick traffic update for you.

Particularly for our listeners on WMDX in Madison, if you're headed down towards the Beloit area, be aware that Wisconsin 213, that road is now closed in both directions from Townline Avenue to Richard Street due to a crash.

You're going to need to use alternate route there.

So particularly, let's say, might be coming up from Illinois, you're going to drive home, might be listening to us on the Civic Media app and get to the Beloit if you intend to take a highway.

Wisconsin Highway 213, that road is now closed in both directions, otherwise, around the Milwaukee area.

The normal drive time delays right now.

No other major roadways have complete closures at this time.

And interesting, Pete Schwabba, where you are from, the host of Nightlight, went out from there.

That's where you do your show at WGVW, the great station there.

So far, they say no major traffic delays.

Pete, welcome to the show.

Hey, thanks.

Thanks for having me.

It's my volume.

Oh, yeah.

We've got weird controls here, story.

Oh, there we go.

Up, up, down.

Yeah, I feel like I was.

Is that too high?

No, that's

perfect.

420 has passed.

Not by long.

Yeah, there's a lot going on up in Green Bay.

I think that's why they brought me down here, because there's so much craziness.

And Conrad took a vacation.

That's your producer.

To go to the draft, yeah.

Right, I just hate Conrad, because everybody in the state should know who Conrad is.

But Conrad, the producer of Nightlight, took some time off to go to the draft, so I'm down here chilling away from the crowds.

Love it.

We toyed around going up there, but after looking at...

all the security and all that kind of stuff.

We're just like, ah, maybe, maybe, maybe plan better next time, Todd.

I can't

even imagine

how they're fitting all those people.

You know, I remember last year in Detroit, they had 250,000 people.

They couldn't even fit them all in Ford Field.

They had to do it like staggered.

So it'll be interesting to see how it goes in Green Bay.

But I know they're loving it.

They're very excited.

And

the weather looks like it's going to be OK at least.

That's good.

855-752-4842.

We were talking about the cheese league.

Remember the cheese league, Pete?

Were you around

then?

No.

Back in 1995.

It was in the, I was at go to school at Plattville.

I have not accomplished much of my life, Pete.

But as far as I know, I still hold the record for number of programs sold at the Bears training camp at UW Platform.

Oh, no

way.

In one day.

First of all, I want to say, if you haven't done much with your life.

And you're the host, and I'm a guest on your show.

What does that say about me?

No, not at all.

Yeah, I remember when the Bears used to go up there.

Chicago is my hometown, and I'm a Bears fan, a long-suffering Bears fan.

So I remember when they were in Platteville, and that must have been kind of fun.

It was fantastic, because it was the last couple of years of Dicca and the first year of Juanstead.

And, you know, you would be six feet away from Dicca.

You'd be at a golf cart going around.

And Jim McMahon used to just wreak havoc down.

town at night

it's not funny like when you get older like I used to like all of those guys but now that I'm older I have such low tolerance if someone's an idiot I don't care if they were on my team I cannot like them now but back then you know but like now he'd probably he

was a legend in Platteville

yeah but he was

he really

wanted to bring him young I think he set some records up there too that have nothing to do with

Football.

I bet he did.

Let's go to the full lines quickly.

8-5-5-7-5-2-4-8-4-2.

Got to Los Angeles.

We go.

L.A.

Tum.

L.A., you had a couple of thoughts in the cheese league.

Yeah, Todd.

I think part of the reason why they picked all those areas in Wisconsin, the campuses that they did, was because these were small towns.

Right.

The falls, Platteville, the pier.

They're all small towns, so really truly the players could not get as distracted during the two days or three days, and they have to focus on football.

Whereas if it would have been a bigger city, then they may have gone out more, they'd gone out more, they would have gotten in trouble.

So I think part of the reason of doing the Cheese League was really to make sure everyone stayed more focused on football.

and not the other extra

curricula.

I

think that was your, I definitely think that was the intent.

And I think to some degree, yeah, how much trouble can you get in Platteville versus, you know, I don't know, Kansas City, but again, having.

Ben going to college there at the time, there were quite a few stories of some of these guys, because I mean, they were, they were well known.

They were NFL, you

know,

legends.

And they, and they would, they would pay for a drink or a meal and, and they'd have people just, you know, worshiping them.

They just have to stay in the dorms and play and do beer bongs or

something, right?

It's

like, that's pretty harmless,

right?

Let's go quickly to McFarland on WMDX.

Tom, back to back, Tom's.

This is Tom and McFarland.

Tom, thanks for calling.

What do you got?

Thanks for taking my call and you I got a fun story in regards to the cheese league Yeah, I was up in Steven's point back when they first started doing their expansion in order to attract an NFL team for the cheese league and Some friends and I we were playing you know some cough football and we noticed a group of business guys definitely not pointers And one of them came up to us now.

I'm originally from Chicago

So I immediately knew who this guy was, and I was starting to get my little girl on.

And he just started throwing the football around with us, talking to us about how we like point, what we like things about the field, et cetera, et cetera.

That was Walter Payton.

Oh, wow.

He

was back when he was looking at, exactly.

I

can actually say I played football with Walter Payton.

Incredible.

But he was part of the St.

Louis outfit.

That's