Welcome to "The Morning Kickoff Show" with Mike "Hardball" Hardge & "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry. Today, the guys have "The Legends of the Locker Room" segment as they have Texas Longhorn Legendary Pitcher Kirk Dressendorfer as they talk about his legendary clinching game, striking out 11 and securing Texas Longhorns' 25th College World Series birth. They also discuss his being inducted into the 2025 Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. It's a locker room moment from the classic game. He gives his opinion on the current state of college baseball. He explains the value of great starting pitching in college baseball. The College World Series is essential, and it is vital to be at your best for it and understand that the Conference Championship is critical as it is, as there is a bigger pitcher. You can hear it all here on "The Morning Kickoff Show!"
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Let's get.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Let's just shut the locker pay. Let's just sit the
locker le just go withlive when we take it, not
just Rea. Let's just set the locker pay. Let's just SEPs.
I'm on the end and you know that.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
People skin there.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Let's just set the locker pay. Let's just set the
lock pay. But this go alive when we take.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Him, not what just we did.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Let's just send the locker pay. Let's just the locker
PA's I'm on the end, and you know the pad true, Mark,
Henry and Mike Hart reliveh just making for butts.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He is a three time All American an All Southwest
Conference picture. He posted forty five wins. In what better
way than having a legend in the locker room On
this day, Kirk dressing Door first struck out eleven to
help Texas get to its twenty fifth College World Series.
(01:08):
And we are welcomed by my guy, Kirk dressing Door
for Kirk.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
How you doing, buddy, I'm doing great. How you guys
doing well?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
We're excited to have you on especially you know obviously
our guy Chris Bennett CB posted that on this day
in nineteen eighty nine. By the way, I was at
that game where you struck out eleven to help Texas
get his twenty fifth College World Series birth and you
(01:38):
just recently was enshrined in the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Man,
I'm so proud of you, dude. You just don't even know.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Nah, I appreciate it, and you know, yeah, it seems
like yesterday. But hard to believe that was like thirty
six years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Time flies when you're having fun.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Hey, I was always told, once a champion, always a champion,
no matter how much time goes by.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
No, it's it's nice that has a great day, great memory,
and uh, you know, kind of a tone for the
year before we didn't make it. So you know, hopefully,
hopefully that I'll give a little good luck for the
fellows this year getting in there.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Well, I like locker room moments, and I'm glad to
have you on the ligits of the locker room. Like,
give us a locker room moment related to that game,
And how do you feel about the state of the
union in baseball college baseball today?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
You know a memory from that game? I think you know,
just like every I guess top seed and coaching decision
that goes into these regionals, you know, you always have
to make that big decision because you usually paired up
with a one and a four. It's like who do
you who do you match up with? And you do
you do you go with your your A in a
(03:00):
one and four matchup or to try to hold people
back and and and get you know, wait for the
next round. So I we we had to you know
that year, ended up getting a NOD a few days
before against that same New Orleans team, and you know
they had a losing record, didn't you know, kind of
won their conference tournament and got into it late. But
(03:21):
you know, you got to win them one at a time.
And you know, I ended up pitching the first game
of that series against New Orleans and then got them
again in the championship and they were like our four seeds.
So you never know what can happen in these tournaments.
You get a team that's hot, throw off the records
and everything else on paper, because you got to go
win them one at a time. So we got in
a dogfight that first game and ended up we were
(03:43):
sitting getting no hit going into the seventh eighth inning,
and it was we ended up pulling it out two
to nothing. But uh, you know, things could have could
have could have been you know, a whole different course
if we hadn't got that first win.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
So that was a that was a big one.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
You know. New Orleans was a tough you know, good
program still is, and you know, it's nice to get
those wins. And you know, as far as the state
of baseball now, it's definitely you know, you guys know,
college athletics is a different game these days and when
you know, back in our day. But you know, I'm
I'm so proud of you know, I love watching these
(04:19):
guys compete, and I think getting coach lost coming over
and uh, you know, getting them ready to battle through
the sec I mean, you can't let down for a
minute or you know you're gonna you get swept in
real quick, hurry, and uh, you know, I think they've
just come in with that mindset from day one and
carried it through no doubt.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
We're talking to Kirk dressing door for and dressed. You know,
you talk about competing and getting guys on the bump.
Texas has been able to do that week in and
week out, and you start to think about the injuries
that they went through next man up mentality, piecing some
things together, and I've seeing you out there and kind
(05:01):
of with you and I always have our little conversations
about the game. But one of the things that I've
always thought about is if your pitching shows up, you
got a chance. And I'm not just saying that just
because I'm talking to one of the best pitchers in
the game, uh, but in the reality of it, you
gotta have great starting pitching to be able to compete
(05:24):
at this level.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
There's no doubt, Harge, and you know, lose losing you know,
Spencer to the injury, and I hope he's doing well
and he'lls quickly. You know that that leaves a big
hole and going without Blue for a while, the same
way on the offensive side. But but you're right. I
mean I watch a lot of SEC baseball. I watched
the tournament. I mean, the gosh, you know, the entire
(05:48):
the guys they run out there, that the depth they
have and just the talent You're right with, the starting
pitching that can go deep into games and set up
their bullpen really set up you know, not not is
one game, but the entire series is very impressive. So
I've I've I've really enjoyed watching, you know, and and
it has to happen every year when you sometimes exceed expectations,
(06:12):
you you've got to get a little more out of
guys that you may have not have counted on and
in as big roles as they're being pushed into. Uh,
you know, Valantis just you know started off hot and
has stayed that way. You know, that's a freshman who's
stepped up, and you know, you get one guy goes down,
and especially your ace, you know, that means you know,
(06:35):
it's a whole different ball game, as you know, going
from you know, Saturday Sunday starter to the Friday guy.
You know where you're going ace versus ace, and really
one one, you know, a loss is almost like two
losses in that situation. And uh, you know, because not
only are you supposed to get a win against their
best guy, you're you're also supposed to save your bullpen.
(06:56):
So there's a lot of pressure. And I've really been
impressed how everybody has been able to kind of go
out there and stay within themselves, not through true you know,
And a lot of credit goes to Max Wiener and
coach Loss and that the coaching staff to keep these guys,
you know, keep their minds right and not just try
(07:17):
to go through too much, stay within themselves, no.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Doubt, Kerk. I wanted to ask you too, because a
lot of people always try to make make a lot
out of the SEC tournament, the Big twelve tournament, or
back in your day, the Southwest Conference tournament if the
team has already been playing well and earned that right. Obviously,
you want to win championships, but a regular season championship
(07:42):
is just as good as an SEC or a Big
twelve tournament championship because you get a chance to line up,
you're pitching, you get guys rested. But this is the
time that everybody that plays college athletics, this is the
time that you really want to try to get after it.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Oh, no doubt. And you're right, I mean, you want
to win every game. But I think from a priority standpoint,
it's the conference season. The conference tournament, you know, I mean,
conference tournament is just kind of a nice showcase in
some some regards. And you know, when when I was playing,
we we did the same thing. We were already you know,
(08:20):
predetermined by the time you win your own conference during
the regular season you're already you're already you know, hosting
and you already know where you're sitting. So really what
you're using the tournament do is stay, stay, you know,
keep that competitive edge, line up your pitching, like you said,
go get your work in. But it wasn't when it
all costs unless you were playing to get into a
(08:40):
to a regional. Uh So that was kind of how
we approach you. I mean, we were fortunate we won
two out of three conference tournaments when I was at
at Texas, But it was fun baseball to me because
you know, you're already taking care of business during your
conference season. That conference tournament was just fun baseball. It
wasn't as much you know, who were dyed.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Type of pressure on you unless unless you know, coach
Gustison wanted something out of you, he wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
That was the.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Pressure of the tournament, was coach Gustason getting everybody fired up. Man,
as always, we love catching up with you. I'm so
proud of you. Congratulations on the long overdue moment of
being inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Man,
so proud of you, Bro.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Thank you, appreciate you guys, Thank you having me on
all right, I'll talk to you soon and i'll see
you at the dish bro all right, there he is
Hall of Famer, my guy Kirk dressendor.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
For one of the reasons I wanted to come to
the University of Texas was that guy right there.
Let's get.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Let's just shut the locker pay. Let's just sit the
locker le just go withlive when we take it, not
just Rea. Let's just set the locker pay. Let's just SEPs.
I'm on the end and you know that.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
People skin there.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Let's just set the locker pay. Let's just set the
lock pay. But this go alive when we take.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Him, not what just we did.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Let's just send the locker pay. Let's just the locker
PA's I'm on the end, and you know the pad true, Mark,
Henry and Mike Hart reliveh just making for butts.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He is a three time All American an All Southwest
Conference picture. He posted forty five wins. In what better
way than having a legend in the locker room On
this day, Kirk dressing Door first struck out eleven to
help Texas get to its twenty fifth College World Series.
(01:08):
And we are welcomed by my guy, Kirk dressing Door
for Kirk.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
How you doing, buddy, I'm doing great. How you guys
doing well?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
We're excited to have you on especially you know obviously
our guy Chris Bennett CB posted that on this day
in nineteen eighty nine. By the way, I was at
that game where you struck out eleven to help Texas
get his twenty fifth College World Series birth and you
(01:38):
just recently was enshrined in the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Man,
I'm so proud of you, dude. You just don't even know.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Nah, I appreciate it, and you know, yeah, it seems
like yesterday. But hard to believe that was like thirty
six years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Time flies when you're having fun.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Hey, I was always told, once a champion, always a champion,
no matter how much time goes by.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
No, it's it's nice that has a great day, great memory,
and uh, you know, kind of a tone for the
year before we didn't make it. So you know, hopefully,
hopefully that I'll give a little good luck for the
fellows this year getting in there.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Well, I like locker room moments, and I'm glad to
have you on the ligits of the locker room. Like,
give us a locker room moment related to that game,
And how do you feel about the state of the
union in baseball college baseball today?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
You know a memory from that game? I think you know,
just like every I guess top seed and coaching decision
that goes into these regionals, you know, you always have
to make that big decision because you usually paired up
with a one and a four. It's like who do
you who do you match up with? And you do
you do you go with your your A in a
(03:00):
one and four matchup or to try to hold people
back and and and get you know, wait for the
next round. So I we we had to you know
that year, ended up getting a NOD a few days
before against that same New Orleans team, and you know
they had a losing record, didn't you know, kind of
won their conference tournament and got into it late. But
(03:21):
you know, you got to win them one at a time.
And you know, I ended up pitching the first game
of that series against New Orleans and then got them
again in the championship and they were like our four seeds.
So you never know what can happen in these tournaments.
You get a team that's hot, throw off the records
and everything else on paper, because you got to go
win them one at a time. So we got in
a dogfight that first game and ended up we were
(03:43):
sitting getting no hit going into the seventh eighth inning,
and it was we ended up pulling it out two
to nothing. But uh, you know, things could have could
have could have been you know, a whole different course
if we hadn't got that first win.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
So that was a that was a big one.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
You know. New Orleans was a tough you know, good
program still is, and you know, it's nice to get
those wins. And you know, as far as the state
of baseball now, it's definitely you know, you guys know,
college athletics is a different game these days and when
you know, back in our day. But you know, I'm
I'm so proud of you know, I love watching these
(04:19):
guys compete, and I think getting coach lost coming over
and uh, you know, getting them ready to battle through
the sec I mean, you can't let down for a
minute or you know you're gonna you get swept in
real quick, hurry, and uh, you know, I think they've
just come in with that mindset from day one and
carried it through no doubt.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
We're talking to Kirk dressing door for and dressed. You know,
you talk about competing and getting guys on the bump.
Texas has been able to do that week in and
week out, and you start to think about the injuries
that they went through next man up mentality, piecing some
things together, and I've seeing you out there and kind
(05:01):
of with you and I always have our little conversations
about the game. But one of the things that I've
always thought about is if your pitching shows up, you
got a chance. And I'm not just saying that just
because I'm talking to one of the best pitchers in
the game, uh, but in the reality of it, you
gotta have great starting pitching to be able to compete
(05:24):
at this level.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
There's no doubt, Harge, and you know, lose losing you know,
Spencer to the injury, and I hope he's doing well
and he'lls quickly. You know that that leaves a big
hole and going without Blue for a while, the same
way on the offensive side. But but you're right. I
mean I watch a lot of SEC baseball. I watched
the tournament. I mean, the gosh, you know, the entire
(05:48):
the guys they run out there, that the depth they
have and just the talent You're right with, the starting
pitching that can go deep into games and set up
their bullpen really set up you know, not not is
one game, but the entire series is very impressive. So
I've I've I've really enjoyed watching, you know, and and
it has to happen every year when you sometimes exceed expectations,
(06:12):
you you've got to get a little more out of
guys that you may have not have counted on and
in as big roles as they're being pushed into. Uh,
you know, Valantis just you know started off hot and
has stayed that way. You know, that's a freshman who's
stepped up, and you know, you get one guy goes down,
and especially your ace, you know, that means you know,
(06:35):
it's a whole different ball game, as you know, going
from you know, Saturday Sunday starter to the Friday guy.
You know where you're going ace versus ace, and really
one one, you know, a loss is almost like two
losses in that situation. And uh, you know, because not
only are you supposed to get a win against their
best guy, you're you're also supposed to save your bullpen.
(06:56):
So there's a lot of pressure. And I've really been
impressed how everybody has been able to kind of go
out there and stay within themselves, not through true you know,
And a lot of credit goes to Max Wiener and
coach Loss and that the coaching staff to keep these guys,
you know, keep their minds right and not just try
(07:17):
to go through too much, stay within themselves, no.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Doubt, Kerk. I wanted to ask you too, because a
lot of people always try to make make a lot
out of the SEC tournament, the Big twelve tournament, or
back in your day, the Southwest Conference tournament if the
team has already been playing well and earned that right. Obviously,
you want to win championships, but a regular season championship
(07:42):
is just as good as an SEC or a Big
twelve tournament championship because you get a chance to line up,
you're pitching, you get guys rested. But this is the
time that everybody that plays college athletics, this is the
time that you really want to try to get after it.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Oh, no doubt. And you're right, I mean, you want
to win every game. But I think from a priority standpoint,
it's the conference season. The conference tournament, you know, I mean,
conference tournament is just kind of a nice showcase in
some some regards. And you know, when when I was playing,
we we did the same thing. We were already you know,
(08:20):
predetermined by the time you win your own conference during
the regular season you're already you're already you know, hosting
and you already know where you're sitting. So really what
you're using the tournament do is stay, stay, you know,
keep that competitive edge, line up your pitching, like you said,
go get your work in. But it wasn't when it
all costs unless you were playing to get into a
(08:40):
to a regional. Uh So that was kind of how
we approach you. I mean, we were fortunate we won
two out of three conference tournaments when I was at
at Texas, But it was fun baseball to me because
you know, you're already taking care of business during your
conference season. That conference tournament was just fun baseball. It
wasn't as much you know, who were dyed.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Type of pressure on you unless unless you know, coach
Gustison wanted something out of you, he wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
That was the.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Pressure of the tournament, was coach Gustason getting everybody fired up. Man,
as always, we love catching up with you. I'm so
proud of you. Congratulations on the long overdue moment of
being inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Man,
so proud of you, Bro.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Thank you, appreciate you guys, Thank you having me on
all right, I'll talk to you soon and i'll see
you at the dish bro all right, there he is
Hall of Famer, my guy Kirk dressendor.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
For one of the reasons I wanted to come to
the University of Texas was that guy right there.
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