An Army of Normal Folks - The Fraternity That’s Raised $3.5 Million For Those With Paralysis (Pt 2)

Episode Date: December 3, 2024

After Ole Miss football player Chucky Mullins’ devastating injury left him as a quadriplegic, Sigma Nu approached him about starting a football game called The Charity Bowl that would raise money for those living with paralysis. Chucky enthusiastically endorsed it and since 1990 these fraternity brothers have raised over $3.5 million! We talk to current students Jagger Mooneyham and Julian Knott.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/premiumSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks and we continue now with part two of our conversation with Jagger and Julian right after these brief messages from our generous sponsors. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their

journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all.

It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near, right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. This podcast is for people like me,

who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some FOKs, friends of Katie's to help me out like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Estet Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee, Roy Wood Jr., and Charlamagne the God.

We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. My podcast, When You're Invisible, is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped my life. I get to talk to a lot of people who form the backbone of our society, but who have never been interviewed before. Season two is all about community, organizing, and being underestimated. All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it. I can't have more than $2,000 in my bank account

or else I can't get disability benefits. They won't let you succeed. I know we get paid to serve you guys, but like, be respectful. We're made out of the same things, bone, body, blood. It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the lesson and I'm also the testament.

Listen to When You're Invisible as part of the MyCultura podcast network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired, depressed, a little bit revolutionary? Consider this, start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy.

There are 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel. I am the Queen of La Donia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capriburg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Montonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition. Well, why can't I create my own country?

My forefathers did that themselves. What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory. I was making a racket with the black powder, you know, with explosive warheads. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets.

Bullets. We need help! We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. What is your message to other people about philanthropy and giving of time and effort and what can be accomplished? I think that, I mean, we are pretty normal people like like this podcast, the army of normal folks were us as a fraternity. Or none of us are really stick out. Incredible. Like. Super. Extraordinary. Yeah, like we're not super powerful, but I really do think if people were looking

at it away as 250 together, rather than two, then one of us together, if people would look at, you know, a bunch of normal people together could do way better things than they ever can imagine. And that's really what we do. It's just a bunch of normal people doing the same thing at the same time together What I don't think I also don't think that Any of it I think that all of us are doing a good thing and I think everyone should want to do good things But I don't think anything about this event is about any of us I mean there could be one person in the chapter who raises that $400,000 themselves.

And I don't think that any of the credit should go to them. I don't think it's about them. I think the whole thing is when we got to sit down with Hannah and talk to her, we got to realize like how much she has done and how much she has like put out to help other people. And in just an instant While she was doing something good her whole life was changed and I think that it's More of an honor for us to be able to serve her and help her Than it is. I don't really think it matters how much we raise or what we do. It's really all about her So you're not doing it for the recognition? No how much we raise and what we do. It's really all about her.

So you're not doing it for the recognition? No. How has her interaction been with you guys? I mean, this is a teacher who's a quadri- I mean, I gotta believe from her perspective, wait, what? A bunch of fraternity guys are gonna play a football game and raise money for me? I mean, that's how's that been? Well, she so her cousin was a Sigma Nu here. And he put her up. I don't even know if he

told her, but he put her up to be one of this year's recipients. He suggested her as a possible recipient. Yeah. Nominated her, I guess. Yeah. And she, so right afterwards we called her, we called her cousin, congratulated her. And I kind of assumed after all she had been through that, you know, she wasn't going to be as super like happy and energetic. And even from the first time I called her I realized that that was not the case and we had her come to the house one time to shoot a video that we have up on the website and she pulls up to the house and she has no feeling from her shoulders down and she said that for like a lack of better terms ever

since the incident she's been in complete denial that she wasn't going to walk again. Like her faith is stronger than anyone I've ever met. And she gets out of the car and she has these braces on her legs and a walking stick. And there's no way she should be walking right now. And obviously it wasn't walking the way you and me do, but she walked into the house, doesn't really want our help, sits down, tells us, you know, her story. And we're obviously, you know, telling her how sorry we are, how we're excited to support her. And she just, I looked at her and I said to her how impressive it was, how strong her faith is through all this.

And she was like, it really doesn't matter. She was like, I mean, stuff happens. She was like, I'll be fine. I'm going to walk again. Like just her hopes are so high. She doesn't even, I don't think much in her has changed since the incident. And if it has, it's been for the positive. So when you meet somebody like that,

it's gotta make you wanna do more. It definitely did. Once I met her, we already had had the goal of 400,000, but it really kind of ignited a fire under all of us to get behind her more looking at who she is as a person. Isn't that interesting that someone who can't move from their neck down and is in a wheelchair can roll into a room full of 270 guys and inspire them that she's the strength? Yeah.

It's pretty phenomenal. Who, who plays in this game? How's that work? Any act is I want to play throwing some pads and go hit somebody. I mean, it's fun. Throw on some pads and go hit somebody. It's some of the most fun that I've ever had and I enjoy playing every year. And we got to get more numbers out this year though. It's always fun having as many people as possible. We have fun at practice.

It's not really serious. We're goofing around, but it's all tough love when it comes to charity ball. Is the game a game? I mean, is it a real game or is it a bunch of dumb drunk idiots bouncing off each other? No, there's a lot of preparation. We practice for four weeks and everybody's really focused in on it. They'll start getting back in the gym, running a little bit, trying to get in shape. But, uh, I mean, you still got some guys,

they'll go three or four plays and they have to come out cause they're out of breath. I mean, but it's going to be like that, but everybody really enjoys it. So are you coached up? Yeah, we are super coached up. Prices are intense. I would say more intense than some of my high school prices. We'll set up the pads and go head on head and just... So we're taking this thing seriously.

Oh yeah, because we don't want to lose or own a vet for sure. Our last two times we've had it, SigmaCon last year had guys who were on the Ole Miss football team playing and Fido had a... He was like, he's why they won. And he was like a seventh year, maybe I think he had done a tour. He was, I think he was around 24 years old, had done a tour overseas with the Marines and was running back from this. We walk out, we walk out on the football field and this guy's tatted full sleeves

down the arms, looking at us like this way bigger than anybody else on the field. Yeah, 6'5", like 250. And he's the reason they won, scoring every touchdown for them. And everyone thought that this guy, even though he was the best player out there, he was the nicest to all of our players. Yeah, I mean, he knew he was much better than everybody else. He came out there with the Ole Miss-issued helmet. And I'm going to have to tackle this guy. He knew he was much better by else. He came out there with the Ole Miss issued helmet and, uh, thinking I'm going to have to tackle this guy. I don't think anyone could, I don't think anybody saw him at practice any of the weeks for anything, but he showed up on game day and everybody's like, who's this

guy? That's hilarious. All right. So you said choose, how do you choose a recipient? People nominate them, nominate these recipients. Does how do you choose a recipient? People nominate them, nominate these recipients. How do you choose them? So they'll put up a recipient, they'll put a description of their story, their age, what they're trying to accomplish, everything. What's happened to them, I guess. What's happened to them, yeah. And then the philanthropy chairs will go in front of the

chapter, create a slideshow, explain each recipient, their story, what's happened to them. And it's a vote between the whole chapter on who we choose. And then once that's decision, it's, it's a lot, it's that's a game on and we're gone. Yeah. What? All right. So, and you play this thing like in the football stadium.

Yep. How many people show up to these games? A couple thousand usually every year. And Ole Miss lets us use the press box too. So we always get three of the funnier, more energetic guys in the chapter to be up there announcing. And that's always fun. Everyone always likes that.

And yeah, that's pretty much it. All right, so, Charity Ball, in honor of Chuckie Mullins, you have now for 30 something years raised, what'd you say, $3.5 million total? Yeah. So far. And you're gonna try to raise $400 this year.

All for someone who's also suffered paralysis. Yeah. Total? Yeah. So far. You're going to try to raise 400 this year. All for someone who's also suffered paralysis and is a quadriplegic, I guess, like Chuckie did, but someone else. And then you said also some of the money goes to the McGee Center. What is that? Yeah. So William McGee went to Ole Miss and struggled with addiction throughout his years in college. At 23 he relapsed and had an accidental overdose.

And his dad is, runs the William McGee Center. And when we were pledges, there's these meetings that freshmen have to go to and he spoke at two or three of them and is about Drug abuse. Yeah and super smart guy. He like super informative all the stuff that he talked about and the William & Gee Center was created by his dad after his passing and It is for mental health, drug abuse, education, it's on campus, it's free. You can go, if you're struggling, anyone can go and get the help they need from this.

And honestly, I think drug abuse has always been an issue. I think it's just progressively getting worse, but I think mental health definitely with our generation is worse than any other. So to have an organization like that on campus that can support people going through that is really helpful. So how much do you give to that thing every year?

Depends on how much we raise. So we gave them 25,000 last year. Wow, in addition to all this money for the recipient. Yeah. All right, and then you said something about the Manning something? Yeah, the Manning Foundation, they support the Blarrey Batson's Children's Hospital

in Jackson, and I mean, who can't get behind helping some kids who are going through something, who are hurt, so all that money goes to the Children's Hospital. How much do you give to them? Last year, we gave them 10,000. All right. So a bunch of college guys on a fraternity

are getting together, playing a football game in honor of a fallen football hero to raise money for a quadriplegic, the McGee Center to help people struggling with drug abuse or mental health. And then the McGee, the Manning Foundation for a Children's Hospital. Yeah. That does not feel animal house to me, guys.

Not really, no. What's it feel like to be, what's it feel like to do this work? It's rewarding for sure. like to be? What's it feel like to do this work? It's rewarding for sure. I mean, it's it's definitely awesome to feel like that you were a piece in the big puzzle of helping somebody that really needs it. And so I think it's just rewarding for everybody and it's it's very we feel very accomplished every year after we do it because all of us came together to help somebody in more need than we

than we are and so it's a good feeling and I live in really close to the children's hospital in Jackson and Manning's had just built a brand new children's hospital down there. I mean it's huge it's super nice and we I feel like it's very accomplishing to feel that we help do that. That's pretty cool. very accomplishing to feel that we help do that. That's pretty cool. We'll be right back. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show,

where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs and more. series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know,

follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near, right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some FOKs, friends of Katie's, to help me out like

Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Ested Herndon. But we're also gonna have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee, Roy Wood Jr., and Charlamagne the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people.

So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. My podcast, When You're Invisible, is my love

letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped my life. I get to talk to a lot of people who form the backbone of our society, but who have never been interviewed before. Season two is all about community

organizing and being underestimated. All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it. organizing and being underestimated. All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it. I can't have more than $2,000 in my bank account or else I can't get disability benefits.

They won't let you succeed. I know we get paid to serve you guys, but like be respectful. We're made out of the same things, bone, body, blood. It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the lesson and I'm also the testament. Listen to When You're Invisible as part of the MyCultura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired, depressed, a little bit revolutionary? Consider this, start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There are 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete.

Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emanuel. I am the Queen of La Donia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capriberg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Montonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition. Well, why can't I create my own country? My forefathers did that themselves.

What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory. I was making a rocket with the black powder, you know, with explosive warhead. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Bullet holes Bullets.

We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What is it that you want people to know? You're talking right now to thousands and thousands of thousands of people, they're gonna hear this,

you know, in a few weeks from now. What do you want people to know? What do you want people to know about you? What do you want people to know about the work you're doing? When people hear a bunch of fraternity kids from Ole Miss are raising money, you know, that is not really the story. The story is so much deeper than that as we've discussed today. What do you want people to know? I guess that fraternities, you know, if done correctly, can be just as much help as any other

big nonprofit or philanthropists. I mean, most of the stuff we do, obviously they have fun, but most of the stuff we do is to help other people. And at least what I've seen a lot of the struggle with raising money is a lot of people don't want to give to a fraternity. That's what I was wondering. I don't when we're doing these big ass that I was telling you about. I don't mention anything about a fraternity in the email that I send them to meet with them, because if I mention a fraternity, it might be kind of off putting to them. Because if I mention a fraternity, it might be kind of off putting to them. And even if they weren't a fraternity, they might be like, oh, well, that's not the fraternity I was a part of.

So I don't want to donate to it. Charity Bowl, it's a bunch of Sigma news that hold it. And we put it together, but it doesn't have anything to do with Sigma new. Like if you, I mean, if the leukemia and lymphoma society, which is like one of the biggest nonprofits in the U S if it was the leukemia and lymphoma society for sigma new, they probably wouldn't have raised a billion dollars by now, you know, and it's still accomplishing the same goal.

And I had a guy this year who I reached out to, who I'd reached out to, um, for the leukemia and lymphoma society, actually in high school, and he donated 35,000 and this year I reached out to him for charity bowl and I don't know for sure but I think part of the reason that he's not as inclined to be a part of it is because it has something to do with the fraternity, as do most people. So what you want people to know is just because you hear the word fraternity doesn't mean animal house. Right. I want people to get past the stereotypes because there is a lot more to it. But people don't think that. But I want to prove them wrong when it comes to

stuff like charity, but we're showing them how much money we can raise. So maybe in the future, they can think about more donating because they realize what we can do with it and that we're not using it just for a party. Hey, driver over there. Yeah, you, I got a question for you. You're a pledge. You're a freshman, right? What's your, what's your major? You're a pledge you're a freshman right? What's your major? Political science so when When they said to you hey, we got this charity bowl game you got to go raise money. What'd you think? Really What about the rest of the class?

We all are pretty excited about raising money. A lot of people are, they've raised a lot of money so far, so I think we're pretty excited about it. We got one pledge that's raised 7,200. What? Himself. You got a pledge that's done what? Raised 7,200. Himself?

Yeah. And nobody's making him do that. No, his older brother's raised 5,000, he's in our chapter as well. That is just phenomenal. A bunch of fraternity kids in school run around raising money for a woman who was like you said and in flash of an instant one day her life changed completely. Alright, so I guess there needs to be a reveal here is that I was once a really crappy football

coach. Yeah. I guess there needs to be a reveal here. And the reveal is to all our listeners, I was a sick manu when this thing was started at Ole Miss. It's one of the reasons why I want to do this show because I really want to support these guys. And honestly, it's one of the things I'm most proud about that we did when we were kids back in college that it's still going strong. And we were raising 20,000, $25,000. These kids are talking about 400,000. So if you're an alum of fraternity, this is a great way to give back. And one of the ways I give back to it is, Jagger, I've actually coached you. And hopefully we'll be coaching again. What's it like to be a kid in college and be coached by an alum of a fraternity raising

money? It's got to be kind of an interesting dynamic. Oh yeah. I mean, it's different. You know, I probably didn't think you were too much of a football coach. You're probably just trying to help out, but you know, I think you're all right when it comes to coaching. Thanks so much. You might as well throw Carl Diffie out there. Yeah. Coach Bill and Coach Diffie. I need more playing time this year, Carl. Carl Diffie is another alum who also gives us time

and coaches and he's, like me, was a high school football coach for a living at one time in his life. He's not just rolling out there, he's pretty good at the X's and O's. So you're actually gonna, on a national podcast lobby for more playing time from coach Diffie. Yeah, I'm asking for more playing time. Okay, so make sure you hear the call. If you heard that

Jagger wants me on the field more. How is alumni support? Are you getting alumni support? Are you getting donations from them? And if you're not, shame them. We have a contact list. And so any guy that's looking to raise money, it's easy for them to do it with our contact list. It's alumni that have donated in the past and we get them to donate again this year. And most of them when you reach out, but most of the reasons some don't donate money is because they're not reached out to. Sammy Sliman, who started was one of my roommates.

He started Charity Bowl with you and Kalko, right? So I was looking through the list last year and I saw that no one had reached out to Sammy Sliman yet and he had gotten the executive sponsorship every year prior that he had been reached out. So I emailed him the next day he bought an executive sponsorship. That's it. By the way, if Sammy's listening, he ran about a 4-6 back in the day or as our tailback, he was a good player.

Fast guy. Did Kwaka play? What's up? Did Kwaka play? Kwaka was our first coach. Really? John Kwaka, who is now the chief of police of Tupelo, Mississippi, actually was our first coach and he played high school ball, but he coached

and Samuel Stalback, I played for safety and we thumped the fight outs. And Coach Brewer was there and that was the beginning of it all. So yeah, it was a lot of fun. We'll be right back. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together.

You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near, right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some FOKs, friends of Katie's to help me out like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Ested Herndon, but we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron.

But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee, Roy Wood Jr., and Charlemagne the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you.

Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all, I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. My podcast, When You're Invisible, is my love letter to the working class people and immigrants who shaped my life. I get to talk to a lot of people who form the backbone of our society, but who have

never been interviewed before. Season 2 is all about community, organizing, and being underestimated. All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it. I can't have more than $2,000 in my bank account, or else I can't get disability benefits. They won't let you succeed. I know we get paid to serve you guys, but like, be respectful.

We're made out of the same things. Bone, body, blood. It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the lesson and I'm also the testament. Listen to When You're Invisible as part of the MyCultura podcast network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired? Depressed? A little bit revolutionary?

Consider this. Start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel. I am the Queen of La Donia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capriberg.

I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Montonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition. Why can't I create my own country? My forefathers did that themselves. What could go wrong? No country willingly gives up their territory. I was making a rocket with the black powder, you know, with explosive warheads. Oh my God. What is that?

Bullets. Bullets. We need help! We still have the off-road portion to go. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. And we're losing daylight fast. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know, it has been said that a serious form of flattery is when somebody copies you. So Charity Bowl started all these years ago, but I understand now there's actually other

fraternities on other campuses who have taken a Page out of your guys playbook and are doing this again. They're doing this as well. Can't say get state started to do it after us and Credit where credits do they've be our record of raising money last year. How much do they raise? They raise I think 350 Wow So that's another reason why the goal is 400. Because we can't let Kappa Sig and Mississippi State out there and start the event beat us. Did they really? They raised $350,000. They did a really good job. Did they? Is Kappa Sig's at Mississippi State? Yeah. Shout out to those guys. Good for them.

Are they doing it for the same type of recipients? Yeah, they're doing it for a recipient with paralysis, but I don't know if they're just doing paralysis or if they're funding a school in Africa. So a fun connection you could bring up, Joe and Kelly Clark, Carson's son is at that chapter. You're kidding me. Guess we've had on the show who do amazing things. Their son is a member of Cap Siig at Mississippi State. And so they're raising money for a school in Africa? Yeah, they actually went there and built it too over the spring break or summer. You're kidding me.

Yeah. Actually, I went to high school with a Cap Siig at Mississippi State and he did that trip to Africa where they built a school. In Africa. In Africa. And now they do charity bowl to raise money to build a school in Africa and then they go build a school in Africa. As a chat, as like a bunch of their active members, yeah. That is phenomenal.

I know. Anybody else you know of doing a charity bowl? I saw Mississippi State is the only other one that I know of. Really? Did you say something about Georgia doing it? I thought I had heard before Georgia or somewhere other one that I know of. Really? Did you say something about Georgia doing it? I thought I had heard before Georgia or somewhere else, but I could be wrong. That's unbelievable. Yeah, I mean, if you guys are the founders and this is your deal, you can't have Kappa

Sig copy you and then smoke you at your own idea. Step up. Even though it's not a competition, it slightly is. Even though it should be a competition, it's not about that. It's still a little bit about that. A little bit of a competition. What makes it good because it keeps people inclined. It raises the bar for everybody. Yeah, exactly. It's awesome. All right, Jagger, you've played two years? It's been my third year this year. It will be your third year. All right. There's got to be some during the games or practices

or something, there's gotta be something that people would love to hear about this game. Besides the fact that a military vet tied it up, finned sleeves that played football for Ole Miss came out and ran all over the top of a bunch of fraternity kids one day. That's pretty funny. But yeah.

What, what, I mean, what happens? What's the game like? It's, it's, I will say this, the officiating is not like a real football game. There's hitting after the play is, it is the, it is the nastiest football game that you will ever watch. I mean, there's the fish, the officials don't throw any flags, so there's no rules. And people poking eyes, grabbing after the play, hitting. Last year we played Sigma Chi and we broke both their quarterbacks. We broke bones on both of them.

One of them broke his leg, one of them broke his collarbone within the first half. I mean, it is there's. So it's a real physical good after it's the most physical football game I've ever played. And I've played football my entire life. It really is fans get into it. Oh yeah. I mean, you got one or our students, student section would be our active chapter on one side and the other side of the stadium will be their student

section. There's just chanting across to each other. They're talking trash from the stands to players on the field. I mean, it's, it's intense. I bet it's fun to go to. It is so much fun. So I guess we ought to say this to anybody in Oxford that's listening to us, buy a ticket and go. It's worth the price of admission.

It really is worth it. The $10 ticket is, is, it's very entertaining. Do the, uh, do some of the homeless players show up and hang out and watch? Yeah, they'll come stand on the sideline and watch us. Dora and a couple other guys were watching the game yesterday. Jackson Dart was? Yeah, last year on the sideline. Lane Kiffman came and did the coin toss before the game.

Really? It was awesome, yeah. So it's a community thing. Lane gave the winning team, he gave, he said the winning team could have one player try out for the football team, get a walk-on spot. And our best player played quarterback and he decided not to take it, but Lane offered that up, a a walk on spot. And our best player played quarterback and he decided not to take it.

But Lane offered that up, a walk on spot. He says one player off the winning team can come walk on and try to walk on the football team. Yeah, and our quarterback, he's a great player. He came from community college playing quarterback and he was by far the best player on the field. He decided not to take it, but Lane gave him that offer. That's hilarious.

He's been wanting to get more involved. I think he mentioned something last year, didn't work out about the winning team doing something at the spring game. Cause they do the spring games now differently. It's a flag football game. They do a dunk contest, Joey Chestnut did the hot dog eating. It's where he said maybe the winning team

could come out and do something. Come out and do something like maybe scrimmage some second team guys on the Ole Miss football team. Oh my God. That's what he was talking about. Flag football. You know, if that happened, you could do some fundraising around that too. We could. We could.

Very cool. All right. You said something about a website. What is it? Or a page or something? We're using a new website this year called Give Butter. It's kind of just what it's called. Give Butter. It's like butter. Yeah. It's like the name.

That's the worst name I've ever heard in my life. Give Butter. It's kind of just a more fancy GoFundMe. It's good. All right. I'm sure people hearing me know what Give Butter is. Alex probably knows what Give Butter is, but I don't know. But anyway, go ahead. It's a more fancy version of go fund me. So we have the video.

We have a video of you and then Hannah Johnston talking, explaining charity bowl. Then we have a description of what charity bowl is. And then below is every single person in the chapter has an account. So we'll say Jagger Mooney ham, and then we'll say how much money Jagger Mooney Ham's raised and then we'll say our total raised above that and you can see people can choose to make their donation anonymous but you can see everyone's donation on there. They can write a message, they can submit their ad on the website and it kind of just makes it a lot easier to risk. So anybody listening to us that says, okay, I want to support these goofy guys in their football game, but more importantly,

I want to give to Hannah, the McGee Center, all that. Where do they go? Can we put a link in the video? Yeah, you can, but tell me where. People listen. We'll put a link in the description of the video at the beginning of it for anyone to click on and they can just donate right from there.

What's it called? It's givebutter.com slash charity bowl. Givebutter.com slash charity bowl. Yep. And people can go there and give money and Jagger Tess said if you wanna click on his name to give him credit for it. Does the charity get any of this money

or is it 100% pass through? 100% pass through. Nothing. Nothing. Not a percentage. Not a small P&E for administration or anything. Nothing. What about the charity bowl party? Just nothing.

Nothing. We really don't have a charity bowl party anymore. It's usually everyone will just- I didn't know there was a charity bowl party. I was actually kidding, but it sounds like there was one, huh? Well, I would just kind of assume that maybe they used to throw a party back in the day for charity ball, but now people go out after and celebrate once the whole event's done. Yeah. We sell $10 tickets to it. Everybody comes to the game and goes straight to the donation too. Yeah. Just a hundred percent pass through.

So everybody can be very confident if they support this initiative. 100% of this money is gonna go support the McGee Center, the Manning Foundation, and most importantly, the bulk of the money goes to Hannah to, is Hannah right? Yes. Goes to Hannah to hopefully offset the cost

of this stem cell therapy that maybe can help her to walk again. Yeah. 100% of it, yeah. That's fantastic. Guys, thanks for having someone drive you to Memphis. Usually I say thanks for driving to Memphis, but since y'all didn't, I'll say thanks for driving them to Memphis.

It's a pleasure. Yeah, it was a pleasure. Thanks for telling the story. It's really inspiring and I hope people listening. Guys, look, we talk about an Army of Normal folks all the time. How much more normal can it be than a bunch of college kids getting together? But what's abnormal is they're trying to raise $400,000 for a quadriplegic who herself served the neediest among her world.

This is what an Army of Normal Folks is about. Let's support these kids. Let's let them have a great event and hopefully do some good for a young woman who, it seems like if she was on the other foot, she'd be one of the first people to jump in and help with the charity ball. Giving her the opportunity to be a recipient and showing her mercy and

help is certainly worth having. Guys, thanks for driving to Memphis. Thanks for joining me. Thanks for having us. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for joining us this week. If Jagger or Julian or other guests have inspired you in general or better yet, by donating

to the Sigma Nu Charity Bowl, attending it, or something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to hear about it. You can write me anytime at bill at normalfolks.us and I promise you, I will respond. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends, share it on social, subscribe to the podcast, go online and rate it, review it, join the army at normalfolks.us,

consider becoming a premium member there. Do any and all of these things that will help us grow, an army of normal folks. Guys, the more members, the more impact. Thanks to our producer, Iron Light Labs. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about.

It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch right in time for a new season of my podcast, Next Question. I'm bringing in some FOKs, friends of Katie's, to help me out like Ezra Klein, Jen Psaki, Astead Herndon. But we're also gonna have some fun thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee and Charlemagne

the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Check out our new season of Next Question with Me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. I'm Maria Fernanda Diaz. When You're Invisible is my love letter to the working-class people and immigrants who shaped me. Season 2 shares stories about community and being underestimated. All the greatest changes have happened when a couple of people said, this sucks, let's do something about it. We get paid to serve you, but we're made out of the same things.

It's rare to have black male teachers. Sometimes I am the testament. Listen to When You're Invisible on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. We have 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not.

No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. We need help! That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.