.jpg)
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Ever wonder what really goes on at a small-town morning radio show?
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends is your daily dose of real callers, big laughs, and unforgettable characters straight from QCountry 925 in Show Low, Arizona.
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Cheering for Tavis: White Mountains Youth Athlete of the Year Quarterfinalis
The Morning Brew kicks off the week with a very special guest — Tavis McCreery, a White Mountains standout who’s a quarterfinalist for Sports Illustrated and Russell Wilson’s Youth Athlete of the Year Award. 🏆
Tavis and his dad and mom join Chris in studio for laughs, sports trivia, and a candid father-versus-son showdown to see who knows more about football and baseball. Beyond the fun, Tavis shares what this national recognition means to him and how the community can help him advance to the semifinals.
👉 You can vote once per day through Thursday at:
athleteoftheyear.org/2025/tavis-35a9
Every vote makes an impact — not only for Tavis, but also for two great causes: the V Foundation for Cancer Research and the Why Not You Foundation, empowering today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders.
As always, the show is rounded out with the Morning Brew’s signature mix of fun callers, local energy, and community connection.
From the Horn Auto Center Studios Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. I am so excited to have guests in studio today. We have Tavis McCreary, who is in the quarterfinals for the Sports Illustrated Best Youth Athlete of the Year competition, and we're also joined by his dad, jason McCreary, who's with the Mountain Pines Little League, and also his mom, tara, are joining us today and Jason tell us about this competition that Tavis has himself in the quarterfinals of and how can we help him out?
Speaker 2:So Russell Wilson puts us on for the youth. It's nationwide, it's through Sports Illustrated, it's a competition. You can enter your son or daughter to win $25,000 and a write-up in Sports Illustrated if you do win.
Speaker 1:Heck. Yes, so Tavis, you could be in Sports Illustrated. How did he make it to the quarterfinals? What was that process like?
Speaker 2:to the quarterfinals. What was that process like? So they had it on Facebook and they had a QR code that you could have your family and friends donate money or vote for free every day, and they went through what? Three or four rounds already. So now he's into the quarterfinals, and now this is where it really really counts.
Speaker 1:Heck yeah. And so the voting for the quarterfinals happens today. And not only does he win basically a full spread in Sports Illustrated, which is my dream, he also wins $25,000 as well towards future schooling and that type of thing, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, it's going for college, heck yeah. Maybe, a little bit to Chris Bennett A little bit to Chris Bennett.
Speaker 1:If you want to donate to Chris Bennett Comedy, I'd love it, and if people want to vote or more information, the website is athleteoftheyearorg. Is that correct?
Speaker 2:Yes, I believe so.
Speaker 1:Yes, athleteoftheyearorg, you'll see Russell Wilson on there and then you'll see the opportunities to vote, starting today at 9 am. Go and vote for Tavis McCreary. Let's get him in the victory column representing the White Mountains buddy. That is Tavis McCreary. Let's get him in the victory column representing the White Mountains buddy. That is Tavis McCreary. Tavis, what grade are you in and what school are you in?
Speaker 3:I'm in eighth grade and I go to Blue Ridge Junior High.
Speaker 1:And what sports do you play?
Speaker 3:I play football, baseball, basketball, I wrestle and I run track.
Speaker 1:And what is your favorite sport out of all those, if you had to pick one?
Speaker 3:If I had to pick one, I would pick baseball.
Speaker 1:And what's your favorite thing about sports? You play a lot of sports, so you must like it. What's your favorite thing about sports?
Speaker 3:My favorite thing about sports is just getting out on the field and being with my teammates, trying to be a leader out there and doing the best I can.
Speaker 1:Heck, yeah. Well, how about we play a little game called Rapid Fire? Get to Know, Tavis, you ready? Answer these questions to the best of your ability. I have one minute to ask you as many as I can.
Speaker 3:Your favorite pregame meal? Probably like a little snack, like fruit snack or something.
Speaker 1:Ooh, that's like me. I'm like a 12-year-old youth athlete all-star. What's your favorite postgame meal?
Speaker 3:Probably pizza. Yes, holy moly.
Speaker 1:You and I are just alike Ice cream or pizza after the game.
Speaker 3:I'd probably pick ice cream.
Speaker 1:Who's your favorite athlete?
Speaker 3:My favorite athlete would probably have to be Corbin Carroll.
Speaker 1:Ooh, nice, corbin. Why am I not? Oh, he plays for the D-backs. Whack smack. I love my Diamondbacks. And last one what's your favorite subject at school? Probably science. Oh, heck, yeah. Not only is he athletic, he's got some brains too. That is Tavis McCreary, and he is up for Youth Athlete of the Year with Sports Illustrated. If you want to vote for Tavis, he needs votes. The voting goes all week, right, All week, and then he moves on to the semifinals. So everyone go to athleteoftheyearorg. Backslash 2025, backslash Tavis T-A-V-I-S, hyphen 358, a-9. I know that's a lot. I'm going to share it on our Facebook Live as well, and let's do our part to get you into the semifinals. Congratulations, tavis.
Speaker 1:I thought we would do a little Motivational Monday, tavis. Normally I give the quotes to Janine and she picks the motivational quote for the week, but I thought we'd do a special athlete edition. I'll read some motivational quotes from famous athletes and then you pick which one is our motivational quote for the week. You ready? All right, here we go. First one this is from Billie Jean King, famous tennis player. Champions keep playing until they get it right. Is that a good one? That's a good one, okay. Next one is from Vince Lombardi, it's not whether you get knocked down, it's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up. I love that one. You love that one, okay. Next one is from Michael Phelps, famous swimmer. You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get. That one's okay. That one's okay. Sorry, michael Phelps, you might have won a gold in the Olympics, but Tavis was not impressed. Pat Riley, famous championship, not impressed. Uh, pat riley, famous, uh championship.
Speaker 3:Coach says excellent is the gradual result of always striving to do better. That one's really good. That is a good one.
Speaker 1:It's so true you. Always it all starts over at midnight, even though things are going good. You're the youth athlete of the year you still got to put in work right. Yep and uh. Last one is from babe ruth never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. Which one is our motivational quote of the week?
Speaker 3:I'll go with the Vince Lombardi one.
Speaker 1:Vince Lombardi. It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up, is today's motivational quote for the week. We're going to find out who's smarter youth athlete, tavis McCreary or his dad, jason McCreary. If you know the answer, say your name. That's your buzzer. First. One to two, correct? Are you ready? Yes, sir, okay, here we go. Who was named MVP of Super Bowl LX? I believe that's 50. I'm not good at Roman numerals.
Speaker 2:In.
Speaker 1:February 2025. Jason.
Speaker 2:February of 2025, the Super Bowl MVP would have been Jalen Hurts.
Speaker 1:He didn't even need multiple choice. Did you know it, Tavis? Yeah, I did oh there you go, but your dad was quicker to the buzzer. Be quicker to your buzzer, here we go. Which rookie wide receiver led the NFL in receptions in 2024? Led the NFL in receptions in 2024? Was it? Cj Stroud, devon, akane, marvin.
Speaker 3:Harrison Jr, or Brian Thomas Tavis Tavis, marvin Harrison.
Speaker 1:No, it was Brian Thomas of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Speaker 3:I don't even know who that is.
Speaker 1:All right. Next question who led the NFL in passing yards during the 2024 regular season? Was it Joe Burrow, jalen Hurts, kirk Cousins or Tua Tagogalova? Jason, jason, joe Burrow. It is Joe Burrow. You are smarter than your son, heck. Yes, listen, you didn't beat your dad in sports trivia, but you are going to get into the semifinals of the Youth Athlete of the Year because everyone on the White Mountains is going to go vote for you today, starting at 9 am. Go to athleteoftheyearorg, go ahead and look for Tavis McCreary and also share the direct link on our Facebook page after the show. Keep an eye out for that. And how does it feel to be a winner, jason?
Speaker 2:Feels good. I got bragging rights over him now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can't let your son win all the time, right? Yeah, you gotta humble him a little bit. Good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Good morning y'all? Hey, it's Brian from Pinedale. Brian, I have Tavis McCreary and Jason McCreary his dad and his mom is in studio as well, tara, and he is up. Tavis is up for Best Youth Athlete of the Year in the country.
Speaker 3:That is some bragging rights there.
Speaker 1:Yes, Sports Illustrated and the quarterfinals voting start today. So when you get a chance, make sure you go and vote. We'll give you all the information on where you could vote for Tavis. But what can I do for you this morning there, brian? We're down to 12 days and 11 hours. 12 days and 11 hours till chris bennett comedy presents stand-up comedy at the pinedale community center. It's uh been almost exactly two years, brian, uh, since uh, we did my stand-up comedy special filming there, small Town, famous, and it's good to be back.
Speaker 1:I'm bringing the best of Phoenix stand-up comedy showcase up here to the White Mountains. We have Zach Allen, who's from Montana, who performs at the Tempe Improv, all the big clubs and also just recently opened up for Steve-O. Lamar Mitchell Jr, who's been up here, and a crowd favorite, sari Beliak, who's been up here, and the crowd favorite, sorry bellyak, who's a star of stage and page. She uh wrote for the onion. Very funny stand-up comedian who also had a comedy album that premiered number one on the itunes charts. And cricket gill coming back, who was at my birthday bash and if you missed her you do not want to miss her again. It is hilarious. Tickets are $25. It's 21 and over and get your tickets at chrisbennettcomedycom.
Speaker 1:Alberto's and Doors open up at 5 pm. The food truck will be there and the show starts at 6.30. Make sure you bring some extra underwear in case you pee yourself. Oh no, we don't want to do that. Awesome. Well, yeah, I'm excited. Buddy, can't wait. It's over 50% sold out. Only about 60 tickets left. Wow, we're doing good then. We're doing great. It's going to be a sellout. So get your tickets at chrisbennettcomedycom. From the Horn Auto Center Studios, chris Bennett and the Morning Brew.
Speaker 1:We are back with Tavis McCreary, who is a quarterfinalist in Sports Illustrated and Russell Wilson's Youth Athlete of the Year. The quarterfinal voting starts today at 9 am and I'll share the direct link on our Facebook page, but you could also go to athleteoftheyearorg and search for Tavis McCreary. Tavis, one of the things that I find most interesting about you you play all sports right. Yes, yes. And a few years ago, one of my dreams my parents didn't let me play youth football, and so one of my dreams was to be a starting quarterback for a youth football team, and I think it was four years ago. I tried out for Blue Ridge Youth Football and, granted, I did throw up. In the middle of tryouts they said my conditioning wasn't great but I got named back-up quarterback to the Blue Ridge Youth Football team who was named starting quarterback that year.
Speaker 1:I was named starting quarterback you took my dream from me and you must have done a good job, because they never called me in to back you up. But that is so cool. And another reason I want Tavis to win because how cool, like, because we're like yeah, dude, you lost out on starting quarterback. Well, yeah to Tavis. He's great, he's the youth athlete of the year. So that's just a little feather in my cap. I don't feel as bad now, tavis, that I lost out to the starting quarterback to you. How did you guys end up doing that year?
Speaker 3:We did pretty good. We started off pretty slow, but at the end it started good and get a backup. We started getting really much better.
Speaker 1:Nice. And are you playing football this year? Yeah, heck yeah. And has the season started? Yeah, are you quarterback on that team?
Speaker 3:I'm the backup quarterback.
Speaker 1:Oh hey, if you need any tips you know, I know how to what other positions do you play as well?
Speaker 3:I play a receiver and corner.
Speaker 1:Heck yeah, he's all over the field and he's up for youth athlete of the year. Dad, what do you have to say about Tavis before we let you go? You've got to be so proud of your son and everything he's accomplished. And you're only what? 12?, 13., 13. Holy moly, and he's already a quarterfinalist for Youth Athlete of the Year.
Speaker 2:I mean I'm proud of him. He just works hard. He keeps working hard. He's always working at anything he does to get better. He's always watching videos, always out in the yard doing something to get himself better. So I'm proud of him and he's becoming a good leader too. Heck yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, tavis, congratulations. Thank you so much for joining us today and everyone out there today. Starting at 9 am, the voting will go live. Go to athleteoftheyearorg. Tavis McCreary is who you're voting for. Also, share the link directly to our Facebook page If you want to wait, and just click on that link.
Speaker 2:And I think you get two free votes a day or one. You get one free vote a day and then you can vote daily.
Speaker 1:You can vote daily. You get one free vote a day. You could vote daily. So make sure you do that. And, if you want, you could even buy votes as well, and, uh, we'll see what happens. You guys will have to keep us abreast of, uh, uh, the results and we'll find out.
Speaker 3:The voting goes till when mom uh, this round will end on the thursday at seven o'clock this round ends thursday at 7 pm, so get your voting in vote.
Speaker 1:Daily vote for tavis mccreary. Thank you so much for joining us. Best friends, we'll be right back on q, country 92.5. Thank you, chris.
