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Dayton Made: Famous People From Our City: Kirk Herbstreit

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The handsome, well spoken guy who hosts ESPN’s College GameDay, and calls most of college football’s most important games, including the College Football Playoff National Championship game, is from the Miami Valley. Kirk Herbstreit, or, “Herbie”, was born in Centerville, and graduated from Centerville High School. As a quarterback for the Elks, he was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. He also was a standout basketball and baseball player.
 
Herbstreit was also the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1989 to 1993, winning letters for all four years. He once threw for a school record 271 yards in a (THE Game) game against Michigan, a record that would stand for 14 years. Herbstreit’s father, Jim Herbstreit, had been a co-captain  of the 1960 Ohio State team, and was later an assistant coach at Ohio State under Woody Hayes.
When Herbstreit was named co-captain in 1992, the two became only the second father-and-son duo to have each been Ohio State captains.

Father and son.

Herbstreit met his wife Allison at Ohio State, where she was a cheerleader. They were married in 1998 and have four sons: identical twins Jake Herbstreit and Tye Herbstreit, Zak Herbstreit, and Chase Herbstreit. The Herbstreit family moved from Ohio to Nashville in 2011.  Jake and Tye are pursuing their career as football players at Clemson.

Kirk Herbstreit with his wife and twin sons Jake and Tye in 2019 (Photo: Greenville News)

 
Kirk’s second career, and his most successful started in 1996, when he officially joined ESPN as on-air talent. He became an analyst on GameDay, which has become a sports institution. He’s also called some of the most legendary college football games of all time with his long time co-host, Chris Fowler. If he doesn’t get into the College Football Hall of Fame, he should be inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

 
Kirk Herbstreit. Elk. Buckeye. Star. Ohioan. 
 
 

Dayton Made – Famous People From Our City: Cris Collinsworth

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Cris Collinsworth is synonymous with the NFL like very few have ever been in American history. The television sportscaster, star pro football player, star college football player, website owner, and lawyer, has become an actual part of football, and American culture.
 
Collinsworth was born in Dayton on January 27, 1959. He and his family moved to Florida when he was four years old. As he grew older, he became an All-American quarterback in high school. He accepted a scholarship from the University of Florida to play for the Gators in 1977. Collinsworth’s position switched from quarterback to wide receiver his sophomore year of college, and he would become a great player, becoming a first team All-SEC selection three times, and a first team Academic All-American.  Cris was named as an MVP of the ‘1980 Tangerine Bowl’. He was admitted into the ‘Student Hall of Fame’ for the ‘University of Florida’ in 1981. He graduated college that same year, with a BA degree in accounting.

After his college career ended, Cris was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (thirty-seventh pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft. At six feet, five inches in height, Collinsworth often created mismatches against much smaller cornerbacks.  In addition to his height advantage, Collinsworth was a legitimate deep threat due to his speed. During his eight year career with the Bengals, he was named to the Pro Bowl three times, and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four times. He also played in Super Bowl XVI. In 1985, Colllinsworth signed with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, but the contract was voided when he failed the physical due to a bad ankle. He returned to the Bengals and played for them until the end o the 1988 season. During his eight year career with the Bengals, he was named to the Pro Bowl three times, and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four times. He also played in Super Bowl XVI.

Collinsworth’s post football career(s) have been as, if not, more impressive than his former one. He’s been a broadcaster for numerous television and radio shows in the past few decades. Here’s a list:
– Reporter for “Inside The NFL”, HBO/Showtime.
– Sportscaster for NBC, college and pro football.
– Broadcaster for “Fox NFL Sunday” and “NFL on Fox.” 
– Broadcaster for Wimbledon, HBO.
– Color commentator for “Sunday Night Football”, NBC.

 
I could add more to the list. Actually, I will. Collinsworth is also the owner of the highly influential website Pro Football Focus. And, in the midst of accomplishing a ton, Cris found the time to earn a law degree. 
 
One of the most accomplished people in the country was born on Miami Valley soil. And special soil it is. 
 
Full disclosure: My favorite Collinsworth accomplishment is the “Collinsworth Slide.” Check it out on the clip below. 

 
 

Dayton Made: Famous People From Our City: William Christopher Stephens

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William Christopher Stephens is a native of Dayton, OH who studied heater at Sinclair Community College before moving to New York City to attend  AMDA (The American Musical & Dramatic Academy). After a stint in the Army & the Ohio National Guard, William received an honorable discharge and decided to pursue his passion for performance art in NYC. He made his onscreen debut in the Acapulco Black Film Festival & the Urbanworld Film Festival’s award winning suspense thriller “Uninvited Guest.”

As his career progresses, he continues to seek roles that illuminate the humanity, humor, and intelligence within challenging characters.

He portrayed Conrad a main character in Telltale Games‘s The Walking Dead: Season Three. He is a bartender in Prescott and the best friend of Tripp, Prescott’s leader. He was seen to act fairly welcoming, however after the New Frontier both ransomed and murdered his girlfriend he became fueled by revenge.

He has also been a voice over artist that has voiced roles in  “Mortal Kombat 11,” “Battlefield: Hardline” and “World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth.

This Dayton native is currently showing off his acting chops in the new documentary “Operation Varsity Blues” which is streaming now on Netflix. The documentary sheds light on the college-admissions scandal that included celebrities such as Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. In the film’s re-enactments, Stephens plays Rudy Meredith, a former women’s soccer coach at Yale University who was accused of taking bribes to admit athletes into the school’s program along side Matthew Modine who plays Rick Singer, the man who masterminded the side door admission program.

Still to come this summer – Stephens is back with the Back4Blood Team,

Dayton Made: Famous People From Our City: Vincent M. Ward

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You’ve seen the face, and heard the voice. But, you may not know his name. You also may not know where he’s from. Well, the actor’s name is Vincent M. Ward. And he’s from Dayton. 

Vincent M. Ward was born on January 27, 1971 in Dayton, Ohio. Growing up,  Vincent participated in basketball, football, and baseball at Trotwood-Madison High School. Given his competitive nature, he excelled in all of these sports, but Vincent’s desire to be great meant that he would have to choose one. He chose basketball, which he still plays this very day. In his four years of high school, Vincent is the first and, so far, the only player on the varsity basketball team selected to start in each game spanning the four years of high school. The high school’s basketball team won All-City First Team, All-City GMVC First Team and the news about the team mentioned Vincent M. Ward as one of the best basketball players in Ohio.

Vincent decided it was a good time to pursue another dream. He decided to dance. He paired up with his childhood friend, Broderick “ Night” Dumas. The two of them went on to enter and win numerous dance contests. They formed a dance duo and called themselves “Night and Day” a.k.a. The Twin Towers, (since “Night” stood 6’5” and Vincent stood 6’4”). The dynamic duo was approached by many professional entertainers to perform. Day and Night signed with Dr. Ease and the Ease Town Posse, and toured with such groups as Public Enemy, MC Light, X-Clan, MC Hammer, Heavy D and The Boys and others. Eventually, Vincent decided to sign with the “Slam Syndicate” which led him to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. One evening, Vincent attended a local play. He was impressed and intrigued by the artistry and performances by the actors. He instantly knew this was what he wanted for a career. He had no training or experience, but he didn’t let that stop him. In fact, that next week, Vincent auditioned for his first play.
 Since the year 2000, he’s had over 50 roles in numerous television shows, movies, and plays. This talented actor also has co-starred Black Jesus, Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, ATLANTA, 2 Broke Girls, Psych, Middle Man, Family Ties, Whitney, Army Wives, General Hospital, Wilfred, Psych, Body Of Proof, Gary Unmarried, Dollhouse, The Game, Girlfriends, Unhitched, Head Cases, C.S.I, The Bold and the Beautiful, Robbery Homicide, Viva Laughlin, CSI Miami, Big Shots, Desperate Housewives, Days Of Our Lives, The Wire and from 2006-2008 he had a recurring role on Everybody Hates Chris.

His most notable turn was in the mega hit TV show The Walking Dead, where he played the character of “Oscar” for seven episodes.  He mades his debut appearance in the Season 3 premiere alongside Axel, Tomas, Andrew, and Big Tiny. Unlike some of the other prisoners (namely Tomas and Andrew), Oscar is brave, honorable and much nicer, along with Axel and Big Tiny. He dies in the Woodbury assault while trying to save Glenn and Maggie in the mid-season finale of Season 3. 

No stranger to the big screenVincent also has supporting rolls in Bringing down the House, Mirror Mirror, -Evil, Oceans 11, and Traffic.

 

But, you could argue that his performance in this commercial was his real star turn. 

Who’s heart didn’t melt while watching that?
 
Ward is an active actor in Hollywood, and a budding entrepreneur. Bet on him to keep making the Miami Valley proud.

Dayton Made-Famous People From Our City: Nancy Cartwright

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Nancy Cartwright grew up in Kettering and discovered her talent for voices at an early age. While in the fourth grade at St. Charles Borromeo, she won a school-wide speech competition with her performance of Rudyard Kipling’s How the Camel Got His Hump. Cartwright graduated from  Fairmont West High School where she participated in theater and marching band. She regularly entered public speaking competitions, placing first in the “Humorous Interpretation” category at the National District Tournament two years running.

In 1976, Cartwright landed a part-time job doing voice-overs for commercials on WING radio. A representative from Warner Bros. Records visited WING and later sent Cartwright a list of contacts in the animation industry. One of these was Daws Butler, known for voicing characters such as Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Elroy Jetson, Spike the Bulldog and Yogi Bear. Cartwright called him and left a message in a Cockney accent on his answering machine. Butler immediately called her back and agreed to be her mentor.

 

And now Nancy Cartwright  is widely known to be the voice of Bart Simpson, of The Simpsons. That in itself is a massive accomplishment, since the character of Bart Simpson and the Simpson’s show is such a huge part of American pop culture. 

 
But, Cartwright has done soooo much more throughout her career. Along with voicing Bart, she also voices several more voices on The Simpsons, such as: Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and Nelson Muntz.
She also was the lead in a made for television movie released in 1982 called Marian Rose White. She played the substantial role as Ethel in one of the better segments of Twilight Zone: The Movie.
She’s done more voice-work for other hit cartoons like: Rugrats, Animaniacs, and Pinky and the Brain. She’s also appeared in front of the camera on television shows and movies, such as : The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Godzilla, and 24. And all of those items are just the tip of Cartwright’s amazing career iceberg.
In 2011 Ms. Cartwright was inducted into the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame and in 2016 a stone honoring her was placed in the Dayton Region’s Walk of Fame in Wright Dunbar Village.
 
Gotta say, though, her being Bart Simpson is, possibly, the coolest thing ever. 

Dayton Made: Famous People From Our City: Charles Michael Davis

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If you’ve been watching mainly network television over the years, you’ve probably noticed this guy. Or, your wife or girlfriend has noticed him. This handsome actor/entertainer is Charles Michael Davis. And Davis was born right here in the Dayton area. 

Davis grew up in Riverside, and he comes from a mixed marriage. His African American father is from Kentucky, and his Filipino mother is from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.  He graduated from Stebbins High School, and Miami (Ohio) University.  He got his start in the entertainment industry by modeling with Wings Model Management, which was based in Cincinnati. He later worked with the talent agency Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ (AMTC). Soon after, Davis did television commercials and print ads for Nike and FootLocker.

Here’s an interview from 2014:

Davis transitioned from modeling, to acting. Throughout the 2000’s and the 2010’s, he appeared on a number of television shows, including Grey’s Anatomy, Switched At Birth, The Game, and That’s So Raven. In 2013, Davis got the first of three lead roles in TV shows that he would come to have. He was made a lead character in the CW vampire show The Originals. In 2018, he was named a lead in the series Younger, in its fifth season. And, in 2020, he was cast in the role of Special Agent Quentin Carter in NCIS: New Orleans.

At the rate Davis is going, we shouldn’t be surprised if he were to end up a leading man on the big screen, movies, any day now. Davis shows us all that nothing is impossible with a little bit of Midwestern magic, and a lot of Ohio grit. 

Dayton Made: Famous People From Our City: Sherri Saum

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Born in Dayton on October 1, 1974,  this former model and long time actress actually  got her start in the entertainment industry in Kettering.  She attended Oakview Elementary School  and then was  involved in  drama club and was also a cheerleader while Fairmont High School.  She would actually take the RTA to the Dayton Mall almost every day.
She transferred from Ohio State University after one semester, to New York University where she got a major in psychology. While she studied in New York she did modeling work and worked as a waitress.
Sheri Saum was a regular on the soap opera Sunset Beach, and had roles in numerous television shows and films. Her most notable role, arguably, was on the TV show The Fosters. She played the role of Lena Adams for five seasons. The role was a trailblazing one , as Lena was a lesbian who was in a long term relationship, who also ran a household with several  children of diverse backgrounds. Sherri now has a recurring role on the cable television show Power Book II: Ghost. 

In 2020 she appeared in 9 episodes of Locke & Key, American supernatural horror drama streaming television series that premiered on Netflix on February 2020.

Sherri is indeed repping well for the DYT.

Keep up with he on Instagram @saumdays.

A Driving Guide For The Miami Valley. So You Dont Die.

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Let’s keep it real, folks. The Miami Valley has some of the worst drivers in the world. All of us have a horror story about driving our vehicles in this region. You probably have one from driving today.

I actually care about you fine readers, so, I’m gonna help you all. Below is a quiz I created to assist you in choosing your options when you need to deal with a driving incident. I can’t tell you what options/answers to choose, but I can say…there’s really no wrong answer. This is a no judgement zone.

Unless you are a bad driver. Then, you’re automatically a jerk.

Behold. The quiz.…

1. You’re driving on I-75, and because the overstressed idiots around you think it’s the Indy 500, you may not be able to get off your planned exit. What do you do?

A. Make like “The Road Warrior”, and demolition derby your way to the exit.
B. Miss the exit, get off at the next exit, and then get back on the highway.
C. Just keep.driving to Atlanta, and start a new life in a town with better drivers.

2.You’re driving in Dayton, and you keep running over potholes, which can surely damage your vehicle. Because the potholes are pretty much EVERYWHERE in the area, there’s not much you can do to avoid them. What are your options?

A. Strap up, buckle up, and hope you aren’t drinking hot coffee, because your going to keep driving over those suckers.
B. Get your “Fast and The Furious” on and swerve around the holes, which means you’ll get to your destination a half hour later.
C. Curse out loud and then drive to Atlanta and start a new life.

3. You’re driving on I-35 , bound for Xenia, and you get into the Left Lane of Death. And, predictably, a hopped up on Monster energy drinks teenager appears out of nowhere, and rides your bumper criminally close. And now, he makes it nearly impossible to turn left to get to your job, because that’s why you got in the left lane in the first place. How do you handle this?

A. Give the guy the finger for the entirety of your trip.
B. Continue on your route, and hope the kid eventually backs off.
C. Pull over to the right lane, eventually get to I-75, and drive to Atlanta, and…you know.

4. You’re driving up Woodman Drive towards Kettering, and you come to the five lane intersection I like to call The Choke Point. It’s 5:30 pm, and the traffic there is an unholy mess. And, because it’s a mess, an accident happens right ahead of you. So now, traffic could be stuck for a loooong time.

And…you have to use the bathroom.

Your move is?

A. Yell in agony. And then look for a bottle.
B. Stay calm and try and meditate, so you can still your soul and your bladder.
C. Turn your car off, get out, and just start walking to Atlanta.

If you answered with all “A’s” for the quiz, I get it. I suggest a beer and a hug…but I get it. If you answered with all “B’s” , you are a true grownup, and I’m super jealous of you. And, if you answered with all “C’s”..

….let me know about Atlanta’s job market when you get there.

Just kidding.

3 Ways to Fix Dayton

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You didn’t think I’d write about repairing this city without offering any solutions, did you? Below are a few ideas of mine for helping this ‘burg reach its dazzling potential.

The city of Dayton should…

1. Embrace and weaponize the Funk: Let’s be honest, historians care about the Wright Brothers, typical people care about the Ohio Players. From a historical perspective, the Wright Brothers pioneering modern flight was…significant. Ok, massive. In too many ways to list. That’s obvious.

But, when was the last time you danced in a bar to a Wright Brothers song? Or at a party? Or a holiday BBQ? Or your college frat party? You didn’t. You danced to Lakeside. Slave. Zapp. Dayton, Ohio’s Funk music from the 1970’s through the 1980’s is this city’s biggest and most important export. If you still don’t believe me, go check out some of the biggest Rap music hits of the last 40 years. So many have sampled Dayton Funk songs. Not to mention a few rock groups. Dayton does celebrate its Funk scene, but it needs to do more than that. Funk should be Dayton’s ace in the hole marketing plan. It’s main identity to the world. When a person enters Dayton city limits, there should literally be a sign that says “Welcome to Dayton, Ohio. Home of The Funk!” with a picture of the Ohio Players on it.

Baby boomer dads may revere the Wright Brothers, but everyone else digs the Funk. Dayton city officials need to realize and then capitalize on this fact.

2. Start bringing people together: The Coronavirus has made it difficult to move forward with annual events. But, when (if?) things get back to normal, city leaders should look to influence or create gatherings that are more inclusive. Over a decade ago, a local bank (I forget which one) threw an Ohio State Football viewing party at Riverscape. They showed a Buckeyes game on a gigantic television on a Saturday afternoon, and invited the general public. It was a fantastic time. I was surrounded by fellow Buckeye fans who were from different parts of the Miami Valley…people from regions that don’t usually intentionally mix. Our common thread that day was our love for our team, and it bonded us strongly for three plus hours.

 

 

And, I’ve seen nothing like it since. I think it’s high time the city innovates and creates events with a wider vision and scope, and attempts to bring people together. Let’s bust up those decades old redlined intra-city divisions, and try to…at least drink a few beers together.

3. Entice and invest in tech and pharmaceutical companies: The manufacturing sector isn’t what it once was. And now, with many jobs in that field becoming automated, manufacturing companies don’t even want to hire humans these days. Which is why Dayton should no longer court traditional manufacturing companies to move and build in the city. City leaders should instead look to influence and fund pharmaceutical manufacturers and tech companies. Granted, there are already a few of those corporations that are already located in the Miami Valley, but, there should be a push to reach out to more of those companies. Bigger companies. Drug making and digital tech are the hot fields for now and the foreseeable future. Dayton should start gearing up for this change, and embrace it. We need more Pfizers and less Fuyaos.

What say you, fellow Miami Valley peeps?

Masks Aren’t Cool. Wear Them ANYWAY.

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Wearing masks, cloth face coverings, or N95 respirators, is awful. It’s a nuisance. It sucks. I get it. I wear them, and I hate it. As a matter of fact, I now have to wear them when I go to the gym. I don’t have to tell you that working out while wearing a face covering is awkward.

But…I’ll still wear my masks.

And, you should too.

Once again, I get it. No one wants to be told what to do by Big Brother. A mandatory mask ordinance was passed in Dayton last week. No one wants to be told to wear an itchy, smothering thing around their nose and mouth, in order to even enter a:

– Grocery store.

– Mall.

– Gas station.

– Gym.

– Or restaurant.

And no one wants constant reminders from every different direction to “WEAR YOUR MASK!!!!” from every conceivable media platform. Simply put, the entire concept of wearing masks in 2020 makes most of us uncomfortable.

However, ‘uncomfortable’ is actually what Americans do. And very well. Americans were uncomfortable when they were ordered by local governments to wear masks during the influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919. And, they wore them anyway. Americans were uncomfortable with war rationing during World War II, but they did it anyway. Americans were uncomfortable during The Great Depression, when the phrase “Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.” became a way of life. Many Americans ended up poor, or poorer, and got resourceful, creating and tweaking things like kitchen gardens, thrift gardens, and potluck meals. They made it through anyway.

Actually, we do things in our daily lives that make us uncomfortable, and we power through them. Paying bills. Going to work. Watching Tik Tok videos. Tasting your friend’s homemade hummus. Doing uncomfortable things for the greater good of a population, neighborhood, or, your loved ones is something we all do or have done on our lives. It’s real, it’s responsible, it’s American, it’s right.

So, if you are on the fence about wearing a mask, don’t be. There is proof that wearing a face mask does prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. And yeah, it won’t be fun wearing a friggin’ sock on your face…in the summer.

But, you’ll save lives. And what’s better, and more American, than that?