Stories from the Center of the Universe

Episode 192: Matt Green

Matt Green has done a little bit of walking in his life …

Matt Green grew up just outside Ashland, VA and had fun growing up exploring, collecting baseball cards, putting lego sets together and playing wiffle ball. After graduating high school, Matt attended the University of Virginia and earned an engineering degree. Matt worked in northern Virginia and then moved to New York. Matt enjoyed walking and around 2008, he started thinking about walking a little further … across the United States! A couple of years later, Matt quit his job and did just that by starting in Rockaway Beach, NY and finishing in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. Matt has continued walking by covering approximately 98% of New York, New York and when he moved back to Virginia during the pandemic, he walked all of Ashland. Paul and Matt discussed some of the lessons he’s learned from walking, how he feels fortunate and lucky and that he has no regrets over the last thirteen years since he started this journey.

Episode 191: Erik Kleinsmith

Erik Kleinsmith is a former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer and private contractor who has testified in front of Congress.

Erik knows Pete A. Turner (Episode 185) and he and Paul started by talking about his career in the United States Army and serving overseas. Erik grew up in Plymouth, Michigan and said it was an idyllic setting for him and his two brothers to grow up in. He told Paul about his mom and dad and especially talked about how involved his Dad was and how they lost him way too early. Erik spoke about what his dad built in their backyard that attracted so many neighborhood kids for so long, his Mom would sometimes have to ask them to leave! Paul and Erik discussed his career in the private intelligence arena and how it led to him testifying in front of the U.S. Congress. They talked about 9/11 and how if certain intelligence hadn’t been quashed, it could have made a possible difference. Paul asked Erik about his involvement with Case Breakers and Erik told Paul how they work on and solve some of the most famous cold cases ever.

Episode 190: Guy Crittenden

Guy Crittenden is a nationally known artist and professional photographer who lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Guy grew up in Gloucester, VA on the Ware River. Growing up, the Ware River was the playground for Guy, his family and his friends. Guy said his grandfather was part of the folklore of Gloucester and taught him everything he ever learned about hunting and fishing. When Guy wasn’t in the outdoors, he was playing sports and he excelled at football. This led to Guy playing football at William & Mary for legendary coach Jimmy Laycock. Guy also knew at a young age that he had a passion for art and that he was good at it as well. After W&M, he attended the Art Institute of Atlanta and then worked in advertising until he opened his own business in 1994. Guy has since become a commissioned and award winning artist and relies a great deal on his life experiences for his artistic inspiration. Guy said he is a “Sportsman who chose to paint”. Guy finished by talking about his wife Melanie, their three daughters and being a grandfather.

Episode 189: Ken Harvey

Former NFL player and Washington Commanders Ring of Fame member, Ken Harvey, joins the podcast.

Ken Harvey comes to the podcast via a connection with Jock Jones (Episodes 148 & 175) because they played in the NFL together. Paul started off by talking to Ken about his book, Stepping Stones, and growing up in Texas. Ken talked candidly about dropping out of high school, going back and then moving on to college. He had a very successful senior year in college and was drafted 12th in the 1988 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He discussed his football path and how faith, finding his focus and motivation and hard work all played a part in his journey. Ken also told Paul about teammates that helped him along the way and how one of them, Terry Crews, became a good friend and the illustrator for one of Ken’s children’s books. They finished by talking about his wife and their sons.

Episode 188: Rob Dull (aka Silent Rob)

Rob Dull, aka “Silent Rob” & “the Scribe” is on the other side of the microphone for an entire episode.

Rob usually helps Paul with the Stories podcast, but he is the one getting interviewed by Paul and Kevin this time. Rob talked about living where Henry Clay was born and then moving to and growing up in Ashland. Paul and Rob talked about the guys they grew up with, some of the games and sports they played and they told Kevin what midnight football was. Rob talked about going to Collegiate and working at Kings Dominion during high school and college. They discussed his various jobs including a couple of stories from his time with the U.S. Park Police. The three of them talked about playing basketball for the Rampage and Rob talked about his parents and his parents-in-law and how lucky he was to have them all in his life. They finished with Rob talking about his wife Chris and their three kids, Jack, Riley and Julia.

Episode 187: Greg Burton

Greg Burton comes to the podcast via a connection with Ross Luck (Episode #172). Greg grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and said his life was pretty much within eight blocks of his house. He walked to school & church, played little league, visited his grandparents and went to see his dad at work in those eight blocks. Greg played sports in high school, but knew he had a passion for and wanted to cover sports for a living. He chose to go to the University of Delaware and it was a great decision because he got immediate opportunities and exposure in his course of study. After graduating, the job hunt started and Greg first started working back home in Delaware. After about a year, he got hired by a television station in Idaho. He jumped at the opportunity and had an amazing time because of the job and the life experiences that Idaho gave him. In 1998, he decided to leave Idaho and took a job at CBS Channel 6 in Richmond. In Richmond, he worked for Channel 6, had his own sports talk radio show and in 2011, he started as an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Center for Sport Leadership program. He is now a full-time graduate level professor at VCU at the Center for Sport Leadership, which is a top 10 program in the country. We finished the podcast with Greg talking about his son Trevor who is ten years old.

Episode 186: Sue Watson

Sue Watson, a Center of the Universe icon, joins the podcast to talk to Paul and Rob. Sue was born and grew up in Wilson, N.C and has great memories of her childhood and family, especially going on horse rides with her Dad. Sue started dancing when she was three years old and her love for dance and all things theatrical has continued through out her life. After high school, Sue attended Duke University and never missed a basketball game. After Duke, she moved away from NC for a year, but then went to rival University of North Carolina for her masters degree. This would turn out to be a life changing decision because while taking her last class for her degree, she met Ritchie Watson. Ritchie courted Sue (some of it long distance) and they were married on June 21, 1969. Ritchie got a job at Randolph-Macon College and they moved to Ashland in 1970. Sue talked about their first house and train experience as well as how they ended up in their current house where they’ve been since 1974. They also discussed the Ashland Variety Show, Ashland’s Untold Stories, her time on the Hanover School Board (first woman and longest serving member ever) and her family’s trips to Topsail Beach. They talked about her and Ritchie’s daughters, Susan and Jane Forbes, and their families, which includes five wonderful grandchildren.

Episode 185: Pete A Turner

Pete A. Turner joins Paul via a connection with Jeff Bloch, aka Speedy Cop (Episode 173). Pete is from and lives in California. He told Paul about his adoptive dad growing up as well as just finding his biological father which has led him to having a whole new family. Pete talked about his interest in a musical instrument he got while growing up and his time in high school. After going to college, Pete tried to get a job in radio and television and he just couldn’t get hired. At 24 years of age, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was in Counter Intelligence, essentially a spy for the U.S. Army. Pete and Paul discussed his career in the military as well as his time as a U.S. Government contractor and federal employee. Pete also hosts a podcast (Break It Down Show) and has had some great guests join him. They finished by discussing how he got started and when Paul asked him about some of his favorite episodes, he had a great response.

Episode 184: Audra Becker

Audra Becker and Paul used to work together and she admitted that for a while, she was 50/50 on doing the podcast and telling her story. She joins us from Arizona where she was born and raised though she has a lot of family in Pittsburgh. She and Paul discussed how she never knew about daylight savings time until she moved to the Midwest for a while and she also told him what it was like growing up in Arizona. When she was younger, she participated in synchronized swimming and she told Paul about the interesting concoction they put in their hair for performances. They talked about high school and how she and her siblings were encouraged to go to college. She attended Arizona State University and talked about her early ideas of the businesses she wanted to start. Paul asked her why people visit or want to live in Arizona and she had a long list of reasons. In 2020, Audra was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Audra told Paul her story from how she discovered it, to her primary doctor’s misdiagnoses and getting the call that confirmed her worst fear. She continued by telling Paul about all that she has learned, her treatments and her incredible support system. They finished by talking about her husband Chad and their son Easton. She stated that she would not have made it through the last two years with out Chad.

Episode 183: Stacie Straus and Acie Wyatt

Stacie Straus and Acie Wyatt are the first twins to be on the podcast. They are from Ashland and Stacie is still in the area. Acie lives in Charlotte, NC. Paul asked a couple of questions about being twins and then they discussed what sports they each played when they were kids. They then talked about playing sports at Patrick Henry High School (PHHS). Stacie played softball & volleyball and Acie played soccer and football. They talked to Paul about their fondest memories of growing up in Ashland and of playing sports at PHHS. They also discussed how their Mom got them involved in other activities such as music, scouts and church. Acie and Stacie both went to Hampton University where Stacie played softball and Acie played football. Paul asked them about how they ended up at Hampton and also if they knew what they wanted to do after school. They finished by talking about their jobs and their families.