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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
From Cowboys to Sitcoms: Good News & Little League
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Talk About Something Good Tuesday on The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett & Best Friends starts at full speed — literally. The phones light up with a call from Virgil, a working cowboy in Eagar, hauling cattle across the White Mountains. Chris answers out of breath, proving cardio is optional in morning radio, and Virgil walks us through how cattle roundups really work before putting in a song request for the ranch hands listening in.
Then the show takes a powerful turn with a call from Kirk Nurmi, who shares the amazing news of stepping into a lead role in a new sitcom. Kirk opens up about the moment he chose happiness over prestige — after his final chemo treatment — and how that decision led him from the courtroom to the creative world of acting. It’s a reminder that second acts can be just as meaningful as first careers.
We keep the good news rolling with Jineane Ford, trading feel-good stories before welcoming Jason and Richard from Mountain Pines Little League into the studio. We cover early registration deadlines, discounts, opening day at Mountain Meadows Park on April 11, and the behind-the-scenes roles that make a season happen — from coaches and volunteers to paid umpire opportunities for teens and adults. The segment wraps with a fun baseball movie quiz that taps into classic sports nostalgia.
It’s a morning built on grit, gratitude, and community — from the cattle trail to the ball field — and a reminder that something good is always happening if you stop and listen.
Cowboy Check-In And Dedication
SPEAKER_02From the Horn Auto Center Studios, Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this?
SPEAKER_06Hey, good morning, my best friend.
SPEAKER_02Hey, Virgil, Virgil the Cowboy. I was just setting up the camera for the Facebook Live and then I heard the phone ring. Can you hear I was running?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're breathing.
SPEAKER_02Breathing heavy. I probably wouldn't last long on the range. You probably have to be in pretty good shape, huh? Well, Virgil the Cowboy from Eager, it's been a while. What's new? Give us an update.
SPEAKER_06We've been busy hauling cattle here and there.
SPEAKER_02Nice. What's the hardest part of herding cattle here and there?
SPEAKER_05Uh, we have to go to different places, like sometimes on the White Mountain to get our cows, and we have their cows sometimes on this side.
SPEAKER_02And then do you just load them up into a truck or you like you just like walk them basically?
SPEAKER_06We load them up into a trailer. We haul them back over.
SPEAKER_02Oh, oh wow, okay. Sounds a little harder than being a country radio DJ. Well, what can I do you for this morning, Virgil?
SPEAKER_06Uh these guys are happy to ride to anyone. I hear a little Billy Ray.
SPEAKER_02Oh, some gave all Billy Ray going out to the cowboys and cowgirls over there with Virgil, the cowboy and eager. We love you best friends. Be safe, and uh we'll talk to you soon. Later, buddy. Good morning. It's the morning brew with Chris. Who's this?
Kirk Nermi’s Leap From Law To Sitcom
SPEAKER_07Well, good morning to the prettiest DJ in all of Arizona. This is your best friend, Kirk Nermi, calling in to make an announcement.
SPEAKER_02Oh, holy moly, it's everyone's best friend, Kirk Norming from the Valley. We're international. What's your big announcement, best friend?
SPEAKER_07Well, Chris, I'd been thinking about uh dipping my toes back into the world of comedy, maybe reviving my uh one-man show, overcoming Jody Arius, but fate had other plans. I've been pushed in the D-Band and I accepted a lead role in a sitcom.
SPEAKER_02What in the world? That is amazing! What a oh my gosh!
SPEAKER_07Yeah! Congratulations! Thank you, GCM Media, our friend Trey Goodman, who is the uh producer director behind the successful movie Some Nudity Requires. It's on Tubi and some Amazon services, uh, asked me to uh take a lead role in sitcom and uh we're gonna film later this year.
SPEAKER_02That's great. Hopefully there's no nudity required in this one. Uh well, I don't know. We'll find out, Chris. More details to follow, but I don't think anybody wants to see that. Awesome. So you'll start filming uh later this year, and then when will we be able to see it?
SPEAKER_07Well, uh, that's as to be determined right now, but uh yeah, we'll get the filming going later this year and we'll see when it uh makes the air.
Choosing Happiness After Chemo
SPEAKER_02Dude, that is amazing, man. What a like you went from being a lawyer to now an actor. Like your life has like changed so much. What would you say was the catalyst for the change in your life to where you're like, I don't want to be a lawyer anymore?
SPEAKER_07Because uh I made happiness my beacon. You know, I go back to that moment, it was about 10 years ago. I was in uh chemo chair getting my last treatment. And one of the things, uh promises I made to myself when I went in there is that I wasn't gonna live my remaining years the way I had my prior. And I made happiness my beacon, and uh that's when I decided to move on from law and just uh start following what made me happy, and and that's what I'm gonna do with the rest of my days on this planet.
SPEAKER_02Oh man, Kirk Nermie, that's inspirational. You gave me goosebumps. Congratulations, best friend. We're so excited, and thank you so much for breaking the news right here on Q Country925. No better place to go with my best friend Chris Bennett. All right, love you, best friend. Love you. Bye. Bye. Janine, you there? Yes, I am. Hey man. Yeah, hello, hello, hello. Happy talk about something good Tuesday. Love it, love it. Do you have uh you want to share some good news this morning? Yes, I do. Hey, yeah, you want to go first or me?
Good News: Veterans Charity Helped
SPEAKER_00Um, I'll go first. Oh, yeah, yeah. Do you want me to go right now? Yeah, yeah. Because I'm super excited about this. Okay, this is this is awesome because we did a shout out just a week ago. Um, you know, Fishers of Men, you know, Fishers of Men found out they had no place to keep their big conics containers, the three 40-footers that they kind of were getting kicked out of their old place. Right. And they needed a place desperately. Of course, Fishers of Men serves our veterans. They're a wonderful, charitable 501c3. They found a place, and they're moving them already, and yes, they are taken care of. So, because of our great listeners, thank you, thank you, everybody. That was huge.
SPEAKER_02That is huge news.
SPEAKER_00Someone jumped in for Fishes of Men and saved the day. Very nice. Heck yeah, and it happened fast.
SPEAKER_02Heck yeah, sweet! That is some great news. All right, Janine, it's time for my good news story. All right, all right, uh, today's talk about something good Tuesday story proves that sometimes, Janine, not listening to your spouse pays off. Really? Yes. A woman in England named Nicola Dickison just won 4.5 million, uh, a$4.5 million Lakeside Mansion after ignoring her husband's advice to stop entering contests. And so for four years, she kept buying entries for a charity draw drawing. And even while her husband told her she'd never win in a million years, well, guess what? She did. Ooh!
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes.
Good News: $4.5M Charity Raffle Win
SPEAKER_02She bought her winning entry for$33. And uh one day while doing housework and watching her granddaughter, she got a call that said she won. She thought maybe it was just a small prize, and it turned out it was a five-bedroom home with its own private lake, tub, sauna, and panoramic views of the countryside. On top of that, she also got$250,000 in cash to help her settle in. And uh the best part, the whole drawing raised money for the RSPCA helping rescue and care for abused and neglected animals.
SPEAKER_00Oh, how nice. And is she gonna let her husband go to the house?
SPEAKER_02Um, what does she got? That's a good idea. I don't think she should let him go. She's like, no, you didn't want me to buy the ticket. Uh, she says she will share the win with her family.
SPEAKER_00Nice.
SPEAKER_02And uh, so that is definitely something good and a good example of uh it's not always a good idea to listen to your spouse.
SPEAKER_00There you go.
SPEAKER_02Hey, good for her. That was awesome, yeah. Awesome. Well, sweet Janine, we love you and hope you have a great rest of your day. Love you too. Have a good one. Bye, Craig. Bye. I am so excited to have some best friends in studio. I'm not um. I'm joined by Jason and Richard with the Mountain Pines Little League, and it's getting time to play ball. It's time for early registration. Uh, go ahead and tell us uh a little bit about this year's season and how people can pre-register and the cost for it.
SPEAKER_03So if you go to our website, mountain pineslill.com, you can do early registration from now until February 1st. Um, you do get a discount. There is also a discount for uh multiple multiple kids in the family, and then after February 1st until March 1st, it goes back up to regular registration. But we encourage everybody to do the early registration, and the more kids, you know, the more fun we'll have.
SPEAKER_02And uh it saves people money by registering early, and then it helps uh you guys as a board of the little leagues kind of plan and get uniforms and that type of thing as well.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_02And uh every year we need coaches as well. And uh so if if people wanted a coach, do they have to have a kid in Little League to coach? Uh what are some qualifications for people that that want to help and uh help kids play little league this year?
SPEAKER_04Just be willing to show up and uh want to coach. You don't need to have any qualifications.
SPEAKER_02And uh Richard, uh, you coach not one team, not two teams. No, but last year you coached three teams. Holy moly! Do you have kids on each team? Each team. Each team. Is that the hardest part about being a coach? Is coaching your own uh your own uh player?
SPEAKER_04The very most challenging part.
SPEAKER_02The most what it what uh advice would you give to maybe uh another coach that is uh maybe coaching for the first time this year and uh you know has one of one of their kids on the team?
SPEAKER_04Uh don't be afraid to ask for help or any coach.
SPEAKER_02Coach. And uh you guys are so amazing. I love Mountain Pines Little League. The past two years I've helped with opening day ceremonies. Am I gonna do it again this year?
SPEAKER_03Make that three.
SPEAKER_02Heck yeah, three years. When is opening day?
SPEAKER_03April 11th at Mountain Meadows Park in Lakeside.
Mountain Pines Little League Registration
SPEAKER_02Awesome, it's gonna be a lot of fun. April 11th, opening day, but pre-registration for Mountain Pines Little League is going on now. What's the website?
SPEAKER_03Mountain Pines Little League.com.
SPEAKER_02Go ahead and pre-register before February 1st. How did we all stars for Mountain Pines Little League do last year? Uh because I know at the end of the season there's like a tournament, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So how did uh Mountain Pines Little League All-Star teams do last year?
SPEAKER_03So actually, all of our All-Star teams did great. This this last year they all competed in districts. Um our junior boys won district championship, uh, went on this this to the state tournament. Um they fell a little bit short, won a couple games, but it was real exciting. Our girls won district, uh junior softball, went on the state and won a couple games and fell a little short, but the experience they got was great.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome. I absolutely love Little League. It's one of the uh best memories I have growing up. And uh just coming up here on the White Mountains and seeing Little League in person and the opening day ceremonies, there's nothing better. I mean, it really feels like small town USA, and it's just uh it gives me goosebumps thinking about it. So opening day for Little League is gonna be April 11th, and uh it's gonna be hosted by my heck yes, I'm super excited for that. And uh pre-registration is going on now till February 1st. You could save some money if you register now, and it helps uh with the Little League planning. So go today and register your child at Mountain Pines Little League.com. And uh in addition to you know, we need players, but without volunteers, the season doesn't happen. So we need coaches, we need volunteers of all types, and uh also we need umpires, right? We need umpires, umpires. Yeah, because uh, I mean, how are the kids supposed to play if there's not an umpire there to call balls or strikes? And uh, so if you're interested in umpiring, Mountain Pines Little League wants to talk to you, they need your help. But guess what? It's not just volunteer for the umpires, they get paid per game, right? That is correct. Heck yeah.
SPEAKER_03Do you want to say how much they get paid or so behind the plate, they get$40 a game, and if you're in the field, you get$30 to$35 a game.
SPEAKER_02Nice. All right, so you're able to help out. Is there an age limit for umpires or uh what so we're we're allowing 13 and up. Oh, awesome! And so if people are interested in umpire and helping out, do they go to the same website you do to uh pre-register?
SPEAKER_03Yes, go to the same website, or you can go to our Facebook page and ask about it, and then we'll guide you in the right direction for the training and everything else.
SPEAKER_02Heck yeah, Mountain Pines Little League. Um every year, you and I, like Mountain Pines Little League, we try to do something new and juicy to create some excitement. I've tried out for Little League. I've shown that I'm an all-star. I have nothing else to prove on the diamond. Uh I'm thinking maybe this year, what do you say letting me umpire one of your games?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I think we we can work that in for you.
Coaches, Volunteers, And Opening Day
SPEAKER_02Heck yes! I will am I allowed to do a dance after someone strikes out?
SPEAKER_04If you made the call right.
SPEAKER_02Oh, if I made the call. Oh no.
SPEAKER_04If you didn't, those parents are coming there.
SPEAKER_02Parents, be nice to the umpires. We're trying our best. Heck yes. Well, this year I am going to Umpire Game for Mountain Pines Little League, and hopefully we could coordinate it with iTalk and uh get some live coverage of that game. So that's super juicy. If you want to volunteer and help out with Mountain Pines Little League, check them out on Facebook, hit them up, and if you want to pre-register your kid, go ahead and do it at Mountain Pines Little League.com.
SPEAKER_03You know it.
SPEAKER_02We are back with Jason and Richard from Mountain Pines Little League, and uh we've been talking about pre a pre-registration that ends the end of this month, so get your kids registered and save some money. And uh it's now time to uh have a little friendly competition. Jason versus Richard. We'll find out who's smarter. This is called Guess the Baseball Movie. Say your name, that's your buzzer. Multiple choice, but you don't have to wait for the multiple choice. Here we go. Guess the baseball movie. A watched a washed up catcher mentors a talented but wild young pitcher on a struggling minor league team. Is it major league, Bull Durham, the rookie, or money ball? Jason. Jason. Major League. No, no, minor league. Minor League. Richard. Is it Bull Durham the rookie or Moneyball? Moneyball. You guys don't watch baseball movies? You just you just watch real baseball? Yes. Okay, the correct answer was Bull Durham. Okay. You're both tied. You're both tied at zero. Here we go. A father builds a baseball field in a cornfield after hearing a mysterious voice. Richard.
SPEAKER_04Field of dreams.
Umpires Needed And Paid Roles
SPEAKER_02Field of dreams. There we go. He totally redeemed himself. Okay. This next question, Jason. If you don't get it right, it's over. Right. Okay? If you get it right, we go to sudden death. Here we go. A former high school star gets a second chance at the big leagues years later after a tryout. Is it the rookie? Trouble with the curve. Moneyball or 42. Jason. Jason. The rookie. All right, we are going into sudden death. Holy moly. And that's my dream come true. I would love to all of a sudden make a baseball team. Alright, last question. Kids play baseball on a dusty neighborhood field and face their biggest challenge in a legendary dog, Jason. Your name was first. Sandlock. It is the Sandlock. Holy moly, he came from behind, dude, and beat you. Uh and uh it's now time to uh have a little friendly competition. Jason versus Richard. We'll find out who's smarter. This is called Guess the Baseball Movie. Say your name, that's your buzzer. Multiple choice, but you don't have to wait for the multiple choice. Here we go. Guess the baseball movie. A watched a washed up catcher mentors a talented but wild young pitcher on a struggling minor league team. Is it major league, Bull Durham, the rookie, or moneyball? Jason. Jason. Major League. No, no, minor league. Minor League. Oh my god. Richard. Is it Bull Durham the rookie or Moneyball? Moneyball. You guys don't watch baseball movies? You just watch real baseball? Yes. Okay, the correct answer was Bull Durham. Okay. You're both tied. You're both tied at zero. Here we go. A father builds a baseball field in a cornfield after hearing a mysterious voice. Richard.
SPEAKER_04Field of dreams.
Host Volunteers To Umpire A Game
SPEAKER_02Field of dreams. There we go. He totally redeemed himself. Okay. This next question, Jason. If you don't get it right, it's over. Right. Okay? If you get it right, we go to sudden death. Here we go. A former high school star gets a second chance at the big leagues years later after a tryout. Is it the rookie? Trouble with the curve. Moneyball or 42? Jason. Jason. The rookie. All right, we are going into sudden death. Holy moly. And that's my dream come true. I would love to all of a sudden make a baseball team. Alright, last question. Kids play baseball on a dusty neighborhood field and face their biggest challenge in a legendary dog. Jason, your name was first. Samlock. It is the Samlock. Holy moly, he came from behind, dude, and beat you. We are back for one last segment with our best friends, Jason and Richard, over at Mountain Pines Little League, talking about the pre-registration that's happening for this season. It's almost time to play ball. Jason and Richard, I don't know who wants to go first, but what what do you think is so great about Little League? Why is it such a great thing to sign your kids up uh to play Little League?
SPEAKER_04Well, uh, it teaches them how to be responsible, it teaches them discipline, um, and just uh be able to get along with your peers and other people.
SPEAKER_02And what about you, Jason?
SPEAKER_03Like you said, the camaraderie um with the kids, um, the coaches, uh, towns coming together to play with from kids from all different backgrounds, and and it's a lot of fun to watch.
Baseball Movie Quiz Showdown
SPEAKER_02It is. I uh I appreciate the memories that I had, uh, the friendships that uh uh that I had, having my family come and watch me was such a great memory. And so Little League is a great thing, and it's it's just it's it's good to kind of put yourself out there, learn new things, feel the pressure, feel the excitement of uh baseball, and it is so much fun, and I'm looking forward to uh another great season for 2026. Uh, the pre-registration is happening now. You can save yourself money by registering today before the end of the month at Mountain Pineslittle League.com. Mountain Pineslittle League.com. Also, after that, uh the registration will still be open, but it's gonna be a little bit more expensive. We have opening day on April 11th. Where?
SPEAKER_03At Mountain Meadows Park in Lakeside with the most famous guy on the mountain, Chris Bennett.
SPEAKER_02I'm looking forward to uh opening day, and it's always an honor to get to host these opening day ceremonies. And uh also they're looking for volunteers, for coaches, for umpires. Uh any way you want to help, if you'd like to help out Mountain Pines Little League, they accept your help. Go to their uh Facebook page, Mountain Pines Little League dot or Mountain Pines Little League on Facebook or check out their website, which is Mountain Pines Little League.com. Awesome. Best friends, thank you so much. Thank you for volunteering your time so that uh these kids can make great memories on the diamond this year. We have been talking to Jason and Richard with Mountain Pines Little League. Let's play ball!
SPEAKER_04Thank you, Chris. Thank you.
