Until the George Floyd civil uprising, most Minnesotans knew WCCO-TV’s Mike Max as the Gaylord, Minnesota, native who had all the best hunting spots in Minnesota and the Dakotas and the home phone numbers of every high school sports coach in Minnesota. His folksy patter, combined with an intriguingly elegant wardrobe, always made for a fascinating contrast. But when the unrest roiled the city, Max was pulled into streetside coverage and showed himself to be an aggressive and ingenious reporter. His knack for talking to just about anyone made his interviews compelling, while his fearlessness in the face of tear gas, bullets, and fire made an indelible impression. He expects 2021 to be more sports-driven, but he notes, “If they riot, I’ll be back out there.”