Park Bench Perspectives

Carlos Figueroa & Michael Hammer
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Relationships

Park Bench Perspectives is a conversation-driven podcast about making sense of the world without pretending to have all the answers.  Hosted by Carlos Figueroa and Michael Hammer, two childhood friends who grew up in St Louis Park, MN =.Each episode feels like sitting down on a park bench—no scripts, no hot takes for the sake of it—just thoughtful discussion, honest questions, and a willingness to challenge assumptions.It’s not about being right. It’s about thinking better.

  1. Sep 29

    Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 26 - Reuniting with John Biglow: Cedar Manor Memories, St. Louis Park, and Life After High School

    Send Comments and Feedback Reuniting with John Biglow: Cedar Manor Memories, St. Louis Park, and Life After High School Hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa welcome longtime friend John Biglow to the “proverbial bench” to reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park, especially their Cedar Manor and St. Louis Park High School years. John shares his neighborhood roots, family stories about his surname, and memories ranging from movie theater hangouts and concerts to being homecoming king and throwing a huge party. They discuss John’s legal career—moving from family law to estate planning and closing trusts after his late wife’s death—plus thoughts on AI’s impact on the profession. Conversation also covers UMD/Duluth winters and driving on icy hills, changing car safety and self-reliance, appreciation for teachers, Gen X childhood freedom with community supervision, and how neighborliness and community culture have shifted over time. 00:00 Bench Reunion Begins 00:20 Meet John Bigelow 00:48 Cedar Manor Memories 01:18 Names and Old Friends 03:07 Movie Theater Hookups 04:10 Homecoming King Chaos 06:20 Law Career and Estate Work 08:00 Music and First Concerts 11:29 College and Law School Talk 12:49 AI and the Legal Future 14:29 Duluth Winters and Icy Hills 17:15 Big Cars and Roadside Skills 18:50 Invading Cedar Manor Stories 20:23 Teachers We Remember 21:20 Halverson Basketball Showdown 21:36 Growing Respect For Teachers 23:07 Classroom Experiment Gone Wrong 24:51 Gym Class Parachute Days 25:04 Why St Louis Park Ruled 27:17 Gen X Timing Secret Sauce 30:49 Neighbors Then And Now 32:24 Running For Office Jokes 33:52 80s Nostalgia And Going Back 35:09 Music Teachers And Side Jobs 37:08 Wrap Up And Goodbyes Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  2. Sep 23

    Park Bench Perspectives - St. Louis Park Roots, Minnesota Wild Hockey, and Remembering Marty Hammer with Kevin Falness

    Send Comments and Feedback St. Louis Park Roots, Minnesota Wild Hockey, and Remembering Marty Hammer with Kevin Falness Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer host Park Bench Perspectives with guest Kevin Falness (St. Louis Park class of 1990), discussing their shared St. Louis Park roots and community pride. Falness recounts being born and raised in St. Louis Park, attending Susan Lindgren, Peter Hobart, and the high school, briefly living in Denver (1995–2000), then returning to raise a family nearby. He describes his radio career, including working for the Minnesota Wild since July 2000 and on KFAN (including Beyond the Pond with Pat Micheletti), and outlines where to find his broadcasts and content. The conversation covers Minnesota sports frustrations, the Wild’s outlook and key players, and the competitiveness of the NHL Central Division. They also reflect on college hockey’s Big Ten shift and NIL’s disruptive impact. The episode closes with heartfelt memories of Marty Hammer and Falness’s role at his funeral. 00:00 Welcome to the Bench 01:46 St Louis Park Roots 02:03 Schools and Growing Up 03:50 Radio and the Wild 04:46 Old Schools Feel Tiny 05:26 High School Hall of Fame 07:04 Minnesota Sports Heartbreak 09:43 Why This Wild Team 11:46 Bill Guerin Stories 13:36 Remembering Marty Hammer 16:18 Golf Memories and Legacy 18:45 Marty the Athlete 19:25 Making Hockey Affordable 20:43 Park Hockey Reality Check 22:23 Small Town Sports Pool 23:08 Diversity in St Louis Park 23:55 Where to Hear Kevin 26:53 Gophers Attendance Rebound 28:13 NIL Breaks College Sports 31:02 Donors and Buying Titles 32:01 Wild Window and Injuries 34:49 Back to Park Memories 36:17 Wrap Up and Marty Tribute Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  3. Sep 11

    Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 26 - Bee Stings, Butter Debates, and Fainting at the Fair

    Send Comments and Feedback Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 26 - Bee Stings, Butter Debates, and Fainting at the Fair Carlos and Mike Hammer open with Mike describing getting close to double-digit hornet/bee stings at work and joking about claims that venom helps joints, then riff on butter vs. margarine, PB&J (including squeeze jars), Italian ice, and nostalgic frozen treats. The conversation shifts to the Minnesota State Fair: Mike recounts fainting in 2025 after heat, exhaustion, alcohol, and hookah, leading to a medical response and later doctor reassurance about a “system overload.” Carlos then shares his own recent fair incident while waiting to meet Mike for a concert, where heat and an undiagnosed lung infection dropped his pulse ox, prompting bystander EMT help, an ambulance, oxygen, and a busy U of M hospital visit. They add shout-outs (Casey in Connecticut) and trade stories about classic theaters and movies, plus baseball tangents (Ricky Henderson, catchers, Cal Raleigh, Dominican recruiting, and Twins roster-building). 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:21 Hornet Sting Story 01:58 Butter Versus Margarine 03:26 Italian Ice Nostalgia 04:11 Fainting At The Fair 09:04 Carlos Collapses Too 13:16 Hospital And Old Heat Scare 15:47 Listener Shoutouts And Prep 16:35 Sixth Grade Movie Memory 18:32 Classic Theaters And Snacks 23:33 Semi Tough Movie Bits 25:19 Mantle And Martin Tease 25:38 Mantle Hunting Prank 27:21 Pitchers vs Base Runners 29:03 Ricky Henderson Tales 29:57 Simple Game Mindset 32:16 Cal Raleigh Slump 36:08 Catcher Wear and Tear 37:45 Dominican Signing Hustle 39:17 Baseball Bloodlines 41:25 Let Them Play 42:48 Wrap Up and Bloopers 43:40 Bee Sting Check In 45:36 Butter and PBJ Rant 47:56 Restarting the Show Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  4. Aug 27

    Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 25 - State Fair Strategies and Remembering Dolly Parton

    Send Comments and Feedback State Fair Strategies  and Remembering Dolly Parton Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer banter about why the Minnesota State Fair is the best, comparing it to the well-regarded Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and criticizing other airports. They discuss opening day, fair logistics, and mobility scooters, including a story about Mike’s mom accidentally gassing a scooter into a woman holding a child. They share state-fair traditions and strategies that change with age: the midway, people-watching, animals (big pig, sheep, puppies), the art and horticulture buildings, free music stages, the Skyride, and foods like mini donuts, Sweet Martha’s cookies, Pronto Pups, cheese curds, corn, and Vescio’s fried ravioli, plus tips like sharing sampler bites. They note the fair’s profitability for vendors and mention a listener shout-out to Fred Slakter. The conversation turns to mourning Dolly Parton’s death, praising her talent, kindness, authenticity, and philanthropy (including 300 million books), likening her cultural stature to icons like Betty White and Dick Van Dyke. 00:00 State Fair Debate 00:28 Airport Rankings Rant 01:52 Opening Day Plans 02:45 Scooter Chaos Story 07:14 Fair Game Plan 08:56 People Watching And Animals 09:39 Carnies And Fair Hustle 12:45 Prices And Old Favorites 15:14 Food Picks And Sampling 17:18 Rides Dogs And Art 18:26 Fair After Dark Tales 19:05 Listener Shoutout Fred 19:44 Family Fair Plans 20:27 Concerts And Parking 21:55 Best Fair Show Memories 23:17 Field Of Dreams Debate 24:47 Remembering Dolly Parton 30:39 Dolly Stories And Authenticity 33:53 Life Lessons And Goodbye Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  5. Aug 17

    Park Bench Perspective - Episode 24 - Showing Up, Getting Uncomfortable, and the Romance of Baseball

    Send Comments and Feedback From a park bench conversation, Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer discuss how society and parenting can over-coddle people, leaving them reluctant to be uncomfortable, take risks, make phone calls, handle conflict, or ask someone out face-to-face, and they argue for developing grit by showing up consistently for yourself and others. They emphasize effort backed by value, asking for the sale, avoiding performative “hard work,” and improving 1% at a time, using examples from corporate life, quitting smoking, The Beatles’ long grind, and writing regularly despite low readership until opportunities appear. The talk shifts to baseball’s romance—Field of Dreams, sensory memories, the 162-game “chapter book,” and lessons from pitching and handling failure—plus a recommendation for the indie film “Eephus” about a final town-ball game before a field is replaced. 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:49 Comfort Zone Society 02:29 Grit and Parenting 03:31 Pick Up the Phone 04:30 Dating App Anxiety 06:04 Open to Serendipity 07:29 Doomscrolling and Showing Up 10:34 Grace and Perspective 13:12 Know Your Value 15:38 Jordan and the Grind 18:28 Baseball Romance 21:04 Closer Mindset Reset 21:22 Bullpen Pressure Moments 22:04 No Hiding After Homers 22:46 Catcher Tough Love 23:38 Field of Dreams Talk 24:33 Indie Movie Eephus 26:39 Batters Routines Gamesmanship 27:57 Velocity Money Motivation 28:35 Dog Days Fatigue Science 31:20 Show Dont Tell Work Ethic 33:25 CANI One Percent Better 34:56 Saying No Parenting Lessons 37:03 Aging Bodies Keep Showing Up 38:38 Bench Wrap Up Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  6. Aug 9

    Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 23 - From Newport Beach to Little League Sponsors: Donuts, Old Teams, and Old Maps

    Send Comments and Feedback Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 23 - From Newport Beach to Little League Sponsors: Donuts, Old Teams, and Old Maps Carlos Figueroa and co-host Mike Hammer open the Park Bench Perspective podcast with Hammer reporting from a bench in Newport Beach, describing crowded coffee and donut spots and local landmarks like Blackie’s and the pier. The conversation shifts to childhood baseball in St. Louis Park, recalling sponsored teams such as Winn Stevens Buick, Lupient Oldsmobile, Rudolph’s Barbecue, Roto-Rooter, Park National Bank, Burger King, Minnesota Rubber, and others, plus memories of working at Lupient and early Babe Ruth experiences. They trade donut and restaurant nostalgia (Krispy Kreme, Nelson Brothers, Toby’s, Monte Carlo and its missing open-face roast beef), discuss old-school navigation with AAA triptychs and map books versus exit numbers, note Colorado’s altered mile marker 420, and close by asking listeners about forgotten school and team nicknames while sharing an update that Carlos’s sister Michelle is walking again. 00:00 Theme Song Intro 00:31 Podcast Welcome 00:56 Newport Beach Report 02:04 Beach Town Memories 02:32 Little League Sponsors 04:30 Lupient Dealership Days 06:55 More Team Sponsors 08:53 Babe Ruth Bench Stories 13:52 Donut Shop Culture 15:44 Mister Donut Flashback 16:30 Cops And Donuts Bit 17:05 Slot Machine Nostalgia 18:02 Krispy Kreme Boom And Bust 19:25 Giant Donut Road Stops 20:03 Cranberry Fritter Sandwich 21:15 Monte Carlo Memories 22:54 Mavericks And Roast Beef Talk 24:06 School Mascot Debates 26:02 City Borders And District Lines 28:21 Old School Navigation 30:07 Exit Numbers And Mile 420 31:59 Remote Episode Wrap Up Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  7. Aug 2

    Park Bench Perspective Episode 22 - Serendipity, Youth Sports, and Showing Up

    Send Comments and Feedback Park Bench Perspective: Serendipity, Youth Sports, and Showing Up Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa chat from their “park bench perspective” about Minnesota’s heat wave, brief rain, and the Twins acquiring a reliever and a starter. They reminisce about high school—especially chemistry anxiety dreams, taking the ACT/SAT with little preparation, and life before the internet, AI, and cellphones—while noting how easily people can be misled (Penn & Teller’s petition to ban “dihydromonoxide,” urban legends). The conversation turns to the professionalization and rising costs of youth sports, accumulated injury risk, and parents turning play into work, contrasting it with unstructured childhood games. They extend the theme to algorithm-driven shopping and dating versus serendipity, discuss golf’s frustration and mindset, and connect “blue-collaring”/brute force, sales process, persistence, and “showing up” to progress, before closing with morning routines, newspapers, and an All-Star Game sandlot-style segment. 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:31 Weather and Twins Talk 01:09 Chemistry Class Dreams 02:27 Banning Water Prank 03:16 Hydration and Growing Up 03:51 School Before Internet 04:20 SAT Confusion and Futures 05:32 Dreams vs Optimization 06:33 Youth Sports Industry 08:51 Parents and Pressure 12:13 Serendipity Lost to Algorithms 12:57 Dating Apps Feel Like Work 14:19 Why Golf Feels Like Work 16:50 Living in the Present 17:44 Brute Force and Process 19:03 Sales and Baseball Metrics 19:44 Cut Bait Sales Process 20:28 Old School Relationship Selling 22:00 Rumors Before Internet 23:35 Rolodex Client Ownership 25:57 Persistence Showing Up 27:52 Morning Routine Coffee Talk 30:21 All Star Game Nostalgia 32:14 Retro Childhood Roughhousing 34:29 Analog Convenience Pay Pump 36:42 Wrap Up Next Episode Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

  8. Jul 26

    Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 21 - From San Jose to St. Louis Park: Chuck Chastain’s Perspective

    Send Comments and Feedback From San Jose to St. Louis Park: Chuck Chastain’s Park Bench Perspective Carlos Figueroa and Mike “Hammer” talk on their “park bench” podcast with guest Chuck Chastain, a St. Louis Park High School class of ’84 alumnus who moved from San Jose, California to St. Louis Park in 1978 between seventh and eighth grade. Chuck describes the culture shock of Minnesota winters, less diversity than his California school, and differences in clothing and social life, while recalling early work ethic through his family’s fruit stand, paper route, and his father’s restaurant ventures. The conversation highlights 1970s–80s mall culture and Chuck’s family business, the Fun Shop at Knollwood Mall, along with nostalgic stories about cars (including Chuck’s ’68 Camaro convertible), smoking and chewing tobacco, and Chuck’s first day at Westwood Junior High that began with a fight but led to friendships. 00:00 Park Bench Intro 00:31 Bench Banter 01:29 Meet Chuck 02:24 California To Minnesota 04:06 Moving Decision 07:06 Work Ethic Roots 07:57 Fun Shop Era 08:48 Mall Culture Memories 11:20 Diversity Shock 13:25 Kids See No Labels 14:17 Classic Car Stories 17:31 Smoking And Marines 18:13 Ship Store Shortage 19:47 Red Man Memories 20:34 Modern Nicotine Debate 20:59 Old School Vices 22:41 First Day Fight Friends 24:55 California Meets Winter 26:05 Fashion Culture Shock 28:39 Nike Trouble Stories 30:30 School Rivalry Reshuffle 31:46 Wrapping Up Fun Shop Tease Support the show You can find Carlos's Substack at  Ballpark Barrister

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Park Bench Perspectives is a conversation-driven podcast about making sense of the world without pretending to have all the answers.  Hosted by Carlos Figueroa and Michael Hammer, two childhood friends who grew up in St Louis Park, MN =.Each episode feels like sitting down on a park bench—no scripts, no hot takes for the sake of it—just thoughtful discussion, honest questions, and a willingness to challenge assumptions.It’s not about being right. It’s about thinking better.

Information

  • Creator
    Carlos Figueroa & Michael Hammer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Park Bench Perspectives
  • Show Website
    Park Bench Perspectives

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