Siouxland Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 1

Real Life Passion
By Tony Michaels
My close friends mock me a lot. I’m almost afraid to
admit this in writing about one of my favorite hobbies.
You will judge me. I just know it. You may even question
how I spend my free time. Please don’t tell my motherin-law.
Here it goes…
I constantly update my list of Top 319 movies of all time.
Yes. When I watch a movie, I immediately decide
whether or not the quality of the movie deserves a spot
in the Top 319. Some people do puzzles for fun. I rank
movies according to the rubric of Tony. I won’t share the
list here – that’s best saved for a drinking establishment
that serves free munchies. What’s the main theme of
my favorite movies? The main character displays an
unparalleled passion for something.
Rocky Balboa overcame all the odds. Rudy was five feet
nothing. The owner of the Cleveland baseball team
wanted the team to lose and the team rallies! P-A-S-S-
I-O-N!
And just to prove not all are sports themed movies,
Howard Stern bounced from market to market for his
radio passion, and Brian Flanagan learned how to toss a
bottle of liquor in the air to impress bar patrons and win
the love of Jordan Mooney! That’s passion on the big
screen, baby!
Cowboy Bob and Tony Michaels back when posing for a
picture together was cool.
microphone in the studio here at work or from his Sunday
Morning Gold studio at his home in the Moville area.
Howard Stern gets the accolades and commas in his
paycheck, but I’ll ride with Cowboy any day.
But who would play Cowboy Bob in a movie?
That flick would definitely make my Top 319.
Tony Michaels has been with KSUX since 1997.
He serves as morning show host with Candice
Nash and is one grateful dude.
Siouxland Magazine | Converse / 17
But Hollywood misses the best stories.
My father started his own heating and air conditioning
business on the side while working a very tough job in
construction. My mother sacrificed daily for the love of
her family.
My buddy, Don, rolled the dice, started his own software
company with a partner, and now boasts having more
than 20 employees on the payroll. That takes some
serious passion and belief in your abilities.
I am so thankful to know my friend Josh. He has a son who
is autistic. Like myself, he is very involved with his autism
just like I am with my oldest son. More than a decade ago,
he dreamt about starting the Pier Center for Autism. That
initiative is now a blessing for the Siouxland community,
and the center is doing big things and impacting lives in
a positive way. A dream built on passion.
Yesterday, I saw some high school cross country athletes
running on the sidewalk at Lakeport Drive working on
their passion for sport. Ten years ago, Shelby Houlihan
shadowed that same path all the way to the Olympics.
Talk about passion paired with thousands of hours of
practice.
This morning, I type this essay in my office about three
steps away from Cowboy Bob from Y Country 101.3. He
has been a familiar voice on Siouxland radio airwaves
for more than four decades. You can hear his passion
and dedication to his listeners every time he opens a
Photos Contributed by Tony Michaels.
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