(lively music) - Polka is an upbeat, happy, and sometimes eccentric form of music and dance.

We use it to explore the world around us.

For today's episode, that means winter sports.

You're watching a very cold presentation of "The World According to Polka."

(wind swooshing) (mischievous music) When you think of winter weather, you might think about stuff like this.

(snowmobile roaring) (shovel scratching) Or you might be thinking about activities like these.

(snow whirring) We've got a special show for you today all about winter sports designed to pull you out of the doldrums caused by the ice and the snow.

Because whether you're competing in the Winter Games or enjoying the fun in your own backyard, this season has a lot of unique opportunities and a lot of unique music to go along with it from the Chardon Polka Band and some amazing guest performers, like the London Essentials, Esther Fitz, The Okee Dokee Brothers, and Cory Wong and the Wongnotes.

And we're getting things started with a classic polka.

You may have heard years ago from Frankie Yankovic.

♪ Let's go skiing, let's go skiing ♪ ♪ Let's go skiing in the morning ♪ ♪ Let's go skiing, you and me-ing ♪ ♪ No one is seeing if you're yawning ♪ ♪ Oh, let's go skiing, bend zee knee-ing ♪ ♪ Let's go fleeing through the powder ♪ ♪ Now is the season, this is the reason ♪ ♪ We all wanna yodel louder ♪ First we schuss and then we run a giant slalom ♪ ♪ Run a giant slalom, run a giant slalom ♪ ♪ Maybe we will make the social column ♪ ♪ If we favor you and I ♪ So everybody let's go skiing, let's go skiing ♪ ♪ Let's go skiing on the mountain ♪ ♪ Let's go skiing, you and me-ing ♪ ♪ Let's all go, go skiing (lively music) ♪ Woo-Hoo (lively music continues) (lively music continues) ♪ First we schuss and then we ride a giant slalom ♪ ♪ Run a giant slalom, run a giant slalom ♪ ♪ Maybe we will make the social column ♪ ♪ If we favor you and I ♪ Everybody, let's go skiing ♪ Let's go skiing ♪ Let's go skiing on the mountain ♪ ♪ Let's go skiing, you and me-ing ♪ ♪ Let's all, go, go skiing Skiing is one of the oldest sports in the world, perhaps the universe, with the oldest known skis dating back somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 BC.

Those skis were discovered in Russia.

The word ski comes from the old Norse word skid, meaning stick of wood.

It's no surprise that skiing played an important role in the very first Winter Olympic Games back in 1924.

And when a lot of folks think about skiing, they're thinking about downhill skiing or alpine skiing.

Yes, Medieval Norwegians would be proud to hear about daring athletes strapping planks of wood to their feet and descending from mountaintops.

Now just imagine that in addition to that, these athletes also carried instruments and played them as they descended these slopes.

Well, our European friends, the London Essentials have done just that.

♪ One, two, three, four ♪ You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar ♪ ♪ When I met you ♪ I picked you out, I shook up and turned you around ♪ ♪ And turned you into something new ♪ ♪ Now five years later on, you've got the world at your feet ♪ ♪ Success has been so easy for you ♪ ♪ And don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now ♪ ♪ And I could put you back down too ♪ - [Skier] Put down the weight!

♪ Don't, don't you want me?

♪ You know I can't believe it when I hear ♪ ♪ That you won't see me ♪ Don't, don't you want me?

♪ You know I don't believe it ♪ When you say that you don't need me ♪ ♪ It's much too late to find ♪ And then you've changed your mind ♪ ♪ You better change it back, or we will both be sorry ♪ ♪ Don't you want me, baby - Whoa!

♪ Don't you want me?

Oh ♪ Don't you want me, baby - Come on.

We're nearly there.

♪ Don't you want me?

Oh ♪ I was working as a waitress in this cocktail bar ♪ ♪ That much is true ♪ Oh yeah ♪ You know, but even then ♪ I knew I'd find a much better place ♪ ♪ Either with or without you ♪ You know, those five years that we have had ♪ ♪ Have been such good times, yeah ♪ ♪ But I still love you ♪ She still loves you ♪ But now I think it's time I live my life on my own ♪ ♪ I guess it's just what I must do ♪ ♪ Everybody dance now ♪ Don't, don't you want me ♪ You know I can't believe it when I hear ♪ ♪ That you won't see me ♪ Don't, don't you want me ♪ You know I don't believe it ♪ When you say that you don't need me ♪ ♪ It's much too late to find ♪ And then you've changed your mind ♪ ♪ You'd better change it back, or we will both ♪ ♪ Don't you want me, baby - Ow!

♪ Don't you want me ♪ Don't you want me?

Oh ♪ Don't you want me, baby - Oh my god.

Don't you want me?

♪ Don't you want me?

Oh ♪ Hey (lively music) (snow whirring) (audience applauding) - Woo-hoo-hoo!

Thank you, Verbier!

(snow whirring) (audience cheering) - That was The London Essentials taking their music to the extreme out on the slopes.

These guys embody the phrase anything goes.

They take their music across the globe, from Moscow to Singapore, from LA to Sydney.

They've even played for Prince Charles.

You guys gotta check 'em out.

And now we're gonna turn our attention from the snow to the ice.

For almost as long as the natural world has presented us with winter, humankind has sought to tame these elements and overcome these icy obstacles.

And what better way to overcome icy obstacles than with brooms?

Alright, so now we're gonna talk about curling, because I'm here with my buddy, Bob Obrovac.

- You got it, Jake.

- In Warrensville Heights.

- Yeah.

- At the Mayfield Curling Club.

- [Bob] Dude, you've got it.

- You guys might not know this, but we have curling in our backyard.

You might have curling in your backyard no matter where you live, because curling is the thing, right?

- It's one of the fastest growing sports in the country.

Absolutely, Jake, it is all around- - In which country?

- The USA.

USA, baby.

- Really?

- Yep.

Yep.

- 'Cause when I think about curling, I'm thinking of the Canadians.

- Canadians, well, a lot of curling happens there, but comes from Scotland originally.

- Really?

- Back in the 1500s, 1600s.

(pensive music) They were like, "Hey, we got ice."

- Yeah.

- We've got rocks, got some scotch.

Let's throw the rocks down the ice and see what happens.

(crowd cheering) - And you're gonna show me how it's done- - [Bob] Heck yeah we are, man.

We've got these rocks.

They're 42 pound rocks.

- Oh.

- Yeah.

They're big and heavy.

- I'm a weak guy.

- Yeah.

That's granite.

And the bottom of this thing's gonna slide on the ice.

And we gotta get this rock down over there.

In order to do that, we gotta get you to slide out.

- Wait, I have to slide?

- You're gonna slide.

- There is so much about this sport I don't know.

- It's be great.

- And I am excited for.

- Yeah.

- You've got me in these cool grippies - I got you in the cool grippies.

- And we've got the pebbled ice.

- We got this pebbled sandpaper ice.

- Okay.

- That that helps with the rocks and helps it to curl.

- How am I gonna slide?

- We're gonna put you on a piece of Teflon, we're gonna get you in this hack, and we're gonna get you to push out of this thing, and you're gonna slide out towards that blue line and you're gonna throw a rock.

Oh, we're gonna get you stabilized.

- Those are the training wheels, aren't they?

- Well, no, everyone uses 'em.

Not two, but, you know, people will use 'em.

So your right foot's gonna go right.

(laughs) There you go.

- Okay.

- As soon as you step on this thing, you're gonna be slipping and sliding all over the place, right?

- I can't wait, okay.

- You're gonna put your foot on there and then you're gonna go forward, back, and then you're just gonna push out.

- Forward, back, push out.

Alright, we ready?

- Let's do it.

(lively music) Look at that.

Not bad.

Yeah.

(laughs) That was really good.

So we're gonna try and get you to push out a couple more times.

- Forward, back- - I want you to, well, before, but- - Push off.

- There you go.

There you go, there you go.

There it is.

(chuckles) There it is.

(Bob laughing) - Okay.

- Push off.

- Oh, look at that, Jake.

(Bob and Jake laughing) There it is.

(Bob and Jake laughing) This right here is called the hack.

- At least you're not calling me that- - No, no.

You are not a hack- - This is the hack.

- That is the hack.

- I am a- - You are Jake.

- Semi Olympian Jake.

- Yeah, (laughs) that is there to give you the leverage to push out.

- Okay.

We got a 42 pound stone.

- Yep, and we got to throw it down that sheet that's 30 some yards?

Go.

There you go.

There you go.

There you go.

I handicapped you.

You knew that.

- I'm like panting.

- I know.

It's, yeah.

- It's not easy work.

- It's 42 pounds.

- All right.

Look at Bob's form.

- Yeah, that's right.

- He's like- - Look at this.

- A curling angel.

(Bob chuckling) Push off.

- There you go.

- Oh yeah, Jake, there it is.

- Look more athletic when I do it.

- But you still got momentum going, maybe even here.

Just let go of the rock.

Let it go, Jake.

Just let it go.

- Where do I go?

- Just, you keep sliding, man.

- Push off, let go of the rock.

- There it is.

Look at that.

Yeah.

(chuckles) It's going.

It's going.

Look at that.

Jake, you may get it in.

- That's my rock.

There it goes.

- Oh, sweep it in.

Sweep it in, Keith - Oh!

- Yeah.

Oh, you got it, look at that.

- I now see the target two target.

- It's called the house.

So when you're throwing that rock 150 feet down- - The house?

- You're trying to get it to land in the house as close to this center spot, the button.

- Wait, hold on.

Can you just say that again for the camera?

Are you saying Jake Kouwe sent this rock 150 feet to the end zone or house as we call it?

- Well, maybe like 140 feet, but yeah.

Yeah.

Close enough, yeah.

(chuckles) Yes, you did, Jake.

- Woo!

I saw the man enter with the broom- - [Bob] The broom.

Yep.

We were talking about the pebble ice.

- Yeah.

- What that broom is doing, it's melting those pebbles.

Your teammates would be sweeping in front of the rock to carry it further down the line.

You're getting rid of the friction.

- You're a Bob.

- I'm a Bob.

- One of my Bobs is already here.

- Oh, can we make him broom?

- I have mastered throwing that rock down there.

- Mastered.

- Everybody saw it.

It was amazing.

But I need some brooming at the end.

And I've got my teammate, Bob Buzecan.

- Mm-hmm.

- And you're gonna, Bob is gonna teach Bob how to broom.

- This is a broom, Bob.

We're gonna melt that ice.

- Yeah.

- With this broom.

- I have a broom at home that looks nothing like that.

Tell us the difference.

- So they're a little bit more firm.

There's a little bit of a abrasiveness here.

And what that's doing is it's just melting those pebbles we've talked about out on the ice.

Feel that, you're sweeping, right?

- Yeah.

- That's good sweep.

Oh, man.

You've done this before.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Oh, I've watched plenty of Olympics.

Are there style points for doing fancy stuff with it or?

- Hard, Bob!

- Hard!

- Hard.

Hard!

(broom scratching) (lively music) Not quite.

Not quite.

You hogged it, man.

You hogged it, Jake.

- I what?

- If you don't get it past this line, then it doesn't count.

It's called a hog.

- I got a better one in me.

Let me do it again.

- [Curl Player] Push, release.

- Oh, there it goes.

All, right sweep, Bob, let's sweep.

Oh, I think it's there.

We'll sweep a little more.

Oh, sweep behind it so we stop it.

Sweep behind.

- Wait, what?

- That doesn't do anything.

That doesn't do anything.

(laughing) - Huh, it went past it.

- Yeah.

You threw it a little- - Guys, no, you guys broomed it too.

- (chuckles) We swept it.

We could've swept it, so that's the thing.

- This was called hogging it.

- Yeah.

- What do you call that if you overshoot?

- Not very good.

(Bob O. and Bob B. Laughing) - And release.

- Oh, he, oh, oh.

That's cool.

I think that one's... I don't know if we need to sleep that one- - We don't need to sweep anything anything.

- That that one's going through.

- Oh.

Oh, Bob, we gotta sweep.

- He's gonna hog it.

- He's gonna hog it.

- [Bob] He's hogging it hard.

(group laughing) - Oh, that's pretty good.

(stone rumbling) (brooms scratching) - Oh.

- Yeah!

Oh, so, hey, we got something really cool here.

You've got a biter man.

- What does that mean, Bob?

So, (chuckles) literally, any part of it just needs to be in there.

So if you look down from top, beautiful.

That's a biter.

That counts.

- We'll take it.

- Let's go, Bob!

(mischievous music) Wow, nailed it!

(laughing) Whatever color is closest to the center, that team scores.

- We've swept, we've thrown with Bob the curler.

- That's right.

- But now we're gonna join the two Bobs.

Not you, Bob, the other two Bobs in your, what do you call it, the break room, the lounge?

- [Bob] The warm room.

The t - [Jake] The warm room, which is a bar.

- That's right.

- Because if you're gonna curl, you're probably gonna drink libations.

- You're gonna broom stack.

That's part of it.

You sit down with the team you just played and you celebrate the game, and you have a drink with each other.

♪ They come to me and they start to cry ♪ ♪ Say ya gotta do something about this guy ♪ ♪ They say take this sword I say thanks a lot ♪ ♪ But I do all right with the sling i got ♪ ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone hand me a stone ♪ ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone ♪ ♪ Stone that I can hold ♪ Stone that I can throw ♪ Someone gimme a stone someone gimme a stone ♪ ♪ Never had to fight such a real big man ♪ ♪ Give me that stone and I'll do what i can ♪ ♪ He won't be laughing when I put out his eye ♪ ♪ Then he'll fall and then he will die ♪ ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone gimme a stone ♪ ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone ♪ ♪ Stone that i can hold ♪ Stone that i can throw ♪ Someone gimme a stone someone gimme a stone ♪ (lively music) ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone that I can throw ♪ ♪ Someone gimme a stone gimme a stone ♪ ♪ A stone that I can hold ♪ Stone that I can throw ♪ Someone gimme a stone someone gimme a stone ♪ (lively music) (crowd applauding and cheering) You know, I hope you enjoyed that trip to the Mayfield Curling Club.

And activities like curling or skiing, they take some specialized equipment and a little bit of training.

But now we're gonna look at one of the simplest winter sports there is.

Yes.

We're going to talk about sledding.

And to go sledding, sure, it's cool if you have one of these store-bought sleds or tubes, but you don't even need that.

You can use the lid of a trash can or anything else you can find to get down that hill.

And our next musical guests are going to demonstrate that.

They're called The Okee Dokee Brothers.

They're two guys who met in Denver, Colorado, and they're all about enjoying the great outdoors with whatever you have available.

♪ One two three ♪ Let the wind and the rain and the hail blow high ♪ ♪ And the ice come a travellin' through the sky ♪ ♪ Old Jack Frost and the Winter Queen ♪ ♪ Would blow into town and get the people to sing ♪ ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ (lively music) ♪ That Winter Queen came from the snow ♪ ♪ Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes ♪ ♪ Jack jumped up to swing her about ♪ ♪ They did a little dance and then they'd shout ♪ ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ (lively music) ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ ♪ Hey hey ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ (group chattering) - This duo is all about getting outside no matter the season and loving what you find out there.

And they love it so much that they've created wonderful music about it.

And they share that music with us through specials, albums, books, it's fun for the whole family.

And I want you guys to go check out The Okee Dokee Brothers.

We love these guys so much that we're gonna feature more of their music later.

But first, we have to meet some other hairy critters that also enjoy sledding.

In fact, our next furry friends thrive in temperatures as low as negative 76 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let's meet some furry friends and the humans that love them as we explore the sport of dog sledding.

Now there's something I never thought I'd say on "The World According to Polka."

(lively music) All right, so I'm here with my new friend Karen Pajestka.

And who is this, Karen?

- This is Bonnie.

- This is Bonnie.

- This is Bonnie.

- So, Karen, tell me you are a dog musher, which means what?

- We mush these guys.

We run them.

They love it.

We hook 'em to the sled right here and they take off.

- [Jake] Tell me about Bonnie and her brothers and sisters.

What kind of dogs are we mushing today?

- These guys are full-bred Siberian Huskies.

- Siberia?

- Yep.

Yep.

Siberia.

- Doesn't get any more winter fun than that.

- No, they love it.

Yeah.

They are bred to run long distances.

- Yeah.

- And haul a lot of freight.

These guys are working dogs.

- Okay.

- This is what they're bred for, to work.

They have a top coat that will catch the water and the snow.

But it won't ever go under into the undercoat.

- It's so thick.

- So, yeah.

- It's so thick.

- So they could be covered in snow.

- Yeah.

- A shake, and they're completely dry.

They'll never get frostbite.

It's part of their DNA.

So they don't.

- Hey Bonnie.

- So they don't get cold.

They don't feel it.

- Oh my goodness, Bonnie.

These creatures are just so beautiful and they are so happy to be helping us today.

I love that so much.

- They love people.

They're a happy dog.

I mean, we got into this for the love of the dog.

This is what they love to do.

They just love to run.

- [Jake] They look like they're having so much fun.

- They won't come in the house.

That's fun.

And I love the winter.

So it's something to get me out with my dogs to enjoy the winter.

- Do I have to say anything or they just go?

- They will go, but- - They know.

- Yeah.

let's go, Clyde!

Come, Clyde, come on!

(sled clattering) Yeah.

(chuckles) (sled clattering) How fun was that?

- That was- - Bob, bring the sled around- - Incredible.

I had no idea they were gonna go that fast.

- Oh yeah.

They were running, weren't they?

Hike, hike, hike, hike, hike, hike, hike.

(sled clattering) - 'Cause you're a little shorter and Benji will be... (lively music) Do I have to say hike or anything?

- [Karen] Okay.

Go whatever.

- Let's go.

- Look at them go.

- [Jake] Say cowabunga.

(sled clattering) - All right.

All right.

- You guys have fun?

- Nah, he's smiling.

- All right.

- You like it.

All right, you guys.

(sled scratching and clattering) - [Person] Good job.

- [Person] Good job, let's go!

- [Karen] Good job.

- [Person] Good job.

- That's Katrina.

She's Clyde's mama.

And this is Gotti.

- They're so fluffy.

- And then Bonnie and Sundae in the car.

- Their ear tips are the softest, they're the best.

They're so soft.

- Do you wanna touch 'em?

- They're so fluffy- (speakers drowning out one another) - The inside of your coat has insulation.

See all this white fluffy stuff, that's their insulation.

- Here.

- That's a nice one.

- Really, really warm.

- Those are neat.

- I mean, so many people dislike this time of year.

What is it about winter that makes you enjoy yourself?

- You just have to embrace it.

It's cool, it's crisp, it's clean.

Being out here in the woods with these dogs is amazing.

I wouldn't have any other thing to do.

Why sit in the house all day in the winter when you can be out here enjoying the weather?

- I got to ride the sled.

We saw Karen in action.

We even got my kids out there.

Thank you for sharing this experience with us.

And these beautiful dogs.

Thank you so much, Bonnie.

That was incredible.

Ladies and gentlemen, you gotta check out mushing for yourself.

It's incredible, and it might just be happening in your own backyards.

(pensive music) - I'll be right back!

- For indigenous cultures in Arctic regions dating back thousands of years, mushing was a crucial part of existence with their dogs being seen as true companions, representing strength and resilience.

We've got a song for you inspired by this dog-sledding adventure.

And it's gonna feature my good friend, Songstress Esther Fitz.

(lively music) ♪ Come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ ♪ Everybody, come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ ♪ Woo ♪ Everybody's building ships and boats ♪ ♪ Some are building monuments ♪ Others just jotting down notes ♪ ♪ Everybody's in despair, every girl and boy ♪ ♪ But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here ♪ ♪ Everybody's gonna jump for joy and cry out ♪ ♪ Come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ (lively music) ♪ I like to do just like the rest ♪ ♪ I like my sugar sweet ♪ But dotting fumes and makin' haste ♪ ♪ It ain't my cup of meat ♪ Everybody beneath the trees ♪ Feedin' pigeons on the limb ♪ But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here ♪ ♪ All the pigeons gonna run to him and cry out ♪ ♪ Come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ (lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ ♪ We're singin' it ♪ Come all without ♪ Come all within ♪ You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn ♪ (lively music) - That was "The Mighty Quinn."

A tune that I believe was originally recorded by Manfred Mann back in the day.

But The Chardon Polka Band recorded it with our good friend Esther Fitz.

She's an amazing songstress from right here in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area.

Now we couldn't talk about all these winter sports without mentioning the Winter Olympics.

Like their summertime counterpart, the Games are an international multi-sport event.

Athletes gather from around the globe to compete together on the snow and ice.

All of these activities that we're showing you on today's program have either been in the Winter Games themselves or have been a featured demonstration at a Winter Olympics in the past.

I wanted to celebrate the Winter Olympics with a song, so I have dialed up Michael Corey, the Chardon Polka Band's auxiliary trumpet player, and a dedicated athlete himself.

I wanted to see if he would be up for the challenge.

And you know what?

This talented young man certainly was.

(audience cheering) (lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Three, four (lively music) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) (lively music) That was our good friend Michael Corey out there carrying the Olympic torch with us.

A torch that stands for freedom and polka.

Wasn't that touching?

And now we've gotta get back out there on the ice.

Only this time we're not pushing rocks on it.

We're cutting a hole in the ice and we're going to look for fish.

All right, so we're out here to do some ice fishing.

And we got our ice fishing guide, my buddy Matt.

What's up, Matt?

- How we doing, guys?

And we got two little guys here to learn how to ice fish, who do we got here?

- Luke and Ben.

- That's right.

You guys excited to learn how to ice fish?

- Yeah.

- Mm-hmm.

- Let's do it.

So how do we get in?

- So I prefer to walk off of these docks.

It's pretty safe.

There's a little bit of water on top of the ice, but that's nothing to worry about.

But, yeah, so we got plenty of ice.

It rained the other day.

So usually it's nice when there's a little bit of snow or something on the ice, 'cause it makes a little bit more attraction, and it's a little bit easier to walk out.

What are you most excited about?

- The fishing.

- The fishing.

(ice crackling) (ice whirring) - Okay, this is my hut.

This is my living quarters for the time being while I'm on the ice.

Why do you need a hut?

- To stay warm?

- Okay.

- 'Cause the wind will get you out here.

It will make you very cold very quickly.

Typically you find a spot that you wanna go fishing.

And we use what's called an auger.

And it's basically a giant screw with very sharp ends on the end.

That is for shaving and cutting through the ice.

It's very sharp.

And each turn on this is about a half inch.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

14 turns.

That's about seven inches.

- He just opened up a hole in the ice.

That's the water.

Can we fish in this hole?

- You can fish in this hole.

You could fish in that hole.

You could drill your own hole.

- One, two, three.

- Four, five, six, - Am I doing it right?

- No.

- What am I doing wrong?

- Push.

- Oh, I push on this.

- Push down with this and spin with that.

(auger scratching and clattering) - It's kinda tricky to do.

(auger whining) - Yeah, I don't think you need to walk around as much as you.

Just move your arm, Benji.

Yeah.

Go, go, buddy.

- (indistinct) The bottom.

- Tell me, why do you come out here in the middle of the winter on a frozen lake, drill holes in ice and try and catch fish that I believe you throw back anyway.

What's the point?

- I like fishing during the middle of the winter.

There's not much going on.

So nice sunny day like this, We can get out, enjoy some fresh air, get a little bit of exercise, and just get some time outdoors.

So get outta the cabin.

- Drilling a hole in the ice.

Oh, I'm through.

(auger scratching) - [Matt] Pretty much.

Yeah.

- [Jake] Now I assume the fish just jump out.

- So now we're using the scooper to get all the ice shavings outta the hole so that way my lure could go straight down with ease.

Right there is the bottom.

So we're about this this far.

So we're about seven inches of ice.

- So we actually know way more about our solar system and outer space than we do about lakes like this because we're always sending rockets and satellites into outer space to explore, but we have no idea what is at the bottom of these lakes.

And if explorers spent more time looking down instead of up, you'd find some crazy stuff right here on earth.

- So this is a real life fish finder sonar.

It shows real time.

You can actually see the fish swimming in the screen and actually chasing your bait.

- Can we see if there's any fish in there- - And we're gonna shove this down here.

And it doesn't really look like there's any fish just yet.

But you can see we're in about 16 feet of water.

Fishing lure, really small.

You know, it's cold.

They're cold.

They're not that hungry.

And so we take a little bit of worm, we put it on the end, and we put it down on a jig.

And we just drop that down the hole.

And now I put it right near the bottom.

My lure is actually moving back and forth and it's called jigging, and it's used to kind of bring attention to the lure itself, and then hopefully someone will come in and try to eat it.

- [Jake] That's why we dance and jig anyway.

Get people's attention, right, Benj?

- That's right.

- Yeah.

- Your fish finder did it.

It found a fish.

- It did.

It totally found a fish.

(lively music) (tent screeching) - Well I guess when you're ice fishing and you have to be patient waiting for the fish to bite, you gotta find ways to entertain yourselves.

Especially if you brought five-year-olds along.

There's our guide, Mr.

Matt, pulling the kids across the frozen pond.

(tent screeching) - A little too fast and a little too far.

- It wasn't that scary.

- Matt says, something's on this pole right here.

Does someone wanna try reeling it in?

Do you guys know how to a reel fishing pole in?

Do you want to try it?

Oh, Luke will try it.

- Yeah.

- Here, buddy.

- [Matt] Exactly how you do it.

(zipper zipping) - [Jake] Keep winding, buddy.

- [Matt] Keep going, keep going.

There it is.

- [Jake] Oh my goodness.

- Yes.

- You've just reeled in a fish.

- That's a fish.

- Benjamin don't like eating fish.

- [Matt] Luke caught it, so I think he gets to eat it so- - Well, Benjamin don't wanna eat the fish.

- [Matt] Are you sure?

- Yeah.

- No - Come on.

Open up.

- No I don't.

No, no.

- No?

You guys don't know what you're missing out on.

- Look at that thing - You have to cook the fish.

- [Matt] No, no, it's called sushi and they're cold blooded so they don't mind the cold water.

We call those bluegills.

- We definitely do not wanna eat a real fish.

- [Matt] No?

Okay.

- Did we have a lot of fun?

- Yes.

- And is that what it's all about?

- Yes.

- Yeah.

My sons and I had a very fun time ice fishing with our guide Matt Presti.

But perhaps we didn't have as much fun out there on the ice as our friends, The Okee Dokee Brothers, are about to have.

Because as I mentioned about these guys, if there is fun to be had outside, if you can do an activity and enjoy Mother Nature, they're gonna write a song about it.

♪ I'm alone, with me ♪ Out on the lake, together ♪ Dug a fishin hole, in the ice ♪ ♪ Only thing bitin' is the weather ♪ ♪ Sometimes I get so cold ♪ My brain starts freezin' ♪ That's when I show up ♪ And you're my voice of reason ♪ ♪ In the ice fishin' shack ♪ It isn't big but it'll do ♪ So glad I'm here ♪ Alone with you ♪ Don't fret I brought ♪ Gummy worms for the baitin' ♪ A tree branch for the rod ♪ A deck a' cards for the waitin' ♪ ♪ But I'm tired of Go Fish ♪ Then let's play Solitaire ♪ When it's me, versus me ♪ You can bet that we're a winning pair ♪ ♪ In the ice fishin' shack ♪ It isn't big but it'll do ♪ So glad I'm here ♪ Alone with you (lively music) ♪ But I love it here ♪ I don't need nobody else ♪ 'Cause I got me, and I ♪ Like to be by myself ♪ In the ice fishin' shack ♪ It isn't big but it'll do ♪ So glad I'm here ♪ Alone with you ♪ It's a crazy world ♪ It's hard to be part of humanity ♪ ♪ So I come here alone ♪ 'Cause I help me find my sanity ♪ ♪ In the ice fishin' shack ♪ It isn't big but it'll do ♪ So glad I'm here ♪ Alone with you ♪ So glad I'm here ♪ Alone - Before filming that segment and hearing that amazing song from The Okee Dokee Brothers, if you had asked me what I thought about going out on the ice and sitting in a shanty or a tent, I'd say, "That doesn't sound like fun.

It just sounds cold."

But I hope you guys are learning on the program with us today that the cold can also be fun.

And the next example of this fun also involves being out on the ice, wielding sticks and running into each other at speeds in excess of 25 miles per hour.

That's right, folks.

The Chardon Polka band is about to enter the world of professional hockey.

Today we're here with the Cleveland Monsters, an AHL hockey team right in our own backyard.

But this weekend they're actually playing as the Cleveland Pierogis because it's Cleveland.

Ice Hockey made its Olympic debut in 1920 at the Summer Olympics.

Canada took the gold medal.

It became a mainstay at the Winter Olympics starting in 1924.

- Most sports, they work in quarters or halves, you know, much like a polka.

But hockey, it has three periods, much like a waltz.

(lively music) - This is my friend, Ben and Ben is... Give us your title.

- I'm our Chief Marketing Officer for the Cleveland Monsters.

And tonight the Cleveland Pierogis.

- That's right.

They're the Pierogis tonight.

I wanna get down to just hockey in general.

- Sure.

- Why hockey?

It seems like I could get injured if I played it.

- Sure.

- And things like that.

Why do people do this?

- Yeah, when you come into a game, you see just how fast and how hard these guys play.

So you're probably right.

You and me don't belong out there on the ice, but these guys are really good.

It's unlike any other sport with, you know, how fast and physical it is.

- Yeah.

- If you come to a game, it's totally different than if you watch on TV.

I would highly recommend it.

- [Jake] Oh, these people are getting amped up.

- Absolutely.

- They're amped up.

They're, I mean, and there's polka music too.

- [Ben] There's polka music, there's fighting on occasion.

Hopefully more goals than fighting and hopefully a Monsters win tonight.

Fans are great and there's nothing like it.

- There is nothing like it, folks.

That's hockey.

Tonight it's being played right here in Cleveland, Ohio.

Thanks for joining us, Ben.

- Thanks for having me.

Go, Pierogis.

- Go Pierogis- when it comes to professional sports, you have to get people hyped up.

And a great way to get people hyped up is with hype music.

And if you're in Cleveland, Ohio, there's no better hype music than polka.

- Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

(lively music) (people chattering) (group clapping hands) - Hi, hockey means to me moments with our family.

It's just a pretty big pastime of my history.

I've watched it when I was a kid.

- I love coming to Monsters games just to hang out with my friends and just have a good time.

- Watch some good hockey, going to a shootout hopefully.

or take a win.

(lively music) (group clapping hands) (lively music continues) (group clapping hands) (lively music continues) (group clapping hands) (group applauding and cheering) - We love hockey as a family, to come here to have a good time.

(lively music) - I really like sports that are on ice.

- I like the atmosphere 'cause everyone's cheering on, so then you have a lot of fun.

(lively music) - I love watching the fighting.

(crowd cheering) - We are here at the Monsters game.

We are here with an amazing polka band.

("Who Stole the Kishka") ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ From the butcher's shop ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Someone call the cops ♪ Hey (lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Oh, they're round and firmed and fully packed ♪ ♪ Had it hanging on the rack ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ When I turned my back ♪ You can have my shaker (music drowns out Jake) ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Someone call the cops ♪ Yeah (lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ Kishka ♪ Someone stole the kishka ♪ Kishka ♪ Someone stole my kishka ♪ Kishka ♪ From the butcher shop ♪ Ah ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Someone call the cops ♪ Oh, Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Who stole the kishka ♪ Someone call the cops (lively music) (lively music continues) - In Cleveland, we got Pierogis, we got polka, we got hockey.

That's a winning combination.

You don't get that anywhere else but Cleveland.

- One thing that I love about hockey is how fast paced it is.

The puck goes zigzagging around the ice and there's nothing better than trying to follow it around when you've, you know, had a few.

(horn buzzing) Woo!

- We just showed you some professional athletes skating across the ice with amazing displays of speed and skill.

But how would you like to see a musician attempt the very same thing?

Well, we found the guy who's brave enough to try it.

Guitarist Cory Wong and his band.

(energetic music) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) ♪ Uh (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) ♪ Whoa (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) - That was Cory Wong and the Wongnotes from their winter special, "Wong on Ice."

This is something you have to watch for yourselves.

Cory Wong is a dynamic and highly skilled guitar player.

And you know what?

That guy is from Minnesota.

That's probably why he loves the cold so much.

Him and his entire band looked like they were having a blast out there on the ice.

And we hope that you guys have had a blast on today's special presentation of "The World According to Polka" and our expose on winter sports.

Because whether you are partaking in an Olympic sport like curling or skiing, or having fun out on a frozen pond, whether you're zooming down the hill on a tube or you're communing with some of your furry friends, or smashing into an opponent out there on the ice, we hope that this episode has shown you that the cold can be fun.

It can be a setting for competition or community and a way to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer.

What a truly wonderful season.

You know what, friends?

This life is just too short to spend it inside shaking a fist at the ice and snow.

We have to get outside and enjoy our time in this world.

"The World According to Polka."

♪ Lying in my bed ♪ I hear the clock tick and think of you ♪ ♪ Caught up in circles ♪ Confusion is nothing new ♪ Flashback, warm nights ♪ Almost left behind ♪ Suitcase of memories ♪ Time after ♪ Sometimes, you picture me ♪ I'm walking too far ahead ♪ You're calling to me ♪ I can't hear what you've said ♪ ♪ You say, "Go slow ♪ I fall behind ♪ The second hand unwinds ♪ If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you fall, I will catch you ♪ ♪ I will be waiting ♪ Time after time (lively music) (lively music continues) (lively music continues) ♪ If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me ♪ ♪ Time after time ♪ If you fall, I will catch you ♪ ♪ I will be waiting ♪ Time after time ♪ Time after time ♪ Time after time ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ (lively music) ♪ That Winter Queen came from the snow ♪ ♪ Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes ♪ ♪ Jack jumped up to swing her about ♪ ♪ They did a little dance and then they'd shout ♪ ♪ Keep me warm, keep me cozy ♪ My nose is red and my cheeks are rosy ♪ ♪ Wrap me up and give me a hug ♪ Keep me snug as a bug in a rug ♪ (lively music) (group chatters indistinctly) ♪ Woo