Midwest Legends

Midwest Legends Episode #26: Ben Leber -- Vikings History, Tough Love, and the Drama of the Draft

Former Minnesota Vikings linebacker and current sideline analyst Ben Leber joins Russell to discuss his journey from a multicultural childhood in Iowa to a professional NFL football player.
Ben talks about his supportive family, including two older brothers who inspired him to try football and how coaches along the way shaped the player he later became. After a trying rookie season in college, Ben reached a turning point where he chose to keep going despite the challenges of higher expectations. From that moment on, he’s embraced an incredible football career. 
From the highs and lows of draft night to the legendary teammates he met along the way, Ben Leber tells Russell the inside scoop and the honest truths about his time in the NFL. 

Midwest Legends Episode #25: Noah Bakken -- Motocross, Train Jumping, and Winning Big at Monster Jam

Noah Bakken, a motocross expert who is no stranger to performing impressive feats on two wheels, sat down with Russell to talk all things speed and spectacle.
Noah Bakken remembers his childhood growing up in a family of motorcycle lovers fondly. Despite his first ride on a PW50 when he was just three ending with him hitting a swing set, he fell in love with all thing’s motocross. Noah tells Russell all the behind the scenes of his most viral motocross tricks, including his awe-inspiring train jumping videos and his popular “Coffee Run” videos, with the third one already in the works! He and Russell discuss the trials of mastering such a dangerous sport, including two broken femurs. Noah remembers his win at Monster Jam as a highlight in his career, celebrating with his entire family. There’s no telling what he will accomplish in the motocross world next!
Tune in to hear Noah’s journey to becoming a Midwest motocross star with some twists and turns along the way.

Midwest Legends Episode #24: Dial-in Special Part 3 w/ Jared Schutz

Welcome to Midwest Legend’s third dial-in special. Jared from Wisco Dive Bars sat down with Russell to react to 3 listener submitted stories.
 
Featuring stories from Lindsay, Dan, and Nate
 

Midwest Legends Episode #23: C.J. Ham--Skateboarding, 10 Years in the NFL, & the Minneapolis Miracle

CJ Ham recently retired from the NFL after 10 seasons playing for the Vikings, and he sat down with Russell to talk about where his love for football started and where it’s taken him.
CJ Ham remembers dropping out of Augustana’s fall training camp for three days. He was one of many freshman players who quit, but he can’t remember the head coach telling anyone else to come back if they changed their mind. This wasn’t the only time others saw CJ Ham’s potential, and he’s quick to express his gratitude to those who supported him throughout his career. He and Russell discuss how the competitiveness required to succeed in football can become unhealthy, with team losses being twisted into personal failure. CJ Ham shares how he keeps his mindset in check with the help of his faith.
Tune in to hear stories about CJ being recruited in an alley to play football, his love of skateboarding, and that time he thought his career was over after the NFL draft.
 
Football Designed by Spencer Young - Forever Young Designs

Midwest Legends Episode #22: Promise --The Radio Biz, Summerfest, and Interviewing Ice Cube

For Promise, the road to landing a morning show on Hot 105.7 FM wasn’t easy, but it was a labor of love. He sat down with Russell to talk about how his passion carried him through the long hours and late nights.
From hosting a college radio show to becoming the voice Milwaukee woke up to, Promise spent years honing his craft. Hosting gigs are scarce, and while that scarcity helped fuel his hunger to learn, it also brought plenty of pressure. Russell and Promise find common ground here, with Russell sharing how he once felt pressure to conform to the identity of a “big city lawyer.” Promise is quick to give credit to those who supported him, while also knowing his worth: “If I waited for people to give me my flowers, I’d be under them.”
Tune in to hear stories about Promise interviewing Ice Cube, working nights in radio while still managing a 9–5, and his unexpected journey into stand-up.

Midwest Legends Episode #21: Ryan Ruebl -- Fish Fry, Kwik Trip, and Catching 74 Walleyes

Ryan Ruebl’s entrepreneurial spirit collided with his love for Wisconsin and 'Meanwhile In Wisconsin' was born. He stopped by the Midwest Legends studio to talk with Russell about America’s Dairyland.
Ruebl knows his way around a fish fry, and he’s got tips and recommendations, but his lips are sealed on the best fishing spots. He and Russell bond over their love for the Packers, and joke about sitting next to football fans who've had a few at Lambeau Field.
Tune in to hear stories about a life-changing Kwik Trip partnership, Ruebl’s earlier entrepreneurial hustles, and the creation of his signature Cheddka. If you don't already know what Cheddka is, any guesses?

Midwest Legends Episode #20: Mason Crosby -- Kicking, Holding Records, and Aaron Rodgers Pranks

Mason Crosby's sixteen-year run with the Green Bay Packers was fueled by his commitment to be present and available to his teammates. Newly retired, he sat down with Russell Nicolet to reflect on the memories that defined his history-making NFL career.
As a kicker, Crosby became adept at balancing “hurry up and wait” with the intense, barely-over-a-second window most kickers have to launch the ball. His first year as a Packer was Brett Favre’s last, and he and Russell share stories from that era, with the added perspective of Favre having recently appeared on Midwest Legends.
Tune in to hear stories about Aaron Rodgers’s pranks, a meaningful moment with Charles Woodson, and the realities of stepping away from the NFL’s structured schedule and back into everyday life.

Midwest Legends Episode #19: Dial-in Special w/ Jared Schutz- Biting A Rattlesnake & An Armadillo Prank

Call 866-MW-LEGND for a chance to have your story played on a future dial-in episode!
On the second Midwest Legends dial-in episode, Russell Nicolet and Jared Schutz are back, reacting to three more handpicked stories live on the mic. We set up 866-MW-LEGND so that our listeners could tell their stories, and boy have we had fun listening to them. Enjoy stories about someone chewing on a rattlesnake rattler (the full story is somehow less horrifying and also more horrifying than you might expect), a quick errand that turned into a two hour adventure, and an armadillo prank that made the news.
Featured callers: Tim from Washington, Colin from Iowa, and Gordon from Alabama
Got a Midwest story you love telling at the dive bar, tailgate, or around the campfire? Dial 866-MW-LEGND and leave us a voicemail!

Midwest Legends Episode #18: Chris Kanan -- Family Supper Clubs, Lawn Hacks, and Ope it's Mow Time

Chris Kanan probably knows more about lawns than most people do, but he does anything but gatekeep. He sat down with Russell in the Midwest Legends studio to talk about his journey and get into the weeds of keeping a lawn looking tidy.
Chris explains how a brief stint studying architecture led to a focus in landscape architecture, with a chief focus on lawns: “Everyone was always looking at the grass.” While Chris acknowledges the “keeping up with the Joneses” aspect of lawn care, he and Russell share stories of neighborly connections kept strong through the shared pursuit of a healthy lawn.
Tune it to hear stories about Chris’s legendary grandpa, the finer points of lawn beer etiquette, and how women are showing men up when it comes to cultivating lush landscapes.

Midwest Legends Episode #17: Brett Favre -- Tough Love, Beating the Odds, and Being a Hall of Famer

Brett Favre is a Mississippi kid who became a larger than life figure in Green Bay and an NFL icon. He sat down with Russell to talk about the moments that came before, during, and after his legendary run.
Brett was once told he wouldn’t play more than three years. When he officially retired in 2011, he had a twenty-year legacy behind him. That legacy was fueled by many things, including tough love from his father and a strong steady desire to get on the field and play. He and Russell discuss key Packers players throughout history, and Brett reminisces on the days when he ran the wishbone formation.
Tune in to hear stories about how Brett played through a hangover in college, what his jersey retirement was like, and the time his dad fell off a roof.