August 30, 2024 • 34 mins
NBA Pulse host Sarah Kustok joins Hannah for a special bonus episode of NBA DNA. Hannah and Sarah recap their favorite moments from the series, reflect on the history of women's hoops, and share their advice for young journalists trying to break into the business.
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
Well, for all of you here joining us, Thanks for
sitting down taking a few minutes of your time to
listen to an amazing conversation that I am excited about.
We're here in New York City at Fanatics Fest with
the one and only Hannah Storm, and of course, Hannah
has a tremendous podcast, NBA DNA with Hannah Storm. Hannah,
(00:35):
I've got to say, you have interviewed so many legends,
so many icons, Doctor j Charles Barkley, Rebecca Lobo, the
list goes on, but I feel most honored because now
I get to sit in interview a legend.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, so it's like, thanks, thanks for having me, thanks
for lying. It's a lot harder.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Interview than to interview. So I'm on the other answer.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
You know what, We're going to keep it that way
because we want to hear and that's been the amazing
part of NBA DNA. It's getting to hear your stories
and all that you've done and accomplished. And obviously your
resume speaks for itself, but more of it is about
the experience that you went through. That's what I love.
And we've talked a lot about so many different aspects
(01:21):
of your career. But this past year we've seen such
a tremendous boom in women's sports.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
But in watching just.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Where it's at, and obviously you're around it. I've been
around it is so integral to me, the WNBA and
just the season that they've had. I want you to
take us back of nineteen ninety seven. You were a
part of the foundation that started this league, got it
to where it is. What was that like for you
(01:50):
at that time?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
In some ways, I mean, it was really exciting, but
it was also somewhat terrifying. So I following the success
of the nineteen ninety six Olympic Games and the women's
team and their barnstorming tour, the David Stern was able
to convince the owners and everyone to sign off on
(02:12):
something that he wanted to do a passion project of his,
which was the WNBA and NBC had the NBA contract
at the time. Everybody remembers the NBA on NBC and
so the WNBA naturally was part of that. So we had,
you know, one or two really big games every week,
and Dick Embersaw, who was a president of NBC Sports chairman, said.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
I want you to do the play by play.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
He wanted an all female broadcast team, which at the
time just wasn't It didn't exist. So myself Annie Meyers Drysdale,
total legend, and a woman named Lisa Malaski.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
She was our sideline reporter.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
A renowned features producer named Lisa Lax ran our production team.
So it was like women behind the camera and in front.
But having never done play by play, it was it
was really wild to.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Just gear up to that.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I had just had a baby and then I got
this assignment, which quickly followed because I was hosting and
covering the NBA at the time.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know, the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Season ramped up right after that, so it was a
lot to learn. I went and I did a couple
of games with this lovely woman. I went up to
the University of Connecticut. Her name was Doris Burke, and
I think she's done.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Okay in her career.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I just think it's so funny that that was the
first person that I sat down on to try to
call a game. I was terrible. She was amazing, of course,
and so nice. And then Marv Albert, who was a
voice of the NBA on NBC, really helped me out
so as I would do like practice games.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
He would I.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Would send you know, you would watch my tapes and
we would talk on the phone and he would give me.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Advice for all of you listening.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
The job of a play by play announcer to me
is just so the mechanics of it and the understanding
of what it takes, because you can listen to a
lot of games and the one.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Job that if someone is not.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Doing it in a way that is pleasing to the
you notice immediately.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It's so hard. It's so challenging.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So for individuals to me that are raw on television
or trying to figure out or I played basketball, so
jumping in an analyst rolling, Yes, there's levels to improvement,
but that to me is the hardest job that you
can try and figure out on the fly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
What did Marv tell you?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
What were some of the ways that you tried to
figure out what it was to be here? So there's
you know, if you're listening on the radio to a
basketball game, you need to be super descriptive and really
talk a lot. But if you're calling a basketball game
on television, you know you need to be really cognizant
(04:51):
of what you're seeing, of the pictures that you're seeing
and understand that you don't have to overtalk over all
the you know, you don't have to go wall to
wall like you the audience to enjoy what they're seeing,
but you want to amplify that by is this person
in foul trouble or you know, wow, that was great,
or you know this cuts the lead you know to
(05:11):
to too or whatever it is, like, you almost want
to put yourself in the position of watching it with
your audience rather than you don't have to tell your
audience what's going on, because they're smart and they can
see it with their eyes. It's more really being additive
to the broadcast than it being about you. And so
(05:32):
I think that really sort of falls in line with
my broadcast philosophy anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
And so it was, uh, and he was.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
A great you know, an economy of words is okay
when you're when you're calling play by play again unless
you're doing radio, and you know, I was intimidated by that.
I actually got an ulcer that summer as well, because yeah,
because I mean I had a new born and I
was traveling, and I was trying a new job, and
there was so much responsibility and pressure because I thought,
(05:59):
you know, we have to do a good job because
other women if we don't do a good job, like
other women aren't going to get this opportunity. So there
was just a lot of pressure, a lot of eyeballs
on it. It turned out really, really great. It was really fun,
and that atmosphere that you think of today in the WNBA,
that was the atmosphere back then. So it was like
sold out arenas, Madison Square Garden was going crazy. The
(06:22):
crowds in LA and Phoenix like everywhere were just they
were just phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We were phenomenal, especially Houston.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
They won the first four titles, and the Houston Summit,
which is where they played, was just fanatical for the comments.
Rockets had done well the two years that Michael Jordan retired,
so it was like the Rockets, the comments like Houston University, Houston,
like everything just became this like amazing basketball scene.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
What's it like?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Are there any players that you called games of them
that you still talk to now or you talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Them at all? Were some of your favorites? I did
a movie on Cheryl Swoops called Swoops and.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
The thing that was cool about Cheryl Swoop So she
also had just had a baby. So she was one
of the faces of the WNBA, but she didn't even
start that season because she had her son, Jordan, named
after of course you know who. So I saw her
like working her way back to play, and she came
back like halfway through that season, and I was like,
and she could have.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
A baby, come back and play at the WAB. I
could have a baby and do play by play like
let's go and so I.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Anyway, the movie I did on her later was really amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
She's an amazing human being.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
And I talked to a ton of people from those days,
just a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
The league today is built on the shoulders of all
those women who came first, and you know, in my mind,
they're incredible trail blazers.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
They set the table for what we have today.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
They are And that's so important to remember, is we're
looking at the jerseys, we're looking at just the faces
that we see in the social media aspect of it too.
I think, just see the ability to get to know
these players better. How have you I feel like you
have such a effervescent personality. You love the storytelling along
with the play, the performance. What have you thought of
(08:09):
a lot of now the players just their ability to
be themselves and to showcase their personalities and not just
on the floor, but in all aspects of their life.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I think it's really cool.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I think a lot about I feel like Angel Reeste
and such an amazing job of that in college. I
actually think the great thing about Nil and some of
the money that's coming into players at the college level
is that they understand, like from you know, before they
get to the pros, how to market themselves, and they're
very adept at it, and they're I mean, I love
(08:44):
the way like for instance, she didn't Angel Rees didn't
play in the Paris Olympics, but she was so relative
Like everything that she did during that Olympic break like
kept her front and center. So I think she's like
a genius with her brand, and obviously because she's such
a good player. Like, the interesting thing is, like you
could be a great brand ambassador. You know, you could
(09:06):
be you know, have a lot of great qualities that
people approach for influencers, but if you don't back that
up with your play on the court, eventually that goes away.
So to me, the most most effective are the people
who can do both and have the desire to do
both and the knowledge to do both. And I just
think these women that, especially coming out of college, are
(09:28):
very sophisticated.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
They're business women.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
They understand the whole game in every way and including
dealing with the media, you know what I mean. They're
like very savvy about that. So I love the way
that women and men are getting prepared at the collegiate
level for everything that's going to get thrown their way,
including opportunities at the professional level. And I do think
that's why we're seeing social media be so effective. Not
(09:52):
to mention the pregame fits, I mean, come on, I like,
can't I like literally cake it over? How like these
women dress.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Going into the games Like it's so awesome, it's unbelieva.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Everybody's like got their personality and their I'm like, you
want to wear George's you know, you want to wear
like a cool like little skirt dress, you want to
carry I love Brianna Stewart carrying her kids in the game,
Like it's just ah, I love that so fun.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But I think that is showcasing personality, the ability to
have a freedom in allowing everyone to be their unique self.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
You mentioned the Olympics, and we.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Saw such a enormous amount of passion, excitement, enthusiasm. Of
course we're talking about the women's side winning their eight
straight gold medal, the men and what they were able
to accomplish, the like Steph Curry Lebron on what they
look like at this point. But you were such a
pivotal person in those ninety two Olympics and how you
(10:50):
were able to cover it. Being about that team, the
Dream Team being probably the most famous team that we
know constructed to put together.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
What are some of your favorite memory of that time?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I had to laugh because people are like, is this
team the greatest whatever? I was like, no, I'm sorry,
ninety two ninety two was always going to be the
greatest ever just because of the breadth the legends that
were on it. I mean, there were no like up
and coming talent on that team. I mean, everybody was
like a superstar. And then I covered ninety six as well,
(11:21):
and of course that's when the women, you know, really
emerged as a force. So I mean one of the
it's not really a memory from back then, but like
as part of this NBA DNA podcast, one of the
people that we interviewed with Steve Kerr, who obviously coached
this this Olympic team, And I hope you don't mind
if I jumped to that for a second.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So one of the things that we.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Talked about was the Warriors first championship was him coming
in and actually asking Andrea Godala, who we also interviewed
for the episode the Warriors episode, to come off the
bench because that was the best lineup because the Warriors
fell into this kind of called it the death lineup,
but it was this really small ball lineup and in
(12:03):
the end, that was how they were able to win
their first championship by switching their lineup up, and Andrea
Guidala actually won MVP, the only guy to win it
coming off the bench. So I thought of that so
much when these Olympics, when like Jason Tatum didn't play,
or Joel Embiid or you know, there was all this
oh my gosh, I can't believe Steve Kerr is not
starting this person or that person. But I love the
(12:24):
way that he and his staff mixed the lineups up
according to who they were playing, because that is so
true to the way that he is coached the Warriors
and coached them to their championships.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So I just felt like all of these.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Things kind of come come full circle right, like they
were really neat. So that was just that was just
to me very relevatory. And I appreciated the fact that
they had different lineups because I just, you know, you
just don't play guys just to play them. And I
mean back in the day in ninety two is crazy
what they did. Like Charles Barkley tells so many great
(12:59):
stories about going out at night. And Don Spurling, who
is the original NBA entertainment producer of Inside Stuff, told
a story about MJ. They played cards all night, which
they did every night. So he played cards all night,
he had to shoot early in the morning. He went
to his room, took a shower, was out of his room,
(13:20):
did the shoot for like let's say five let's say
like six to ten or whatever roughly or seven to ten.
Then he has the producer drop him off at a
golf course, who plays thirty six holes of golf. Then
he goes back, takes a shower, and plays in the
gold medal game.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
So imagine that like all before the gold medal game
that day. Yeah, that's how like much energy. Yeah, like
he was like superhuman.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So I thought that was such a funny story because
you know, I don't know if if they can do
that now, but I mean that was what they were doing.
They were just you know, they had such a good
time together.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Yeah, you know what was yourn.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
They played golf together, they played cards together, and they
were just I mean, it was just like they had
like crazy practices against each other. I mean it was
it was wild. What was your perspective on that? I
think so often too we see the global.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Game and how everyone's improved and the level of competitional talent.
But and so often it's talked about with teams and
other they spend so much time playing together and working
together as a team that allows them, that's right, a
greater amount of continuity. These players are the best in
the world. Ye they're tossing. What was it like seeing
the personalities It is some very dominant personality and.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Having covered the NBA and then you know, obviously before then,
you know, if you weren't a college player, you know
these were these were pros who hadn't had the opportunity
to win a gold medal. So the fact that they
were able to come together and accomplish something really and
really re establish the USA's dominance in the sport of basketball.
(14:54):
And but what that team did more importantly than anything else,
other than winning a gold medal and coming together and
being the greatest ever, was because that team was so
internationally popular. You had players like Dirk Novitsky growing up,
but he had a poster of Charles Barkley on his wall, right,
so you had. What the Dream Team did in ninety
(15:16):
two was take the NBA global, and that was also
David Stearn's vision, and he got the NBA in as
many television markets as he could around the world. But
that that is where this whole trend that you just
mentioned where so many of the NBA players were playing
for other countries and all that in the Olympics. Obviously,
the NBA is in incredibly international sport. That all started
(15:38):
with the Dream Team was the epicenter of that. And
that's probably honestly their most profound legacy.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
And all of it is interwoven because you've mentioned it,
brought it up throughout it. It's crazy to think that
the NBA Finals used to be on tape to life. Okay,
that was and now but with the and began NBC
Inside Stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Again you part we give.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I don't say it lightly that you are a legend,
you are an icon, not just for what you accomplished
as but that's part of the game.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
We love what we see.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
What was that like during that time of knowing how
that changed the dynamic of what people felt how they
viewed the NBA at that time, And.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
As you mentioned, was when they had the CBS contract,
before it came to NBC in the early nineties, everything
was on tape delay. So if you can imagine, like
some of the great comebacks you know in history, some
of the great games and everything, I mean, really you
know what I mean, people just didn't see it.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
They didn't see it live.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And so when it came to NBC, David Stern invested,
He and Dick eversall invested really heavily. And how are
we going to tell stories? First of all, how are
we going to get people to care about our athletes?
So they started NBA Inside Stuff and they started doing videos,
music videos, I mean anything they could with you know,
(16:56):
Come Fly with Me was it is still one of
the biggest selling video of all time. They created NBA
Entertainment to have fans invest and get to know the
players and give them a platform, you know, because this
is all before social media obviously, way before. And then
you know the other thing we did is believe it
or not, if you can imagine this, we would go
into you're talking about the commissioner of the NBA and
(17:18):
then you're talking we did five games on a weekend,
a double header and a triple header every weekend on
on NBC. We would go into NBA headquarters, me Bob Cassas,
a Montershaw, Dick Eversol. We would sit down with David Stern.
We would have lunch in his office. We always had
turkey sandwiches and diet coke and chocolate chip cookies every time,
every time, every time, every time, and we literally would
(17:44):
go over the features that we were doing. We literally
would go over, here are you know, here's how we're
talking about this player, this is what we want to
get people to know about this team.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And blah blah.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
We would like go over the whole game plan with
the commissioner of the NBA, which is insane. That's how
invested he was in. I'm not I'm just not going
to put it on live. I'm going to put it
on live in a way that I want to make
people care and and a lot of those A lot
of this happened pre Jordan becoming a superstar. So the
(18:15):
first team that really let like cameras in and let
people get to know them was the Detroit Pistons. So
that was the bat that Isaiah Thomas and Jumart you know,
the bad, bad Pistons, And they were the first. They
were the In fact, I remember going to even cover
the Pistons before I even came to NBC because they
were for some reason, like that team was like Okay,
(18:35):
let's go. We get it, we get it, like come
on in, here we go. And this was because Jordan
he couldn't beat the Pistons, right, So it took a
while right for him to get past that and become
the you.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Know, super super superstar that he was. So isn't that funny?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And it's so interesting to think because now and again
with social media, with team contents, you see all of
that players are used to that, players are used to
showing up in what they need to.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Do to kind of service this growth.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
But back then with players, how long did it take
for them to get comfortable with cameras.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
With they would end up just they wanted to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So now it's like, you know, I think athletes prefer
to most of them just make their own narrative and
get out there on social media and do it do
it their way, right, And I really respect that because
there's no filter there. No one's gonna edit your words,
no one's going to you know, portray you in any
way other than you giving that direct message.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So I think that's really cool.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, But back then, if you wanted exposure, okay, you
would have to sit down and do that interview with NBC.
You would have to do a feature on inside stuff.
You know, you would have to participate in those kinds
of things. And frankly, the league encourage that because they're
like the America has to care about you guys, like
(19:56):
they have to get invested in all of the super stars.
So when you think about that era of basketball, you
can name so many players from so many different teams
that you know, Barkley and the Mailman and you know,
I mean, I mean, you know, it wasn't just like,
it wasn't just the Bulls, even even though like now,
(20:17):
if you watch the Last Dance, you're thinking like the
nineties or all the bulls, you know, came the dream
Clyde Drexler. I mean, there were stars everywhere and the league.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Made sure that they were telling their stories.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So you bring up Clyde Drexler, you talk about but
inviting cameras, there's probably one time that a camera was.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Maybe not wanted.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You did an amazing podcast talking about pat Riley and
that brutal, brutal Game seven loss that the Knicks had
to the Rockets, to the Rockets, but you were part
of following him into the locker room after the loss
with a camera. Yeah, I can't even imagine that would
be challenging as is, but an individual like, please know,
(21:01):
please take us.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Into your shoes, your head.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Obviously, obviously, pat Riley is an iconic figure and still
is in the sport of basketball. I mean, when he
has done running the Miami heat is just incredible. You
talk about three franchises, his legacy through the Lakers, the Knicks.
That heat is just unparalleled.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So he had gone from the sort of Vermani claud
you know, slick guy with the Lakers and came to
the Knicks and was like I'm getting down to business
here in New York, like we we are going to
win a championship here.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And you know, he was intimidating.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
And I've interviewed him a lot, and he was, you know,
chasing him down the halls of Masson Square Garden or wherever,
like at halftime, you know, and he was like very serious,
you know, very intimidating. Really didn't want to do that interview,
even though he is a great he's a great guy.
But you know, I mean those coaches who have to
do interviews at halftime. I mean, we know, oh, like.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Greg Pap, I'm gonna chase that too. Like I wouldn't
want to do it.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
If I was a coach, I would be like, no,
thank you. But anyway, back then, we were about ready
to go off the air, and he had left John
Starks in the game, and I think stark cy was like,
who I love, Who's a dear friend of mine. I
want to say it was like three for seventeen or
something like that. I could be off, and he just
let him in the game, and he kept shooting and
shooting and shooting, and the Knicks loss came seven, and
(22:23):
so my boss was like, we're going off the air,
this is our last commercial break. When we come back, you,
I'm sending you in a camera to the Knicks locker
room because Pat and the they like exited the court.
They went in, they closed the doors, you know, no
postgame interviews.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
He goes you, we're going to turn the.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Camera on live and you're gonna go in that locker
room and ask him why he left John Starks in
the game.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
And I was like, I was like, oh, my god,
like my career, little nervous running back. Oh, either pat.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Riley's gonna kill me or my boss is gonna kill me.
But since my boss pays me, I think I'm gonna
think I'm gonna go that route. So sure enough, we
come out of break, I have like two or three minutes.
Bob Cossus is like, no, I was going to hit
a store outside the locker room. The light turns on.
I'm like literally standing outside the room. I opened the
door and I look in and like, no one's in
(23:12):
like the main locker room, but I see there's another door.
I'm like, they got to be in there. So I'm like,
I'm here in the next locker room looking for coach
Pat Rowley. So I opened the door, and as I
opened the door, I go, coach Riley, we're.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Live on the air, just so yeah, you know, I'm
like small live.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
He was like, okay, stands up, ask him two questions.
You know, he was great, thanks, coach. Back to you, Bob,
three two one. The Rockets were in the final, were
off air, and it was like it was absolutely terrifying.
But afterwards I saw my boss and he stood up
and he was like, yeah, good job.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Good girl.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Oh my thanks a lot, because yeah, I mean, you know,
I have a lot of experience interviewing the winning team,
but also a lot of experience interviewing the.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Losing team, and you know, those are the hard ones
to do that.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
I'm sure you know you've done that before. His there
been other Have you felt intimidated? What's your approach to
different interviews? Do you you know what's going to be
a challenging circumstance, how do you feel and how do
you handle that?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
No, I just I'm always like probably over prepared for interviews,
so when I go in, I'm just kind of ready
for anything, you know, because you never know what's going
to happen. I mean, I remember the Braves winning the
World Series and like I was in the locker room
and like Ted Turner's in there, and like he's trying
to take the microphone, and like there's like Champagne everywhere,
(24:37):
and it's like in my eyes, like I.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Can't see it, like absolutely chaos. You know, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
So I mean you can go in and think, oh,
I'm gonna ask questions abc DN, and then you could
just go in and it could just be a total
mad house, you know, anytime, like because we used to
do all all the winning interviews in locker rooms, so
you would always be in a you know, for every
game clin situation. I wore the same jacket because champagne
(25:07):
dissolves the.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Glue in fabric.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
So I learned my lesson wearing like nice you know,
nice suits and stuff, because once Champagne hits your hits
your clothing, it like shrinks up and it's ruined and
you have to throw it away. So I had this
one red jacket that I took like for years to
every game clinching situation because it was like indestructible and
(25:30):
you know, sure enough if somebody won a game, you
would end up in the locker room Champagne flying insanity,
crazy grabbing bodies.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And all of that and interviewing.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
I mean, it's a super cool atmosphere, but it's absolutely wild.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
With that being said, because you talk about your bosses,
you talk about these interviews you we've mentioned with the WNBA,
those that laid the foundation for to be where it's at.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I would not be.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Sitting here doing what I'm doing. I would not have
the job the roles I have if not for you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yeah, and not for me.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
You mentioned you indors Burke, there is no way. Every
time I see her, I think her, and I mean
it from my heart because we have so many women
that we watch in the media now covering sports and
it's a so cool it's no.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Longer an anomaly.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
And so I think about back and how you paved
the way. Who were some of the people that believed
in you first, that understood you know what we're going
to put you in situation. You've talked about so many
situations that now were first for anyone, let alone for
a female. Who were some of those people and what
allowed you to realize that they're going to put me
(26:39):
in circumstances because they know that I will come through
in successful ways.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Well, I mean I was the first female.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
So CNN used to be ESPN's biggest competitor, CNN Sports,
so we used to go head to head at night
with our sports cast, believe it or not, which sounds
so weird today, but CNN Sports was a thing, So
I would say like Bill McPhail Jim Walton at CNN
who hired me and made me the first ever female
anchor there, And then Dick Eversall at NBC was an insomniac,
(27:07):
and he would I used to go on at two
in the morning, not even at eleven at night, Like
my shift was like at two in the morning, which
was live at eleven on the West Coast, but it
was two in the morning, and he watched me all
the time. So he is the one who hired me,
started giving me roles that like women had never had.
A woman had never hosted North American sports major sports.
(27:31):
So I hosted like the Baseball Network, I hosted Olympics,
I hosted Wimbledon. I hosted the NBA on NBC when
Costas wasn't hosting, And then you know, I hosted and
he did play by play. I mean we both kind
of did a variety of roles there. Yeah, and he
is the one who gave me like basically every opportunity
(27:52):
at NBC for ten years. So that's like kind of
the iconic like estap. I mean, CNN was big, but
then NBA, see was really really where I really cut
my teeth with like major major leagues.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
When you think about so many young people out here,
those listening are those that love sports. They don't have
to be young, it's never too late, but that aspire
to have a career in sports.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
What's some of the biggest pieces of advice.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
That you think about that you would give in framing
what it has taken.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I mean, this is super obvious, but I always I mean,
work hard is my number one piece of advice for
any person in any profession. There's literally no substitute for it,
and I hate to say that, there's no way around it.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Like to be truly successful.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
That's why I would say, pick something that really interests
you and that you really like and that you're going
to devote a lot of time and energy to. The
Other thing I think is to take chances and push
yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable at times.
So if you don't know something like I remember my
first team full time TV was in Charlotte and they're
like NASCAR Country, and I was like, what's NASCAR?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Basically? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
I covered like I was coming from Houston basketball football,
you know, I'm like NASCAR, but I wanted to get
on TV full time and I was like, you know what,
sports is not brain surgery, Like you can learn anything.
And I ended up posting NASCAR specials and being deep
into NASCAR, and late I've done NASCAR like films, you know,
since then, Like I definitely like immersed myself in that
(29:29):
and learned it.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
And then I.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Had the opportunity to do play by play for the WNBA.
I also a few years ago became the first woman
ever to do NFL play by play for an entire
season for Amazon, which I did for four seasons with
Andrea Kramer Foot. That was terrifying, you know what I mean.
So sometimes you're gonna get opportunities you're gonna be like, well,
I don't know if I can do that, or that
seems a little intimidating or that's not something I really know.
(29:53):
But you have to understand that you can get there
because you are motivated. You are smart. You can ask
questions and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
You can do your homework.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I mean I've read listen when there were like preview,
you know, football previews for this right now, like seasons past,
I would be in all those magazines reading about every team,
just like with my highlighter Football for Dummies, like anything,
you know, any day I get my hands on, like
to prepare when I do the New York Marathon, like
what I do to repair. It's in the scene make
(30:25):
like big notebooks. Now are you going to use like
that much of it? Sure, but at least when you
show up, you're going to be like, ah, okay, I
did on my own work. I'm prepared for whatever happens,
and whatever happens, I'm gonna be calm because I know
I did as much as much as I possibly could.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
So just for me, that's my comfort level.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
For all things in life. We can prepare and we
can be set.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
But when you're.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Trying new things, when you're do and it doesn't go
the way you hoped or the way you plan, how
do you how do you? I feel like that's advice
that everyone needs in every circumstance.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
How do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I mean, there's things that happened that are beyond your control.
And as long as you tell yourself and you think back, Okay,
did I do everything I could to prepare for this moment?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Yes? Did things go the way I hope?
Speaker 3 (31:11):
No?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
What can I do better next time? And just understand
that your life and your job, and it's like a marathon.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
It's like a long journey, a long runway.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
And even though at times in the moment you might
feel like, oh my god, that was so horrible, or
oh I did this or I did that, you know,
you just you have to tell yourself like deep breath,
or there's always another game, you know. And really think
about athletes, and I've always envisioned being a baseball player
because if you're a really good hitter, you're only connecting
(31:46):
with the ball maybe one out of every four times
or one out of every three times. I mean, if
you're fabulous, right, so you're failing to connect with the
baseball at the plate the majority of the time. So
are you not going to get up there and try
to hit the baseball again?
Speaker 2 (32:04):
Of course not.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
So you can't think or you look at a quarterback like,
oh my god, what if you threw an interception or
are you just going to go out there and like
not throw the ball to anybody the rest of the game,
of course not.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
So.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I think sports are really is a really good, like
sort of life lesson in that regard when you look
at most of the times you're failing to do something,
and it's those times when you do connect when things
do go well, yay, you know, we win the game
or whatever, or.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
People go through slumps too.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
So I think you just, you know, really understand that
failure is a huge part of success and that you
can't have success if you're not failing it.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Just the two go hand in hand.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
So try to be philosophical about it and try not
to get an ulser like I did.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Oh, Hannah, you are.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
I'm going to say it again, thank you who you
are for what you've done for all of your time
always because so many of us wouldn't have the opportunities
to do. And I was gonna say, I could talk
to you for hours and hours, but lucky for us,
we can listen to NBA DNA with Hannah Storm and
then hear all your stories yeah a few hours.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Ago, and it's really fun.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
It's documentary style, so it's really good storytelling. And I
just really appreciate iHeart because they took this project with
the NBA. I wrote an essay and they were like,
you know what, I think we can make something out
of this. And just everybody, Jason, Julia, the entire team, Peter,
I mean, they're just they've just been incredible. And you
(33:39):
were the first person I did an interview with to
promote the podcast We're Gonna You.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Are the best.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Thank you, Hannah
Well, for all of you here joining us, Thanks for
sitting down taking a few minutes of your time to
listen to an amazing conversation that I am excited about.
We're here in New York City at Fanatics Fest with
the one and only Hannah Storm, and of course, Hannah
has a tremendous podcast, NBA DNA with Hannah Storm. Hannah,
(00:35):
I've got to say, you have interviewed so many legends,
so many icons, Doctor j Charles Barkley, Rebecca Lobo, the
list goes on, but I feel most honored because now
I get to sit in interview a legend.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, so it's like, thanks, thanks for having me, thanks
for lying. It's a lot harder.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Interview than to interview. So I'm on the other answer.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
You know what, We're going to keep it that way
because we want to hear and that's been the amazing
part of NBA DNA. It's getting to hear your stories
and all that you've done and accomplished. And obviously your
resume speaks for itself, but more of it is about
the experience that you went through. That's what I love.
And we've talked a lot about so many different aspects
(01:21):
of your career. But this past year we've seen such
a tremendous boom in women's sports.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
But in watching just.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Where it's at, and obviously you're around it. I've been
around it is so integral to me, the WNBA and
just the season that they've had. I want you to
take us back of nineteen ninety seven. You were a
part of the foundation that started this league, got it
to where it is. What was that like for you
(01:50):
at that time?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
In some ways, I mean, it was really exciting, but
it was also somewhat terrifying. So I following the success
of the nineteen ninety six Olympic Games and the women's
team and their barnstorming tour, the David Stern was able
to convince the owners and everyone to sign off on
(02:12):
something that he wanted to do a passion project of his,
which was the WNBA and NBC had the NBA contract
at the time. Everybody remembers the NBA on NBC and
so the WNBA naturally was part of that. So we had,
you know, one or two really big games every week,
and Dick Embersaw, who was a president of NBC Sports chairman, said.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
I want you to do the play by play.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
He wanted an all female broadcast team, which at the
time just wasn't It didn't exist. So myself Annie Meyers Drysdale,
total legend, and a woman named Lisa Malaski.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
She was our sideline reporter.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
A renowned features producer named Lisa Lax ran our production team.
So it was like women behind the camera and in front.
But having never done play by play, it was it
was really wild to.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Just gear up to that.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I had just had a baby and then I got
this assignment, which quickly followed because I was hosting and
covering the NBA at the time.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know, the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Season ramped up right after that, so it was a
lot to learn. I went and I did a couple
of games with this lovely woman. I went up to
the University of Connecticut. Her name was Doris Burke, and
I think she's done.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Okay in her career.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I just think it's so funny that that was the
first person that I sat down on to try to
call a game. I was terrible. She was amazing, of course,
and so nice. And then Marv Albert, who was a
voice of the NBA on NBC, really helped me out
so as I would do like practice games.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
He would I.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Would send you know, you would watch my tapes and
we would talk on the phone and he would give me.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Advice for all of you listening.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
The job of a play by play announcer to me
is just so the mechanics of it and the understanding
of what it takes, because you can listen to a
lot of games and the one.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Job that if someone is not.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Doing it in a way that is pleasing to the
you notice immediately.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It's so hard. It's so challenging.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
So for individuals to me that are raw on television
or trying to figure out or I played basketball, so
jumping in an analyst rolling, Yes, there's levels to improvement,
but that to me is the hardest job that you
can try and figure out on the fly.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
What did Marv tell you?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
What were some of the ways that you tried to
figure out what it was to be here? So there's
you know, if you're listening on the radio to a
basketball game, you need to be super descriptive and really
talk a lot. But if you're calling a basketball game
on television, you know you need to be really cognizant
(04:51):
of what you're seeing, of the pictures that you're seeing
and understand that you don't have to overtalk over all
the you know, you don't have to go wall to
wall like you the audience to enjoy what they're seeing,
but you want to amplify that by is this person
in foul trouble or you know, wow, that was great,
or you know this cuts the lead you know to
(05:11):
to too or whatever it is, like, you almost want
to put yourself in the position of watching it with
your audience rather than you don't have to tell your
audience what's going on, because they're smart and they can
see it with their eyes. It's more really being additive
to the broadcast than it being about you. And so
(05:32):
I think that really sort of falls in line with
my broadcast philosophy anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
And so it was, uh, and he was.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
A great you know, an economy of words is okay
when you're when you're calling play by play again unless
you're doing radio, and you know, I was intimidated by that.
I actually got an ulcer that summer as well, because yeah,
because I mean I had a new born and I
was traveling, and I was trying a new job, and
there was so much responsibility and pressure because I thought,
(05:59):
you know, we have to do a good job because
other women if we don't do a good job, like
other women aren't going to get this opportunity. So there
was just a lot of pressure, a lot of eyeballs
on it. It turned out really, really great. It was really fun,
and that atmosphere that you think of today in the WNBA,
that was the atmosphere back then. So it was like
sold out arenas, Madison Square Garden was going crazy. The
(06:22):
crowds in LA and Phoenix like everywhere were just they
were just phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We were phenomenal, especially Houston.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
They won the first four titles, and the Houston Summit,
which is where they played, was just fanatical for the comments.
Rockets had done well the two years that Michael Jordan retired,
so it was like the Rockets, the comments like Houston University, Houston,
like everything just became this like amazing basketball scene.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
What's it like?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Are there any players that you called games of them
that you still talk to now or you talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Them at all? Were some of your favorites? I did
a movie on Cheryl Swoops called Swoops and.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
The thing that was cool about Cheryl Swoop So she
also had just had a baby. So she was one
of the faces of the WNBA, but she didn't even
start that season because she had her son, Jordan, named
after of course you know who. So I saw her
like working her way back to play, and she came
back like halfway through that season, and I was like,
and she could have.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
A baby, come back and play at the WAB. I
could have a baby and do play by play like
let's go and so I.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Anyway, the movie I did on her later was really amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
She's an amazing human being.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
And I talked to a ton of people from those days,
just a lot.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
The league today is built on the shoulders of all
those women who came first, and you know, in my mind,
they're incredible trail blazers.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
They set the table for what we have today.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
They are And that's so important to remember, is we're
looking at the jerseys, we're looking at just the faces
that we see in the social media aspect of it too.
I think, just see the ability to get to know
these players better. How have you I feel like you
have such a effervescent personality. You love the storytelling along
with the play, the performance. What have you thought of
(08:09):
a lot of now the players just their ability to
be themselves and to showcase their personalities and not just
on the floor, but in all aspects of their life.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I think it's really cool.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
I think a lot about I feel like Angel Reeste
and such an amazing job of that in college. I
actually think the great thing about Nil and some of
the money that's coming into players at the college level
is that they understand, like from you know, before they
get to the pros, how to market themselves, and they're
very adept at it, and they're I mean, I love
(08:44):
the way like for instance, she didn't Angel Rees didn't
play in the Paris Olympics, but she was so relative
Like everything that she did during that Olympic break like
kept her front and center. So I think she's like
a genius with her brand, and obviously because she's such
a good player. Like, the interesting thing is, like you
could be a great brand ambassador. You know, you could
(09:06):
be you know, have a lot of great qualities that
people approach for influencers, but if you don't back that
up with your play on the court, eventually that goes away.
So to me, the most most effective are the people
who can do both and have the desire to do
both and the knowledge to do both. And I just
think these women that, especially coming out of college, are
(09:28):
very sophisticated.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
They're business women.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
They understand the whole game in every way and including
dealing with the media, you know what I mean. They're
like very savvy about that. So I love the way
that women and men are getting prepared at the collegiate
level for everything that's going to get thrown their way,
including opportunities at the professional level. And I do think
that's why we're seeing social media be so effective. Not
(09:52):
to mention the pregame fits, I mean, come on, I like,
can't I like literally cake it over? How like these
women dress.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Going into the games Like it's so awesome, it's unbelieva.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Everybody's like got their personality and their I'm like, you
want to wear George's you know, you want to wear
like a cool like little skirt dress, you want to
carry I love Brianna Stewart carrying her kids in the game,
Like it's just ah, I love that so fun.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But I think that is showcasing personality, the ability to
have a freedom in allowing everyone to be their unique self.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
You mentioned the Olympics, and we.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Saw such a enormous amount of passion, excitement, enthusiasm. Of
course we're talking about the women's side winning their eight
straight gold medal, the men and what they were able
to accomplish, the like Steph Curry Lebron on what they
look like at this point. But you were such a
pivotal person in those ninety two Olympics and how you
(10:50):
were able to cover it. Being about that team, the
Dream Team being probably the most famous team that we
know constructed to put together.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
What are some of your favorite memory of that time?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I had to laugh because people are like, is this
team the greatest whatever? I was like, no, I'm sorry,
ninety two ninety two was always going to be the
greatest ever just because of the breadth the legends that
were on it. I mean, there were no like up
and coming talent on that team. I mean, everybody was
like a superstar. And then I covered ninety six as well,
(11:21):
and of course that's when the women, you know, really
emerged as a force. So I mean one of the
it's not really a memory from back then, but like
as part of this NBA DNA podcast, one of the
people that we interviewed with Steve Kerr, who obviously coached
this this Olympic team, And I hope you don't mind
if I jumped to that for a second.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So one of the things that we.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Talked about was the Warriors first championship was him coming
in and actually asking Andrea Godala, who we also interviewed
for the episode the Warriors episode, to come off the
bench because that was the best lineup because the Warriors
fell into this kind of called it the death lineup,
but it was this really small ball lineup and in
(12:03):
the end, that was how they were able to win
their first championship by switching their lineup up, and Andrea
Guidala actually won MVP, the only guy to win it
coming off the bench. So I thought of that so
much when these Olympics, when like Jason Tatum didn't play,
or Joel Embiid or you know, there was all this
oh my gosh, I can't believe Steve Kerr is not
starting this person or that person. But I love the
(12:24):
way that he and his staff mixed the lineups up
according to who they were playing, because that is so
true to the way that he is coached the Warriors
and coached them to their championships.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So I just felt like all of these.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Things kind of come come full circle right, like they
were really neat. So that was just that was just
to me very relevatory. And I appreciated the fact that
they had different lineups because I just, you know, you
just don't play guys just to play them. And I
mean back in the day in ninety two is crazy
what they did. Like Charles Barkley tells so many great
(12:59):
stories about going out at night. And Don Spurling, who
is the original NBA entertainment producer of Inside Stuff, told
a story about MJ. They played cards all night, which
they did every night. So he played cards all night,
he had to shoot early in the morning. He went
to his room, took a shower, was out of his room,
(13:20):
did the shoot for like let's say five let's say
like six to ten or whatever roughly or seven to ten.
Then he has the producer drop him off at a
golf course, who plays thirty six holes of golf. Then
he goes back, takes a shower, and plays in the
gold medal game.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
So imagine that like all before the gold medal game
that day. Yeah, that's how like much energy. Yeah, like
he was like superhuman.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So I thought that was such a funny story because
you know, I don't know if if they can do
that now, but I mean that was what they were doing.
They were just you know, they had such a good
time together.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Yeah, you know what was yourn.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
They played golf together, they played cards together, and they
were just I mean, it was just like they had
like crazy practices against each other. I mean it was
it was wild. What was your perspective on that? I
think so often too we see the global.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Game and how everyone's improved and the level of competitional talent.
But and so often it's talked about with teams and
other they spend so much time playing together and working
together as a team that allows them, that's right, a
greater amount of continuity. These players are the best in
the world. Ye they're tossing. What was it like seeing
the personalities It is some very dominant personality and.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Having covered the NBA and then you know, obviously before then,
you know, if you weren't a college player, you know
these were these were pros who hadn't had the opportunity
to win a gold medal. So the fact that they
were able to come together and accomplish something really and
really re establish the USA's dominance in the sport of basketball.
(14:54):
And but what that team did more importantly than anything else,
other than winning a gold medal and coming together and
being the greatest ever, was because that team was so
internationally popular. You had players like Dirk Novitsky growing up,
but he had a poster of Charles Barkley on his wall, right,
so you had. What the Dream Team did in ninety
(15:16):
two was take the NBA global, and that was also
David Stearn's vision, and he got the NBA in as
many television markets as he could around the world. But
that that is where this whole trend that you just
mentioned where so many of the NBA players were playing
for other countries and all that in the Olympics. Obviously,
the NBA is in incredibly international sport. That all started
(15:38):
with the Dream Team was the epicenter of that. And
that's probably honestly their most profound legacy.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
And all of it is interwoven because you've mentioned it,
brought it up throughout it. It's crazy to think that
the NBA Finals used to be on tape to life. Okay,
that was and now but with the and began NBC
Inside Stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Again you part we give.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
I don't say it lightly that you are a legend,
you are an icon, not just for what you accomplished
as but that's part of the game.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
We love what we see.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
What was that like during that time of knowing how
that changed the dynamic of what people felt how they
viewed the NBA at that time, And.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
As you mentioned, was when they had the CBS contract,
before it came to NBC in the early nineties, everything
was on tape delay. So if you can imagine, like
some of the great comebacks you know in history, some
of the great games and everything, I mean, really you
know what I mean, people just didn't see it.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
They didn't see it live.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And so when it came to NBC, David Stern invested,
He and Dick eversall invested really heavily. And how are
we going to tell stories? First of all, how are
we going to get people to care about our athletes?
So they started NBA Inside Stuff and they started doing videos,
music videos, I mean anything they could with you know,
(16:56):
Come Fly with Me was it is still one of
the biggest selling video of all time. They created NBA
Entertainment to have fans invest and get to know the
players and give them a platform, you know, because this
is all before social media obviously, way before. And then
you know the other thing we did is believe it
or not, if you can imagine this, we would go
into you're talking about the commissioner of the NBA and
(17:18):
then you're talking we did five games on a weekend,
a double header and a triple header every weekend on
on NBC. We would go into NBA headquarters, me Bob Cassas,
a Montershaw, Dick Eversol. We would sit down with David Stern.
We would have lunch in his office. We always had
turkey sandwiches and diet coke and chocolate chip cookies every time,
every time, every time, every time, and we literally would
(17:44):
go over the features that we were doing. We literally
would go over, here are you know, here's how we're
talking about this player, this is what we want to
get people to know about this team.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And blah blah.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
We would like go over the whole game plan with
the commissioner of the NBA, which is insane. That's how
invested he was in. I'm not I'm just not going
to put it on live. I'm going to put it
on live in a way that I want to make
people care and and a lot of those A lot
of this happened pre Jordan becoming a superstar. So the
(18:15):
first team that really let like cameras in and let
people get to know them was the Detroit Pistons. So
that was the bat that Isaiah Thomas and Jumart you know,
the bad, bad Pistons, And they were the first. They
were the In fact, I remember going to even cover
the Pistons before I even came to NBC because they
were for some reason, like that team was like Okay,
(18:35):
let's go. We get it, we get it, like come
on in, here we go. And this was because Jordan
he couldn't beat the Pistons, right, So it took a
while right for him to get past that and become
the you.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Know, super super superstar that he was. So isn't that funny?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And it's so interesting to think because now and again
with social media, with team contents, you see all of
that players are used to that, players are used to
showing up in what they need to.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Do to kind of service this growth.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
But back then with players, how long did it take
for them to get comfortable with cameras.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
With they would end up just they wanted to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So now it's like, you know, I think athletes prefer
to most of them just make their own narrative and
get out there on social media and do it do
it their way, right, And I really respect that because
there's no filter there. No one's gonna edit your words,
no one's going to you know, portray you in any
way other than you giving that direct message.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So I think that's really cool.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, But back then, if you wanted exposure, okay, you
would have to sit down and do that interview with NBC.
You would have to do a feature on inside stuff.
You know, you would have to participate in those kinds
of things. And frankly, the league encourage that because they're
like the America has to care about you guys, like
(19:56):
they have to get invested in all of the super stars.
So when you think about that era of basketball, you
can name so many players from so many different teams
that you know, Barkley and the Mailman and you know,
I mean, I mean, you know, it wasn't just like,
it wasn't just the Bulls, even even though like now,
(20:17):
if you watch the Last Dance, you're thinking like the
nineties or all the bulls, you know, came the dream
Clyde Drexler. I mean, there were stars everywhere and the league.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Made sure that they were telling their stories.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So you bring up Clyde Drexler, you talk about but
inviting cameras, there's probably one time that a camera was.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Maybe not wanted.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You did an amazing podcast talking about pat Riley and
that brutal, brutal Game seven loss that the Knicks had
to the Rockets, to the Rockets, but you were part
of following him into the locker room after the loss
with a camera. Yeah, I can't even imagine that would
be challenging as is, but an individual like, please know,
(21:01):
please take us.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Into your shoes, your head.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Obviously, obviously, pat Riley is an iconic figure and still
is in the sport of basketball. I mean, when he
has done running the Miami heat is just incredible. You
talk about three franchises, his legacy through the Lakers, the Knicks.
That heat is just unparalleled.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It really is.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So he had gone from the sort of Vermani claud
you know, slick guy with the Lakers and came to
the Knicks and was like I'm getting down to business
here in New York, like we we are going to
win a championship here.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
And you know, he was intimidating.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
And I've interviewed him a lot, and he was, you know,
chasing him down the halls of Masson Square Garden or wherever,
like at halftime, you know, and he was like very serious,
you know, very intimidating. Really didn't want to do that interview,
even though he is a great he's a great guy.
But you know, I mean those coaches who have to
do interviews at halftime. I mean, we know, oh, like.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Greg Pap, I'm gonna chase that too. Like I wouldn't
want to do it.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
If I was a coach, I would be like, no,
thank you. But anyway, back then, we were about ready
to go off the air, and he had left John
Starks in the game, and I think stark cy was like,
who I love, Who's a dear friend of mine. I
want to say it was like three for seventeen or
something like that. I could be off, and he just
let him in the game, and he kept shooting and
shooting and shooting, and the Knicks loss came seven, and
(22:23):
so my boss was like, we're going off the air,
this is our last commercial break. When we come back, you,
I'm sending you in a camera to the Knicks locker
room because Pat and the they like exited the court.
They went in, they closed the doors, you know, no
postgame interviews.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
He goes you, we're going to turn the.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Camera on live and you're gonna go in that locker
room and ask him why he left John Starks in
the game.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
And I was like, I was like, oh, my god,
like my career, little nervous running back. Oh, either pat.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Riley's gonna kill me or my boss is gonna kill me.
But since my boss pays me, I think I'm gonna
think I'm gonna go that route. So sure enough, we
come out of break, I have like two or three minutes.
Bob Cossus is like, no, I was going to hit
a store outside the locker room. The light turns on.
I'm like literally standing outside the room. I opened the
door and I look in and like, no one's in
(23:12):
like the main locker room, but I see there's another door.
I'm like, they got to be in there. So I'm like,
I'm here in the next locker room looking for coach
Pat Rowley. So I opened the door, and as I
opened the door, I go, coach Riley, we're.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Live on the air, just so yeah, you know, I'm
like small live.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
He was like, okay, stands up, ask him two questions.
You know, he was great, thanks, coach. Back to you, Bob,
three two one. The Rockets were in the final, were
off air, and it was like it was absolutely terrifying.
But afterwards I saw my boss and he stood up
and he was like, yeah, good job.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Good girl.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Oh my thanks a lot, because yeah, I mean, you know,
I have a lot of experience interviewing the winning team,
but also a lot of experience interviewing the.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
Losing team, and you know, those are the hard ones
to do that.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
I'm sure you know you've done that before. His there
been other Have you felt intimidated? What's your approach to
different interviews? Do you you know what's going to be
a challenging circumstance, how do you feel and how do
you handle that?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
No, I just I'm always like probably over prepared for interviews,
so when I go in, I'm just kind of ready
for anything, you know, because you never know what's going
to happen. I mean, I remember the Braves winning the
World Series and like I was in the locker room
and like Ted Turner's in there, and like he's trying
to take the microphone, and like there's like Champagne everywhere,
(24:37):
and it's like in my eyes, like I.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Can't see it, like absolutely chaos. You know, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
So I mean you can go in and think, oh,
I'm gonna ask questions abc DN, and then you could
just go in and it could just be a total
mad house, you know, anytime, like because we used to
do all all the winning interviews in locker rooms, so
you would always be in a you know, for every
game clin situation. I wore the same jacket because champagne
(25:07):
dissolves the.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Glue in fabric.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
So I learned my lesson wearing like nice you know,
nice suits and stuff, because once Champagne hits your hits
your clothing, it like shrinks up and it's ruined and
you have to throw it away. So I had this
one red jacket that I took like for years to
every game clinching situation because it was like indestructible and
(25:30):
you know, sure enough if somebody won a game, you
would end up in the locker room Champagne flying insanity,
crazy grabbing bodies.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And all of that and interviewing.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
I mean, it's a super cool atmosphere, but it's absolutely wild.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
With that being said, because you talk about your bosses,
you talk about these interviews you we've mentioned with the WNBA,
those that laid the foundation for to be where it's at.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
I would not be.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Sitting here doing what I'm doing. I would not have
the job the roles I have if not for you.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yeah, and not for me.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
You mentioned you indors Burke, there is no way. Every
time I see her, I think her, and I mean
it from my heart because we have so many women
that we watch in the media now covering sports and
it's a so cool it's no.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Longer an anomaly.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
And so I think about back and how you paved
the way. Who were some of the people that believed
in you first, that understood you know what we're going
to put you in situation. You've talked about so many
situations that now were first for anyone, let alone for
a female. Who were some of those people and what
allowed you to realize that they're going to put me
(26:39):
in circumstances because they know that I will come through
in successful ways.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Well, I mean I was the first female.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
So CNN used to be ESPN's biggest competitor, CNN Sports,
so we used to go head to head at night
with our sports cast, believe it or not, which sounds
so weird today, but CNN Sports was a thing, So
I would say like Bill McPhail Jim Walton at CNN
who hired me and made me the first ever female
anchor there, And then Dick Eversall at NBC was an insomniac,
(27:07):
and he would I used to go on at two
in the morning, not even at eleven at night, Like
my shift was like at two in the morning, which
was live at eleven on the West Coast, but it
was two in the morning, and he watched me all
the time. So he is the one who hired me,
started giving me roles that like women had never had.
A woman had never hosted North American sports major sports.
(27:31):
So I hosted like the Baseball Network, I hosted Olympics,
I hosted Wimbledon. I hosted the NBA on NBC when
Costas wasn't hosting, And then you know, I hosted and
he did play by play. I mean we both kind
of did a variety of roles there. Yeah, and he
is the one who gave me like basically every opportunity
(27:52):
at NBC for ten years. So that's like kind of
the iconic like estap. I mean, CNN was big, but
then NBA, see was really really where I really cut
my teeth with like major major leagues.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
When you think about so many young people out here,
those listening are those that love sports. They don't have
to be young, it's never too late, but that aspire
to have a career in sports.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
What's some of the biggest pieces of advice.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
That you think about that you would give in framing
what it has taken.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
I mean, this is super obvious, but I always I mean,
work hard is my number one piece of advice for
any person in any profession. There's literally no substitute for it,
and I hate to say that, there's no way around it.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Like to be truly successful.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
That's why I would say, pick something that really interests
you and that you really like and that you're going
to devote a lot of time and energy to. The
Other thing I think is to take chances and push
yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable at times.
So if you don't know something like I remember my
first team full time TV was in Charlotte and they're
like NASCAR Country, and I was like, what's NASCAR?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Basically? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
I covered like I was coming from Houston basketball football,
you know, I'm like NASCAR, but I wanted to get
on TV full time and I was like, you know what,
sports is not brain surgery, Like you can learn anything.
And I ended up posting NASCAR specials and being deep
into NASCAR, and late I've done NASCAR like films, you know,
since then, Like I definitely like immersed myself in that
(29:29):
and learned it.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
And then I.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Had the opportunity to do play by play for the WNBA.
I also a few years ago became the first woman
ever to do NFL play by play for an entire
season for Amazon, which I did for four seasons with
Andrea Kramer Foot. That was terrifying, you know what I mean.
So sometimes you're gonna get opportunities you're gonna be like, well,
I don't know if I can do that, or that
seems a little intimidating or that's not something I really know.
(29:53):
But you have to understand that you can get there
because you are motivated. You are smart. You can ask
questions and that's okay.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
You can do your homework.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I mean I've read listen when there were like preview,
you know, football previews for this right now, like seasons past,
I would be in all those magazines reading about every team,
just like with my highlighter Football for Dummies, like anything,
you know, any day I get my hands on, like
to prepare when I do the New York Marathon, like
what I do to repair. It's in the scene make
(30:25):
like big notebooks. Now are you going to use like
that much of it? Sure, but at least when you
show up, you're going to be like, ah, okay, I
did on my own work. I'm prepared for whatever happens,
and whatever happens, I'm gonna be calm because I know
I did as much as much as I possibly could.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
So just for me, that's my comfort level.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
For all things in life. We can prepare and we
can be set.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
But when you're.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Trying new things, when you're do and it doesn't go
the way you hoped or the way you plan, how
do you how do you? I feel like that's advice
that everyone needs in every circumstance.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
How do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (30:59):
I mean, there's things that happened that are beyond your control.
And as long as you tell yourself and you think back, Okay,
did I do everything I could to prepare for this moment?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Yes? Did things go the way I hope?
Speaker 3 (31:11):
No?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
What can I do better next time? And just understand
that your life and your job, and it's like a marathon.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
It's like a long journey, a long runway.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
And even though at times in the moment you might
feel like, oh my god, that was so horrible, or
oh I did this or I did that, you know,
you just you have to tell yourself like deep breath,
or there's always another game, you know. And really think
about athletes, and I've always envisioned being a baseball player
because if you're a really good hitter, you're only connecting
(31:46):
with the ball maybe one out of every four times
or one out of every three times. I mean, if
you're fabulous, right, so you're failing to connect with the
baseball at the plate the majority of the time. So
are you not going to get up there and try
to hit the baseball again?
Speaker 2 (32:04):
Of course not.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
So you can't think or you look at a quarterback like,
oh my god, what if you threw an interception or
are you just going to go out there and like
not throw the ball to anybody the rest of the game,
of course not.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
So.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I think sports are really is a really good, like
sort of life lesson in that regard when you look
at most of the times you're failing to do something,
and it's those times when you do connect when things
do go well, yay, you know, we win the game
or whatever, or.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
People go through slumps too.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
So I think you just, you know, really understand that
failure is a huge part of success and that you
can't have success if you're not failing it.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Just the two go hand in hand.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
So try to be philosophical about it and try not
to get an ulser like I did.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
Oh, Hannah, you are.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
I'm going to say it again, thank you who you
are for what you've done for all of your time
always because so many of us wouldn't have the opportunities
to do. And I was gonna say, I could talk
to you for hours and hours, but lucky for us,
we can listen to NBA DNA with Hannah Storm and
then hear all your stories yeah a few hours.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
Ago, and it's really fun.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
It's documentary style, so it's really good storytelling. And I
just really appreciate iHeart because they took this project with
the NBA. I wrote an essay and they were like,
you know what, I think we can make something out
of this. And just everybody, Jason, Julia, the entire team, Peter,
I mean, they're just they've just been incredible. And you
(33:39):
were the first person I did an interview with to
promote the podcast We're Gonna You.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Are the best.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Thank you, Hannah
Host
Hannah Storm
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