Persons of Interest Derrick Docket

Paul Oren, of the Victory Bell, and lecturer at Valparaiso University shares his experiences and insights covering Valpo athletics and his journey in sports journalism. From starting at the Northwest Indiana Times to launching his own platform on Substack, Oren discusses the challenges and joys of covering high school and college sports, the impact of the pandemic on his career decisions, and his approach to balancing teaching with journalism. He delves into the dynamics of college sports, including the effects of transfers and the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) on the landscape of college basketball, highlighting the personal stories behind athletes and their injuries, particularly focusing on ACL recoveries among female soccer players. The conversation also touches on the evolution of social media and digital journalism and the future of sports reporting and storytelling.

Follow Paul:
Twitter/X: @TVBOren
The Victory Bell: https://www.thevictorybell.com


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Mike and Derrick discuss the challenges and rewards of working in college sports, balancing family life with professional commitments, and Mike's love for bobblehead collecting. Mike expresses his dedication to team sports, reflects on his 20-year career, and emphasizes the importance of relationships in shaping his journey in sports communication.

Follow Mike on Twitter/X: @ISU_mcwilli



Mike’s Bio via GoRedbirds.com

After working as a student assistant, graduate assistant and the associate director of communications at Illinois State, Mike Williams assumed the role of Assistant Athletics Director for Communications in July of 2012 and was promoted to Associate Athletics Director for Communications in January of 2024.

In that role, Williams oversees Illinois State's publicity, promotion and information support efforts for all of Illinois State's 19 sports. He is the primary media contact for the football, gymnastics and tennis programs and manages the athletics communications staff, which includes three other full-time staff members, three graduate assistants and several student interns.

In addition to being a member of the department's senior staff and external teams, Williams serves as staff liaison between the athletics communication office and the athletics development office, the compliance office, and the ticket office. He has also served as media coordinator for several Missouri Valley Conference tournaments hosted by Illinois State including baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics and track and field in recent years.

He currently serves as a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Advocacy Committe and was honored as the 2016 Bud Nangle Award recipient by the organization. Williams and his colleagues were also recognized as the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Missouri Valley Conference Sports Information Staff of the Year for their efforts in promoting Redbird Athletics and the league.

In 2009, Williams returned to his alma mater as assistant director of athletics communications and served in that role for two years, before being promoted to the role of associate athletics communication director. While in those roles, Williams was tasked with supervising the student intern training and development program for the athletics communications office in addition to sport coverage responsibilities. 

Before returning to Illinois State in 2009, Williams served as the assistant director of athletics media relations at Indiana State where he was the primary contact for Sycamore men's basketball and cross country for two years, and football for one year. In 2007 and 2008, Williams served as the media coordinator for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships held in Terre Haute, Ind.

Prior to that, Williams worked three years in the Illinois State Athletics Communications office, including the last two as a graduate assistant. During his two years as a graduate assistant, Williams was the secondary football contact and the primary contact for the baseball program.


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Chris shares his unique journey from hosting a college radio show to starting his own podcast, originally called 'Offstage Radio,' later evolved into 'Mad Props.' He explains his shift from a rigid, question-answer format to a more conversational and organic approach to podcasting. Chris also talks about the importance of engaging social media platforms in promoting podcasts. Chris and Derrick also discuss their experiences and their favorite podcasts and share stories about their fitness journey.



Mad Props on:
Spotify:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/madprops/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzZgTD0glM082CA3nvS6g0VWsUcf3xX-e

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MadPropsPod

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/madpropspod/



00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:17 Meeting Chris Schnabel: The Man Behind 'Mad Props'

00:54 Chris's Journey into Podcasting

01:21 The Evolution of 'Mad Props'

03:02 The Art of Interviewing and Uncovering Unique Stories

04:37 Promoting a Podcast in the Digital Age

08:02 Securing Big Names and Building Connections

14:19 Navigating the Podcast Landscape

22:22 Chris's Incredible Weight Loss Journey

26:15 The Power of YouTube Premium and Running

26:43 The Unconventional Running Playlist

27:10 The Journey of a Recreational Basketball Player to a Runner

29:10 The Evolution of a Runner's Goals

29:51 Podcasts Over Music: A Runner's Preference

31:09 The Power of Old Pop Music in Running

32:14 The Art of Solo Podcasting

33:01 The Unforgettable Experience of Working at the U.S. Open

39:13 The Art of Guest Acquisition for Podcasts

44:01 The Unexpected Rewards of Reaching Out

46:02 The Journey of a Podcast Host


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Steve's Bio from wwuowls.com:



Steve Wilson joins WWU from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, where he has led the athletic department since 2019. Under his leadership, the Coyotes twice won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Commissioner's Cup, in 2020 and 2021, and won seven KCAC championships. Kansas Wesleyan also grew its athletic department under Wilson's direction, adding several new coaches and two new sports in men's volleyball and flag football, while excelling in the classroom; 20 of the university's 25 athletic teams received NAIA Scholar Team status while posting a department-wide GPA of 3.01. Prior to Kansas Wesleyan, Wilson served as Athletic Director at Park University-Gilbert, leading the school's 12-sport athletic department in its inaugural season of 2018-2019 while also coaching the Buccaneers' men's and women's golf teams. Prior experience also includes serving as Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations and Compliance, and Sports Information Director, at Park University's flagship campus from 2007-2018, and serving on the athletic department media relations staff at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas."Steve brings a wealth of knowledge having been with the NAIA as a coach, an SID, and athletics administrator; along with his experience working at the NAIA," said Tracy Gastineau, Interim Director of Athletics and a member of the athletic director search committee. "As an added bonus, he is familiar with William Woods and the AMC. His interactions with the athletics staff during the interview process was energetic and exciting and we look forward to working with him as our department continues to grow."A graduate of both Kansas St. University (bachelor's - 2004) and Park University (masters – 2013), Wilson is married to Juli Wilson and has one daughter.


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In this podcast, Martin talks about the Morning Grind and his radio experiences, the relationships he's developed with various coaches and athletes his own podcast projects and more.



Martin's bio from Fox2Now.com:

Martin Kilcoyne is the Sports Director at FOX-2,  a position he’s held since 2002.   He joined the station as a Sports Reporter in July, 1997.

He is a 5-time Emmy Award winner, including twice as the Mid-America top Sports Anchor (2006, 2008).  At FOX-2, he’s covered the  Cardinals in the World Series four times, and two Super Bowls with the Rams.   The biggest event/party he says he’s ever covered was the Blues winning the 2019 Stanley Cup.

Since 2007, he has provided nightly commentary with TKO: The Kilcoyne Opinion during the 10:00 pm newscast.   Martin has also been a fixture on local radio and is currently heard with daily segments on KTRS “The Big 550”.     

Martin is a St. Louis native and graduated from CBC High School before going to college at Marquette University.    Previous tv stops were KNAZ-TV in Flagstaff, Arizona; WJFW-TV in Rhinelander, Wisconsin; and WISC-TV in Madison, Wisconsin.


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I didn't realize it until Shelby said it while we were recording, but I've known her for 10 years now.

This episode is a little different because I'm having a conversation with someone that I know but we still discuss some things about each other that we didn't know.

Shelby works at Baylor University in the athletic department, serving as director of communications. We spend some time catching up, talking about how and why she works in sports, her various career stops, and more.


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