Why Fickell Is Floundering with Bradie Ewing (Hour 2)

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, Todd Alba, along with Mr. Aaron Zommers, our producer and engineer on the board.

It is six minutes past the hour of two o'clock on this TGIF Friday afternoon, October 24th, 2025.

It is a great day to be a Wisconsinite.

Welcome, everybody, to World Headquarters, downtown Madison, Wisconsin.

beautiful crystal blue skies.

Let's take a look out at the old Sam Davidson Street Cam.

Look at that.

People mulling about in their light jackets.

What are those kind of light jacket days in the sun?

Beautiful sky here in downtown Madison.

Absolutely gorgeous day.

Hope you get out and enjoy it this weekend.

Weekend looks nice as well.

A little cool but dry and sunny.

It's that describe you today drier and sunny years onwards.

Welcome back.

Yeah.

I was good to be back, you know Spent a lot of yesterday sleeping and pounding vitamin C as you as you showed you're feeling a little under you like so many other people The allergies the allergies got to you.

Yeah, it was it was just too much It's funny you say that it's quite it's actually funny that you say That's too much because I had I had debated

How to open today's show, actually.

And I texted a couple, I'm trying to read this verbatim.

A couple of friends of mine that I texted last night.

I debate.

I was debating last night.

I always get more depressed at night.

I don't know why.

because I prepare for the show, and I was scrolling through several stories, things we were going to talk about today, and I texted a couple of my friends.

They're the verbatim text of exactly.

I said, quote, I spent 45 minutes scrolling for tomorrow's show, and I'm close to just opening the mic and starting with, we are screwed.

Yeah, you understand that people screwed.

It's over democracy, the country, social norms, whatever that means, over.

Just enjoy life, eat, drink, have sex, and be merry.

Enjoy it as long as we can because it is over.

And by the way, I did not have a drop to drink last night.

I think that's how a lot of people feel right now.

Of course it's not, but I think it's important to acknowledge that like all of us, doesn't matter whether it's our jobs to talk about this, we all are just getting overwhelmed.

Absolutely.

So no, it's not maybe quite that dire But I was going through a moment last night because there's a lot of headlines last to get to or get to as much of it today as we can a couple of bright spots for you at the bottom of the hour Can't wait for this.

I don't believe we've ever had anybody join us on a combine or tractors hours It are almost three years on the air.

No, we have not today.

We will beef farmer

Cattleman, David Umbihan is going to join us from either his combine or tractor, whichever happens to be on at 230 and talk about the Argentinian beef influx via the Trumpster.

And the effect it's gonna have, if it happens, on beef farmers in Wisconsin, also explain these tariffs, what it means to Wisconsin farmers.

David Umbihan and his family are longtime farmers, cattlemen, cattlewomen in Richland County, no better person to go to than the source.

So David, he said, I could do it, I could join you if you don't mind a little tractor or combine noise.

I said, no, not at all.

So I'm looking forward to that at 235 and then at 335, keeping it in Richland County.

Our friend and ongoing contributor Brady Ewing, two-time Big Ten champion with the Wisconsin Badger football team, spent three years in the NFL.

We will preview Badgers at the Ducks tomorrow.

Out in Oregon you can hear the game by the way right here on many of our fine stations pregame show at 4 p.m.

And kickoff around 6 o'clock you can hear it on WRCE in Richland Center to be FHR Wisconsin Rapids WLAK in Amory and WRPN in Rippon So Brady I'll talk about also the Wisconsin Madger Madger Badger men's basketball team gets underway tonight

At five serve forum against Oklahoma in an exhibition game the pregame show starts at 6 30 for that one to first tip at seven o'clock.

So Brady and I will talk basketball.

We'll talk Football throwing some Packers of course former Wisconsin Quarterbar Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers now at the Steelers taking on current Quarterback for the pack Jordan Love and the respective teams on Sunday

We'll tell you a little bit later how to listen.

Lots of sports interspersed with the show as well.

Some breaking news in terms of disaster relief down in the Milwaukee area for all parts of the state.

The Trump administration has made a decision within the last hour.

We'll tell you what that is and what the reaction is by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

But first, time now for a Jill Underly update.

She's all by herself.

She doesn't want anyone or she says she doesn't.

She all by herself.

We've been following this for you for the last week or so.

After the Capitol Times came out with a story a week ago.

An in-depth story from the Capitol Times took over a year to do the research and publish on 200 educators, not all teachers per se, but.

public educators, could be support staff, could be administrators, 200 folks over the last four or five years, no, since 2018, pardon me, since 2018, that were, they either gave up their licenses voluntarily in exchange for not having allegations of grooming or sexual assault further investigated.

And again, to make clear in this story, this affects less than .003.

percent of the public educators of the state.

The overwhelming vast majority, 99.999 percent, are wonderful, great people doing great jobs with our kids.

And certainly the alleged victims here, that's a sad thing and concerning and serious as well.

I'm looking at this for this part of this thing, the fact that Dr. Jill Underly, the newly reelected since spring state school superintendent, who refused to debate her puns in the spring, who refused to come on.

This program, after she had been on several times, the first couple of years we were on the air, she quit coming on, we invited her back during the election campaign process, she didn't come on our show, I don't think, maybe she went on Crite Low's show, but she didn't go on any other civic media shows than I know Zombers.

Yeah, I don't remember if she ever came back to Crite Low's show, but she definitely stopped going to everyone else's.

Yeah, so she didn't want to come on this network by large, and she gets re-elected.

I voted for her, by the way, twice.

As did I. And now, here you have this investigative reporter who brought all this evidence to Underly and Department of Public Instruction and said, here, what is your comment?

And she refused an interview.

She sent her spokesperson who, you know, said what spokespeople do.

The story published last Friday night.

Underly comes out with a scathing attack.

on the reporter.

And on the Capitol Times, if you're not familiar, if you're other parts of the state, the Capitol Times, I don't think it's a stretch to say is known as the most progressive liberal print newspaper in the state of Wisconsin.

And Underly, a Democrat, attacks the reporter at the newspaper.

And then the state assembly scheduled a hearing yesterday to say, all right, Dr. Underly, come on in, answer some questions.

And we reported to you earlier this week, my sources were telling me, it turned out to be correct, that she was leaning towards not going because she had a conflict, she said.

And so she sent her staff to this meeting yesterday to answer these questions.

By the way, she refuses to talk to any press at all, refused to go to the committee hearing.

She made a video that we played the bulk of yesterday on this show.

She released a video.

ahead of this meeting.

I thought, well, maybe she's ahead of some state school superintendent thing somewhere or other.

She was the keynote speaker.

If she didn't go, it would have messed things up.

I'm like, you know, it's still not really an excuse, but I guess.

But no, according to whispolitics.com, underly missed the hearing.

while out of town accepting a distinguished alumni award from Indiana University.

Committee Chair Amanda Nguyen-Dowsky said she was, quote, deeply disappointed, unquote, in underly for not attending the hearing or reaching out to her directly.

The superintendent of public schools, Department of Public Instruction in this state, skipped out on an assembly hearing

to give her the opportunity to defend her staff, her department, the educators that she's supposed to be representing, and the school kids of this state.

She skipped out on an opportunity to defend and answer questions on all of that to go to her alma mater in Indiana to accept an award and get a pat on the back.

If that doesn't tell you all you need to know about Jill Underly, I don't know what does.

She should have done it in the absolute reverse.

Film a video, send it to your alma mater, have them send the plaque in the mail and attend the committee hearing in the state of which you were elected by taxpayers and voters of Wisconsin and answer questions in public.

Jane McNair and Greg Bach and Dan Schaefer talked about this this morning on McNair on air and I congratulate them.

They called underly out.

I add to that.

In fact, I will go so far as to say that Dr. Jill Underly, it is time for you to resign.

You have lost all credibility with the taxpayers, with the voters of this state.

This has nothing to do with funding or financing, or you haven't been funded by Republicans.

That all might be true.

But by sticking your...

Middle finger, whatever, as the voters of the state and going to your alma mater for a plaque.

That's disqualifying.

As someone who worked for a member of Congress, as someone who worked for a state senator, I can't tell you how many times that my former bosses were up for awards from, you know, the Farm Bureau or wherever, or they had a family reunion, an anniversary with their wives, one of their daughter's birthdays, and they missed it.

because they had to go and do their job.

I can't tell you how many times I miss Father's Day as my own father because I had to go with my boss to an event.

And if you said, well, you know, I got a conflict, the response was, that's great.

I'll find somebody who doesn't.

You're an elected official to this state.

It is your responsibility and your job to show up.

and the fact that no major Democrats have stepped forward to call her out is appalling.

It's time the Democrats do their job.

As a former Republican who left the party in 2011, I spent an inordinate amount of time going after my former party, and we're going to admit it on this denial of flood relief in Milwaukee.

But if you're going to be fair, if you want the trust of people, you gotta be honest.

And if you're honest, there's no excuse for Dr. Underly not to be there yesterday.

I don't know what it is.

I just, if you don't want to talk to the press, if you don't want to talk to other people, if you don't want to show up at hearings, at an elected body, I don't know what you are.

Maybe you're chicken that that could be Maybe that's what it is.

Maybe dr. Jill underly is just chicken to show up What are you hiding Jill come on the show?

You have a welcome invitation and open mic.

Don't be chicken

What

is like these days trying to bring politics and because it's noise right because because it's so tribal If you're a Republican you then Trump could do no wrong if you're a Democrat

no democrats you can do it do no wrong and pretty soon the average person average guy and gal are just like it's all noise gotta stand for something for crying out loud talking about dr jill underly uh dpi superintendent refusing to go to the assembly committee hearing yesterday instead she went to her alma mater

Indiana University I can understand because things are much better right now Indiana University.

They're undefeated.

They're the number two football team in the country and She went to get an award as an outstanding alum and a pat on the back Great good for her

But she should have sent a video and have him send the plaque in the mail and stayed in Wisconsin.

Not the other way around a 557 524842.

Let's go to Cindy, listening on W ISS in Appleton.

Cindy, thanks for calling.

What's a

you?

Hey Todd, well.

I've never really been very impressed with Underly, and with the last election she was in, I just really had to hold my nose to vote for her because I thought she would be a better option than the other person, although I don't think she's turning out to be a whole lot better.

But I think, unfortunately, this is going to be fodder for the Republicans to really stomp us on with the next election.

really disappointed.

I'm disappointed with the Democrats.

As a matter of fact, as being a card carrying member for 40 plus 42, 43 years, I have not read into my membership because I'm really disgusted with the Democrats right now.

Yeah, so they're starting to lose some of us.

They better wake up and smell the coffee.

Appreciate your honesty and transparency, Cindy.

Thanks for calling up there.

Beautiful to be ISS in Appleton.

You can hear there's what's the what's the FM?

The other FM frequency up there now we reach the further reach will fight will figure.

So one in Appleton will figure that out.

Sorry, Thomas and me.

I don't know either.

I should have it off the top of my head, too.

But I want to make sure we get that out there.

Sean, in Richland Center, listening on WRCE, one of our great EPS drivers, says, I agree with you, Todd.

100% the underly ought to resign if she's not going to be transparent and forward about this.

Another caller called in and said, Todd, we don't know what it's like on the inside.

OK, fair.

That particular agency.

But as someone who spent almost 30 years working in different forms in the state or federal government, I have a pretty good idea of what it's like to work for an elected official on the inside.

And my bosses, my former bosses always took the heat.

And I'll also tell you, the number one way to get more staff morale in the toilet is for your boss to take a powder and send the staff.

My bosses never did that, but I know those who did, agency heads who did.

And boy, that was a surefire way for all those great folks working at DPI to have zero confidence to your boss because you're going to take in the bullets while your bosses in Indiana getting an award.

Other breaking news story today.

Within the last hour or two this comes to us from the Associated Press via Channel 3000 WISC the CBS affiliate here in Madison, Wisconsin will not Get federal disaster assistance to cover the cost of rebuilding after August severe storms and flooding Governor Tony Evers said this afternoon that the Trump administration has denied the state's application for public assistance to door Grant Milwaukee Ozaki

Washington and Waukesha counties.

Evers will peel the decision.

Quote, denying federal assistance doesn't just delay recovery.

It sends a message to our constituents and our communities that they are on their own.

Evers said he goes on to say the federal government should not expect our communities to go through this alone and we are going to fight tooth and nail to ensure they get every possible resource to build, rebuild and recover.

According to Evers, FEMA sent the governor's office a letter saying that using public assistance was, quote, not warranted, unquote, based on preliminary damage assessments.

Talk about a swing and a miss.

We have all these Republican federal elected officials, Ron Johnson, Glenn Grossman, Brian Stile,

Derek van Orden Tom Tiffany who wants to be governor of the state of Wisconsin now But Tom Tiffany doesn't even have enough pull with Donald Trump a president from his own party to get this across the finish line for Wisconsinites If Tom Tiffany doesn't have the ability to influence Trump enough to get assistance in these counties in Wisconsin that clearly needed

How is he ever gonna be an effective governor for this state?

It is appalling The Donald Trump is building now.

We're now estimated over 300 million dollar ballroom But he doesn't have any sort of compassionate or empathy for the people of Wisconsin who lost homes who lost all their possessions some people lost their lives Where is Fitzgerald

Former Senate Majority Leader of Wisconsin, he's gained so much weight.

And normally you don't go out, but this is what happens to these people.

I've seen it with my own eyes, because they get lazy.

They stop going to the parades, they stop knocking on doors, they go out to Washington, and they literally get whined and dined, and the amount of weight that Glenn Grossman and Scott Fitzgerald have put on since they've gone to Congress is crazy.

They are literally fat and happy with our tax dollars and they're letting people in Wisconsin wallow in waste If the Republicans of the state in Congress can't get Trump to sign a disaster declaration for the people who lost everything in in Wisconsin They're simply not worthy of reelection There's no explanation That's just the fact of the matter

We're gonna come back try to find some answers on the other side not gonna want to miss it talking to David Umbihan in Richland County a cattle farmer on the influx of Argentinian beef and what's up with beef profits prices today don't miss it stay tuned farm news is next up Pam

Yankee

She thinks my tract is sexy

on the Civic Media Radio Network 35 minutes now, past the hour of two o'clock.

This is a fantastic first because, well, three years now with this program, we've never had anybody join us from their tractor, their combine or anything else, but that's where we find our next guest that we appreciate his time, David Ambahan, as a Richland County farmer who has been on the land for six generations.

Their family has with Ambahan Acres there in my home county, of course, of Richland County.

He has served as the

Premier Cooperative Board, previously consumer co-op original in County for the past 12 years.

He serves on the Farm Well, Wisconsin advisory board.

Farm Well, Wisconsin was founded in 2020 and is funded through a five year grant associated with the Wisconsin partnership program and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and focuses on suicide prevention and resources for farming community in Southwest Wisconsin.

But most importantly for this segment, he is one of our great Wisconsin.

some beef farmers, we find them, is it David on a combine or a tractor this afternoon?

I'm in the combine right now.

Well, I

don't know if you can hear it or not,

but

We can't just a little, just enough to give us the envions, which I love.

And I just want to sincerely thank you because for those who might not be from agriculture communities or families like I am, this is Premier Harvest Day, that clear skies, cool temperatures.

And as they say, you got to make hay while the sun shines, David.

We're doing that today too.

So we're failing hay today too.

So.

We're doing it all.

Well, I really appreciate you taking the time because this is a really important issue.

And I believe in going to the source and getting the facts on this.

And I'm talking about a couple of things.

A, beef prices are high right now for a lot of consumers.

That's causing consternation.

And now you have President Trump this last week suggesting that in order to bring those prices down for consumers, he wants to flood the US beef market with Argentinian beef.

We've heard from Nebraska farmers, Nebraska cattle association folks.

We haven't heard a lot from Wisconsin beef farmers.

First, give us your take, David, on just the higher beef prices and explain to folks not in the industry why that is.

Well, the thing is is the cow herd is down in the United States and so you have less less animals being born We are buying at the current time full steam full calves to feed out in our operation and as the as well as the price of Seek is going up also is

price of those replacements that you have to refill the herd with.

And when somebody comes, our president comes out with off the cuff remark, it sends a ripple into the futures market and future prices are affected for your product.

I think that's the real key that you hit on and I appreciate you because a lot of fun.

I don't even claim to Understand the the ag markets nearly as well as you or somebody like Pam Yonkey But explain to people what that means for you as a as a cattleman as a beef farmer When when the president makes his comment it might not affect the daily prices today But the futures went in the tank.

What was it like seven bucks or something?

Well, I was limit down today

When we refill our barn, we contract for future delivery the price try to protect ourselves in the future as far as contracts to sell the future date and try to lock in a profit.

And when the market tanks, then that opportunity is lost.

You're sitting on animals that you cannot get contracted at a profitable price.

And we're talking with David Umbihan, Richland County cattle farmer.

He joins us for his combine in beautiful Southwest Wisconsin.

I was just there.

I had to go up to Oakwood David to get some, uh, some, uh, apple cider and apples and stuff for an event.

So, uh, so beautiful right now with the, uh, the, the hills and the, the colors and whatnot.

Uh, talk to us a little bit about David from a cattleman standpoint.

And I've tried to explain this on this show, but obviously you could do it so much better that, that farming is always a risk, right?

And, and when.

Prices go up like this.

You know, they're not going to be sustained.

And really, for us as consumers, if we can buy our meats locally, whether it's the Richland County Locker or Prem Meats in Spring Green or Hosley down in New Glaris, where I bought a quarter steer of some friends this year, when we can buy our beef locally, that goes much more directly back into folks like you, our friends and neighbors, and gives you a chance to recoup a lot of losses over previous years.

Is that correct or keep me honest?

Well, it's always good to have a local market that you can sell animals through but You can't sell them all that way An operation our size can't do that

sure

and the other the other thing that it's going to affect is dairy farmers to this this whole beef thing because right now what's keeping some of our dairies In the black is the price they're getting paid for their bulkheads and

I'm always going to be a dairy farmer at heart because I did it for up until 2021.

And I have a concern for those farmers also.

Yeah, it goes in a circle.

I think that's a really good point as well.

Talk to, we're talking to David Ubihan, Richland County cattle farmer who's kind enough to join us right in the middle combining from his combine in the field.

Talk to us a little bit more about these comments from President Trump and the fact that, you know, the tariffs

And the effect that that's having on Wisconsin farmers right now, not soybean guys and gals, particularly not being able to sell to China.

Now, China's got a backdoor deal with Argentina, and the Trump administration wants to send $40 billion for relief to Argentinians, farmer and ag workers, and then wants to flood the US market with Argentinian beef.

Thoughts?

Argentina does very little trade with the United States, and I don't know why we're propping them up.

We take some of this money and put it toward ACA to get more people.

Many farmers get their health care on the ACA, I mean a lot of them.

And when they find out what their premiums are going to jump up, we should be taking this money and getting something done.

Another thing is we're sitting without a farm bill for the last two and a half, three years.

The Congress is derelict in their duties of getting stuff done.

I really appreciate you bringing that point up about the Affordable Care Act.

Some people call it Obamacare, no matter what you call it.

I think there is a misnomer out there, and I'm not trying to make this overtly partisan, but my former party, the Republican Party, has got a narrative that this is only 20-year-old kids living in their mom and dad's basement playing video games that's usually the Affordable Care Act, or quote-unquote, illegals or undocumented folks, you're confirming what

I believe is true, David, which is there's a lot of Wisconsin ag producers, farmers that rely on the Affordable Care Act for any health care at all, correct or incorrect?

Oh, that's correct.

My son and daughter-in-law are covered under a plan.

And I am, my wife has a job where I have insurance, but if it wasn't for that, I would be on a ATA plan.

So, I mean, it is definitely going to affect more than just, I mean, it's absolutely incorrect that the only people that are using this program are, like you said, and it's just word salad.

Right, right.

Talk to David on beyond from his combine in Richland County, Richland County cattle farmer and a long time dairy farmer as well.

I appreciate your time.

Speak, David.

And again, you could take this as political or not.

I'm not trying to put you in a box.

I'm just going to throw it out there and you say what you're going to say.

You're involved in different, I mentioned some of the top of the interview of co-op organization.

You talked to a lot of

ag people in this state.

You're well connected.

What's the read on this right now?

Whether people voted for Donald Trump or didn't vote for Donald Trump, what are farmers, ag producers talking about right now as you talk to each other?

Are the actions of this administration going to give people pause in these upcoming elections, do you think?

I would think it will.

I think the FDA issue is going to come back and fight.

You know, the party in charge in the butt.

Sorry for you.

You can say butt.

I see a lot worse things than my mom criticizes me for, so don't worry.

Well, I mean, the tariffs, I mean, in the farming world, tariffs, I mean, fertilizer, future prices for fertilizer for next growing season.

are tough in the air.

Nobody can give you an answer what's going to happen next spring.

We're trying to put in a crop and have to go out and buy fertilizer.

And parts for equipment, equipment themselves, prices are going up.

And anything we're using, there's a lot of input in the farming industry.

And tariffs, the end user ends up paying for the tariff in the end.

There's no doubt in my mind that that it gets passed on.

It's, you know, if there's this magic fund of, uh, technology that Donald Trump is talking about, I don't know where it's going.

Maybe it's going in his pocket.

I shouldn't say that, but,

uh, I think a lot of people think that David, and we're talking to David, uh, um, beyond Richland County date, dairy, uh, former dairy and now cattle farmer from his combine in Richland County.

David, we have had small business people on this program say much of the same thing, that the tariffs are costing the consumer more.

Anybody who knows anything about farming agriculture, you folks are business people.

I wouldn't say small necessarily, but farming is a business and an uncertainty.

Is that not one of the most risky and difficult parts of agriculture today is uncertainty?

Oh, yeah.

I mean, you're buying animals that

We won't be getting rid of for another year and How many people go out and spend that kind of money?

To and then don't even know what we're gonna get unless they contract ahead.

I mean, it's it's a crap shoot If you don't do contract you may go out of business because of a downturn in the Prices, I mean or nothing else.

You'll be stressed.

Yeah, which

We know that farming is probably as the highest suicide rate probably of many Occupations

yeah, and we got about a minute and a half left if you want to talk a little bit about your work because I congratulate and thank you for your work in that area and What can we as non ag people farmers do to support you all in the industry that's seen this this huge amount of stress?

well

When you mentioned it, the other day I was combining down by the bike trail in Richardson County.

And some biker comes by and I was walking along and he comes up to me and says, are you a farmer?

And I go, well, yes.

He goes, thank you for everything you did.

I mean, I kind of made my day that day.

Right.

Somebody I absolutely not knew, did not know.

Took the time to come over and thank me for what we do.

Amazing.

That's great.

We should all be doing that.

David, thank you for joining us from your combine, taking time for us.

Thank you and your entire family for being part of what makes America, what makes Wisconsin great.

Have a great day, David.

Well, thank you, sir.

Our pleasure.

Come on back for the other science y'all both show in Pacific Media.

Wherever it may lead, and having fun doing it.

Welcome back to the Todd Elbow Show on the Civic Media Rated Network.

Glad to have you along.

Aaron Zommer is back on the board today.

Glad to have him along as well.

And many thanks to David Umbihan, Richland County Cattle Farmer for joining us on his combine, or from his combine.

How about that, Zommer?

This is like a new little thing for the show.

Yeah, that's a it's a fun fact that we can have you know interviewed someone on a combine and also He just really had a lot of great things to say as an experienced farmer himself And as a member of several boards who gets to talk and get the general consensus among farmers I think that was really valuable

well well said and much better than me yapping about something let's let's actually hear from people like David on beyond actual cattle farmer Let's hear from you go as quickly as we can a 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 let's go to Joe listing on WM DX in

Madison, Joe, you had to follow up on that interview we had with David Ambion.

Yeah, really interesting.

Just three points.

First off, number one, thanks for the interview.

It was really terrific.

He had a lot to say, and I hope he can return to him again.

One of the points I wanted to make was he spoke about the ACA and the importance of the ACA for his family.

And you hear it again and again, Todd.

I'm sure you have where if people are going

You know, being a farmer, these people are working.

They're not sitting in a basement playing video games.

They're working very, very hard.

And they are so tied to our state.

They are growing food on the land in our state.

It's not like they can take their job and go work in the Netherlands or something.

This is where they are, and this is what they give us.

But the number of people, and I'm sure you've heard this, where if someone is working as a farmer, the spouse, husband,

has to have a job where you can be sure that there's going to be health insurance and it's going to be a steady thing, working with the state, working with the county, working with the fed.

That's the only way to make it

work.

Yeah, and farming is tough.

You can do a story, if you want, a grim story about the number of farmers who are racing to get crops in.

Sometimes it's hard weather, sometimes by themselves.

And farm injuries in harvest time are horrific in a very sad part of that life.

So I wanted to throw that into the mix.

I also wanted to throw, and he spoke about the fact that the farm bill has been absolutely stalled.

I really would love it if you guys would spend some time.

show, however you want to do it, you know, what's in the farm bill that is such that is proved to be that it can't get a pass the finish line.

This is ridiculous.

It has to happen every 10 years, as I understand it.

And it's been sold out for two years.

Why is that?

What what needs to happen?

Is it a matter of the Republicans just refusing and why would they refuse?

I don't quite get this.

And then the last thing I wanted to add was Cindy called from Appleton and I

Certainly feel her frustration with the school superintendent choosing not to be there on this important issue.

But it was sad because it was followed in up by then your reports that in terms of getting FEMA funding for what Wisconsin went through recently with the flooding in the southern, southeast part of the state, no money?

What?

I mean what it's I mean these people went through I mean they paid in you pay into FEMA and then you're left high and dry that's ridiculous and that the Republicans that you mentioned around the state had so little pull if they were even trying to pull it all to bring in money to benefit and and was it was we was it because it was in Milwaukee and they didn't want it to pull people in Milwaukee

I don't know, but that's again, another story I would love to see explored, but thank you so much.

It was a really good interview and a very important one.

I hope we return to this guy and the question of farming again and again.

It's really critical.

Thanks

Joe.

And the congratulations.

Thanks to David Umbi on the actual farmer who took time out of his combining to actually do that.

Thanks Joe.

Quickly to Madison, Dick in Madison and WMDX.

Dick, if you can make a brief and I've been holding a long time, but go ahead please.

You want to talk about Dr. Underly.

Yeah, great interview.

Um, yeah, I'm sick of voting for the lesser of two evils also.

But to the beginning of your show, it ain't over until a fat orange man goes to jail or prison.

In terms

of?

That you were talking about it's just over the

whole.

Oh, right.

Oh, my frustration.

Right.

I'll go along with that.

I'll go along with that.

Thanks, Dick.

At the White House is terrible.

Oh, I know the East Wing stuff is just it's ridiculous.

The fact that you did all this and no approval and all this stuff.

Yeah.

Appreciate the call, Dick.

Have a great weekend.

Jack in Merrimack from WMDX.

Jack, about a minute and a half.

Go ahead,

sir.

OK.

Well, yeah.

Joe made so many good points.

I also want to make a point about the ACA, which is this.

I'm a little bit older than my wife.

She was about two years away from Medicare eligibility when a major firm took over the biotech firm that she was working with, and she was their stockroom manager.

And personal opinion, it sounded like because she was a woman, they were just putting all kinds of nasty pressure on her.

to get her out of there and try to find somebody else.

And I mean, she'd been working there for 20 years, so she would do, obviously, doing a good job.

But because of this, she decided to retire a year before she was eligible.

We got

on the ACA, and the cost due us, and I don't know whether it was the competitiveness of the exchanges or subsidies, but it was about half of what it would have cost us

to ensure her just with a regular insurance.

So the ACA is really, really important.

And like you said, it's not just the 20-year-old.

And it's not even just small business people and farmers and people like that.

Yeah, I know.

I really appreciate the call, Jack.

Have a great week.

And thanks for sharing that personal story, as well as David Almihan, our farmer we had on earlier, stories like David's, stories like Jack's.

The more that we hear from actual real Wisconsinites, the truth comes into focus.

And that's what it's going to take, in my opinion, to fight the really well, got to give them that, the really well coordinated narrative from MAGA folks in Washington.

that want you to believe that this is about, you know, giving healthcare benefits to undocumented people.

That is simply untrue.

It doesn't happen.

It's not going to happen.

But we need more real stories from farmers like David, Wisconsin farmers, who are saying his kids are the farmer using this.

Jack, Amerimac, former teacher, you know, people use the ACA, the Affordable Care Act.

And if Republicans don't...

want that to continue.

As David said, gonna come back and politically bite him in the butt.

Come on back for hour two after this across Wisconsin.

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, title of all along Mr. Aaron Zommers on the board.

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

Welcome into hour number two of the big broadcast here on a TGIF Friday, October 24th, 2025.

It is a great day to be a Wisconsinite.

Welcome, everybody, at the World Headquarters of Civic Media Downtown Madison.

Intersection of State and Fairchild.

Look out, look outside.

Aaron Zommerins joins us once he's back after a bereavement.

Not bereavement, good guy.

That's the wrong one.

From a sick day, a bereave illness, yes.

But look out there, the Sam Davids of the Street Cam, a sunny day.

clouds almost pedestrian literally almost got hit they're walking against the light the cars have the green the pedestrians were looking at their phone and just ventured right on out into traffic sure did

I mean I don't want it.

I mean just pay attention if you're on the on the streets people good Lord

driver wasn't on their

phone, right?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you the driver this time a beautiful day out there And what am I can't get over as hours are still talking about during the break got a lot of positive comments

We thank you for that.

This interview we had last hour with David Umbihan, Richland County cattle farmer from his combine.

It's a beautiful, it's a perfect day to combine and bail hair.

You heard him say, getting in probably fifth crop.

out there and because temperatures are killing frost, then once that happens, it's over.

So you gotta get the hay done before it freezes.

And what a guy to come on the program when he's up to his elbows and trying to get the harvest done, but just his insight, his steadiness.

and knowledge of these issues, whether it's beef farming, the effect that the Americans or the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, the fact that so many people in agriculture in this state, hardworking folks, rely on the Affordable Care Act for healthcare.

If you missed it, you can hear it on civicmedia.us, civicmedia, www.civicmedia.us.

You can hear it there as they say wherever podcasts, you get your podcasts, but

You lose something because they don't let us play the music and you hear my heavy breathing or some music or something like that.

So don't listen to the podcast.

Listen, either go to civicmedia.us or that is the podcast.

Just go to YouTube.

That

is the podcast.

That is the podcast.

Just go to YouTube.

All right, go to YouTube because you get the whole deal.

You get the whole shebang.

And you always want the whole shebang.

Or Facebook.

or Facebook, yeah.

YouTube or Facebook is where you can find the show in its entirety.

And maybe what we'll do, Zomers, I don't often ask for this, but we will clip out.

that interview and then we'll post it like on the title ball show fact, uh, at the title ball show, uh, Facebook page.

And we can also put it on Twitter with the handle is just at all ball show.

Yeah, we can do that.

We'll do that for you.

And we'll, because you should not, it's not about me.

It's about listening to what David, I'll be on has to say an actual cattle farmer.

So we'll do that.

We'll put it out there.

Uh, appreciate David and appreciate all of you at another big interview at the bottom of this hour.

Just goes to prove my point.

You don't have to go outside of Richland County to get all your answers.

I mean, I'm from Richland County, David's from Richland County, and our guest at the bottom of the hour, Brady Ewing from Richland County.

It is a Richland County Lollapalooza.

You know, if only I were from there.

I

feel like eventually I'm going to get replaced by somebody who... No, not at all.

But you're an honorary member.

OK, all right, thank you.

Yes, well, we've grandfathered you in Brady Ewing, two-time Big Ten champion and three years in the NFL is going to be here and talk a little bit about the Wisconsin Badger football basketball men's basketball against underway tonight against the exhibition game against Oklahoma at the Pfizer Forum playing down there in Milwaukee.

Do a little PR.

See, that's what that's what you need to do.

If you're a Wisconsin head coach, it's the PR as Barry Elvira says, you've got to.

Press Palms.

Press Palms.

Luke Fickle can learn a lot from Greg Gart.

Press

more Palms.

So Brady, you know, be here at the bottom of the hour to talk all about that.

We'll ask him how bow hunting is going as well.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah, I mean, I'll be shocked if he'll show up.

But I mean, this is like that.

You ask Brady.

This is a perfect afternoon to go bow hunting.

Maybe maybe he'll join us.

Would that be great?

We had David up behind from a track or a combine What if Brady joined us from a tree stand?

Well, then he's not getting any deer because it's when he making

so much

noise talking

But it would be a great for the show

Big buck over there.

He's coming in

If people

are just tuning in,

they could take this the wrong way.

We're talking about a deer.

It's 11 past the hour of three o'clock.

Time once again for Wisconsin Fun Fact.

Here we go.

Oh, Wisconsin

land of beauty.

With your hillsides and your plains.

That's right.

Wisconsin's official ballot.

Wisconsin Land of My Dreams by Sherry Sarasen.

Okay, Wisconsin's fun fact for the day.

On October 24th, 1933, Amelia Earhart visited Janesville to speak to the Janesville Women's History Club.

A kicker for this fact took flight in my mind, but since it has disappeared, I'll probably never find it again.

Love this segment.

I didn't deliver it very well, but I love this I gotta work my delivery butter, but I love this segment I love everything about it.

It's very fun And

I also I like the joke the extra jokes in there.

They're always so good fun fact Just followed by silly.

Let's see.

All right 12 minutes past the hour of three o'clock here This is I want to mention this cuz I think this is important

and Zomers was so kind to get it to me here.

And we've been covering this closure of the two-year campuses across the state.

And last week, of course, though, a week ago today, it was announced by UW System that UW-Baraboo in Salk County, right below Wisconsin-Dells, they were closing that one down.

And I've been critical of...

The legislature elected officials in general on both sides of the aisle for not speaking out about this except for to date State Senator Kelver Royce from Madison who's now running for governor She actually went out to Southwest, Wisconsin and had a town hall meeting in Muscaday With former states representative Katrina Shanklin when she was still in the assembly about this and listened and try to do something

And I really appreciate that.

And now I think it's important to also shout out, we have new people speaking out, and this is important.

We have a freshman state senator, Sarah Kieski, has also spoken out in an article in the Capitol Times this week and tied us to editorial entitled, Stop Closing UW Campuses.

And state senator Sarah Kieski in this piece,

From Lodi, Lodi Democrat says, well aware of the enrollment staffing and financial challenges facing the W system, she's seen the frustrating refusal of legislative Republicans who control both chambers of legislature and supports to sustain branch campuses.

Above all, Kieski is worried about Wisconsin's long-term commitment to higher education.

She said in part in her statement, quote, it's upsetting

To see this trend of two-year colleges closing across our state, Wisconsinites are proud of their communities and their local schools.

These institutions have provided excellent educational opportunities for students, and I believe it is important that people have two-year options available to them so they can customize their education to fit their personal and career needs.

The UW branch campuses also have been a good, uh, have also been good employers.

to local residents and valuable economic drivers for their campus communities.

I am disappointed in the continuous lack of investment in higher education and in our rural communities by my Republican colleagues.

Congrats to Sarah Kieski, State Senator Sarah Kieski of Lodi, Democrat for speaking out on this.

Her legislative colleague, State Representative Karen DeSantos of Baraboo, a Democrat.

Equally pointed and poignant in her response to shutter the branch campus representative DeSanto said quote I understand the decision was not made lightly and due to continued declines in enrollment But we must also acknowledge that this is a part of a greater trend of closing to your campuses that have suffered at the hand of nearly a decade of insufficient funding in the state budget due to Republicans lack of investment in

the University of Wisconsin.

This is eroded, UW System's ability to support students across the state and force the decline and to eliminate positions to outsource resources, which has also negatively impacted enrollment.

Those are the words of State Representative Karen DeSantos, Democrat of Baraboo.

So congratulations on those two.

Of course, we already mentioned the state's Sarah Keller Royce, Democrat of Madison, who's running for governor.

also spoke out about this as quote in wisconsin i grew up in the wisconsin i grew up in we believed we could achieve financial security and a good life if you are willing to study and work hard we will regret shutting the doors of opportunity to young people around the state to service tax breaks

for billionaires, unquote, in part, the statement from State Senator Kelder Royce.

So congratulations and thank you to State Senator Kelder Royce, State Senator Sarah Kieske, and also State Representative Karen DeSantos, all Democrats speaking out.

These are the only three legislators that I have seen put out public statements about this.

Still silent, Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

Lots of silence these days in the governor's office on closing to your campus.

It is how what's the irony of that?

The education governor quote unquote didn't so do so hot for public education in the state budget and Then it continues to close these to your campuses under his administration and now you got DPI secretary or superintendent Jill Underly Not so great

You know during during that one lunch Evers said that Jay Rothman and the boys are doing the best they can

right?

It's just like George Bush and during Hurricane Katrina.

You're doing a hell of a job brownie Doing a hell of a job Jay keep closing those campuses by the way, I don't It pains me to do this, but you got to give the devil is do so to speak I'm not calling him the devil, but I'm just saying you gotta give the devil state or US representative congressman Derek Van Orton

You know tweet last night about this Jill underly stuff Timu.

You know what Timu is?

It's that cheap in China They take products like the Apple Watch that are expensive and trendy and they make cheap knockoffs of them They sponsored the Super Bowl Timu big Chinese company that does ripoffs Last night on X on Twitter a Derek Van Orden called Devon Remaker

the current chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, referred to Devon Remaker as Timu Wickler.

Referred to former Democratic Party chair Ben Wickler.

He called Derek Van Horten called Devon Remaker the Timu Wickler.

And by the way, then he said, this is the whole tweet, look, Timu Wickler.

Remaker, Devon Remaker, maybe we should, maybe we got off the wrong foot.

We just need to get to know each other.

I'll start.

This is a verbatim tweet from Van Orden.

I like long wanks in the woods and hate mean people.

I'm guessing you are more of a beach guy.

I think he

may have a typo.

If you're in the third district and you want to go bullhunting, stay out of the woods because Derek Van Orton may be taking long wanks in the woods according to his own Twitter page.

Come on back on the other side.

We'll do a once worse on the Civic Media Radio Network.

Ever it may lead and having fun doing it.

Welcome back to the tunnel ball show on the civic radio radio.

We're coming up after the bottom of the hour farm news with Pam Yankee.

Mr Brady Ewing our two time big 10 champion.

Three years of the NFL will be here to talk badger football, basketball, Packers, NFL and ball hunting.

We'll see if Brady joins us from a tree stand.

We had, we had David on behind on a combine.

We'll see if Brady joined, but he usually has a deer mounts behind him.

So that you know, that's pretty cool in of itself.

So Brady will be here before we do what's worse a Quick or super quick because I start I feel like I should explain my kind of not kind of my over dramatic Thing that I read at the beginning of the show that I was thinking last night I was texting a friend saying maybe I should just come on and say it's over It's over Here's a here's why

Steve Bannon, the Trump insider, here's what he had to say about Trump sticking around yesterday.

Well, he's going to get a third term, so Trump 28.

Trump is going to be president of 28, and people just ought to get accommodated with that.

So what about the 22nd Amendment?

There's many different alternatives at the appropriate time.

We'll lay out what the plan is, but there's

a

plan and

present there you go That goes on

from there,

but you got you got the Bannon's people just out flat out publicly saying now Trump is gonna get a third term They don't care about the boat amendments or anything.

And then he had Pete Hegs that secretary of Defense he calls it war

uh saying hey get ready boys and girls uh because we're gonna have uh military people in all 50 states by 2026.

Secretary Hegseth um sir

A memo circulating on social media details the establishment of a National Guard Response Force that's going to be trained in crowd control and civil unrest and deployed in all 50 states by April of 2026.

Can you verify the authenticity of that memo and do you have any more information on the operations?

I'm not going to answer particulars on something that may be in the planning process, but we definitely do have multiple layers of National Guard Response Forces, whether it's in each state.

whether it's regionally, whether it's Title X, active duty, whether it's Washington, D.C.

We've got a lot of different ways that constitutionally and legally we can employ title 10 and title 32 forces and we will do so when necessary.

So there you go.

Pete Hakeseth have opportunity to calm things down.

No, no, no.

We got military going to all 50 states and that wasn't bad enough.

Trump deployed aircraft carrier today into Latin waters, Latin American waters, big military buildup as they apparently get ready to attack Venezuela and they keep bombing these ships now also in the Pacific Ocean with no evidence or just they're going at it.

Here's Donald Trump yesterday.

his solution from the White House.

And briefed them on the operation.

No, we will go.

I see.

You will go.

And it will be difficult for them to

object.

I don't see any loss in going.

No reason not to.

You know, they'll always complain, oh, we should have gone.

So we're going to definitely, I'd like to just tell you, let's go.

We'll go.

We're going to tell

them what we're going to do.

And I think they're going to probably like it, except for the radical left lunatics.

And Mr. President, if you are declaring war against these cartels and Congress is likely to.

approve of that process, why not just ask for a declaration of war?

Well, I don't think we're gonna necessarily ask for a declaration of war.

I think we're just gonna kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, okay?

We're gonna kill them, you know?

They're gonna be like dead, okay?

We're just gonna kill them.

They're gonna be like dead.

They're just gonna, they're practically not in state.

We're just gonna start killing people.

That is not AI.

He did

really say that

he did actually really said it, but Just what do you think the world's going to hell in a hand basket?

Let's be honest quite frankly it is You get stories like this from WSN channel 12 in Milwaukee.

This is real as well and he put his name out there Ryan Porter

in the beautiful River West neighborhood of Milwaukee, which I have friends there, by the way.

In beautiful River West neighborhood, this is Ryan Porter, whose house was raided by FBI or ICE.

They let this guy go, and the reporter says, what's going on here?

Were you making, were you dealing drugs in your house?

Here's the honest answer

from Ryan Porter.

When we asked Porter if he's ever sold drugs, he didn't hold back.

So you don't know of any...

Drug-selling weed Yeah, so a little cocaine but says he isn't who the FBI is really after so you're innocent then I mean it more or less like I'm small potatoes I

mean you gotta love his honesty Wait, and you know that guy sang like a canary to take down the other people in that house

If they let him go,

I

love every part about that last cut.

I love every, every part about it.

By the way, let's go.

But this is a great text, by the way, Carmella in Milwaukee listening on W. A. U. K. Because I read this.

There's a real text earlier from Derek Van Orden, United States Congressman last night, who is going on Twitter now with Wisconsin Democratic Party chair, Devin Remaker.

who, and this is a great line actually, called Devon Rembaker, not gotten off onto a great start, in my opinion.

People see him as not nearly as effective as former chairman Ben Wickler.

And so Derek Van Orton called Devon Rembaker last night the Timu Wickler, a cheap knockoff, Timu Wickler, and then said, we just need to get to know each other.

I'll start.

This is a verbatim quote from Derek Van Orton.

Quote, I like long lanks in the woods and hate mean people.

I'm guessing you're more of a beach guy, unquote.

To which Carmella, listening to W.A.U.K.

in Milwaukee, says, hey Todd, my husband has a suggestion.

If Van Orton asks nicely, maybe J.D.

Vance will let Derek Van Orton use his couch.

That's beautiful.

Mark, you got 30 seconds.

Mark, what do you got?

Not that I know of.

And two of the guys did not die, and instead of being apprehended, they were sent back to Venezuela because they had no proof they were doing anything wrong.

So there's that.

All right.

Thanks, Mark.

Have a good weekend.

All right.

Come on back and talk about Big Ten Football.

Do the Packers.

Do the Badgers have a chance in Oregon against the Ducks.

We'll talk to Brady Ewing after this.

Don't go anywhere.

It's the title of the show on the Civic Media Ready Network.

To this day, when I hear that song, I see you standing there on that lawn.

Discount shades, store-bought tank, flip-flops, and cut-off jeans.

Welcome

back to Tell em

All Show on the Civic Media Radio Network, 35 minutes now, past the hour of 3 o'clock on this Friday, TGIF, October 24th, 2025.

We have arrived at the end of the broadcast week for this program, and it makes me happy every time it ends with our friend, our ongoing contributor,

two time.

I almost said three two time big 10 champion with Wisconsin Badger football team three years in the NFL and now joins us from his home from our mutual hometown of beautiful Richland center Wisconsin Brady Ewing how the heck are you doing

great Todd thanks for having me again I know it's been a few weeks

it's great to have you back anytime now early I said earlier in the show

Today's show proves that you really don't have to leave Richland County to get all the answers to the world.

Because earlier we had our fellow Richland County and David Umbihan, Richland County cattle farmer.

Their family was dairy farmers for a long time.

He joined us from his combine.

in Richland County to talk about beef prices and tariffs and the influx of potential influx of Argentinian beef.

And now here we've got you Brady Ewing joining us from Richland County.

We were wondering if you might join us from a deer stand, but you have deer mountains behind you.

Yeah, close second there.

Yeah.

No, that's great to hear about Dave and had a chance to interact with him a little bit when he was watching some of his grandkids sporting events and

Said he loves tuning in the show so cool to be able to get that perspective from

well We are honored to have him and I'm honored to have him as a listener to the program as well as everybody else a great have you back Brady So much not not like there's anything happening over on Monroe Street in Madison these days, right?

Oh man busy spot lots of lots of spotlights on that

All right, so let's just jump right into it.

Wisconsin Badger football team is out on the West Coast.

They will face the Oregon Ducks, the terrible, evil, awful Oregon Ducks.

The pregame show starts at four o'clock, the kickoff at six o'clock.

The Badgers are on a losing streak.

Coach Luke Fickle, under fire.

So our athletic director, Chris McIntosh, under fire.

We've talked earlier this program Brady just cuz I'm interested more to hear from you today We've you know this I told you beforehand we played cuts from former Badger punter Badger football punter Brad Norton who is on ESPN, Wisconsin He's saying that he has sources inside the athletic department on Monroe Street

That claim the head coach Luke Thickel has no interest in going around and developing relationships with high school football coaches Doing the the press events, you know, I remember coach Belima your former head coach used to go down to Monroe They had a big event down there with the booster is in Green County And then that was followed up on the same network on ESPN, Wisconsin with with former football coach and athletic director Barry Elvarez not

directly criticizing Fickel, but went out of his way to say, you know, we've gotten away from in our athletic programs of going out and quote, unquote, pressing palms.

And he said, you know, I used to load up Bo and me and two or three head coaches and, and, you know, administrators, we went around the state.

We explained our needs.

And, and, and this came on the heels of current athletic director, Chris McIntosh, sending out a letter.

basically saying we need more money in the program.

We have to put more money in to be competitive.

And lastly, a former Badger NFL Hall of Famer, he was on this program at his farm, which I'm wearing the hat right now as coincidentally, Six Springs Farm Hall of Fame Beef.

Joe Thomas, who you and I were at his farm a couple months ago, Joe Thomas said in a program here in Madison that he believes McIntosh is at least partly on the right track.

putting money in, but it's not all about that.

You take it where you want to go, Brady.

After all of this, after all of that was a great

summary.

Well, I just want I want the setup and now I'll shut up as a. A former walk on that ended up being a scholarship captain of this team who won two big 10 championships, who went to Rose Bowls.

What are your thoughts?

Yeah.

Throwing me a softball to try to take it where I hit it where I need to in the field of play here, but You know just reflecting on what you said there lastly about Joe Thomas.

I think he's onto something I think everybody has there's little bits of of all of that that can apply to this situation whether it be the program needing more money to get You know higher caliber of talent in today's college landscape.

I think there's probably some truth to that I think getting out in the state

You know, I look at my own situation and growing up in the state, being from Richland Center, growing up watching the Badgers, that is where I always wanted to be.

I got recruited at other places, had a Division I scholarship offer from North Dakota, and chose to be a Wisconsin Badger because of what that meant to me and what that meant in the state of Wisconsin.

And so, you know, to hear that the coaches aren't out allegedly, you know,

fostering those relationships at the high schools and trying to keep the players in state.

That's tough to hear because we've seen some of the best players in the state go to other programs, whether it be Ohio State, whether it be Notre Dame, whether it be Minnesota and others, go to those programs and leave the state and not really have the draw in that holding power in Wisconsin anymore.

And I feel like maybe it's a little bit of a biased opinion, but I feel like that has been the heartbeat.

the culture of the team before Fickle's time.

So I think of all of those different things I've heard from Mackintosh's statement, getting more money, there's some validity there.

Getting out and meeting the fans and understanding their needs, I think that's important, sure.

But I think most important to me is keeping the heartbeat of the team in a part of Wisconsin football.

I think a lot of these ebbs and flows of going out and getting talent, having people transfer

Having the name image likeness stuff I think all of that could be stabilized if you have a heartbeat in that culture Even if it's walk-ons or even if it's some of the guys that aren't the top tier talent I think there's still a window here where there's guys that understand what Wisconsin football has been and Can be and it means something to them.

I think that more than anything in today's college athletic landscape if it means something to you for the

not just the name on the back, but the name you have in the front of your jersey, that's going to have staying power in today's college athletic landscape.

We're

talking with Brady Ewing, two-time Big Ten champion with Wisconsin football, and then spent three years in the NFL.

Joins us every other Friday.

Brady, I couldn't agree with what you said more, and I sent you a clip.

I know you've seen it.

Interest of time.

I'm not going to play it, but I get

a

quick summary.

Michigan longtime iconic Michigan state coach Tom Izzo this week really spoke out against

college basketball the NCAA because now in Louisville You got a guy who played in the NBA G League Who now NCAA is letting come back and be recruited by Louisville to play college ball and Izzo said this thing is out of control You've got no rules.

He said on top of no new rules and and and I

thought

it was great comment by Izzo, but to your point Do you feel as a former player as an NFL player?

Because Elvira has always said, when he came in, when he changed Wisconsin, it was about drawing a perimeter about around Wisconsin.

And you're going to focus on the guys in this state and keeping them home.

I think that Beelema and Chris largely kept that intact.

I'm not so sure about Anderson's two years, but whatever.

But to your point, do you think this is a, in today's NIL Transfer Portal, what you just said,

keeping guys in Wisconsin at home, is that a realistic way to compete with what Iso's talking about?

Man, I have to believe it is because you look at history, you know, and it is a changing landscape, but you look at history and we have been able to compete with that top tier talent and get to the Rosewells win the Big Ten championships against with that mindset and that philosophy.

And I just feel like

especially when you're struggling, when adversity comes, like we're in right now as a football program, you have to double down on some sort of identity.

And I feel like Wisconsin folks still, the young athletes in the state still know what the program brings, what the academic situation is like there, and doubling down on your identity there, I think still can compete, even with bringing G-League people back, even with giving, you know, Juco folks.

additional years after they've had those Juco years, which I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, but they have to set some guide rails around what's going on in college athletics as we go forward.

Those that continue to maintain an identity and a culture that can transcend all of these roller coasters ups and downs are the ones that will Consistently be successful or the ones that just throw a ton of money at it.

You know, that would probably help But I don't think that's ever gonna be our situation at Wisconsin So we have to find some way to differentiate ourselves.

I look at is it shock of smart the coach at Marquette for basketball He I heard him talking about his seven or nine page core values mission statement for his program

And while that seems like a lot, it kind of got me fired up because you look at the way he's retained talent, you know, over his years.

And he said he shares it with recruits coming out of high school or people that they're recruiting the transfer portal.

He shares that with them so they know what they're getting into and the culture and the things that matter to that program.

And I think that gives them some staying power with those guys that it's not a good fit for everybody, but he doesn't want the ones that don't want to be a part of it.

And so the ones that want to be a part of it are bought in and it has some staying power there with that.

I think it's a great point

just drawing some parallel

No, I think it's a great point and and coach smart has gotten it done at Marquette made their team competitive

every year talking to Brady Ewing, two-time Big Ten Champion at Wisconsin Badgers, three years with the NFL.

Brady, a listener in Warsaw.

We were just there last week up in WXCL, beautiful Warsaw.

Dan in Warsaw says, I don't understand why if Badgers always have incredible offensive linemen, why we can't get amazing quarterbacks.

Is it only about money and free vehicles now and highest name university for draft clout?

Brady, thoughts?

I think our history as a running school probably doesn't help that.

You look at the philosophy we had as an offense, historically, the quarterbacks that had great arm strength and great talent.

While we could have used that, they felt like they were just going to be handing the ball off.

So I think that kind of pigeonhole does historically.

you know, leading into guys like, you know, Russell, who's had a great pro career and kind of had that dual threat approach.

But

I was just going to ask, I mean, you played with your senior year with co-captains with Russell Wilson.

He was one of the first guys who really, this is before transfer portals, right?

Because he was a senior that still had a year of eligibility.

One of the first guys really to notably do this sort of thing and was enormously successful, led you guys to a big 10 championship and a Rose Bowl.

Why did Russell Wilson, I mean, you got to be friends with him.

Why, in your opinion, did he choose

because he could have gone almost anywhere.

Yeah, I think a lot of things aligned for him.

The timing, the situation as far as, you know, who had graduated, all of that played in because it was going to be his one year to come in and contribute.

He didn't want to go sit on the bench somewhere.

But I think he saw that history and that potential the year previous and he wanted to be a part of that and try to make a run together.

And I think he also wanted to work with Coach Chris and Coach Chris with his offensive mind and the experience that he had.

I think Russell thought that set him up well.

The transition, learn, grow, help the team have success, but also catapult him in his NFL career as well.

And, you know, he won a Super Bowl.

Did OK with the CL Seahawks.

Now he's out in New York.

I wish you had more time, because did you see this whole thing with he and what's his name?

Sean Payton out in Colorado, out in Denver?

Going back and forth.

Yeah.

Because anyway, it was just I just thought it was low.

I mean, Russ Wilson called called Sean out and say, no, this is low class going after me after, you know, because he was was his name is Sean is not McManus.

It's right.

Like a former coach in the world and saints and now he's at Denver.

Anyway, he was suspended for like a year for throwing games.

And then he goes after Russell Wilson like that.

Come on.

Come on.

Don't pick on Russell Wilson.

Come on back.

Speak with more with Brady Ewing.

Ask him about men's basketball.

And how are things going on the deer stand?

It's bow season.

Don't go anywhere.

It's bow and Brady season.

Welcome back to the Todd Hall Bowl Show in just a minute.

You're listening to the Todd AuBah show where it's always first and 10 Wisconsin.

Welcome back.

Glad to have you along.

Many thanks to Mike Mankey for cutting that.

Who's better than Mike Mankey?

That is great.

Isn't

that great?

It's so nice of him to do that.

You know, Brady

for one

take.

He did it in one take, of course.

And of course,

Brady,

you know, for four years, had the distinct pleasure and honor of having his name called by Mike several times.

at Camp Randall.

And not too many times, but I did.

No, several times.

I did listen to the weekend review the other week when you had him on that was a pretty pretty nice little interview Yeah, it was he was he

was fantastic Mike Bankie the PA announcer for Wisconsin Badger football and Basketball as well occasionally still fills in for for volleyball.

We are honored to have Mr. Brady even with this two-time Big Ten champion three years the NFL joins us via stream yard Every other Friday a lot stick it to Brady speed round here first a special shout out to our listeners on to be on

SS up in Oshkosh get yourself to Green Bay tonight to the Marcus Bay Park Cinema in Green Bay a special screening of the brand new film no Packers no life at 6 30 tonight is gonna be followed by a Q&A with former Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy

in the house.

So get yourself to the Marcus Bay Park Cinema in Green Bay tonight at 630 for our special screening of No Packers, No Life with Mark Murphy.

You can find tickets at nopackersnolife.com and marcustheaters.com as well.

I saw the movie Brady, it's fantastic.

It's awesome.

Let's check that out.

Check that out.

Also a quick shout out to the Richland Center Hornets, our alma mater.

I know you still do some coaching on the strength and conditioning side.

The Hornets made it into the playoffs.

They did snuck in, but I feel like they've learned a ton through the season.

And it's, if they can put a full game together, they'll be ready to compete.

They are playing.

Kind of a state powerhouse reminds me of the Lancaster of Old and Stratford.

They have had some great playoff runs through the years.

But I feel like the Hornets are well positioned.

It's just an honor to work with those guys and others from the school in the weight room and consistently help them just get stronger, improve their confidence.

And yeah, it's been exciting to see them this year compete.

I think that's great.

You can watch it on YouTube, I believe you said tonight.

They're gonna be playing on that.

Yep.

All right, very good.

Mike Hemling already sent me the link out.

He said he's waiting in the queue ready to go.

All right, fantastic.

And on WRCO in Richland Center tonight, the River Valley from Spring, Green, Southwest Wisconsin in the playoffs traveling up to Duran Duran, no, Duran Arkansas.

I did not know there was, I knew there was Duran.

I did not know there was Arkansas.

My

Little sister, Heather, who lives in Eau Claire says it's up by me in Eau Claire, Arkansas, SAW at the end.

So news you can use,

Brady.

How about that?

Hey, I learned something new today.

So maybe one thing at work, one thing here on the show.

So that's good.

So maybe

Heather can fill me and Henry and Bray are going to head up there and call the game.

Heather and Mike should have them over for a little brunch or something later on.

So put the tables out.

Put the pressure on.

That's right.

Brett and Brown Deer listening to WAUK Milwaukee helping an old man Todd out with my memory.

I was trying to think of the head coach at Denver, Sean Peyton.

Sean Payton, Todd, was suspended.

That's right.

It wasn't throwing games.

That's the NBA suspended for issuing bounties on opposing players.

I think it came

out.

He didn't do it

directly, but he knew of it and never did anything about it and had to do a one year suspension went to Denver.

And then they did that raw deal on Russell Wilson, where they said, if you get if you don't take off the clause in your contract, where if you get hurt, we still owe you.

millions of dollars we're gonna bench you and Russell's like I signed a contract I keep a my deal you guys got to keep yours and and Peyton benched him in Denver

yeah it's crazy now they're shooting shots at each other yeah in the media a lot going on in sports right now there's a lot that

Wisconsin, the, you know, some of the basketball stuff going on.

Yeah.

We mentioned earlier, Wisconsin basketball.

I went to the red and white game at, uh, at the Coles Center this weekend.

I, I like what I see.

They got a couple of these guys, the Australian guy.

I like, he's kind of got the bruise wits hair a little bit like bruise wits his little bro.

And he's tall and he's, uh, he's, he's built.

I didn't get a great shot.

So yeah, we got some good returners and some good.

good guys coming in, so it should be exciting to watch.

It should be the get under exhibition

exhibition tonight at Fiserv Forum.

Speaking of shock and smart, I bet he'll be there to scout the Badgers because Marquette plays at Wisconsin this year later on.

Broadcast pregame show tonight at 6.30 for Wisconsin Badgers and then the tip off from Fiserv for Bucky at around seven o'clock.

It is bow season Brady.

I know you've been out there.

Thank you because this would have been a great.

to be out on the stand.

So thanks for doing this.

How's it going?

You bet.

Good.

It's been very limited thus far just because the kids stuff has been been keeping us busy.

So we we wrapped up flag football and tackle football last Saturday and this weekend is the last weekend of soccer games for the.

for the three different oldest boys of ours.

So things are winding down there.

My coaching responsibilities, at least for the fall, have toned down a little bit.

And then basketball will be cranking up before we know it.

So I'm excited for these next two-week window here, especially with the cooler weather.

The cameras are starting to light up with bucks getting onto the scrapes and getting ready to go.

You have cameras right at your stand so you know when they're coming and going.

Yeah, I try not to put them right next to my stand.

I got some of the cellular cameras where I use the Cutty Back system that takes a picture and it sends it to a cell camera and then I get it in my email.

So it's pretty fun to watch between that shed hunting and the actual hunting itself.

I don't know what's more fun.

I love the shed hunting in the winter.

I like looking at the pictures.

If you're watching your cameras, here's a word of advice based on our earlier story.

Don't watch it while the kids are around, because Derek Van Orden is walking through the woods these days.

So you don't know what you might find on your cameras there in Richland County in the woods.

It's always a pleasure, my friend.

You put a smile on my face.

Thanks for the great conversation.

And go Hornets tonight, right?

That's right.

Go Hornets.

Go Bucky.

Very quickly.

Wisconsin, Oregon prediction.

Gonna be a tough one on the road.

I, I, you know, I'm optimistic.

I know.

I'm gonna say I'm not, not as optimistic.

38 nothing, Oregon.

That's my prediction.

Yeah.

One point off from the Iowa loss.

That's the sad but true.

All right.

Always a winner with Brady Ewing.

Thanks, Brady.

We'll see you in a couple of weeks

on

Wisconsin.

And remember, whatever you're fighting for, whatever you believe in, do not give up.

Keep banging your drum.

Have a great week weekend.

We'll see you Monday.

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.

This is Aaron, Todd's producer.

Thanks for tuning in for this weekend's Best of the Todd Alba Show.

First off, we're going to listen to part of Friday's show, where Todd interviewed Richland County beef producer, David Anbihan.

from their tractor, their combine, or anything else.

But that's where we find our next guest that we appreciate his time, David Ambahan, as a Richland County farmer who has been on the land for six generations.

Their family has with Ambahan Acres there in my home county, of course, of Richland County.

He has served as the premier cooperative board, previously consumer co-op of Richland County for the past 12 years.

He serves on the Farm Well, Wisconsin advisory board.

Farm Well, Wisconsin was founded in 2020,

funded through a five-year grant associated with the Wisconsin Partnership Program and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and focuses on suicide prevention and resources for farming community in Southwest Wisconsin.

But most importantly for this segment, he is one of our great Wisconsin beef farmers.

We find him, is it David on a combine or a tractor this afternoon?

I'm in the