All Ball - Dametri “Da Meat Hook” Hill on Florida ‘94 Final 4, NIL, 15-year Pro Journey

In this episode, Doug is joined by University Florida hoops legend Dametri “Da Meat Hill discusses his hoops upbringing in St. Petersburg, Florida, how the ‘94 Florida team’s Final Four run came together, the birth of “Da Meat Hook” nickname, how much he could have made in today’s NIL era, his experiences as a 15-year international pro all in Israel, China and across the globe, and if his game would translate to today’s NBA.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, welcome, and I'm Doug Golly. This is all ball
and for today's all ball, I thought we'd catch up
with an o g. His dame's Dimitri Hill. You may
remember him to meet Hook at the University of Florida.
Remember that went to the final four? Had Dmeetri Hill.
Andrew Clark was another big guy at some chase down blocks. Anyway,

(00:28):
he had a really kind of fastening upbringing growing up
in St. Petersburg, made himself into a star, slowly earned
his way to being a star in college, and then
had a fifteen year career overseas. If you really want
to get down to it, if if de Meat Hook
was coming out of Florida today, there's a guy who said, hey,
if he would drop a little weight and work on

(00:50):
his three point shot, he'd be a Draymond Green type.
And he was a tremendous passer, an outstanding low post
score and long arms, big hands, but kind of one
of those undersized pigs with long arms today small ball five.
So I want to get into that, and you'll hear
his journey, all the different places he played, all different

(01:10):
coaches he played with. I thought you'd enjoy it wellout
for their due. Here's the meat hook. Um. So before
we get to your career and your travels and how
well known you are. Um, you first started playing basketball.
You can paint the picture youth center, high school. What

(01:34):
was your first memories of basketball? First memory of basketball? Uh,
that took me out, I was maybe saying. And he
was coaching basketball team Mac at the dance. So he
was coaching his team. And then so I was just
in the gym and you know, he never trying to
influence me to play any sport. And then so I

(01:55):
just picked up the ball and then just start running
up and down the keys and it was hunt. And
then so we got back in the car. He asked me,
he was like, uh, you want to play basketball. You
want to become pretty good at it. And I was
like yeah. So that weekend, uh it was it was
a Saturday, and he took me out to the park,

(02:17):
you know outside courts, you know, which they don't play
outside anymore these days. The kids won't know what I'm
talking about. But um, and then he just told me
how to drop step left and right. So I had
and I had to use my left hand in my
right hand. And then so after that it took off
from there, so uh fell in love with the game.

(02:38):
And then every day after that it was basketball. What
was the what was the outdoor park? What was it called?
Wild World Community Center right there in the sat Peak
right still there the day. It's a great place. Um.
Not of the best basketball players from Vanilla's county town
for Hillsborough Manatee. Uh, you know they have come through
there because you know, they through a lot of great

(03:00):
tournaments and all the high school players. Then they used
to have the program league back in the day there.
You know, Matt Gager played in there are lots and
so uh you know that was just where you go
to uh see if he really had games and so,
uh you know, I was fourteen playing an adult man's
program and so that right there, at that moment, I

(03:24):
knew I was at least going to college to play,
you know basketball. What was your dad like with you?
Like I understand he taught you to basically fundamentals, But
was he hard on you? Did he coach you growing up? Like?
What was what was that relationship? Like he coached me?
He coached me, uh said, I got in the eighth
grade and yeah, he was definitely hard, but he was fair,

(03:45):
you know. And then, uh, when I got to about
seventh grade, I actually told him I don't want to
play for him anymore. I understand, and you know him,
you know, being a good man, He's like, okay, and
then so he's like, we're going to play for so
then he cut off the coach mode and then he
went to the dam and then so you're like, okay, yeah,

(04:06):
they do a good job over there, you go play
over there, have no problem with that. And you know,
ironically we played against them in the championship and beat
him and so and so that was a that was
a great ride home for me, you understand. And then
so after that, you know, uh, he had a different
level of respect for me too because I was growing

(04:27):
up and going into my own person. And then, uh,
when I did decide to play for him again, he
was a little different. He wasn't as hard so and
but he saw that I took the game seriously and
I did everything he asked me to do, and he
just started, you know, saying it a different way. So yeah,
that was that was that was pretty good. Um, you're

(04:48):
always a post player, always a post player, but uh,
you know, with my dad, he just told me, if
I'm gonna player on the basketball court, I spat able
to do everything. So that's where the shooting came from,
That's where the ball handling comes from. That's where you
know running the floor and and and the i Q

(05:09):
passing and all that. So you know that started at
the early age. It's interesting though, because you're I'm sure
you watch now and you're like, I was born too soon,
right because I mean you're you're you're you're a small
ball five right now. And that's that's good. That's it
is it is now? Is it now? And that I I
would have been my time because it's more about skill

(05:31):
than you know, pretty much athleticis because you know, you
see a lot of guys you know like uh, Jaymond
Green or Williams from Boston, you know, those guys that
fit that mold that you were similar to my skill
set as well. So you know, it's good, it's good.
The game has a ball and now you have to
be skilled more than just athletics. He also don't have

(05:54):
to be you know, six nine six tend to play
in the post, right like those those guys, those guys
are like they're like dinosaurs and relics in the past. Yeah,
big Man has definitely faded out, but you still have
dominant bigs. And if you're dominant big that could play
and your skill, you would make a lot of money
to in the today's basketball game. For sure. Why somebody,

(06:17):
there's nobody out there at all as you. So you
definitely have all the skills and plus the length and
the heights, and you know you're in good shape. You know,
kudos to the bigs house that that's still doing it,
like the Joker and and Bead and you know, uh,
Kurtchy Chump in Portland. I like his game. Uh and

(06:37):
then uh my man that used to play for Orlando
now he's in Chicago, Guchevitz, he had nice games too.
So all those all those foreign bigs, all those foreign
bigs are just more skilled, you know, I mean, I mean,
you know, these these American kids now they're they're gaming,
you know, they have other outlets. You know, they're still

(06:58):
playing football now, the football still the sport. But how
do you grow up? I mean for real though, how
do you grow up in St. Pete right in in
prime football country and most people look at you and
they're like, man, that's a lot's a left tackle, that's
a defense man, that's a Hall of Fame and and
who push who was your thing? I know your dad
coached it, but how did you avoid the football there?

(07:21):
I'm gonna tell you this, and it's the only reason
that I didn't play football is because for my age
and my side, you know, I was just too big.
I couldn't have never made the weight. So and then
back then, it's not like now when you know, these
big kids they just put an X on their helmet
and put them on the line, or they have you know,
problem want to lead. They had different leagues and things

(07:42):
now that you know, help these kids that you know,
we're like myself growing up. And so that just pushed
me to play basketball because you know, I was grown
man side, So I went to play with grown man
and then when I got to high school, then it
was it was a rat. So I got my first
letter from the University of New Orleans as a rising

(08:05):
ninth grader and then yeah, college was my best day
after that. Why why Florida tell you? Like I told Patrick, Yea,
I went to the practice and I knew I'd go
there and play right away, So I didn't worry about
the competition in front of me. I don't worry about

(08:26):
who they was bringing in. I knew I was gonna compete.
And and then, you know one thing that we say
in St. Pete and pretty much everywhere else, you know,
the cream rises to the top. And so eventually, you know,
because I put the work in. You know, Lan Krueger
was he was a tough coach, but he was fair.
So if you put the work in, you did the time.

(08:49):
And that's you know what I had to learn as
a freshman at you well, you know, to put the
work in because like in high school, you know, I
was the man, but I had to get humble my
freshman year. And then you know, he put me on
the bench, but I was killing him practice. You understand,
we used to be the first team all the time,

(09:10):
but you know they were seenings as junior so you
know they were there. He was lower to them. But
then when my time came, I didn't let it go.
That final four run ninety four. I remember being in Charlotte.
But you guys had an awesome team, right yet, Dan Cross,
you had to clerk helf um in that season, did you?

(09:33):
Did you know? You guys were gonna be that good. No, no, uh,
but what brought us together that year is before that
final fourth season, we took a tour tour trip over
to Australia and so we played all the proteins in Australia,
which had uh, you know, rotting my role um uh,

(09:56):
Dwayne McClain, uh, Kenny McClary and a few others, and
so we knew we were gonna be pretty good. We
can compete against them, so um, but that team, it
was it was super unique, right it was. Porta wasn't
known as a huge basketball uh basketball program. You know,
you had Dwayne's insists in the past and his mother did,

(10:19):
but not really known. But you guys were You guys
were fun. You guys are athletic, You guys are unique.
What do you remember about that? Right? The thing was,
it was it was so unexpected that every every every
game was a new was a new step. We we
went to a new tier, you understanding, and then it

(10:40):
was amazing. I still remember and coach are always talking about,
you know, building rooms until we complete the latter, you understand.
So you know, we had to go to you know,
for one month, uh, we went to Hawaii, you know,
everyone wants to you know, uh that sucks like Oklahoma State,

(11:03):
but Louisville gave it to was pretty good. But you
know we were up at Oklahoma State and Big Country
and so that was a great game. That that game
right there really put me on the map as far
as the national attention went. And then I had a
great game against Louisville as well, and so then it

(11:26):
was it after that, and so you know, I can't
prepared for that season, and I was unexpected and didn't
nobody expect that type of play from me. And then
so now I'm getting all the and then so now
other teams they started being off that too, and then
so you know, they wanted some of that attention as well,
and then so they stepped their game up. And then uh,

(11:47):
we just competed to be pretty much great every day.
And then so it fun at that all the basketball
I played in the championship over in Europe. Uh that
was that was actually more fun I've had playing basketball.
When did you originally now have you always been called
the meat hook or was that just during that run?

(12:08):
Like when when did that actually uh uh call a call?
Then on the Lady of Hotel show and then they
dubbed it, you know because uh rn C Buford was
our assistant coach, go figure. He the GM for the

(12:28):
world champion San Antonio Spurs, and he was in my ear.
You know, I can tell you this like my friendsman year,
I met with coach Krueger probably two three, four times
a week my soul more year maybe once a month.
So r rn C was the buffer. Uh He's definitely
was the glue and was the secret ingredient that got

(12:50):
us to that point because you know, he he worked us,
He made it fun. We showed up early, stayed late,
uh protected us, he did everything. And then so he
told me, uh he would be like those crew good.
You know, I want you to shoot you hood you

(13:10):
out a little more. So I was like that's it.
He's like yeah. And then so one game I think
I for a letter and shooting looks so I mean
and then after that he called then and called it
the meat hook and then so it just stood and
I'm just mad I didn't have the wearer tho when
I was years old to copyright that, yeah, trade mark

(13:34):
and everything. So can you can you like name, image
and likeness now like you have big personality. You had
a big game. You at Florida, a huge school. I mean,
just imagine the meat hook and trade marketing and n
I L today and what you've been. It would have
been able capitalize on. I would have fold up to

(13:55):
the game and a rocket ship u h to pull
it out to the game and the spaceship. I'm telling
you been all the jerseys day sold my thirty five
jersey and everything. Not just meet Dan had him, Andrew
had him, Craig Adam as well. So so it have
been a plenty for everybody to go around. But I'm

(14:16):
just glad they got it right in a way. But
now they got to figure out how to control it
because you know, some of these kids coming there, you know,
making a ton of money right now, and then they
make the more money to the coaches. So I can
see where that could be a problem. I also think
that part of it is that the issue is if
you're paying a guy before he ever plays, right one,

(14:40):
that's not really the idea of n I L. Yeah,
the idea of n I ELA is you ball out,
you make a name for yourself, you're able to benefit
off of it immediately, right right. But um, but the
other part two, it is that as you, as you experienced,
right when you get there, you don't always play right away.
And so what happens is these kids they either the
coaches feel forced to play them because they're how much

(15:03):
money they're getting? Hey brush, older players like why why
am I still around here? And if they don't play
as well as they think, then they transfer out before
they ever actually live up to that building, and it
becomes a vicious cycle. It's not the it's the idea
of not compensating a kid for name, image, likeness, But
how do you create kind of a fair balanced way

(15:24):
to do it? That's the hard part. And then and
then how can it be a fair market value? When
if I'm going to go to play football at Alabama,
you understand, I know I'm about to make millions of
dollars at least half a million, and then if I
come down to stay Troy kind of destroy you. I'm saying, like,

(15:45):
that is not gonna be an equal playing field and
they're not gonna be able to offer as much as
one of those big schools. So you know, I don't
know if it have to be a cap or anything
like that, but uh, you know, it's just isn't efficacy stage.
It's so a lot of people gonna make a lot
of money in the beginning and then then figured out
later you get done playing at cat Florida. Um, what

(16:10):
was what was the pre draft process? Like? What was it?
Because everybody has the goal of being in the league.
What what were people telling you? What was the process
like for you? So my thing was everybody was telling
me I'm getting drafted. You know, it's gonna be second round,
which okay, I'm cool with it. But I went out
to UH. San Antonio went out there with RC and

(16:31):
they had great workout with them. I was out there
for a couple of weeks, so we went through everything.
I destroyed everybody and r C. You know, san Antonio
didn't have a draft pick that year in nineties SI,
so he was like, well, if you don't get drafted,
I'll invite you, you know, to the camp. So I
was like, okay, I got that in the bag. Then,

(16:54):
So after that went down to UH, I called it
the torch the chain go on South Beach working with
the pat Riley did his UH camp and that was that.
That that let me know right there, that level of
just training for the NBA was something there because even

(17:17):
now you know, rolly stuff is legendary, and even though uh,
you know Shoo took some of that over, but that
that measureing the body fat and weighing every couple of
days and all that, and then you know, getting nutrition
right and everything. It's real down there and he runs
you to death. So that right there, I knew I

(17:38):
want to making my Heat team. Because they only had
two sponsor that was forty five people. So experience I was.
I was. I was in the camp of Lakers camp
with Isaac Austin, and I remember him talking about the here.
He like, he was like, yo, one preseason with the
Heat took three years off my career, That's what he said.

(18:01):
But but if it wasn't for the Heat, he wouldn't
have never been in the league. Because I was at
I was at that camp with Isasy Austin, you understand.
So they had him in shape. He was there before
anybody got there, so we knew one of those spots
was going to him, and then so everybody else is
gonna go one more spot because they invested a lot

(18:22):
of time in him, got him to lose weight and
he looked great. And then uh after he you know,
had him get a couple of good seasons in Miami.
Then he came to Orlando, and then you know when
it was downhill from there because Orlando has great restaurants
and they gave him a lot of money to come
up there, so he was gonna get it anyway. So
they didn't put a weight clause in this contract, and

(18:44):
then so the rest is history. That Fox Sports Radio
has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch
all of our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com
and within the I Heart Radio app search f s
R to listen live. What was it like for you
that to try to manage your weight? It was I

(19:04):
can tell you this. It was easier to manage it
in Europe than it was when I was home because
in Europe, Uh, the food is different. They don't put
as much things in the food, and uh, you don't
eat as much beat all the time over there, you understand,
as we do over here in the States, and uh,
just the whole culture of lifestyle over there, it is

(19:25):
it's not around boo, you understand like this. Uh, you know,
Americans over here we eat a lot of meat and
then so that's what I used to notice when I
used to come back from my travels, it's how bad
we eat over here. And so of course I'm from here.
I love food, love steaks, love all that. So you know,

(19:45):
in the summertime, I would work out three times a day,
watch what I ate. But then once I got through
playing the uh, it was tough that they don't that
there's they don't have the snacks like we have, right,
like here's always something you can stop and getting snacks
or whatever, like, yes, the meals are generally healthier, but
I mean you can still find but but the but

(20:07):
the the snacks is what really gets you, you know, right.
And then over there you're eating you're not eating uh,
preservative bread and everything. You get breast bread every day,
so you gotta go to your bakery. You understand, you're
not fine, you know, like they don't even sell like
wonder bread and things like that, you know, only a
certain times. So it's just a whole lifestyle and eating

(20:30):
a lot more salad, a lot more soups. That's when
I was in Slovakia, I think I ate soup every day.
Your first team overseas was hopwell TELEVIV, right, so you
so you go, you're twenty two years old? Two, yes,
just enof you. Well, so you're you're twenty two you

(20:52):
want to play in the NBA. You don't you go
to Israel playing Hopwell Telvi, dude, Pete who's been in himself?
What do you What do you remember about that first experience? Uh?
It was it was well, the first thing I remember
how long the flight was. I was like, damn, where
is Israel? You understand, like we are really flying to

(21:15):
the Middle East? Like damn? And then you are allowed
you understand that's the only every plane going into Israel.
You know at that time you understand, so that the
flight was great and then you you you you know,
then everybody on that airplane would tell you the history
of all al and it has never you know, had

(21:35):
an accident or anything like that, and so you know
that was there and the uh, it was a culture shot.
But the great thing was is everybody spoke English, so
I didn't have a difficult time with Justine. And then
the one thing that I did love about Israel is
that everybody is knowledge for about sports, like like a

(21:58):
lot of people. Because when the Wrong Shepherd was played
in Yukon, we played ukon and so they remember me
from that game that we beat you can to get
to the Elite eight in Miami. So you know what
over there they up at two am out on the beach,
oh on Allenby Street. Do you understand having party? So yeah,

(22:19):
it was it was it didn't take long to get adjusted.
But you know, the food, it took a minute to
get adjusted because I did not like, uh, hummus. Yeah,
every meal they put it every heal and then I
was like, then then so then we come back to
the States and then I see hummus, but I was like,

(22:41):
that is not the real hummus. You understand, Like, I
don't think you would eat the real hummus because it
doesn't taste like anything, Like you know, it's no flavors,
no garlic, is no nothing. How do you manage the nightlife? Right?
Like he's tell tells me is a good time. But
now you're off. Now you're also a professional athlete, Like

(23:01):
how how hard was that first year out? I'm not
going out of the night before the games, you understand, Uh,
just being disciplined with it. Uh, it was it was tough.
You understand that I had to get my routine and
I can never said I didn't go out some nights
before the game, but I just I just put it
like this, Doug. I was like, if I'm out the

(23:24):
night before the game and every the whole city knows it,
then when I show up at the game, I got
to play my ass. So because if I don't, that's
gonna be the reason that they used that I didn't
play good because I was out and I might not
have been out till midnight, but then at midnight turns
into four o'clock. Real easy. What how did you do

(23:46):
with the coaching? Because it is really coaching is it's
a little bit like college coaching and that they think
they're they're the boss, right, not like real professional basketball
where the players kind of have to say a little
bit right um. But they also they don't they're not.
They don't have the RCBU first to kind of bridge
the gap there. They don't. How did how did you

(24:06):
handle that? Well, my first my first coach, uh mayor
commiskey over there and uh and hup for well. He
was like, look, you're like you're not in encointage anymore.
He was like, we bring you here two win gangs
and score points. He was like, you are an American.

(24:30):
So he just gave me, you know, a brief overview
of how I'm looked at on the team as I
if I'm the man. And then so I just took
the poem rand with it. And then he just told
he's taught me one phrase uh in Israel and I
used when I was over there, and it was tenderly
could do. That was like give me the ball. So

(24:52):
that's it. That was it. So I was like, yeah,
all right, I'm home. And then I had a great season,
I mean, led the league's going. Uh we was. We
finished at the bottom, but you know, kept them in there.
And so and then I even got all my money
that first year, so that was that was rare. And
then uh yeah there's some stories in Israel and they

(25:16):
all true about that money. Well, um yeah, yeah, so
you get to get done why France the next year, Uh,
they called my agent and then so and then so
my first question was who was my point guard? And
then so they like we got Jerry McCullough and so Jerry,
me and Jerry played together at Portsmouth and so I

(25:40):
was like, oh man, I was right away where ice
I know I'm gonna win some games, and then so
once again we went to grab Lane and I used
to actually was the m v P of the league
that year. And then so I had I had a
very good season as well, and then they wanted to
bring me back to Graveling after that, but Ice wasn't

(26:02):
coming back. And then so Um Eisenberg got on the
fall with my agent and staid they wanted to be
back in Israel. So my third year I went back
to Israel. But it wasn't as good as my first year.
So the team wasn't as good. We made a lot
of changes. Um Johnny Newman was the coach, so he

(26:26):
was like the only American coach in Israel at that time.
Well David Black too, but you know, but he essentially
Israeli right right, But he got uh, he got fired.
And then they brought in uh Ronnie Bassani and he
was a he was a good coach. He was very

(26:46):
good coach. I wish you probably would have had him
at the beginning. Uh, you know, we would have won
some games and it had been more disciplined and not
as Kati guess when Johnny was there. As Johnny was
Johnny Neuman was, he was out more than we were.
So and then you know, come to the game and
he was still living in his glory days when he

(27:09):
was scoring forty points at in the SEC. So you
know we had to hear all theold stories and how
he uh in grease and everything like that. So you know,
that was that was I liked him as a person,
but as a coach he was terrible. But as an
assistant coach he would have been great because he drilled
you to death and then so that made me better

(27:30):
as well, Like just working him for those couple of
months he was there, all the drills we did, just
him and he and I. That helped my game as well,
you know, just catching shoot, especially with the catching shoot park,
I became a better catching shoot person. Uh working with Johnny,
Why did you return to the States? Why why go
to the CBS. Uh that was the quickest way to

(27:54):
get to the league back then, what's to go to
the c v A. He really worked in your shooting,
you know now, said you can kind of establish yourself
and then uh two falls and calling so and then
so I had a good chance. Um I was over
there and two follow was a great look. I mean

(28:14):
starting uh putting up numbers, you know, getting looks, and
then uh ripped a brawl and so that put me
on the shelf about a whole summer. And yes, I
tried to come back. When I tried to come back
doing the playoffs and wrap it up, but you know,

(28:35):
my grol I had it. I had to heal, so
I took time off after that, and then uh, once
I held up before some season started in Europe, I
went down to Venezuela. Do you understand, Because I was
in a round for three months and then so my
agent got Middale down in Venezuela, and so I was

(28:57):
able to you know, held up and go down there
and play play well, lay very well, best wife. Which
is a fun league. Yes, uh, it's wild this country,
but it's it's wild, okay, So give me the mental image,
like what what's your I know, the spring league guys
can go down there and make a good amount of

(29:18):
money in a short period of time, good talent down there,
but as you said, it's dangerous. So like paint the picture,
I mean, what was your apartment? Like? Well was did
you walk to the gym? How how much was their
crime everywhere? Like? What was it really like? Okay, we
we everything was gated and barred up, so you're not
going to do anything without gates and bars even on

(29:39):
the window. And we did not walk to practice. We
had drivers, so we wanted to go anywhere, we had
drivers who they stayed down at the bottom of the
building twenty four hours a day, so anywhere we wanted
to go, they drove us. And then you know, around
our apartment and building because all the players state in

(30:00):
one department building. I own to own the building stuff.
Pretty much all the team lived there. But you know,
you had little cafes and bodegas and little restaurants and
stuff around the area that we were free from a lot,
but pretty much we had people with us all the time,
even when we went club and they would take us there,
you understand. And then you know, no issues or anything,

(30:24):
because you know, a lot of people get caught up
and you know, the nightlife and the atmosphere over there
is conducive to whatever you want to do. And then
so if you're not careful, you get caught up in it.
And they could go and go it and go south
really quick, and I've seen it. You don't understand. So
a lot of players, you know, come over there, and

(30:46):
then in two weeks they're gone and you're like why,
And then so that's why they can't handle the situation,
because the women are amazing. Yes. And then the money,
like you said, the money is good and everything is
cheap over there, so you're live in a good life.
And then you rarely have to pay for anything because
they fed us twice to day if we choose to eat,

(31:07):
you know at the facility where we practiced that you know,
uh local team make stair egge there, but you know
sometimes you know, we didn't eat there, but it was
the option. And then they sent all our money home
to our bank accounts. They gave us per dimn per day,
so we didn't have to really spend any money. And

(31:28):
then so uh for my teammates spoke law in Spanish,
so that helped a lot too, and then I learned
the language and then so it was a good time
and there and then so that got me back in
shape too to get back into Europe. And then so
also make some good money and then you know, got
to the finals and then down there you play everybody

(31:53):
like you would play uh three times in the weekend,
you understand, So it was be hard because you go
down that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. By the time you
got the Sunday, you really didn't want to play the
other team where they don't want to play you either,
So it depends like beat them twice, they're gonna win
the third game, or if they don't beat you twice,

(32:16):
then you gotta win the third game because you don't
want to deal with the owners not paying. So you know,
Venezuela's cutthroat. But it was good. Um you you thenly
playing the A B A. What was like to play
at home in Tampia. Now you're playing your hometown that

(32:38):
sounds like sounds scallenging as well. And I played for
Derreck Dawkins, so so that was that was a great experience.
And and once again I was doing my thing, uh
the A B A. And then they were playing a
good lot of money at that time as well. And then, um,

(33:00):
I never forget this play. It was just going up
for a rebound and it was me and put North
then and I was giving him the business that whole game.
And so he made a third and he hiped checked me.
But he's seven foot so when he hip checked me,
I kind of uh he, I should have failed to

(33:23):
the ground, but you know, the pride like game for
to knock me down and then uh uh it resulted
in a hernd this so I finished the game, had
a good game. But after that I couldn't walk for
like two months, and then I had to be in
rehab and I did a lot of stuff in the
pool and injections and everything like that. So my season

(33:47):
burnly much over after that play. But maybe it was great.
Being home was great. I got to see my family,
They got to see me play a few games. Uh,
I at my family down with me because you know,
they didn't have to travel to Europe and go through
the airports and with small kids at that time, you know,

(34:08):
that was good. We lived h in Tampa, so you know,
everything was good. I mean it was good. It's just
too bad they couldn't keep that one going because a
lot of players from that you know, got jobs, and
some of them he went to the league from the
A B A. So you know, it's it's it's many
ways to get there. It's just all about time and

(34:28):
an opportunity. So you have to go. You go back overseas.
Where's you know, I went to China. Actually after the
A B A, I went to China and then that
was that. That was culture shot, you understand, Like I
never ever really could imagine what a billion people look like.

(34:54):
But there's people everywhere in China, like you get no privacy,
no peace, twenty four hour of the day, people always
in the street. We went up to training camp, but
we had training camp up in the mountains for like
a month and then uh, but it was five million
people in the village, you understand, So it was not

(35:14):
like it was a small it was a small city,
but that was overcrowded as well. And then so but
then when you come down from the village, you down
into the main city. So we was on the border.
We was in Gunstown, so that was like South China
and then right across from Hong Kong, so we was
able to go to Hong Kong. And that was when

(35:35):
it was still under British rule. So we had to
get a visa and everything to go to Hong Kong
because it was still on the British world. But I
think that next year they had to give it back.
So it's like after a hundred years they had to
give it back to China and then so but they
still own all the banks, so it's pretty much still
break what it was, crazy, chaotic, barbaric actually, but they

(36:05):
get a lot of money, but the Chinese and you
better be able to fish fight because you will get
sucker punts. And yeah I still got scars from the
Chinese Basketball League. But yeah, it's one time was enough
and when we did not ever want to do it again.

(36:25):
A lot of a lot of Americans go over there
and they get thrown out the lead for fight because
they're gonna hitch. There's no if fans about it. They're
gonna sucker punts. They're gonna do everything they can to
take you after and if they get kicked out, so
be it. They would they would love to get rid
of the American For one of the Chinese local players, Um,

(36:49):
what was the weirdest food you tried in China? Octo pus?
And it was it was it was a live wait wait,
wait what the bush? It was a live They brought
it out. He was still moving and then so you know, uh,
chopped up the little kind of coles and then I
ate a little piece, but that was it. But yeah,

(37:11):
that was the Chinese food over there is definitely different
than what we experienced over here. That's real Chinese food
and age. Just so his American Chinese who that is
pretty much trash. I know you played back in France.

(37:32):
Actually we played each other in France. And then you
want what's uh Slovakia as well. I wanted to lat
there first. After France, I went to Latvia and that
was I played with Andrew's bidrid. Uh. He was seventeen,
eighteen years old. Uh, and he was he was a

(37:52):
pro then, but uh, you know that was fun. Uh
built up, shut him down before the before the playoffs,
and so that was that could have been my first championship.
But of course we lost the ben Spills in the finals.
But that was a great experience. What's that was? What

(38:16):
was that like for you? Uh? Latvia was lava was
an unexpected surprize. That's like a diving in the rough
over there. We were in regals, so it was in
the campital and and and then that country. The racial
for me and the women is like seven women to
one bad man and a beautiful So that was and

(38:40):
then the money when the money was shipped. But I
took the opportunity because it was a EuroLeague team, and
so I took a step back, did you know, propelled
my career a little further because I destroyed the your
EuroCup and then so the Feverle Cup, whichever was uh
was an all Star and that and then so that

(39:02):
that that carried me on for the rest of my season.
That's just one year playing in Latvia for like eight
thousand dollars a month and uh, which it was less
than I was making and and gravel and or leone.
Well when you we played against you when you was
down in clare Claremont, Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was That's

(39:26):
some great time. But Latvia was good. I still have
friends over that to this day. I talked to um.
And then after that, uh, we went to uh Cyprus
and then Cyprus was another country with Barbara basketball. Uh
when you back, it wasn't when you say bar Barack basketball,

(39:47):
what do you mean? Okay Na, No, No, this the's
from the fans actually playing was the play was great,
but these fans like they would spit on you. They
would throw uh. Like for instance, during the time out
by coach, he was talking to us and he had
on his Armani suit and it's a big gang and

(40:11):
and and he's just sitting down talk to us and
all we see spit come from the cap all his
face or his suits and just sitting there taking it.
I was like, man, are you crazy? And then uh,
they throwing uh the drums like we're gonna run and
we beat at good team. They throw the drums on

(40:32):
the court. Then they're running the court if the if
the referee make a car they don't like you understand,
like we have stopped games and had to come finish
him the next day. So yeah, Cyprus was Cyprus was
I wanted done, but it was fine because uh, the
eye of itself, the country itself very beautiful. I was

(40:55):
in Nicosia, so on the you know, the Cyprious side,
but that city has split between Turkey and uh and
and Cyprus. To the other side of Nico Sea is Turkey.
And then that was the first time they over whatever,
boarded whatever the past, going back and forth because a
lot of the um, I'm gonna say, Bulgarian people lived

(41:16):
on the Turkeys side, but work, you know, they did
all the night, the cleaning jobs and everything like that
for the on the Cyprious side, which is very clean
and pristine and and there's a lot of money inside.
So I had a good time there. But with the
basketball it was it was okay, it was so so
um and and then you went to after um no.

(41:42):
After Cyprus, I went to Portugal and then I was
I was on the island of with Thera and that
was now Portugal was fine. But we had too much
fun in Portugal, and then we lost a couple our
best players because they got kicked off team. And then
I heard us in the playoffs. But we had a
good run. And uh in Portugal, that was that was

(42:04):
a great experience. Too much fun. What they do. Uh well,
our owner was the CEO of the the major airline
in Portugal, and so my teammate, Kenny Younger, he got

(42:25):
we went out one night after the game we beat
I think we beat Porto and Porto we'll be one
of them. We had a big win. And then so
he got he got super super drunk. And then so
the next morning he woke up, he was still dropped,
and so he got on the airplane drunk, and oh
my god, he showed his ass. And then so he

(42:47):
got kicked off the airplane, you understand. And then when
he got back, so that that's embarrassing not only the club,
but it's embarrassing in the president of the club because
he's the CEO of the airline lead us the same
back he was gone and he was the MVP of
the league. So I was the leader score, but he
was the MVP of the league. So we lost him

(43:10):
and then we can never recover. After that, we were
still good and we of course we were playing him
with the players, but they we had le By Houston,
he was a good player. And then uh, Kim Adams
and I forget the other one, but it wasn't Jinny.
And then so we uh we lost in the second
round due a man from a techy Mohammed uh Nazi

(43:34):
Mohmed as he was Manhattan and then and then Kentucky.
He was a bad boy. Yeah, yeah, so we lost.
She moved and then uh yeah, So you bring back
a lot of memories, Doug, but yeah, no, idea, you
have it. You also you have an unbelievable memory for

(43:56):
all these guys you played with from coaches you played
played with. Um okay, So after so what was the
what was the best part about Portugal? Like the food
we live we lived I lived off a mountains. So yeah,
I was in there on the island the fun So
that was yeah, that was that was nice. That was nice,

(44:18):
and it was all touristic, so you got a lot
of you know, international flavor on the island and that
was good. I had a great time there. I wanted
to go back, but but they don't want to bring
me back because they could control but on the floor,
on the floor, I gave marything I had and so
and uh. The next year, Porto wanted to sign me. Uh,

(44:44):
which Scott Stewart, my cottage teammate, he played there and
then so I was like, okay, we go there. But
then my ex teammate from Portugal, he was in Slovakia.
He was like, how much money you've got to get
in ports So I told him that. He was like,
we got that plus some more and Slovakia. I was like,

(45:04):
where there's like Slovakia. Man, he said, you come here,
you will destroy the league. Then so I was like,
I was so by this time, I'm at the end
of my career. So I actually I got about three
more years left at high level. And then so I
was like, well happen called my agent and we'll see.

(45:25):
So I'm sitting on the deck out on Treasure Island Beach,
and so I get the phone call and then he
was like, yeah, that's serious right here. They saw your take, uh,
and they say you what they need and they're gonna
pay for it. So they brought me there. I played
for Globo mayor Earthy. He's a Slovak legend coach. He

(45:45):
won Moore Championships over there then, uh, anybody, and so
I played for him. He's a good coach. He's a
coach though, you understand. So I respected him. I respected
how he ran it team, and I played for him
for four years. But then uh, we won the championship

(46:07):
over there. Uh we went to the playoffs every year.
I left it on the floor fall Uh, no complaints.
I'm so bucky. That was that was a good time
and that was what is that? What is that like? Though? Too?
You're living a lifestyle for a decade of different team
every year, sometimes two teams in a year, and then

(46:30):
at the end to play for the same team and
to play for the same coach for multiple years. Was that?
Did you like that better? What? What was? What was that?
Was that? That seems that seems amazing because now you
because the hardest part about it is not necessarily playing.
It's the some new you got, like to complete new lifestyle,
new diet, new places. What was that like to do

(46:51):
the same thing for four straight years? It was actually stability,
you understand, because I was saying, before I go home
for the next season, stand So I was the m
v P over there, I want to say twice. And
then the third year we won the championship, and then
the fourth year we went back to the finals. Then,
so we had a nice run. And then so I

(47:13):
would always sign, you know, before I leave for the
next season. And then at that point, you know, as
long as the money wasn't ridiculous, I'll be all right,
you know what, I'm staying. So I wasn't there for
the money. I just there for the long devity trying
to figure out what I'm gonna do after I get
done playing basketball. So uh. And then so that gave

(47:36):
me the incentive, you know, the stay in shape while
I was home and not eat all this stuff over here.
Then keep more work out going. And then I of
course they gave you money when you go home to
you understand for them, you know, so you can you know,
train and do all that other stuff too, so that
was in the contract as well. And then so it
just kept me, you know, it kept me going for

(47:57):
my last five years. For my last five years played
on Uh. I was in Nature, then I played one
my last season, I was in Levisa. But then now
I was it. I was done. After that. I knew
going into my last year that I should have quit
the year before. But as a person once told me,

(48:17):
it's better to quit too late than too soon. So
you know, I was when I was done. I was done.
Show your your last game. It was a win, Uh,
it was. It was. It was around January because I
didn't finish. I didn't finish. I didn't even finish the season.
The reason I went back to Slovakia was the woman

(48:40):
I was seeing at the time. You know, she was
there and then you know, we had big plans and everything.
So I went back just for her. And then a
good friend of mine, he was GM over at the
and Levisa, so he was like, just come play for
me for the whole year and then that's that. So
I signed a contract. But then in January that I

(49:00):
was done. I didn't even want to go practice. I
didn't want to play I didn't even I'm catching attitude,
and I just told him. I was like, I appreciate it.
I was like, but I'm done. So by February I
came home early. And then uh, you know my fiancee
at the time, she came a few months later. And
then what I did after that, because I didn't graduate

(49:23):
from UF before I left, I went back to uh
finish up my fall semester. Only had one semester left
to get my degree. And uh. The great thing was
Jeremy Foley before I left UF and nineties six, he
was like, look, you only got a semester left, so
when you're done playing, come on back and finish up.

(49:43):
But I ain't nobody know I was gonna play fifteen
years professional. So but at the end, but then at
the end when I came back, ehon of this word
and wrote me back. So I finished up, got my
degree and then so, hey, I have nothing but love
admiration for out of the University of Florida because you know,
they took care of me. And then so, uh you

(50:06):
set me up pretty nice. And then so uh, no complaints,
no ill, will I go back All the time. I
love my school. Uh, you know, we got a new
wet in transition now, so it's always gonna be tough
in the beginning, but uh, this game is that we'll
get it right. What's that like that first year when

(50:29):
all you've ever done your entire life is be a
part of the team, and now there's nothing to get
in shape for. There's no practice, there's no coach, there's
no teammates. You get to know, what's what's that first
year like? It's it's it's tough, you're getting fat, you're
getting out of shape. It's not I don't get up

(50:50):
to day and go run my three miles four miles
or nobody gonna care. I'm not gonna hurt nobody after midnight. Okay,
if I want a drink all day, there's no consequences
for that. So I had to I had to get then.
So I want to go play golf, I can't go

(51:12):
do that and in the daytime, I ain't got to
worry about, you know, hitting the weight room or doing this.
And then I want to just stay around him, be lazy. Nothing.
I could do that as well. But the good thing
is with that, like once I finished, I had a
summer and then I went back to school. So I
was going to class, you understand, So I was doing

(51:32):
something to break up or not of the day. And
then so and then by that time my fiance was there,
so I was we got married in games there and
then so you know, football season, basketball season. So it
was a good time when I was when I went back,
and then it was in the false message, so I

(51:53):
got a little bit of everything. And then so then
after December, I graduated, and then I came back to St. Pete.
And then so how to get a place to live.
Then I had to find out what career was I
gonna do. So you know, the obvious choice would be
going into coaching. And I'm gonna be honest with you, Doug, Yeah,

(52:15):
I can't coach these kids that I just can't. It's
just it's it's tough. It's a new generation. And then
I was at a private school, you know, admir Fagot.
And then so these kids they didn't want to go
to practice. Their mom dad called like, let's say me
got a physics test that he had studied for and

(52:35):
he's overwhelmed with with this and that and that thing.
That's just the normal stuff that we used to juggle
because we had to. You know, these kids nowadays, you
know they can't do that because there are they're Caldo
then Coddle then and and entitled and all those things

(52:56):
that he had to earn that you know, they give
him that right away. Understand, you had to earn the
entitled men, you had to earn, you had to earn
you know, victories. Everybody didn't get the trophy when we
go saying so, yeah, yeah, it's a different time, but
the challenge there there, it's just time pursuming and I just, uh,

(53:18):
I have a good light away from you know, from
it all, you understand. So I enjoyed my free time.
Now I am a fan of all sports and but
but it took adjustment. And then the thing was I
didn't have a plan of what I was gonna do
when I finished. I understand because the logically was called

(53:39):
one of my friends and get in the coach. But
when I tried to do that, I see that's not
that easy. And then so and then a lot of
coaches don't like to hire ex players because they don't
think the player is gonna do the work and put
in the out that it takes to be a good coach.
But you know, if X player comes in and that's

(54:02):
what you want to do, then showing the ropes, that's
just don't assume that you know the worst because he
was an ex player, you understand, because ex players have knowledge,
we know the game. Uh, and we can be definitely
asset to some of these coaches that can't get through
to the plate. You understand, because that's what how you

(54:23):
win games. You want be the best coach. K is
the great coach. And we didn't have grand Hell or
pretare role or uh Jackson Williams and and Batty ate
you know, we probably wouldn't know. So yeah, no doubt
and definitely and and the and the bridging a lot

(54:45):
of communications is used. Why not coach overseas? You're so
everywhere you go people like you, and that that mentality
is a little bit more aligned with your mentality in
terms of the work ethic and earning things. When that
that is a good one. And then, uh, that was
what I was gonna transition to and slop out here.

(55:08):
I had already set up, but then I had to
be a citizen for this and then had to go
to this. Then it was a lot of hoops to
jump through. And then so I was like, well, let
me go, give me some experience you know at home,
and then I can come back. But after that, I
was just dumb with the coaching aspect. And then I

(55:29):
was like, let's put this degree work so you know, uh,
toward a round because I still have money safe up,
you know from my time planning. So I didn't really
get a job until three or four years after I
got done playing. And then so I landed at our
company I work for now and St. Vincent de Paul. Uh,

(55:52):
we have the home in his population, you know, take
him off the street in the house and then you know,
help them get jobs and you know, you know, give
him some us a norm seeing back on you know, stability,
you know in their lives, you know, after being you
know homeless for some of them for five six years.
So you know, we're deal with families, veterans, uh, you know,

(56:13):
the whole gamble. So so it's a rewarding job. It's
a run the upper housing program. So it's it's not basketball,
but I still treat it, you know, like I'm still
in the game. I'm out working everybody. I'm here late,
you know, here early. Everything is done, pay attention to details.

(56:34):
So all the things I used to do while I
was playing, you know, I just translated to the huh
to the work field. And you know basketball was hard.
This this working, you know, working a job that's kind
of easy. Yeah, it actually it Actually it's one reason
one of reasons good companies hire guys like you, guys
that were great athletes, because there's a workouthic it takes

(56:58):
to make it. It's it's really the interest thing part
about what you said about former players with coaches. It's
it's weird, like I don't. Not every former player wants
to work, there's no question, right, especially guys that have
tons of cash, like now I want to do this,
but most of them they love ball. Like the guys
that love ball and have a work ethic, those are
the guys you want to have around you. Yeah. Yeah,

(57:21):
And that's the people I want to have. I want
to have, you know, people that is not trade to
get the hands dirt. You understand, Like, you know, it's okay,
like because because I didn't started you no program manager
and programs. I started a regulication, so I had to
work my way up. But one thing I said was

(57:42):
nobody's going to out work And it was easy because
when I got in there, like all these people like
sy Hit, you understand, like they got all these positions,
they're sitting around doing that. But I was like, let
me out work them and then so and stay below
radar and then they see my work. Then if age
are position up and we want you to have here,

(58:06):
I go. And then so the as history. But you know,
it's it's still a lot of options out there. Um
I have I'm getting the edge to get back into coaching,
but because I know more about the culture that I
will be coaching, because coming back from Europe to the States,
that was actually a culture shot, you understand. So yeah, yeah,

(58:30):
so uh and then you know basketball is still gonna
be the same. I mean, I know it's a lot
of small ball, same size players, which is fun, Like
like this position is basketball and that's what it should
have been pretty much. I think that's what it's always been.
The best players always could play multiple positions, you know,

(58:53):
like I can play multiple positions. Barkley could play multiple positions.
You know, Michael could play multiple Scotty you understand, like
they were not just you know, okay, they're small forward,
but Scotty plays, you know, small forward Scotty plays some
point you know, Michael was you know points sometimes you understand,

(59:15):
so a small for when they had high and accent
in that so you know it was uh always been there,
but now it's just more noticeable because these guys take
it so much money. Oh my god, I heard Draymond
Green making twenty five million dollars Like, yeah, I told

(59:38):
my called my mother about told you you had me
way too soon? No, no, all right. A couple of
quick ones for regal one. If you could pick one
of the countries that you played in to live in,
which one would it be? France without a question. Love

(59:59):
for and love of culture. I tell everybody that became
a grown man in France. Uh, just the way they
do things. I like, they take time out for theirselves.
Self care is very big over there, uh you know,
and and everything is done with a list, sophistication and class.
So you know I like that. Uh put that into
you know, the way I live now you understand, so

(01:00:22):
that that's that's definitely a place I would stay. You
you work with housing homeless people as somebody as people
and anybody who's listening to this spot is not homeless.
What what do you know about people who are struggling
with homelessness that you wish more people understood that they

(01:00:42):
that they that they got. You only get because you're
actually in contact with all these people a lot of
a lot of the common denominator is first of all,
uh for for for pretty much most of them, they
in this position because they put themselves in that position. Understand.
But the thing is, you have to take mental health

(01:01:06):
into consideration a lot. And I've never ever been the
one to you know, blame a lot of stuff on
mental health. But working in this field, you see a
lot of that is is relevant and true and so
you definitely have to handle it a lot different to
say when we were growing up to be like just

(01:01:26):
suck it up and get up and go do this,
not that. So we have to you know, get on
the right reason or state needs so they'll be able
to sustain you know, permanent housing, you know, once they
have about program, because we don't have a have a program.
It's just to help get them back on that seat.
Um in one country, you would never if I never

(01:01:48):
went there again, it would be too ship. I don't know,
I don't have pretty much good time at all of them.
But uh, I would say, uh hungry, no my bad Romanian. Yeah,
ye keep Romanian. I'm sorry, but yeah, yeah, too great,

(01:02:12):
too great. Yeah, it looks like old school Russia. Yeah, man,
you can see a head floating down the river in Romania. Um, gypsy.
Where how did you handle when they got shitty with

(01:02:33):
the money? Right when all of a sudden because you play,
you played fifteen years, I'm sure that happened a lot
of times. How did you personally handle it? Not a lot,
but it happened to me in Israel? Israel a sac
and the way I handled it in Israel, you gotta go,
so you understand. So you have your agent, then you
gotta go get a Lloyd and then so it took

(01:02:55):
me five years to get my money, but I got it.
But you know, course the lawyer got half of it.
But I didn't expect that, so, you know, and then
and then you gotta fly back for court, you understand.
So I had to go back to Tel Aviv like
three times in that five years. And then uh, luckily
one of the times when I played over there in

(01:03:16):
the cup game. So and then my agents gathered it
like that. So I could come in and do my
parents and stuff. Because of that, then I want to
got my money. So sometimes I used to you know,
fly over the uh Tel Aviv, which you know I
didn't buydle. Tel Aviv is a great time, you understand,
So you know that was that was the good part
about it. And I still had friends there, but you

(01:03:39):
know it was inconvenienced because I had to pay for
that ticket myself. Sure. Sure, then to get to get
your money, you had to pay money to get money, yeah, yes, yeah,
and then yeah, and the cypres Cypress it was the
same way, you understand. So but the money wasn't as

(01:03:59):
big and cypers as it was in Israel, so uh,
you know cybers that that came a few years later,
but I didn't even you know, that was just you know,
pay some bills. So if I didn't get that one
toil almost when I was in Slovakia, you know, before
I retired. So there's there's another question, how did you

(01:04:21):
you get paid? You get this money, but you also
you have money to live on while you're there. What's
the device you could give to somebody in terms of
managing your money while you're playing overseas? Send all your
money back to the crib. Don't don't keep about five
hundred dollars for the month, by us some food, by
all the alcohol you need to drink. Then just throw

(01:04:42):
all of it back to your account and the states
and leave it alone till you've done. If it's five years,
ten years or whatever, are you you you appreciate that
because we don't make millions of dollars, but you make
an underground But yeah, you can make you know, two
fifty you know, some good teams and stuff like that.
And if you're coming up with a big thing, you understand,

(01:05:03):
and you played well, you can have longevity in Europe,
which I did. You understand? So you know that was
that wash that that is definitely something that you have
to do because like I stayed, you're not making twenty
five you know what I'm saying. But two hundred fifty
K is pretty good, you know, for until you actually

(01:05:28):
and then then you go get your crib. Ain't go
get your cars. Then you know you can take care
of that woman that you want to and then you
don't have stress, you understand, because you know life is
stress free. You understand. I don't you know what I'm
being pretty much everywhere I'm gonna go. Uh seen pretty
much everything I want to see. And then so now

(01:05:48):
I'm just enjoying life. Got me, you know, good woman,
I'm chilling. We do things together. My kids are wrong,
um granddad, so you know, I spend time with grandson
and then uh, I just uh, I just stay in
my lane and stand the way and then it just

(01:06:09):
enjoy this great hair on my chin and uh you know,
still keep up with my sports and David thought pretty
pretty good, pretty close. Still always we stay in contact.
So he keeps me relevant, you know, with the games
and everything changing, and so you know, be him. You know,
not as often as as I would like, but you know,

(01:06:31):
we're still in contact. So I just you know a
lot of love for what basketball has you know, afforded me.
And I wouldn't change anything, although I do regret not
playing the league, but it's not a big one, uh
because I did my thing well, I got my opportunity
to shine, I did it. And then so of course,

(01:06:55):
you know during the summertime, there's a couple of teams,
you know, all that podcasts, then you know, Bernie big
Staff and all I want to come play some camp
in some league and all that stuff. But summer times,
that was my time to be my kids. So I
didn't even you know, even consider none of that. So
if y'all want to be in there bringing the camp,

(01:07:17):
I don't want to come in and play something league.
I don't want to do all that there. If you
want me to come, bring me to camp. And that's
a different story. So because like I said, Doug, I
was already signed for the next season before I leave,
so I already had a gig. So I was comfortable.
And then that was that was the only thing I
would say is I got too comfortable, and that's okay.

(01:07:41):
I mean, you know, I mean, like if that's a
that's a bad thing. And it lasted fifteen years, you know,
because other guys they come up and they chase it,
and you know, they never they're never comfortable anywhere to
constantly chasing drink right right, And then you know had
you know, as as the time went on, you know,

(01:08:01):
fifteen years, you have you know, all Americans coming through.
So I went from being the youngster to the bed
and then so you know, you gotta teach teach the
youngsters how to use a freaking night from four understand,
like even to them things grown man like, yeah, so

(01:08:23):
yeah it was it was good. Then it just shows
you to different cultures and the things that people take
more important in different places. Because I I tell everybody,
I was like, people the same all over the world.
They want their kids to do good, they want to have,
you know, a nice place to stay, nice things just
that that. But the only thing is different. It's pretty

(01:08:45):
much the culture and the politics. You understand, like you know,
in certain countries the people running their country. Over here
the government run country, you understand. So it's like you know,
you see, you see the way the world can work,
but you understand why it works in certain places because
of you know, financial means and financial gains and and

(01:09:07):
and just everything is is based on something. But it's
all different in every you know aspect when you all
over the world, you know, different Asia than then say Iceland.
Then you know, you go to the UK, which is
another place I love, but I hate the food, but
you know, as then you slide down the trance, then

(01:09:29):
over the Germany. So you know, it's just everything is good,
but the politics just a little bit amazing. Right. I'll
start in St. Pete and you're ten years old. You
completely saw the world against everybody and you had a
good time doing That's a it's a pretty and you're
only like you're like halfway through life. You still got
a whole other half of life to it and and

(01:09:50):
and and it's good. And I do like this part
right here because you know, it mos you into a person.
You understand, it takes more than just you living in
your surroundings and being comfortable where you are. You have
to be uncomfortable. You have to take a chance, you
have to go ahead. And you know, like they say,
what's your nuts on the line? You understand. So you know,

(01:10:11):
because I could have left us, went to the post office,
been let for fifty years, you understand and die you
know what I mean. But but I chose to do
something else. Uh, those to you know, be different, be exceptional,
and you know it's paying off now. So I appreciated.
I really appreciate you joining me is awesome. To catch up.

(01:10:34):
We gotta do it in person. And yes, sir, yes sir,
I will make I will make it the same peek.
I will make the same peek sometimes this year you
come on down here, man, We do a bit good
trip down Memory Lane. If you're a Florida Gator fan
or SEC fan, just the college hoops fan, right, that
was That was the Arkansas National championship. Remember Arkansas the

(01:10:57):
game winner like Duke Okay, thank you? Who the fourth
team was? I actually was playing video games with Cherokee Parks,
me and Miles simon Um about five hours before that
national championship game in Charlotte, North Carolina had went back
to Charlotte since that was also the arena, the old
arena by the airport where the Horns used to play.

(01:11:17):
That that was that was where it was. Well anyway,
thanks so much for listening. Minding the Doug Gottli shows
daily three to six Eastern or twelve three Pacific I
Heart Radio, Fox Sports Tradio dot Com, or on Serious
x M. I'm Doug gott Leave. This is all ball